# Why should I want to live in Virginia? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 24, 2006, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864 "2006-02-24T00:08:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864/21 "2006-02-25T08:23:49Z")
I loved the time that I spent with friends in Virginia. It was great to be close to both the sea and the mountains. Lots of places of historical interest. The state highways aren’t as cluttered with billboards as some states. If you decide that you want to vacation in Florida, you can drive to northern Virginia and take your car with you on the train that goes to Sanford, Florida – close to Orlando. Being within an easy drive to D.C. is cool too. I’ve heard recently that Richmond does have a problem with the crime rate. That surprises me. It’s a lovely city. I also liked the Fan District very much. No major earthquake faults AFAIK. It’s not considered part of Tornado Alley. And Richmond is far enough inland that major hurrican damge isn’t likely. Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Mountains are worth the time. If you hurry maybe you can still see the Shenandoah Valley. Don’t be put off by the fact that it’s in the South. Every city has its liberal crowd and its gay communities. I don’t think that would be an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864/22 "2006-02-26T06:13:53Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > Don’t be put off by the fact that it’s in the South. Every city has its liberal crowd and its gay communities. I don’t think that would be an issue. I don’t think it’s likely he’d be bashed, but if he moves to the Commonwealth it is without doubt that he will be legally discrinimated against vastly more than if he lived in Maryland. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Fritz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Fritz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fritz)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864/23 "2006-02-26T15:22:33Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > I was going to recommend Charlottesville myself over Richmond and Northern Virginia. > > Hybrid atmosphere between small college town and historical area. > > Sailboat Another vote for C’Ville here. It’s a great place to live, and as pointed out previously, only an hour away from Richmond. > [@Triskadecamus](#): > > One minor point, Jerry Falwell, and Fleets Enemas are from Lynchburg, Virginia, not Richmond .C’Ville is also only an hour away from Lynchburg as well. ---
**Author:** ![bradministrator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a698b9/32.png) [@bradministrator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bradministrator)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864/24 "2006-02-26T16:26:47Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > Well, if you want to learn how to squeal like a pig, you could move to West Virginia… > > But only if you got a purdy mouth. That was Georgia. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864/25 "2006-02-26T16:38:17Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > What’s it like to live near the coast? like the Norfolk area? I also wonder about the Delmarva peninsula- it seems a pretty quiet place…watching the peanuts grow. What are the taxes like? If you are gay, the Norfolk/Hampton Roads area is one to stay away from. I lived there for 12 years, and two of my gay co-workers were murdered during that time. Their sexual orientation was believed to be at least part of the reason why they were killed (one of them and his partner were shot in the head while sitting in their car, and AFAIK their murderer was never caught. The other one was taken to a field in NC just over the VA state line and shot in the face with a shotgun). As for Delmarva, it is progessively becoming more and more populated but it is not an easy area to get around due to its geography. There are also areas where the poverty is simply mind-boggling. House without indoor plumbing, for instance. Neither area is a particularly good one for jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864/26 "2006-02-26T16:51:43Z")
Virginia is green and pretty, with that rolling hills horsey look in much of it. As mentioned, the Blue Ridge area is beautiful. Historically, you have all that Civil War battleground stuff to explore. Downside is taxes, heat, humidity and the occasional hurricane threat. I enjoyed it, but was very close to WDC, so had lots to keep me occupied. ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864/27 "2006-02-27T22:23:19Z")
Thanks much to everyone who’s had something to say so far. This really helps. From what I see here and what I hear from others, I’m getting pretty much the same vibe as **jellyblue** : Lovely place in general, lots to recommend it, but probably not a great place for _me, personally,_ to live. If I could commit to living relatively far away (other side of the border) and paying a lot for housing, I would probably be happier. Virginia dopers, have I assessed the input fairly? If this all comes to pass, I don’t know if I’d be going there with cwPartner or not (another story for another time). Being single again would make the legal atmosphere less burdensome personally, but it doesn’t make it any less obnoxious. I did look into employment opportunities in Viriginia proper, and I note with some surprise that one very large employer (with outlets all over the country) has a solid nondiscrimination policy and domestic partner benefits. I wonder how long DP benefits will hold up, given the legal atmosphere in the state? ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864/28 "2006-02-28T16:37:23Z")
What about the District of Columbia itself? Prcey as heck, but definitely more gay-friendly. Sailboat ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2006, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864/29 "2006-02-28T16:38:34Z")
It’s pricey there too. Sailboat ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864/30 "2006-02-28T16:46:31Z")
[hijack]Speaking of Jews and Richmond (and how often does a thread come along that does?), is the restaurant ‘O’Brienstein’s’ still in business? (When I lived in C’ville 20+ years ago we used to go there when in Richmond- it’s logo was a leprechaun with his arm around a rabbi, and their specialty was bagels with Mulligan stew).[/hijack] I have to say that I’ve several gay friends/acquaintances who have lived in both Virginia and (Georgia or Alabama) and say that of them all, Virginia was by far the least gay friendly. In two instances it had to do with an adoption that went wrong due to gay adoptive parents. OTOH, it’s not uncommon for towns of 20,000 (Fredericksburg comes to mind) to have two gay bars. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2006, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864/31 "2006-02-28T18:39:12Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > I don’t think it’s likely he’d be bashed, but if he moves to the Commonwealth it is without doubt that he will be legally discrinimated against vastly more than if he lived in Maryland. Of course, Maryland has a law banning same sex marriage too (which is being challenged in the courts. Check out Dean and Polyak v. Conway) ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864/32 "2006-02-28T18:53:46Z")
> [@cwthree](#): > > I did look into employment opportunities in Viriginia proper, and I note with some surprise that one very large employer (with outlets all over the country) has a solid nondiscrimination policy and domestic partner benefits. I wonder how long DP benefits will hold up, given the legal atmosphere in the state? Here’s the thing about Virginia. Virginia goes its own way. Virginians also don’t like being told what to do by the government (see also, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington). They believe they have the right, nay the moral obligation to be rugged individualists. Most people just want to leave you be and vice versa. I’m sure most major corporations offer DP benefits. I know some of the State Universities do (definitely William & Mary, probably UVA) . How DO they do that? Simple, they fund it out of money they don’t get from the state. And that’s a perfect example of how Virginians think. IF they want to do something, they will, using whatever legal means are available. “Thus Always to Tyrants” dontcha know. (check out the flag of Virginia if that phrase doesn’t hold meaning for you). I ain’t from “round here” (Brooklynite Yankee) and I’m Jewish. I went to W&M for undergrad and now I live in a rural part of the state. I really like it here. Its a cool place to live. I think you should visit and check things out a little more before you decide if its for you or not. I’d say Charlottesville or Richmond. Sperryville is pretty cool if you have aspirations to be a “business hippie.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2006, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864/33 "2006-02-28T20:51:52Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > Of course, Maryland has a law banning same sex marriage too (which is being challenged in the courts. Check out Dean and Polyak v. Conway) True, but we don’t have a constitutional provision making all domestic partnerships illegal, even those freely contracted, like the Commonwealth will as of the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864/34 "2006-02-28T22:44:20Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > True, but we don’t have a constitutional provision making all domestic partnerships illegal, even those freely contracted, like the Commonwealth will as of the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. > > –Cliffy Assuming the amendment passes. It probably will, but it hasn’t yet. And the amendment will just prevent state recognition of such partnerships. If a private company wants to offer partner benefits, for example, it will still be able to. The amendment is bad, no question, and needs to be defeated, but it’s not as bad as you seem to make it out to be…it doesn’t prohibit anything not already prohibited by VA law. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-should-i-want-to-live-in-virginia/345864.md?page=1)