I’ve been paying attention to the PFLAG chapter in Door County for a year now — one of two LGBTQ organizations in the quiet county of Wisconsin (the other being Open Door Pride that organizes the Pride celebration each year). I previously wrote about meeting with the founder last November.
For the first time I joined their teleconference tonight (usually the meet in person, but you know, pandemic) — after the SCOTUS decision yesterday I wanted to see what was being talked about through the lens of a smaller community.
No startling revelations here — but it was interesting to hear about how PFLAG has been involved in the community. There’s not that many updates with so many events shut down (only 5 of us were on the call), but towards the end the president casually mentioned people should watch She-Ra and my listening and learn chill went out the window and I delivered the hard sell to everyone on the call. I believe I told these strangers I wanted to tattoo it all over my body. Which is true and I stand by it.
So they are all adding it to their watch-list. Because it’s amazing. And everyone should watch it. Gays win.
There was also a casual mention of a D&D group with mostly queer people so I even though I know the LGBTQ community is much quieter than Boston or Austin, it is there. And it sounds like it is nerdy. Bless.
Trying to bring this back around to PFLAG — I guess I’m feeling thankful that these groups exist in small towns or small counties. I know it can be overlooked with some of the bigger movements (which are so, so important), but there was also a Black Lives Matter protest in Sturgeon Bay and there are a couple of other nonprofits in the county committed to racial justice and anti-racism education. That’s important too. The small ways diversity is integrated into people’s lives — the conversations with your neighbors and family that change minds more than the media ever can.
With Love,
Natalie