Gay life in Pittsburgh (Liberty, Ellsworth: houses, hotel, job)

[guylocke]

Which is sad, cause I bet you're a cutie! But I'm married...

Yes -- I haven't met a lot of gay people that do have kids, but honestly, anyone that wants to take the time to raise a child should be considered. Especially because it's not an easy task to do, and pretty much everybody knows it so if you're looking, that should mean you're pretty serious about doing it right.

And nowadays, Guylocke, you could have your own kid, with the right surrogate.

I have straight friends that have kids and a lot of them are the very picture of "just because you can squeeze out kids doesn't mean you should"... and what we try to do is to be very nice to those kids -- they need to know that not all adults act like howling animals.

I do wish the world could get over this -- homosexuality is such a non-issue. I mean -- it seems every time someone gets all bent out of shape about it, people start "coming out of the closets" ratting them out about doing the same thing they are saying is evil.

In the grand scheme of things what does this matter? To me it seems like homosexuals are the new persecuted on the block. Which is something we've been doing as the human race for as long as there has been a human race. It's almost a psychological need to be tear down someone else in order to feel better about yourself and your way of life.

And, since I believe in evolution, I think it's time we evolve past this nonsense.

Well said. I knew I wanted your thoughts!! You're a doll!! I posted my pics in the "Take it Outside" thread. :P

[BVH]

Originally Posted by Tallysmom

Which is sad, cause I bet you're a cutie! But I'm married...

Yes -- I haven't met a lot of gay people that do have kids, but honestly, anyone that wants to take the time to raise a child should be considered. Especially because it's not an easy task to do, and pretty much everybody knows it so if you're looking, that should mean you're pretty serious about doing it right.

And nowadays, Guylocke, you could have your own kid, with the right surrogate.

I have straight friends that have kids and a lot of them are the very picture of "just because you can squeeze out kids doesn't mean you should"... and what we try to do is to be very nice to those kids -- they need to know that not all adults act like howling animals.

I do wish the world could get over this -- homosexuality is such a non-issue. I mean -- it seems every time someone gets all bent out of shape about it, people start "coming out of the closets" ratting them out about doing the same thing they are saying is evil.

In the grand scheme of things what does this matter? To me it seems like homosexuals are the new persecuted on the block. Which is something we've been doing as the human race for as long as there has been a human race. It's almost a psychological need to be tear down someone else in order to feel better about yourself and your way of life.

And, since I believe in evolution, I think it's time we evolve past this nonsense.

I couldn't have said it better! Fortunately, most of the world shares similar beliefs as you do...homosexuality IS a non-issue. It's the looney radicals that we must watch out for a-la, Pat Robertson, falwell, and The biggest nut-job to come along in a great wile. Fred Phelps, of the westoboro babtist church. (He's the guy who protests all the Soldiers funerals blaming their deaths on "America's Permissiveness" of the homosexual lifestyle).

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by BVH

I couldn't have said it better! Fortunately, most of the world shares similar beliefs as you do...homosexuality IS a non-issue. It's the looney radicals that we must watch out for a-la, Pat Robertson, falwell, and The biggest nut-job to come along in a great wile. Fred Phelps, of the westoboro babtist church. (He's the guy who protests all the Soldiers funerals blaming their deaths on "America's Permissiveness" of the homosexual lifestyle).

Shirley Phelps gets airtime sometimes on Adam Carolla radio show out here (syndicated -- he's a riot)... and she is not a nice person. Howard Stern used to give her airtime and make fun of her there, too. But frankly, it's hard to laugh when you're scared! And she's scary.

The good part is that apparently the church doesn't have any new blood, so it's a few families who are in it together and they are now inbreeding. Hopefully they and the hate they spew will die out soon.

[eastoh]

Originally Posted by guylocke

LOL, that was a cute post, it made me laugh. Shadyside definitely has a large gay population due to the fact that we usually have higher expendable incomes and normally have no children (not always, though!). We also like to be around trendy areas, and if I may be so bold, I would bet my life that a great, great, percent of the "trend" in Shadyside is derived from the hard work and dedication of the gay community.

In fact, I KNOW that is the case.

And in terms of the Mexican War Streets, that also has a large gay population because if there is one thing gay people absolutely love to do, it's move into "shady" neighborhoods, fix them up, gentrify them, make them cool, and increase the property value.

I know they've done it in a major way in St. Petersburg and Seattle. Gay people are very good for a city, don't let anybody else tell you differently!!

You're kidding, right? If by Shady Side trendy you mean the Gap, Victoria's Secret, Pottery Barn, and J. Crew, which, incidentally, removed it's men's section a few years ago, yep, it's white hot gay central. The fact is, Shady Side's "success" (we're in Pittsburgh so everything is relative) is due to the wealth of medicine. Period. Gays have nothing .... NOTHING ... to do with it.

As for the War Streets, I would absolutely point to the gay community's investment and rehab of residential properties as pivotal in it's emergence as a quality community, though the pace of redevelopment has been glacial, at best. North and Federal Streets are still abject squalor, as is Western and East Ohio, the North Side's gateway avenues.

[guylocke]

If by Shady Side trendy you mean the Gap, Victoria's Secret, Pottery Barn, and J. Crew

Actually no, that's not what I mean.

[Merge]

Originally Posted by eastoh

You're kidding, right? If by Shady Side trendy you mean the Gap, Victoria's Secret, Pottery Barn, and J. Crew, which, incidentally, removed it's men's section a few years ago, yep, it's white hot gay central. The fact is, Shady Side's "success" (we're in Pittsburgh so everything is relative) is due to the wealth of medicine. Period. Gays have nothing .... NOTHING ... to do with it.

Actually, it's widespread knowledge that gay folks played a LARGE role in making Shadyside hip in the 1970's. Now... Shadyside is certainly NOT hip nowadays... so if that's your point, I totally agree.

[Geeo]

Shadyside is "tony" and the Georgetown of Pittsburgh. South Side is "trendy" and the Greenwich Village of Pittsburgh. Mexican War Streets are "pioneering" and like the Lower East Side of Manhattan. And all have a high concentration of gay men and lesbians.

Yes, Walnut Street has chains, but it also has a lot of uique locally-owned stores like Henne, Walnut Grille, Shady Grove, coffee shops, Kard Unlimited, Shadyside Grocery (where they don't even put prices on things!), The Variety Store, and lots of restaurants.

Ellsworth Avenue is almost exclusively locally-owned stores with gay bars and restaurants, galleries, a cupcake shop, coffee shops, and a very trendy new shoe store.

And don't forget South Highland Avenue, which has seen a renaissance in the last few years.

[Merge]

I've never seen a large concentration of gay culture in the South Side. Sure- there's the Tuscany, but it's always been sort of isolated.

[fleetiebelle]

I'd venture to say that Lawrenceville is more the Greenwich Village of Pittsburgh. The South Side isn't very trendy, unless you dig drunk college students.

[Merge]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

I'd venture to say that Lawrenceville is more the Greenwich Village of Pittsburgh. The South Side isn't very trendy, unless you dig drunk college students.

I totally agree.