Cool Gay Communities

• Addictedtothe...
  
  Posts: 8
  
  
  Sep 05, 2010 2:10 AM GMT

  Hey Guys,
  So I'm finishing up medical school and am applying for residency and basically I want to end up in Los Angeles. However getting a residency spot in LA can be very competitive and there's a good chance it might not happen. So I need to find out about other cities in the U.S. and what they are like. I live in NYC and I like it a lot, but once again, its very competitive to match at a good program in NYC (some less than great programs are there but I would like to have the best training i can get). But outside of these 2 cities I really don't know much about gay communities elsewhere so I wanted to find out what you guys in other cities have to say about your gay communities. I'm single and so I"m really scared of going to a place where there isn't much of a gay community and that I'll have to post pone dating until I'm finished (which could be a very long time). I'm currently thinking about Miami, and I've heard some good things about Austin TX, and I've been to Columbus OH which seemed alright. But any other suggestions would be great. I like big, muscle boys so a community without that type of guy might make it a little less desirable for me. Tell me what you guys think!!

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  Sep 05, 2010 2:41 AM GMT

  I'm a big fan of Austin obviously. It's a very open and welcoming city, with ample things to do. Unlike other bigger cities, I've never felt the "gay" community is segregated into it's own gayborhood here. You can pretty much live in whatever part of the city you want and feel free to be yourself. There are so many things to do within the gay community and the community at large and they IMO overlap seamlessly.

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• az_softball_g...
  
  Posts: 84
  
  
  Sep 05, 2010 2:47 AM GMT

  Addictedtothegym saidHey Guys,
  So I'm finishing up medical school and am applying for residency and basically I want to end up in Los Angeles. However getting a residency spot in LA can be very competitive and there's a good chance it might not happen. So I need to find out about other cities in the U.S. and what they are like. I live in NYC and I like it a lot, but once again, its very competitive to match at a good program in NYC (some less than great programs are there but I would like to have the best training i can get). But outside of these 2 cities I really don't know much about gay communities elsewhere so I wanted to find out what you guys in other cities have to say about your gay communities. I'm single and so I"m really scared of going to a place where there isn't much of a gay community and that I'll have to post pone dating until I'm finished (which could be a very long time). I'm currently thinking about Miami, and I've heard some good things about Austin TX, and I've been to Columbus OH which seemed alright. But any other suggestions would be great. I like big, muscle boys so a community without that type of guy might make it a little less desirable for me. Tell me what you guys think!!

  
  
  Philadelphia - all types and tons of gays.

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  Sep 05, 2010 4:40 AM GMT

  Provincetown. Always wanted to live there.
  San Francisco and San Diego if you want the muscle boys!
  

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  Sep 05, 2010 5:53 AM GMT

  RudeMech saidI'm a big fan of Austin obviously. It's a very open and welcoming city, with ample things to do. Unlike other bigger cities, I've never felt the "gay" community is segregated into it's own gayborhood here. You can pretty much live in whatever part of the city you want and feel free to be yourself. There are so many things to do within the gay community and the community at large and they IMO overlap seamlessly.

  
  
  This applies to Portland, Ore. as well. But in addition, both the mountains and the ocean are only 1.5h away...

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  Sep 05, 2010 5:57 AM GMT

  Miami is the gayest city in the Caribbean region... and is full of hunky Latinos to boot.. I found it easier to get a date there than anywhere else Ive been in the region.. but Ive no idea about the rest of the US

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  Sep 05, 2010 5:58 AM GMT

  O btw, was dating gay doing his residency there, so you might find somebody even within the working field, which you're better off with, seeing the fact that your residency will take up pretty much your whole life lol

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• barriehomeboy
  
  Posts: 2475
  
  
  Sep 05, 2010 7:30 AM GMT

  Been there done that. Unless your goal is to fuck around with as many men as possible and set the new Guinness world record for a gay guy picking up the most sexualy transmitted diseases, you might want to reconsider your criteria.
  
  If the big gay social scene thing is your primary consideration, then go back to the first paragraph. That's why they're all in that city, dancing at all the clubs. It's a subculture.
  
  You're soon to be a professional, and that means you will identify more with your profession than you do with what you do when you go home, especially if you're a Doctor. I work with them. They are a subculture too.
  
  I worked 4-12 at the hospital, and I'm falling asleep now at 330, so I'm sure this is making no sense. But I'll try.
  
  You'll be happier being Dr You and a gay guy in a small place, instead of mr nobody and a gay guy in a big city with a big gay community.
  
  The guy you're going to spend your life with, Doc, isn't some guy dancing his ass off in a gay bar. He's a guy with a farm and a few cows and chickens, and the hottest body you've ever seen, and the empty side of his bed waiting for you.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• barriehomeboy
  
  Posts: 2475
  
  
  Sep 05, 2010 7:39 AM GMT

  You live in a bad country. There is hatred everywhere. In a gay ghetto, there are thugs in cars looking for fags to beat up. In a small town, you don't have to use your turn signals when you're driving because everyone already knows where you're going. But they also look out for you once you're one of theirs. Gay men are women in disguise. If you think they're going to look out for you, or welcome you, because you're one of them, dream on!

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• Kev67
  
  Posts: 60
  
  
  Sep 05, 2010 4:15 PM GMT

  There's an academic named Richard Florida who has put together a bunch of research and theories on cities that attract "The Creative Class." These are places where creative, inquisitive people end up being attracted to for a variety of reasons. One of his criteria is number of gays, since gays and creativity are pretty well linked. The cities that have a higher proportion of creative class might appeal to you. You could look over the website for what it's worth:
  
  http://www.creativeclass.com/
  
  I've traveled for work here and there, and in general feel I could make do with most middle or larger cities. Cities I've liked that I could imagine living (other than SF) include Portland; Seattle; Austin; Chicago; Madison, WI; Louisville, KY; Miami, New York, LA. It's sort of a random list since it's only based on where I've visited, plus has many of the usual suspects, but I've liked all these places.
  
