Considering move to Nashville, where are gay-friendly urban areas? (Clarksville: condo, home)

[susiek]

As a lesbian that lived in Nashville for several years I will agree with the previos posts on locations for housing. Keep in mind that these areas are more expensive than similar houses in other parts of town. Nashville has a wonderful nightlife for the GLBT communtiy and lots of charity events and things to become involved in. . . sad;y the same cannot be said for the majority of the state which is why my partner and I decided to move elsewhere before starting a family. Good luck with your move!!

[knoxgarden]

I've had friends and neighbors who are gay and they liked Knoxville. There's an active gay community here and they hold a big Gay Pride weekend that my friends were involved with.
The South, in general, treats gays like they do blacks, hispanics, other "foreign" infiltrators: they tolerate and are friendly with individuals they know but will denounce them as groups.
Tennessee is very tolerant of eccentrics and gays often fall into that category in their eyes.
There is a Nashville newspaper for gays:
Out & About Newspaper—Tennessee's Best GLBT Source for News in Print, On TV and On the Web

[TheShadow]

Originally Posted by JMT

I
In other words, compared to San Francisco, I'm sure Nashville's gay community feels isolated and oppressed. But compared to, say, Sacramento or Fresno, Nashville's gay community isn't too different.

There is no comparison between Sacramento and Fresno...I know this is a Tenn. forum. Sacramento is actually quite gay friendly. It's not a hick town at all. In fact recent surveys classified Sacramento as the most diverse city in the entire country, ethnically and otherwise. It's also far more political and therefore more "politically correct" as they say then our Fresno cousins.

Okay, back to Tenn. stuff.

[2004idiot]

Nashville open-minded? its the MOST judgmental place I've ever seen...... I'm clicking my heels and hope to soon be back in So Cal. This place doesn't even have a sense of humor........

[IngleDave]

I have some shiny red shoes you can have. I won't need them back, I'm already home.

Click Click.

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by 2004idiot

Nashville open-minded? its the MOST judgmental place I've ever seen...... I'm clicking my heels and hope to soon be back in So Cal. This place doesn't even have a sense of humor........

You're going to end up in Kansas!

[ariesjow]

Originally Posted by 2004idiot

Nashville open-minded? its the MOST judgmental place I've ever seen...... I'm clicking my heels and hope to soon be back in So Cal. This place doesn't even have a sense of humor........

Well, if you came from So Cal expecting Nashville to be a similar vibe then you were only setting yourself up for major disappointment. That said, people may be different from what you're personally accustomed to here but there are truckloads of judgmental people everywhere. The South doesn't have a monopoly on them.

I'm a Black gay male and a proud Nashvillian. Guess what? Every single last time I've been to NYC I've been called the "n" word or the "f" word or, if I'm really lucky, both at the same time. But I still love New York and would never make a sweeping generalization of the city because of a few isolated incidents. I'm wise and well-traveled enough to realize that there are judgmental, racist homophobes in every state and every city. California, as socially progressive as it mostly is, is no exception to this and neither is Nashville.

Personally, I'm happy to be back here. I left this city about four years ago thinking Ann Arbor, MI was going to be some sort of new progressive promise land. It was not. As open-minded as Ann Arbor supposedly is, it isn't the perfect fit for me right now for various reasons. I admired the town for its' many great qualities and moved on to a better fit. Perhaps Nashville just isn't your fit. Perhaps you didn't particularly care for Nashville's great qualities. Perhaps you had already made up your mind before you could truly find your niche. I don't know. However, I do know that it's hard to say a city with all the gay bars on Church Street and churches on Gay Street lacks a sense of humor...or, at the very least, an intriguing sense of irony.

Good luck clicking your heels!

[ariesjow]

Originally Posted by CAwine

I have two different job offers and one of them is in Nashville. I'm looking for a hip urban and open-minded atmosphere. I'll be in Nashville soon and would love to know where these areas are in Nashville. Can you help me out?

I'll piggyback what others said and recommend East Nashville and Hillsboro Village. Those are Nashville's best neighborhoods that are very gay-friendly and urban. You should also consider 12South but it's probably a little less urban than the two former.

Also, I'm not sure about your price range but there are lofts and condos going up around the Gulch and the Germantown/N. Capitol areas that I've seen advertised in Out and About. Those areas are more "up and coming" and less established. Nashville's growing gay district is located on Church Street. It's strictly bars, clubs, restaurants, and retail. There isn't currently much if any residential in that part of the street but I hear some proposals will be coming soon.

Good luck!

[2004idiot]

I wish I could say, like some who have moved here, that it's nice. I have worked for 2 of the worst sexists/racists pigs on the planet. I have had white people use the N word in front of me as if it were acceptable. I have had countless people smile and ACT like they like me only to find out they have said the most hateful things possible behind my back. NOT sure what purpose that serves? I'm not used to this culture. There are no employee rights or consumer protection here. I have run into the worst people in the city, no doubt. It has not been good. Doubt that it would have been positive for anyone. as soon as I sell this house, I will go back home. I'd rather sit in traffic and breathe smog to hang with some real people!

[Philyman]

East Nashville / Lockland springs area. Go to Lipstick Lounge