I will say that crossfit generally has a much more accepting crowd, or so it seems. MOST people I know fear walking into a lifting gym if they've never been due to the feeling of being mocked/looked down upon/etc. I think the biggest attraction to crossfit for people is the sense of community you get relatively quickly. Group workouts are always more welcoming to beginners.

Ive met a lot of good friends through my gym but it wasn't right off the bat.