Detroit should become the San Francisco of Transgendered

detmich · September-07-09, 12:25 PM

Detroit could open its arms to the transgendered community and create a safe haven for people in need. In return Detroit would be repopulated and fun! San Francisco on the river sounds good to me.

Who's with me?

Retroit · September-07-09, 12:28 PM

Heck, I'd be happy if Detroit could create a safe haven for anyone!

**ThaFuzz** · September-07-09, 01:14 PM

I think someone hasn't seen the "Cock-a-doodle-doo" episode of Sex and the City

detmich · September-07-09, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by ThaFuzz

I think someone hasn't seen the "Cock-a-doodle-doo" episode of Sex and the City

Honey I lived it.

cheddar bob · September-07-09, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by Retroit

Heck, I'd be happy if Detroit could create a safe haven for anyone!

Like illegal immigrants?

**DetroitZack** · September-07-09, 09:32 PM

I'll take Detroit as is

**gnome** · September-07-09, 10:32 PM

In return Detroit would be repopulated and fun!

Tell me again how that works?

**Kevgoblue** · September-07-09, 11:20 PM

Detroit is way too religified and conservative to ever be on board with that plan.

**hudkina** · September-07-09, 11:28 PM

Isn't San Francisco the San Francisco of transgenered?

UFO · September-07-09, 11:29 PM

People are too bigoted in this city to deal with an open gay community.

So much for that old equal rights for all mantra I hear people constantly dropping from their lips.

**detmsp** · September-07-09, 11:45 PM

wouldn't this have to be a grassroots thing? i mean it's not like the city is going to start running tv ads that say "come to detroit... where we totally don't hate transgendered people!"

**jerrytimes** · September-07-09, 11:47 PM

Really? What about Ferndale?

**izzyindetroit** · September-07-09, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by detmsp

wouldn't this have to be a grassroots thing? i mean it's not like the city is going to start running tv ads that say "come to detroit... where we totally don't hate transgendered people!"

There are places that run ads geared toward the LGBT community. It isn't a new concept.

**kraig** · September-08-09, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by cheddar bob

Like illegal immigrants?

Yes, just like anyone else. Any and every group of people deserves protection and services. More time and resources are wasted trying to ascertain who should or shouldn't receive services than just providing the services in the first place.

Lorax · September-08-09, 09:31 AM

Ferndale was really smart in courting the gay owned businesses, and merchandising to the gay-friendly. It transformed a run-down business strip into something worthwhile getting out of the car for.

Detroit should have done it when there was a critical mass of gay-owned businesses in the Palmer Park area in the 80's. But like every other business, it was only a matter of time before the city ran them out for the thousands of reasons everyone already knows about.

detmich · September-08-09, 10:13 AM

I am so moved by the positive responses. Is there a way we can create an online petition that we can get people of all types to sign? This would show our unanimity of purpose when it is brought to the city council's attention. The mayor's attention as well. Let's do this, this is how the Riverwalk got started.

**hudkina** · September-08-09, 12:48 PM

This doesn't even make sense. The transgendered community is one of the smallest "minority" groups in the nation. It's like saying Detroit needs to become the San Francisco of left-handedness. It's a pointlessly "progressive" measure. The city doesn't need to single out a particular group. It needs to work in ending bigotry and intolerance to make the city safe and attractive to everyone regardless of which "group" they fall into.

Also, the city already has relatively "welcoming" policies when it comes to the gay community. And while Detroit is often regarded as being homophobic, in reality the city as a whole is more "gay-tolerant" than the rest of Michigan, at least in regards to its voting population. Only 51.6% of voters approved the ban on marriage in Detroit, compared to 59.1% for the state outside of Detroit. It might not be the epitome of progressiveness, but it's certainly better than the rural townships on the fringe...

One thing I'm surprised about is Huntington Woods. You never hear of Huntington Woods when hearing about Detroit's "progressive cities". However, back in 2004 78% of the city voted against the ban, which is over 12 points higher than "gay" Ferndale and 2 points higher than "progressive" Ann Arbor. In fact that's even better than San Francisco's 2008 result of 75%. Pleasant Ridge with 71% against was the only other city with such high approval.

It seems that the people who were most likely to support the ban were poorer and less educated than those who were likely to oppose the ban. People in rural areas were more likely to support the measure than those in more urban areas, and the areas that mixed wealth and urbanity seemed to be most opposed to the ban.

