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Opinion: The main drawback of living in a place like Montana
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is the overwhelming lack of diversity.
I’m glad to find out I’m not the only one to have felt this way
I’m certain I will garner plenty of hate with this post but nonetheless, some background: I’ve lived all over the world and the US but grew up in a small, rural dairy farm community before moving to the urbanized metro areas of the southeast US as a teenager.
After living here (Kalispell and Missoula) for a couple of years the one thing that stands out above all else is the lack of diversity. And not just in ethnic groups, but food and culture and more. Montana is nice people abounds, and while it is a beautiful and historically-rich place, it may need to update some policies to encourage diversity in the region. It is outstanding in its public land advocacy and outdoors potential. But to put it plainly, it can be a bit...plain. The silence of the days and nights for example might be a lucrative thing to some, but without the ambience that was once there, everything feels a bit...dead. I’m sure it can make one wonder if it has anything to do with why Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska are among the leading US states in ‘self-inflicted termination’ according to the CDC as of 2019.
Anecdotally, I’ve witnessed a few international students mention the same. You don’t have to agree with me but this is what I personally can’t ignore no matter how much time I spend outdoors or socializing locally. It’s just a very singular place and doesn’t have the same “life” to it.
I’m a huge proponent of “it is what you make of it,” which is why I play ambient background noise quite literally 24/7...but that can only go so far.
Edit: for Mental Health advocacy - If you or someone you know needs help
Top Comment: This post really took a couple left turns. Started out talking about diversity, then went to suicide and ended talking about ambient white noise. I agree MT does lack diversity. I'm not sure that it's the government's job to handle that, though. What policies do you think would be appropriate for the government to "update" to address this?
Anyone live in predominantly white states like Montana, Utah, or Wyoming?
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I’m considering taking a job in Montana and I’m curious what life is like for black women there or any place that’s 96% or more white. I drove from the West coast to the East coast once and Montana was absolutely beautiful although I didn’t get to interact with the locals.
So what’s the attitude towards black people, hows dating/social life, are there black singles in their 30s, any black community events or hangout spots, do y’all feel safe?
Top Comment: Did a five year stint in Utah in my 30s while single, and will not be returning. I will not be moving to anymore 90th percentile white cities in the US ever again. Also did some time in rural America and will not be doing that again either. I was othered in spaces like that. It was unavoidable. Dating, especially if looking for a serious relationship, was challenging to say the least. The psychological survival options were to either practice some iron clad radical acceptance, keep some sort or connection to a black support network that probably has to be entirely online, and grow some extremely thick skin. I was regarded with thinly veiled “which of these do not belong” vibes on the daily that could never be acknowledged or called out because the environment is not receptive to change and growth. It’s exhausting to navigate spaces like these for years without either abandoning yourself or self soothing with denial about the reality of what you are dealing with. I was fielding dumb lowkey racist questions, received blatant stares, received uncomfortable backhanded compliments, and found myself as the only black person in my workplace. That was a whole nother can of mind games, navigating oblivious white nonsense, and mistreatment with no recourse. Trying to stand up for myself backfired 10/10 times and there was just nowhere to go from there. Some people find success in environments like those but it requires some degree of abandoning yourself and it’s not worth it imo. I’m at the point where I feel like purposefully staying in an environment like that, and continuously tolerating the unnecessary horseshit that begins to play out, is a form of self abandonment. I would rather seek out spaces that actually feel safe and like I’m part of a community that collectively has my back. The worst is when they behave cordially to your face, but when entrenched in their circles of white comfort say the most callous and subhuman shit about black people. Then wholeheartedly believe they are good because they go to church and volunteered for the bake sale. It’s wild. Couldn’t pay me to go back.
Does the show depict an accurate version of Montana?
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I started watching Yellowstone after hearing a lot of people saying they enjoyed it. I finished the first season and watched a couple episodes of the second season. I really like the setting, the acting, and the writing. However, I'm having a hard time with all the crazy situations the characters get into. I realize it's a show and things will be dramatized, but it seems like the situations the characters get it are far fetched. Like coming upon hikers hanging from a cliff while a bear is hunting you. Or shooting rapists on the side of the road, shooting an dying meth addict on the side of the road, etc...
I'm not saying the show is bad but for me it would be easier to watch if someone from Montana (or surrounding area) could tell me that the show depicts something close to the actual way of life. Thanks
Top Comment:
Montana is really fucking cold and snow covered 8 months of the year. I go up for work often and don't remember seeing anyone in a cowboy hat in Bozeman or Missoula. Never seen a bear but they are definitely there. Most of Montana is BLM land and uninhabited. You could fit the entire state of Tennessee in just the BLM land in Montana. It is stunningly beautiful with all the mountains everywhere you look.
Also I don't know why the characters all have southern accents. The Montana accent is more Nothern and nasally.
WeddingPlanning
Main Post: WeddingPlanning