It can be difficult to make lasting friendships at dance parties and beer gardens (or so I’ve found), part of the reason sober queer spaces are rising in popularity. The Forever Chorus is in many ways the antidote: an easy, project-focused way to find oneself within a community. And Forever Chorus is by no means alone in its objective to bring a sense of belonging; hundreds of LGBTQ+ choirs exist worldwide.
“You should join queer choir!”
It’s a muggy June evening in 2018 when this invitation is offered, and the heat means that even sitting in a beautiful Montreal backyard offers no relief. I’m at a garden party and convinced that no one else could possibly be sweating more than me. I’ve switched from beer to water in an attempt to feel human again, but still I don’t feel right in my skin.
But this conversation pulls my focus. I’ve been looking for a way to sing with a group for a while, wanting to use my voice again after quitting my children’s choir at 14. This suggestion, the Forever Chorus, seems like the perfect stone for two very different birds: A chance to sing outside of my shower, and to find queer community.
The conversation moves on, the sun sets, but the idea of the chorus stays with me. My voice is rusty, and starting anything new makes me self-conscious, but maybe I should — and need to — venture outside my comfort zone for this. As I shift around in damp, pinching clothes, the clouds dump out the summer rain they’ve been threatening all day. The night is cooled, if only for a few minutes. Read more via them.