WOODBURY, MN (WNN) – Members of the LGBTQ+ community say they have a challenging time connecting with each other and allies in suburban areas. 

More than 50 people gathered to share supper at Christ Episcopal Church on April 29 to discuss the experience of the queer community in Woodbury and the east metro. Prism, a multiracial, multifaith statewide network for LGBTQ+ equality, organized the listening session. 

In conversations moderated by Oby Ballinger, the organization’s founder, participants said that without the gathering spaces found in bigger cities there is no nucleus for members of the community to find each other and to identify allies. For example, Woodbury has no Pride events in contrast to smaller nearby towns including Hastings, South St Paul, West St Paul, and Hudson.

Participants listed places, organizations, and social media groups where they’ve found support and fellowship.

Many people in attendance were parents or grandparents of transgender and gender non-conforming children. They shared concerns about safety in schools and lack of mentoring from members of the older generation.

Ballinger concluded the gathering by sharing about similar listening sessions planned statewide and Prism’s commitment to developing regional communication networks for mutual support in the LGBTQ+ community.