moving to Portland next summer (sales, home, movies)

[Roxbailey]

Hi I am Roxanne, I am a single mother of a 18 year old who is chosing not to move with me, lesbian who is originally from Lewiston. I moved to MN in 2002 and have hated since. I would rather move to Portland but Seattle is also ok. I have been in health care for 23 years a CNA then a LPN. All my family is from the west so time to come home anyway I wont know anyone in Portland and looking forward to getting information on lesbian life there and where to make friends. Thanks for the help if you have any suggestions!

[aroseinrain]

Here's a question to (hopefully) help to clarify peoples answers:

What is it that you didn't like about MN? The reason I ask is that I often hear Portland compared to Minneapolis.

[philwithbeard]

As posted in previous threads on your questions:

Start here ( LGBT street newspaper in Portland)
Gay & Lesbian News Portland Oregon

Most of the City of Portland won't care about your (or anyone else's) sexual orientation unless you make it a public issue. Be aware there are social meetings (not pickup, but just social gatherings) 'meet & greet' for lesbians in Portland. I heard about of one social meeting group that is only for 'lipsticks' since that question was already asked on this board.

[iliketrains]

Nurses seem to be the only people getting hired right now, as far as I know. Portland and Seattle are both very open-minded places, both sound like good places from what you described.


I guess just do your regular homework: having some money to live on when you arrive, aware of cost of living vs what employers pay (many are not aware Portland employers aren't too generous with pay). Seattle is more expensive than Portland, yet salaries are higher. Washing has no state tax yet Oregon has no sales tax. Good luck!

[dejo44]

Originally Posted by philwithbeard

Most of the City of Portland won't care about your (or anyone else's) sexual orientation unless you make it a public issue.

Just curious, how does one make sexual orientation a public issue? Sounds a little like DADT. I know you mean well Phil, but a statement like stirs up negative connotations. For example, every day, I see advertisements and movies; I watch TV shows and read magazines; everything I see celebrates the lives and loves of heterosexuals and their family life. Is this making their lives a public issue? I see heterosexual parents kissing hello, goodbye all the time in public places. If I did that with my partner would that be making my sexual orientation a public issue?

[Nell Plotts]

Open display of intimacy with sexual overtones, including lips on lips kissing, by persons of the same gender makes many people uncomfortable. The same behavior by hetrosexuals makes some people uncomfortable and in many societies is unacceptable behavior. Even the kissing-the-cheeks greeting between the same gender as is common in even very consertive societies makes many uncomfortable in the US.

How any of us behave in public will depend on the opinion we want others to think of us.

[aroseinrain]

Re: "public issue/sexual orientation?":

From my experienced, the same physical displays that creep folks out when it's between people of the opposite sex will creep people out when it's between people of the same sex (ie: french kissing in a restaurant, "petting" any place in public, ass grabbing).

Anyway, that's not the topic of the OP's question. She didn't ask for acceptance or approval so it's a non-issue. She asked where she can go to make some like-minded friends.

[philwithbeard]

Originally Posted by dejo44

Just curious, how does one make sexual orientation a public issue? Sounds a little like DADT. I know you mean well Phil, but a statement like stirs up negative connotations. .........

I see heterosexual parents kissing hello, goodbye all the time in public places. If I did that with my partner would that be making my sexual orientation a public issue?

No,
kissing partners as a greeting or farewell does happen in Portland and I have not heard of any public out cry.

And, from my point of view, the threshold is any nominally private behavior becomes (or crosses into) a 'public issue' when your behavior has been written up negatively in a newspaper (mainstream daily or weekly street newspaper.) For example the following write up in a street weekly newspaper about a Hetero couple:
I, Anonymous | I, Anonymous | Portland Mercury

And while we are on the topic, as an old person, I would also object to reading in the newspaper(s) about Violent Vigilante Vegans Vandalize butcher shop and injure workers. (this has not happened, yet)

[Yankeemama]

What was the OP's original questions? Geez...

[EnricoV]

It's not really my area of knowledge, but Hotspots for Portland Lesbians looks like a good place to start. You'll notice that the majority of the addresses listed are in the inner East/South-East area, which I've always heard referred to as having higher numbers of gay/lesbian residents.