Confessions of a Black Queer In New England

A.K.A. "I'm Coming Out.  I Want the World To Know!"  I've been living in Manchester, NH for just over six months and I must say, it's been an interesting journey.  I wake up every morning still happy I made the move because I wake up next to a person I am still very much in love with.  After months of searching I have finally found employment.  Thanks to friendly neighbors, classes, and work, I am starting to develop some friends in this new area, so I'm grateful for that as well.

But I must admit, there is still a lot I'm longing for in this new place called home.  As a black gay man, it's so difficult to be totally comfortable in a place that is so white and so straight.  Manchester has nothing to offer the LGBT community outside of it's two gay bars.  I am over 40 and I am in a relationship.  The bars have nothing of interest for me. I would love to see a community center.  Gay and lesbian organizations.  Hell, I'd even be happy just to see an LGBT book club. 

When I lived in Arizona I thought there were very few black people.  We were only 4 percent of the state, but at least in Phoenix, we made up 12% of the city. Many folks (black folks included) prefer to live in a more urban area so we were a higher part of the population in the city. There weren't as many black folks as what I was used to growing up in the South, but at least we were represented .  And though there wasn't a plethora of black faces, there was an abundance of brown faces.  So it was still nice to see quite a diverse population.  Here in New Hampshire, it is just white.  White. White. White!

On a positive note, this state is way more progressive than Alabama or Arizona.  That helps.  A LOT!  But it would still be inviting if there some LGBT organizations or if I saw more black people on my commute to work.  But alas, it is what it is.

Maybe I'll develop something to fill some of the voids I've witnessed during my short tenure here.  Time will tell.  I'm keeping busy and I've got my boo, so for now I'm good.  But after few months I just wanted to vent about what I've observed.