What’s it really like living in Utah?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like there are a lot of uneducated paranoids there- didn’t they just ban fluoride?
There’s going to be people with serious halitosis and rotting teeth. Yuck.
Good gig for a dentist.

Yeah, probably not the best move for a state where sugar is one of the only vices available to the majority religion and one of the most popular retail establishments is a SODA SHOP. (Seriously, the number of people who just "NEED" their 40 oz 'dirty soda' from Swig every morning is just...wow.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The women are so beautiful

Until they smile. Brown teeth and stink. I’m sorry, because it must be painful.

Really? Every Mormon I've ever met has incredibly nice teeth. Like to the point where if I'm somewhere in the mountain west/PNW/California (i.e., places with a not insignificant number of Mormons) and I see someone with perfectly white and straight teeth I assume they are Mormon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We went to Book of Mormon at the Kennedy Center.

There is no way I would ever live in Utah.

Lol at that's how you learned what Mormonism is!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Mormon culture is pervasive. SLC feels very weird.

I agree we have family out there-nice to visit and nice to leave.

Yeah; I mean: would you really want to live around, you know, those people ??!?

Oh FFS.

I have no problem with Mormons. In fact, on an individual level, every Mormon I know is lovely and kind and the kind of people you *would* want to live around.

But being a religious minority among a very high demand religion is hard. It just is. I grew up in Mesa, AZ which is very Mormon and it was just a really difficult group to penetrate *especially* when you make it clear that you have no plans of converting. I wouldn't say my Mormon classmates/neighbors/etc. deliberately set out to be exclusionary to non-LDS but when your religion is such a HUGE part of your life and the moral code is what it is, it is just easier to spend time around others who have that in common with you than to invest time and friendship etc. those who do not. Especially when you live in an area where many/most of the people around are also LDS. (As opposed to somewhere like DC where, just due to the numbers, insularity is much less likely.) *shrug* I

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went to Book of Mormon at the Kennedy Center.

There is no way I would ever live in Utah.

Lol at that's how you learned what Mormonism is!

Yeah right PP.

Go see “Book of Mormon” and then come back as honestly tell us you’d want to live around those people.

[Anonymous]

Great thread topic !

Nonetheless, I am always amazed at the closed-mindedness of the majority of DCUM posters.

[Anonymous]

I'm the OP. Thanks to everyone with helpful insights.

I think it's just a state totally unfamiliar with raising my curiosity about it.

In my 50s and 2 kids who hopefully get to college in the next few yrs, just considering a time when moving makes sense. 10000% do not want to remain in DMV. I find it soulless here sorry.

I've been around the world but domestically, more just larger cities and I'm not sure I need to be as in getting older, I'm more interested in experiencing more calm, beauty, mingling with friendly people.

I'm drawn out west for sure. I'm drawn to places where there's artists, natural beauty, a place that has people happy, it isn't just avoid being in a small town. It doesn't have to be a metro city maybe a medium sized city.

It's hard to go somewhere like this without money unfortunately. That's my experience anyway. Just day dreaming about a places that may exist prob better opp. In Idaho or WY.

I love Chicago my home town but it's been a lot of years since I've left. I think I'd be happiest out West these days..

[Anonymous]

Nice != Kind

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the OP. Thanks to everyone with helpful insights.

I think it's just a state totally unfamiliar with raising my curiosity about it.

In my 50s and 2 kids who hopefully get to college in the next few yrs, just considering a time when moving makes sense. 10000% do not want to remain in DMV. I find it soulless here sorry.

I've been around the world but domestically, more just larger cities and I'm not sure I need to be as in getting older, I'm more interested in experiencing more calm, beauty, mingling with friendly people.

I'm drawn out west for sure. I'm drawn to places where there's artists, natural beauty, a place that has people happy, it isn't just avoid being in a small town. It doesn't have to be a metro city maybe a medium sized city.

It's hard to go somewhere like this without money unfortunately. That's my experience anyway. Just day dreaming about a places that may exist prob better opp. In Idaho or WY.

I love Chicago my home town but it's been a lot of years since I've left. I think I'd be happiest out West these days..

Heading west makes perfect sense given what you are seeking. Also sounds like California would have tons of perfect small towns suited to your desires and needs. Why not California?

[Anonymous]

Santa Fe NM is like that, and if you don’t move until your kids are in college or past college, the awful public schools won’t even matter.

[Anonymous]

It's hard to "break in" and make friends if you are not LDS.

I lived in SLC and then St. George for years for work. Even though I was very friendly with my co-workers, who were all Mormon, I was never invited to things outside of work like fellow coworkers were. I lived there for almost 8 years and really only had 1 very close friend and 3 somewhat close friends during my time there.

