Quote:
Originally Posted by Locke
I actually though that the lack of...a 'gaybourhood' (term I just learned just now) was actually a negative thing.
I figured that it was a positive that they ostensibly seemed welcome anywhere.
I guess its all about staying open minded.
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We love our portmanteaus!
It's a positive from a living standpoint - never feeling like any part of Calgary was outwardly problematic or unwelcoming; though it was always anxiety-inducing applying for apartments never knowing how the landlord would be.
But, the lack of a central LGBTQ area does make it harder to foster the community that other cities have. It's normal for anyone living in a neighbourhood to spend most of their time there, so if all the hyper-local activities are centered around kids or sports or church or whatever, you can feel like an outsider on your own block, or always feeling like you have to code-switch, which is exhausting in its own right.
It'd be great if all community associations had some dedicated events, but I doubt Royal Oak is going to slot in Cooking with the Queers between Parade of Garage Sales anytime soon...
Anyway, that's a wall of text to talk about why not having a centralized community can be a negative, but it also points out why big tent inclusive events are important too.