Finding My Queer Voice in Collierville
Have you ever felt like the only wildflower in a field of perfectly trimmed grass? That was me, three years ago, when I first moved to Collierville, Tennessee.
My Southern Queer Journey
I remember walking through Town Square Park, admiring the historic charm while simultaneously wondering if anyone could see me—the real me. Collierville's picturesque neighborhoods and friendly waves masked an underlying question: where did I, a queer person, fit in this traditional Southern landscape?
When Invisibility Becomes Second Nature
The challenges came in subtle ways:
- Constant pronoun assumptions when talking about my partner
- The "oh" moment when people realized I wasn't straight
- Finding myself code-switching at community events
- Searching for queer-friendly spaces beyond Memphis
Creating Space Where None Exists
What I've learned is that queerness in small-town Tennessee isn't about loud pride parades (though we need those too!). It's about:
- Authentic connections with unlikely allies—like my 80-year-old neighbor who brings cookies when my partner visits
- Finding digital communities when physical ones are limited
- Creating the representation you wish existed
- Building chosen family across geographic boundaries
Your queerness doesn't diminish in small spaces—sometimes it shines even brighter against the contrast.
You Are Not Alone Here
The beauty of being queer in Collierville is that we recognize each other. That knowing glance at the coffee shop, the subtle rainbow accessory, the way we find each other like magnets in a field of steel.
What's your Collierville story? Share below how you've found or created community in unexpected places. Your experience might be exactly what someone else needs to hear today.