Coffee, Tea, or Queer…err Me?
Sacred Grounds (4819 E. Busch Blvd.) – Sacred Grounds is Tampa’s oldest independently owned as well as its most queer friendly coffee and tea shop. This cozy nook of an establishment features some of the best local musicians in the area as well as one of the most extensive coffee and tea menus I have ever seen. What self-respecting queer boi or grrl doesn’t love to indulge in a steamy cup of coffee/tea goodness? Even better, all of the beverages are named after mythological gods, and Sacred offers an almost all vegetarian menu chock full of high quality food products. Located in central Tampa near USF, it is a frequent stop for many college students and is open late nights all week in case you didn’t want to study at Starbucks like all the other hipsters. Hours run generally 6pm – 2am.
Activism/Feminism
Tampa Food Not Bombs (Located everywhere hungry people are) – Is activism your thing? It sure is for this little group is made up of only 2 or 3 dedicated members who wish to remain anonymous. Food Not Bombs and volunteers from around the Bay Area salvage perfectly good food before it goes to waste and consistently prepare vegan meals to distribute to anyone in the Tampa community. It is refreshing to know that the level of awareness in this group is extremely high. From time to time, Food not Bombs puts on workshops in order to educate locals about trans feminism, women’s groups and the proportionally high number of queers in the working groups. The burgeoning avant-garde of Tampa’s underground youth is well cultured, well-educated and prepared to integrate the contributions of the queer community into the coming utopia they are building. Check out their Facebook page and website to see where the next Food Not Bombs gathering will take place and then go out and participate!
Gayborhoods
GaYbor – Short for “Gay Ybor,” GaYbor, is Tampa’s largest gayborhood. GaYbor’s website has a list of businesses and establishments that are queer friendly. Many shops and restaurants in downtown Ybor have a little rainbow “GaYbor” sticker in the window to show that they are LGBT friendly and therefore awesome.
Although not officially known as a gayborhood, the Seminole Heights area is majorly queer friendly and many lesbians I know call this area home.
Tampa Supports You! (METRO Center, 1315 East 7th Ave.) – Yay for awesome LGBT Centers! The METRO Center of Tampa is located in Ybor City next door to one of the largest queer night clubs and just blocks from MC Film Fest. Upstairs there is a free internet cafe called The Cyber Center, a counseling center and HIV testing for all of you lovelies to take advantage of. A large ballroom is available upon request to rent out for events or classes. (Queer ball anyone?!) Community events include a transgender support group, youth group for teens, a young adult group for college age and early twenties, dance classes, photography, yoga, meditation, creative writing, queer theory and pretty much every support group your queer little heart could imagine. Their services are always free and you can stop by anytime. For a complete list of events you should check out their calendar which is located on their website.
MCC Tampa (408 E. Cayuga St.) Sunday 10:30 – Want a house of worship that caters to your awesome side? Founded in 1971 and the 3rd church to enter the Universal Fellowship of international ‘gay’ churches MCC Tampa is located in historic (and queer!) Seminole Heights area .The Reverend Phyllis Hunt is currently presiding as minister. Educated in Berkeley California, Hunt has a distinctly progressive tone. The sermons are lively. The music ranges everywhere from classical to contemporary often with a Latin flare. Reverend Hunt made a mark on the Tampa community in early 2000’s when she spearheaded a political campaign to further the gay rights movement. Reminiscent of the civil rights era, Hunt delivered several inspiring speeches often at the court house steps, at town hall meetings and from her own pulpit. She held debates and called vigils. The Tampa queer community owes her a debt of gratitude for her tireless efforts in leading the Tampa queer community.
MC Film Fest (Historic Ybor City, 1901 N 15th St.) – While you are in GaYbor, check out MC Film Fest which could basically be considered the queer visitor center of the Tampa area. Check out MC Film Fest and the friendly gay owners will furnish you with a map of all the family-friendly establishments within walking distance. At least five queer dance clubs and a restaurant or two will be on the tour. Although this little gem mainly caters to our gay brothers, ladies are always welcome to come in and pick out a new pair of designer underwear, naughty lingerie and funny inappropriate T-shirts. Like any gay store, they sell porn too, if you are interested.
Hair and Tats, Hair and Tats!
Paul Mitchell The School Tampa (14210 North Nebraska Ave.) – My (queer) best friend went here so I can tell you 100% certified that this place is awesomesauce. I would have to say that about 85% of the students are queer women and gay boys. Phase 2 Students are allowed to cut public hair and since it is a school and these peeps are learning, the price is super cheap [usually $10 for a cut.] It is safe to say that a large majority of the female students here have awesome alternative lifestyle haircuts given to them by a fellow student who can also give you an alternative lifestyle haircut for half the price of normal. Don’t be afraid by the fact that the stylists are students, each student is partnered with a mentor that he or she can ask for advice at any time. I bet you a dollar that you will be hitting on your cute queer stylist with purple hair the second you sit in her chair.
Tribeca Color Salon (920 West Kennedy Blvd.) – Tribeca is much more pricey than seeing a student at Paul Mitchell (many recent Paul Mitchell graduates start off with assistant jobs here), but their professionalism and atmosphere is worth the price. (Just ask my girlfriend who goes here] Once again, the queer stylists and clientele are abundant. They specialize in off-beat, modern, and alternative lifestyle haircuts. The salon is edgy and contemporary with a black and white industrial theme throughout. What more do you need to be comfortable at the salon?
