Living in Fairy Towers
2008
"I live in Cleveland Tower - 'Fairy Towers' - they have a gay identity due to where they're located. Gay people find City Centre life very accessible. When I moved from London, I wanted to live here in one of these Towers, I knew about them and knew people that lived in them. I am five minutes from everywhere. The Housing Association realise, and can't be biased, but we do have a lot of gay people here, it's safer than Handsworth Wood! Gay people don't mind living in tower blocks! Everything's two minutes away, you can stagger back! Why would gay men want a house? Everything's here, accessibility and they're big flats, I live on the top floor and have a view right across Birmingham - you don't even get that from Beetham Tower opposite where people pay hundreds of thousands. I'm very lucky, the Housing Association have done a good job. There are some conflicts, minor and infrequent abuse from non-gay residents. I'd far rather live here!"
Contributed by: Richard Keddie, 31