Y’all Means All – The Gay Scene Knoxville

Contents:

• GAYT PLAC IN TENNSEE FOR 2020
• WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATN IS GAY [UPDATED MAY 2023]
• THE 10 GAYEST STAT IN AMERI FOR 2020
• BT AND WORST STAT FOR LGBTQ FOLKS? DIVI WORSENS AFTER 'DON'T SAY GAY,' REPORT SAYS
• Y’ALL MEANS ALL – THE GAY SCENE KNOXVILLE
• MOVG TO LGBT MEMPHIS, TENNSEE? HOW TO FD YOUR PERFECT GAY NEIGHBORHOOD!
• WHY THIS GEIA MOUNTA TOWN HAS BEE A GAY-IENDLY HOT SPOT
• WHY I LOVE JOHNSON CY, AN LGBT IDYLL RIGHT THE HEART OF BIBLE BELTHOME AND AWAYCOURTY SAMANTHA ALLENJOHNSON CY IS TENNSEE, A STATE WHERE THE LEGISLATURE IS NSIRG AT LEAST THREE ANTI-LGBT BILLS. BUT, AS AN LGBT TRAVELER, 'S ALSO THE THOR'S FAVORE PLACE TO BE.SAMANTHA ALLENUPDATED MAR. 10, 2019 2:05PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAR. 09, 2019 9:40PM EST JOHNSON CY, TENNSEE IS THE SORT OF PLACE YOU N’T LEAVE BEHD. NOT FULLY.IN 1985, PHYSICIAN ABRAHAM VERGHE MOVED OM BOSTON BACK TO THE JOHNSON CY WHERE HE HAD PREVLY FISHED HIS RINCY. IT WAS THERE RAL EAST TENNSEE THAT THE YOUNG DOCTOR BEGAN SEEG GAY MEN WH HIV, BEG BOTH THEIR PHYSICIAN AND THEIR NFIDANTE. AS THE NEW YORK TIM NOTED S 1994 REVIEW OF VERGHE’S HEART-WRENCHG MEMOIR MY OWN COUNTRY, PATIENTS FLOCKED TO HIM—“MOSTLY GAY MEN WHO WERE MOVG BACK TO THEIR HOMETOWNS AFTER YEARS AWAY.”  LIKE MANY LGBT PEOPLE THAT ERA, THE TIM REPORTED, THE TENNSEE MEN HAD ABSND TO ASTAL CI BUT “NOW THEY WERE SICK, AND WERE G BACK TO THEIR FAI.” VERGHE HAD MA JOHNSON CY TO AN UNEXPECTED APPALACHIAN STATN WHERE GAY MEN WH HIV ULD AT LEAST FD SOME PASSN THE ABSENCE OF A CURE. MORE THAN TWO S LATER, THE RIPPL OF VERGHE’S EMPATHY STILL N THROUGH JOHNSON CY. IN 2018, WHEN A PRI FTIVAL ME TO THE LLEGE TOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME, A STAGGERG 10,000 PEOPLE ATTEND, AS WJHL REPORTED. (ONLY 66,000 PEOPLE LIVE JOHNSON CY.) EVER SCE I STARTED VISG 2013, G BACK ALMOST EVERY YEAR, I HAVE BEEN DISARMED BY THE WELE S RINTS GAVE TO AN OPENLY QUEER AND TRANSGENR WOMAN LIKE ME.MY JOHNSON CY IEND JEFF CLARK, THOUGH, ISN’T SURPRISED. WHEN HE ASKED ME RECENTLY IF I KNEW WHY THIS SMALL APPALACHIAN CY HAD SUCH AN VG LGBT MUNY, HE POTED PART TO VERGHE’S CISN TO E BACK THE MID-1980S. JOHNSON CY IS A SPECIAL PLACE, BUT NOT SOME SORT OF SMIC SENSE: IT HAS BEEN MA SPECIAL BY THOSE WHO RE FOR . COURTY SAMANTHA ALLEN Y, JOHNSON CY IS AMERI’S BIBLE BELT. MORE SPECIFILLY ’S TENNSEE—A STATE WHERE AT LEAST THREE ANTI-LGBT BILLS ARE CURRENTLY UNR NSIRATN THE LEGISLATURE. BUT ’S ALSO THE PLACE WHICH I HAVE FELT THE MOST AT HOME—AND HAD THE MOST FUN—AS AN OUT LGBT TRAVELER.WHEN I TRAVERSED THE UNTRY FOR TWO MONTHS THE SUMMER OF 2017 TO WRE MY NEW BOOK REAL QUEER AMERI ABOUT LGBT LIFE RED STAT, JOHNSON CY WAS THE ONE STATN WHERE I STOPPED WORKG AND JT RELAXED. ONE NIGHT, I FOUND MYSELF SWIMMG JEFF’S POOL, PHG MY BISEXUAL BT IEND AROUND ON A MAKHIFT RAFT BUILT OUT OF SWIM TOYS. ADVERTISEMENT AFTERWARD, WE ALL GATHERED BY THE FIRE P TO SIP BOURBON OUT OF A SHARED MASON JAR. THAT’S THE CLOST I’VE E TO HEAVEN. IF THIS IS THE FIRST YOU’RE HEARG ABOUT JOHNSON CY, WELL, THAT’S A DAMN SHAME. THE CLOST MAJOR LANDMARK IS ASHEVILLE, ABOUT AN HOUR SOUTH, AND ALTHOUGH THAT NORTH CAROLA CY HAS A CERTA CHET DUE TO S POPULATN OF ARTISTS AND MICIANS AND LGBT PEOPLE, JOHNSON CY HAS BEEN STG ACROSS THE STATE LE THE WHOLE TIME, WAG FOR S OWN RICH TO BE NOTICED.AN OLD RAILROAD TOWN NTLED THE MOUNTAS, JOHNSON CY NOW HAS PARKS, RTRANTS, AND BREWERI WHERE S TRA STATNS ED TO BE. ORAL HISTORY HAS THAT AL CAPONE SMUGGLED LIQUOR THROUGH THE CY DURG PROHIBN—AND WALKG AMONG ALL THE 1920S ARCHECTURE DOWNTOWN, YOU’LL WANT TO BELIEVE THOSE STORI, EVEN IF THEY N’T BE VERIFIED. THE FT ROOM AND BOARD TOWN—THE CARNEGIE—IS A HOTEL OM THE GOLN AGE OF HOTELS, WH TAXIRMY, AN ORNATE LOBBY, AND AN ATTACHED STEAKHOE WHERE A BARTENR SERV UP DRKS LONG AFTER THE KCHEN CLOS.