America's Gayest City: Atlanta (Decatur, Douglas: apartment, find a job, place to live)

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

As an outsider. Atlanta has a huge gay population. Its visible to me as an outsider so I know it exist.

On the flipside there is no place that resembles boystown in chicago or the castro in sanfrancisco. I think the reason for that is atlanta is still a very young city.

Atlanta and Chicago are exactly the same age, both founded in 1837. I would say that Midtown Atlanta very much resembles Halstead in Chicago as far as gay life...it's not built the same way, but it's just as gay.

The age of a city has nothing to do with how gay it is.

[ericsonga]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

As an outsider. Atlanta has a huge gay population. Its visible to me as an outsider so I know it exist.

On the flipside there is no place that resembles boystown in chicago or the castro in sanfrancisco. I think the reason for that is atlanta is still a very young city.

I have never been to San Francisco, so I cannot comment on that. However, I have a few friends in Boystown, and I have been there several times. To me, it's a very similar vibe as midtown Atlanta. Both are very accepting, and have huge gay populations. Boystown however used to be almost entirely gay populated. However, in the last few years more families and young singles have been moving in. Also, a lot of Boystown's population is moving to Andersonville. I think a similar thing is happening in midtown/Ansley. As our population grows more and more accepting, the GLBT community feels more at place everywhere, instead of exclusively in their self-made neighborhoods. I think that is why there is a definite presence in most of metro Atlanta now.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by ericsonga

I have never been to San Francisco, so I cannot comment on that. However, I have a few friends in Boystown, and I have been there several times. To me, it's a very similar vibe as midtown Atlanta. Both are very accepting, and have huge gay populations. Boystown however used to be almost entirely gay populated. However, in the last few years more families and young singles have been moving in. Also, a lot of Boystown's population is moving to Andersonville. I think a similar thing is happening in midtown/Ansley. As our population grows more and more accepting, the GLBT community feels more at place everywhere, instead of exclusively in their self-made neighborhoods. I think that is why there is a definite presence in most of metro Atlanta now.

Very similar to Midtown, Castro, and almost every other gay ghetto. Gay neighborhoods across the U.S. have caught the attention of everyone and have become the trendy place for straight people to live.

[WilliamM]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

Atlanta and Chicago are exactly the same age, both founded in 1837. I would say that Midtown Atlanta very much resembles Halstead in Chicago as far as gay life...it's not built the same way, but it's just as gay.

The age of a city has nothing to do with how gay it is.

I think what mjtinmemphis was saying is that Chicago is more established than Atlanta. And that's true in the sense that Chicago came of age long before Atlanta did, even though the two cities were founded at the same time.

Although as you noted in an earlier post both cities continue to evolve rapidly - along with many American cities - Chicago's evolution is against the backdrop of a more established urban fabric and personality, not to mention role in the nation and world, than a city like Atlanta, a city whose future is still a little more of a blank slate.

I can't speak to the comparison of the two cities' gay sub-cultures, since I have limited direct knowledge of them except as just a general observer. But I would add that if Atlanta's midtown gay culture is becoming 'diluted' by more straight families moving in, I'd suggest that this is probably a reflection of the increasing 'upscaling' trend going on in all major American cities right now, a kind of new hyper-gentrification that's sweeping cities across the nation as new generations of people flock to them and leave the suburbs to the working classes and immigrants. This as gay culture becomes more mainstreamed in the culture at large, thus removing one of the original needs for intown sub-cultures. Not that the original gentrification brought to intown neighborhoods by gays wasn't upscaling itself, it certainly was. As in many other regards, gays in this case were ahead of the times.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by WilliamM

I think what mjtinmemphis was saying is that Chicago is more established than Atlanta. And that's true in the sense that Chicago came of age long before Atlanta did, even though the two cities were founded at the same time.

Although as you noted in an earlier post both cities continue to evolve rapidly - along with many American cities - Chicago's evolution is against the backdrop of a more established urban fabric and personality, not to mention role in the nation and world, than a city like Atlanta, a city whose future is still a little more of a blank slate.

