Gay Friendly areas in Plano? (Dallas, Rowlett: hotel, living, groceries)

[TX75007]

Originally Posted by portorro

People in DFW are rather flexible. Its not like they will arrest you for being gay. However, having worked in Plano and Carrollton in the past, I would not like to live nor work in the suburbs. They are (as they are anywhere else in the nation) full of families and less open to us. They will not be comfortable around you and you will feel like an outsider. I always tell new comers to Dallas to live within the 635 ring and north of downtown. Its another world. There is a higher concentration of gay folks, democrats/liberals, higher income/more educated people and its just a more accepting part of the city.
!

Its been my experience that no area has a lock on acceptance.

I dated a black physician for a few years over a decade ago. We felt most accepted NORTH of PGBT. Down in the liberal part of Dallas I got a lot of looks when we went to parties and outings together. And a number of wives would no longer invite me over for house parties and such. I used to get invited to fund raisers and other things like this - all this dried up after I showed up with her. She was very pretty, highly intelligent, well read, and very personable. Perhaps the sin I committed was not telling everyone she was black before I showed up with her on my arm in a nice cocktail dress.

My wife's family is pretty active in Democrat Party politics. The older family members are quite down on Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, and Gays. One favored family member is quite gay but she keeps it in the closet. My wife has asked me not to talk about the Indian blood in my family ( I am the whitest guy in the room at family get togethers ) or my Jewish grandparents. I find all this amusing as this family has so many skeletons in its closet that they struggle to hide.

On the other hand, my wife, who is quite cute, was getting lunch one day across from Prestonwood and the church crowd got out. She was not wearing her ring and had our very precocious 9 mo old son on her hip. He was chattering away and she was dressed to the nines. She got a lot of glares from the Church Ladies that day. It was distinctly uncomfortable for her. Here she was very married, deeply religious, and running a mid-sized firm and people were making assumptions...

I do think that overall the suburbs are far more tolerant than Dallas. I also think its wrong for people to seek out living with others just like them. Most people are not like you. If you choose to live in a bubble, then life is awfully boring.

[bumbly]

Originally Posted by peterlemonjello

Don't tell me you believed that trash?

Well, yeah. I can believe it. Holding out hope that it won't be that bad.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by bumbly

Well, yeah. I can believe it. Holding out hope that it won't be that bad.

How much do you actually know about Plano? After reading what he/she wrote, I can asure you that person doesnt live in Plano.

If you have concerns about Plano, ask one of us who live here (myself, Big G, or anyone else) or those who at least know the area well (TrueDat, TurtleCreek80, BigDGeek, etc.). Not all of them will have positive things to say about Plano, but what negative things they have to say will at least be accurate.

Diversity, good schools, acceptance of pretty much anyone, etc. Those are problems we DONT have. We have every religion, race, culture, etc. here. Its an extremely multicultural place. Yes, we have gay people here too. You even have a couple from Plano to thank for the striking down of the gay marriage ban in Texas. They are the ones that sued the state. Plano is not as gay friendly as Dallas. No one is claiming that. What we will say is that lots of gay people choose to live here of their own accord and love it. I know a few couples myself.

Plano is right of center for sure and more conservative than average on a national level (dont confuse conservatism for bigotry though). Plano is not urban and outside Downtown Plano and the Shops area looks pretty uniform. If you consider those problems, then yes Plano has those problems.

We arent perfect, but at least get more informed opinions first.

[bencronin04]

Look, you're going to have more friendly areas and less friendly. Is Plano as open as say Cedar Springs...no. Is it's as conservative as west Texas...no. You'll come across close minded dick heads from time to time anywhere. It's probably more prevalent here than in places like San Francisco, but we're a pretty open minded area. There are "gay" churches around Plano if I remember correctly, and I don't hear about protests or gay bashing going on at those locations by others.

[TrueDat]

Bumbly, you're from Southern California? I don't live in Plano and the analogy isn't perfect but, if I had to put Plano in California terms, I'd say it's sort of like inland Orange County -- Irvine, Mission Viejo, etc., with the small but reviving downtown Plano feeling a bit like, say, downtown Fullerton.

