According to PlanetOut, li’l ol’ P-town ranks fourth in lezzie living, behind NYC, LA, SanFran. It beats out the unlikely fifth, Phoenix. And while I am happy to be named by the gay megalith I must disagree on the complete list. Los Angeles, while it seemed promising in so many ways, was really a girly wasteland when I lived there. Granted, this was a few years ago and it could have seemed this way more because anything that the ladies ventured to was 1-2 hours away from, well, anything really. This is the nature of LA, but it does make bar hopping difficult when one dyke punk show is in North Hollywood and the dance club is in Long Beach. The only lesbian anything that existed in LA proper (if there is such a thing) was this caf that was continually closing and re-opening. Then again, this was in the days before The L Word, so perhaps the population has boomed. Keep in mind though, Los Angeles lesbians are still Angelinos, so I wouldnt pack by bags just yet.
I must say, also, that despite the lack of a truly alluring nightlife, Northampton, Massachusetts really should continually make this list. Though Noho may not cater to the 20-something, party lifestyle, there are two groups which it serves oh-so-well. Smith College provides baby dyke college kids with more than enough lesbian culture. So much that it can be overwhelming. So much that no one goes to the campus LBTA because it is almost a given. These ladies then move away to NYC for said 20s and return to the sleepy New England town (if theyre still gay that is) to get married (now literally!) and raise babies that they can put in private school.
PlanetOut seemed to get a few things right but it does beg a revision. Although having lived in both LA and Northampton, I remain proud to call PDX home. And I wouldnt trade it, although SF and NYC might be fun with a hefty wallet. At first I was disappointed that PlanetOut didnt catch some of our more underground queer spots but, after all, this was a lesbian list, not a queer one. And as a Portlander, I can be possessive. Its not such a bad thing to keep our favorites to ourselves is it?
