Is Nashville Gay Friendly?

[idesigner]

I've been keeping up with the suddenly fast-paced decision to vote for a ban on gay marriage, and even a ban on adoption & fostering by gay parents in TN. This deeply disturbs me.

I'm your regular guy, who just happens to be gay, and involved in a commited relationship for 4 years. We have a healthy, stable household, and plan to adopt and raise a child someday. Now I'm starting to worry that all our rights will be taken away.

Although the local politicians are clearly trying to create a law based on discrimination and prejudice, I want to know if they also speak for the Nashville citizens.

Is Nashville overflowing with homophobia, or is it a diverse city?

[rocket9561]

I've been keeping up with the suddenly fast-paced decision to vote for a ban on gay marriage, and even a ban on adoption & fostering by gay parents in TN. This deeply disturbs me.

I'm your regular guy, who just happens to be gay, and involved in a commited relationship for 4 years. We have a healthy, stable household, and plan to adopt and raise a child someday. Now I'm starting to worry that all our rights will be taken away.

Although the local politicians are clearly trying to create a law based on discrimination and prejudice, I want to know if they also speak for the Nashville citizens.

Is Nashville overflowing with homophobia, or is it a diverse city?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My guess would be that the Majority of actual Nashvillians really don't care too much one way or the other about this piece of legislation though you will find people who really support it and really hate it. Areas around Vanderbilt University (Church Street), Green Hills, and even into Antioch seem to be pretty gay-friendly as far as the locals are concerned. The rest of the city is pretty much divided into people who have far more important things to worry about and places like Bellevue and Goodlettsville which really look down on the issue. However this is a state-wide issue and if Oregon approved a ban like this then I am very sure Tennessee and most other states will as well.

BTW, you can go here to read some opinions of Middle Tennesseans on this legislation.

http://webx.tennessean.com/cgi-bin/[email protected]

[BrandonTO416]

I'm gay and have lived in Mid TN all my life. I think Nashville is overflowing with anti-gay people, but it has a sizable gay community within and the city has some very liberal neighborhoods throughout that make it livable. This is due to pure size, Nashville is still too anti-gay in all reality.

All in all, you simply do not find many pro-gay rights people in the Nashville area except for a small minority of people, and the fact that the southern baptist convention is headquartered here - among other religious interests - it makes it very hard to progress gay rights.

There is a huge difference between a state like Tennessee in general and a state with more progressive populations. For me personally the few liberal in-city neighborhoods doesn't make it livable. I can't stand living around these other assholes.

Oregon barely passed the ban with a simple majority, Tennessee would pass one with an overwhelming majority.

For the record, I don't think Nashville is backtracking. Its easier to be gay in Nashville in 2005 then its ever been. The conservative interests are just putting up a huge block to rights for the future. And this state is too conservative to reverse the efforts I think. This gay marriage ban will pass, there's already a ban this is an amendment.

[it's just dave]

I'm 52 years old, lived in Nashville all my life, and am gay.

Yeah, so what? I've never encountered a problem here because of my gayness. The notion of that being problematic seems silly to me. But maybe that's just me.

Perhaps some people beat the proverbial drum a bit loudly to suit mainstream society. Such is life.

The only time I've ever been "sneered upon" was in downtown Asheville. Figure that one out. Asheville is considered a bastion of gay-friendliness. Sure, it is.

[DallasTexan]

Yes, the inner-city is gay friendly. Just stay away from the sprawlburbs, of course, but that rings true for any American city out there

[BrandonTO416]

Yes, the inner-city is gay friendly. Just stay away from the sprawlburbs, of course, but that rings true for any American city out there

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not in my experience. Suburban metro Chicago is quite tolerant, suburban Denver seemed filled with intellectual types when I was there.

[brewerw]

Was that an attack on Nasvhille's burbs?

[BrandonTO416]

Was that an attack on Nasvhille's burbs?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Absolutely. Nashville's suburbs are filled with fundamentalists, rednecks, or right wing elitists in the case of Williamson County.

Why the wealthy and intellectual suburbanites of greater Nashville (Franklin/Brentwood) can't be lefty like in Boston I don't know.

I'm amazed at the conservative coalition in the south. Rough, working class factory workers can't be in the same room as a gucci wearing Franklinite without there being a high level of unease. But they both support Bush solidly - even though their values are quite different.

What the hell keeps this conservative coalition alive? Franklinites who hate taxes on wealth and factory workers who hate abortion??

[idesigner]

Well this is just plain depressing, because my partner and I plan to move to Nashville in the summer.