Both areas are more conservative than the big city (LA or Dallas) 20-30 miles away (though I'm guessing Collin County may be more social/religiously conservative than some place like Irvine), both areas have a huge Asian presence, both areas have lots of sprawl, big-box stores and McMansions. (Despite the overall conservatism, around 33 percent of Collin County residents voted for Obama in 2012.)

Orange County feels a bit more of its own entity in that it has its own performing-arts center, arena, baseball stadium, museums, and a major university while those in Collin County still need to go to Tarrant (Fort Worth, Arlington), Denton County (where Univ. of North Texas is), or Dallas County (Richardson, Dallas) for these types of activities though that's changing with the likes of the Dr. Pepper Center, FC Dallas Stadium and Allen Events Center being built. I'm sure over the next decade or so even more things will get developed.

[bumbly]

Originally Posted by TrueDat

Bumbly, you're from Southern California? I don't live in Plano and the analogy isn't perfect but, if I had to put Plano in California terms, I'd say it's sort of like inland Orange County -- Irvine, Mission Viejo, etc., with the small but reviving downtown Plano feeling a bit like, say, downtown Fullerton.

Both areas are more conservative than the big city (LA or Dallas) 20-30 miles away (though I'm guessing Collin County may be more social/religiously conservative than some place like Irvine), both areas have a huge Asian presence, both areas have lots of sprawl, big-box stores and McMansions. (Despite the overall conservatism, around 33 percent of Collin County residents voted for Obama in 2012.)

Orange County feels a bit more of its own entity in that it has its own performing-arts center, arena, baseball stadium, museums, and a major university while those in Collin County still need to go to Tarrant (Fort Worth, Arlington), Denton County (where Univ. of North Texas is), or Dallas County (Richardson, Dallas) for these types of activities though that's changing with the likes of the Dr. Pepper Center, FC Dallas Stadium and Allen Events Center being built. I'm sure over the next decade or so even more things will get developed.

Thanks, that's very helpful. I haven't visited yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

[bumbly]

Originally Posted by peterlemonjello

How much do you actually know about Plano? After reading what he/she wrote, I can asure you that person doesnt live in Plano.

If you have concerns about Plano, ask one of us who live here (myself, Big G, or anyone else) or those who at least know the area well (TrueDat, TurtleCreek80, BigDGeek, etc.). Not all of them will have positive things to say about Plano, but what negative things they have to say will at least be accurate.

Diversity, good schools, acceptance of pretty much anyone, etc. Those are problems we DONT have. We have every religion, race, culture, etc. here. Its an extremely multicultural place. Yes, we have gay people here too. You even have a couple from Plano to thank for the striking down of the gay marriage ban in Texas. They are the ones that sued the state. Plano is not as gay friendly as Dallas. No one is claiming that. What we will say is that lots of gay people choose to live here of their own accord and love it. I know a few couples myself.

Plano is right of center for sure and more conservative than average on a national level (dont confuse conservatism for bigotry though). Plano is not urban and outside Downtown Plano and the Shops area looks pretty uniform. If you consider those problems, then yes Plano has those problems.

We arent perfect, but at least get more informed opinions first.

Great. Thanks.

[JoeSiczpak]

Why does one's race, creed, "gender identity", "choice", "preference", fetish or fascination have to be a concern of anyone else? I don't care what anyone does, as long as it's not hurting someone else. But don't try to make me celebrate it. I'm not at all interested.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by JoeSiczpak

Why does one's race, creed, "gender identity", "choice", "preference", fetish or fascination have to be a concern of anyone else? I don't care what anyone does, as long as it's not hurting someone else. But don't try to make me celebrate it. I'm not at all interested.

When that group has equal rights, you won't have to.

[jacobr]

There are way many states in the US that are gay friendly. TX definitely is not one of them!! Try NYC for eg :-)