Chicago women love gay men! (vs., ethnic, summer)

[nana053]

Originally Posted by marothisu

It is true about that flannel though. I wish flannel would just stop existing.

Flannel is comfortable and warm in the winter. I am a woman and wear flannel shirts in Chicago in the winter. It may not be fashionable, but that is not the point.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by nana053

Flannel is comfortable and warm in the winter. I am a woman and wear flannel shirts in Chicago in the winter. It may not be fashionable, but that is not the point.

REAL flannel is what you're talking about, but there's a lot of flannel out there that is nothing more than just the pattern on the shirt and no different than almost any other shirt. Fake flannel for sure. Most guys you'll see out there aren't wearing necessarily real flannel. They're wearing flannel patterned shirts. I get it though - it's warm material. There are other fabrics just as warm/warmer too and you know that.

[Lorielicious]

Yeah, seriously, flannel doesn't have a patent on warmth.

[tollfree]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Maybe I help put an end to this once and for all. Maybe.

And this is just personal opinion and all.

But I think this whole thing about Chicagos gay community being segregated from its mainstream straight communities boils down to how Chicagos subcultures are found across the city.

I truly don't think that Chicago is any less of a city, or has anything less to offer than LA, or any city on the coast. But heres the thing: Chicago has a bit of a "demographic distribution of lifestyles and subculture across its neighborhoods, etc. that makes for people thinking that is this midwestern backwater or whatever.

If Chicagos Boystown WERE adjacent to River North or the West loop, Bucktown or Hyde Park, we would NOT be having this discussion.

However its located adjacent to WRIGLEYVILLE. A neighborhood, whose attraction and nightlife is dedicated to baseball, sports, the most fundamentally masculine activity. I think its the fact that one of the hottest, ground zero, most vibrant neighborhood for nightlife is one that revolves around might be where people get the idea that Chicago is really a provincial, midwestern city.

Likewise I think its absolutely messed up, that Hyde Park, with UC is flung out on the south side, in one of the cities most beautiful neighborhood. Frankly, I wouldn't mind if Wrigley field just got relocated to Rosemont, surrounded by parking lots, and the original field simply converted to an outdoor restaurant, bar, and shopping center. I would take that as progress if you ask me.

Many of us, were not that good at sports hand/eye coordination growing up, were even teased about it, or even into adulthood have participated in softball leagues, as thats a huge way for people to meet other singles and still could barely hit the ball, so for me personally, and possibly for others, baseball/softball brings out some childhood adolescent insecurity. And in a neighborhood like Lakeview, its easy to have this conclusion in the back of ones' head that one either loves baseball, can throw a ball, catch a fly ball, can hit a homer in a softball league and everything baseball related . . . or is gay.

My physical activity has always been hiking, and other related outdoor pursuits. I am an avid hiker, with occasional To me I feel so good about myself living in a city in a state with natural variety everywhere, outdoor pursuits, and a significant population that views hiking, camping, road trips as outlets to meet new people, but can tell for the life of them, which teams are still in the series' for whatever sport (when the Kings were in the hockey playoffs, in SoCal, people were like "we had a hockey team?") But I realize thats just me, and really has nothing to do with the difference between Chicago and LA as cities.

The sports fascination with the Cubs/Bears can be insufferable at times. LA isn't a sports city and doesn't even have a pro football team at the moment. Which is great.

I don't think having Boystown in a different neighborhood would change anything at all. The overall culture is just a certain way, has to do with being right between Wisconsin & Indiana. It cannot be mitigated.

[knitgirl]

Originally Posted by marothisu

REAL flannel is what you're talking about, but there's a lot of flannel out there that is nothing more than just the pattern on the shirt and no different than almost any other shirt. Fake flannel for sure. Most guys you'll see out there aren't wearing necessarily real flannel. They're wearing flannel patterned shirts. I get it though - it's warm material. There are other fabrics just as warm/warmer too and you know that.

I believe you're talking about plaid, which, since it originated in Scotland, is probably at least partially a WASPy kind of thing. There are still those types of people here in Chicago. Also plaid is more colorful than a plain shirt without being wild, so for guys who aren't too adventurous in how they dress, plaid is a reasonable choice.

[marothisu]

The Cubs/Bears thing is a little overboard, I agree. My cousin was in charge of getting an NFL team back in LA for a bit but obviously there's not a ton of support. However, there's enough fans for USC and UCLA football.

Again, Ronnie, while what you say is still a fact, it's becoming more integrated. Most of my straight friends, even the biggest jocks, have at least one gay friend. If I mention I was at a gay bar with my gay friends, nobody questions it. They think it's normal. Even amongst my biggest jock friends...same thing.

[marothisu]

Yes, exactly. Plaid..similar pattern.

[nana053]

You know, you guys must have been living under a rock in terms of the relationships between gay men and straight women. Tales of the City was published in 1978 and had been in Maupin's newspaper columns in 1974.

In it those relationships were explored admittedly in San Francisco, but I am sure that in NYC, Chicago and other places, these things were going on even back then or at least since the 1980s.

The miniseries came out in 1993, I think.

In it, one of the characters describes herself as a **** hag.*
Urban Dictionary: *** hag

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by nana053

You know, you guys must have been living under a rock in terms of the relationships between gay men and straight women. Tales of the City was published in 1978 and had been in Maupin's newspaper columns in 1974.

In it those relationships were explored admittedly in San Francisco, but I am sure that in NYC, Chicago and other places, these things were going on even back then or at least since the 1980s.

The miniseries came out in 1993, I think.

In it, one of the characters describes herself as a **** hag.*
Urban Dictionary: *** hag

Of course you are correct, but facts can't get in the way of some peoples agendas.

[SalingerBananafish]

I wonder how many women hang out with gay men to see if they can "turn" them? I mean, it would really attest to one's attractiveness if she could get a gay guy to 'switch teams'.