Queer Girl City Guide: Pensacola, FL

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I’ve lived in Pensacola for seventeen years, although there was a big gap between the first 10 and the latest 7. As an out lesbian in high school, I hated everything about Pensacola and left for Atlanta after my junior year. But the beach and my family called me home, and I’ve been back here since 2006. I run lesbianpensacola.com, am a workout fanatic and spend most of my free time playing outside.

I love Pensacola’s natural beauty — there’s water everywhere — and the progressiveness of the everyday gay scene has come a long way in recent years. Florida was a anti-gay-marriage state, and Pensacola is part of the conservative panhandle. We’re the home of the court decision that inspired the documentary Unfit: Ward vs. Ward, in which a judge granted custody to a murderer rather than a lesbian. That said, we’ve hosted a massive annual gay Memorial Day celebration for many years.

Pensacola is a complicated place for queers. While we play host to tens of thousands (some say more) of LGBT tourists on Memorial Day weekend, that weekend is not representative of everyday life. There’re many queers in prominent careers in Pensacola, and a visibility of out LGBTQ people has increased in the last few years. The community here is fairly close-knit, and many friendships span a decade or more.

Drink, Drank, Drunk

The Cabaret (101 S. Jefferson Street), Emerald City/The Otherside (406 E. Wright Street), and The Roundup (560 E. Heinberg Street) are Pensacola’s gay bars. The Roundup is mostly men and the others are mixed. Florida laws still allow smoking in bars, so expect a lung-full of cigarettes if you go to a bar here. The Cabaret is my favorite of the gay bars. Emerald City, which is club-like, dark, and usually loud, is the place to dance. The Otherside is literally the other side of Emerald City, and is more of a traditional bar. The Otherside often hosts Drag Queen Bingo on Fridays. Seville Quarter is the traditional drinking sector of downtown Pensacola, and lately the younger queer crowd seems to have made a place for themselves among the usual Seville partiers. Most women I know meet potential dates through friends, not at bars. The dating scene can feel a little incestuous at times, but it can be nice to get a full background workup on your newest love interest.

Cabaret

The Cabaret

The Beach!

FortPickensNatureTrail

Fort Pickens Nature Trail

The beach is Pensacola’s trump card. The sands are as white as sugar and the Gulf of Mexico stays warm almost all year. Pensacola Beach isn’t actually within the city of Pensacola, but we still consider it ours. Fort Pickens is an 1800s military installation within the National Seashore, and it’s a huge draw for tourists and locals. Within the National Seashore, there are incredible nature trails, campgrounds and pristine beaches. The actual fort is an amazing piece of history, and the beach around the fort is gorgeous.

PensacolaBeach

No matter what part of Pensacola Beach you choose to visit, you’ll find unique beauty and wildlife. Obviously, the undeveloped parts are more natural, but none of Pensacola Beach is as overrun with development as many other beach towns. There’s a public boardwalk with several shops, restaurants and bars almost immediately after you cross the bridge to the beach, as well as ample public beachfront with quick access to food and drinks. When you visit, pack your sunscreen and get ready for a full day of bikini-clad fun.

Get Educated

The University of West Florida is the main four-year university in Pensacola. Its campus boasts a gorgeous nature trail and miles of mountain biking trails. Pensacola State College, formerly Pensacola Junior College, has several campuses and tons of degree and technical programs. Pensacola Christian College is a four-year university for people who think women should wear long skirts and go on chaperoned dates. PCC is definitely not a queer-friendly place.

Boys and Their Sticks

MaritimePark

Maritime Park

Pensacola recently got the Blue Wahoos, a minor league baseball team that plays in the most beautiful baseball stadium you’ll ever see. The newly constructed Maritime Park (301 W. Main Street) is their home field, and it overlooks Pensacola Bay and downtown. People from all walks of life are Wahoos fans, but I’ve never been to a game without seeing at least a dozen other lesbians. Even if you don’t like baseball, the stadium is a fun place to catch a sunset and people-watch, and tickets are fairly cheap.

The Pensacola Ice Flyers is the latest hockey team to play at the Civic Center (201 East Gregory Street). If men skating around, whacking pucks and getting in fights turns you on, an Ice Flyers game will feel like home. I’ve heard of some not-so-friendly locals hassling queers in the past at Ice Flyers games, but I also know several happy lesbians who enjoy the games every season.

