The Bible Belt of the U.S. is the term used to refer to states in the south-central and southeastern part of the country. These states have an overwhelmingly large number of socially conservative religious people, and these evangelical Christians tend to play a large role in politics and society overall. Church attendance is higher in this area than the national average. The Bible Belt is generally defined as including all or parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, North Carolina, and South Carolina. However, there are definitely parts of these states that are NOT part of this Bible Belt, such as New Orleans, South Florida, and South Texas.
Being LGBT in the Bible Belt, as you might expect, can be challenging. These states almost overwhelmingly vote for conservative candidates who are against LGBT rights, and many of them quickly and overwhelmingly voted for constitutional bans on same-sex marriage. It’s only been thanks to the Supreme Court that LGBT people have gained the right to marry in a number of the Bible Belt states.
Fortunately, there are some gay and lesbian real estate agents who live in the Bible Belt, and they will be able to help you find the best places to live. Even though these areas are notorious for being anti-LGBT, there are some very liberal cities. Atlanta, Georgia, for example, is incredibly accepting and welcoming overall. The Westside area, the Buckhead neighborhood, and the Little Five Points district are all very diverse and welcoming. Arkansas has Eureka Springs, Texas has the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and Tennessee has Chattanooga. These are just a few of the cities in the Bible Belt where LGBT people will feel safe.
It’s not that the Bible Belt has very few LGBT people—as a matter of fact, there are a good many who live in the South, but most of them are simply not out. If you’re single and moving to the Bible Belt, you may not find that many people hanging out at the local LGBT bar (if there is one). Instead, you’ll probably find many of them online. Even in those cities that have major gay districts or are considered very gay-friendly, you may not see people flying rainbow flags.
When you move to one of these places, be sure to look for a gay or lesbian realtor. They will not only help you find a home, but they can also tip you off to the best places to meet people.
