Does Anyone Else Feel Like the Only Rainbow in the Prairie Sky?
I still remember that first winter in Sioux Falls—26 degrees, wind whipping across the plains, and me, standing outside Coffea downtown wondering if I'd made a terrible mistake moving here. Not because of the cold (though, that wind, y'all), but because I hadn't seen another visibly queer person in days.
Finding My Place in South Dakota
Three years later, I'm curled up in my apartment near McKennan Park, rainbow flag proudly displayed in my window. The journey hasn't been straight (pun absolutely intended), but this city has surprised me in the most beautiful ways. The first time I walked into the Center for Equality's potluck, the warmth I felt wasn't just from the homemade casseroles.
When the Prairie Feels Too Vast
Let's be honest about the struggles though:
- Dating apps that show the same 12 people within a 50-mile radius
- The well-meaning but exhausting question: "So why'd you move here?"
- Those moments of code-switching at work or with neighbors
- Winter isolation when community events hibernate
Creating Your Queer Oasis
What I've learned is that queer community here doesn't always look like big-city visibility. Sometimes it's:
- Joining book clubs at Full Circle Book Co-op
- Volunteering at Pride events (even in months that aren't June!)
- Creating group chats for movie nights and Falls Park picnics
- Being the authentically queer presence you wished you could see
Remember, your existence here matters. Every time you live openly, you're making this prairie a little more colorful for the next person questioning if they belong.
What's your Sioux Falls story? Drop it below—let's weave this community together, one thread at a time.