The communities in the tri-county area plus Washtenaw County that opposed the ban:
1. Huntington Woods - 78.0% against
2. Ann Arbor - 75.8%
3. Pleasant Ridge - 71.5%
4. Ferndale - 65.7%
5. Ann Arbor TWP - 65.6%
6. Ypsilanti - 63.4%
7. Scio TWP - 62.0%
8. Birmingham - 60.2%
9. Novi TWP - 58.7%
10. Grosse Pointe Park - 57.8%
11. Royal Oak - 57.5%
12. West Bloomfield TWP - 57.4%
13. Sylvan Lake - 56.8%
14. Berkley - 56.7%
15. Southfield TWP - 56.0%
16. Grosse Pointe - 55.9%
17. Pittsfield TWP - 55.5%
18. Clarkston - 54.6%
19. Chelsea - 54.1%
20. Plymouth - 53.9%
21. Northville [[WAYNE) - 53.2%
22. Keego Harbor - 52.4%
23. Lathrup Village - 51.9%
24. Bloomfield Hills - 50.6%
25. Saline - 50.6%
26. Oak Park - 50.4%
27. Farmington Hills - 50.1%
28. Clawson - 50.1%
29. Webster TWP - 50.1%
30. Bloomfield TWP - 50.1%
31. Hazel Park - 50.1%

**kraig** · September-08-09, 02:09 PM

I think the point is to have an atmosphere that will let people know that Detroit welcomes everyone. If the City offered up land for development and sent an invitation to the owners and operators of gay/alternative [[sorry if I'm getting the terminology wrong) establishments, along with its invitations to the normal cast of characters. The City would probably see a significant increase in its level of responses. When you're probably the most disenfranchised big city in the country, it would make sense to reach out to disenfranchised people. Their money and tax dollars spend just as well as anyone else's.

I remember not too long ago when the police were arresting and/or ticketing men in Rouge Park for lewd behavior and it turned out that the majority of the men that got in trouble had never solicited the [[male) decoy to have public sex in the park or had exposed themselves in any way. They simply had spoken to the decoy or asked for a phone number. One of the gay activist groups [[Rainbow or Triangle?) slapped the City and the police around over this and made them stop. The City would do well to put the word out that that type of practice is no longer happening.

9mile&seneca · September-08-09, 02:35 PM

Too little too late. N'Oleans has had this title since at least 1960's.

EastSider · September-08-09, 05:09 PM

I think we should start small, anyhow. It would be easier welcoming a handful of people to start with and then work our way up. What would happen if we tried for something big and failed?

**gnome** · September-08-09, 05:15 PM

I think the current state of PC silliness here requires me to refrain from comment.

detmich · September-08-09, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by gnome

I think the current state of PC silliness here requires me to refrain from comment.

Gnome, we should accept everyone, even lonely loveless lost little people.

**izzyindetroit** · September-08-09, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by Lorax

Ferndale was really smart in courting the gay owned businesses, and merchandising to the gay-friendly. It transformed a run-down business strip into something worthwhile getting out of the car for.

Ferndale didn't "court" the gay owned businesses.

It all started when a business owner decided to open up a LGBT friendly bookstore.

"Nothing cures homophobia like the sound of a cash register ringing."

**JBMcB** · September-08-09, 08:58 PM

So, time for some basic marketing. When selling to a particular group:

What does this group want?
What do you have to offer this group?
Who is your competition [[other cities?)
What differentiates your product with your competitors?
What differences would encourage a group to choose your product over a competitors?
What differences would discourage a group to choose your product?
How could you play up your advantages and downplay your disadvantages?

You'll need a heck of an ad campaign, as right now saying "Move to Detroit!" sounds about as sane as saying "Move to Kabul!" given the national perceptions and stereotypes.

**Detroitgayhistoryguy** · September-08-09, 09:04 PM

An older friend of mine told me that when Coleman Young took office he instructed the Detroit police to stop responding to calls in the Palmer Park area so that it would drive out the white, gay people. I don't know if that is true, but it sounds like something Coleman would have done. Anyway, it worked, crime got too bad and they fled. Gay people are the ones who can revive an old neighborhood. "Boystown" in Chicago used to be a dump before the gay people moved in, now it is one of the priciest areas. The problem for gay people in Detroit is the same for everyone, lack of police and high taxes for lousy services.

http://detroitgayhistory.blogspot.com/