A friend of Dorothys- how important is community?

Gayla · 06-16-2010, 11:58 PM

I came out in an area with almost no gay community at all, then I moved to the "big city" that seemed like a gay mecca to me. In reality, the community was only slightly larger but much more active so it seemed to me, based on my reference points, as this huge thing. I was very involved on many different levels for a very long time. Almost every night of the week I was at some meeting or function or event. Weekends revolved around the groups I was a member of and bars where I hung out. This went on for more then 15 years.

I remember how we often talked about what it would be like to live in a place with a thriving community and how much fun we had visiting Austin, San Francisco, Seattle, etc. Even though we had a lot, it was always a little disappointing to go home.

Seven years ago, I left that town and moved to the Seattle area. I can count on one hand the number of times I've stepped foot in a queer bar since I moved here. The majority of my socializing is done with straight people I know from work. I have never been to Seattle Pride.

I don't know if it's my age or the fact that I just got so burned out but I'm really enjoying my lack of community involvement right now. That may change at some point, and I'm grateful that I have such an amazing community so close by, but these days I'm not really feeling the need for much more then my easy chair, laptop and the TV remote.

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06-16-2010, 11:58 PM	#23
Gayla Timed Out How Do You Identify?: Kinky Butch Top Preferred Pronoun?: I'm not picky Relationship Status: She makes me dance like a fool and forget how to breathe. Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: SF CA Posts: 3,229 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 877 Thanked 7,077 Times in 1,966 Posts Rep Power: 0	I came out in an area with almost no gay community at all, then I moved to the "big city" that seemed like a gay mecca to me. In reality, the community was only slightly larger but much more active so it seemed to me, based on my reference points, as this huge thing. I was very involved on many different levels for a very long time. Almost every night of the week I was at some meeting or function or event. Weekends revolved around the groups I was a member of and bars where I hung out. This went on for more then 15 years. I remember how we often talked about what it would be like to live in a place with a thriving community and how much fun we had visiting Austin, San Francisco, Seattle, etc. Even though we had a lot, it was always a little disappointing to go home. Seven years ago, I left that town and moved to the Seattle area. I can count on one hand the number of times I've stepped foot in a queer bar since I moved here. The majority of my socializing is done with straight people I know from work. I have never been to Seattle Pride. I don't know if it's my age or the fact that I just got so burned out but I'm really enjoying my lack of community involvement right now. That may change at some point, and I'm grateful that I have such an amazing community so close by, but these days I'm not really feeling the need for much more then my easy chair, laptop and the TV remote.