5 Southern Cities with Thriving Queer Communities

Being a southern, queer, trans man isn't easy. While it's true that the South has discrimination, some cities, towns, and counties are progressing. LGBT folks living in the South are responsible for the blossoming queer communities, and they need support. Here's a list of up-and-coming queer communities in the South. 

1. Atlanta, Georgia

Aside from New Orleans, Atlanta is an LGBT hot spot; people travel from all over the South to attend Atlanta Pride. The city has a booming queer and trans population and is home to the southern Comfort Conference. Atlanta hosts Ladyfest ATL, a feminist, art and punk music festival, which is a lot of fun.

Atlanta's population of queer people of color makes it unique from other cities. If you visit Atlanta, check out southern Fried Queer Pride, it's a southern queer, music, and art festival that tends to highlight queer trans people of color.

2. Durham, North Carolina

Although Durham is small, it's part of the triangle area (Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Durham), and it's vibrant population's optimism makes it shine. Durham also hosts North Carolina Pride and is home to Duke University, which just opened a transgender center on campus. And, if you like yoga, Jessamyn Stanley, a black, queer, femme, and fat identified yoga instructor.

For younger LGBTs, QORDS, a queer summer camp for youth, welcomes people from around the nation to gather. The camp counselors teach song-writing, how to play and how to form a band. QORDS hosts workshops on social justice, consent, and gender, and offers fun outings like dance and plant identification hikes.

3. Charleston, South Carolina

The city has a mix of musician/artsy folks, Southern belles, yogis, and snow birds who flock to the ocean. Aside from delicious food and beautiful beaches, Charleston, South Carolina is a slick city rich in tradition and history with an increasingly visible LGBT population.

It's a different world when juxtaposed to the rest of South Carolina; it challenges the state's reputation for intolerance (i.e.., Ted Cruz's upcoming Death to Gay's Rally). Out queer people living in Charleston are courageous pioneers for queer growth in the South. 

4. Lake Worth, Florida

When people think of LGBTs in Florida, they probably think of Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. However, Lake Worth is a city has the highest percentage (1.9 percent) of same-sex couples in the county. This tiny city has a vibrant LGBT community space called Compass, which aims to educate the public on LGBT issues. 

5. Dallas, Texas

Notwithstanding the consistent bigotry that saturates the legislature and state party politics, Dallas is a city of encouragement and hope for queer Texans. The city's laws offer some anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

The queer clubs in the city may be the most diverse in the South; there are western-themed, bear, Latino and gender-queer bars. An organization called Gear, Gender Education Advocacy Resources, that sponsors a Transgender Helpline. In Dallas, Youth First Texas, a non-profit organization, is committed to providing social services, education, and activities for LGBT youth. It's clear, this southern city is progressing quickly.