Small towns in Georgia exude a charm that can’t be beat. Most are like a time capsule of a bygone era. While I grew up in Atlanta, I had relatives who lived in the hills of North Ga. and visited on a regular basis. There is a beauty and simplicity to small-town living that is attractive, especially to those who are subjected to the hustle and bustle of an anonymous city every day. Bird songs wake a person instead of traffic noises, crickets lull one to sleep, and more stars than imaginable fill the night sky, unencumbered by light pollution. The days seem longer and sweeter, and the sense of community much stronger.
But the calm and serenity can hide something more insidious, a clinging to outdated views and biases. This is mostly due to a lack of outside influences. While larger cities are a mixing pot of different cultures and viewpoints, allowing residents to gradually become at least more tolerant, if not changing their views altogether, through those influences, rural areas are more stagnant in this way. The same families live and die in the community, with few new faces or new views. Due to restricted interaction with minority groups, such as gays, lesbians, and especially transgendered, the prevailing attitudes include extreme stereotypes and outdated opinions. The closest the townsfolk get to an LGBT person is on television or in movies, leading them to believe in many cases that we only exist for comedic value. And there are definitely none of those folks in their community!
Odds are, that isn’t true. But the likelihood of someone coming out in that type of environment is rather low, and probably won’t have a happy ending if they dare it. So while many feel that their greater moral stance keeps them from having the “sinful nature” of big cities, the truth is that their attitudes merely cause those born into such circumstances to hide their true nature until they can escape to a more accepting situation. Sadly, generations of LGBT youth have grown up being taught to be ashamed of who they are or feeling they don’t deserve the same liberties as other Americans. Those feelings of low self-worth are one of the main causes of LGBT suicides.
In Snakes Among Sweet Flowers, I attempt to show both sides of small-town life and address the issue of outdated biases through the character of Jackson, a closeted policeman in the tiny town of Hog Mountain. Jackson loves his town and the people he serves but fears rejection if any learn his biggest secret. I invite you to read more about Jackson’s inner turmoil and meet the other residents of Hog Mountain, Ga. in Snakes Among Sweet Flowers.