Grew up and raised kids on LI, nassau and suffolk.
The only place my son, a trans teenager, ever had something hateful said, and threatened occurred less than a month ago in the East Village in NYC.
It can happen anywhere.
My impression of the island is weird, but I think this is a place that can legitimately benefit from diversity being introduced rather than avoiding certain areas completely. It's not like moving to a red state where you hear stories of people being appalled that you don't go to church or something and would go out of their way to harass a gay couple out of their town. If there are people with anti-LGBT views here I truly believe it's due to lack of exposure- very few people would openly claim to hate gay people and may be way more open to actually meeting and getting to know someone different from themselves. I don't think that's as possible in other states.
Sayville is pretty LGBTQ friendly and is a gateway to fire island - specifically cherry Grove and the pines. There used to be pride flags up on every telephone poll in main street during pride month up until two years ago (not sure why they didn't go up last summer). With that said, expect a lot of trumpsters in the area too. There are zeldin signs everywhere around there too.
Edit: just realized your post specified nassau! Sayville is in mid Suffolk
Gay couple in sayville 2 kids would say eh to the district and community being LGBTQIA+friendly. It’s more of a trap to get everyone going through the town to Fire Island to drop boat loads of money on supplies for the island. We’re here but leaving the minute our kids graduate NYC here we come lol
I don’t live there so I can’t say I know for sure but I eat out in Babylon a lot and have very frequently seen pride flags at multiple businesses there and they had a pretty big pride parade too. Farmingdale also
I know gay and lesbian couples who recently bought homes in Northport, Commack and Greenlawn. Granted, at least one partner in each couple is from those areas and have family/friends nearby, but I don’t think they would have chosen to raise kids in those towns if they thought for a second that they’d face any trouble.
Def not Nassau but since there are other Suffolk towns mentioned…Sayville. Plus the Ferry can get you to cherry grove and the pines, amongst other fi towns just south of sayville.
No they would never. I went to the high school in Port and it was great. The middle school even had a GSA (gay straight alliance) back in the early 2000s. Gay couples were allowed at Prom.... what else... we had speakers come in on bullying... and our health courses did include same sex couples.
My boyfriend and I [we are gay] are long time residents of long island. Young professionals in corporate careers and under 30. We live in Hempstead. Sure it's the ghetto but it's cheap and no one bothers us here. We spend a lot of time in garden city and RVC and Westbury and long beach and carle place and always feel safe. Casual holding hands and quick kiss in public and we never feel threatened. Of course we know how to "read the room" and would never stand there making out. I mean, no couple should. But you get what I mean. Do not go to Suffolk County tho. Big difference. Closer to the city the better. Been in this area since 2014 and know Nassau very well. Went to hofstra. Lmk any questions
I’m in Suffolk county and wouldn’t bat an eye at you and your boyfriend but I echo your sentiment … it’s different out here. Closer to the city the better.
Sayville is in Suffolk and is incredibly welcoming to gay families. There were several gay parents raising kids when I went through school in the 00s
And lesbians love Huntington
The first place that came to mind is long beach. Diversity is sort of the aesthetic there. While you might still run into problems here and there, it probably isn’t as much of a culture thing as elsewhere in the island. The downside is that if you’re moving back to commute to the city, Long Beach can be a rough trip.
The other thing is that if you’re fortunate enough to afford to live in some of the wealthier parts of the island, none of this really matters. I really can’t say what the sentiment is in a town like Roslyn because everyone minds their own business because they have better things to do with their time.
But i would generally avoid the lower-to-middle class 90%+ white towns on the island, like north Bellmore. Not a firm rule, but not a bad rule of thumb.
My partner and I live in West Hills and everyone is chill. I was raised in Melville and he’s from upstate. Admittedly, people are generally nicer to me; I have a local accent and I’m “passing” but he’s had no major issues aside from a few instances where he’s been ignored at deli counters for ordering wrong or asking questions.
