So, I´m thinking to move to Australia for some months or year. This is a project that I´m starting to plan and my idea is to go there by the end of next year or in 2016. Before I do it, I would like to ask some questions for aussies here [or anyone that have been to Australia] and I appreciate if you answer me. 1st) How are gay people perceived in big cities like Melbourne or Sydney? Especially in jobs. I´m not flamboyant [and I´m not grabbing about it]. 2nd) Are Australians – and [especially] gay Australians friendly? Is hard or easy to join a group of friends? Are native Australians open to friendship with expats? Do you need to dig reaaaaaally deep to find someone like you to friendship? This friendship thing is my biggest concern since I´m moving alone to a place I´ve never been before. 3rd) How is the gay life in Melbourne? Is the best in the country? Good, regular, bad? Is getting better or in decay? When I´m mean life, I´m not just talking about nightclubs, but to be a gay person in general. Thanks a lot!!!:icon_bigg
1. Usually fine. I mean there is homophobia everywhere but in cities like Sydney and Melbourne, people are generally fine with homosexuality and a lot of people will not condone homophobia. Most of my gay friends have jobs and their employers have never caused them any problems (or at least, any related to their orientation). 2. It totally depends on the person haha! There are friendly Aussies and there are unfriendly Aussies. I'm from Sydney and the LGBT support and activity groups I know of are very friendly and welcoming. I personally found it difficult to make friends in one of these groups but that's because I'm kind of awkward socially anyway lol. 3. Well I've never been to Melbourne so can't really help with this :S But in case you were considering Sydney, gay life is pretty good.. most people just do not care what your orientation is and it's just becoming more accepted and even celebrated to be different. For instance, Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is a HUGE event, one of the biggest LGBT celebrations in the world if I'm not mistaken. And friends/families/allies/random people join in the party too, not just people who identify as LGBT. Hope this helped somewhat..
Australia is pretty gay friendly so you shouldn't have many problems. Of course their are homophobes, but they are in the minority.
Thanks a lot for your reply. Just have another question :icon_bigg Is awkward to look for friends in internet in Australia? Is ok to make friends in bars and nightclubs or this could be considered intrusive?
Watch out for gay crocodiles (urbandictionary definition: An older gay man who preys on/lusts after young gay men; a gay cougar of sorts.). Also, learn how to speak Australians (WARNING: Strong language): [youtube]DHQRZXM-4xI[/youtube]
1st) How are gay people perceived in big cities like Melbourne or Sydney? Especially in jobs. I´m not flamboyant [and I´m not grabbing about it]. Sydney has the big Gay Mardi Gra pradade so i believe they are perceived quite well, I am not sure about Melbourne as I only went there for holidays for a week two years ago. 2nd) Are Australians – and [especially] gay Australians friendly? Is hard or easy to join a group of friends? Are native Australians open to friendship with expats? Do you need to dig reaaaaaally deep to find someone like you to friendship? I think in general, Australians are pretty friendly and generally most are accepting. I think we are fairly open to new friends and meeting new people and giving people a chance. 3rd) How is the gay life in Melbourne? Is the best in the country? Good, regular, bad? Is getting better or in decay? When I´m mean life, I´m not just talking about nightclubs, but to be a gay person in general. I am not sure about that one, as I have only been to Melbourne Once and i didn't go to night clubs or things like that, I think in general the cities are probably more accepting then outback rural country areas. I hope that helps you out a little.
You should be fine. Melbourne and Sydney would have to be Australia's gay capitals really. The annual Gay Mardi Gras in Sydney is a huge event and lots of fun. Stuff like marriage equality is well supported here now. It's the politicians being too cowardly to stand up to the religious zealots that makes it long and drawn out through we do have a Government made up of religious zealots but they're not for you to worry about. Country towns can still be an issue though.
As with the animal kingdom in general, we know there are gay penguins, dogs, etc. However, a gay crocodile would be even more problematic. Their diet would exclusively target men. J/K. I can't tell whether the OP is coming from what is either in the UK or one of their former or current possessions. If that is the case, and your current homeland drives on the same side of the street as Australia, then it should be even easier. From other places, it would be a slightly tougher adjustment. Australians are considerably less reserved than, say, people in the UK, by and large. That would help in making new friends. They very easily chat people up, it seems.
