The midterm elections ended with a historic number of LGBTQ+ candidates being elected in a rainbow wave that swept the nation and turned normally red states blue.
These newly blue states are leaning more liberal now, but they have always had gayborhoods — you just might not have heard of them before. These safe havens within conservative areas are full of thriving queer art scenes, countless gay bars and nightclubs, and parades and festivals that make them worth spending your time and money in.
So whether you are looking for a new city to move to or a new vacation destination, it’s time to start considering these hidden gems in former Republican strongholds.
Short North Arts District — Columbus, Ohio
The Short North Arts District.
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The Short North Arts District serves as the heart of the LGBTQ+ community in Ohio with iconic rainbow crosswalks, queer-owned businesses, and a thriving gay nightlife. The gayborhood stretches along High Street from downtown to the Ohio State University area, and is home to gay bars, clubs, and drag performances, and is transformed every year for the Pride Festival and Parade.
Historic East Village — Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa.
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Sherman Hill might be the historic gay neighborhood in Iowa, but the Historic East Village has become the center of gay nightlife and LGBTQ+ community events. The lively and walkable city is full of restaurants featuring drag brunches, is home to Des Moines’s oldest gay bar The Blazing Saddle, and has an unofficial lesbian dive bar called Locust Tap.
Downtown Lawrence — Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence, Kasas.
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Lawrence may be in the middle of the Midwest, but it’s also a gay-friendly city full of liberal, open-minded people in an otherwise conservative state. It’s a hip college town with a thriving gay community, queer nightlife options, and campus pride groups. Queer Naked Lunch author William S. Burroughs even spent time there!
West Asheville — Asheville, North Carolina
West Asheville, North Carolina.
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West Asheville in Asheville, North Carolina, is one of those great vacation destinations that has all the charm and laid-back vibes a queer traveler could hope for. The Plaza Midwood neighborhood and North Davidson Arts District both have a lot to offer the queer community, but if you’re looking for a relaxed mountain town that has become known as a sapphic haven, then West Asheville is the place to go.
Park Circle — Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina.
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Charleston’s gayborhood is an LGBTQ-friendly neighborhood in a normally very red state. Between the queer nightlife, gay bars, drag brunches, drag bingo, and a multi-day Pride festival, the Park Circle neighborhood is a welcoming queer haven in an area that is normally conservative.
Oak Lawn — Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas.
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The epicenter of gay life in Texas is the Oak Lawn neighborhood of Dallas. As far back as 2014, Out Traveler dubbed it one of America’s best gayborhoods, and that reputation as a welcoming, exciting place for the queer community hasn’t changed. Oak Lawn has great gay bars and nightclubs all year round, but if you visit during the summer, there is a big Pride parade, and in October there is a Halloween festival (a.k.a. Gay Christmas) that draws people wearing some of the best gay costumes around.
West End — Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine.
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Portland, Maine’s historic gayborhood West End is a cute walkable city with tree-lined streets and beautiful Victorian houses. West End has been the unofficial center of queer-life in Portland and features charming neighborhood eateries, historic buildings, and a visible queer community that will make you feel comfortable enjoying your time in the quaint city.