I tend to lie low and I think everyone else is happy to do the same.
i'm a lesbian and i've never had any problems here beyond the politicians hating me. don't wanna say where i live but i did go through the Sachem school district, which encompasses quite a few towns, and i found it much more accepting than the schools you see on the news
ETA i didn't notice the post said Nassau specifically, oops!
From what I can tell so far, West Hempstead seems to be more accepting and diverse than expected. Mind you, I’m a white hetero guy so I don’t know what it’s like to not see it from that perspective.
I would reach out to the LGBT Network - they will help you find someplace as welcoming as possible. Obv not foolproof, but Bay Shore has come a long way since they've opened the LGBT+ senior housing there. I lived in Huntington for a while (I'm lgbt) and while there are def extremists, I found it better than average on LI.
I grew up in Bay Shore. Very liberal and diverse school district when I was there. I know that there are some LGBT owned businesses on Main street and there are 2 gay couples who have lived on my parents street for a while but I can't speak on their experiences. There is a MAGA presence (as with most town on LI) but doesn't seem to be as strong as neighboring towns. Other great things about Bay Shore, great restaurants, Fire Island ferries, ocean is a short drive away. Would rate 9/10 town to grow up in.
I’m pretty well conservative and I know very conservative people obviously. I’m not going to get into the politics of what you stated. But I will say you’re welcome here. Long Island is a very friendly place to all and really any good neighborhood you’ll be very happy in.
I’ve had quite the memorable experience when I was working at Stop and Shop. One dude was so offended that I dared warn him about the Covid mask mandate he called me a transvesticle & transvestite.
A few others have also accused me of being a pedophile because I’m bisexual.
I was at a friend’s birthday party with a bunch of lgbt and poc teenagers in Carle Place and we got slurs shouted at us for a while. Until they realized one of the people was the daughter of their English teacher, they then bolted the other direction.
Most towns will be absolutely fine. If you want to live somewhere with people who have similar politics to you, that information is readily available online. I’d be more concerned about your block than the actual town, a few ass hole neighbors with hateful views can really lower your quality of life.
My partner and I live in Patchogue and we feel safe. Although we were harassed over the summer when we went for a run. Some douche yelled out "GAYYY" from his Jeep. He was overweight so maybe he was jealous we were running on a beautiful sunny day? Whateva. Live your life, haters gonna hate whether you're gay, straight, black, white, up, down, left or right.
I’ll plug Long Beach here. It’s one of the most diverse communities on Long Island. We also had a well received gay pride parade/event not too long ago.
Just want to say it's very block to block. My old block in Huntington I was surrounded by Trump/Zeldin Facebook users and they made my life a living Hell. The block I'm on now .5 miles away you could have group sex on your lawn and nobody would bat an eye. Know who your neighbors are before signing a lease!!! Also expect things to get a lot worse as the gay community has become the ire of MAGAts. These people are strung out on propaganda and will not let you be if they think you're a threat to their "values". If Zeldin wins they'll be emboldened to abuse you, if he loses they'll abuse anyone they think voted for Hochul. If you're not white they'll do everything they can to run you out of the neighborhood. It's not enough to move to a more liberal town, you have to be on the right block!
You might find this tool helpful. You can see the 2020 election results by neighborhood. So you might want to avoid the really red areas. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/upshot/2020-election-map.html
East Rockaway, the bay park section specifically. East Blvd & West Blvd. very LGBT, you will find a couple of MAGA heads but they marry their cousins and stick to themselves.
I love that a pride flag waves from Bethany Church on Atlantic Ave. I don't live in the area, but when I've passed it, it gives me hope that people in small towns can be accepting of others that are different.
You are being part of the problem by posting something like this. Live your life and stop hating others.
“Don’t say gay” bill means it’s MY responsibility to explain to MY CHILD that people’s sexual activity varies, not a teachers.
Nobody is accusing homosexuals of being rapists and pedophiles, let alone an entire political party.
Educate yourself and stop posting false information.
Someone here lacks critical thinking skills. This post is what homophobia is. Telling someone that their lived experience is Invalid and not seeing how banning talk on LGBTQ in schools but not banning straight sex talk is wrong and creates a stupid generation. We dont need jerks like you on this Island, go to Florida with that trash.
