Winston-Salem or Greensboro, NC?

[atlantafemme]

Hey folks,

Once again, my partner is interviewing in an area where we don't know anyone or what to expect in terms of diversity/queer-friendliness. Anyone live in or have experience with either Winston-Salem or Greensboro, NC? We're not expecting to find many other queer-parented families or even necessarily looking for them in these places--our closest parent friends in Atlanta are actually a straight couple--but we're hoping one of these cities or some neighborhoods in these cities will be safe and comfortable for our family.

I posted in the NC tribe section and didn't get any replies. :(

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[KnittingTigers]

Hey, this is funny because I am considering applying for a job in Winston-Salem. Interested in people's replies...

[atlantafemme]

Well, I'll report back if we end up there. :)

[KnittingTigers]

Sounds good. We're still trying to figure out adoption/custody stuff (per my other thread). It would be a tough sell for us to move anywhere where DP couldn't be a legally equal parent.

[KnittingTigers]

And, good luck to your DP with the interviews!

[atlantafemme]

Yeah, if we move there, we'll have two boys already adopted my parter in GA. We're hoping for a 3rd and if NC still hasn't passed 2nd parent adoption by the time #3 arrives, we plan to just get all the protective documents we can. We figure if something were to happen to me, the authorities would be less likely to split up the kids just because one of them wasn't officially adopted by my partner. Of course, hopefully nothing like that ever happens.

[KnittingTigers]

Yeah, I wish we'd gotten on the #2 wagon sooner, while we're still enjoying fabulously liberal Washington, DC. And, we could stay here. It's just SO.FRICKEN.EXPENSIVE that I don't know we'll ever buy a house, pay for daycare for another one, etc. Decisions...

[atlantafemme]

I hear you. Atlanta is ridiculous--at least on our income. Good luck with the decisions. They're hard enough without the complicating factors. With my partner on the job market, we've been considering all kinds of places and it's always so frustrating that we have to consider the queer-friendliness of a place at all.

[jeanniekozak]

I lived in Raleigh for a few years and think there is hope in the area.  I used to get groceries in Cary, NC, which they say stands for Concentrated area of relocated yankees.  Good places to hang out are Cup of Joe in Raleigh, as well as seeing bands at the Cat's Cradle in Chapel Hill.  I wish I would have mixed more in different circles, but I ended up giving up (on finding a partner there) and moving to Missouri.  A lot of people in NC seemed cool on the surface, then OUCH the rasist or anti-gay language would come out eventually.  Have you seen the movie...I think it's called Small Town Gay Bar and it's by Kevin Smith. 

[SpiderAndi]

Hey DP and I and our awesome 2 year old live in Greensboro. We plan to be here for the next few years as I have a career here (for now) and she's starting grad school in the fall. We are also looking for good community in the area.

[chickabiddy]

Hi -- I hope it's okay for me to answer even though I'm not queer.  I live outside of Winston-Salem.  It's a nice town, but I think you might find more community in Greensboro.

[atlantafemme]

So, we're officially moving to Winston-Salem! Yikes! Yay! Eep!

SpiderAndi- Woohoo! PMing you.

Chickabiddy--thanks for the info! My partner wants to be close to work so we're sticking to W-S. But it seems like it would be easy for us to drive to Greensboro for social events. 

[KnittingTigers]

Congrats! Is your DP teaching at WFU? That's wonderful! Good luck, and let us know how it is. If the job fates send us that way, I'll be PM-ing you.:)

[chickabiddy]

Oh, if you're going to be in the university community, you'll probably be just fine!  I don't want to intrude any more on this forum, but please feel free to PM if you want any info on the area.