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Yes it is a bad stigma. A few gays, or a few hundred gays moving into a neighborhood does not magically transform it. Many gays because of discrimination in the workforce only have access to low paying service sector jobs. There is NOT ENOUGH MONEY in the gay community to truly gentrify a significant part of any city. The gentrification is done by straight investors, straight governments passing public policies that encourage inner city investment, straight banks giving out the loans and mortgages, etc.
I think Gays open the door for other whites to move in. I think gays are often like the pioneers in the gentrification process. When whites see other whites living in these communities that they once may have feared living in (thinking that they may be targeted because they are white), they are more willing to take the risk and move there too.
Anybody got any stats on Chicago? Seems like the gay population is growing there (as Chi is still a relative low-cost alternative to NY, SF, and LA). Andersonville seems to be gradually creeping eastward...
Eh, this is probably also an effect of homosexuality being more widely accepted now than probably anytime in America's past.
This is also very true. In the sea of red, their are blue and purple areas where the LGBT culture can remain and thrive, a good example of this is Austin Texas which has a vibrant gay scene, as well as New Orleans.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Indentured Servant
I think Gays open the door for other whites to move in. I think gays are often like the pioneers in the gentrification process. When whites see other whites living in these communities that they once may have feared living in (thinking that they may be targeted because they are white), they are more willing to take the risk and move there too.
Just a thought.
I disagree with gays being the only pioneers. Other pioneer of gentrification are professional women and artisans. These three groups help propel gentrification. A good example of this is 1960s East Village which was full of gays, college educated professional Hillary Clinton type feminists and artists. 30 years later that same crowed was priced up and moved over to Williamsburg Brooklyn. The big problem is that NYC is a very expensive city. The Gays that can afford NYC don't have children, and can utilize their capital for different means where a straight person has to utilize their capital to live and not thrive depending on he or she have offsprings. NYC is becoming, more and more expensive and therefore the city will see folks who came to NYC and make a name for themselves and then end up leaving for good. Some folks will be happy for just a couple of block gay district like 6th street in Austin or East Bourbon street New Orleans, vs massive spread apart gay districts that NYC has to offer. One thing that I noticed about NYC is that its size of geographic distribution is similar to Philly, Chicago, Miami, Houston, but is similarly priced like smaller wealth capital driven magnet legacy cities such as SF, DC and Boston. When I went to Philadelphia last year to take an exam at Temple University, I was amazed that a can of soda cost 75 cents.
Eh, this is probably also an effect of homosexuality being more widely accepted now than probably anytime in America's past.
This as well. It used to be that the big cities were your only real option as a gay person, nowadays you can find a good pocket in just about any state.
Anybody got any stats on Chicago? Seems like the gay population is growing there (as Chi is still a relative low-cost alternative to NY, SF, and LA). Andersonville seems to be gradually creeping eastward...
My understanding is that Chicago has edged out NYC as far as percentage LGBT population, but neither is in the US top ten.
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