Southern States more welcoming of Gay Parents.

[Ibanez]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/19/us/19 ... rss&src=ig" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The changes may seem surprising for a city where churches that have long condemned homosexuality remain a powerful force. But as demographers sift through recent data releases from the Census Bureau, they have found that Jacksonville is home to one of the biggest populations of gay parents in the country.

In addition, the data show, child rearing among same-sex couples is more common in the South than in any other region of the country, according to Gary Gates, a demographer at the University of California, Los Angeles. Gay couples in Southern states like Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas are more likely to be raising children than their counterparts on the West Coast, in New York and in New England.

[Ibanez]

Nothing from the peanut gallery? I'm not shocked, this just goes to show that the bullshit view of a majority of southerner's are bigots, is in fact a bold face lie that is only perpetuated by ignorance.

[Grizalltheway]

No, Mark, it's just that nobody cares.

[kalm]

Nothing from the peanut gallery? I'm not shocked, this just goes to show that the bullshit view of a majority of southerner's are bigots, is in fact a bold face lie that is only perpetuated by ignorance.

1) Perhaps people on the board aren't all that serious when they make fun of the south. I for one pay attention when you, DD, and CID1990 defend your home turf and talk about the apparent lack of racism you have experienced.

2) The stats aren't all that conclusive. There are many factors at play.

But kudo's to the south.

[OL FU]

I'll be honest. I'm surprised. If a news article came out and said the the urban south is less racist than the rest than the rest of the country, I wouldn't be surprised at all and in fact would say what took you so long. But this does surprise me. Still I will take it.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

1. the article doesn't say they are "more accepting" it just says they are there in numbers.

2. hardly surprising in the sense that the gay community in a place like Jacksonville is going to be more likely to feature kids moreso than other places... it's also likely true of the straight community as well

3. here in the Twin Cities the Minneapolis gay scene is largely childless (not much different from the hetero community in Minneapolis) - however, in St. Paul and the inner suburbs both the gay and straight communities are more likely to have kids... it has much less to do with orientation than it does with people who are seeking the same thing living near each other...

[OL FU]

1. the article doesn't say they are "more accepting" it just says they are there in numbers.

2. hardly surprising in the sense that the gay community in a place like Jacksonville is going to be more likely to feature kids moreso than other places... it's also likely true of the straight community as well

3. here in the Twin Cities the Minneapolis gay scene is largely childless (not much different from the hetero community in Minneapolis) - however, in St. Paul and the inner suburbs both the gay and straight communities are more likely to have kids... it has much less to do with orientation than it does with people who are seeking the same thing living near each other...

'


Generally, what I have found is larger cities no matter the geographic location are tolerant of homesexuals. Seems to be a general trend in mid size cities as well.

[tampajag]

There are plenty of gays in the south. Who do you think directs all those choirs in all those black churches on every corner?

[Vidav]

Yeah it just doesn't say they are more accepting, just that there are more of them. So I guess I don't understand what you want people to say.

[JMU DJ]

Yeah it just doesn't say they are more accepting, just that there are more of them. So I guess I don't understand what you want people to say.

Times have changed down here... take Dawn Langley Simmons for example



One of the first transgenders in America (though "she" said he was a Herm), used to live in Charleston in the "gay" district in the 1960's... but that's not what pissed the people of Charleston off, it was when she had the first interracial marriage in South Carolina that tipped the scales. Bomb threats, their wedding gifts burned, etc and they were run out of the city. Later in life, she returned to Charleston and was treated like a local celebrity. Correct me if I'm wrong on that last part Mark, as you live in her hood.

[Grizalltheway]

1. the article doesn't say they are "more accepting" it just says they are there in numbers.

2. hardly surprising in the sense that the gay community in a place like Jacksonville is going to be more likely to feature kids moreso than other places... it's also likely true of the straight community as well

3. here in the Twin Cities the Minneapolis gay scene is largely childless (not much different from the hetero community in Minneapolis) - however, in St. Paul and the inner suburbs both the gay and straight communities are more likely to have kids... it has much less to do with orientation than it does with people who are seeking the same thing living near each other...

'


Generally, what I have found is larger cities no matter the geographic location are tolerant of homesexuals. Seems to be a general trend in mid size cities as well.

Indeed. Being gay in rural America can be hell (see Matthew Shepard )