Baked, Fried, on the Side

DowntownPensacola

Palafox Street

Downtown Pensacola is home to tons of good restaurants. If you stay in downtown proper — mainly Palafox Street and surrounding areas — you’ll find something tasty. The downtown area has become more energized lately, and the thriving restaurant culture is evident by the multitude of eateries almost on top of each other. Pensacola Beach has lots of food choices, too, and almost all of them have a flip-flop-friendly atmosphere.

CactusFlower

Cactus Flower Cafe (3425 N. 12th Avenue) My favorite restaurant in Pensacola is on 12th Avenue in historic East Hill (the gayborhood). Cactus Flower is women-owned, and has delicious, upscale Mexican food that can be made vegetarian, vegan or unrestricted. New locations have popped up recently, but the mothership on 12th Avenue is my sentimental favorite.

Ozone Pizza (1010 N. 12th Avenue, Suite 111) Ozone hosts Ladies’ Night every Thursday evening. You can score an inexpensive personal pizza and drink specials just for being female. Pizzas can be made conventionally or can accommodate vegetarians and vegans. Asked to be seated in the “board room,” named after the surfboards on the wall, if you want a quieter experience.

EvermanCoop

Ever’man Natural Foods (315 W. Garden Street) Ever’man Natural Foods is Pensacola’s health-centered co-op. It’s currently under renovation to become bigger and better, but is still open for business as usual. In addition to supplements, groceries and household products, Ever’man has a mostly organic deli and juice bar inside the store. Deli hours are much shorter than store hours, but in general, if it’s lunchtime Monday-Saturday, the deli is open. Prepared food is also available from deli coolers during regular store hours.

World of Beer (200 S. Palafox Street) If you’re walking around downtown and want a bar with plenty of outdoor seating and a huge beer selection, check out World of Beer. It’s a chain with a local vibe. The drinks are pricey, but you won’t be fit to drive for a while after just one glass of Delirium Tremens.

JoePatti

Joe Patti’s Seafood (524 South B Street) Joe Patti’s is an iconic Pensacola business. You will know it from the road by the giant neon shrimp sign and huge American flag. It’s a working wholesale seafood warehouse, and a hugely popular place to buy freshly caught fish, shrimp, crabs and everything else edible from the ocean. There’s also a wine store, sushi counter and deli in the building. When you walk in, expect huge crowds no matter what time you’re there. Frank Patti himself is often calling service numbers and cutting tuna for sushi. If you don’t have a clue how to prepare seafood, you can request that your shrimp be steamed to your spice preference. Although the atmosphere is not at all romantic or peaceful, Joe Patti’s sushi counter has the best and cheapest sushi in town, and you can order it to go.

Peg Leg Pete’s (1010 Fort Pickens Road) Beer and seafood on the beach can be found at Peg Leg Pete’s. The grouper nuggets are delicious, and the beer is always cold. Peg Leg Pete’s is the last restaurant before the National Seashore.

Paradise Bar and Grill (21 Via de Luna) Paradise Bar and Grill usually draws a mixed crowd, but a lot of local lesbians swear by Paradise for a good time. Like Peg Leg’s, it’s not actually in the city of Pensacola, but we locals throw Pensacola and Pensacola Beach together all the time.

Sluggo’s Vegetarian Restaurant (101 S. Jefferson St. Suite A) Sluggo’s is a great vegan/vegetarian restaurant, full bar, and music venue. The bar still offers friendship tabs and has indoor and outdoor seating available.

End of the Line (610 E. Wright St.) End of the Line is an awesome vegan restaurant and coffee shop. Sunday brunch offers heaping plates of creative food, and daily specials compliment a fantastic menu.

Health

While I don’t know of any LGBTQ-specific health services, Pensacola’s neighboring city, Gulf Breeze, is home to the Andrews Institute. The Andrews Institute is one of the most respected sports medicine facilities in the nation, and in addition to patching up famous athletes, they fix up the rest of us weekend warriors, too. Bonus: they’re at the foot of the bridge on the way to Pensacola Beach.