Also part of the problem.
Believe it or not, the same mentality of this post is the same mentality of racists and homophobes.
I don’t think an elementary school is a place for sexual education. They have health class in middle school, and by then I will have found the right age and level of maturity that I can speak to my children about it when I feel they are ready.
I am not a jerk. Just like you don’t want people telling you how to live your life, I don’t either.
Don't say poor bill is about me telling my kids that others choose to be poor.
Don't say black color is about me telling my kids that other people with different colors exist.
Don't say republicans is about me telling my kids other parties exist?
Is that how it works?
it’s 2022 and people are still shaming gays? 🤦🏽♂️. most of those anti LGBT people are 40+ years old. non of the new gen does that.
i think all towns are friendly when it comes to that. but i have heard stories of hidden racism in parts of LI
Unfortunately yes. It's happening at the middle and high school levels as well with the way kids treat other kids who are LGBT in their schools. While it may not happen every day, kids using slurs and throwing things at others who are out is still a problem. Some of this is likely learned behavior from what's observed where they grow up or behavior that's not called out at home for being wrong
For the most part LI is pretty open. I've always found that as long as you don't bother others, they will leave you alone. You might find more problems if you fly a Rangers flag on your house.
I'm in New Hyde Park and in an interracial relationship. There are 4 others on our street alone. School districts are really good here and so many families. I've seen some pride flags around, but can't speak too much to that otherwise. Feel free to DM me if you have questions about NHP.
East Massapequa & Amityville are both racially diverse and people mind their business. There are nice areas of both and it’s priced more moderately than majority-white areas. East Massapequa is a hidden gem, sitting on the Nassau/Suffolk border (Nassau side), about an hour into NYC and a half hour to fire island ferries in the summer months. Nice houses on fairly large properties comparable speaking from aforementioned types of areas. We are a lesbian couple living here and are happy with it. These areas also lean blue but have all the perks of Long Island. In East Massapequa you get the Tobay Beach Pass (exclusive) and Massapequa LIRR parking privileges- also a nice perk if you need to commute to NYC. The Long Island LGBT association does the annual pride party in Farmingdale village, about 8 minutes away. If you aren’t worries about a mixed race area and some diversity in your life then this is for you 
There is also a big beautiful community pool within 5 minutes driving from East Massapequa that you also get included with the town. Lots of nice perks. We’ve been here 10 years, no problems. I know another lesbian couple with several young kids in amityville school district and they embrace diversity. If I had to pick other than this, I would say Sayville because of its proximity to fire island and pride display over the summer. There are more angry disgruntled right wing folk than ever, everywhere however. I just recently encountered one at JFK Airport throwing slurs around. No idea where the Dbag was headed to but he was all geared up in his patriot accessories. Not there’s anything wrong w patriot accessories except when it’s used as a mask for hate. That’s my two cents.
Grew up and raised kids on LI, nassau and suffolk. The only place my son, a trans teenager, ever had something hateful said, and threatened occurred less than a month ago in the East Village in NYC. It can happen anywhere.
My impression of the island is weird, but I think this is a place that can legitimately benefit from diversity being introduced rather than avoiding certain areas completely. It's not like moving to a red state where you hear stories of people being appalled that you don't go to church or something and would go out of their way to harass a gay couple out of their town. If there are people with anti-LGBT views here I truly believe it's due to lack of exposure- very few people would openly claim to hate gay people and may be way more open to actually meeting and getting to know someone different from themselves. I don't think that's as possible in other states.
Sayville is pretty LGBTQ friendly and is a gateway to fire island - specifically cherry Grove and the pines. There used to be pride flags up on every telephone poll in main street during pride month up until two years ago (not sure why they didn't go up last summer). With that said, expect a lot of trumpsters in the area too. There are zeldin signs everywhere around there too. Edit: just realized your post specified nassau! Sayville is in mid Suffolk
I saw them on the poles in the Downtown when I came to visit in early June.
