My Queer Diary: 18-24 November '24
Welcome to My Queer Diary, a weekly digest of LGBT+ events taking place around Edinburgh. Submit an event.
Just to note this is now going out on a Sunday to give Monday events more lead time.
Thanks to the community organisers, event promoters, artists, workers and business people keeping the queer community thriving.
Somewhere For Us - The Unicorn awards
The Unicorn Award nominations are here so it's time to contact us to tell us about your favourite LGBTQ+ and ally people for all the awesome work they have been doing throughout 2024!
Categories include: Arts, Culture, Heritage, Enterprise, Charity, Pride of the Year, Unicorn of the Year, and Hall of Fame.
Nominations close on the 20th November.
Monday 18 November
Emma's Big World Aids Day Quiz For Waverley Care
18:30-21:30, Leith Depot, 138-142 Leith Walk, EH6 5DT
Join us for an evening of knowledge testing and fundraising for World AIDS Day 2024, with 100% of the proceeds going to Waverley Care, Scotland’s leading HIV and Hepatitis C charity. Doors open at 6:30pm for a 7pm start. Maximum team number of 6, but PLEASE NOTE every individual team member must book their own ticket!
Trans Day of Remembrance Flag Making Workshop
18:30-20:00, Appleton Tower, Room 2.12, University of Edinburgh, 11 Crichton St, Newington, EH8 9LE
We are making a giant patchwork trans flag for the Trans Day of Remembrance vigil. Bring pink white and blue fabric, sewing skills and yourself! Event is for all trans/enby folk and allies, not just students.
Tuesday 19 November
LGBTQ+ Basketball
18:45-20:00, Leith Community Education Centre, Main Sports Hall
We are a friendly, affirming and informal weekly group in Edinburgh for beginner and regular basketball players alike.
LGBTQ Live and Let Live: AA
19:45-20:45, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 4 Duncan Place, EH6 8HW
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
Wednesday 20 November (Transgender Day of Remembrance)
Trans Day of Remembrance Vigil
18:00-19:00, Bristo Square
Transgender Day of Remembrance is an annual observance that honours the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence.
Intergen Smash Up
17:30-19:30, The Crannie, 9 Cranston Street, EH8 8BE
A creative intergenerational social opportunity for LGBTQ+ people aged 50+ to join in with LGBTQ+ youth (13-25yrs). Hosted in partnership with LGBT Youth Scotland, enjoy facilitated creative and social activities with people of a different generation, to connect our stories and help strengthen our community
Meet the Author: Eris Young
18:30-19:30, Newington Library, 17-21 Fountainhall Road, EH9 2LN
Eris Young explores what it is like to live outside of the gender binary and how it can impact one's relationships, sense of identity, use of language and more. They/Them/Theirs shares common experiences and challenges faced by those who are nonbinary and what friends, family and other cisgender people can do to support them. If you would like to come along please contact Newington Library on 0131 529 5536 or email newington.library@edinburgh.gov.uk
Thursday 21 November
Queer Life Drawing with Maya
17:00-19:00, Kafe Kweer, 5 St Peter’s Buildings, EH3 9PG
A semi-tutored life drawing class which celebrates the queer body, especially the nude. Each week bears a different theme and will have Maya giving tips and advice on how to play into your artistic strengths while learning more about drawing the human body. Materials are provided, and the Cafe is open until the end of the class so you will never be without refreshment. The class is queer- and student-run, and intended for absolutely anyone!
Transfixions with Shola von Reinhold and Skye Arundhati Thomas
19:00-20:00, Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive, Edinburgh Palette, St Margaret’s House, Room G25c, 151 London Road, EH7 6AE
Join Lavender Menace for an evening with writer and editor Skye Arundhati Thomas in conversation with artist and writer Shola von Reinhold. Von Reinhold’s celebrated novel, Lote, weaves narratives of queer archival disruption, academic alienation, and obscured histories through the narrative of Mathilda’s fixation with archival figures. We ask her about the historical figures that haunt her work and the potential for queer histories to transfix artists and researchers. Booking in advance is essential. Places are free and limited.