I will say, I never faced any outward discrimination for being queer. I never had my pride flag stolen nor was I ever harassed or assaulted. The Mormons are very judgmental but overall peaceful people, lol. I've had my pride flag stolen here in VA (Loudoun County) more times than I ever did in UT. I have heard if you "look" queer or have an alternative look to you, you may face more discrimination. I never advertised that I was a lesbian while at work, but I also didn't shy away from saying things like, "my girlfriend and I went to Red Iguana for a dinner date on Saturday night." when discussing what we did over the weekend on Monday morning.

If you're a big alcohol person, you might find UT a bit restrictive. They have one of the strictest DUI laws out there where you can get a DUI at 0.05% BAC, which is only 1 drink for many people. They are an ABC state like VA, but unlike VA their ABC stores are not open on Sunday. Restaurants are also not allowed to offer Happy Hour discounts in UT, and you aren't allowed to just go in a restaurant/bar and order a drink without also ordering food. All alcoholic drinks must be ordered with food. They also have laws on the alcoholic content allowed for their beers served in restaurants. I can't remember fully, but I believe all beers must be under 5% ABV. So it can be harder to get a variety of beers there, especially IPAs.

I love the state of Utah. It's beautiful and a total mecca for anyone who is very outdoorsy, which I am. I loved hiking and exploring the land and would absolutely move back there for work if needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's hard to "break in" and make friends if you are not LDS.

I lived in SLC and then St. George for years for work. Even though I was very friendly with my co-workers, who were all Mormon, I was never invited to things outside of work like fellow coworkers were. I lived there for almost 8 years and really only had 1 very close friend and 3 somewhat close friends during my time there.

I will say, I never faced any outward discrimination for being queer. I never had my pride flag stolen nor was I ever harassed or assaulted. The Mormons are very judgmental but overall peaceful people, lol. I've had my pride flag stolen here in VA (Loudoun County) more times than I ever did in UT. I have heard if you "look" queer or have an alternative look to you, you may face more discrimination. I never advertised that I was a lesbian while at work, but I also didn't shy away from saying things like, "my girlfriend and I went to Red Iguana for a dinner date on Saturday night." when discussing what we did over the weekend on Monday morning.

If you're a big alcohol person, you might find UT a bit restrictive. They have one of the strictest DUI laws out there where you can get a DUI at 0.05% BAC, which is only 1 drink for many people. They are an ABC state like VA, but unlike VA their ABC stores are not open on Sunday. Restaurants are also not allowed to offer Happy Hour discounts in UT, and you aren't allowed to just go in a restaurant/bar and order a drink without also ordering food. All alcoholic drinks must be ordered with food. They also have laws on the alcoholic content allowed for their beers served in restaurants. I can't remember fully, but I believe all beers must be under 5% ABV. So it can be harder to get a variety of beers there, especially IPAs.

I love the state of Utah. It's beautiful and a total mecca for anyone who is very outdoorsy, which I am. I loved hiking and exploring the land and would absolutely move back there for work if needed.

There are gay LDS members. I only know that after watching videos on youtube about it, by lds folks. Only watched those videos with DD because she has some friends who are gay and some who are LDS (but none who are both).

It was an interesting topic to look into! It also heightened our authentic understanding of who LDS folks really are and what they actually believe (contrary to many of the destructive stereotypes pushed by the mainstream media and others).

Utah is indeed a really beautiful place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friends, an interracial couple, moved there for his job. Less than a year later they left - they were miserable. Said if you weren't white and Mormon, you didn't want to be there

This is spot on. First, they will try to convert you. When you decline, they will shun you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Mormon culture is pervasive. SLC feels very weird.

I agree we have family out there-nice to visit and nice to leave.

Yeah; I mean: would you really want to live around, you know, those people ??!?

Oh FFS.

I have no problem with Mormons. In fact, on an individual level, every Mormon I know is lovely and kind and the kind of people you *would* want to live around.

But being a religious minority among a very high demand religion is hard. It just is. I grew up in Mesa, AZ which is very Mormon and it was just a really difficult group to penetrate *especially* when you make it clear that you have no plans of converting. I wouldn't say my Mormon classmates/neighbors/etc. deliberately set out to be exclusionary to non-LDS but when your religion is such a HUGE part of your life and the moral code is what it is, it is just easier to spend time around others who have that in common with you than to invest time and friendship etc. those who do not. Especially when you live in an area where many/most of the people around are also LDS. (As opposed to somewhere like DC where, just due to the numbers, insularity is much less likely.) *shrug* I

You’re being too nice. Yes they did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like there are a lot of uneducated paranoids there- didn’t they just ban fluoride?
There’s going to be people with serious halitosis and rotting teeth. Yuck.
Good gig for a dentist.

Why are they banning fluoride? I don't understand RFK's position, as it goes against the weight of evidence. Is the argument that adding fluoride to water is expensive, and if you want it, it's a personal choice and you should have to get prescription fluoride from a pharmacist? Is there any scientific reason not to add fluoride to water, or is it just a cost issue? Also, is this a first step in a movement away from public health and health equity in Utah?