How gay friendly is Kitsap county?

[gametaipan]

hello there, my gf is moving to tacoma this month, i hope she wouldnt find any trouble being as lesbian there, she is from the midwest as well, there whenever we walk on the street it is common to being yelled at "LESBIAN" ppl would look at us and think of us weirdo.... it is sad, i hope this is totally a different thing in tacoma or washington the most part, or we have to flee to canada....

[kkali]

Our lesbian family is looking to relocate from CA to the Pacific NW. Sounds like there are plenty of ***** folks living along at least one country road near Poulsbo...I'd love some hints on where to find you!

[phyllis.penland]

I'm the mother of 2 adult gay children and I'm ready to meet other GLBT to do some activist things in Port Orchard and Kitsap County. Do you have the time?

[xcalgal]

Bainbridge would be very accepting and has great schools.

[movin2brem]

I too am looking at moving to the area with my boyfriend and wondering the same as the orginal poster. I will be working in Bremerton and not afraid to commute to insure our privacy.

[bainbridgenelson]

Bainbridge is a very accepting community, and it is also a very beautiful community. But unfortunately it is a very expensive community. But the schools are great, the social climate is progressive, the community is quite safe and well educated. It's has an artsey community, and is seen by some as priviledged. It all depends on which circle you travel in. I have found some lovely people live here. I am often asked by visitors "Do you live on the Island" and then they proceed to tell me how they expected everyone to be stuck-up but have actually found people to be quite friendly. On an Island of 22,000 people we have 700 lawyers who live here - it is a 30 minute ferry ride straight out of downtown Seattle and a desirable bedroom community of Seattle. People of color are well accepted. Sadly, Bainbridge Island was the first place where the local Japanese-American population was removed for the WWII internment, and the community has been strongly affected by this. I think you would be well received.

I live on Bainbridge with my partner. We have been here for 12 years. We have had only one problem-a self righteous neighbor spread a rumor before we moved into the neighborhood that we were a threat to their children. However, despite this horrible and unfounded introduction we won over all the neighbors once we moved in and they actually met us. And we have proven ourselves to be trustworthy and a good neighborhood addition. We are not rich, and we are not famous as a previous writer stated. However, there is a premium for Bainbridge Island Real Estate (often 100,000.00 more to be on the island). There is very little night life on Bainbridge - a very quite community. However you can do a 30 minute ferry ride right into downtown Seattle.

Poulsbo is a picturesque town close to Bainbridge, and I think would be a mix of acceptance and questioning. I have encountered problems in Bremerton (not the least of which is a very strong prejudice towards Bainbridge Islanders). Bremerton is a Military town, quite conservative culture, and also quite racially diverse. It is not as economically well off as Poulsbo and Bainbridge although there are pockets of higher economic residential and also pockets of progressive attitudes.

We had friends (a middle aged gay male couple) who left Port Orchard after they received death threats and woke up to a burning cross on their front lawn.

It has been our experience that gay acceptance (as a community standard) seems to be strongest in Bainbridge, and diminishes as you get further and further away from Bainbridge Island. Of course, you will find welcoming individuals everywhere, and hateful individuals right next door. But this has been my experience.

It as also been my experience that the Native American Communities are quite accepting of Gay Families.

Good luck, and welcome to the neighborhood. I hope you are able to find the community of your dreams.

[mkarch]

Kitsap approved Ref. 74 54%/46%, so while it's not winning any award for being the most liberal county in the state, it's not anywhere near as conservative Eastern Washington either.

Washington Referendum 74 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia