Is Being Queer in a Small Town Like Beverly, MA Making You Feel Like the Only Rainbow Fish in the Pond?
I remember my first week in Beverly after moving from Boston - standing by Lynch Park wondering if I'd made a terrible mistake. Where were my people? The streets seemed void of Pride flags compared to my old neighborhood.
Finding My Queer Family on the North Shore
It wasn't until I stumbled into a tiny bookstore downtown that I found my first connection. The owner, with a tiny pronoun pin, smiled knowingly when I purchased a copy of Carmen Maria Machado. "We have a queer book club that meets Thursdays," she whispered. That bookstore became my gateway.
The Invisible Obstacles
Let's be real about the challenges we face:
- Dating apps show the same 12 people in a 25-mile radius
- Well-meaning but clueless questions from neighbors
- The loneliness of being "the only one" in certain spaces
- Finding authentic connection beyond superficial small talk
Creating Your Queer Haven
Beverly might not be Provincetown, but that doesn't mean community isn't possible!
- Expand your radius - Salem, Gloucester, and even Portsmouth have thriving queer scenes
- Join the Northshore Pride planning committee - instant friends!
- Check out Montserrat College events - surprisingly queer-friendly
- Create the space you wish existed (my living room book club now has 15 members!)
The beauty of smaller communities is that we need each other more. That first connection leads to five more, then suddenly you're hosting queer potlucks with people who feel like family.
Tell me below: what spaces have helped you feel connected in Beverly? Or what spaces do you wish existed? Let's build them together. 💖