(BUT IF HUNGER DO STRIKE AT A LATE HOUR, YOU N ALWAYS GRAB A BE AT THE MID CY GRILL DOWNTOWN WHICH STAYS OPEN UNTIL THE RIPE HOUR OF 4 AM. BRG YOUR OWN BEER AND ORR THE BECKATOR BURGER. TST ME.) ADVERTISEMENT “THE NEW BEGNGS NIGHTCLUB—OR 'NEWBI' AS MY IENDS LL —PROVIS A PLACE FOR LGBT PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF TO DANCE EMBARRASSGLY TO NICKI MAJ’S 'ANANDA' AFTER HAVG A B TOO MUCH TO DRK” THERE’S NO NYG THAT JOHNSON CY IS EP SI TMP UNTRY, JUDGG OM 2016 ELECTN RULTS, AS BROKEN DOWN BY UNTY. BUT IS PERHAPS BEE IS SUCH A EP-RED PART OF THE UNED STAT THAT S OWN POCKETS OF LGBT ACCEPTANCE FEEL SO WELG, THE SAME WAY THAT A MUG OF HOT A TAST BETTER WHEN YOU N SEE THE SNOW FALLG OUTSI YOUR WDOW.THE NEW BEGNGS NIGHTCLUB—OR “NEWBI” AS MY IENDS LL —PROVIS A PLACE FOR LGBT PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF TO DANCE EMBARRASSGLY TO NICKI MAJ’S “ANANDA” AFTER HAVG A B TOO MUCH TO DRK. DURG THE DAY, THE WILLOW TREE FFEE SHOP DOWNTOWN OFFERS A STEADY SUPPLY OF FFEE AND BOOKS AND LIVE MIC, ALL SERVED UP AN LGBT-IENDLY SPACE. THE LOL LLEGE, EAST TENNSEE STATE, OFFERS EVENTS FOR LGBT STUNTS, LIKE A RUPL’S DRAG RACE VIEWG PARTY, A TRANSGENR DAY OF REMEMBRANCE VIGIL, OR A READG OM NON-BARY POET ANDREA GIBSON. A SCENIC JOHNSON CY OVERLOOKCOURTY SAMANTHA ALLEN EVERY YEAR I E BACK, SEEMS, THE LOL LGBT MUNY IS GATHERG STRENGTH. IN 2017, THE ANIZATN TRIPRI WAS FOUND TO SERVE JOHNSON CY AND TWO OF S NEIGHBORS, LLECTIVELY KNOWN AS THE TRI-CI. 2018 WAS THE PRI PARA. WHO KNOWS WHAT 2019 WILL BRG? ONE LOL GROUP HOP TO OPENA MUNY CENTER DOWNTOWN THIS YEAR. ADVERTISEMENT LGBT PEOPLE STILL ENUNTER PLENTY OF PREJUDICE JOHNSON CY, AS MY IENDS WHO LIVE THERE N PERSONALLY ATTT. I N’T SELL AS A QUEER PARADISE. NOR N I PRETEND AS THOUGH JOHNSON CY PET WH MEGALOPOLIS LIKE THE BAY AREA OR NEW YORK WHEN TO THE SHEER NUMBER OF OPTNS FOR LGBT SOCIALIZG. BUT WHAT LACKS QUANTY, MAK UP FOR HEART. I FIRST DROVE TO JOHNSON CY 2013 WH WHAT I N NOW ADM WAS SOME TREPIDATN MY GAS-PEDAL FOOT. LIVG GEIA AT THE TIME, I WAS AWARE OF TENNSEE’S LS-THAN-STELLAR REPUTATN ON LGBT RIGHTS, WHICH ONLY HEIGHTENED MY HATN TO VIS DURG THE FIRST FULL YEAR OF MY GENR TRANSN—BUT SOME IENDS I HAD MA ONLE WERE EAGER FOR ME TO SEE THEIR HOME.SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVG, I HAD BEEN TRODUCED TO THE MOST AMAZG GROUP OF LGBT AND ALLI: STUNTS, ARTISTS, EVEN A MALE MOL, ALL OF WHOM HAD SOME SORT OF PERSONAL OR FAIAL TIE TO JOHNSON CY. SOME HAVE SCE MOVED AWAY—AS DR. VERGHE EVENTUALLY DID, CINTALLY—AND OTHERS HAVE STAYED, BUT ALL STILL SHARE A EP AND ABIDG FONDNS FOR THIS STRANGE, OFTEN-IGNORED PLACE. IT’S NOT PERFECT BUT NO HOME EVER IS. “SOON, I WAS ONLY A UPLE GRE OF SEPARATN AWAY OM EVERY OPENLY LGBT PERSON WH THE CY L. THE MUNY FELT KNOWABLE AND TANGIBLE” I FELL LOVE WH THE WELG, TIGHT-KN NATURE OF JOHNSON CY’S LGBT MUNY—A QUALY I HAVE SCE ENUNTERED REPEATEDLY SIAR RED-STATE CI. IN A LARGE METROPOLIS LIKE, SAY, LOS ANGEL, BIRDS OF A FEATHER DON’T HAVE TO FLOCK TOGETHER THANKS TO ABUNDANT BARS AND SOCIAL EVENTS THAT TER TO CREDIBLY SPECIFIC SUBSETS OF THE LGBT CROWD. ADVERTISEMENT IN JOHNSON CY, BY PARISON I MET ONE BISEXUAL PERSON—FELLOW WRER JENNIFER CULP—AND THEN, SEEMGLY, MET ALL THE BISEXUAL PEOPLE AS SHE TRODUCED THE RT OF THEM TO ME RAPID SUCCSN. SOON, I WAS ONLY A UPLE GRE OF SEPARATN AWAY OM EVERY OPENLY LGBT PERSON WH THE CY L. THE MUNY FELT KNOWABLE AND TANGIBLE.I ME BACK TO JOHNSON CY AFTER THAT FIRST VIS—AND THEN I ME BACK AGA AND AGA AND AGA. ON ONE VIS, I WATCHED JENNIFER PERFORM A LOL PRODUCTN OF THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. ON ANOTHER, I WAS THE NNER-UP A LOL BAR’S GOTH PROM STUME NTT. THERE HAVE BEEN HALLOWEEN PARTI AND BIRTHDAY DANC AND LONG, LAZY HOURS SPENT WATCHG BAD MOVI WHILE JENNIFER’S TORTOISE, ZELDA, CRAWLS AROUND ON THE FLOOR. COURTY SAMANTHA ALLEN MY REASONS FOR RETURNG HAVE NEVER BEEN AS NOBLE AS DR. VERGHE‘S MISSN OF HELPG RAL GAY MEN DURG THE HIV EPIMIC—BUT I, TOO, FOUND JOHNSON CY LODGED MY HEART AFTER I LEFT THE FIRST TIME. I ULD LEAVE, SURE—BUT I ULDN’T STAY AWAY.WHEN I LIVED ATLANTA, I WOULD MAKE THE FIVE-HOUR DRIVE NORTH THROUGH THE MOUNTAS, OFTEN ALONE. WHEN I MOVED TO SOUTH FLORIDA, I HAD TO FLY TO CHARLOTTE AND THEN TAKE AN AGG PROPELLER PLANE TO THE TRI-CI AIRPORT, WHERE THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WORKG THE SECURY LE THAN THERE ARE GOG THROUGH . IT ST ALMOST AS MUCH AS A DISUNTED FLIGHT TO EUROPE. BUT I MA THE PILGRIMAGE BEE I HAD BEE A BELIEVER. JOHNSON CY HAD PROVED TO ME THAT LGBT ACCEPTANCE N BE FOUND ALMOST ANYWHERE, PECIALLY WHERE I DIDN’T EXPECT . ADVERTISEMENT REAL QUEER AMERI: LGBT STORI OM RED STAT IS AVAILABLE NOW. SAMANTHA ALLEN
• GAY POPULATN BY STATE

