All you American gays

.. if you're in the big, big, big metropolitan area of Texas, being gay might just get you stares and glares and comments, but then I haven't read the news forever... maybe people did get beat up or attacked down here lol

 

There are places all over the country where I am more aware of the surroundings and apt to not hold hands or kiss my partner across the table in a restaurant. These places are in every state. They exist in areas of big cities. My tendency is to believe more rural areas have issues than big cities. When you are in areas that are heavily populated by religious people you have more concern. But there are difficult spots wherever you might be.

 

I would not recommend being openly (or at least flamboyantly gay) in the deep south. Not that the people there are more violent than normal, but they are definitely more bigoted as a whole. I've been to Alabama, and you can't turn around without bumping into a church of one denomination or another.

There's also the idea of southern hospitality, though. For stereotypical shortcomings, southerners are VERY gracious and polite, so even if they disapprove of homosexuality, they'll likely be nice to you anyway.

 

I live in Texas. There are parts of Texas where quite frankly no, you would not want to be seen holding the hand of your partner or kissing someone of the same sex. Same goes for most of the south. However, the city I live in has an openly gay city councilman. You may have seen his video, it went viral. Where I live there are churches that openly proclaim they are open to all. It just depends on where in those states. Small towns and rural areas will be less accepting, in bigger cities you will find more of a live and let live type of attitude. That's not to say there aren't homophobes in the big cities, because unfortunately they are everywhere. Most people seem pretty friendly where I live though. I've not been in other parts of the country yet, but from what I understand it's more accepting up there as a whole. The south and discrimination seem to go hand in hand . I love Texas, but it's history against the LGBT population is heartbreaking. Here's to change.

---------- Post added 9th Jan 2013 at 03:06 PM ----------

But no, I wouldn't say it's terrifying. I'll second that even if they disagree with you, they'll likely be polite unless they are completely ignorant. My ex-girlfriend and I (straight relationship) were accosted by baptists because we were holding hands (That pissed me off so bad I was laughing). So there are all kinds down here.

 

I live in a small town in the South and have never had to face much homophobia. People are reserved in their opinions here.

 

Funny I was just thinking of that episode the other day. One of the few skits they've done that wasn't blatantly a set up.

 

I live in the Panhandle of Texas.

I think the stereo-typical cowboy and farm-living rodeo-junkie thing is so dumb. I have never ridden a horse in my life

Buuut anyways. It's not so bad in the city I live in, It's about 200,000 people. Not too big not too small. There are some people that are radical religious nuts who pray at places they think are wrong and say everyone but them is going to hell. This city isn't exactly gay-friendly but it's not exactly anti-gay either. We have a couple gay bars (I think) and my down the street neighbors are a gay couple and nobody harasses them (they're very nice people).

I guess If I were to go to the mall here and hold hands with my boyfriend (if I had one) and kiss in pubic I would certainly some stares, glares, and maybe even some slang terms yelled at me from some. But for the most part I have no need to fear being beaten up for being gay. I'm telling more and more people at school and have got nothing but support. One of our high schools is trying to form a GSA (HA! Like to see that happen). And my own school has an "equality club" where students can go to "support and be supported" and there is a rainbow on the poster. I don't see very many gay men at my school though. I see lesbians holding hands and kissing in the halls sometimes though...

If you really want to know what it is like in Texas where I live, you can message me anytime.
Ooooooorrr. You could google, "*insert name of city in Texas* news" and see that not everything is rodeo-cowboy-homophobes at all.

 

it's scary to be gay -generally- in small towns anywhere in America
larger cities are -generally- more accepting
i'd honestly say it's worse to be gay in Tennessee rather than Texas (i have family in both states)
but there are areas in Texas that are much worse
idk. it's all -general-
more or less the south is less accepting as a whole than the north. my grandparents in Texas are against homosexuality, think gays are a joke, a sin, shun them, whatever.
my grandmother in New York couldn't care less what you do with your life.
you can take that into consideration.

 

I live in the capital city of Texas, and one of the many staples of this... strange city is the "Rainbow Riders". The openly gay motor-cycle gang

---------- Post added 9th Jan 2013 at 10:27 PM ----------

I find that the only people who are openly against homosexuality, here, are old people and immature morons that think calling someone a ****** is funny. The kids just need a firm "talking to", and the older ones are just ignored

 

i live in a southern state but am from a western state. in my experience, the smaller the community, the more "dangerous" it is to be opening gay (hand holding, kissing, etc). in my hometown, you simply don't want to be seen holding hands as friends of mine have been harassed doing so.