All in the Family

PFLAG has an active chapter in town and they meet every third Monday of the month at 6 pm at Ever’man Natural Foods co-op. Pensacola’s Metropolitan Community Church has traditionally offered a safe place for LGBTQ people to worship.

Want to tie the knot (although not legally) while vacationing at the beach? Legacy Event Design can help plan your wedding. Get in touch with them at (850) 332-7505.

The Gayborhood

East Hill is Pensacola’s gayborhood. By no means is it completely queer, but it’s the closest thing we have to cluster living. The parks are beautiful, the neighborhood borders lovely (but polluted) Bayou Texar and same-sex couples abound.

BayviewPark

East Hill is a mostly historic neighborhood with fantastic parks, most notably Bayview Park. Bayview has public tennis courts, paved walking paths, multiple boat launches, picnic facilities, and a fenced-in dog beach. There’s also a playground for the little ones, a senior center, and a community center onsite. Bayview is Pensacola’s Central Park.

Faux Hawks and Tats

Hula Moon is the most hyped tattoo parlor in town. They’ve inked colorful designs on tons of satisfied customers throughout the years.

Hair-wise, most lesbians in Pensacola go to whatever salon fits their budget and career needs.

Putting on a Show

SaengerTheater

The Saenger Theater (118 S Palafox Place) hosts pretty good concerts and shows and is the home of the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra. Most shows at the Saenger are a good opportunity to meet well-dressed women.

Vinyl Music Hall (5 E. Garden St) is a cool, small venue in the heart of downtown Pensacola. Events are almost exclusively standing-room-only, with various age restrictions depending on the show. Vinyl’s prime location makes it easy to grab dinner, drinks and watch a show within the same city block.

BlueAngels

Pensacola is a military town. We’re home to the Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy’s flight demonstration team. If you’re interested in military history, the Naval Aviation Museum is an awesome place to connect with top-notch exhibits. The museum is located at Naval Air Station Pensacola. If military museums aren’t your thing, at least try to catch a Blue Angels air show or live practice. The pilots are famous, talented and iconic to Pensacola.

Memorial Day Weekend

The event — the one a lot of local queers look forward to all year — is Memorial Day Weekend. If you haven’t been down here for it, make your plans now. You’ll learn what it’s like to live in a gay party city, if only for three days.

There’s a downtown Pride event that gets bigger every year, but it’s nothing like Memorial Day Weekend. Pride usually draws protestors, and while Memorial Day Weekend does, too, the sheer number of LGBT people easily overtakes the negativity. Businesses, the “graffiti bridge” (a train trestle over 17th Avenue on the way to the beach), and the beach get covered in rainbow flags. Guest rooms sell out everywhere, and bridges become rainbow parking lots. If huge crowds of queer people on the beach make you happy, Pensacola should be at the top of your list.

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Vic

Vic has written 1 article for us.

35 Comments

  1. Hi Vic!

    Thanks for posting this. I lived there in the late 1980s and remember it being a pretty oppressive “family values” kind of place. I remember signs saying “Discount for Christians” in store windows.

    Sounds like things have gotten a lot better!

    Deb

  2. I have lived in Pensacola for about 5 years now, and I have to admit I do not feel entirely safe when out and about with my partner. It is a fun place to vacation, and our pride festival is great, but I pretty much expect to be literally yelled at by someone with a bible on the street corner on a weekly basis. Glad you covered some rad places like Ozones, but you forgot Sluggo’s!

  3. I wish I’d known about Memorial Day Weekend in Pensacola when I lived in Panama City! I would’ve gone every year.

  4. Shouldn’t there be a warning somewhere in this post about all of the extremely homophobic street preachers that swarm downtown on the weekends?

  5. Just to make a comment on the Bible people in Pensacola–
    not only is it home to Pensacola Christian College, which happens to be the place where all my siblings went to school–I know, I know, I come from a super progressive family–
    It is also home to the Pensacola Bible Institute. Now PBI is a much smaller school than even PCC, but what they lack in size they more than make up for in vehemence.

    They are run by a sexist, racist, homophobic man named Peter Ruckman. He is so conservative that he considers the crowd at PCC to be liberal. Yes, that is correct. Any young man who is in Bible school down there, or heck, any old man who decided he wanted to get an unaccredited degree so he could yell about how his wife won’t stay in her proper place, is required to “street preach” against all manner of interesting sins as part of the curriculum.

    Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been to Pensacola for three college graduations and my brother’s wedding. It’s a beautiful place. But honestly I would be kind of scared to live there as an out queer person. Not because of the PCC students, who are very polite when they tell you you are going to hell, but the PBI students, who will make you think you are in Westboro. Those people scare me.

    Other than that, yes, the beaches are beautiful! Also, you totally get bonus points if you can successfully hit on a girl who is wearing culottes to the beach. (Required dress code for PCC students.) :)

    • I totally agree with you on the Westboro feel. My husband and I ( yes I’m straight but love my gays and my brother is part of that as well as my sister in law- hubbies sis) have been coming here for 16+ years and we’re luck enough to score our forever home in East Hill right on top of Bayview Park…little orange and white house. I was raised in a Christian family and my mom is very conservative bit not crazy like some of these people. I have gotten so pissed in the past when my husband and I would be walking into McGuire’s for dinner and have some kookoo yelling ” If you don’t have Jesus you’re going to Hell!!!” I wanted so bad to walk over there and grab that Bible out of his idiotic hands and whop him over the head with it and say ” If you’re trying to make people come to the Lord sounding like a crazy person just makes my agnostic husband run even farther away in the other direction!!! Dumbass!!! Anyway, I’m glad that things are a lot more open and accepting but I just wish Pensacola would loosen up even more.

  6. My parents spent a couple years in Pensacola before I was born (my oldest sister was born there) and we spent spring break on Santa Rosa Island several times. Loved it. Great for kids, at least. I think Pensacola Beach got sorta flattened in one of the hurricanes and that’s why we started going elsewhere, but I’m guessing things have gotten better?

  7. My first year in Pensacola and I love it, kinda clicked with a lot of the LGBT peopleover here and there is usually a lot going on in the community. Plus, I totally feel great walking around with my partner, except on Sundays where there are usually people yelling on the sidewalks with Bibles in their hands. Other than that the gay clubs can get a bit shady but usually they’re pretty fun, and you end up seeing a lot of familiar faces after a while so you kinda click with a lot of other out people your age. Other than the weekend Bible beaters and the random occurrences of that sort every blue moon I haven’t had any problems. If not to live, then it’s a definite must visit especially for memorial day weekend.

  8. I never thought I’d see a queer city guide for Pensacola! Also I had no idea there was a gayborhood. Anyone else going to be in town for Memorial Day weekend?

  9. I am the pastor at United Church of Christ Pensacola. Being gay myself, we also offer a “safe” place to worship and become involved with community.
    This article is awesome! Thank you for posting it!

    • Reverend I would like to have a personal conversation with you regarding gay Christian church in Pensacola

  10. This will be my first year after 6 to miss the Pensacola Memorial day festivities (thanks life!) and I am a sad, sad duckling. It’s an amazing experience to have being surrounded by family and just feels freeing. It’s nice to have a break from the typical gay person in the south issues of being out and visible and everyone’s there for a good time. Now i have this handy guide for intown adventures next year even though it’s tough to leave that beach. Thank you for this!

  11. Potential Church is NOT LGBT friendly by any means. Take it from someone who got shunned the moment they came out.

  12. Hey y’all, thanks for reading my post. About those screaming preachers– to put it mildly, I had a verbal altercation with one in 1996 or ’97. However, lately, I haven’t seen them much. The last time I saw them was a year ago in front of a traditionally straight bar. There was a jazz benefit concert going on inside the bar, and the audience was almost entirely made up of elderly straight couples. I can only imagine why the preachers were screaming at them. It’s been years since I saw the screamers outside a gay bar, but I don’t live in the bars, so I’m sure they’ve been around some that I don’t know about. They also once showed up at the nursing home where I worked, but they left quickly, perhaps when they figured out that it doesn’t help to yell at people with dementia.

