I grew up here in the 80s and 90s, left in the early 2000s to get away from the non-acceptance and isolation as a queer person, came back in 2021 and not much has changed. Spotting another LGBTQ+ person out in the wild still feels amazing because it's such a rarity, there's a LOT of MAGA but I've not experienced any overt bigotry or hatred here as an adult. Still lonely and you have to travel a ways to find community…
City · Michigan
Clarkston
Clarkston is a historic city in Oakland County, Michigan, known for its charming downtown area and status as a designated National Historical Site.
Cautious
People here often stay discreet and keep safety plans close.
1 community rating
The four things that shape it
Protections, laws and the political tone that reaches daily life.
Everyday welcome in shops, schools, workplaces and on the street.
Affirming care, trans-friendly providers and how easy they are to reach.
Spaces, groups, events, chosen family and visible queer life.
What Michigan has on the books
Statewide laws that protect or restrict LGBTQ+ people, alongside what people here have lived.
Ban on State Funding for Conversion Therapy
Protective · 2023
Conversion Therapy Ban for Minors (House Bills 4616 and 4617)
Protective · Blocked in court · 2023
Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act Amendment (House Bill 4003)
Protective · 2023
Community stories
Lived experience, in the words of people who were there.