 

Such an odd episode. Their behaviour makes it seems like a journey to visit some obscure Amazonian tribe rather than a corner of perhaps the most powerful country in the world.

 

I live in the state of Nebraska, a state that is usually hard to tell that is north or south ( its right dab in the middle ). I think its north, but not certain.

Anyway, where I live you have 2 roads to choose from. The city road and the town road. The city road will take you to the city of Omaha, while the town road takes you to a humble town I live in. Because of this, I have seen both the city and small town views.

So, here in Smalltown, USA, the church plays a key role in society. The only cop in the town recently had a heart attack and has been unable to work for a while. In other words, the town was almost unprotected from immediate help. People did what they naturally did and went to religion for order. As a result, the town quickly turned into a nightmare for me.

During that time we spent a lot of time in Omaha, since it was a lot more safer than the town for the time being. I started noticing a lot more gay people and gay-pride bumper stickers. I felt like I wanted to come out to the world.

Eventually we went to visit our relatives in the panhandle of Nebraska, otherwise known as the dustbowl by some of the locals. Our relatives live deep into the city of Scottsbluff, a town industrialized by sugar factories. There are lots of hispanics who live there, and they all assume some people don't know english. I was eating at a Mexican restraunt and I had a crazy tan from the sun, so the employees thought I was just another kid in the town. They started talking english, thinking I couldn't understand them. This is what they said

"*insert name* got fired right? He hasn't shown up in a while"
"Yes, we fired him. He was a queer, serves him right"
"Aw, makes sense. Don't want one of them ruining our jobs like that last one did. I'm glad he hanged his gay ass"

I hated the employees so much at that moment, but I dare not speak English around them. I never ate their again and grew paranoid when I had to eat at a Mexican restraunt, even though it is my favorite food. I also grew more aware of my surroundings in fear someone would jump me for being gay, even though I wasn't open about it. We left Gering a few days later and haven't been back since. The sheriff took charge of our town and things have been fine ever since. Sometimes I wish I was born in Omaha instead.

 

Nebraska isn't the South. Hell, Texas isn't really the South in the same vein as Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, etc. I consider Texas as more of a western state. Therefore, I consider Texas as being more gay friendly than the Deep South states, partially because it has a high urban population which is more liberal (most of the big cities in Texas voted democrat) and that population is more accepting of LGBT folk, and partially because it doesn't have the same culture as that of the south. It shares some, but I think it's more western state-ish. Kind of a hybrid. Southern charm, Western acceptance.

 

I'd say you would be certain to face some harassment in all of the red republican states , which is quite a lot , Alabama barley legalized interracial marriage in 2000 and with 40% against it, I don't see any of the red states every legalizing same sex marriage since Obama is being an idiot saying it's a state issue , so our neighbors,and,co workers get to decide our life and if they wanna let us be happy.

 

I have lived my whole life between North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. While all of the places I have lived have been generally accepting towards these things (at least from my perspective at the time), I do agree with the idea that the smaller the community in the south, the less tolerance there is. I'm currently living in a larger city now where you could run down the street naked in high heels and no one would pay much mind to you, but the small town where I lived in Florida you would definitely garner at the very least some stares walking holding hands with a same-gender person.

 

If you're doing this by state, you're really thinking about it the wrong way. You have to identity the subgroups who are more likely to be against LGBT. These subgroups can be found everywhere, just as in any country.

You should know in general, Americans do NOT like PDA (Public Displays of Affection). Even straight couples that are "getting it on" with get stares and be harassed, told to get a room, etc. You shouldn't really be anymore afraid here than any other part.

I would say it is worse for trans people. And black people. Racism trumps homophobia.

 

I'm in Massachusetts and even though it was the first state to legalize same-sex marriages...i would be leery for any type of PDA. Certain parts of Boston and Provincetown (aka P-town) it would be perfectly acceptable but in most parts....you would be subject to harassment or more. I'm from from the suburbs in north central Mass and sometimes I think I'm in the middle of the damn bible belt.

 

I agree ;I have seen it and thought it was right scary..I don't think it was made up..the reactions from the people seemed to be real