GAYT PLAC IN TENNSEE FOR 2020

That means there are a total of 7, 825 gay hoeholds The Volunteer goal wh this post is to e data and science to terme the gayt ci analyzg 139 ci wh over 1, 000 hoeholds, we’ve termed the are The Gayt Ci Tennsee for 2020. Acrdg to the facts, Trenton is the gayt place Tennsee for more on how we lculated the top ten, and for more rmatn about the plac, read you’re lookg for somethg more natnal, check out the gayt ci more Tennsee readg, check out:Bt Plac To Live In TennseeCheapt Plac To Live In TennseeMost Dangero Ci In TennseeThe 10 Gayt Ci In Tennsee For 2020Source: Public domaHoeholds: 1, 645Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)Gay Hoeholds: 31 (22nd hight)% Gay Hoeholds: 3. Chattanooga li 120 northwt of Atlanta, Geia, 120 southwt of Knoxville, Tennsee, 135 southeast of Nashville, Tennsee, 120 northeast of Huntsville, Alabama, and 148 northeast of Birmgham, do you terme the bt ci for same-sex hoeholds Tennsee for 2020In orr to rank the gayt ci Tennsee, we ed the 2014-2018 Amerin Communy Survey om the U.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATN IS GAY [UPDATED MAY 2023]

