As a queer person, finding your favourite queer spaces in any new city can feel daunting, especially if you’re starting afresh. Whether it’s finding queer community, or events and spaces that feel right for you, the process of unearthing and navigating any city’s queer scene can be a challenging one. But fret not, for in a city as young and vibrant as Edinburgh, like many big cities out there, where there’s one of us queer people, there’s a high chance there’s many of us! I’m here to unpack my experience as a queer international student in Edinburgh, and perhaps provide some inspiration if you’re nervous to get out there and meet other queer folk.
A little disclaimer before I dive deeper in: as a lesbian, many of the spaces and events I’ve found myself in and that I’ve enjoyed have been spaces geared towards sapphic and FLINTA (Female, Lesbian, Intergender, Non-binary, Trans and Agender) audiences. As a lesbian, it can be hard to find spaces that feel safe and inclusive, especially since many queer spaces can feel rather geared towards cis gay men. Finding FLINTA spaces and a sapphic community were hence quintessential parts of growing my little lesbian roots in the city, and carving out a space that felt right for me.
A good portion of my first few nights in Edinburgh, as a wide-eyed fresher, were spent in Subway. Mondays are notoriously the queer nights of their weekly programming, and though Tracks (Subway’s weekly drag show) is sadly no longer a part of this lineup, the music at a Subway Monday remains as queer as ever! Queer and inclusive open-mics — notable ones held by Sapphic Sounds and Typewronger Books — are also great ways to immerse yourself in these spaces. Queer people exist everywhere, but perhaps in greater numbers in spaces of performance and art, which — in my experience — are some of the safest, most welcoming spaces you can enter as a queer person. Personally, joining an all female and non-binary acapella group at university was a gateway to meeting other queer folk whose interests aligned with mine, without the pressure of trying to find someone to click with at a large queer mixer.
Queer spaces can take more effort to seek out, and are ever-changing, with the closure of spaces like Kafe Kweer as a recent example. Loss can, unfortunately, be a big part of finding and loving our queer spaces, even though it shouldn’t be. But despite these losses, what inevitably remains and burns ever-strong is the community, who continue to show up full-force for other queer people and what spaces we have. I’ve found it helpful to create a digital log of queer event-organisers in Edinburgh on Instagram, following my favourites and keeping up with what goes on each week. Having a small rotation of events that me and my little community frequent has made the city’s queer scene feel a little more like home, and that familiarity just keeps growing day by day!
Illustration by Lucy Wellington @luspaints for The Student
