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Might there be a website more focused on gay (male?) concerns? As a long-time friend of gay men in my social circle, I'd say that there are few small towns that are significantly gay-involved. Not necessarily hostile, just not enough people to say it's a gay small town. My observation is that my gay men friends have tended to go to major cities from smaller cities and towns for their lives and work, and stay there, as so many people tend to stay if they don't move to suburbs at some point.
Maybe a city with a significant gay population would have a discussion that would apply more than this one.
I emphasize "male" because gay seems to have come to equate with male, whereas back some time ago, it included gay women also. There are certainly places like Northampton, MA, that are significantly gay women, and likely would be gay male friendly, but maybe not enough men to make a social life.
Unclear if the poster is looking for a town where he'd be safe (of which there are many, any college town would likely be better than non-college) or a place with distinct gay life, and opportunities for dating.
I live in a progressive small town full of transplants, am a straight woman, and have been told my numerous people not to hope for a date around here, gay or straight! Just not real likely in a small town.
To the poster who repped me, no interest in getting on another site. I do still have a couple of gay friends in touch from afar. One is in a couple in a good Mass. city (40 and working), and the other one is sadly widowed from his lifetime love in Europe in a city (Hamburg) and retired. The younger man grew up around Boston, and the other man in a small town in West Texas and couldn't get out fast enough, but consider the time he was young in a small town- 1950s-'60s. It was a different world.
Hello Everyone! I just finished reading all the posts in this thread and enjoyed every bit of it! I feel like I am following the journey of several of you so I've pulled up a chair and asking to join you!
Thank You Gentle Ben, Desktopdriver, Jimrob1, Beach Sportsfan, and others whose member names I've forgotten! I am wondering how you are all doing now?
My wife & I are close to retiring and are looking at the Oregon Coast! We currently live in Eastern Oregon (for a job) which is not very LGBTQ accepting. (social media slander, etc) We miss “community” (formerly from Boise area that was a bit more accepting)
The 2nd biggest consideration is COL… Love the central coast but need to explore the southern areas more. Will probably settle a bit inland for financial reasons… We still have family in the Boise area so want to be close enough to drive there in about a day.
We travel there in the winters and will travel there more this winter… I can’t wait! My wife is 57 and I am 62. Any input welcome! Also, I love hearing updates! Jimrob1, were you ever able to sell your MH? Desktopdriver, is your situation still good for you two?
I am a single gay retiree who would like to retire to a small town with a mild winter and a warm summer without excessive humidity. I really enjoy the outdoors, especially the mountains. A low cost of living is important. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks...Ben
Albuquerque, NM.
VERY gay friendly.
Not too
cold in the winter. Not too hot in the summer. No humidity.
Cost of living isn't the lowest you'll find, but I come from costal Southern CA, so other than San Francisco, Boston and NYC, ANY place is low to me. :-)
But to give you an idea: I live in a very nice high rise apartment complex. I have a lovely BIG one-bedroom apartment, with a gorgeous view, and my rent is $750.00. Utilities are another $100.00. However, there are a lot of places that are less expensive, and they are very nice. I don't live in one of them because I wanted this gorgeous view.
Violent crime has gone up here since COVID, but violent crime is going up everywhere.
Property crime is rampant here. I owned a home, and in one year, my car was broken into three times, and my home was broken into four times. I gave up and rented an apartment. A gated complex. Sigh.
Medical care here, for the most part, is not good. New Mexicans, who can afford it, go to Colorado or AZ for medical care. However, we do have one of the top Ortho Clinics and Cancer Centers in The US. So if you break a bone or get cancer, you'll be fine.
Btw, Santa Fe is gorgeous also (it doesn't have the views that ABQ has but I think it's much greener), but it's much more expensive, and there is nothing to do there.
As for water -- we're in the same boat as every other state in The SW. Not good.
I would suggest Tucson, AZ. Yes, it’s hot in the summer, yet a bit cooler and smaller than Phoenix and less expensive.
Tucson has a dry climate, and is very LGBTQ+ friendly. HRC rates Tucson 100% score.
I have a Facebook group called Where Do Gays Retire, and a free website www.wheregaysretire.com.
I would suggest Tucson, AZ. Yes, it’s hot in the summer, yet a bit cooler and smaller than Phoenix and less expensive.
Tucson has a dry climate, and is very LGBTQ+ friendly. HRC rates Tucson 100% score.
I have a Facebook group called Where Do Gays Retire, and a free website www.wheregaysretire.com.
While I am neither male nor gay, if I were both, and if I were looking for a smaller town, I would consider retirement in Provincetown, MA (on Cape Cod). It is possibly the gayest place on the planet, it has the ocean and history and art, it is flooded with visitors in summer, but has only less than 3,000 year-round residents, ie, it has a very wild season and a very peaceful season, for variety.
I don't see how anyone can say Tuscon and Albuquerque are small towns. They might be medium size cities, but hardly small towns.
Both Albuquerque and Tuscon have a populations of over half million. That's not a small town by any stretch of the imagination no matter how you try and explain it.
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