We looked at:Percentage of all hoeholds that are unmarried, same sex partnersWe limed the analysis to non-CDPs that have over 1, 000 ranked each place om 1 to 139 wh the cy ntag the hight percentage of unmarried, same sex partners hoeholds beg the most the end, end up beg the the most gay place wh 3.

THE 10 GAYEST STAT IN AMERI FOR 2020

Or skip to the end to see the list of all the plac the state om gayt to You Have It – The Most LGBT Friendly Ci In Tennsee For 2020If you’re lookg at the number of gay hoeholds Tennsee, this is an accurate you’re cur enough, here are the least gay plac Tennsee:WoodburyJelliGatlburgFor more Tennsee readg, check out:Richt Ci In TennseeSaft Plac In TennseeWorst Plac To Live In TennseeMost Expensive Plac To Live In TennseeDetailed List Of The Gayt Plac To Live In TennseeRankCyHoeholds% Gay Hoeholds1Trenton1, 6453.

What was surprisg, to at least, was the relatively low percentage of hoeholds that reported to the Cens as gay San Francis — only got thkg, if the gayt cy the untry has a gay populatn that small, how small mt the gay populatn be across Ameri? The bottom of the overall list (25-50) is no surprise as a bunch of Midwtern stat and the South populate the bottom half (At least people don’t report livg same sex hoeholds there, we’d image the% of the populatn that is gay is pretty nsistent everywhere).

BT AND WORST STAT FOR LGBTQ FOLKS? DIVI WORSENS AFTER 'DON'T SAY GAY,' REPORT SAYS

Follow along as we break down the stat wh the largt same sex populatn or feel ee to check out some of other rearch:The Are The 10 Cheapt Stat In AmeriSaft Stat In AmeriWorst Stat In AmeriThe 10 Gayt Stat In Ameri For 20201. One leadg thor said the Gay and lbian culture is as much a part of New York’s basic inty as yellow bs, high-ris, and Broadway theater New York Cy was home to the 1969 Stonewall Rts at the Greenwich Village Inn, loted the gay district of Manhattan. The were a seri of spontaneo and sometim vlent protts agast the New York Cy police, which the gay muny felt was discrimatg agast them, sce the 50s and 60s, gays were not weled to many protts led to gay activist anizatns beg formed New York, and a year later, the world’s first gay pri march and celebratns were held New York York Cy also has the largt transgenr populatn the Uned Stat, timated at 50, 000 people, ncentrated Manhattan and Queens.

Y’ALL MEANS ALL – THE GAY SCENE KNOXVILLE

Portland is also one of the few spots the world where LGBT (and straight) upl have easy accs to surrogacy, IUI, IUF and egg donatnHow We Calculated The Gayt Stat In Ameri Per Capa For 2020We’ve been rankg ci for over three years now and we always start our quts for data the same manner — as stroll through the Amerin Communy, as we expected given that we’ve already wrten on the topic of gay plac several time, we knew they wouldn’t time we were directed to table B11009 om the 2014-2018 5yr ACS which reports on same sex unmarried looked at the followg two creria:Unmarried-partner: Male hoeholr and male partnerUnmarried-partner: Female hoeholr and female partnerNext, we summed them up for each state and divid by the total number of hoeholds the stat. { first}} n take pri s rankg this year as the gayt state the you’re thkg of tryg to move to gay muny, then stick to a, if that isn’t the rds, there’s always a big cy close by wh a gayborhood or two that’ll wele you ’s a quick look at the least Gay stat on the list:WyomgMontanaMississippiFor more readg, check out:Bt Stat In AmeriBt Plac To Live In AmeriDetailed List Of The Gayt Stat In Ameri For 2020RankState% Gay1Nevada0. ” This is bee Nashville has an extensive liberal and progrsive more fun and culture than most new rints n experience unr a year, you likely won’t be surprised that Nashville offers many unique gay experienc such as Suzy Wong’s Hoe of Yum and Cafe Co.

And Mic Cy also has a wi array of smaller gay pri events throughout the of the area’s gay and straight rints volunteer and support the many non-profs the area that support stgglg gay youth and other queer people need of a helpg hand.