    Reverend Patrick, thank you for telling us about your church. And as for Sluggo’s– sorry I missed it, but I had to choose my favorites since the guide could’ve stretched for days if I’d included everything. I’ll definitely go check it out soon, though. I haven’t been there since they changed locations. Regarding Potential Church– I’m sorry for the negative experience that Anonymous reported. Several of my close friends and some friendly acquaintances go there, and they love it and are definitely out of the closet. I hate to hear that anyone has had a homophobic experience anywhere, and I hope that it was at least an isolated incident.

    The hurricanes– yep, we have them. Ivan devastated the landscape, but the dunes are making a comeback, and the beach is beautiful.

    Thank you all again for reading and sharing your thoughts. Like most people, we queers in Pensacola are just doing the best we can to live our lives in peace.

    • If people don’t think they are wrong, why would they hate preaching so bad? It does not bother me and although I think there are better ways to go about it than the screaming condemnation on the streets I just ignore them, and by the way most denominations in the town don’t do that, just one does. I think you guys and gals are to sensitive. Most of us don’t think about you at all or care what you do. I don’t inow of anyone who discusses it or cares. Just don’t like the way they trash the beaches that week. Not being mean, and I am sure you will agree, but people gay and straight need to be responsible and pick up after themselves and not leave trash and broken glass on the beaches here for people to cut their feet on. I am surprised to hear you call yourselves queer. If a straight person said that would you be offended? It doesn’t seem like a nice word to me.

      • Pensacola is a wonderful place, if no one likes it go to Calif. where people are much more liberal. You are in the Bible Belt, and you know the Bible teaches against Homosexuality. Although God loves you he hates the sin just like he does when straight people commit adultry or any of us gossip. There are no big and little sins and forgivness for all sins if we turn from them. I just don’t find people to be rude here even if they disagree with the lifestyle, unless someone is kissing and making inapprioate kissing and fondeling like I seen two girls do in front of little kids. I would feel the same way if two straight people acted that way. Live your life search your hearts, be open to God and know that most people don’t understand your lifestyle or care what you do. If God gave man freedom to serve him or not, man is not your judge, in the end he will be the one to answer to. I absolutely don’t know anyone that is mean to gays even if they don’t agree scripturally with you.

        • “If people don’t think they are wrong, why would they hate preaching so bad?”

          Say this again, clearly this time.

          “It does not bother me and although I think there are better ways to go about it than the screaming condemnation on the streets I just ignore them”

          Liges and liars don’t bother you?

          “I am surprised to hear you call yourselves queer. If a straight person said that would you be offended? It doesn’t seem like a nice word to me.”

          It’s not a nice < niais < nescius := not-skilled word; it's the factual original opposite of straiht.

          "Pensacola is a wonderful place, if no one likes it go to Calif. where people are much more liberal."

          Pensacola and Pensacolans are separate concepts.

          "You are in the Bible Belt, and you know the Bible teaches against Homosexuality."

          The New Testament opposes all sexuality, as well as marriage and family. None of the church fathers had a woman. The male believers were expected to hate and leave their family, sell all and make themselves poor, buy a sword, behave like kiddies [or not], not worry about tomorrow, cut their bollocks off, drink poison, play with snakes, eat anything, speak in tongues, cast out demons, heal, get ready for the end of the world 1950 years ago. There are no NT lines that single out idesexuals; Paul's mistranslated lines were about temple prostitutes, "softies", and orientation converts. Nonetheless he gave all his male believers as virgin brides to Krist: http://web.archive.org/web/20171211064539/https://medium.com/@alysdexia/kristians-dont-exist-59f4730f6dea.

          The Old Testament also didn’t forbid same-sex relations. The Lev statute was also mistranslated from “and with male ye lie not woman’s lying” where the gerund mishcàb refers to the lair, couch, or bedroom of the only woman who could own one, a hooker. Rather the queer couples Dàvid and Jonàtàn and Ruth and Naomi were celebrated and the latter two proposed marriage, or recited a marriage poem. If you believe the story of Sodom and Gomorrah had to do with queer sex you’d be wrong again. The story said everyone of the town, not only the males, came to see the visitors. They were killed for prostitution and inhospitality. Not that this fictional retrodictive comic book story has any bearing on reality. Most of the OT was written 1000+ years after their setting, during the exile. Other cultures’ records don’t agree or present with them.

          “Although God loves you he hates the sin just like he does when straight people commit adultry or any of us gossip.”

