Susan's Place Transgender Resources

My spouse and I are applying to rent a house in a large nearby military housing complex. It is partially open to civilians and those who are working for DOD or the DLI (Defense Language Institute) It is a great deal and has super low crime because of the Presidio Police. Messing with these guys is a Federal offense. Many more military only houses are being built in the complex too.
Here is my worry. Being that we are now a same sex couple, is this community going to be hostile? The rental manager mentioned that he would try to find a house where we might do best. He didn't come out and say it that being lesbians was a problem but hints were dropped. He could be gay and really paid a lot of attention to me. Note though that he does not live there. I like the houses there but I worry that when the neighbors, who are mostly short term tenants, see us, we at least will face jeers or vandalism. I really doubt that there are any other lesbian couples there.
Does anyone have ideas about this?

Maggie

Hey, Maggie!

Like they say, "Be all you can be!!!"  :D ;D ;)

Anyway, I haven't a clue about housing in your area, I really hope it works out.  But I would say, be out and be proud.  If you act like you are hiding something, or are ashamed, people will pick up on that.

Let them wonder who you two are.  Besides, while you may be the first Lesbian couple there, but I kind of doubt you'd be the first same sex couple to share living space for convenience.  That is really more common than you might think.  Especially in these times.

And if someone asks, though I doubt it, tell them the truth and watch their heads explode!  >:-)

-Sandy

Um, living in the Presidio? A great deal?

Are you kidding? Grab it!

I'll be over to visit for a few months.

Maggie, i'm going to assume that you're speaking of DLI in Monterey, California.  If so, there's a FTM who has been transitioning as a civilian working on base.  He has not had any issues that I know of. 

Quote from: Mister on February 19, 2009, 02:45:51 PM
Maggie, i'm going to assume that you're speaking of DLI in Monterey, California.  If so, there's a FTM who has been transitioning as a civilian working on base.  He has not had any issues that I know of.

Yes, this is the area. Plus the Naval Postgraduate School and various DOD facilities that have barbed wire fences.  It is all part of the Presidio of Monterey.
From what I have gathered, this could be a really wonderful place for us. Being that we are female, it seems that while we won't be the center of social life, it is different than being two guys.

I am inclined to apply for it. Oh yes, there is a 5 day cruise for two to Baha Mexico thrown in as a bonus when signing the lease.

Maggie

Can I sign up? :)

Quote from: Maggie Kay on February 19, 2009, 02:53:35 PM
I am inclined to apply for it. Oh yes, there is a 5 day cruise for two to Baha Mexico thrown in as a bonus when signing the lease.

Maggie

*ahem*

WTF ARE YOU WAITING FOR? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Quote from: Sandy on February 19, 2009, 03:23:46 PM
*ahem*

WTF ARE YOU WAITING FOR? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Filling in the app right now!

Maggie

Quote from: Maggie Kay on February 19, 2009, 03:30:15 PM
Filling in the app right now!

Maggie

Go, girl, go!!!

Quote from: Renate on February 19, 2009, 12:52:32 PM
Um, living in the Presidio?

Quote from: Mister on February 19, 2009, 02:45:51 PM
Maggie, i'm going to assume that you're speaking of DLI in Monterey, California.

Oops, silly me. I was thinking of the Presidio in San Francisco.
I had heard that they had decomissioned it or something.

The military is not monolithic.

The closer a military member is to dirt (or saltwater) and bullet-launchers of various calibers, the more likely they will be rather fundamentalist in their worldview.  Especially if said military members are low in the hierarchy and LIKE being a basic rifleman or somesuch.

But the farther they get away from that, and the closer they get to high-tech jobs or things that require a large amount of 'G-2' (intelligence,) the more likely they are to being accepting - or, at least keeping their bigotry strictly to themselves.

Example:

I work on an Air Force base.  People don't generally join the Air Force because they want to sleep in 'fart-sacks', in the dirt night after night, practicing bounding overwatch on the way to the two-way rifle range.  The Air Force is pretty much a magnet for intelligent people who want to do something high tech.

There are the cops, though.  The kids patrolling the base for the most part are freaked out by me.  But those that have risen to positions of authority are, surprisingly, some of my staunchest allies.

Defense Language Institute by and large caters to the highly intelligent members of the military.  I feel you are likely to have less trouble there than in a tract home somewhere in Generica.

And, I envy you living in a gated community in Monterey!  ;) :D

Karen

I lived in Navy housing for a few years and never had any problems. Some knew I crossdress. It was a small area with navy and army folks. Mostly they just talk about each other since we were overseas and they had nothing in common except neighborhood gossip. I gave them alot to talk about. I would not worry about vandalism. DOD is responsible for security and they must reimburse you for damaged or stolen property. That's a fact. Been there, done that. Genevieve

My father in law is a senior officer in Naval Intelligence (SE Asian country) and we got on really well, he is unbelievably accepting of both myself and his Gay daughter. I've met the present and past Generals in charge in person, they were well scary. They even came to my wedding! :o

We are getting cold feet about this idea. Not for any reasons about my situation but that the deal is a bit strange. The private company that is running the operation not only is offering a cruise but also the first month free but few are taking the deal even though they are hundreds less than comparable rentals in the area. The rental agent showed us the list of available houses and it was large. He said they had been having a rush of people leaving and few are coming in.  I also found that on a military housing forum, this community has an internet service monopoly by Verzion and it is wireless. They say it is slow, goes down several times a day for 30 -45 minutes and costs $50 a month. The won't allow any other service provider like Comcast or AT&T.  I really need stable internet service for my business. 
That plus these houses are ranch style duplexes built in the 1960's and they are all beige and beyond ugly.  Oh, yes, the rental agent also said that these houses would be demolished to be replaced by new military only houses at some point. There is construction all around the area. I expect that in a year or so, we could have to move out maybe sooner if we lived there.
The bottom line is that something is amiss here in that place. Why would they loose thirty or more rentals all of a sudden when they used to have a waiting list? The military here is expanding like mad too so that doesn't explain it. 

We are now looking at a tiny bungalow in the forest. It costs less and it is so cute that it is almost a movie setting. OK, it will be tight but we can see us living there for a long time.

Maggie