Is Darien Laid Back or Frosty for Gay Couple with Kids?

Are Darien people more uptight or more laid back about gay couples with children in town?

In an online discussion that started Monday afternoon about Darien in a forum page on the City Data website, a gay parent now living in Brooklyn says he and his husband recently visited this community looking for a house -- and they love what they saw in town.

But he wonders about what kind of reception his family would receive here: "I do worry about less acceptance for a family headed by a same-sex couple. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with Darien and it's attitudes towards same-sex couples and families?"

The five responses received as of 4:20 p.m. range from "laid back" ...

[T]he "conservative" mindset you will find in Darien is strictly from a financial standpoint. Socially, people just don't care unless you flaunt your lifestyle.

... to "be careful."

I'm surprised you find Darien laid back. While it's a beautiful town, it has a history for being very uptight and pretentious. Westport and New Canaan (non-shore town) are a lot more laid back IMO.

The discussion also compared Darien to other affluent towns in Fairfield County.

The discussion calls to mind comments by the actress Chloe Sevigny, who grew up in town and told a British newspaper that she would never raise kids here. That raised hackles and responses about the mindset of Darien.