Friday 22 November
November Zine Club
14:00-16:00, Kafe Kweer, 5 St Peter’s Buildings, EH3 9PG
Relax and make zines with us this November at Zine Club!!
Trans Femme Futures
17:30-18:30, Assembly Roxy, 2 Roxburgh Place, Edinburgh EH8 9SU
Envisioning a trans future is an act of revolution. 'Femme' describes a constellation of queer, gendered expressions that uproot expectations of what it means to be feminine. Transfeminists take their experiences of desire, belonging and har.m to create collective power through femininity, fighting for marginalised and non-conforming people. Trans Femme Futures enriches this power.
This event is part of the Radical Book Fair 2024.
Deaf Community Focus Group
18:30-20:30, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 4 Duncan Place, EH6 8HW
A focus group for LGBTQ+ deaf people to share ideas and feedback about queer social spaces in Edinburgh (BSL and English interpreters)
Queer as Punk
19:00-23:00, Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place, EH3 9DF
Live music from Sister Ghost with support from The Farting Suffragettes, Affectionate Widows. Headliner Sister Ghost from Northern Ireland is on tour to promote her new album Beyond the Water. Playing noisy, spectral art-rock with influences as diverse as Sonic Youth, Veruca Salt and Pattie Smith. “Feels authentic, from the era of Pixies, Breeders and Hole. Brilliant music, beautifully made” - Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music
Saturday 23 November
Transition Edinburgh South: Queer Gardening
10:00-14:00, Gracemount Walled Garden, Gracemount House Drive, EH16 6FD
Saturday queer gardening group. Now is the perfect time to get our hands dirty and connect to nature and the land! Book in advance or just drop in. No experience necessary - bring warm clothes and lunch (we’ll bring snacks).
In Our Own Words: A Queer Arab Glossary
19:30-20:30, Assembly Roxy, 2 Roxburgh Place, Edinburgh EH8 9SU
Marwan Kaabour joins us for a celebration of The Queer Arab Glossary, bringing from the page to the stage this gorgeous collection of queer Arabic slang! Here, leading queer Arab artists, academics, activists and writers offer insightful essays situating this groundbreaking glossary in a modern social and political context - and we have its editor with us to unpack its magic with Mohamed Tonsy!
This event is part of the Radical Book Fair 2024.
Sunday 24 November
Rainbow Families Community Group - Beecraigs Walk
10:30-12:30, Beecraigs Country Park, Near Linlithgow, EH49 6PL
A walk around Beecraigs Country Park for LGBTQ+ families with stops at the play park and cafe. Meet at the visitor centre at 10.30. Rainbow Families is a social group for all LGBTQ+ families in the Edinburgh area.
Queer Gothic Words
12:15-14:00, Black Medicine Coffee Co, 2 Nicolson Street, EH8 9DH
A monthly book club focusing on queer gothic writing. Every month we choose a book (or selection of shorter texts) by LGBTQ+ authors, or featuring queer characters/themes to read and discuss together. We alternate between classic and contemporary texts. In November we’re reading The Summer Hikaru Died by Mokumokuren. Please book in advance.
Creative Journaling for LGBTQIA+
18:00-20:00, The Salisbury Centre, 2 Salisbury Road, EH16 5AB
Take time at the end of your week for self-reflection. Together in a supportive group, we will journal using guided prompts to help process life events, imagine potential futures, and remember moments of magic. No writing experience is required.
Dyke Bar
20:00-22:30, Southsider, 3-7 W Richmond St, Edinburgh EH8 9EF
Free pub night for lesbian dykes, trans dykes, bi dykes, non-binary dykes, dykes of colour, elder dykes, disabled dykes, butch dykes, femme dykes, queer dykes, loud dykes, friendly dykes, lonely dykes. All dykes welcome!
Fruit Salad Queer Cabaret 3rd Birthday!
22:00-00:00, Paradise Palms, 41 Lothian Street, EH1 1HB
Happy birthday TO US! Happy birthday to US!! Fruit salad is BACK baby!! But omg omg literally how could you ever hope to get such a hot ticket?!?! Ummmmm they’re literally only £7 and will be released on the 18th you lucky fish!!!! More details about the lineup coming soon so keep yer eyes peeled!