Is Nashville progressive?

i just moved to nashville from LA/NYC, and am a first-generation immigrant, married to another. My wife is visibly foreign (she's korean) while i'm a hispanic caucasian (i can go undercover until people hear my very hispanic name). She gets stares, though she's very pretty, so that might have more to do with it too. Less so next to Vanderbilt, more so outside of there and in the outer areas/cities (murfreesboro, franklin, etc).

People in Nashville in the hipster areas and near the universities seem very liberal and friendly, and that's ok with us. Being a first-timer in the south, I must say that all the people we've encountered are unfailingly polite and friendly. I can't speak directly to alternative lifestyles, but near Vanderbilt and the downtown area there is a strong LGBT community.

45 minutes outside of nashville, there are events that raise eyebrows but hey, there are nutters everywhere, including in LA and NY.

Tennessee and Nashville are low on the diversity ladder, but the immigrant population has been growing, accounting for 3/5ths of the population growth in recent years.

Having been here for less than a month, Nashville seems like a vibrant town with lots of young people doing lots of different things, and people really do love this city. we don't feel out of place here, and while i might miss afghani brunches, tamal dinners, or the 4 am last call you might get in NYC, there's some great restaurants and bars that wouldn't be out of place in venice beach or williamsburg.

my vote is for you to join us, and do your part in helping make nashville more diverse!

/r/nashville Thread