Monthly Archives: April 2008
Moving To Gay Chicago
Chicago is somewhat of a Midwest melting pot. And the jewel of the Midwest!
A lot of people born in small Midwest towns seem to gravitate to the big city. Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa….boys and girls looking to escape their small town blues, head to Chicago!
Especially in the Spring. May 1st is the busiest moving week of the year here in Chicago! The Chicago tradition of moving on the first day of May can be traced back to English and Dutch practices that were passed on by immigrants. In 1911 rules were enacted to allow leases to be made at any time of the year – however, May continues to be the most popular month to move. With an average temperature of 69 degrees, it makes sense that Chicagoans would want to move in May, before the heat of summer sets in.
“I was born and raised in San Francisco, and I think Chicago is a better city for gay people. It’s not as politicized as SF, people are more open and relaxed here. If you want to be really “out” go to BoysTown, (Lakeview) centering on Halsted Street. If you just want to be yourself and be comfortable, people are very friendly, open and accepting just about anywhere in town. There is a quieter, but growing gay community in the Edgewater, East Rogers Park areas too. ” – Bob
“I like Oak Park. It has the highest gay population of any suburb in Chicago. Don’t be afraid by the word suburb. It’s a very urban suburb and only 11 miles from downtown Chicago. The Green line L (subway) train has 2 stops in Oak Park and will take you into the city in 24 minutes. My husband uses it daily and it’s great. Oak Park is a beautiful suburb with lots to offer, great old architecture and a very accepting and liberal population. It’s not cheap but you can easily live there without a car and may find it a bit more reasonable than Chicago. It’s very diverse. There are people of all colors, sexual orientations, ages, etc. It’s a very accepting community.” – Marcus
“I was born and raised in a small town in Ohio. There were no other gay people that I knew of near me and only one gay bar, which was 30 miles away. I ran to Chicago when I turned 21, and never looked back! It’s amazing here! The whole city is very gay-friendly, for the most part. I feel I can just relax and be ME. “ – Susan
“Andersonville isn’t nearly as “out” as Boystown is. Boystown is to RuPaul as Andersonville is to Ellen Degeneres. Boystown revels in it and shouts, “look how gay I am!” whereas Andersonville keeps to itself without keeping it a secret.” – Drover
Besides the gay bars and nightclubs, Chicago offers gay churches, gay sports teams, gay men’s chorus, gay square dancing, theatre, and lots of dining choices. For the newly transplanted, Chicago offers many exciting choices and the opportunity to feel like part of a community and be welcomed by a very accepting city!
The Best of Gay Chicago