To some degree, I realize it all depends on the level of acceptance a gay person hopes to achieve. We've been in Nashville before, and never worried that we'd be murdered in the streets simply for being gay. Nothing that severe.

When it comes right down to it, gay people are losing their rights throughout the U.S., not just TN. But I guess we were hoping that some positive news would prevail; that somehow Nashville might be a little more diverse because it's a large city.

On a bit ironic note, we planned to move to Nashville to adopt a child and start our own family. That was one of the main reasons we chose to move there. It's closer to our existing family, and we wanted to start our own family and all of us wanted to be closer...one big happy family.

Now our plans look like they will be foiled. what's a guy to do? I can't think of any other cities nearby that would be close to family, and also offer some small amount of hope that we'd be able to adopt.

[waccamatt]

I don't know how anti-gay Nashville really is, but in several visits to Nashville I can tell you that is doesn't really have a feel to it that would make me want to move there. In the South I think its a given that suburbs are going to be pretty conservative and less gay-friendly, but really the whole state of Tennessee feels weird to me. I live in South Carolina, which is certainly a conservative state, Columbia being the liberal aberration here, but I feel safer throughout SC than I have when I've visited Tennessee. Maybe it's familiarity, but just from reading billboards, local TV, etc. Most of Tennessee feels like Upstate SC - the most conservative part of our state. Just my 2 cents.

[satalac]

i myself am not gay, but i do have many friends who are. they love nashville. true, it may not be a san fransico or chicago, but i think nashville has made progress. just compare it to where it was in the 80's and early 90's, if you can't see progress from then, then i don't know where you've been. nashville still has a way to go before being totally accepting, but then again, what city isn't?

[BrandonTO416]

I don't know how anti-gay Nashville really is, but in several visits to Nashville I can tell you that is doesn't really have a feel to it that would make me want to move there. In the South I think its a given that suburbs are going to be pretty conservative and less gay-friendly, but really the whole state of Tennessee feels weird to me. I live in South Carolina, which is certainly a conservative state, Columbia being the liberal aberration here, but I feel safer throughout SC than I have when I've visited Tennessee. Maybe it's familiarity, but just from reading billboards, local TV, etc. Most of Tennessee feels like Upstate SC - the most conservative part of our state. Just my 2 cents.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't think Tennessee is very much different from the rest of the south. The eastern half of the state is solidly appalachian. Doesn't matter if you are in West Virginia or North Georgia, its fairly similar - hillbillies, simple minded anti-intellectuals of which some love jesus, and then others that just want to get drunk every night and cause trouble. Its a mix of the nicest people you could meet (so long as you go to church with them, LOL) and people who will slit your wrist without a second thought. Some of the most viscious and mean people I've ever met haven't been in south side Chicago - its the backwoods of rural Appalachia. Anyone who REALLY knows the area (I grew up in southern rural appalachia) knows what the hell I'm talking about.

The western half of the state is cotton and soybean farmland. Old south style with a higher black population. Its probably more akin to South Carolina in this respect.

We have two particular cities that stand out because of size: Memphis and Nashville. Chattanooga is a touristy city with a quaint revitalized downtown. Knoxville is just a small city with the Smokies nearby, its only saving grace are the mountains an scenery.

Memphis and Nashville respectively have some very high gay populations and gay friendly neighborhoods. But I'm not sure which one is truly more gay friendly. I've lived in BOTH cities - and I mean in the city. I'm a few miles east of downtown and when I lived in Memphis I lived in midtown - the gay friendly area.

All I CAN say is that if you aren't in Nashville or Memphis, gay life here sucks. Its bad enough in the two cities because of the outpouring of religious conservative attitude, probably more prevailant in Nashville. Memphis is less religious then average for the south, but don't let that fool you. Its still got Ft. God with Six Flags over Jesus out in Bartlett off I-40. Then there are all the COGIC and black churches with very simple minded black religious leaders who make some interesting sermons on Memphis AM radio. LOL At least they don't seem so hellbent on electing George Bush like the white churches, so that's a positive.

[BrandonTO416]

Well this is just plain depressing, because my partner and I plan to move to Nashville in the summer.

To some degree, I realize it all depends on the level of acceptance a gay person hopes to achieve. We've been in Nashville before, and never worried that we'd be murdered in the streets simply for being gay. Nothing that severe.

When it comes right down to it, gay people are losing their rights throughout the U.S., not just TN. But I guess we were hoping that some positive news would prevail; that somehow Nashville might be a little more diverse because it's a large city.

On a bit ironic note, we planned to move to Nashville to adopt a child and start our own family. That was one of the main reasons we chose to move there. It's closer to our existing family, and we wanted to start our own family and all of us wanted to be closer...one big happy family.

