Is Nashville Gay Friendly?

[it's just dave]

Well, there goes another era. The best place in town for me to go and feel TRULY, TRULY old, is closing down for good.

After a long stint in Nashville, for what it's worth, The Connection is closing down.

For more info:

http://www.churchstreetfreedompress.com/Connection_1.html

Thought I'd mention it.

[DallasTexan]

Wow, I'm not that big of a club person, but that's shocking... I wonder if they'll be closing the one in Louisville as well?

[idesigner]

I never knew there were so many other gay people and gay-friendly people on this forum

When I first started this topic, I figured a few people might reply, and that would be it. But instead, it's opened up all kinds of interesting sub-topics and people.

Too bad about the club closing. I have no idea what it was, but it sounds like it meant a lot to you guys.

Wow, I'm not that big of a club person, but that's shocking... I wonder if they'll be closing the one in Louisville as well?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[it's just dave]

It didn't mean much to me in most respects. Its size was important to the community because if reminded me of just how many gay people with dance rhythms actually live around here. It came along quite a while after my "era" so to speak. During my earlier times we had The Warehouse on Franklin Road...the time period was the late 70s. Disco, with the sights, smells and authenticity to go with it. Whew, put my shirt back on and get some fresh air. Ahhhh, better. You almost lost me there for a sec.

I don't know anything about the clubs now, there are several large ones and several smaller ones, but I couldn't even tell you what there named, except for maybe Tribe. We've become more of "The 'Hood Boys Are Cookin' Out Again' kind of people.

Bring on the gas.

[nashvol85]

You probably won't have any real problems in Nashville. You might recieve a few verbal insults or something of that nature, but most likely the worst thing that you will recieve is a stare. Just don't hang around "tha hood" with your rainbow flags or whatever...lol.

[sleepy]

Tennessee in general---

Last week, only 3 state senators voted against a bill that would outlaw gay marriages and the honoring of other states' civil unions--the corrupt Memphis Sen. John Ford (hey! he-who-is-without-sin-cast-the-first-stone!), the courageous Memphis Sen. Steve Cohen, and the courageous Nashville Sen. Joe Haynes.

"Comparing Monday night's rush to judgment to the hothouse legislation passed during the time of segregation, Cohen said, "It's the same warped logic that's feeding this frenzy today.'"

http://www.memphisflyer.com/MFSearch/full_...from=1&aID=7002

[sleepy]

A postscript to this thread--

In response to whether Nashville (or Memphis) is gay friendly, unfortunately my first reaction is well, you won't get beat up walking down the street. I guess in terms of Tennessee, that means "gay-friendly".

[it's just dave]

A postscript to this thread--

In response to whether Nashville (or Memphis) is gay friendly, unfortunately my first reaction is well, you won't get beat up walking down the street.  I guess in terms of Tennessee, that means "gay-friendly". 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As a lifelong Nashvillian with 52 years of residency, most of which being spent in full recognition of my sexual orientation, I'd assess that as an unfortunate and ill-informed first reaction.

My residency is current. My involvement in the community is current. Your residency in Nashville and Memphis was....?

[sleepy]

As a lifelong Nashvillian with 52 years of residency, most of which being spent in full recognition of my sexual orientation, I'd assess that as an unfortunate and ill-informed first reaction.

My residency is current. My involvement in the community is current. Your residency in Nashville and Memphis was....?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perhaps I was unduly harsh--and maybe a little bit tongue in cheek also--but the term "gay friendly" can be taken many ways--are gay citizens accorded certain rights against overt, legal discrimination? Are the political concerns of gay citizens used as wedge issues, and does the straight community buy into that?

Nationally at least, many would not consider a city to be "gay friendly" unless those issues are resolved favorably in terms of the gay community. Many places would take the answers for granted.

Unfortunately, I don't think anyplace--as a whole anyway--in TN does.

Does that mean a gay person in TN will encounter daily hostility? No. Does that mean a gay person in TN will be accepted for who they are? Well, no doubt for the most part--aside from the legal impediments, and certainly on the job and so forth most people don't care.

But that's about as far as I think it goes--for most people a grudging acceptance of the fact of a gay person's existence. That's a positive, which precludes, as I said, violence. I'm not sure you could say that about TN 30 yr. ago.

And whether you're in Nashville, Nutbush, Memphis, or Martin, many, many folks consider being gay a sin, and politicians amp it up.

[idesigner]

Let me just chime in

President Bush runs our country, and that says something about the U.S. in general since at least 50% of the population voted for him.

So that's our current leader. That doesn't mean everyone supports his anti-gay views, but it does mean a large chunk of people DO agree with his shameless display of homophobia.

