Gay Seattle

[rmkiefer07]

Originally Posted by B97701

Do you mean the total number of GLBT individuals? If so, that might be true.

However if you are referring to percentage (per capita) figures, then wouldn't other places be higher than Seattle such as Guerneville, Palm Springs, and Santa Fe, NM?

In terms of the question, keep in mind that Washington is a very morally conservative, fundamentalist, and in some areas a Mormon state once you get outside of the Seattle City Limits (500,000 people). Many of the suburbs (3,500,000 persons, total) are an extension of the rest of the state in terms of their moral conservativism, and I just don't know if they're gay friendly or not. The same pattern occurs in Oregon and California.

I'd be especially concerned about the safety of gays who choose to move to Issaquah, Sammamish, North Bend, Auburn, Enumclaw, Bonney Lake, Eatonville, Graham, and Puyallup, to name just a few. I don't know about Snohomish and Kitsap Counties. There's a recent news story about the Aberdeen school district paying a student $135,000, due to a lawsuit the student filed against the district, because he was bullied over his race and perceived sexual orientation. I know the demographics of several cities in the Western US and would be very concerned about GLBT persons who choose to live outside the Seattle and Portland city limits.

However, I really don't know so others will definitely follow up with definitive information.

Here's a follow up:
Generally my experience is anywhere in Western Washington is safe and most people don't care. The city limits is not where this ends. I know many gay people who live in Issaquah, Samamish, Bellevue, and Bonney Lake and this is not a concern. As a gay man, I've felt perfectly safe in these areas as well as Mt Vernon, Port Angeles, Forks and yes, even Aberdeen. This is not to say that there are those who don't accept, but this has been, in my experience, the rare exception, not the rule.

For the most part, any where in the Greater Seattle/Puget Sound area will be fine.

[rmkiefer07]

One more point for context. My partner and I have many straight couple friends and spend a lot of time with them. I think it says something when you can have two couples go out to dinner in a place like Burien (one straight and one gay) and it's not even an eye raiser.