{image1}If you were granted the power to make one change in Milwaukee, what would it be? Year-round sunshine? Less segregation? More events with cream puffs? Better education system?

E-mail us at soundoff@staff.onmilwaukee.com and if picked, we'll post your response next Sunday. Only submissions that include your full name and where you live will be considered.

Last week's question: Is Milwaukee gay-friendly?

Well it is impossible for me to say because in our all inclusive and politcally correct culture I am not permitted to make judgements.
Michael W. Meyers
Greendale

Milwaukee can be conservative at times, but most of the time, it is fairly easy to be a gay person in Milwaukee. I came out as a lesbian at 16 and have never been bashed and seldom been verbally harrassed. While it is easier for lesbians to "hide" their sexuality sometimes, there is often the danger of hostility. However, on the whole, Milwaukee has been a good town to be lesbian. I was most impressed when Pride Fest started years ago and the city paid to have gay rainbow flags up and down the streets put up. That says "open-ness" to me.
Jan Revolinski
Milwaukee

The mere fact that this question is even brought up is disturbing. Is the Brew City "Hedero-Friendly?" What does someone's sexual preference have to do with the city being accomodating to them? If people would actually start treating everyone as just regular human beings instead of bringing up these topics of political correctness, the world would be a much better place! Gay, straight, Catholic, Jewish, black, white, green, blue ... Enough already! Let's just worry about staying healthy and making sure Green Bay gets to Detroit on February 5!
Rick Maksen
Kenosha

I'll answer your question with a question. Who cares? Honestly, what does someone's sexual orientation have to do with anything? It's the liberal PC crowd that make issues like this a hotbed of discussion, not your average joe . If everybody would just live their own lives, instead of paying attention to what everybody else is doing, this wouldn't be an issue at all ... How about everybody live and let live, and we all keep our sexual preferences to ourselves.
Brett Sorano
Milwaukee

I think that, for the most part, the city of Milwaukee is surprisingly gay-friendly. I've lived here for about six years now and I can't really say that I have ever run into an issue with anyone all that homophobic. I think for the most part, people don't really care. Most of the people I run into are supportive of the gay community and I think that the people who really aren't are the ones who have had little to no exposure to gay people that they are aware of.
Drew Richardson
Milwaukee

Milwaukee is more "gay indifferent" than "gay friendly." Take the entertainment industry as an example: For many establishments, the gay community is welcome but not invited. Fear exists that inviting gays into one's establishment will alienate existing clientele.
Terrie Zanotti
Milwaukee

No. Milwaukee is gay tolerant in many venues but not gay friendly. Big difference.
Kay Scott
Milwaukee

I recently moved to West Allis from Saint Cloud, Minn. I've been here less than two months and already I've been called fag from an over-zealous group of boys aboard a pickup, when walking to the one and only gay club I've ventured to (the only time I went there, in fact) in Milwaukee. And in one day, I'd been approached about being a male in a woman-dominated retail environment and asked why I worked there (when we sell plenty of men's products too!). There's no way I would call Milwaukee gay-friendly when I've received such greetings in such a short time. The people here encourage nothing outside of their traditional roles, outdated as it tends to be. They say it takes 10 years for the coasts' trends to reach the Midwest. In Milwaukee's case, it's taking several decades.
David Ferraro
Milwaukee

It is funny that you asked this question. Normally I would say all in all Milwaukee is fairly friendly to the gay community. They put up our flags as part of the festival season throughout the summer, which I think is pretty cool, but I was away for the weekend and when I got home there was a brochure on my front patio from some religious person on the sins of homosexuality. I have never had that happen before, so I think we still have a way to go.
John Tomlinson
Milwaukee