North Carolina
 

North Cackalacky here!

We've yet to explore much of the state, but we have a wish list including Asheville (e's been, but I haven't) where my oldest niece lives, and the Outer Banks.

Are you a lifetime resident, Dixie?

I'm in Southern VA, a stone's throw from the NC state line. I'm subscribing to this thread. Let's get this party started.

Hi everyone :)

I'm curious about the NC LGBT community - more specifically, the B-F community, and most specifically, in the Raleigh-Durham area. I'm considering a future move to the area and was wondering what to expect in regards to community, visibility, etc.

Can anyone tell me anything? Any information anyone is willing to offer would be very much appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Hey, Lyric...

I spend a lot of time in Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill because my sister and her family live in Raleigh. I've dabbled in the queer community down there, so I can help a bit.

Chapel Hill is a fairly liberal town, and seems to be the most liberal of the three. Durham is pretty queer friendly too, for the South. Raleigh tends to be a little ... what's the word...antiseptic, maybe? The queer community in Raleigh seems to be a bit male-centric, in my opinion. A bit more female-centric in Durham. Chapel Hill is all over the map...tree-huggers, queers, liberals, etc. I socialized briefly with a femme in Durham on one trip down there. She indicated to me that community there (b-f) was kind of skimpy.

Overall, I love it there...always lots going on and lots to do.

Jake

Jake, thanks so much for the quick response and the information!

My mother lives in Raleigh. I called her earlier this evening to ask her what she's observed, but she's pretty much clueless. I've been doing some research online, but what I'm finding are mostly nightclub reviews and old advertisements for NC Pride. From what you've offered, the Chapel Hill area sounds more eclectic and closer to what I'm looking for. I lived in eastern Tennessee for a while and relocated to the DC area about five years ago, and while I enjoy aspects of the community here, I'm looking to move somewhere a bit warmer and a bit less expensive than DC, where we can be out and queer without a lot of hassle. I know that some places in the south are a little iffy, and I don't really want to plant myself in an area that is less than accepting and especially where my partner would feel uncomfortable.

Thanks again for what you've shared! I really do appreciate your help.

Thank you, Miss Scarlett! I'm so grateful for the link. I've bookmarked it and will check it out tomorrow when I'm not quite so brain dead. :)

hey y'all!!
 

My sister and her family live inside the beltline, and I would recommend it. It seems a lot nicer than the sprawled areas. They live near the Five Points area, and really like it. I enjoy Raleigh whenever I visit, but a lot of my visit tends to revolve around my three year-old niece, so there's lots of visits to parks, the natural history museum and things like that. Raleigh is still on my list of places to possibly relocate to someday.

Jake

Pockets of Visibility
 

Asheville is definitely the high mark of queer visibility in North Carolina, but there are other places as well: Charlotte, Durham and then Chapel Hill and Raleigh trailing.

As for b/f, it's mostly various forms of butch on butch (or bisexuals who are femme on femme) in any place but Asheville.

Hello, tarheels!

I am currently in California, but was born and raised in NC, the Charlotte area, and my family still live there. My mom actually owns a metaphysical book shop in Monroe, NC and is VERY gay friendly. Trans friendly too, lol. I miss NC sometimes, but mostly the land.. I have a very strong connection to the earth and the mountains of NC.

I hope to be visiting at some point this year.. Will keep everyone updated :)

-Tony, Southern Boy representin'..

Mom's Website: http://www.angelfirefire.com/nc3/freespiritgiftshop

Mom's *real* website addy, lol

http://www.angelfire.com/nc3/freespiritgiftshop

If you pass through WV....
 

Hello fellow Tar Heels.. I am actually going to be moving back to NC next year, thinking about settling down in or around Asheville.. I know that there are few folks on here from Asheville, including some trans folks. I am just wondering, are there any local groups or resources for transguys in the area? I looked up some info and found a group, but it looked like it was geared more toward MTF's.

Thanks for any info and I am sooo looking forward to being back to my home state :)

-Tony

dizielady, no worries :) It seems to be a pretty slow moving thread these days.. a few years back we had the same issue at the dash site in the NC thread. Thanks for starting it and following up :)

oy, i just saw that i spelt your nick wrong.. dixielady, not dizielady.. lol.. two totally diffrent meanings there! lol

I'm in Greensboro, moved here in 2008. Just now getting around to seeking out community.

Paphigleo and I are in Asheville.

We love meeting people in real time.

Greetings NC!
 

Hello! I am new to the site but glad to see an NC thread! I am in Hickory, NC. Hope to become an active member of this website! Blowing kisses to all my NC folks! Will be back on to check out the site more tomorrow, until then good night NC!:moonstars:

Recent transplant, I've settled in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill area :)

Glad to see we have a thread.....

Checking out Ms Scarlettes linkie loo.

:blueheels:

Thanks for the invite, I am actually the president of the board of directors for Catawba Valley Pride. It is going to be our areas first gay pride celebration and will hopefully go down in history by bringing more inclusion and unity into our unfortunately divided area! Check out our website for all the happenings, would love to see all my NC peeps there!

Christy Austin
President of Catawba Valley Pride
www.catawbavalleypride.org

Catawba Valley Pride 2010
 

HICKORY, NC, September 9th, 2010 -- Today, Catawba Valley Pride, Inc. announced the first ever Catawba Valley Gay Pride. The event will take place from Friday October 15th through Sunday the 17th. A 5pm seminar at Lenoir-Rhyne University will kick off Pride weekend followed by food and dance at Market on Main. The night will conclude with shows and dancing at Pride Night at Club Cabaret.

On Saturday, a Pride Picnic from 10am to 3pm on the grounds of Unifour Christian Fellowship in Newton will include vendors, a picnic display competition and entertainment on the outdoor stage with gospel music performed inside the sanctuary. Saturday events continue with a Pride Youth Dance at an area church and “Not Your Mama’s Bingo” at Quality Inn & Suites—an entertaining fundraiser supporting ALFA and Catawba Valley Pride. Club Cabaret will feature a night of shows and contests spotlighting the return of drag personality Nancy Newton.

To wrap up the weekend, various area churches will include programs in their Sunday Morning Services that affirm the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, two-spirited people, and their supporters.

The mission of Catawba Valley Pride, Inc. is to provide an annual opportunity to generate celebratory, cultural, artistic, and educational events which affirm the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, two-spirited people, and supporters through activities which promote unity, inclusion, and awareness of sexual and gender diversity as well as to increase public awareness of the LGBT community so as to eliminate homophobia, transphobia, and discrimination. The organization focuses on but is not limited to the following counties: Alexander, Allegheny, Ashe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Iredell, Lincoln, Watauga and Wilkes.

This event is open to all LGBT citizens and their supportive friends and families. For more information about Catawba Valley Pride weekend (October 15-17) and for volunteer or sponsorship opportunities, please send an email to: admin@catawbavalleypride.org or visit the web site: www.CatawbaValleyPride.org for further details.

Thank you Miss Scarlett, it certainly is an undertaking. My hope is that it will go down in history by bringing a little more unity and inclusion to our unfortunately divided area! Would love for you to come join us if you are able! There will be something for everyone! It is honestly a labor of love for my community!

Blue Ridge Pride 2010, Asheville
 

Going to BluRP- Ill be there right after work, around 1230 ish