September Board Letter
Dear community,
As a bisexual woman in a straight-presenting relationship, I have often felt a little outside of the LGBTQIA+ community—unsure of my place and whether I would truly be welcome. For a long time, I wondered if I belonged enough to take up space in this community.
Eventually, I decided that one of the best ways to feel included was to give my time to the community. I have served on the Nevada County Pride Board for the past two years as Board Secretary, and through that experience, I have met some truly wonderful people. I have also come to recognize something beautiful about Nevada County Pride, it creates opportunities to belong, to be seen, valued, and welcomed exactly as we are.
Belonging can feel complicated. For those of us in relationships that may appear “straight” to the outside world, there can be a quiet question we carry with us, “Do I really belong here? Am I queer enough? Do I deserve to take up space in this community?”
The answer is yes.
Your identity does not disappear because of who you are currently partnered with. A bisexual person does not become less themselves because they are in a relationship that others perceive as heterosexual. Our identities are not determined by the assumptions strangers make when they see us walking down the street, holding hands with a partner, or introducing our families.
The LGBTQIA+ community has always been beautifully diverse. There is no single way to look queer, love queer, live queer, or belong. Some of us are visibly out every day. Some of us are not. Some are single, some are partnered, some are married, and some are still discovering who they are. Every experience is valid.
Attending events and becoming involved with Nevada County Pride has taught me that you do not have to prove your identity to deserve community. You do not have to make yourself more visible, more vocal, or more easily understood by others in order to belong.
Our community is stronger when all of us have room to show up as our full selves, including those whose identities may not be immediately visible to the world. You belong in this community. Your voice and experiences matter. You deserve connection, celebration, and a place where you never have to question whether there is room for you.
If this letter resonates with you, I encourage you to consider attending one of our events, sitting in on a board meeting, volunteering your time, or even exploring the possibility of joining the board. Representation matters, and there is tremendous value in having people with different experiences and perspectives help shape our community.
For those of us who have sometimes felt like we don't quite belong, perhaps the best way to discover our place is to show up and to help create that space for someone else.
There is room for you here.
Maciel Dotson (she/her)