A new collection of non-fiction stories and poems explores queer experiences of coming of age, isolation, love, resilience and community in rural areas across Canada.
“Queer Country Crossroads” hits shelves this month, and officially launches at Brant Pride on Sept. 28. The event at Paris Lions Park will feature readings from some of the contributors, including editor and Brant County local Mabe Kyle.
In addition to their lived experience in a rural community, Kyle co-founded the Rural Ontario Community of Queer Youth during the pandemic. The grassroots organization published a zine called “Queer Country Crossroads” featuring the artwork and writing of rural queer youth in Ontario.
While taking part in the Teachers Life CoLab accelerator program, the idea came back to Kyle. “I think at the time, I called it a Rural Queer Survival Guide or something,” they said.
This time, with the help of publisher Caitlin Press, they made a call for submissions countrywide.
“Together, these voices offer diverse perspectives and insights into the strengths and hardships that come with living at the intersection of being rural and queer,” the publisher said.
Like the one story a writer shared about moving from Toronto to rural Manitoba with his partner.
“I cried when I was reading it,” Kyle said. “It was about his neighbour and the (unsuspecting) friendship they developed.”
Growing up in a farming community, it resonated with Kyle. “Being in a rural community, sometimes that’s just how it is,” they said.
“I think sometimes urban people might think of rural areas as being more conservative and backwards,” but that hasn’t been Kyle’s experience.
Another one that holds a special place for Kyle is a “love letter to the forest.”
At the time the contributor had written it and sent it to Kyle, they were just getting ready to move from Huntsville to Toronto to study theatre production at Toronto Metropolitan University.
They died after their poem was selected.
“Rereading their poem after they had passed away really touched me in a different way, just because the last couple lines of it say, ‘I will miss you when I’m gone. I hope we meet again soon.’ ”
Despite being born and raised on a family farm with organic crops, beef cattle and sheep, Kyle hasn’t always stayed in the country.
They lived for a year each in France and India on exchanges, in Toronto for undergrad, landed in Martinique for six months, and worked at a fly-in First Nations community for a summer.
But rural life always seems to draw them back.
“I feel a lot of joy in it. I really like rural life.”
The Brant Pride Joy event is Sept. 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Paris Lions Park. Dell Pittman, Cassy Dyck, Tea-Lynn Van Dyk, Jess Huston, Geo LaForme and Happie Micha Edwards will read their work. The book will be available for purchase.
