low-key gay couple moving to PHX (Phoenix, Scottsdale: houses, middle school, living in)

[Adamson865]

I may have to move to Phoenix too, although I'm not a low-key gay couple. (Single and my key is a bit higher than low!) I haven't met any gay people in Tucson between the ages of 20-70. They're either students at the University, or retired and going out for the early bird special.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by Prickly Pear

Part of that reason has to be because Phoenix's main "gayborhood" is in the Melrose neighborhood (7th Avenue and Indian School) which is way too far to commute to Gilbert/Mesa area for. Lots of gay clubs, drag shows, and even rainbow-painted crosswalks on 7th avenue.

Given that I am not a member of this community, I am not familiar with any other gayborhoods that may exist in the metro. I wouldn't be surprised if there was one in Tempe or Scottsdale however, that seems to be the most likely options outside of Melrose.

It's similar to racial boundaries: there are few neighborhoods in the Phoenix area that cater specifically to a certain race/national origin because it's pretty much integrated all the way around. Same with gays: they mix & mingle among everybody else for the most part, and there really isn't any kind of animosity toward them. I live in an area where there are quite a few openly gay couples, but they are very accepted & nobody seems to blink an eye.

[Adamson865]

Originally Posted by Adamson520

I may have to move to Phoenix too, although I'm not a low-key gay couple. (Single and my key is a bit higher than low!) I haven't met any gay people in Tucson between the ages of 20-70. They're either students at the University, or retired and going out for the early bird special.

Yikes! I just did a search in the PHX forum for "gay" and found my comment nearly two years ago.

So... I left Tucson last October to take a job back home in Portland OR which blew up five months later due to COVID. After three months out of work, I'm headed back to AZ - this time, Phoenix - to work for the same company I left in Tucson.

I'm older than dirt's older cousin, but would appreciate it if some equally old gay person(s) would message me to give me the lay of the gay land in Phoenix. I've visited a few times, went to a grand total of one gay bar there, even attended one Rainbow Festival, but other than that, don't know much of gay Phoenix. I'll be living up north in the Mayo Blvd area.

Thanks...!


PS: Before someone jumps out and starts demanding a "Straight Pride" festival, let me add that I can figure out the rest [aka non-gay parts] of the city and its attractions on my own, so I'm good on that sort of thing - no suggestions needed. I just need to stop visiting Taliesin West every time I come to town.

[Code Stemi]

This thread has been a good read. I am also gay and considering relocation to the Phoenix metro and had been wondering about public acceptance of being gay in the community.

[theTelecommuter]

Originally Posted by chahunt

This thread has been a good read. I am also gay and considering relocation to the Phoenix metro and had been wondering about public acceptance of being gay in the community.

My opinion is .. it's a non-issue here. I think the Phoenix metro is pretty accepting of human beings. Tons are moving here. I think Phoenix (and the metro) people are more concerned about how good of a neighbor you are and do you comply with the HOA rules (lol).

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Adamson520

Yikes! I just did a search in the PHX forum for "gay" and found my comment nearly two years ago.

So... I left Tucson last October to take a job back home in Portland OR which blew up five months later due to COVID. After three months out of work, I'm headed back to AZ - this time, Phoenix - to work for the same company I left in Tucson.

I'm older than dirt's older cousin, but would appreciate it if some equally old gay person(s) would message me to give me the lay of the gay land in Phoenix. I've visited a few times, went to a grand total of one gay bar there, even attended one Rainbow Festival, but other than that, don't know much of gay Phoenix. I'll be living up north in the Mayo Blvd area.

Thanks...!


PS: Before someone jumps out and starts demanding a "Straight Pride" festival, let me add that I can figure out the rest [aka non-gay parts] of the city and its attractions on my own, so I'm good on that sort of thing - no suggestions needed. I just need to stop visiting Taliesin West every time I come to town.

Welcome back to the forum. I pay scant attention to the local news but with 4 years in the area I can't say I've heard anything negative. Once same sex marriage got approved nationally the angst in some of the public seems to have drained away. Hopefully some people who know the score will chime in or at least direct you to other sources.

[jamies]

Oh fer crissakes. This is Arizona. Live wherever you want, and carry a gun. It's your right, and nobody'll bother you.

[grad_student200]

Originally Posted by chahunt

This thread has been a good read. I am also gay and considering relocation to the Phoenix metro and had been wondering about public acceptance of being gay in the community.

Phoenix has changed since the 70s and 80s. Back then, it was ultra-conservative and religious. Some would have called it a Mormon town. But it also had many Catholics and Protestants. Back then, homosexuals were ostracized to a very high level - many were closeted because at times it was literally too dangerous for them to come "out". In middle school or HS, gays could be verbally and physically abused to another level not seen today.

Ironically, modern Phoenix is very gay-friendly for the most part. But there is a "catch" - this acceptance largely centers around the younger demographic group - Generation Y, Millenials, Generation Z, etc. For older, retirement communities with Baby Boomers or aging Generation X folks, you can probably still see the resentment against the homosexual lifestyle.

So, it really depends on the age of the Phoenician. In a relatlively young community like Tempe and some parts of Scottsdale, gays are generally accepted - even exalted. Conservative Christians of the older age group are often heavily villified. But if you go to Sun City West or some family-based communities with deeply Mormon enclaves (e.g. some parts of Gilbert), then you can still see the homophobic mindset.

In summary, Phoenix is a "purple" type of mix of both conservative and highly-liberal community members. Sinema is an openly bisexual senator elected recently in Phoenix. Like a lot of Phoenicians, she is moderate and not too far left - but obviously liberal enough to "swing both ways" - lol. I think modern gays of the younger age groups will feel very accepted in many parts of Phoenix. Just know the older groups that resented them are sometimes still around - but not as frequent or numerous as the 70s. Back then it would have been best to completely hide the LGBTQ orientation.

As for me, I am moderately conservative and Catholic. I don't believe in anti-gay violence like with Matthew Shepherd back in the 90s or the "Pulse" in Orlando a few years ago. It's unacceptable. However, I draw the line at acknowledging homosexual spouses among family. I won't attend the ceremony of a gay union. At the same time, I still see them as family as normal as long as I don't have to interact with their gay significant others. It's a strange compromise admittedly, but I have to draw the line somewhere. But I've been villified as a "Fred Phelps" type of guy for doing that even though I despise him. Go figure.

[Alandros]

It's been 15 years since I've lived in Phoenix, though I suspect Phoenix is much the same. I think you'll find that people in the area (Arizonans in general maybe even) might have strong beliefs and/or opinions (at that time I was raised in a very conservative religious family, my father was a Southern Baptist pastor in fact when I was young) but tend to keep to themselves when it comes to their homes and neighborhoods. A mind your own sort of mentality IMHO. So I think you'd be fine most places in the area.

[Adamson865]

Thank you all, but everyone is misunderstanding what I was asking for. Perhaps I didn't word it clearly enough.

Bye.