And Knoxville me at number eight for the gayt ci Amerin acrdg to Advote a universy town, shouldn’t e as a surprise that Knoxville remas mted to phg equaly and vtg the arts while protectg the civil liberti of s LGBT rints. The Edge and Club XYZ are two lol favor when to lettg your hair down and havg a drk a gay-iendly highlights that make Knoxville a great place to be out and proud clu that was one of the first ci the south and the first Tennsee to have an LGBT liaison for the Knoxville Police Department and the Mayor’s admistratn.

MOVG TO LGBT MEMPHIS, TENNSEE? HOW TO FD YOUR PERFECT GAY NEIGHBORHOOD!

And this lovely cy has the fifth largt populatn of LGBT people the state acrdg to the 2010 for non-profs, you will fd the Pri Communy Center of the Tri-Ci, which ntually creas the visibily of the gay muny and advot for gay rights. Jt a stone’s throw om Dollywood and the Great Smoky Mountas Natnal Park, the relaxed and hippie-like towns are known for prrizg creatg an vg atmosphere for you won’t fd many gay nightclubs or bars the area, you will fd many gay-iendly acmodatns and bs galore.

As far as nightlife, many gay Clarksville rints make the trek to Nashville where there are plenty of gay bars to choose rponse to a recent natnal survey that rated ci based on their LGBTQ equaly, Clarksville has remted energy and funds to improve the cy for queer people. ''Florida, Montana among worst for LGBTQ muny The x ranked stat acrdg to five areas: work environment, legal protectns, youth and fay support, health accs and safety, and polil and relig at the top tend to get more clive over the past year, while their lower-ranked peers beme ls tolerant or didn't move om where they were 'T SAY GAY LAWS SPARK FEAR:If they 'say gay, ' will my child be safe?

WHY THIS GEIA MOUNTA TOWN HAS BEE A GAY-IENDLY HOT SPOT

Alabama’s laws go a b further than most: The state’s sex tn program mandat that “class mt emphasize, a factual manner and om a public health perspective, that homosexualy is not a liftyle acceptable to the general public and that homosexual nduct is a crimal offense unr the laws of the state. ” Then aga, he’s hardly the bt thory when to matters of health, as Perry recently pared homosexualy to alholism: “I may have the geic dg that I’m cled to be an alholic, but I have the sire not to do that, and I look at the homosexual issue the same way. I’m sure everyone has read and book or watched a movie where the plot volv a small town closeted gay kid movg away to go to the big universy, which wds up beg the life changg moment where they fally feel accepted for beg different and learn to love who they are, si and out.

If you attend one of the “QDP” as they are lled then you n expect to see some of the largt variety of queer people to be found at any given moment the cy, wh many atten beg people that otherwise would shy away om a straight bar or even a tradnal gay bar. The Bt Gay Neighborhoods MemphisCooper-YoungMidtownCordovaGermantownLGBTQ+ Communy Organizatns MemphisRegular LGBT Events MemphisLGBT Owned Bs MemphisFal Thoughts on Movg to LGBTQ MemphisFdg Gay Realtors In Memphis Tennsee.

Thanks to some quirky gay scen (though smaller than the past due to shifts wh LGBT culture and gas equaly), cludg a few of the cy’s most popular neighborhoods, securg a move here will allow you to meet people wh siar terts. If you’re a lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, or otherwise queer person solicg a welg neighborhood wh facili you’ll cherish, start wh the top gay and gay-iendly Memphis neighborhoods to disver your perfect new home, each wh s distguished personaly. Jt vis the page, and you’ll stantly be prented wh a ee list of gay, lbian, and gay-iendly agents who uld not only assist you wh your move but also provi other beneficial rmatn such as help wh LGBT+iendly schools, shoppg, storage pani, ntractors, etc.

