gay allentown? (Scranton, Bethlehem, Wilkes-Barre: college, moving to, bars)

[livin in the 'bury]

Hey all..

I'm considering attending Muhlenberg College in the fall and i'm wondering how gays are treated in Allentown...

[ScranBarre]

Well, I'm not sure about Allentown in particular, but I'm a gay college student (King's College) about an hour or so north of the Lehigh Valley here in Wilkes-Barre, and I truly have never run into any unpleasant circumstances regarding my sexuality. Then again, while I'm "out" to everyone who inquires (or who checks my MySpace or Facebook), I'm still very straight-acting, which has lead me to be able to fly under the radar in most situations. I've heard some anti-gay rhetoric tossed around my workplace by co-workers and our clientele alike, but, then again, you have to consider the types of people that places like Lowe's, my employer, seems to attract---rural, blue-collar, underexposure to diversity, no appreciation for differences in others, raised with Conservative values, etc.

Overall, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area, which is practically a mirror image of the Lehigh Valley/Allentown area in terms of size, topography, demographics, etc. isn't "pro-gay", but it isn't "anti-gay" either. In general, people should leave you alone. I often feel "left out" on my campus, but the decision to follow in the footsteps of my entire family and enroll at a reputedly-Conservative college was my own error in judgment. The GLBT community in my area is actually very large, but it's also very "closeted." I suspect the same could be said for Allentown. If I'm not mistaken though, there was a Gay Pride Festival in Allentown last year, so perhaps the region is turning the corner even more in terms of embracing diversity?

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by livin in the 'bury

Hey all..

I'm considering attending Muhlenberg College in the fall and i'm wondering how gays are treated in Allentown...

Allentown is generally a conservative area. However, I wouldn't refer to it as stiflingly conservative. You're bound to find other gay students with which you can feel comfortable. Also, Bethlehem is a city is about 10 miles away, which I have found to have a somewhat more liberal, artistic atmosphere than Allentown. You may want to check it out.

[Duderino]

Here's a website that may be informative to you, too:


http://www.prideglv.org/

[DrewV11]

The Lehigh Valley in general has a very large gay community, with a very active Pride Organization, Chorus, Metropolitan Church and a few bars. In terms of the community its really not divided by the individual city, rather we think of the area as a whole - the Lehigh Valley. Being gay myself, I can tell you that I've never had a single instance of discrimination or harassment. Good Luck!

[KristyLiz]

Originally Posted by DrewV11

The Lehigh Valley in general has a very large gay community, with a very active Pride Organization, Chorus, Metropolitan Church and a few bars. In terms of the community its really not divided by the individual city, rather we think of the area as a whole - the Lehigh Valley. Being gay myself, I can tell you that I've never had a single instance of discrimination or harassment. Good Luck!

This is really nice to know, as we are moving to the Lehigh Valley this month. I am not gay, but I am happy to know the area is open minded and that you feel welcome - that's very important.

[loose cannon]

Allentown has always had a pretty strong gay community. As long as you do not flaunt in a Boy George effemine kind of way nobody cares. And, if you are a Lesbian people do not care for sure. Bars to go to include Candidas, Stonewall, and Diamonz on the Allentown-Bethlehem border.