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April 13, 2010 @ 5:26pm
posted by girlycurlyq		Hi! My partner and I are considering a move to Indianapolis from Denver, Colorado. Denver is VERY gay friendly, so I'm worried that Indianapolis will be gay-bashing central. What I've found on the internet hasn't been that encouraging. How friendly do you think Indianapolis is? Do gay people feel comfortable holding hands in public there? Do you feel you have to hide your orientation when job hunting? I'm very open about my orientation, and I'm concerned this might cause problems for me in Indianapolis. Any information you can give would be very helpful. Thanks!
April 17, 2010 @ 10:42am
posted by aperfectsagi		Indy needs people like you!! No one has responded and this may be why... I am conflicted as to how gay-friendly Indy really is. Downtown Indy is nice except... Our only gay bookstore closed. Our queer movie store closed due to higher rent and lack of business (due to the construction at the east end of Mass Ave I'm sure.) Sooo.. In my opinion, we need some help. On the brighter side, there are plenty of other gay-friendly businesses located in the heart of Indy. All of my friends are employed and gay as can be =] Am I comfortable holding hands with my partner? Yes! There are people who are making a difference here and it is opening up the world of acceptance. Come here fearless and you'll make quite a few friends =]
April 17, 2010 @ 11:34am
posted by		I'm glad that you are considering Indianapolis. Of course there are homphobic people here as there would be everywhere that you would consider moving. I have lived here out and proud for 19 years and I have never had a problem.
April 17, 2010 @ 5:50pm
posted by girlycurlyq		Thank you both for your responses! I'm glad to hear the hand-holding isn't a problem. My partner and I are prone to hand holding, and it's not something I want to stop. :) We are both getting excited! The move depends on a job offer, but we are both hoping it works out. One thing that Indy really has going for it is cost of living. Your real estate is so much cheaper than Denver! That in and of itself would be worth putting up with a few homophobes. /wink/
April 19, 2010 @ 5:21am
posted by WildStoneRoses		I recently moved here from SoCal, and the cost of livng is absolutely much lower than that from where I came. So, that's a big plus. Having said that, this place is not exactly gay-central; there are no gay bumper stickers, no gay flags outside of a few blocks downtown, no gay center--how did THAT happen?--and gay folx try to fade into the background and not be noticed. Gay people here are really afraid to be "outed." It's difficult to find gay folx to become friends with--I had to resort to myspace and facebook to do so and even there didn't come up with much--and you'll find this is not the place to show any public affection. The KKK is alive and well in this area which makes for safety concerns for any display of gay behaviour. Indianapolis is not Denver, nor is it SoCal. It's in the middle of the bible belt and that's best to keep in mind when thinking of moving here. Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.
April 19, 2010 @ 4:43pm
posted by ubiquitous		I hear you. Homophobia exists everywhere...even in the most progressive cities. I believe how you present yourself determines how you are received. If you are confident and comfortable with yourself, most people respond positively. I've never experienced an issue in the years of living here nor living in San Diego. What I have found in the work place is that we, the LGBT community, are doing ourselves a favor when we educate our straight colleagues on what proper terms to use when addressing us and our significant others. For instance, when sharing how the weekend was, say "My partner & I went ...." or My girlfriend and I went...." or My wife and I went...." And they will take your cue. They will appreciate you offering the definition. Most straight people are afraid to offend b/c they don't know the terminology that you prefer. So be upfront and out. It's always served me well.
April 20, 2010 @ 12:43am
posted by WildStoneRoses		I respecfully disagree. If this city was any where near as progressive in how gay folx are treated as they are in SoCal, I'm from San Diego, by the way, this place would have a gay center by now. The fact that there isn't one at this late date--for heaven's sake, it's 2010 and we have our first black President already--makes me think there's gonna be a fight to get one in. If the churches don't work hard to keep it from opening, I'll bet the KKK or some other fringe group will work hard to shut it down. Yes, homophobia exists everywhere, but there is less of it in some cities than others. San Diego had very little homophobia; it was OK to be out and proud almost everywhere. There was an extrememly good relationship between the gay community and the police department in San Diego, spanning the past 30-35 years. That fact, alone, made for quick reaction from the police to any kind of gay bashing, and it put an end to most fringe groups with an agenda for singling out gays. I'm sure there isn't that kind of connection betwen the plice and the gay community here in Indy... I came here because of the low cost of living. It's entirely possible I'll leave because the other high costs of living here, i.e. not being able to live my life in a wholely gay populated, gay-enriched community and envirnment. Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.... [edit] I respecfully disagree. If this city was any where near as progressive in how gay folx are treated as they are in SoCal, I'm from San Diego, by the way, this place would have a gay center by now. The fact that there isn't one at this late date--for heaven's sake, it's 2010 and we have our first black President already--makes me think there's gonna be a fight to get one in. If the churches don't work hard to keep it from opening, I'll bet the KKK or some other fringe group will work hard to shut it down. Yes, homophobia exists everywhere, but there is less of it in some cities than others. San Diego had very little homophobia; it was OK to be out and proud almost everywhere. There was an extremely good relationship between the gay community and the police department in San Diego, spanning the past 30-35 years. That fact, alone, made for quick reaction from the police to any kind of gay bashing and it put an end to most fringe groups with an agenda that singled out gays. I'm sure there isn't that kind of connection betwen the police department and the gay community here in Indy... I came here because of the low cost of living. It's entirely possible I'll leave because of the other high costs of living here: one, not being able to live my life in a wholely gay populated, gay-enriched community and environment. Just my opinion, your mileage may vary....