I was wrong about what it meant to build queer community when I was younger. I was so obsessed with the idea of unconditional love as a moral litmus test, I forgot about the practice of actually building community, of showing up every day even when it doesn’t come from the heart. It’s a less romantic notion than the one I originally had, but it’s simpler. And, as it turns out, much harder.
In the summer of 2014 I was broken. Living in community with my queer elders put me back together.
“The Land Dykes Of Southern Oregon Saved My Life.” Autostraddle, June 28, 2019. https://www.autostraddle.com/queer-commune/.
Alex Bayley is a tech industry refugee, independent researcher, writer, educator and community builder. They live in Ballarat, west of Melbourne, Australia.
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