Atlanta has 3rd largest gay population (Sandy Springs, Roswell: apartments, unemployment, school)

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by bayarea-girl

It is interesting that Seattle has such a high gay population. I never noticed any gays there. It seems like gay people here are hiding their status (mainly the men). In the Bay Area things are bit out in the open.

You were probably around tons of gay people in Seattle and never even knew it.

You have to keep in mind that in some areas of San Francisco and other large cities, you'll see more gay stereotypes - which do not necessarily represent how many gay people there obviously are in the world. Two men with tank tops and cropped hair holding hands can only be seen in certain areas - that doesn't mean they're not in more areas or "hiding" - it means the rest of them don't feel the need to flaunt it.

I worked with a couple of gay men for years before anyone realized they were gay. Even at parties at their own homes. No tank tops or Broadway showtunes on their iPods - these were everyday macho guys who dug sports and one rode a souped-up Harley to work, while the other was a carpenter part time on the weekends. I mean, who'd a thunk it if you think in terms of stereotypes? Which I guess we are all guilty of at some point. Every group of people have their stereotypes and their "regular everyday" folks - so you may know more gay men and women than you have a clue about here and even back in Seattle.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

You were probably around tons of gay people in Seattle and never even knew it.

You have to keep in mind that in some areas of San Francisco and other large cities, you'll see more gay stereotypes - which do not necessarily represent how many gay people there obviously are in the world. Two men with tank tops and cropped hair holding hands can only be seen in certain areas - that doesn't mean they're not in more areas or "hiding" - it means the rest of them don't feel the need to flaunt it.

I worked with a couple of gay men for years before anyone realized they were gay. Even at parties at their own homes. No tank tops or Broadway showtunes on their iPods - these were everyday macho guys who dug sports and one rode a souped-up Harley to work, while the other was a carpenter part time on the weekends. I mean, who'd a thunk it if you think in terms of stereotypes? Which I guess we are all guilty of at some point. Every group of people have their stereotypes and their "regular everyday" folks - so you may know more gay men and women than you have a clue about here and even back in Seattle.

Too right...I've known many gay men that had no sense of style whatever, and lesbians that haven't worn flannel in years!

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

You were probably around tons of gay people in Seattle and never even knew it.

You have to keep in mind that in some areas of San Francisco and other large cities, you'll see more gay stereotypes - which do not necessarily represent how many gay people there obviously are in the world. Two men with tank tops and cropped hair holding hands can only be seen in certain areas - that doesn't mean they're not in more areas or "hiding" - it means the rest of them don't feel the need to flaunt it.

I worked with a couple of gay men for years before anyone realized they were gay. Even at parties at their own homes. No tank tops or Broadway showtunes on their iPods - these were everyday macho guys who dug sports and one rode a souped-up Harley to work, while the other was a carpenter part time on the weekends. I mean, who'd a thunk it if you think in terms of stereotypes? Which I guess we are all guilty of at some point. Every group of people have their stereotypes and their "regular everyday" folks - so you may know more gay men and women than you have a clue about here and even back in Seattle.

Excellent post, AG.

I lived for many years in the West End of Vancouver, BC (a.k.a. San Francisco north). I certainly knew I was around tons of gay guys, but they ran the gamut from flamboyant to conservative.

One couple I knew were a PhD psychologist in private practice, and a bank executive. They were interesting, dynamic men but they had conservative haircuts, dressed in business suits on weekdays and conservative casual clothes on weekends, had what most people would regard as normal demeanor for a professional male, a simply and tastefully decorated home ... you get the picture, I'm sure. They certainly weren't closeted but I expect that, unless the subject came up for some reason, most of their clients, business associates, etc. would have no reason to think either of them was gay.

Sexual orientation is just one aspect of a person, and when there's not a big hoopla about it, some people, whether gay or straight, do and others don't choose to make it prominent in the way they present themselves.

[bayarea-girl]

atlantagreg..., I'm not saying that one has to wear tank tops extra to show that they are gay. And there were many people either I worked with in SF or just hung out with that were gay. They didn't tell me to not say that they were gay. Since I have been in GA some of the people that I have met are gay but told me that they were not in the open about it because people here are prejudice regarding gays and I just can feel the difference and I was told not to expose them (which again, I'm not use to keeping other people's secrets). If you see a gay couple in CA no one makes a big deal about it (it is kinda of common), while being here I see the difference, like the looks people give gay people (the same kinda looks a black & white couple would get).

