The April issue of D magazine includes this piece by Trey Garrison about the fact that Dallas’ traditional gay neighborhood is becoming more and more straight. But the president of a company that’s marketing a new development on Cedar Springs Road is taking issue with the article — and not just because Garrison is about five years late.
Ryan Baldwin, president of Trigon Management, said Garrison’s story unfairly implies that ilume, the development at the site of the old Tom Thumb store, is responsible for making the area less gay.
“It is so counterproductive to the efforts of the neighborhood, our community and ilume!” Baldwin said of the article in an e-mail. “You would think that it is obvious that we are not trying to ‘straighten up’ the neighborhood considering the designer is openly gay and my other half and I (both obviously gay) are doing the management and leasing. I swear sometimes the straight world just doesn’t get it.”
But isn’t that what our ultimate goal is as gay people, or any oppressed minority for that matter? Being able to coexist without any prejudices, alongside all people – gay, straight, black, white, etc, etc? I mean, I completely understand that we as a community want to maintain our identity, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that we have to take physical ownership of an entire geographic sector.
I totally agree Mod E that this area should be all inclusive. We would be hypocrites if we tried to keep other groups of people out of Cedar Springs.. But I do believe that we should try to preserve the “gayness” of this area. If you were to walk just a few blocks over, you’ll find yourself in a predominantly hispanic community. The businesses obviously cater to that community but that doesn’t mean that I don’t eat, party, and shop there and that my money or presence is not welcome in that neighborhood.
ilume — which I personally consider an outstanding development — is an effect, not a cause of, the growing acceptance between gays and straights that’s (thankfully and overdue, IMO) taking place in Cedar Springs and elsewhere.
I’m sorry if Mr. Baldwin got the wrong message from my column. ilume has been exceptionally sensitive to the area and to gay issues. The observation that the area is evolving, as have relations between gays and straights, came from one of the leading gay business owners.
i think Mod E just wants another damn ultra lounge so he can douche it up and have Sunday brunches with the heir to the Massengil fortune
Where will you see a nice mixture of gay and straights having a great time together?
Answer ………..Cedar Springs.
Where will you NEVER see an article on the gay rights movement of Dallas?
Answer………..D Magazine.
Which publication is run by a George W Bush cheerleading squad?
Answer……….D Magazine.
Which publication supported Bible Girl in her quest to promote the pray the gay away theory?
Answer ………D Magazine.
Which local publication is living in Highland Park circa 1965?
Answer………D Magazine.
Remember this, the next time you are checking out at the grocery store and see a photo of George W. Bush on the cover of D Magazine.
Jack, I don’t think that’s true.
All the way back to 1983 (cached, because the upgrade killed a lot of old, direct links…
https://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:5AQ9UMZtd7AJ:www.dmagazine.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp%3Fsid%3D5C1933F1D01C4247A724BAB13C6E670B%26nm%3Dtest%26type%3DMultiPublishing%26mod%3DPublishingTitles%26mid%3D7155F7796F354F21B1183937D847D6DF%26AudId%3D29CB3DCAC7E94A08B642EC371FE6E70B%26tier%3D4%26id%3DF4F2801E9E0F45FC831C10836A2DF1C1+%22Before+1980,+motions+for+gay+rights+were+inevitably+ground+down+in+the+backroom+obscurity%22&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
Or peruse this:
https://www.google.com/search?q=%22gay+rights%22+site%3Admagazine.com&btnG=Search&hl=en&sa=2
I think the only thing Kia is miffed about is that there isn’t going to be a Posts Apt in the new development. I guess she won’t be laying out by this pool…
As far as you other two ladies, Jack & Trey, if you spent far less being offended by one another, you would probably realize that your perspectives aren’t as different as you want them to be.
Not sure where you got the impression that there’s any enmity between Jack and me.
Touche Mod E, Touche
(to Tanya Tucker’s Delta Dawn) Dallas Douche what’s that speedo you have on? Could it be a fashion relic from days gone by? and did i hear you say, you was layin out at Post today?
She’s 25 but she looks more like she’s 40, all the folks around Uptown think she’s douchey, cuz she walks downtown with a Neiman Marcus bag, lookin for a mysterious pretentious man. in her younger days the called her Dallas Douche, most vinergariest woman you’d ever laid eyes on.