I can't speak to the comparison of the two cities' gay sub-cultures, since I have limited direct knowledge of them except as just a general observer. But I would add that if Atlanta's midtown gay culture is becoming 'diluted' by more straight families moving in, I'd suggest that this is probably a reflection of the increasing 'upscaling' trend going on in all major American cities right now, a kind of new hyper-gentrification that's sweeping cities across the nation as new generations of people flock to them and leave the suburbs to the working classes and immigrants. This as gay culture becomes more mainstreamed in the culture at large, thus removing one of the original needs for intown sub-cultures. Not that the original gentrification brought to intown neighborhoods by gays wasn't upscaling itself, it certainly was. As in many other regards, gays in this case were ahead of the times.

Oh I agree that Chicago was a large city long before Atlanta, but that didn't seem to be the point of mjtinmemphis's post. He stated "On the flipside there is no place that resembles boystown in chicago or the castro in sanfrancisco. I think the reason for that is atlanta is still a very young city." Atlanta isn't a young city - it has been a large established city for a good century, and has a large established gay presence that very much resembles that of Chicago.

It seems like this poster was assuming that Atlanta doesn't have a vibrant gay community because it doesn't LOOK like Chicago's. That's what I was refuting.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by WilliamM

I think what mjtinmemphis was saying is that Chicago is more established than Atlanta. And that's true in the sense that Chicago came of age long before Atlanta did, even though the two cities were founded at the same time.

... Chicago's evolution is against the backdrop of a more established urban fabric and personality, not to mention role in the nation and world, than a city like Atlanta, a city whose future is still a little more of a blank slate...

WilliamM, I think you are right about what mjtinmemphis meant.

[Dytdude]

Originally Posted by RudeBoy21

The community is non existant. Are you talking about having one gay area where all blacks gay are living?

Because they are every where here in Atlanta. Not centrally located in the one area and trust people across america no about the Atlanta and its black Gay community and in Atlanta. The presence of black gay men is well existant.

There are lots of gay black men in Atlanta. But they are not politically or socially active like their white gay counter parts.

For instance, when Bishop Long had his march against same-sex marriage, you would think it would face some opposition from the many gay black folks here but they were silent.

So yes there are alot of gay black people but no "community."

[Dytdude]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

This is sounds an awful lot like a comment coming from someone who has no idea what he's talking about. You obviously have some basic knowledge of Atlanta, but know very little about gay life in Atlanta.

Well I don't know alot about gay life in Atlanta, but I know as well as most people in Atlanta that Midtown has many gay residence. That doesnt apply for black gay folks..and you know it.

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Actually, you would be surprised at how many gays live outside the perimeter these days; fully half of the gay people I know do.
And yes, Savannah is quite accommodating to gays.

That is so true Lovin'.
Gwinnett County probably has the second largest Gay population in GA OTP.
I know the area around the Mall of GA, to Hamilton Mill, to Dacula/Auburn has a very high Gay population.
My wife and I have quite a few neighbors and friends OTP that are Gay. To each as own I say. I'm straight and married but have absolutely no quarrel with the Gay community.

Actually, with the growing Gwinnett Gay population they could soon change the 85 water towers to Gwinnett is Gay

[RudeBoy21]

Originally Posted by Dytdude

There are lots of gay black men in Atlanta. But they are not politically or socially active like their white gay counter parts.

For instance, when Bishop Long had his march against same-sex marriage, you would think it would face some opposition from the many gay black folks here but they were silent.

So yes there are alot of gay black people but no "community."

There is Black gay Community just because blacks are fighting for gay rights and marriage and all that stuff dont mean we dont have no community. There are many black organizations out here that do things within our community and outside. There are plenty of things within the community that you can do besides standing outside with posters rioting about same sex marriage. . I personally dont care about marrying a man or fighting for gay rights. If they pass it they pass it, if they dont they dont. Either way I wont be marrying one.