1st) How are gay people perceived in big cities like Melbourne or Sydney? Especially in jobs. I´m not flamboyant [and I´m not grabbing about it]. I've only just come out lately but even in a smaller regional city where I'm from people are pretty accepting, there'll always be bigots but no more here than anywhere else. 2nd) Are Australians – and [especially] gay Australians friendly? Is hard or easy to join a group of friends? Are native Australians open to friendship with expats? Do you need to dig reaaaaaally deep to find someone like you to friendship? This friendship thing is my biggest concern since I´m moving alone to a place I´ve never been before. Can be hard depending on where you are and how many gay people are around, guess some are gonna be good, some won't but can always start talking to people on here so you sort of know some people before making the move. Is awkward to look for friends in internet in Australia? Is ok to make friends in bars and nightclubs or this could be considered intrusive? Get a lot of people just looking for hookups in my experience but also meet some really nice people. Mind if I ask which country you'd be moving from?
Forgive me for asking but how are you going to get to Australia? If you're from New Zealand, it's pretty easy to move there since only a passport and proof of citizenship is required. If you're from almost anywhere else, what visa are you trying to get? From my experience in Australia, it seems like a very tolerant place. In any multicultural western country, the only intolerant ones are usually the migrants from Asia and Africa. And a tip, make sure to save up a ton of money to move there. My great-aunt's house is a very simple one in Canley Heights, and it's worth over $600,000.
I don't want to be a bitch but eh... DON'T DO THIS Really, don't. I suggest visiting Australia at least once before you decide to move there, to see what it's like through your own eyes and if you can actually see yourself living there. Also helps in deciding which city or area you like best, so you don't end up living in a place you don't want to be.
I disagree. After living in the same house for my first 22 years of life, I went to an internship 1300 miles (2000 km) away, which was scary but awesome. I then lived for two years in another city almost equidistant from the first two. When you move so far alone, you learn what things are really essential, how to adapt to change, and how to get out of your shell and "remake" yourself as however you want with new friends, new activities, etc. Besides, research suggest humans can only have a 100-200 genuine relationships with other people, so it doesn't really matter much where they are if they can find a few good friends. But, that's just my experience/opinion. (*hug*)
I see what you mean. I'm actually moving to another country (~700km from where I'm now) next month, leaving everything behind and starting a job in a new place. So it's not the move itself I'm worried about, that's actually something amazing and a great experience. It's more the 'moving to a place you've never been to, not even for a day' thing, where you have no idea where you'll end up But I can't look in someone else's head, so it might as well work. Just not for me, haha.
From what I've heard, everyone is really accepting and the climate is amazing. Great people, scenery, history, food, nightlife, and accents :lol:
I agree with Timo. There's also the problem of employment and where you'd live; make sure you have the guarantee of employment so that you can live decently (the cost of living is not merciful in the cities for the unemployed and even many employed), and make sure that you have no delusions about where you'd live; as much as Melbourne is a lovely city, the outer suburbs tend not to be the same and commuting to the city proper is going to be pretty arduous. You're not going to live the beach life in Paramatta just because it's part of Sydney. If you haven't been to where you intend to live, you might end up expecting something that's just not possible where you're going to live. And nobody should ever fool themselves into thinking Australia is a classless, miraculously unsnobbish land of opportunity. But if you're from NZ, you should at least have a little bit of cultural similarities to understand Australia.
Why isn't anyone talking about the snakes, spiders, crocodiles, scorpions, sharks or other hell-spawn coming straight from the seventh plane of torment?
Because the chances of coming across them are unlikely outside of a zoo, especially in Sydney and Melbourne.
i had moved to Melbourne from new zealand ive been in a few cities across nz and oz non were as good as Melbourne. i think you would love Melbourne great food great culture great place to work. it took me less than 2 hours to make friends there.in fact most time i went out id end up being friends with some randoms half the night . people are extremely open i never had a problem being out there its just far to common to be a big deal and most people have lgbt friends.