Gay couple considering moving to Cleburne for a job — be real with me
Posted by popyx7@reddit | askdfw | View on Reddit | 63 comments
Hey all,
I’m potentially looking at a job opportunity in Cleburne, TX, and it would mean relocating with my partner. We’re a gay couple, so I just want to be upfront and ask what it’s actually like living there.
I’m not looking for sugarcoated answers—I’d rather know the reality before making a decision.
- Is it somewhere we can exist openly as a couple without issues?
- Would something as simple as holding hands in public get us looks, comments, or worse?
- Is it more of a “people don’t care as long as you keep it private” kind of place?
- Are there any parts of town, businesses, or nearby areas that are more welcoming?
We’ve lived in different environments before, so we’re not expecting perfection—but we do care about safety and being able to live our lives without constantly feeling on edge.
If you live there (especially if you’re LGBTQ+), I’d really appreciate your honest perspective.
Thanks in advance.
LostLadyA@reddit
I live in Cleburne and have since 1998. It’s not an issue at all! People from ALL walks of life live here and no one bothers them. The people that get looks and comments are tweakers (which we have plenty of) - not friendly gay people!
I’m curious what job is worth moving for, most people commute out of Cleburne for work and there aren’t many jobs here!
DontCareTho@reddit
My guess is Amazon. They've started sending offers for manager positions over the past couple weeks. At least, that's the reason I'm currently researching the area and came across this post.
LostLadyA@reddit
Gotcha! Must be close to opening then I assume?
Bedazzled-Star-0043@reddit
I'm curious of what the job is. I was offered a job in Cleburne because no one wanted to work there. You're right, many of us commute there & don't move to Cleburne. I worked there then got the hell outta Dodge. 🤣
LostLadyA@reddit
I’m saying most that live in Cleburne commute out for work. There aren’t many jobs in Cleburne that pay enough. I work hybrid and the office is in Las Colinas. My husband commutes to Haltom City. I don’t know anyone who lives outside of Cleburne and comes here for work 😂
TheSpitalian@reddit
I commuted from Arlington to Cleburne for 6 years. Sucked before the CTP was finished but once that was done it was a much better drive!
Bedazzled-Star-0043@reddit
Same, my commute was to/from Arlington for 5 yrs. Keene cops are equivalent to Pantego cops.
TheSpitalian@reddit
DWG is the WORST of anyone though! I know so many people who got a bogus tickets from them, including myself. A few months later I was at the 4 way stop on the corner where Green’s Produce is & the same cop did a freaking u-turn in the street to come after me! He said he “thought” I wasn’t wearing a seatbelt (I was, I always do). I lost my mind & screamed at him & I think I scared him because I he was harassing me. I was 17 at the time & In hindsight I do think he was pulling over young girls for bogus reasons & made up shit.
About 15 years ago my dad was flipping cars for a while & he had a bare bones Mustang that he was getting ready to sell & he was driving it through DWG & they gave him a bogus ticket too. My dad drives slow anyway, & he knows how they are through there so he definitely wasn’t speeding. We are 1000% convinced that they just said “Mustang! Let’s pull them over!” expecting to see a young person driving. Not some 65 yr old man.
Those cops would shit themselves if they ever had to do any real police work. They’re just a bunch of traffic cops who do nothing but write fake traffic tickets.
Bedazzled-Star-0043@reddit
Ah, gotcha! Very true. My commute INTO Cleburne was decent if I didn't get stuck behind a tractor on 1187. The heavy flow was going into FW, while I was going into Cleburne.
TheSpitalian@reddit
Same for me. But I had to be at work so early there was NO traffic on that part of CTP at that time. IDK how it is now because I moved to another state almost 9 years ago.
Before the CTP was finished I took 174 allllll the way down from 35 to 67. Speed trap from hell. I tried going directly from 35 to 67 but it took me further down than I needed to be so it was sort of out of the way. Plus Keene cops love writing tickets. 🙄
beetlejuicemayor@reddit
Honestly I would stay away. I’m in a small conservative burb of Fort Worth and I haven’t been accepted by my neighbors because I don’t have a Christian church. I get shitty comments because I grew up Catholic. I’ve already been talked to because my kids have cussed and used the words stupid which isn’t acceptable to my neighbors. These people are very judgmental if you’re not like them.