WHY I LOVE JOHNSON CY, AN LGBT IDYLL RIGHT THE HEART OF BIBLE BELTHOME AND AWAYCOURTY SAMANTHA ALLENJOHNSON CY IS TENNSEE, A STATE WHERE THE LEGISLATURE IS NSIRG AT LEAST THREE ANTI-LGBT BILLS. BUT, AS AN LGBT TRAVELER, 'S ALSO THE THOR'S FAVORE PLACE TO BE.SAMANTHA ALLENUPDATED MAR. 10, 2019 2:05PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAR. 09, 2019 9:40PM EST JOHNSON CY, TENNSEE IS THE SORT OF PLACE YOU N’T LEAVE BEHD. NOT FULLY.IN 1985, PHYSICIAN ABRAHAM VERGHE MOVED OM BOSTON BACK TO THE JOHNSON CY WHERE HE HAD PREVLY FISHED HIS RINCY. IT WAS THERE RAL EAST TENNSEE THAT THE YOUNG DOCTOR BEGAN SEEG GAY MEN WH HIV, BEG BOTH THEIR PHYSICIAN AND THEIR NFIDANTE. AS THE NEW YORK TIM NOTED S 1994 REVIEW OF VERGHE’S HEART-WRENCHG MEMOIR MY OWN COUNTRY, PATIENTS FLOCKED TO HIM—“MOSTLY GAY MEN WHO WERE MOVG BACK TO THEIR HOMETOWNS AFTER YEARS AWAY.”  LIKE MANY LGBT PEOPLE THAT ERA, THE TIM REPORTED, THE TENNSEE MEN HAD ABSND TO ASTAL CI BUT “NOW THEY WERE SICK, AND WERE G BACK TO THEIR FAI.” VERGHE HAD MA JOHNSON CY TO AN UNEXPECTED APPALACHIAN STATN WHERE GAY MEN WH HIV ULD AT LEAST FD SOME PASSN THE ABSENCE OF A CURE. MORE THAN TWO S LATER, THE RIPPL OF VERGHE’S EMPATHY STILL N THROUGH JOHNSON CY. IN 2018, WHEN A PRI FTIVAL ME TO THE LLEGE TOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME, A STAGGERG 10,000 PEOPLE ATTEND, AS WJHL REPORTED. (ONLY 66,000 PEOPLE LIVE JOHNSON CY.) EVER SCE I STARTED VISG 2013, G BACK ALMOST EVERY YEAR, I HAVE BEEN DISARMED BY THE WELE S RINTS GAVE TO AN OPENLY QUEER AND TRANSGENR WOMAN LIKE ME.MY JOHNSON CY IEND JEFF CLARK, THOUGH, ISN’T SURPRISED. WHEN HE ASKED ME RECENTLY IF I KNEW WHY THIS SMALL APPALACHIAN CY HAD SUCH AN VG LGBT MUNY, HE POTED PART TO VERGHE’S CISN TO E BACK THE MID-1980S. JOHNSON CY IS A SPECIAL PLACE, BUT NOT SOME SORT OF SMIC SENSE: IT HAS BEEN MA SPECIAL BY THOSE WHO RE FOR . COURTY SAMANTHA ALLEN Y, JOHNSON CY IS AMERI’S BIBLE BELT. MORE SPECIFILLY ’S TENNSEE—A STATE WHERE AT LEAST THREE ANTI-LGBT BILLS ARE CURRENTLY UNR NSIRATN THE LEGISLATURE. BUT ’S ALSO THE PLACE WHICH I HAVE FELT THE MOST AT HOME—AND HAD THE MOST FUN—AS AN OUT LGBT TRAVELER.WHEN I TRAVERSED THE UNTRY FOR TWO MONTHS THE SUMMER OF 2017 TO WRE MY NEW BOOK REAL QUEER AMERI ABOUT LGBT LIFE RED STAT, JOHNSON CY WAS THE ONE STATN WHERE I STOPPED WORKG AND JT RELAXED. ONE NIGHT, I FOUND MYSELF SWIMMG JEFF’S POOL, PHG MY BISEXUAL BT IEND AROUND ON A MAKHIFT RAFT BUILT OUT OF SWIM TOYS. ADVERTISEMENT AFTERWARD, WE ALL GATHERED BY THE FIRE P TO SIP BOURBON OUT OF A SHARED MASON JAR. THAT’S THE CLOST I’VE E TO HEAVEN. IF THIS IS THE FIRST YOU’RE HEARG ABOUT JOHNSON CY, WELL, THAT’S A DAMN SHAME. THE CLOST MAJOR LANDMARK IS ASHEVILLE, ABOUT AN HOUR SOUTH, AND ALTHOUGH THAT NORTH CAROLA CY HAS A CERTA CHET DUE TO S POPULATN OF ARTISTS AND MICIANS AND LGBT PEOPLE, JOHNSON CY HAS BEEN STG ACROSS THE STATE LE THE WHOLE TIME, WAG FOR S OWN RICH TO BE NOTICED.AN OLD RAILROAD TOWN NTLED THE MOUNTAS, JOHNSON CY NOW HAS PARKS, RTRANTS, AND BREWERI WHERE S TRA STATNS ED TO BE. ORAL HISTORY HAS THAT AL CAPONE SMUGGLED LIQUOR THROUGH THE CY DURG PROHIBN—AND WALKG AMONG ALL THE 1920S ARCHECTURE DOWNTOWN, YOU’LL WANT TO BELIEVE THOSE STORI, EVEN IF THEY N’T BE VERIFIED. THE FT ROOM AND BOARD TOWN—THE CARNEGIE—IS A HOTEL OM THE GOLN AGE OF HOTELS, WH TAXIRMY, AN ORNATE LOBBY, AND AN ATTACHED STEAKHOE WHERE A BARTENR SERV UP DRKS LONG AFTER THE KCHEN CLOS.(BUT IF HUNGER DO STRIKE AT A LATE HOUR, YOU N ALWAYS GRAB A BE AT THE MID CY GRILL DOWNTOWN WHICH STAYS OPEN UNTIL THE RIPE HOUR OF 4 AM. BRG YOUR OWN BEER AND ORR THE BECKATOR BURGER. TST ME.) ADVERTISEMENT “THE NEW BEGNGS NIGHTCLUB—OR 'NEWBI' AS MY IENDS LL —PROVIS A PLACE FOR LGBT PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF TO DANCE EMBARRASSGLY TO NICKI MAJ’S 'ANANDA' AFTER HAVG A B TOO MUCH TO DRK” THERE’S NO NYG THAT JOHNSON CY IS EP SI TMP UNTRY, JUDGG OM 2016 ELECTN RULTS, AS BROKEN DOWN BY UNTY. BUT IS PERHAPS BEE IS SUCH A EP-RED PART OF THE UNED STAT THAT S OWN POCKETS OF LGBT ACCEPTANCE FEEL SO WELG, THE SAME WAY