I think there’s a good group of gay people who would like to move back to Cedar Springs but all they see are run-down apartments or overpriced condos. Ilume is the perfect development for people who can afford $1,000/mo+ rent and miss the good ol’ days of the strip.
Of course there will be straight people who move into Ilume, but these people know exactly what kind of street they’ll be moving to. Imagine the look on some Prop 8 supporter if they woke up, looked out the window and saw a gay pride parade!
I’m excited about this project, the way it extends the strip, adding new life (gay AND straight) and new businesses to Cedar Springs. Now if we could only see some progress on that squatter haven across the street.
JE, how many people do you think who work and party in cedar springs can even afford 1000 a month for rent? Let’s be realistic, the new cedar springs is catering to the uppity gays and trendy straights not the people who spend their pay check there at the bars. Oh by the way, I happen to live in one of those “run-down” apartments.
OUCH! this is why i live in the OC people! we are more laid back and less bitchy, ya hear me?! Oak Cliff 4 life
Kia, you may fly South to the OC for Winter, but if the sun is out, you can bet she will be laying out at the POST APTS, or out on the prowl on McKinney Ave…I mean, you can add some lavender scent, but a douche is still a douche, right?
Tisha, I meant no offense. I used to live in a dump by the bars when I moved to Dallas a few years ago. While I make more money now, I still can’t afford to live in ilume without a roommate, but I know a lot of people who could afford it.
Have you been to Cyclone Anaya’s on a Friday? It’s packed full of gays who spend lots of money on overpriced margaritas and so-so food. If the new Dish restaurant offers good drinks and good people watching, I bet you it’ll steal the crowd from Cyclone. And when they leave, they will be walking to the bars down the street (if they’re not doing that already…the D Magazine article says alcohol sales are up on the strip).
Moddie, i think you have me confused for Massengil while I’m clearly more of a Summer’s Eve
Pop off Mary!
I will tell you that Trey Garrison is the coolest guy at D Magazine when it comes to gay rights issues. We agree on far more than we disagree on.
Dallas is a great city with very unique individuals and I have never felt that publications such as D and DMN celebrate our diversity as much as they try to hide it under a Bush……
Many at D Magazine choose to laugh at those who are different, while I choose to laugh at those that are the same. So D and I a have a great time laughing at each other and sometimes with each other.
But as far as Trey and myself being ladies…..well, I think the obvious enormous package that we both carry around day to day basis would dispute any sort of lady bits.
You can guarantee that Kia can be found at a table on the patio of Cyclone Anaya’s most any night of the week, before she allegedly flocks to the OC.
I would like to add since a statement I a made spawned this string. We as a community must embrace and foster diversity. Afterall that has been and hopefully will always be one of the enduring things about our community and the Cedar Springs neighborhood. We are extremely excited that ilume is attracting such a great group of people and offer a housing option that isn’t as readily available in the neighborhood today. Regardless of who lives at ilume, it is going to be a great place that adds to the neighborhood and it is not a place that anyone should be scared of to be part of the neighborhood. It isn’t going to steal business from the bars and restaurants but add new people to the mix who may not have spent time and money in the neighborhood.
Last week I attended the Gay Bingo event and what made the event so much fun was this great diverse mixture of gays and straights.
However, those Jeebus freaks that come out to “witness” “convert” “preach” and then when no one else is looking pick up a trick…….we don’t really need those creeps. They should stick to their bathroom stalls with Larry Craig.
I was wondering, do any gay people work at D Magazine? Any at all?
For that matter, do any non-white people work there? Any at all?
It seems like D Magazine employs nothing but straight white men, and the occasional white woman.
Am I wrong?
Dude…they just laid off a bunch of people. Not much of anyone works there now.
My Dear Tingle.
I have asked those very questions multiple times.
I think the answers are ..
NO
NO
Yes, but only young and beautiful women plus one fag hag.
Troll Doll
Yes, the laid off people and at the very same time brought on new people.
I have found that in many cases, no comment is A comment in itself.
Jack,
You are right.
No comment is a comment in itself.
If there were any gay, black, or latino people working at D they would have commented by now to declare their existence.
So I guess D Magazine really is ALL WHITE, literally.