Finding Your Queer Family in a Suburban College Town
Ever felt like you're straddling multiple worlds in Evanston? Being queer in this progressive-yet-somehow-still-midwestern bubble has its own special flavor that nobody really talks about.
My Evanston Journey
When I first moved here for Northwestern, I expected the rainbow welcome wagon. Instead, I found myself wandering down Sherman Avenue, past coffee shops where straight couples held hands openly, wondering where my people were. It wasn't until I stumbled into a poetry night at Bookends & Beginnings that I found my first queer friends—hiding in plain sight between verses about Lake Michigan and academic burnout.
The Evanston Queer Dilemma
Let's be honest about our struggles:
- Dating apps that keep matching you with people in Chicago proper (hello 45-minute CTA ride)
- The dance of figuring out if that cute barista at Unicorn Cafe is flirting or just being nice
- Finding queer-friendly healthcare when you're not part of the university
- The endless Chicago vs. Evanston debate when planning dates
Creating Your Queer Bubble
After five years here, I've learned some things:
- First Saturdays at the Lighthouse Beach are surprisingly queer during summer
- The Evanston Public Library hosts LGBTQ+ book clubs that are goldmines for meeting people
- Follow @queervanston on social—they post about gatherings that never make it to mainstream calendars
- Don't underestimate religious spaces like Lake Street Church that explicitly welcome queer members
Remember, our community exists in constellation points across this lakeside town. We're not concentrated in a Boystown equivalent, but we're here, creating pockets of belonging wherever we go.
What's your Evanston queer experience? Drop it below—every story helps someone else find their way home.