What sort of queer spaces exist in Calgary?
If you’re well-engrained in the community, a few answers may come to mind. However, if you’re new to Calgary, to being 2SLGBTQ+, or both, the obvious answers are limited. Perhaps a night out dancing at Twisted Element, or taking in a drag show at The Attic Bar & Stage. Fine options, but what if you want to make friends, have fun while the sun is still out, or hang out in sober spaces?
These values are at the heart of Lavender Club, a group whose mission is “to bring lesbians, sapphics, and 2SLGBTQIA+ folks together in safer spaces where everyone can have fun.” (“Sapphic” is an umbrella term for any woman attracted to women, and can also include non-binary and trans folks who have experienced such attraction, or personally identify with that community.)
Being the change
What started as a one-off movie night in 2022 hosted by two friends has since transformed into a team of five that hosts all sorts of events, from markets to open mic nights and everything in between. While some partnered events occasionally have alcohol, most Lavender Club events are completely sober.
“Sobriety is a big component of Lavender Club,” explains Amanda, Lavender Club co-founder and team member. “I’m somebody who’s less inclined to party, and while I don’t have anything against that, we wanted to fill the gap for folks who are interested in an alternative.”
Another important aspect of Lavender Club is an emphasis on the inclusion of Lesbian and Sapphic Calgarians.
“A lot of queer spaces are very gay-male centric, and I feel like I’m not allowed to be there or have fun in the same way,” explains member Sabeil. “We want to create spaces for sapphic people from all different backgrounds to come together, and to build the community we’ve wanted to see.”
Creating community
Loneliness is a problem that seems to have only gotten worse since the pandemic, and this is especially the case for many queer people. This can be due to any number of reasons, like feeling isolated on account of gender or sexual identity, being unable to access community spaces, or simply not knowing where to look.
Sabeil describes an affirming message they received following a group walk earlier this month. Although it was raining, more than a dozen people attended to stroll the trail lining the Bow River. Many attendees were strangers to each other. After the event, a participant messaged the Lavender Club Instagram to share that they had made “a bunch of friends” at the event.
“The hallmark of success for me is watching people connect with each other, and then walk away and be able to have that connection outside of Lavender Club,” they explain.
For member Aishwarya, the best part of Lavender Club gatherings is seeing new attendees become more comfortable throughout the event.
“I like knowing we created a space where someone feels like they can be themselves,” she says.
These spaces have included markets, book swaps, movie screenings, art shows, picnics, game nights, climbing meet-ups, speed-dating, variety shows, and more.
Some of the teams’ most ambitious (and successful) undertakings include a lecture at the University of Calgary hosted by advocate and disruptor Taylor McNallie on racism in the queer community, a Queer Care Day hosted in partnership with the CBRC that provided harm reduction and safer sex supplies along with a market and live music, and a documentary screening at the Globe Cinema that ended with a panel discussion with queer elders who have been and continue to be pivotal trailblazers for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Forward-thinking
Going forward, the Lavender Club team has their sights set on events that fall outside the scope of what they’ve already done, while bringing back a few fan-favourites. Regardless, it’s support from the queer community and allies alike that keep them going.
“We can fight and try to maintain and build these spaces, and uplift other people who do similar work to us, but it also takes the community around us to help promote, tell other people, show up, and give us feedback,” says Sabeil. “Having people who want to take the time out of their day to carve out a little bit of space for us to talk about what we do and why we do it is special for a lot of reasons.”
You can learn more about Lavender Club online and stay in the loop on upcoming events by following them on Instagram.
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