IN ASSOCIATION WITH
N D YOUR T R I B E Kirstyn Smith seeks out the best LGBT+ events and organisations for students
C oming to uni is a liberating time. However, it can be a wee bit scary, particularly if you identify as LGBT+ and are moving to a new city where you haven’t yet found your tribe. Luckily, starting afresh is also the perfect time to re-evaluate what you love to do, who you love to do it with, and what you want to explore to make yourself happy. We’ve done some of the hard work for you and scouted the best LGBT+ activities for students in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
First stop should be your chosen uni’s societies. Edinburgh Uni has BLOGS and Napier has Napier University LGBT society, both of which organise social, charity, educational and political events throughout the university year, for LGBT+ students and allies. In Glasgow, there’s Glasgow University LGBTQ+ Students’ Association and Glasgow Caledonian LGBT+ Liberation Group, who also organise campaigns and welfare resources as well as evening events.
Gay bars and clubs are well-represented across the cities: Edinburgh’s Regent Bar is a scene stalwart, offering a quirky feel and good old-fashioned comfort food, while The Street sits at the corner of the Pink Triangle and transforms into a club every Friday and Saturday. The other two points of the triangle are CC Blooms, where regular drag nights are held, and a few doors down there’s Planet, offering snooker and arcade games. In Glasgow, seek out the Flying Duck for LGBT-friendly vegan food, live music and club nights, mosey along to renowned gay spot AXM for chart-friendly music, or take on Club X, an S&M-themed dirty little secret. To burn off energy not used up on the dance l oor, there are plenty of other ways to get active. LEAP Sports is a fantastic resource to i nd your club of choice. You can choose from women- only, co-ed, and trans-friendly football, rugby, running clubs, and – if you’re up for getting knocked about a bit – roller derby and parkour.
Keep an eye on Northern City Waackers, who are keeping the ball scene alive in Scotland. Last year, they hosted the inaugural Waacking and Vogue Festival, featuring international guests, workshops, discussions and screenings. They also host miniballs and bootcamps in Glasgow and work closely with Vogue Scotland who teach – you guessed it – vogueing, to get you runway ready. An important resource in the capital city is LGBT Health and Wellbeing. The organisation aims to promote a programme of activities, reduce the isolation and social exclusion of LGBT+ folks, support people to choose and maintain healthy lives, and make sure there are health resources available. They also offer mental health and wellbeing support, an LGBT helpline, links to LGBT+ counselling and trans support, as well as links to community groups. Be sure to add them to your list of invaluable support networks and know you’re not alone.
1 Sep–31 Oct 2018 THE LIST 119