Liberteabelle1@reddit
I’m always amused at non-Catholic Christians don’t realize that Catholic were the original Christians…
dallasdewdrops@reddit
Jesus was a Jew
Liberteabelle1@reddit
gasp are you suggesting that the long haired blonde European depicted everywhere is a Jew? lol. (Sorry, I feel like I can laugh since my BF is Jewish…)
It’s odd how people view stuff, that’s all I’m saying.
dallasdewdrops@reddit
Not sure what you mean, but Jesus was Jewish. He was a carpenter.
Liberteabelle1@reddit
Yes he was. But a surprising number of people don’t seem to know that!
bufflo1993@reddit
Actually, they weren’t according to most views. It was the Orthrodox. But it gets complicated.
Liberteabelle1@reddit
I’m not religious, so am no authority at all, but I was raised Catholic and thought that the apostles started Christianity, and the Catholic Church. If it’s orthodox, so be it… 😉
bufflo1993@reddit
I looked it up and it’s a giant debate. They were all the same until 1054. So the Orthrodox I know say they were the original church and the Catholics say they were the original.
beetlejuicemayor@reddit
Honestly it’s not worth the fight. I’m kind and keep to myself.
Liberteabelle1@reddit
Agreed.
LostLadyA@reddit
I’m super curious what burb that is! I live in Cleburne and the Catholic Church down the street has community events all the time. We don’t go to any church and have never had an issue.
beetlejuicemayor@reddit
I’m by Weatherford. I honestly think it’s my neighbors because the first thing they asked me is if I found a church. We don’t go to a church either but all the events with my neighbors are with their church buddies. The kids say odd things to my children like “you need a closer relationship to god” at school. I had to have a conversation with the counselor about this.
LostLadyA@reddit
That’s so odd! But there are smaller towns than Cleburne that are way more pearls clutching!
beetlejuicemayor@reddit
Halloween is going to be fun for me.
LostLadyA@reddit
For sure!! Cleburne actually just had a Fairy and Fantasy festival last weekend and in prior years (don’t know about this one) had a Paranormal festival and Harry Potter festival. The entire downtown area usually participates and people really get into them!
beetlejuicemayor@reddit
That’s cool. I need to check that area out!
flipperballs@reddit
Yup and the 5gg the ryg5hu6⁶t56ttt5t6ur for the the 5hy6h
xoxo_angelica@reddit
Thank you so much for your invaluable contributions to the lgbt community, flipperballs
emeryldmist@reddit
Should we be calling emergency services for you?
First-Grapefruit6135@reddit
Gay is mostly ok. I can’t crossdress like I want to though
Texas_Lobo@reddit
my two cents is a firm nope. Just move to Fort Worth. it really isn't that far, and you will have many more people that are not so close minded.
Superman_1776@reddit
It highly depends.
Moving to an area with a new build/new neighborhood?
It’s likely newer people from outside the town that won’t have an issue with you.
Moving to an older part of town/older home? I can’t guarantee that.
The big 3: Cleburne/Joshua/Godley are all growing and new blood is being infused into those towns, but the older/more seasoned residents are not making it comfortable for the transplants moving into town.
Texas_Lobo@reddit
truth, although, I wouldn't think anywhere would really make them feel fine.
drrohit81@reddit
Do NOT do this!
evanallenrose@reddit
What’s the other option?
PainGroundbreaking75@reddit
No. He replaced the ten commandments and the six hundred and fourteen jewish laws with the eleventh commandment. The sanhedron convicted him and had him crucified.
mydogmakesdecisions@reddit
I live there with my wife. (42m/33f) she painted an ally flag on the door. I love the looks it gets from delivery drivers. Also our neighborhood is rad. Lots of Hispanic folks. FW isn't far and there are plenty of ally bars in the Near Southside. But honestly Cleburne is weird. With the Amazon distribution center about to open it's gonna get weirder
Puzzleheaded_View225@reddit
Honest question: what do the delivery driver and distribution center comments mean? Do they hire close minded people? Just not something I’m familiar with.
mydogmakesdecisions@reddit
You corallated two different statements. The delivery drivers refer to food. The distribution center isn't open yet. I have no idea who they hire. Small town. Small minds. The folks here haven't been educated in the ways of acceptance and community. I'm not a hulk of a person, but its very unlikely that someone would have a negative comment to say to me when dropping off my food. I've seen several of them look at the front door then me and try to do some math. Makes me laugh out loud every time.
Puzzleheaded_View225@reddit
Ahhh ok thanks
WinifredBrooks@reddit
Is there a reason you don’t want to just live in Ft Worth & commute?
