Why is it so important for gay people to live in an all-gay environment?

Question

All right maybe I am generalising a little bit but this is what I've heard from a number of gay people and I was just wondering what everyone thinks.

A lot of very good and enlightening answers. I cannot decide as I probably don't agree with any completely. It will also be interesting which one the people will vote for, so here goes!

Answer 1

Depends on the person. Many people are happy to live in the "straight" world because they don't get all that much friction. Personally, I get sick of explaining, and educating people, and dealing with those who refuse to be educated; it's important for me to have SOME time (I wouldn't say "live") in some queer space (GSA, club, other queer organization, or sometimes just a friend's house all count). I can be myself without worrying about getting ****, and without feeling like I have some kind of social responsibility that I have to be on call for 24/7, nor do I need to look around to make sure there's no one about who looks like they'd beat me up.

Answer 2

Once upon a time in America, you could lose your job if you were gay, or if you were flamboyant, you'd never find a job in the first place, your family might disown you and all sorts of other terrible dangers threatened the lives of gay people. So, they went to a place called OZ - this might have been San Francisco, or Greenwich Village, or a block or two in another smaller city. They opened their own businesses, bars, restaurants, cafes, flower shops, and they employed each other. They found safety in numbers and financial security. Now that there is more acceptance, not everyone chooses to live in a gay ghetto - but they still serve a very important function for many people, they are social, political and entertainment centers. When those who are still living in the dark ages throw their sons and daughters out of the house, these places end up being a place that they can go and find support.

So yeah, not everyone wants to live around other gay people. I live in San Fran, but not in a gay neighborhood - still, I love being in this city because I can be me and don't have to hide.

Answer 3

Because most of us have been surrounded by "h*llfire and d*mn*tion" all of our lives. We are also afraid, sometimes to travel by ourselves. I have had 70 stitches put in my face and head just because of who I am, and alot of people simply want to get away from that kind of big*try for a while and live hate free for a short while they live in the gay districts in Dallas, or some other gay suburb. It depends on where your talking. But no matter where you go, hate always follows, or haven't you read some of these questions : // I live in rural NW Arkansas, my family has lived here for 8 generations and I don't know of anywhere I could feel safer. EVERYONE knows everyone for over 10 miles and has for the last 3-4 generations, my problem came when I went out of state for a visit.

Answer 4

I think you're generalizing a lot actually. There is a very small percentage of the GLBT community who actually live that way. Most of us are just like everyone else, we have a healthy mixture of friends, family, coworkers and associates.
We live, for the most part, in suburbs of major cities, not actually in the cities at all.
Were you aware that as of the 2000 census that 99% of all counties in the US there is some percentage of Gay/Lesbians living, raising families, working, going to school...etc?
Yes, 99% of all counties NATIONWIDE.
That says that most gays and lesbians live outside the city.

Personally, I live in an area that's even outside the typical suburban area, but isn't quite rural. It's classified as ex-urban. I grew up here, moved back here to raise my son. I have a few friends in this area who are gay, but for the most part, most of the people I know and socialize with on a daily basis are hetero.

My son's hetero, my clients are hetero, most of my friends are hetero. I do participate in a few GLBT community functions and causes, but again, for the most part most of my daily life is around heteros.

Answer 5

People generally like to be around other people who are like them. Black people tend to live in neighborhoods with other blacks, Hispanics with other Hispanics, etc. That is why there are so many Chinatowns and Little Italys in the US.

Answer 6

It's not. The only thing needed is for others to live their lives as they see fit. No one is trying to make things "all gay".

Answer 7

me, i'd like to have a life where being gay isn't the only topic of conversation. seem's everytime i'm with my straight friends, my being gay always ends up as conversation fodder.

Answer 8

So that narrow minded homophobes arn't around to belittle, intinidate and in some cases kill them.
Strength in numbers

Answer 9

EXCEPTANCE! it is really hard in the real world to be in a same sex relationship. So alot of people tend to be more comfortable in there own comfort sone,

Answer 10

It isn't. It's just nice to be able to be surrounded by people you don't have to be suspicious of, people you don't have to assume are going to shun you as soon as they "know". It takes away the pressure and the worry.