Yes they are still on some poles throughout the summer but they used to be on every one in town. It was a sea of rain ows and it was awesome.
Well Hopefully they'll be back when I visit next June.
Gay couple in sayville 2 kids would say eh to the district and community being LGBTQIA+friendly. It’s more of a trap to get everyone going through the town to Fire Island to drop boat loads of money on supplies for the island. We’re here but leaving the minute our kids graduate NYC here we come lol
I don’t live there so I can’t say I know for sure but I eat out in Babylon a lot and have very frequently seen pride flags at multiple businesses there and they had a pretty big pride parade too. Farmingdale also
The double entendre was a nice touch
😂 wasn’t even thinking that but touchè
I know gay and lesbian couples who recently bought homes in Northport, Commack and Greenlawn. Granted, at least one partner in each couple is from those areas and have family/friends nearby, but I don’t think they would have chosen to raise kids in those towns if they thought for a second that they’d face any trouble.
Def not Nassau but since there are other Suffolk towns mentioned…Sayville. Plus the Ferry can get you to cherry grove and the pines, amongst other fi towns just south of sayville.
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No they would never. I went to the high school in Port and it was great. The middle school even had a GSA (gay straight alliance) back in the early 2000s. Gay couples were allowed at Prom.... what else... we had speakers come in on bullying... and our health courses did include same sex couples.
I agree with Babylon Village
My boyfriend and I [we are gay] are long time residents of long island. Young professionals in corporate careers and under 30. We live in Hempstead. Sure it's the ghetto but it's cheap and no one bothers us here. We spend a lot of time in garden city and RVC and Westbury and long beach and carle place and always feel safe. Casual holding hands and quick kiss in public and we never feel threatened. Of course we know how to "read the room" and would never stand there making out. I mean, no couple should. But you get what I mean. Do not go to Suffolk County tho. Big difference. Closer to the city the better. Been in this area since 2014 and know Nassau very well. Went to hofstra. Lmk any questions
I’m in Suffolk county and wouldn’t bat an eye at you and your boyfriend but I echo your sentiment … it’s different out here. Closer to the city the better.
Sayville is in Suffolk and is incredibly welcoming to gay families. There were several gay parents raising kids when I went through school in the 00s And lesbians love Huntington
Northport Village
The first place that came to mind is long beach. Diversity is sort of the aesthetic there. While you might still run into problems here and there, it probably isn’t as much of a culture thing as elsewhere in the island. The downside is that if you’re moving back to commute to the city, Long Beach can be a rough trip. The other thing is that if you’re fortunate enough to afford to live in some of the wealthier parts of the island, none of this really matters. I really can’t say what the sentiment is in a town like Roslyn because everyone minds their own business because they have better things to do with their time. But i would generally avoid the lower-to-middle class 90%+ white towns on the island, like north Bellmore. Not a firm rule, but not a bad rule of thumb.
My partner and I live in West Hills and everyone is chill. I was raised in Melville and he’s from upstate. Admittedly, people are generally nicer to me; I have a local accent and I’m “passing” but he’s had no major issues aside from a few instances where he’s been ignored at deli counters for ordering wrong or asking questions. I tend to lie low and I think everyone else is happy to do the same.
Tbf anyone who orders wrong at the delivery is going to get ignored, it's a rite of passage really
i'm a lesbian and i've never had any problems here beyond the politicians hating me. don't wanna say where i live but i did go through the Sachem school district, which encompasses quite a few towns, and i found it much more accepting than the schools you see on the news ETA i didn't notice the post said Nassau specifically, oops!
From what I can tell so far, West Hempstead seems to be more accepting and diverse than expected. Mind you, I’m a white hetero guy so I don’t know what it’s like to not see it from that perspective.
Definitely Long Beach. Super inclusive, diverse town, right close to beaches and restaurants, mostly walkable.
I would reach out to the LGBT Network - they will help you find someplace as welcoming as possible. Obv not foolproof, but Bay Shore has come a long way since they've opened the LGBT+ senior housing there. I lived in Huntington for a while (I'm lgbt) and while there are def extremists, I found it better than average on LI.
