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I'm a gay professional Asian guy considering a move to the area. I have 2 major questions:
1) where would be a good place for an urban gay guy to live? I want to live some place safe, central to urban life and somewhere that affords me opportunity to interact with liberal type people.
2) is it difficult to meet guys for dating and friendship? What venues are there (excluding clubs, bars)?
The majority live in Durham/Chapel Hill. Depends on what you are looking for, price range, etc. You just missed Pride in Durham so the next thing I would recommend is meetup.com. They have alot of social activities to meet other people besides the bar.
Actually, downtown Raleigh is the "hopping place" for gay guys these days--several condo projects have been built or are being built right on the same block as the gay bars.
It's true that Chapel Hill is a very liberal city (college town) and Durham does have its pockets (moreso for Lesbians, but there are large numbers of gay men, too), but the latest "wave" of gay males is in downtown Raleigh--condo projects such as the Dawson on Morgan, Park Devereaux, and the still-under-constrcution Hue.
If you aren't looking to buy, the "age-old" apartment complex for gay men has for decades been Cameron Court on Hillsborough St. They are old, mid-century brick apartments but there've always been huge number of gayfolks there...however, the Triangle in general is quite gay-friendly.
Feel free to PM me; I grew up here and have been "on the scene", as it were, for over 25 years, so I know all about the gay (male) history of the area.
2) is it difficult to meet guys for dating and friendship? What venues are there (excluding clubs, bars)?
PS, I didn't answer this part of your question. Yes, TONS of activities outside the bars (which are rather tired). We have gay bowling leagues, softball leagues, a gay rugby league, a gay men's Chorus, a GLBT Marching/concert band, more gay-friendly churches than I can count, you name it.
Here is a page that UNC-Chapel Hill posts, with most of the GLBT organizations in the area:
You mention you are Asian; there at least used to be a group called "Asians and Friends" that was gay--it is most certainly NOT the link that is posted on the site above! I think that link has been hacked...
Welcome! There are open minded people and others who aren't so open minded everywhere. I think, and hope you'll find lots of accepting people here. I'm a hetro married mom w/ kids and I'd love to have you as a neighbor as long as you are a nice person.
To meet people, you might want to explore your interests. Being gay is one part of who you are but maybe you feel strongly about animal rights, conservation, or one of our presidential candidates. Maybe you love to knit, ot waterski, or bowl. Look for groups or organizations because of your interests in addition to meeting gay friends.
Again welcome.
FWIW, Charlotte is much more gay than Raleigh.
In fact, Charlotte is much more gay than _anywhere_ in the Triangle, for that matter.
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