THAT A MUG OF HOT A TAST BETTER WHEN YOU N SEE THE SNOW FALLG OUTSI YOUR WDOW.THE NEW BEGNGS NIGHTCLUB—OR “NEWBI” AS MY IENDS LL —PROVIS A PLACE FOR LGBT PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF TO DANCE EMBARRASSGLY TO NICKI MAJ’S “ANANDA” AFTER HAVG A B TOO MUCH TO DRK. DURG THE DAY, THE WILLOW TREE FFEE SHOP DOWNTOWN OFFERS A STEADY SUPPLY OF FFEE AND BOOKS AND LIVE MIC, ALL SERVED UP AN LGBT-IENDLY SPACE. THE LOL LLEGE, EAST TENNSEE STATE, OFFERS EVENTS FOR LGBT STUNTS, LIKE A RUPL’S DRAG RACE VIEWG PARTY, A TRANSGENR DAY OF REMEMBRANCE VIGIL, OR A READG OM NON-BARY POET ANDREA GIBSON. A SCENIC JOHNSON CY OVERLOOKCOURTY SAMANTHA ALLEN EVERY YEAR I E BACK, SEEMS, THE LOL LGBT MUNY IS GATHERG STRENGTH. IN 2017, THE ANIZATN TRIPRI WAS FOUND TO SERVE JOHNSON CY AND TWO OF S NEIGHBORS, LLECTIVELY KNOWN AS THE TRI-CI. 2018 WAS THE PRI PARA. WHO KNOWS WHAT 2019 WILL BRG? ONE LOL GROUP HOP TO OPENA MUNY CENTER DOWNTOWN THIS YEAR. ADVERTISEMENT LGBT PEOPLE STILL ENUNTER PLENTY OF PREJUDICE JOHNSON CY, AS MY IENDS WHO LIVE THERE N PERSONALLY ATTT. I N’T SELL AS A QUEER PARADISE. NOR N I PRETEND AS THOUGH JOHNSON CY PET WH MEGALOPOLIS LIKE THE BAY AREA OR NEW YORK WHEN TO THE SHEER NUMBER OF OPTNS FOR LGBT SOCIALIZG. BUT WHAT LACKS QUANTY, MAK UP FOR HEART. I FIRST DROVE TO JOHNSON CY 2013 WH WHAT I N NOW ADM WAS SOME TREPIDATN MY GAS-PEDAL FOOT. LIVG GEIA AT THE TIME, I WAS AWARE OF TENNSEE’S LS-THAN-STELLAR REPUTATN ON LGBT RIGHTS, WHICH ONLY HEIGHTENED MY HATN TO VIS DURG THE FIRST FULL YEAR OF MY GENR TRANSN—BUT SOME IENDS I HAD MA ONLE WERE EAGER FOR ME TO SEE THEIR HOME.SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVG, I HAD BEEN TRODUCED TO THE MOST AMAZG GROUP OF LGBT AND ALLI: STUNTS, ARTISTS, EVEN A MALE MOL, ALL OF WHOM HAD SOME SORT OF PERSONAL OR FAIAL TIE TO JOHNSON CY. SOME HAVE SCE MOVED AWAY—AS DR. VERGHE EVENTUALLY DID, CINTALLY—AND OTHERS HAVE STAYED, BUT ALL STILL SHARE A EP AND ABIDG FONDNS FOR THIS STRANGE, OFTEN-IGNORED PLACE. IT’S NOT PERFECT BUT NO HOME EVER IS. “SOON, I WAS ONLY A UPLE GRE OF SEPARATN AWAY OM EVERY OPENLY LGBT PERSON WH THE CY L. THE MUNY FELT KNOWABLE AND TANGIBLE” I FELL LOVE WH THE WELG, TIGHT-KN NATURE OF JOHNSON CY’S LGBT MUNY—A QUALY I HAVE SCE ENUNTERED REPEATEDLY SIAR RED-STATE CI. IN A LARGE METROPOLIS LIKE, SAY, LOS ANGEL, BIRDS OF A FEATHER DON’T HAVE TO FLOCK TOGETHER THANKS TO ABUNDANT BARS AND SOCIAL EVENTS THAT TER TO CREDIBLY SPECIFIC SUBSETS OF THE LGBT CROWD. ADVERTISEMENT IN JOHNSON CY, BY PARISON I MET ONE BISEXUAL PERSON—FELLOW WRER JENNIFER CULP—AND THEN, SEEMGLY, MET ALL THE BISEXUAL PEOPLE AS SHE TRODUCED THE RT OF THEM TO ME RAPID SUCCSN. SOON, I WAS ONLY A UPLE GRE OF SEPARATN AWAY OM EVERY OPENLY LGBT PERSON WH THE CY L. THE MUNY FELT KNOWABLE AND TANGIBLE.I ME BACK TO JOHNSON CY AFTER THAT FIRST VIS—AND THEN I ME BACK AGA AND AGA AND AGA. ON ONE VIS, I WATCHED JENNIFER PERFORM A LOL PRODUCTN OF THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. ON ANOTHER, I WAS THE NNER-UP A LOL BAR’S GOTH PROM STUME NTT. THERE HAVE BEEN HALLOWEEN PARTI AND BIRTHDAY DANC AND LONG, LAZY HOURS SPENT WATCHG BAD MOVI WHILE JENNIFER’S TORTOISE, ZELDA, CRAWLS AROUND ON THE FLOOR. COURTY SAMANTHA ALLEN MY REASONS FOR RETURNG HAVE NEVER BEEN AS NOBLE AS DR. VERGHE‘S MISSN OF HELPG RAL GAY MEN DURG THE HIV EPIMIC—BUT I, TOO, FOUND JOHNSON CY LODGED MY HEART AFTER I LEFT THE FIRST TIME. I ULD LEAVE, SURE—BUT I ULDN’T STAY AWAY.WHEN I LIVED ATLANTA, I WOULD MAKE THE FIVE-HOUR DRIVE NORTH THROUGH THE MOUNTAS, OFTEN ALONE. WHEN I MOVED TO SOUTH FLORIDA, I HAD TO FLY TO CHARLOTTE AND THEN TAKE AN AGG PROPELLER PLANE TO THE TRI-CI AIRPORT, WHERE THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WORKG THE SECURY LE THAN THERE ARE GOG THROUGH . IT ST ALMOST AS MUCH AS A DISUNTED FLIGHT TO EUROPE. BUT I MA THE PILGRIMAGE BEE I HAD BEE A BELIEVER. JOHNSON CY HAD PROVED TO ME THAT LGBT ACCEPTANCE N BE FOUND ALMOST ANYWHERE, PECIALLY WHERE I DIDN’T EXPECT . ADVERTISEMENT REAL QUEER AMERI: LGBT STORI OM RED STAT IS AVAILABLE NOW. SAMANTHA ALLEN