So in general, this whole country has a big problem with gay people. But many areas, big or small, have some bright spots of optimism. There are areas that are very open minded to equality, and many others that don't like it, but are willing to co-exist in humanity.

So when I asked if Nashville was gay friendly, I wasn't thinking about hate crimes or anything like that. And actually I don't own a rainbow flag, so that's not even a worry.

I'm just acknowledging that I know Nashville is nothing like New York, L.A. or even Chicago.... and I'm glad because those cities are too big for me. But as a general scope, I was hoping to get a feel for the area.

Despite the poll results (64% think it's anti-gay), I'm actually really excited about moving there. And I'll face any challenges head-on, because I won't compromise my right to equality

By the way, I know you were just kidding Sleepy And I also know Dave has lived there all his life without any troubles. I look forward to living there soon, in all my gay glory

Perhaps I was unduly harsh--and maybe a little bit tongue in cheek also--but the term "gay friendly" can be taken many ways--are gay citizens accorded certain rights against overt, legal discrimination? Are the political concerns of gay citizens used as wedge issues, and does the straight community buy into that? 

Nationally at least, many would not consider a city to be "gay friendly" unless those issues are resolved favorably in terms of the gay community.  Many places would take the answers for granted.

Unfortunately, I don't think anyplace--as a whole anyway--in TN does.

Does that mean a gay person in TN will encounter daily hostility?  No.  Does that mean a gay person in TN will be accepted for who they are?  Well, no doubt for the most part--aside from the legal impediments, and certainly on the job and so forth most people don't care.

But that's about as far as I think it goes--for most people a grudging acceptance of the fact of a gay person's existence.  That's a positive, which precludes, as I said,  violence.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[satalac]

hell i'm straight idesigner, but i welcome you with open arms. good people are good people. i hope you enjoy nashville and have a blast!

[DallasTexan]

Yeah, yeah... Open arms are nice and all, but I'll cut you a big check if you move to Birmingham.

[satalac]

Yeah, yeah... Open arms are nice and all, but I'll cut you a big check if you move to Birmingham.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hey, don't you be stealin our people now!

[it's just dave]

sleepy, I thought about that after my response. You stated everything I would have said if I'd stayed awake long enough (insert old man joke, here).

You're right, from a political standpoint, your views are certainly valid. I guess as a man who lives in his life in the present place and time and remains somewhat buffered from most of society's ills, I tend to personalize and base my remarks on personal experience. That's really all I have. Once again, you're response is certainly driven with good points.

And Justin, we saw him first.

idesigner, I can't give you a check, but if you need some plants for your yard (in time), I'm your man.

[idesigner]

satalac - that's very nice of you. thanks for the warm welcome. I agree, I think it's going to be a blast!

DallasTexan - wonderful! I'll move to Birmingham, get a big check, then buy a 2nd home in Nashville so I'll have a yard for Dave to grow plants in

[satalac]

satalac - that's very nice of you. thanks for the warm welcome. I agree, I think it's going to be a blast!

DallasTexan - wonderful! I'll move to Birmingham, get a big check, then buy a 2nd home in Nashville so I'll have a yard for Dave to grow plants in 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

you might want a secluded back yard for the plants that dave is going to give you i kid i kid

[sleepy]

sleepy, I thought about that after my response. You stated everything I would have said if I'd stayed awake long enough (insert old man joke, here).

You're right, from a political standpoint, your views are certainly valid. I guess as a man who lives in his life in the present place and time and remains somewhat buffered from most of society's ills, I tend to personalize and base my remarks on personal experience.  That's really all I have. Once again, you're response is certainly driven with good points.

And Justin, we saw him first.

idesigner, I can't give you a check, but if you need some plants for your yard (in time), I'm your man.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, I was just saying that gay friendly probably means different things to different people.

Of course, too, I didn't want anyone to think that flamboyant drag queens might not attract hostile looks waiting at the Smyrna station for the 7 AM commuter train

to town.

Just kidding.

[doormanpoet]

I dont think Nashville is anti-gay. I think most heterosexuals are offended by the notion of sodomy. As a Heterosexual male who has been married for 13 years, I really don't care whom one chooses to sleep with, I just have concerns about diseases transferred by sodomy into the straight community by bi-sexual men. CNN and other news agencies have reported that AIDS is highest among black women because they do not know their partners are bi-sexual.

According to Kinsey and other reports on sexual behavior, sodomy is rare among heterosexual couples. Most heterosexuals associate AIDS with homosexuality. People forgot about IV drug users and straights who have sex with prostitutes and bi-sexual men and women who have been exposed to the virus.

The main cause of veneral disease and AIDS is sodomy and beastiality. (AMA Journal)

As long as homosexuality is defined by the American public as sodomy, crossdressing and other behaviors, Nashville in the bible belt south willl NOT be a gay friendly city.

