Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
i'm all for gay rights, culture, etc. and i'd love to see more development downtown and more little "districts" (glenwood south, warehouse district, etc.). that's part of what makes a city have character. i never really understood the desire for "gay" districts though. i thought part of the gay rights movement was to be accepted and integrated into "mainstream" society while being who you are. to have a certain district for it seems counterproductive. if there was a developing "black district" or "chinatown" people would be decrying it, as those occurred in the past as a response to discrimination and unfamiliarity for newcomers. im happy to see more gay-oriented businesses, i just think it shouldn't be confined to one area because it encourages the "us vs. them" mentality.
If a gay wants to only live , shop , hang out with and eat with other gays,
wouldn't that be like a straight person who only wants to be around straight people???
If we developed a "straight" only neighborhood I would think that would be a problem.
Where does it say in the article that anyone is trying to live, work, shop, and play ONLY among other gays? When you're ~5% of the population, that is pretty much impossible, even in San Francisco. ALL gay people mingle with heterosexuals every day, every hour of their lives, for the most part. But to have one small, concentrated area of 3-4 blocks where a higher percentage of gay people live than is customary is suddenly "us vs them"? Get real.
Lots of senior citizens prefer to live in "55+" communities--does this mean they have an "us vs them" mentality and "only want to live and shop among other seniors"? Lots of transplants moving to NC ask about neighborhoods where lots of other transplants live, so they will be around people like themselves. Is this "us vs them"? Do we presume that they will only ever want to work, live, and shop among other transplants? Lots of people come in here asking where the neighborhoods are with more Jews--is this "self-segregation", or simply being around people who have something in common with you? Does the fact that a lot of people from India all live in certain areas in Morrisville/Cary mean they are refusing to integrate themselves into society at large?
Any group that is a minority of the general population likes to have SOME times when they can "let their hair down" among their own kind. In the case of gay people, many who have experience outright ostracism and discrimination (unlike Seniors or transplants, usually) and may have actually experienced violence simply for being gay. They are allowed to choose to live in a small area of town where there are higher percentages of gay people (hint: even in the Warehouse district, there probably isn't more than 30-40% gay people living there, STILL a minority, but much less so than anywhere else) if they feel more comfortable there, just as seniors are allowed to live in 55+ housing if that is their preference. It doesn't mean they will "never ever ever" interact with younger people, just that maybe they like having neighbors who have similar lifeviews and experiences as themselves.
The VAST majority of gay people live in "regular" neighborhoods, just as do the vast majority of seniors, racial minorities, Jews, and Indians. But people have their reasons for preferring to be around folks of their own kind, sometimes, particularly if they have experienced hostility or violence (as many gay people have, even in 2010) in other environments. I am guessing that you are not a minority of any sort if you have such a difficult time comprehending why this is so. It is not a personal insult to heterosexuals if a few hundred GLBT people choose to live in an area of downtown that has a high concentration of them, as I guarantee these same people interact, work, shop, and play with heterosexuals every day of their lives.
I'm sorry, but it's just plain absurd to make the jump from "there is a small part of town with a lot of gay businesses where many gay people are choosing to live" to "all these gay people never want to see a straight person from sunup to sundown as long as they live".
your mis reading the concept of gay neighborhood.
It is area that there is a lot notaLL that LGBT can live
run a business in the majority by no means its a LGBT
only area just like China Town is not restricted to the Chinese
nor Heterosexuals are prevented from living in Castro or other known
gay neighborhoods.
A place that two guys & two girls can walk down the street and
not deal with the stares
Quote:
Originally Posted by GucciLittlePiggie
i'm all for gay rights, culture, etc. and i'd love to see more development downtown and more little "districts" (glenwood south, warehouse district, etc.). that's part of what makes a city have character. i never really understood the desire for "gay" districts though. i thought part of the gay rights movement was to be accepted and integrated into "mainstream" society while being who you are. to have a certain district for it seems counterproductive. if there was a developing "black district" or "chinatown" people would be decrying it, as those occurred in the past as a response to discrimination and unfamiliarity for newcomers. im happy to see more gay-oriented businesses, i just think it shouldn't be confined to one area because it encourages the "us vs. them" mentality.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kelly237
If a gay wants to only live , shop , hang out with and eat with other LGBT
wouldn't that be like a straight person who only wants to be around straight people???
If we developed a "straight" only neighborhood I would think that would be a problem.
I think you are reading a lot into my post...just trying to understand
the concept...
Where did I say anything about an "us verses them" ??
I am just playing with ideas about the concept...
I still think a "straight" neighborhood would not be acceptable.
If you think about it carefully, there are many de facto "straight" neighborhoods in each and every city. These are the places that market themselves to the traditional family. They even have marketing materials showing straight couples with children. They emphasize activity and culture that's associated with those social norms. These neighborhoods are set up for mom, dad and kids. Childless couples, either straight or gay, and singles are not what's emphasized or expected in such places.
But, like any de facto gay neighborhood, purchase of this housing "lifestyle" isn't limited to just those to which it is marketed. But, rest assured, that marketing sets expectations subtlely if not explicitly that attracts an intended audience.
So, in fact, there are "straight" neighborhoods and they are very much acceptable in our society.
For me, what would not be acceptable is any discrimination to exclude people from choosing where they want to live based on any criteria.
I don't think having pockets of any group is a good thing.History has shown this does not work.It's tolerated in larger cities because we live in a civilized society,but more often than not the same group that is wanting equality unknowingly distance themselves further.Hopefully Raleigh will be the exception.
Last edited by Green Irish Eyes; 03-24-2010 at 06:46 AM..
Reason: No discussion of Mod activity, per the Terms of Service
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