Disastrous_Horse_44@reddit
Yeah I live near Fort Worth and love it. I like it a lot more than I did living in/around Dallas. I have a lot of gay friends and they are thriving!
thetokyofiles@reddit
My exact thoughts
iliketosnooparound@reddit
Look into living on 7th Street near Montgomery. That is where a lot of younger folks live in ftw and is pretty walkable. One of my friends is lesbian and her/her partner live there with no issues.
Another place would be magnolia drive. Pretty artsy area! I am not queer but a POC and I haven't had any issues in fort worth. I really like the vibe here. Lean into the western vibe and have fun with it!
bigborekitty@reddit
It’s 2026 no one cares! Cleburne is a big little town close to big one for anything they don’t have. Line your life!
NYerInTex@reddit
Live in bishop arts and have a short commute and a great lifestyle in a very welcoming and vibrant community
LostLadyA@reddit
It’s a solid hour commute one way from Bishop Arts to Cleburne.
TinyJiant@reddit
Burleson here—just up the road from Cleburne, so close enough to be a realistic commute. We’ve definitely seen a noticeable increase in LGBTQ presence around town over the past few years. It’s not unusual at all to see gay couples out in public, and from what I can tell, they seem comfortable and happy here. I can’t fully speak to the experience personally, but I will say this—if people were openly giving others a hard time, I’d probably hear it. I’m straight and, honestly, I look redneck af, fit right in with the crowd that might say something. But I don’t hear that kind of talk. Take that for what it’s worth, but from what I’ve seen, Burleson feels pretty welcoming. If you do move down, Welcome! I hope you an yours enjoy it.
vi0cs@reddit
Ain’t shit gonna happen. Gay people are there already. You are just as likely to get hate anywhere in this state..
But bottom line, so many people just don’t give a shit anymore. You’ll be fine. He’ll. In my neighborhood south of Fort Worth. Gay couple live here and no one caree
paulsown@reddit
Reddit is the wrong place to ask this question.
Nobody anywhere cares unless it's your ENTIRE identity.
afterthismess@reddit
I live in the next town over since September. It’s fine, you won’t be attacked/harassed. I mean it’s like everything else with safety. Don’t do anything dumb like walking around at 2am looking for trouble. There is a HEB in town, that’s plus. The one Burleson one is great and not too far away. Also the new Amazon distribution center off the CTP toll road and highway67, is massive, it’s bigger than the others I’ve seen. It’s on the verge of opening soon. My point is Cleburne is not on the fringe of society, it vibrates with healthy growth with more and more amenities everyday. If you’re looking for specifically an annual PRIDE parade, honestly I don’t know. But the easy access to Dallas and FW is very doable. It’s 30mins to downtown FW via the CTP. Good luck in making the best decision for you and your family.
brokenspare@reddit
Whoa whoa whoa…. * Y’all There, f.i.f.y. ! And enjoy Cleburne if y’all decide to relocate!
Liberteabelle1@reddit
My general observations about liberal/progressive people in Texas is that they live in major cities (although not all of them) vs rural or small towns. Your best bet is Austin, but Houston and Austin have some areas good for the LGBTQ+ community.
Texas is a red state mostly because of the rural voters.
valiantdistraction@reddit
This is Dallas erasure
Liberteabelle1@reddit
Oops! I live in Dallas too! I meant to include it, and will edit.
user9876543121@reddit
No one cares. You'll be fine.
Bedazzled-Star-0043@reddit
Oh, that tweaking town will definitely care.
redditname8@reddit
Nope.
Bedazzled-Star-0043@reddit
I worked in Cleburne for 5 yrs. I commuted 1 hour one way because I refused to live in a racist town stuck in the 1950s mentality. I refused to have my children go to school there or anywhere in Johnson County. My advice is move there if you don't have school age children, make that crappy town embrace different lifestyles.
Busy-Farmer-1863@reddit
Don't. Queer person here. It's not worth it.
ShopEmpress@reddit
I don't live there but I do have family that lives in Cleburne that supports me (queer, poly) and my cousins that are LGBTQ+ (also not in Cleburne). I don't know if they are in the minority but I do know there are at least some supportive folks around!
xoxo_angelica@reddit
You will absolutely not find community there, and if you do it will likely be super fringe and small. Personally I would highly advise against it. People will likely not be openly hateful to your face, but you won’t feel welcome either