Gay In Augusta

You can be gay…in your house…or at a club

About halfway through this interview with the Argos Angels, one of the entertainers says something that sums up why I started this site.

In Augusta, you can’t walk around the streets and be gay, but in Atlanta … you can be you. You can be yourself. You can be gay. But in Augusta, you can be gay…in your house…or at a club.

I’d also add “in church” since there are some welcoming churches in our community. The New York Times published the same sentiment, singling out Augusta, GA as one example of cities where this is true.

In cities like Eureka Springs, Ark.; Augusta, Ga., and Biloxi, Miss., the church is often the sole public meeting place for homosexuals that is not a bar

Want to know when that New York Times article was published? November 10, 1996. Almost 12 years ago. It’s sad, but the point is still true – Augusta’s gay community exists but in small pockets and small groups. Within the protective confines of your friends and family or in a welcoming church or (sometimes) at a club, you can feel safe and accepted. Outside those walls, hostility and violence are very real and almost tangible in the air.

There are some friendly establishments (mainly in Downtown Augusta from what I’ve seen) that tend to have progressive clientèle and employees. (Note: If you consider your business to be gay-friendly, let us know so we can build a directory of local resources and welcoming businesses.)

Don’t get me wrong – I enjoy going to clubs and I enjoy going to church. But mostly I like the feeling after spending time there – the feeling that I am loved and accepted for who I am. It’s a wonderful feeling and one that you shouldn’t have to wait until Friday night or Sunday morning to experience.

Posted in community, our mission