          Abrahamic gods don’t know you or say anything about you as they don’t know America and Americans exist. Quit this makebelieve. It is a mental illness. Paul lists 32 deadly sins but the gods and their believers were already guilty of most of them. There are no bigger sinners and criminals than these fictional gods.

          “God” translates Vulgate Deus when in Hellènic it was only in the lowercase definite “ho theos” for “the god”. Abrahamism believes in multiple gods, plagiarized from the Ugaritic (wind-worship) and Zoroastrian (fire-worship) godheads, under deceptive disguises like sons, persons, anghels, heavenly host, heavenly council, such gods who were afraid man would eat of the tree of life that they got their powers from then become like them. Yer gods are relatively new: https://www.quora.com/log/revision/22947773.

          “There are no big and little sins and forgivness for all sins if we turn from them.”

          This is one of lots of claims you made up, that are neither Scriptural nor real. Blasfemy was the sin that couldn’t be forgiven; the 32 deadly sins in Ro 1 were worse than the scattered Gospels’ sins. Not that sin has anything to do with us. Paul and Jèsu never met, or rather their writers never spoke to each other, which is why Epistles and Gospels contradict often like on the nature of sin or whether to behave like a kiddy. Ro says that everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of the god whereas Jn and 1Jn say the blind and nonwitnesses aren’t sinners and a woman is told to go and sin no more. The need for a new convenant and redeemer was forfended by one of the 12 tablet commandments that sin expires in a house after 4 or 5 generations, yet Jews, Samaritans, Catholics, and Protestants each count and censor the 12 commandments into their own 10; the latter two ignore that the other commandment was that j·hveh was the Israelites’ (not your) god.

          “unless someone is kissing and making inapprioate kissing and fondeling like I seen two girls do in front of little kids.”

          You “seen” nothing; why can’t your god teach you diction? Inappropriate to what or whom? To you? The OT says it’s appropriate to rape girls and kill babies etc. in war. The NT says it’s appropriate for a god to steal/rape a preteen betrothed to a 35-yeared male. Also that it was appropriate for the fake savior to fondle random kiddies.

          “search your hearts”

          Southern religionists run the worst risk of obesity and heart disease. That’s something for a doctor and nutritionist to fix, not a fabulist.

          “If God gave man freedom to serve him or not, man is not your judge, in the end he will be the one to answer to.”

          Free will is contradicted in Scripture by the passages of good and bad trees and fruit, condemnation of other sects, curse of the fig tree, ten minas, and doomsday and in reality by the readiness potential that determines motor cortical decisions.

          Man is certainly the author of gods and the judge of god and man. To say otherwise is to resort to the sociopathic criminal exceptionalism of Abrahamism. Everyone has already been dead and known and needed no gods to be born; astronauts and astral projectors know there are no gods in heaven. Every noninternal prediction of Scripture has failed.

  13. Just a note: there are gay organizations in Pensacola which make a difference in our community as well. Apetite for Life “Catering To The Community To Feed Those In Need”, has a strong gay presence. Also, Q-up, Pensacola Professionals Supporting LGBTQ Philanthropy.

  14. i grew up in pensacola – in the 80’s – and left in 1993.
    having recently returned to care for family, i’ve remained stunned at how more notably oppressive and conservative the town has become since i lived here. it has been a huge culture shock, impossible to adjust to, or accept.
    while growing up in pensacola, the extreme racism, anti-abortion sentiment (including murdering doctors), and overall christian fundamentalism perpetuated the oppression of the area. queer issues were not public discourse back then, so there were *many* more of us able to live invisible lives and assimilated more easily in general. the “gay beach” was heavily populated every single weekend…we didn’t have to wait for our one big annual event to gather, with all the hassles…with so very few lesbians represented. this is awful. having just worked to pass the marriage equality act in washington state, it’s particularly disturbing to watch my hometown go backwards in time. to devolve and not progress. i’ve found i can’t come home after all, it’s not safe. not that anyplace is completely, but wow, this is a drastic shame.