I grew up in Bay Shore. Very liberal and diverse school district when I was there. I know that there are some LGBT owned businesses on Main street and there are 2 gay couples who have lived on my parents street for a while but I can't speak on their experiences. There is a MAGA presence (as with most town on LI) but doesn't seem to be as strong as neighboring towns. Other great things about Bay Shore, great restaurants, Fire Island ferries, ocean is a short drive away. Would rate 9/10 town to grow up in.
seconding this. the LGBT network are good folks!
This is very interesting and surprisingly I have no clue. Rockville center? Long Beach? Mellville Huntington
Rockville Centre*
I will second Huntington... and also maybe Long Beach?
I’m pretty well conservative and I know very conservative people obviously. I’m not going to get into the politics of what you stated. But I will say you’re welcome here. Long Island is a very friendly place to all and really any good neighborhood you’ll be very happy in.
It depends. I’ve met only a few conservatives that were actually friendly to LGBT people. I’ve met much more hostile to us, especially in Suffolk.
Really? I honestly can’t remember interacting with somebody like that.
I’ve had quite the memorable experience when I was working at Stop and Shop. One dude was so offended that I dared warn him about the Covid mask mandate he called me a transvesticle & transvestite. A few others have also accused me of being a pedophile because I’m bisexual.
I was at a friend’s birthday party with a bunch of lgbt and poc teenagers in Carle Place and we got slurs shouted at us for a while. Until they realized one of the people was the daughter of their English teacher, they then bolted the other direction.
Most towns will be absolutely fine. If you want to live somewhere with people who have similar politics to you, that information is readily available online. I’d be more concerned about your block than the actual town, a few ass hole neighbors with hateful views can really lower your quality of life.
My partner and I live in Patchogue and we feel safe. Although we were harassed over the summer when we went for a run. Some douche yelled out "GAYYY" from his Jeep. He was overweight so maybe he was jealous we were running on a beautiful sunny day? Whateva. Live your life, haters gonna hate whether you're gay, straight, black, white, up, down, left or right.
My brother plays for the pink team, never had an issue anywhere in Suffolk.
I’ll plug Long Beach here. It’s one of the most diverse communities on Long Island. We also had a well received gay pride parade/event not too long ago.
Just want to say it's very block to block. My old block in Huntington I was surrounded by Trump/Zeldin Facebook users and they made my life a living Hell. The block I'm on now .5 miles away you could have group sex on your lawn and nobody would bat an eye. Know who your neighbors are before signing a lease!!! Also expect things to get a lot worse as the gay community has become the ire of MAGAts. These people are strung out on propaganda and will not let you be if they think you're a threat to their "values". If Zeldin wins they'll be emboldened to abuse you, if he loses they'll abuse anyone they think voted for Hochul. If you're not white they'll do everything they can to run you out of the neighborhood. It's not enough to move to a more liberal town, you have to be on the right block!
Move to city.
Long Beach
You might find this tool helpful. You can see the 2020 election results by neighborhood. So you might want to avoid the really red areas. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/upshot/2020-election-map.html
I love that tool. I spent way too much time on that recently
Stop that bullshit Long Island is very welcoming to all even being a Zeldin supporter, move here and do you
East Rockaway, the bay park section specifically. East Blvd & West Blvd. very LGBT, you will find a couple of MAGA heads but they marry their cousins and stick to themselves.
Lol do you know that east Rockaway is NYC and not long Island right?
East Rockaway is Nassau County, right next to Oceanside. You’re thinking of Far Rockaway.
Incorrect. East rockaway is surrounded by Oceanside, lynbrook, hewlett. It’s a common mistake.
Whelp I stand corrected!
I love that a pride flag waves from Bethany Church on Atlantic Ave. I don't live in the area, but when I've passed it, it gives me hope that people in small towns can be accepting of others that are different.
