Coffee meetups for queer community

ON the last Sunday of every month Desi Barkell and their partner John host casual coffee meetups for Bendigo’s LGBTQIA+ community at cafes across the city.

Mx Barkell said Queer Coffee invites all members of the rainbow community to attend the monthly afternoon events which also welcome children and allies.

“We’re trying to make Queer Coffee into a place where the quiet queers can go,” they said. “It’s a way for people in the queer community in Bendigo to feel connected.

“It’s a place where people can talk about how they feel and just be talking to people who get it. Anything and everything is on the table conversation wise.”

Mx Barkell took over running the meetups two years ago as a way for the city’s LGBTIQA+ community to come together for support if needed, as well an opportunity to socialise.

“There is a lot of queer phobia still in the community,” they said.

The events are also a drug and alcohol free environment which Mx Barkell said was an important personal consideration for them.

“Drug and alcohol harms in the queer community are higher than the general population and it’s become very important to me over the years that there be something that doesn’t involve those elements,” they said.

“Those harms are reduced just by having the option of not using them at an event.”

Queer Coffee meetups are held on the last Sunday of every month from 1pm to 3pm and more information about upcoming events can be found on the group’s Facebook page.