Does Anyone Else Feel Like Being Queer in West Allis Is Like Having a Secret Superpower?
Y'all, I had the WILDEST interaction at Speedway last night. There I was, in my flannel and Docs, just trying to buy some late-night coffee when I locked eyes with another clearly queer person across the snack aisle. That silent nod we exchanged? Pure magic. Sometimes in the suburbs, it feels like we're playing an elaborate game of I-Spy with our own community.
My West Allis Journey (Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Milwaukee County)
When I moved here three years ago, I worried I'd made a huge mistake. Coming from Madison's queer bubble to West Allis felt like stepping into an alternate dimension. Those first months were ROUGH—walking down Greenfield Avenue wondering if my Pride pin was too much or not enough. But slowly, I discovered our little queer pockets around town—that corner table at Urban Joe's where we all somehow end up, the knowing glances at Highway Harry's.
The Invisible Tightrope We All Walk
Let's be honest about what makes suburban queer existence complicated:
- That constant mental calculation about when/where/how to be visibly yourself
- Dating apps where everyone is either 2 miles away or 20 miles away (no in-between)
- Building community when there's no dedicated queer space in town
- The exhausting "commuter queerness" of heading to Walker's Point whenever you need your people
Finding Your People, West Allis Edition
Here's what actually helped me build my queer family here:
- Become a regular somewhere - I swear the baristas at Antigua know every queer person in town
- Join the West Allis LGBTQ+ Facebook group (small but mighty!)
- Check out Milwaukee LGBT Center events - worth the short drive
- Be visibly yourself when safe - you become a lighthouse for others
Remember, our community might be less visible here, but we're absolutely everywhere. That person you keep seeing at Pick 'n Save? Probably family. Trust that instinct.
So how have you found your people in West Allis? Drop your experiences below—every story helps someone else feel less alone in our beautifully ordinary suburb. 💜