Texas may have a reputation for being a very red state that’s not at all welcoming to those of the LGBT community, but that reputation comes mostly from the smaller towns in the state. The larger cities such as Houston are very welcoming. The people of Houston tend to be fairly laid back. There are many young people in Houston, and more move to the city every day. That’s helped change the overall atmosphere of the area, especially Houston proper, into a very welcoming and relaxed area. As you go out towards the suburbs, you may find that changes a little bit, but overall, being gay in Houston isn’t an issue.
In fact, Houston has made gay history when, in 2009, the city became the first large city of more than one million people to elect a LGBT mayor. Annise Parker became only the second woman and the first openly gay person in the city’s history to be elected mayor. As of 2014, she was serving her third term as mayor.
Houston no longer really has a gay ghetto, although there are a number of different parts of town that have gay bars. Montrose, for example, is home to most of the city’s gay clubs. But most of the LGBT community in the city is spread throughout Houston. Some to flock to the nicer parts of Houston like Heights, Oak Forest, Eastwood, and Lindale Park, but they’re not the only ones moving into these areas. Of course, because they’re nicer, they’re also more expensive. Those on a fixed income may need to look at other parts of the city.
However, while Houston is LGBT friendly, the State of Texas overall is not always. Mayor Parker herself discovered one way the state was attempting to discriminate against LGBT citizens when her daughter went to take her driver’s license exam. Because her birth certificate listed both Parker and her wife, the Texas Department of Public Safety would not allow her to take the driver’s exam. They cited the state’s ban on same-sex marriage made her birth certificate invalid. Later, the department relented, and her daughter did get her license.
That incident is just one example of why some LGBT people are moving out of Texas. The state does still have a ban on same-sex marriage, although some don’t expect that ban to last for much longer. The City of Houston, much like the other larger and more liberal cities, does offer health insurance to same-sex spouses.
