1006
2008-04-22
2008-03-26
We Build
These Cities
Richard
Florida’s 2002 best seller, The Rise of the
Creative Class, boldly charged that to be
succes
Richard
Florida’s 2002 best seller, The Rise of the
Creative Class, boldly charged that to be
successful, cities must embrace, among other things,
the LGBT population. Florida’s insights turned heads,
and so will his latest read, Who’s Your City?
-- which delivers another message: Where you live is
the most significant decision you will ever make.
Before you pack your bags for New York, take note --
Florida’s research shows the best cities to
live in are not always the most obvious. To help you
find the perfect place, Who’s Your City?
features a nifty place-finder tool in its appendix.
It’s interesting that your last name is the name
of a state.
Yeah, I’m in Miami right now, and
it’s really hilarious.
What cities surprised you in terms of being up-and-coming
gay meccas?
Stamford, Conn. It was the best place for singles,
straight or gay. Worcester, Mass., was another one. I
always like to see Manchester, N.H., on the list --
land of GOP conservatism. I don’t think anybody would
have thought Toledo, Ohio, would be a hot spot for gay
young professionals -- and Fayetteville, Ark., which
shows that maybe a lot of gay people work for
Wal-Mart.
Say you’re gay, 23, and a college grad. Where do
you go?
My advice would be to balance your need for an accepting
place and whether the place is good for your career. I
wouldn’t worry so much about whether it is
affordable. Too many young people say, “I want to
have an affordable place; maybe I want a
house.” That’s not smart. That decision
can come later. You are really making an investment in
starting your career and finding that right mate. But
if you really pushed me, I’d have to say
Washington, D.C., if I were gay.
Best bets for finding the right city?
You really have to do that place finder. You
can’t just depend on my list. And do your
research. Would you go to Match.com, pick a person, and
say, ‘This is who I’m going to marry,’
without ever going out on a date? It’s really
important to go to these places, spend a lot of time there,
and see if you fit, because if you don’t,
you’re going to be miserable.
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