Safe, Small affordable towns outside Atlanta (Gay-Friendly) (Hogansville, Jasper: apartment, rent)

[brandnudestiny]

Hi I'm moving from Florida to Georgia next year & need recommendations for small, Affordable towns outside of Atlanta, preferably within one to two hours driving distance. Also Gay friendly, I don't want to stay directly in the heart of Atlanta its just too "fast" for me, I'm 26 & I come from humble beginnings I prefer a place that's city living but with Normal speed limits, I already have a job lined up. I'm not extravagant at all I am Gay but I keep to myself not a partier at all my safety is a must, don't want to move somewhere where I feel the need to look over my shoulders constantly afraid of gay bashing. I've had my fair share of that here in Florida. Can anyone give me suggestions? They would be greatly appreciated. Places with lower rent is best like no higher than 600 per month average for an apartment.

[KingJohn]

Originally Posted by brandnudestiny

Hi I'm moving from Florida to Georgia next year & need recommendations for small, Affordable towns outside of Atlanta, preferably within one to two hours driving distance. Also Gay friendly, I don't want to stay directly in the heart of Atlanta its just too "fast" for me, I'm 26 & I come from humble beginnings I prefer a place that's city living but with Normal speed limits, I already have a job lined up. I'm not extravagant at all I am Gay but I keep to myself not a partier at all my safety is a must, don't want to move somewhere where I feel the need to look over my shoulders constantly afraid of gay bashing. I've had my fair share of that here in Florida. Can anyone give me suggestions? They would be greatly appreciated. Places with lower rent is best like no higher than 600 per month average for an apartment.

If you don't go out and be a loud and proud person then you'll have no need to worry about ridicule.

[Iconographer]

Jasper, GA has a small but tight gay community.

www.jasper-ga.us

[bigstick]

Athens, Jasper, Blue Ridge..

[AnsleyPark]

Where is your job located?

[Saintmarks]

I don't know anywhere in the South (actually the majority of rural America... well even suburbs and big cities too) where you will be completely safe from discrimination. I think a lot of it goes hand in hand with what King John said above. Most folks (gossipers excluded) aren't that interested in your personal love life. More folks are more alarmed by the political ramifications that come with the label actually.

Case in point. My hometown of Hogansville (about an hour southwest of downtown down 85) is as conservative and typical of the southern bible belt as you could ask. Recently my elderly mother (also as conservative and bible belt evangelical as you could find) told me of the Garden Club that she attends being invited to one of the old historic homes that had been renovated by a gay couple. She went on about what a beautiful job they had done with the place and what wonderful hosts they were. Being a little surprised by her response, I had to needle a little and ask her "but Mother, they are gay aren't they?" (she had never used the term in her story) to which she replied, "Well, that's between them and God isn't it?"

Be a good citizen and don't promote your gayness above everything else and you will be fine I am sure.

[ATLTJL]

Can't tell you about south Georgia so much, but I do know several gay people who have cabins in the north Georgia mountains.

One guy I know has a cabin in a town called Cherry Log, and I asked him if he and his partner feel comfortable there all the time, to which he replied, "Are you kidding? There are two old queens a couple of doors down and a pair of lesbians across the street!" So apparently, gay couples are quite common around north Georgia. Of course, most of the gay people who go there are partnered, so I'm not sure if there is a "gay scene" there for a single guy.

I also know that in the northern suburbs nobody really thinks anything of gay people. There's even a special "gay cove" where all the gay boaters hang out on Lake Lanier. I hear it even has its own web site, just google Lake Lanier Gay Cove and I'm sure you'll find it.

I'm not sure how much acceptance dissipates the further you go out, but I suspect by and large, the closer you are to metro Atlanta, the higher your chances of acceptance. Not always true, just like there are some closed-minded people who live in midtown, but as a general rule I think you can follow it. You might consider something around Athens. As a college town, I'm sure gays are pretty well accepted, and you'd probably find quite a few around your age.

[brandnudestiny]

Thank you everyone for your responses, greatly appreciated!

[workaholics]

Originally Posted by KingJohn

If you don't go out and be a loud and proud person then you'll have no need to worry about ridicule.

what exactly constitutes as loud and proud? Could the OP hold hands with someone of the opposite sex? I know that in some small towns this would raise a lot of eyebrows, unfortunately.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by workaholics

what exactly constitutes as loud and proud? Could the OP hold hands with someone of the opposite sex? I know that in some small towns this would raise a lot of eyebrows, unfortunately.

That's probably a little too loud and proud for many rural Georgia communities. Not a judgment, just what is....