Now our plans look like they will be foiled. what's a guy to do? I can't think of any other cities nearby that would be close to family, and also offer some small amount of hope that we'd be able to adopt.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

BTW, don't let me scare you off. Just because I find this place very different from what I want does not mean you couldn't find joy here. There ARE liberal communities in Nashville you'll fit into. Try East Nashville, its filled with a very new age attitude. And you can pretend the suburbs don't exist if you move in.

If you live in East Nashville you could put a rainbow flag up on your house's front doorstep and fit right in.

[it's just dave]

idesigner, I think you and your partner will be fine. I've been gay and in Nashville twice as long as most of these guys have been alive with nothing but good times to show for it. Hopefully, as more life happens to them, they'll share the sentiment.

[sleepy]

For another perspective---

I live in a small town (pop. c. 20,000) in southern Minnesota. Given what I know about this place, I think anyone flying a gay flag outside their house would run the risk of vandalism. Gay people aren't accepted here any more than they would be in Boondocks, Tennessee, let alone Nashville or Memphis.

The only difference would be that up here there might not be the threat of direct physical violence--more to do with the culture than an acceptance of gays.

[it's just dave]

As I was tooling around East Nashville yesterday, I saw quite a collection of flags. Some rainbow flags, Equal Rights flags, Easter Bunny flags, pineapples and Nebraska Cornhuskers (off a bad season, I might add).

I believe sleepy's right. The risk of vandalsim exists no matter where you are, and I agree with his assessment of the differences between the south, the north and physical violence.

As I drove around, I couldn't help but want to stop and kick the Easter Bunny's ass. And I wanted to start with the EBs who stood next to outdated Christmas decorations.

What would Martha do?

[GaTechGuy]

Gay adoption bill may head downhill

By Skip Cauthorn, [email protected]

February 28, 2005

[idesigner]

Thanks for all the diverse input from different personal experiences and different age groups.

Well I'm intriqued by all this talk of East Nashville. We were originally planning to move to the airport area. Seemed nice, close to my partner's potential employer. A good starting point I guess.

But everyone here keeps saying East Nashville is so diverse, and the most urban area. I like those qualities. Can you tell me exactly how to find available homes in East Nashville? For example, the most popular zip codes to look for in searches, and any condo or townhouse communities you can recommend (if able to)?

Any input is appreciated. Finding a nice, diverse neighborhood within reasonable commute to the airport area can be a challenge since I'm writing this from North Carolina. All I've got is Mapquest.

Thanks.

[rocket9561]

Thanks for all the diverse input from different personal experiences and different age groups.

Well I'm intriqued by all this talk of East Nashville. We were originally planning to move to the airport area. Seemed nice, close to my partner's potential employer. A good starting point I guess.

But everyone here keeps saying East Nashville is so diverse, and the most modern area. I like those qualities. Can you tell me exactly how to find available homes in East Nashville? For example, the most popular zip codes to look for in searches, and any condo or townhouse communities you can recommend (if able to)?

Any input is appreciated. Finding a nice, diverse neighborhood within reasonable commute to the airport area can be a challenge since I'm writing this from North Carolina. All I've got is Mapquest.

Thanks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually the most Modern area would be West End which is also gay friendly but much more expensive.

Check out village real estate for good East properties... (www.marksvillage.com)

[DallasTexan]

If you're looking for modern; stay out of East Nashville. Go to the West End instead

[DallasTexan]

Ha, rocket and I posted that at the same time.

But I'm cooler, so I win.

[it's just dave]

But I'm older, therefore, much more authentically cooler, have a partner and actually live on the East Side (after 18 years on the overpriced West Side).

You might consider talking to me. Anytime is fine.

[it's just dave]

rocket and DT are both right, the west is cooler, more trendy, more modern and infinitely more expensive. The East is a quirky urban area with a bright future to accompany the quirky people.

Like I've said, I've done both. One of the best things about living on the East Side is that I no longer have to shower, shave and dress just to go to the grocery.

The best part of it all is that the East is great and only a short hop from all the amenities downtown and west.

[it's just dave]

oh yeah, the zips....

east zips to check out would be 37206 and 37216

[idesigner]

Hey Dave, Rocket, and Dallas

You're so funny older or younger, thanks to all 3 of you for your replies!

I should have said urban, not modern. But I'm open to either as long as we like the neighborhood/area. But yeah definitely not the west side, it seemed too far from where we plan to work, and overly upscale is not our scene either. We're down to earth guys

Okay I'll look up the zip codes and links. Everyone is so friendly and helpful on this forum.