We’ve identified communities where you will be safe and welcome and where your vote will be a game-changer at the ballot box.
California…Here We Come
Irvine
Irvine consistently ranks as one of the safest and healthiest cities in America, boasting a high quality of life with excellent schools, abundant parks, and a thriving job market. The city's master-planned design contributes to its clean streets and efficient infrastructure, enhancing daily living for residents. Furthermore, Irvine is recognized for its growing inclusivity, with resources and support systems available for the LGBTQ+ community, including designated city liaisons and local organizations like Radiant Health Centers and OC Pride.
Cool Fact: MenAlive, the Orange County Gay Men’s Chorus has opened four sold-out shows at the Hollywood Bowl for ABBA: The Concert. More than 100 men participate. Not to be outdone, the OC Sound Chorus in nearby Laguna Woods is a chorus of women, aged 20 to 80+.
Some Irvine Stats:
Suburb ● $$$ ● Schools: A ● Crime: B ● Community Health: Above Average
Santa Clarita
Santa Clarita offers a fantastic living experience, boasting beautiful master-planned communities, excellent schools, and an abundance of parks and recreational opportunities. Residents enjoy a high quality of life with a strong sense of community and a wide array of dining and entertainment options. It's also an increasingly welcoming place for the LGBTQ+ community, with a growing number of inclusive spaces and events. While Santa Clarita is developing its own local LGBTQ+ resources, the nearby city of Los Angeles provides extensive support, including the numerous services and community centers offered by the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
Cool Fact: Santa Clarita hosts the annual Out on the Mountain event at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia. This LGBTQ+ Pride celebration transforms the entire theme park into a private, inclusive party featuring thrill rides, live performances, and community camaraderie. The 2025 event is scheduled for August 22, continuing a tradition that began in 2008.
Some Santa Clarita Stats:
Suburb ● $$$$ ● Schools: A ● Crime: B ● Community Health: Above Average
Palm Springs
Palm Springs truly offers a unique and desirable living experience, blending a relaxed resort-style atmosphere with stunning desert landscapes and vibrant cultural amenities. Residents enjoy over 300 days of sunshine annually, providing ample opportunity for outdoor activities like hiking, golfing, and exploring the iconic mid-century modern architecture. For the LGBTQ+ community, Palm Springs is exceptionally welcoming, often considered a haven where inclusivity is not just tolerated, but celebrated and woven into the very fabric of the city, evidenced by its consistent perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index, which evaluates LGBTQ+ inclusive laws, policies, and services.
Cool Fact: Palm Springs was a discreet haven for LGBTQ+ Hollywood stars during the strict studio system era, allowing them a degree of freedom and privacy away from the prying eyes of the public and studio moral clauses. In fact, the architecture advanced this convention with many homes having high walls and private gardens. Cary Grant was a resident, as was Liberace during its gay heyday.
Some Palm Springs Stats:
Suburban ● $$$ ● Schools: B ● Crime: C ● Community Health: Average
Mountain House
Mountain House is a master-planned community primarily known for its newer, suburban feel and family-friendly environment, often attracting commuters to the Bay Area due to more affordable housing. It's characterized by its modern homes, numerous parks, and a generally quiet, residential atmosphere. The climate for LGBTQ+ people in Mountain House, while perhaps less overtly visible than in larger urban centers with established "gayborhoods," is generally considered welcoming in line with broader Californian social norms
Cool Fact: The Mountain House High School website notes that it “is proud to support our students who are members of the LGBTQ+ community. Our school is a safe and welcoming space for all.” The school website also lists an array of resources for LGBTQ community and the school is home to an active Pride Club.
Some Mountain House Stats:
Suburb ● $$$ ● Schools: A ● Crime: N/A ● Community Health: Average
Living in Corona, offers a blend of suburban convenience and access to wider Southern California attractions, with a family-oriented atmosphere and diverse communities. Residents benefit from numerous parks, a variety of shopping and dining options, and a relatively strong job market, though traffic congestion can be a significant daily challenge due to its commuter location. For LGBTQ+ people, Corona, while not a prominent LGBTQ+ hub, is generally considered accepting in line with California's broader progressive trends, with local resources and events in nearby cities like Riverside offering additional community support and visibility.
Cool Fact: During the 1970s and 80s, Corona was home to several underground LGBTQ+ artists, writers, and musicians who used local bars and coffee shops as secret meeting spots to express their identities and foster community. These small, off-the-radar venues helped spark what some historians call the “Lavender Renaissance” of Southern California’s Inland Empire — a grassroots cultural blossoming that celebrated queer identity through art, poetry, and music before mainstream acceptance.
Some Corona Stats:
Suburb ● $$$ ● Schools: A. ● Crime: C ● Community Health: Average
Corona
Cerritos
Living in Cerritos, offers a quintessential suburban experience, characterized by well-maintained neighborhoods, excellent schools within the highly-rated ABC Unified School District, and a strong emphasis on family life. The city boasts abundant amenities, including numerous parks, diverse dining options, and major shopping centers like the Los Cerritos Center and Cerritos Towne Center, making it a convenient place to live with many services close at hand. While Cerritos doesn't have a distinct "gayborhood," the LGBTQ+ community there is generally treated well, reflecting a diverse and accepting populace, with resources like LGBTQ+ programs at Cerritos College contributing to a supportive environment.
Cool Fact: Cerritos College has a full "OUTober" event series for LGBTQ+ History Month, which includes a wide range of activities from allyship workshops and social mixers to "Pride Scavenger Hunts" and specific events affirming LGBTQ+ identities during fall holidays.
Some Cerrito Stats:
Suburb ● $$$ ● Schools: A ● Crime: B ● Community Health: Above Average ● Walkable