Atomic Tattoos (Locations in Tampa, Brandon, Clearwater, and Saint Petersburg) – Atomic Tattoos is a local chain company that is spread throughout the Tampa Bay area. This place boasts an extremely clean facility, high quality tattoos and piercings, and friendly staff. I was super scared to get my tragus pierced at a tattoo shop for the first time and these peeps did a great job calming me down and shoving a needle through my ear.
Yay Theatre!
Straz Center – Straz Center is located right in the heart of downtown Tampa on Hillsborough River and is the place to go see all sorts of talented goodness. Straz Center hosts pretty much all of the big Broadway shows (Wicked is my favorite!), ballet companies, operas and symphonies in the area. You can purchase student rush tickets the day of show as well as seating in a “limited view” section, for a discounted price.
The Tampa community theatre circle is also extremely vibrant. Check out an awesome show put on by awesome locals or be awesome yourself and audition! Community theatre is particularly welcoming to queer folk.
Events!
Rock the Park Tampa (Curtis Hixon Park, 600 Ashley Drive) First Thursday of the Month 6-10pm Rain or Shine people! – Rock the Park is held on the first Thursday of every month and features a concert in the park complete with awesome local bands, food trucks, a vegan popsicle stand, free burritos from Chipotle, and, most especially, you. Although not a queer specific event, you can find the ladies and their dogs (and children) out at Rock the Park every Thursday of the year. We go in heat, we go in rain, and we especially like going in chilly weather. (Hey, it’s rare for Floridians!) Come out and lay your blanket down next to that cute hipster chick and strike up a conversation about how much you loved that song that that one band played that one time. You girls can thank me later.
Flicks and Food Trucks (1208 East Kennedy Blvd.) – Let me just begin to describe to you how much I love Flicks and Food trucks! This event is held outdoors every third Thursday of the month and basically around ten to fifteen food trucks gather to serve dinner to everyone while a local band plays and then a (usually local) indie film is shown to the public. People walk around and talk to their friends, talk to cute lesbian women and their dogs, and bring their lawn chairs to watch movies under the stars. All this goodness happening once a month!
Zendah Grotto (4402 West Ohio Ave.) – 8pm-12am Sundays – Although many often define partner dancing as a “straight” activity, there is absolutely no reason why girls can’t dance with girls, and at Zendah Grotto, it is not a rare sight to see two females dancing with each other. It is also awesome vintage music with lots of pinup styled ladies lindy hopping all night. Can’t dance? Don’t worry! Come from 7-8 and the lesson is included in the $7 cover you pay for the night. I dance, my best friend dances, a bunch of other lesbians I know swing dance, and I am finally attempting to teach my girlfriend too. Bring a date. Bring friends. Go solo. There is no reason why you shouldn’t make it out too.
If you really wanna be up-to-the-minute about what is going on locally in Tampa you should check out the “Events in Downtown Tampa” Facebook page because it is literally updated every other day with different funsies.
Saint Pete Pride
Saint Pete Pride is a HUGE deal in the bay area! The festivities last practically a week long and start on Tuesday or Wednesday with a different event every night leading up to pride on Saturday which is located in downtown Saint Petersburg (about 20 minutes away from Tampa but still in “The Tampa Bay Area”). There is a pre-party for the parade participants at Georgie’s Alibi ; the parade usually starts at 10 and runs until 12. A good 12 blocks of main roads in downtown St. Pete are blocked off specifically for pride and are filled with thousands of LGBT people, food and booths. At the end of the parade route there is a stage where a different performer goes on many times throughout the day. People are usually pretty drained/dehydrated by 3pm (it is hot as living hell in Florida in the summer!) and most start to leave the parade/street fair area around then, go home and sleep/fuck their newfound friends, and then get all dressed up and go out to party by 6ish. All the gay and lesbian bars/clubs are hopping the entire day and various drag shows and themed parties (hello glow party at Honeypot last year!) keep you going all night. Newspapers, local news, and internet blogs, as well as thousands of people have made St. Pete pride well known in the area. Definitely a tremendous celebration for the LGBT set and friends.
So You Like The Beach?
Sunset Beach, also known as “The Gay Beach” (Treasure Island) – Queers in Tampa just don’t “go to the beach.” They go to their beach. Yes, autostraddlers, Tampa has its very own gay beach. Okay okay, the real name is Sunset Beach, but it is lovingly known by the Bay Area LGBT community as “the gay beach.” Even Foursquare says so! From time to time I see a gay boy couple, but this beach is usually populated with the queer bois and gurrls of the area. Come out on Sundays and you will see clusters of ladies sipping beer on the beach (Yes! You’re allowed to have alcohol on the beach!), two mothers splashing in the water with their kids, and a whole lot of queers surfing. Yes, girls with surfboards while you sip a beer from the beach. Need I say more?
Safety
Anywhere on Nebraska Avenue I really wouldn’t recommend taking an evening stroll as people usually lock their cars when driving around this area and many shop windows are accessorized by lovely burglar bars. As for queer safety in particular, I don’t have any anecdotal evidence of anti-queer violence in the area.
Cost of Living
If you want a location in downtown Tampa in a new apartment complex, you’re looking at around $1,500 a month. Other places it is $500 a month with water included. It all depends on what your circumstance is, if you want roommates, or what part of town you feel like living in. There are plenty of bank owned houses, so getting a house for less than half the price it is worth usually isn’t an issue.
Laws/Regulations Affecting Queers
Sorry ladies, but marriage or civil unions are not legal, or even recognized, in the state of Florida…. yet. On the other hand, in 2010 Florida overturned its ban on gay adoption so now LGBT people can *gasp* legally parent/foster children.