  College towns can be good too, in terms of culture and interest, but guys I've known in college towns have told me it can be hard to form relationships there. People tend to be transient. But considering how busy you'll be with your residency, as others here have noted, that may not be too bad.
  
  

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  Sep 05, 2010 4:21 PM GMT

  I live in a college town (Ann Arbor, Michigan), and it the pool can be pretty small to choose from. It's great if you're a student, but as a young professional most people in your age group have moved elsewhere.

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• Hunter9
  
  Posts: 1039
  
  
  Sep 05, 2010 4:39 PM GMT

  barriehomeboy saidYou live in a bad country. There is hatred everywhere. In a gay ghetto, there are thugs in cars looking for fags to beat up. In a small town, you don't have to use your turn signals when you're driving because everyone already knows where you're going. But they also look out for you once you're one of theirs. Gay men are women in disguise. If you think they're going to look out for you, or welcome you, because you're one of them, dream on!

  
  
  what a sad pathetic point of view you have.
  
  i can assure you that whatever experiences you've had in a "ghetto" are unlikely to be the experiences others have had

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  Sep 05, 2010 5:48 PM GMT

  Austin's great but not for big muscle guys. If that's a big selling point, you should definitely look at Miami Beach. It's the muscle capital of the U.S.

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• metta
  
  Posts: 44243
  
  
  Sep 05, 2010 5:56 PM GMT

  There are a lot of hospitals in the LA area. I would think that choosing a good hospital for residency would also depend on what you want to specialize in.
  
  For example, City of Hope would be good for Oncologists...St. Vincent's for Nephrologists, etc.
  
  Have you contacted the hospitals you are interested in to see what they have available?
  
  What are you specializing in?

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  Sep 05, 2010 5:59 PM GMT

  barriehomeboy saidYou live in a bad country. There is hatred everywhere. In a gay ghetto, there are thugs in cars looking for fags to beat up. In a small town, you don't have to use your turn signals when you're driving because everyone already knows where you're going. But they also look out for you once you're one of theirs. Gay men are women in disguise. If you think they're going to look out for you, or welcome you, because you're one of them, dream on!

  
  
  Good lord, have a bad experience or ten?
  
  
  I've lived in this "bad country" for my entire life life, not walking around with a bullet proof vest yet.

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• rnch
  
  Posts: 11556
  
  
  Sep 05, 2010 6:02 PM GMT

  New Orleans is recovering from the devistation of hurricane katrina quite nicely. we recently elected an entergetic young gay-friendly mayor, he appointed a tough, no-corruption -tolerated police chief that will reform the local law enforcement agency.
  
  the french quarter and the adjoining area of marigny-bywater are two of the most gay-friendly neighborhoods in this country!
  
  unfortunately, the New Orleans area is still suffering from a shortage of qualified medical personnel and medical facitilites. a huge "bio-medical corridor" is being started, from the ground up, in the center of the city. the existing hopsitals are paying Big Time "signing bonuses" and are offering all kinds of moving and rental assistance to lure young, new doctors like you here.
  
  Please check out this friendliest of the gay-friendly cities!!

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• hdurdinr
  
  Posts: 699
  
  
  Sep 05, 2010 6:10 PM GMT

  rnch saidNew Orleans is recovering from the devistation of hurricane katrina quite nicely. we recently elected an entergetic young gay-friendly mayor, he appointed a tough, no-corruption -tolerated police chief that will reform the local law enforcement agency.
  
  the french quarter and the adjoining area of marigny-bywater are two of the most gay-friendly neighborhoods in this country!
  
  unfortunately, the New Orleans area is still suffering from a shortage of qualified medical personnel and medical facitilites. a huge "bio-medical corridor" is being started, from the ground up, in the center of the city. the existing hopsitals are paying Big Time "signing bonuses" and are offering all kinds of moving and rental assistance to lure young, new doctors like you here.
  
  Please check out this friendliest of the gay-friendly cities!!

  
  
  I've never been to New Orleans, but it's top of my list of places to go, and it does sound gay friendly. I have a good friend who went to school there in the 60s/ 70s and said she had all sorts of gay friends and it was never even an issue!

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• Addictedtothe...
  
  Posts: 8
  
  
  Sep 06, 2010 5:10 AM GMT

  Hey Guys,
  Thanks so much for the recommendations!! It really helps to hear about other places, especially when I might be living there for a long time!!
  But just in response to the guy who was a total downer. What's wrong with wanting to go to a place with a nice gay community? Its the community I belong to and I just want to know that I have a place outside of the hospital I can feel welcomed. I grew up in a very small town in the Midwest and never knew what it felt like to belong to a community until I made it into the big cities and discovered other guys like me. And because I feel so good within our little community I never want to go back to feeling like an outsider. Besides I'm well aware of the dating drought that is awaiting me over the next several years, thus being in a city where there are at least gays to date is important. I don't want to put my romantic life on hold for several more years. I couldn't date until college when I came out, and medical school has been a drought in and of itself, I feel like that's nearly 22 yrs of not dating, with only 4 yrs of actual dating, I'm sorry if you think that it shouldn't be a priority at this point, but I would like the possibility of being able to find someone to hang out wiht on my days off.

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