Views about homosexualyYounger MillennialOlr MillennialGeneratn XBaby BoomerSilentGreattSample sizeShould be accepted22%20%26%25%6%< 1%259Should be disuraged5%13%31%35%15%1%342Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state. Views about homosexualyWheBlackAsianLatoOther/MixedSample sizeShould be accepted74%14%1%6%4%257Should be disuraged80%17%< 1%2%1%346Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state.

Views about homosexualyImmigrantsSend generatnThird generatn or higherSample sizeShould be accepted7%7%86%258Should be disuraged5%2%93%348Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state. Views about homosexualyLs than $30, 000$30, 000-$49, 999$50, 000-$99, 999$100, 000 or moreSample sizeShould be accepted39%19%20%21%243Should be disuraged36%27%26%11%302Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state. Views about homosexualyHigh school or lsSome llegeCollegePost-graduate greeSample sizeShould be accepted40%31%19%10%261Should be disuraged50%31%10%9%346Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state.

Views about homosexualyMarriedLivg wh a partnerDivorced/separatedWidowedNever marriedSample sizeShould be accepted42%10%13%4%31%260Should be disuraged63%4%10%7%16%347Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state. Views about homosexualyBelieve God; absolutely certaBelieve God; fairly certaBelieve God; not too/not at all certaBelieve God; don't knowDo not believe GodOther/don't know if they believe GodSample sizeShould be accepted60%21%8%1%8%1%262Should be disuraged91%7%2%< 1%< 1%< 1%350Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state. Views about homosexualyVery importantSomewhat importantNot too importantNot at all importantDon't knowSample sizeShould be accepted45%31%10%12%1%262Should be disuraged89%8%1%1%1%350Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state.

GAY POPULATN BY STATE

Views about homosexualyAt least once a weekOnce or twice a month/a few tim a yearSeldom/neverDon't knowSample sizeShould be accepted29%31%39%< 1%262Should be disuraged68%19%12%1%350Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state.

Views about homosexualyAt least dailyWeeklyMonthlySeldom/neverDon't knowSample sizeShould be accepted53%20%6%20%1%262Should be disuraged84%12%1%2%1%350Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state. Views about homosexualyAt least once a weekOnce or twice a monthSeveral tim a yearSeldom/neverDon't knowSample sizeShould be accepted19%11%8%62%1%262Should be disuraged54%13%10%22%1%350Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state. Views about homosexualyAt least once a weekOnce or twice a monthSeveral tim a yearSeldom/neverDon't knowSample sizeShould be accepted36%11%3%50%< 1%262Should be disuraged52%5%2%37%4%350Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state.

Views about homosexualyAt least once a weekOnce or twice a monthSeveral tim a yearSeldom/neverDon't knowSample sizeShould be accepted56%20%6%17%1%262Should be disuraged81%7%5%6%1%350Sample siz and margs of error vary om subgroup to subgroup, om year to year and om state to state.