Gay Friendly Suburbs (Chicago, Naperville, Elgin: apartments, houses, best schools)

[ToriaT]

In fact there is an organization in Berwyn called Bungalo which is for the gay community. Here is a link to their facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/BUNGALOBerwynGLBT?fref=nf

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth

That a jab? Prolly not right to pigeonhole a community of 50,000 because of the actions of a few moth-eaten knuckleheads....

Probably not but unfortunately, that's how it works. God knows I learned that from living in Berwyn LOL!

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by ToriaT

In fact there is an organization in Berwyn called Bungalo which is for the gay community. Here is a link to their facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/BUNGALOBerwynGLBT?fref=nf

That group game together due to anti-gay sentiments in the community.

https://www.facebook.com/BUNGALOBerw...25597087505248

Not sure what it does now. It was definitely a necessary organization back then though.

[holl1ngsworth]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

It's not a news story. It's an incident that was brought up among some parents I know as a reason they quit their church in Wheaton and started attending a "gay-friendly" church in Glen Ellyn. It occurred in a public middle school on the north side of town, and several kids used religious justification to tell a student he was going to hell for being gay. Multiple straight students did stand up for their gay friend, however.

It wasn't a serious incident of violence or "bashing", but it was enough for some parents to be concerned and for a child to feel ostracized. I was happy to hear that he had some friends to have his back.

That's terrible... but I'm glad he wasn't alone in fighting back and the parents were able to find a resolution.

Fyi, there are gay-friendly churches in Wheaton as well:

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wheaton IL
St. Matthew United Church of Christ

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth

That's terrible... but I'm glad he wasn't alone in fighting back and the parents were able to find a resolution.

Fyi, there are gay-friendly churches in Wheaton as well:

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wheaton IL
St. Matthew United Church of Christ

Pretty much any UCC/Congregational church will be... and most Episcopal congregations as well (though not all, as I recently found out from a friend ordained in that denomination).

[holl1ngsworth]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Pretty much any UCC/Congregational church will be... and most Episcopal congregations as well (though not all, as I recently found out from a friend ordained in that denomination).

Yep, Unitarian churches as well... if you're OK with no Trinity.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth

Yep, Unitarian churches as well... if you're OK with no Trinity.

Or rules of any kind, really. (I was married in a Unitarian Church).

[ThePianoMan]

Any other thoughts (not related to churches) about good LGBT-friendly suburbs? Evanston is on our list, as is Wilmette. Anything on the Western front? How are Hinsdale, Naperville, etc.? They strike me as places without a lot of culture or diversity but I may absolutely be relying on stereotypes and I'd love to get some more informed opinions.

[Zimbochick]

I live in Geneva. I think you'll find LGBT families happily living in most of the Chicagoland burbs, there are all sorts of families here, and people are friendly and welcoming. I think you'll find in most of the burbs that when people say folks may be a bit more conservative they are generally referring to economically conservative, not socially.

I am continually blown away by how friendly and welcoming people are here, we have had nothing but positive experiences on a social level.

[ThePianoMan]

Thanks for sharing your experience- I hope you're right! It's just a big decision and trying to make the right one from far away is a little nerve-wracking. Thanks!