West Hollywood, CA
United States
Santa Monica Boulevard between Fairfax Avenue and Doheny Drive, in sidewalks West Hollywood Memorial Walk since 1 December 1993
269 names
The Future of the Gayborhood
With the advancement of LGBT rights and equality, the traditionally LGBT neighborhood is changing to reflect the tastes and preferences of the new LGBT community within. [excerpt]

The gay neighborhood of the near-future will be a different place altogether. While I believe it will continue to exist, it will exist more as a cultural repository rather than a living monument. Plazas and parks will be renamed to commemorate the struggle of the LGBT community. Museums and libraries will protect the legacy of the past and ongoing struggles and triumphs. Where flashy gay bars and sex shops once stood, new restaurants, shops, and yes, bars, will open, catering to a broader population with a basic desire for goods and services. New residential developments will increase to meet the demands of both a young population seeking affordable rents and an aging population ready to settle down and purchase a home. The population of children may increase as gay couples are finally able to raise a family, and with those families will come schools, day cares, and parks.

Photo © Reuben Duarte Planetizen

2 September 2014
Reuben Duarte, West Hollywood