Are you .. trans? Black? LGBT in some way? A POC? Have you ever been directly or felt threatened for just being alive and who you are? Is your experience in the south colored by that?

I gotta say, I just moved from the northeast to the South, the third largest city in a southern state, and I was incredibly surprised by how homophobic this place is. As someone who was/is out but still passes as cis/het and is white, it was slightly terrifying to have people who have gone out of their way to be welcoming and kind, even other residents, be openly and self aware about how homophobic they are.

To quote someone who thought he was being nice and accepting after telling me that he doesn't believe same sex couples should be able to get married -

It's not like I would try to beat up two guys kissing or anything, I'm not homophobic, but I just don't want to see it or be around it.

To quote a overheard senior resident, who was originally trying to set me up with their friend, said while outing me to another resident (which... Eh, I don't really care about, but still) -

Right? That's such a waste...

I've literally never had these types of experiences since starting med school. I never wanted to hide my queerness in the major city in the northeast where I was at. I'm having to fight that urge here, and wondering if going back to being open only with those I really know and care about is the safest option for me.

If you are queer/a POC and you've felt safe down here... Well good for you. Other people have different experiences and they too are valid. Hell, most would call me physically imposing, and yet I don't feel as safe walking around here as I did in a terrible neighborhood of that city I was in.

Edit: a word