Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus’ ‘Out of the Closet and Into the Burbs’ brings visibility for Queer Youth in Rural Communities

From the cities to the suburbs, queer culture brings joy, acceptance and belonging to all identities. However, outside of a city, it can be difficult to find visibility in one’s own community, and there are often fewer welcoming and accessible spaces.

In an effort to bring visibility to rural areas, the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus heads to the burbs with their spring concert, “Out of the Closet and Into the Burbs,” this March. They will perform at Apple Valley High School on March 15 and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New Prague on March 16.

The concert’s title is about advocacy and visibility for younger communities outside of the city, according to Gerald Gurss, the choir’s artistic director. As someone who grew up in rural Kansas, he says his experience seeing a gay men’s chorus and over a hundred examples of what being an out gay man looks like, versus the two from his small town, had a big impact on him.

“‘Out of the Closet’ is about going outside literally of the Twin Cities metro and giving people kind of that visibility and support in the ‘burbs where finding spaces isn’t as accessible or isn’t as frequent,” Gurss says.

While their two smaller groups, OutLoud and Borealis, have been the driving forces for outreach, the group aims to broaden their reach to rural areas for performances from the full 180-person chorus, according to Gurss. The choir’s audience also requested more outreach at the end of their last season.

The music for the concert was built from members’ recommendations as well as songs that surround hope and validation, Gurss says. The genres range from traditional Western classics like “My Soul has been Anchored in the Lord” to Broadway songs from “Shucked,” a musical about corn, as well as a piece called “Survivors.”

“There was some forethought to what we might want or have to sing in this concert being the first concert after the election,” Gurss says. “The theme about survival is also there and what we do to survive and persist and come together as a community.”

Another piece they’ll sing that Gurss says the singers are connecting with is called “Not for Me,” an original piece written by member Brian Foy. The song discusses how there’s not one way to be queer, and for him that looks like just existing and shying away from the spotlight in comparison to people who want to be out at parades, clubs, marches, et cetera. He sends the message that it’s okay to find advocacy in other ways, specifically through music.

Many of the suburbs, and even the outer rings of the metro, need this kind of visibility, but that lack of acceptance as well as lack of a large enough physical space to hold the choir can make outreach difficult, according to Gurss. Performing in the suburbs is new for the full chorus and they’re hoping to reach as many places as they can, but their OutLoud and Borealis will continue to be the primary vein for outreach.

“There are places where we’re invited, and there are places where we need to go,” says Dennis Whipple, the chorus’ executive director. “When we have a community partner it’s always great, but also just going where our message maybe needs to be heard for someone.”

Some of the choir’s members had the experience they’re hoping to provide others when they were younger, where this kind of visibility in their town, from a concert or even social media, saved their lives or made them feel like they weren’t alone, Whipple says.

The impact of performing in these communities goes beyond just those who attend. Gurss says showing up in these spaces can help someone know that people in their school or church cared enough to host the chorus and spark a sense of belonging and acceptance, even if they don’t feel comfortable enough attending quite yet.

“We’re just trying to be there to provide some visibility for people, and being seen is often the biggest thing you can do for someone,” Gurss says. “It’s just to be a space where they’re allowed to be who they are, or even think about exploring who they are.”

Even though there’s no theatrical lighting or professional sound systems when performing in smaller communities, there is a stronger sense of purpose and connection with the community due to the intimate and vulnerable setting, Gurss says.

“You don’t leave thinking it was the most glitzy glamorous thing you’ve ever done, but you leave knowing that it could have saved somebody’s life, and that what you did really mattered,” Gurss says.

Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus presents “Out of the Closet and Into the Burbs”
www.tcgmc.org
Apple Valley on Saturday, March 15 at 2:30pm
Apple Valley High School, 14450 Hayes Rd., Apple Valley, Minn. 55124
New Prague on Sunday, March 16 at 2:30pm
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 1300 Main St. E., New Prague, Minn. 56071