I know plenty of gay couples and I asked one couple if they ever engaged in sodomy and they said no. They just engaged in oral. Not all gays engage in sodomy, but the American public thinks so.

The other problem the gay community has, especially in a religious city, is seperating pedophillia and homosexuality. Out of the 200 priests accused of pedophillia in the Catholic Church, the majority were homosexual and out of the 11,000 children abused, 95% were male.

However, is Michael Jackson gay? Probably not.

The point is, the gay community needs to educate the heterosexual community on its lifestyle and it's relationship issues. Have a town meeting. Educate. Do something to help heterosexuals not judge gays as filthy and dirty, but regular human beings.

Afterall, there are some heterosexuals that commit some strange behaviors as well such as bondage, S&M and others.

Pornography does a dis-service because it portays gays as promiscuous and violent. It is unfortunate that the porn industry does its best to degrade human beings in general, but according to Dianne Sawyer on ABC, homosexuality is intergrated into straight porn and thus homosexuality is now seen as normal behavior and some straights get offended.

Straight people believe they deserve to raise children before gays because children need a male and a female influence. They fear coersion by gays to "recruit" children into the lifestyle. Go to any Baptist or Church of Christ church and anti-gay sermons are common.

Gay marriage bans I think will be approved in all 50 states because Americans view sodomy as THE reason one is gay. As long as sodomy is considered dirty, unclean, unsafe, unnatural, unhealthy, gays will be looked down upon and mistreated. The first thing people think of when one says "I am gay" is sodomy.

Lesbians are more accepted. For years in the media and television, there were programs involving two women who were "roomates." Most educated people knew they may have been lesbians, but America was not ready for it. Oscar Wilde, Walt Whitman, and Truman Capote were fairly open about their homosexuality, but women who were lesbian could hide behind the "we are close friends" persona and ignorant America never knew the difference.

In Anne Patchett's latest book she tells the story of her friend who died of cancer. They loved each other and were very intimate, but it was not sexual. Women are allowed to love each other and nurture each other and it is not considered lesbian. Men still cannot do that.

Is Nashville gay friendly? Probably not. Is the world gay friendly? Absolutely not.

It is unfortunate that people are judged by their sexual activity, but they are and the world is just not ready to fully accept it.

[sleepy]

I dont think Nashville is anti-gay. I think most heterosexuals are offended by the notion of sodomy. As a Heterosexual male who has been married for 13 years, I really don't care whom one chooses to sleep with, I just have concerns about diseases transferred by sodomy into the straight community by bi-sexual men. CNN and other news agencies have reported that AIDS is highest among black women because they do not know their partners are bi-sexual.

According to Kinsey and other reports on sexual behavior, sodomy is rare among heterosexual couples. Most heterosexuals associate AIDS with homosexuality. People forgot about IV drug users and straights who have sex with prostitutes and bi-sexual men and women who have been exposed to the virus.

The main cause of veneral disease and AIDS is sodomy and beastiality. (AMA Journal)

As long as homosexuality is defined by the American public as sodomy, crossdressing and other behaviors, Nashville in the bible belt south willl NOT be a gay friendly city.

I know plenty of gay couples and I asked one couple if they ever engaged in sodomy and they said no. They just engaged in oral.

[idesigner]

Wow, I think this is about to get interesting...

[satalac]

Wow, I think this is about to get interesting...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what makes you think that? it was just talking about beastiality. anyways, i hope this doesn't go into the difference between gays and straights. we're both humans with the same emotions. let's just hope that most of the people of nashville agree with me here.

[doormanpoet]

The problem with the bible belt south, with the exception of Atlanta, is that bible believing fundamentalists have kept Nashville from progress for years. At one time, the Madison Church of Christ ran Nashville. We still can't buy wine in a grocery store! Beer has more alcohol than wine!!!!

[nashvol85]

Beer has more alcohol than wine!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No it doesn't.

[sleepy]

The problem with the bible belt south, with the exception of Atlanta, is that bible believing fundamentalists have kept Nashville from progress for years. At one time, the Madison Church of Christ ran Nashville. We still can't buy wine in a grocery store! Beer has more alcohol than wine!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a state law and has nothing to do with Nashville government.

BTW--In New York City, you can't buy wine in grocery stores either, only liquor stores.

[waccamatt]

The thing I find most amusing is how some believe that heterosexuals don't engage in sodomy. What do you think oral sex is? I'm gay, but my straight friends have just as many stories to tell as my gay friends do. If you listen to poet you would think that the only time straight people have sex is when they are marriied....in the missionary position...for the purpose of procreating. I dunno...maybe in Nashville that's considered a good time.