    • ….if anyone’s missed the street preachers, they can most often be found at the corner of olive and davis; at any intersection in the suburb of pace; and in droves in our public parades. in pace they employ children to carry signs and approach cars at stop lights….and many stand on upturned white buckets to help project their voices. as if megaphones weren’t enough.

      for those interested there is the transgendered support group that meets downtown monthly, i think. a google search will bring up the info i don’t have on hand. they are a great group run by wonderful, kind-hearted folks.

      i realize our beaches are our biggest asset. please educate yourselves about the toxicity of our beautiful, beloved island. the april 2010 BP oil rig explosion in the gulf of mexico is still poisoning our ocean, sands, sea life, ecosystems, residents, and visitors; i find tarballs still washing up daily, BP works 24/7 to cover up the dispersants and crude oil making people sick; and the millions of $ spent on national commercials to entice tourists to visit are very effective in making people believe the disaster is over. it is most definitely not. while the rest are opinions, this part is fact. please take good care.

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  16. Great article! After spending years in the closet of conservative Evangelical Christianity and recently coming out, I was interested to see the mention of a church I had not heard of before. However, after following the link to Potential Church website and discovering that they are affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, I too am puzzled by the recommendation in the article especially as I read in their Statement of Beliefs “In the Spirit of Christ, Christians
    should oppose…all forms of sexual imorality, including adultery, homosexuality and pornography.” and “Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman…”.

    Would love to hear from someone who attends this church…

    • Gary, as I stated in a previous comment, I have several friends who went to Potential Church and liked it. I do not attend church or subscribe to Christianity. My friends no longer go to Potential (my earlier comment was from 2013) and they left because they decided they like MCC better and/or decided to stop attending church. I understand your question– I have the same one. Honestly, I have that question about all Christian churches, since we’re repeatedly reminded that their Bible says homosexuality is a sin. If you want to play it safe, I’d go with MCC. I posted this article almost two years ago and it’s definitely time for an update. There’s no way for me to edit it so I’ve contacted AS admin to see if they’ll allow it. If so, I’ll probably take Potential out since I no longer know any current attendees. As a side note, another update I’d like to add is the marriage thing. My wife and I were married in CT but our same-sex friends who’ve recently gotten married in Pensacola have had a seamless and positive experience. I’m sure their are exceptions, but so far I’ve only heard good things.

    • Pensacola is a wonderful place, if no one likes it go to Calif. where people are much more liberal. You are in the Bible Belt, and you know the Bible teaches against Homosexuality. Although God loves you he hates the sin just like he does when straight people commit adultry or any of us gossip. There are no big and little sins and forgivness for all sins if we turn from them. I just don’t find people to be rude here even if they disagree with the lifestyle, unless someone is kissing and making inapprioate kissing and fondeling like I seen two girls do in front of little kids. I would feel the same way if two straight people acted that way. Live your life search your hearts, be open to God and know that most people don’t understand your lifestyle or care what you do. If God gave man freedom to serve him or not, man is not your judge, in the end he will be the one to answer to. I absolutely don’t know anyone that is mean to gays even if they don’t agree scripturally with you. What the Bible says counts and is what God will juge us for one day, not what a man decides is right.

  17. As a practicing Christian, I make no apologies for what the bible says about homosexuality. That said, I too very much disagree with the street preachers that spew hate. Instead I want you to know that God loves you and wants a relationship with all men and women; so much so He sent His precious, perfect Son to die for our sins. I go to First Baptist Church and you would be welcomed to join us in worship:)

    • I think every church that. i know of welcomes gay people, and loves them. I won’t say they will go against the scriptures where it soeaks against all sexual sins and not just homosexuality. However I don’t think anyone should be mean and if they are they need to examine their own hearts if they can’t love everyone. People can disagree agreeably and love everyone and love each other and let God be the judge.

      • I am also a “practicing” Christian and I DO make apologies for what the Bible says. The Bible says a lot of things that we must today take in context. You may say that the Bible condemns homosexuality but it also endorses slavery, oppression of women, and even states that if you neighbor doesnt go to church you are required to kill them (Old Testament). The Bible says that you should not cut your hair, eat shellfish or wear polyester. Do you do any of these things? If so, which ones are you comfortable with? Do I go online and condemn your lifestyle? No, because Jesus (who doesnt mention homosexuality) does mention judging others and also adds that if one does judge others that they will be judged even harsher). Matthew 7: 1-2. And Jesus says that even HE wont be the judge but God is! If you dont follow ALL of the Bible literally, then how do you decide which ones to follow and which ones to ignore?

