while OKC (or "the city") as locals call it, has no defined 'gay area' like many cities our size or larger, such as Dallas' Oaklawn neighborhood, Houston's Montrose, or Detroit's suburban cities Ferndale and Royal Oak, a large concentration of glbt people can be found living and working in the areas in and around the gay 'strip' of bars and businesses along NW 39th St. many apartments in the immediate areas will definitely have a strong presence of 'family', but you will soon discover OKC does not limit itself to a 'gay ghetto' as so many other cities have.

a very large population of glbt people live in the Far North area, around NW 122nd and Penn, and near the enclosed 'suburb' of The Village. Upscale northern suburb Edmond holds a number of gay residents, as does the Southside, and southern 'burbs Moore and Norman, where the University of Oklahoma resides.

OKC may not have one of the most visible glbt communities in the nation, but we definitely do have one of the strongest. we have had to work hard many times to get where we are today, as we reside in a typically conservative area of the nation. many people refer to this part of the United States as the 'Bible Belt'. we must all be vigilant in our pride, and while it's understood that not everyone can be 'out' or open with their sexuality, those of us who are must continue to be visible and tolerant of others, as we would have them be of us.

there are numerous nightclubs/bars in NW OKC. see more about those in the Scene section. but rest assured, there is far more to do than drink and party in this vibrant city!

numerous religious/civic/health/and professional organizations abound in this great Plains city. here is a wonderful resource for some of the city's great diversions and organizations.

gay life in OKC can be very dramatic, diverse, exciting, and unified. the glbt community here is very diverse, and representative of many different kinds of people, from all profiles, backgrounds, and creeds. you'll find drag queens, lesbians, bisexuals, butch gay men, 'bears', queens, transgendered persons, OUT and proud people, closeted people, and every other kind imaginable.

some people have problems with 'labels' for the glbt community, or anyone else for that matter, and that's fine. i personally do not. we may need to take heed of our own popular and rousing mantra, "We're here! We're queer! Get used to it!" we're all different, but that doesn't mean we cannot band together and be strong and united as a community.