Finding Your Queer Family in the Heart of Appalachia
Have you ever felt like a rare wildflower growing in the cracks of Johnson City's sidewalks? That's exactly how I felt when I first moved to this corner of East Tennessee.
My Rainbow Journey in Johnson City
Three years ago, I stepped off the bus at the downtown terminal with nothing but two suitcases and uncertain hopes. The Blue Ridge Mountains embraced the city like protective arms, but I wondered if those arms would embrace all of me. I remember walking through Founders Park during my first week, watching families and wondering where my people gathered in this seemingly traditional Southern town.
When Being Yourself Feels Revolutionary
Let's be honest about the struggles:
- Dating apps that show the same ten profiles within a fifty-mile radius
- Well-meaning church ladies who want to introduce you to their nephew
- Finding yourself code-switching at work, then exhausted from the performance
- The isolation that comes when straight friends don't understand why certain spaces feel unsafe
Creating Your Constellation
What I've learned is that queer community here exists in constellations rather than galaxies. It's about:
- The monthly gatherings at Fizz downtown that aren't explicitly queer events but somehow become our space
- Finding allies at ETSU who can point you toward resources
- Creating rituals with the family you build - our Sunday brunches saved my spirit
- Being visible enough that others can find you when they're ready
Your Appalachian queer journey might look different than mine, but know that you're not walking these hills alone. We're here, creating beauty in these valleys, loving fiercely despite and because of where we are.
What's your Johnson City story? Share below and let's weave our narratives together - the tapestry gets stronger with every thread.