Pride Parades have gone virtual and finding friends on Grindr isn’t ideal — when you’re trying to build 2SLGBTQIA+ community online, it can be hard to find common ground. Since many UBC clubs are not in session until September, here are some ways to make new friends before the school year begins.
Find Your Niche
I found Queer community during the pandemic through Beloved Arise, a Seattle-based organization that uplifts and empowers Queer youth of faith. While there’s nothing like a group of Queer people with religious trauma, it might not be right for you. I was once put in a group-chat with at least 10 other girls because we all liked One Direction. There must be a similar type of community on Twitter for 2SLGBTQIA+ K-Pop stans.
To Dating App or Not to Dating App
Like I said earlier, this isn’t the ideal way to make friends, but it is possible. If you do end up on a dating app, I expect Tinder would be the best way to go about it due to the sheer volume of potential matches. I don’t know enough about Grindr to suggest downloading it for the purpose of friendship. Bumble has an option specifically for making friends, but I don’t know anyone who has tried using it.
Online Events
Zoom events are still in full swing. Facebook and Instagram are great ways to find online Pride events. This can be a great way to find out what 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations are near you. It’s a good idea to check to see what your city is doing to celebrate Pride month; here are some events near UBC campuses: UBC Pride Collective, 2021 Season - Vancouver Pride Society and UBCSUO Pride Resource Centre.
The Beauty of Memes
A lot of my Explore page on Instagram and my For You Page on TikTok have been flooded with 2SLGBTQIA+ content. There are some Facebook groups, such as make a move, you useless sapphic and sounds gay, i’m in, which are dedicated to connecting with other Queer people and of course, posting good quality gay memes.
To learn more about my experience finding community, check out my personal essay One degree of separation.