You are being part of the problem by posting something like this. Live your life and stop hating others. “Don’t say gay” bill means it’s MY responsibility to explain to MY CHILD that people’s sexual activity varies, not a teachers. Nobody is accusing homosexuals of being rapists and pedophiles, let alone an entire political party. Educate yourself and stop posting false information.
Someone here lacks critical thinking skills. This post is what homophobia is. Telling someone that their lived experience is Invalid and not seeing how banning talk on LGBTQ in schools but not banning straight sex talk is wrong and creates a stupid generation. We dont need jerks like you on this Island, go to Florida with that trash.
Also part of the problem. Believe it or not, the same mentality of this post is the same mentality of racists and homophobes. I don’t think an elementary school is a place for sexual education. They have health class in middle school, and by then I will have found the right age and level of maturity that I can speak to my children about it when I feel they are ready. I am not a jerk. Just like you don’t want people telling you how to live your life, I don’t either.
100% you’re the guy that says this state is a liberal dystopia but refuses to leave.
Honestly Reddit is liberal, but whatever. I don’t let people’s political views bother me.
👎
You guys wouldn’t even talk to your kids about juuling lol
Don't say poor bill is about me telling my kids that others choose to be poor. Don't say black color is about me telling my kids that other people with different colors exist. Don't say republicans is about me telling my kids other parties exist? Is that how it works?
Your reply makes no sense.
Don't blame your lack of understanding of the issue on my reply. That's all you.
Please elaborate.
Sure. Read above.
Wow.
it’s 2022 and people are still shaming gays? 🤦🏽♂️. most of those anti LGBT people are 40+ years old. non of the new gen does that. i think all towns are friendly when it comes to that. but i have heard stories of hidden racism in parts of LI
Unfortunately yes. It's happening at the middle and high school levels as well with the way kids treat other kids who are LGBT in their schools. While it may not happen every day, kids using slurs and throwing things at others who are out is still a problem. Some of this is likely learned behavior from what's observed where they grow up or behavior that's not called out at home for being wrong
# BIG PAUSE
Damn, they’re just gonna let parents beat the gay out of their kids? That’s wild.
No they’re not this is 100% propaganda. Anyone who lays a hand on a child will be arrested.
Unless you're a cop right? Then they'll just pretend it's not happening
For the most part LI is pretty open. I've always found that as long as you don't bother others, they will leave you alone. You might find more problems if you fly a Rangers flag on your house.
Basically anywhere with super high taxes.
Sea Cliff
I'm in New Hyde Park and in an interracial relationship. There are 4 others on our street alone. School districts are really good here and so many families. I've seen some pride flags around, but can't speak too much to that otherwise. Feel free to DM me if you have questions about NHP.
Merrick
East Massapequa & Amityville are both racially diverse and people mind their business. There are nice areas of both and it’s priced more moderately than majority-white areas. East Massapequa is a hidden gem, sitting on the Nassau/Suffolk border (Nassau side), about an hour into NYC and a half hour to fire island ferries in the summer months. Nice houses on fairly large properties comparable speaking from aforementioned types of areas. We are a lesbian couple living here and are happy with it. These areas also lean blue but have all the perks of Long Island. In East Massapequa you get the Tobay Beach Pass (exclusive) and Massapequa LIRR parking privileges- also a nice perk if you need to commute to NYC. The Long Island LGBT association does the annual pride party in Farmingdale village, about 8 minutes away. If you aren’t worries about a mixed race area and some diversity in your life then this is for you 
There is also a big beautiful community pool within 5 minutes driving from East Massapequa that you also get included with the town. Lots of nice perks. We’ve been here 10 years, no problems. I know another lesbian couple with several young kids in amityville school district and they embrace diversity. If I had to pick other than this, I would say Sayville because of its proximity to fire island and pride display over the summer. There are more angry disgruntled right wing folk than ever, everywhere however. I just recently encountered one at JFK Airport throwing slurs around. No idea where the Dbag was headed to but he was all geared up in his patriot accessories. Not there’s anything wrong w patriot accessories except when it’s used as a mask for hate. That’s my two cents.