        • Omg! People like meeeee! You have no idea how happy it makes me to read these comments! I am bi and a believer who has chosen not to take the title of “Christian” because I don’t want to be grouped in with judgemental bigots, though i know not all are like that. I’m always telling people that no one can tell me with any amount of scriptural back-up that I’m going to hell for being bi or that God doesn’t love me. To say that is to say that God loves and accepts CONDITIONALLY when the bible clearly states that he loves UNCONDITIONALLY. You all seem like good people so, thank you for being on the right side of the good fight! ;) <3

    • No you’re not. Where is your castration scar? (Unless you’re Kyle McMillan Shell from Pensacola Beach. In which case you’re not supposed to marry and breed.) Medical records of your drinking of poison?

      His [one of many] son was certainly not perfect. His sins/crimes: theft, vandalism, wrath, sabbath work, pretense, quackery, false witness, slander, hýpocrity, prevarication, sedition, self-incrimination, blasfemy. He was sent to end the Israelites’ recurrent animal sacrifice for their sins, but didn’t do a good job. He was wrong that no one has seen the god when the 70 elders of Israel and Levite priests saw the face of j·hveh on Mts. Sinai and Moria, wrong that the world should end within their generation (~21 years) or the temple destruction (~40 years) or their death (~60 years), wrong that he should die in Jerusalem when he died outside on Golgotha, wrong that anything eaten is eliminated, wrong that death is sleep; pretty much every proverb is wrong. He falsified Isa 53 in six terms. Rev 13’s promise of Emperor Nero[n] lapsed. All the mentions of Babylon between OT and NT don’t apply to America as it’s not a kingdom or principality. It’s all a badly-written fraudulent comic book that halfwitted foreigners believe.

  18. Everyone says that SEO isnt beneficial, do you think Google is trying to eliminate search engine optimisation?
    p.s Never take guidance from people on the Warrior Forums haha

  19. As a newly minted resident of Pensacola I have to say, I must’ve gotten lucky. My neighborhood, off Nine Mile Rd, is great. My neighbors are accepting and friendly. The people I’ve met in and around town have been gracious. Marks & Morgan Jewelry store at Cordova Mall was very helpful when I was buying an anniversary ring for my partner.

    The Seville doesn’t really have much of a draw for gay folks but New York Nick’s was welcoming when we took visiting friends there. The Cabaret was nice enough but had a sparse crowd.

    All things considered, I love living here.

  20. Heading to Pensacola Pride for the first time this year, could not be more ecstatic! I’m staying in a crazy beautiful house, 3 stories with a rooftop pool, and we recently had a few spots open up in the house. The group staying there is a medley of some of the best people I have ever had the privilege of knowing, the perfect combination of incredibly kind, hilarious and wild. Just thought I’d throw it out to the community, if anyone if looking for a place to stay for Pride we have extra space and would love to have you! Happy early Pride!

  21. Hello all! My name is Kaiti, I’m 28 and I moved here from Colorado in May 2015. It has been a massive culture shock for me. While the people in Colorado are mostly a-holes you can be “out” in any way imaginable and not just with sexuality. Here it is the complete opposite the people seem nicer and though I haven’t really had to endure judgement for being bi, knock on wood, being an empath I can feel it everywhere. I guess what I’m getting at is that I live with my straight boyfriend, straight brother and mother, and am surrounded by straight friends and it’s exhausting lol I’m sure some of you can relate which is what I’m looking for. I need a fresh breath of shimmering rainbow air! Are there any support groups or hang outs for someone my age?

  22. Hi Vic,

    It seems a very long time since anyone has posted. I am a Lesbian Woman from Pensacola originally. My wife and I (of 21 years) are about to move to Pensacola to care for my aging mother. Please would you be so kind as to update us on the current state of affairs for LGBT couples living in Pensacola? Above all, we would appreciate any advise we could get on at least relatively “gay-friendly” neighborhoods. We know about East Hill but available homes there are in short supply.

    Any help would be awesome and appreciated!

    Susan

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