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by bayarea-girl

atlantagreg..., I'm not saying that one has to wear tank tops extra to show that they are gay. And there were many people either I worked with in SF or just hung out with that were gay. They didn't tell me to not say that they were gay. Since I have been in GA some of the people that I have met are gay but told me that they were not in the open about it because people here are prejudice regarding gays and I just can feel the difference and I was told not to expose them (which again, I'm not use to keeping other people's secrets). If you see a gay couple in CA no one makes a big deal about it (it is kinda of common), while being here I see the difference, like the looks people give gay people (the same kinda looks a black & white couple would get).

Frankly, this sounds like their problem, not Atlanta's. I know a lot of gay people in this town and none of them feel the need to be closeted. I've lived in NYC, DC, and south FL, and I see no discernable difference in gay life in those cities compared to Atlanta.

[jsimms3]

Well there are more traditionalists here. I am not saying that most traditionalists are anti gay, I am saying they are more modest people with more conservative views. Just like people here do not flaunt wealth as much as people in Florida do (often without having it), people here are just not prone to flaunt anything, and the people that do flaunt stuff here are stand outs. I happen to like the more modest culture here. I live in midtown and know many gay guys, I don't even want to comment how I know so many , but from what I have noticed, some of the guys that appear the most gay spend so much time being "gay" and so little time doing anything else. It is no wonder they do not live very well and have meager jobs as waiters or bartenders or hair stylists at gay oriented places.

And they call it "expressing themselves." This is what gets me so much, I understand the whole concept of having less testosterone etc, but we are still guys. I would hate to be a more modest and conservative business oriented gay guy in Chelsea or SF or FTL Beach because I would be considered an Uncle Tom for gay guys, just like a black person that happens to be conservative or republican is shown hate and disgust from their "community" so is a normal "straight acting" gay guy. And these same people are trying to get past race, gender, and sexuality issues, but they are the ones causing it all. So hypocritical.

[jsimms3]

Yea true, LovinDecatur, some of the most out guys I have ever seen are here in my building and the area. There are certainly no problems in Atlanta!

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by jsimms3

Well there are more traditionalists here. I am not saying that most traditionalists are anti gay, I am saying they are more modest people with more conservative views. Just like people here do not flaunt wealth as much as people in Florida do (often without having it), people here are just not prone to flaunt anything, and the people that do flaunt stuff here are stand outs. I happen to like the more modest culture here. I live in midtown and know many gay guys, I don't even want to comment how I know so many , but from what I have noticed, some of the guys that appear the most gay spend so much time being "gay" and so little time doing anything else. It is no wonder they do not live very well and have meager jobs as waiters or bartenders or hair stylists at gay oriented places.

And they call it "expressing themselves." This is what gets me so much, I understand the whole concept of having less testosterone etc, but we are still guys. I would hate to be a more modest and conservative business oriented gay guy in Chelsea or SF or FTL Beach because I would be considered an Uncle Tom for gay guys, just like a black person that happens to be conservative or republican is shown hate and disgust from their "community" so is a normal "straight acting" gay guy. And these same people are trying to get past race, gender, and sexuality issues, but they are the ones causing it all. So hypocritical.

Honey, they have the same amount of testosterone as you do. They're gay, not trangendered. And some of those 'waiters, bartenders and hairdressers make damn good money in this town. I about fell out of my chair when my stylist told me what he cleared last year!

[jsimms3]

I was half way kidding, and I tried to discreetly put in my post without causing much of a stir that I have that "right" to comment LoL

[afonega1]

Originally Posted by bayarea-girl

atlantagreg..., I'm not saying that one has to wear tank tops extra to show that they are gay. And there were many people either I worked with in SF or just hung out with that were gay. They didn't tell me to not say that they were gay. Since I have been in GA some of the people that I have met are gay but told me that they were not in the open about it because people here are prejudice regarding gays and I just can feel the difference and I was told not to expose them (which again, I'm not use to keeping other people's secrets). If you see a gay couple in CA no one makes a big deal about it (it is kinda of common), while being here I see the difference, like the looks people give gay people (the same kinda looks a black & white couple would get).

Ive noticed this a lot when people from California that live in Atlanta.They always compare the whole state of California to the city of Atlanta.Northern California(especially above Sacramento)is more conservative than Atlanta but less than Georgia.Im sure people in the Northern California area more conservative than Atlanta.In the city of Atlanta i cant imagine where you are if you think people are overtly anti gay here.You must be in Forsyth or some far out suburb or rural Georgia.