Should this native californian move to Houston, Texas?

[USFguy]

I will graduating soon from USF (University of San Francisco) and I am really considering relocating to Houston mainly out of affordability. Plus I here Houston is pretty liberal (not as much as San Francisco, but reasonably) and has all the major amenities of any major metropolitan city, plus affordable homes and sustainable wages. I don't think I will ever be able to afford a home in california, even with supplemental income from my partner. I was thinking of working 2 years after graduation first to save for a nice down payment, then make the plunge. We are a gay couple (together for 7 years now--since highschool) and see children down the line. Do you think Houston is friendly to people like us?

[RN34TX]

That's sad to hear. I have live in America's gay capital and I still get looks and stares if I show public affection for my partner. Granted I might not be as likley to be beaten for it (although San Francisco bay area has had several such incidents....GWEN ARRAJO for example) as I might in Houston or Dallas. My partner and I aren't very showy and don't ususally hold hands anyway unless we were on some romantic vacation or something.

I too don't give a flying crap what people think or believe as long as they don't bother me. I think if I did care so much than we would really limit where we could live in this country because the truth is most people don't like us and our so-called "lifestyle." I grew up in a upper middleclass/affluent suburb about 45 min. outside of los angeles and gay people were invisible there. So were black people and any hispanics you saw were maids and or janitors. I guess that is just typical of any American suburb anywhere. I don't expect houston to be any different. Unless you stay in the inner city, there aren't too many havens for gays and minorities.

I am looking at austin too and heard nice things. I hear the pay is lower however and the housing pricier--the opposite of houston?

I don't think it's sad, just a more realistic view of life being gay in the this part of the U.S. I love Texas. No place is perfect. I only mention this because some of the comments left here by others might lead you to believe that you would be just as accepted here as in SF referring to Houston as "liberal."

I had some friends from Minneapolis (very liberal city by TX standards) visit here who weren't too thrilled about the redneck attitudes not uncommonly seen here. I had to remind them that they are in TX and not to compare it to Minneapolis standards, whether they think that the times have changed or not.

I think that you can live a good quality life here if you don't automatically expect open mindedness and understanding and instead settle for reluctant tolerance because that's the norm here, Austin is definitely the fringe.

Speaking of, yes it's a fun if not overgrown college town but you won't live as well as a nurse in Austin like you will in Houston. The wages for RN's suck and the housing prices are of the "you've-got-to-be-kidding" variety.

[USFguy]

I don't think it's sad, just a more realistic view of life being gay in the this part of the U.S. I love Texas. No place is perfect. I only mention this because some of the comments left here by others might lead you to believe that you would be just as accepted here as in SF referring to Houston as "liberal."

I had some friends from Minneapolis (very liberal city by TX standards) visit here who weren't too thrilled about the redneck attitudes not uncommonly seen here. I had to remind them that they are in TX and not to compare it to Minneapolis standards, whether they think that the times have changed or not.

I think that you can live a good quality life here if you don't automatically expect open mindedness and understanding and instead settle for reluctant tolerance because that's the norm here, Austin is definitely the fringe.

Speaking of, yes it's a fun if not overgrown college town but you won't live as well as a nurse in Austin like you will in Houston. The wages for RN's suck and the housing prices are of the "you've-got-to-be-kidding" variety.

Well, thanks for being real. I guess all the people I've been talking to have been straight so I am glad to hear the perspective of a gay texan. Looks like I get the best "bang for my buck" as a nurse in Houston. Again, thanks for the insight.