Issue # 4

 

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This interview is taken from Issue # 4 of Direct Action Against Apathy published in 1998

Queerspace is a new community based project in Belfast run for and by the lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgendered community. Darren interviewed two of the founders, Ryan and Jocelyn, in Queerspace.
 
 

A lot of people probably don't know a lot about Queerspace so could you just give a bit of background.
Ryan: QS is a community based project which means that everything in the space is donated by the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered community in Belfast. All funding, rent and phone bills are paid by people in the community through contributions.

Jocelyn: The history; basically the idea of QS came from the fact that there hadn't been a laid back place for people in the queer community to come and meet. Most of the things that went on were centred around the 2 bars meaning that it basically centred around alcohol which was a problem. So there was a lot of people who were on the scene and didn't come out very much and didn't feel welcome or comfortable. So an idea had been mulling around for a while - what was needed was a safe space to meet and hang out and do something other than drink. So last year plans got under way from October/November and a small group of people got together and started planning the space. We got the location and then started setting it up. It opened on January the 16. Tonnes of members of the community came and brought furniture and mugs and coffee and we painted the place. Everyone pitched in and helped out its definitely a community organisation. Everyone in the community owns it there's no hierarchy, or leadership, everyone has their say. Anyone can come to the meetings and decide they think something should be different and things change.

The whole thing takes a lot of work how may people are involved in running/organising QS and how do you make decisions?
Ryan: We make decisions on a collective basis everybody has their say and it just works out. There is a core group of people who are regular people; that doesn't mean people who aren't as regular don't have any say.

Jocelyn: The space tries to make decisions by consensus so at the meeting someone will bring up an idea and as long as no-one opposes it, its passed so we generally don't even have to vote on things. Its a collective so no-one has anymore say than anyone else.

What's your longer term aims and objectives for QS?
Jocelyn: It's really not up to us to say it is a collective and if the community want it to be totally different it will change and as long as people keep coming up and contributing for their coffee etc. then the place will keep going on.

Ryan: I guess you could say that our long term plan is to be here next year.

Finance must be a problem when you try to be independent of funding it can lead to problems making rent etc. How do you get around this?
Jocelyn: It can be pretty difficult, the only money that comes in is through the contributions. Sometimes people give larger contributions and others are for the coffee and tea and so on.

Ryan: Plus it all tends to be sort of cyclical; people get more money at the end of the month, and at the beginning of the month we have less, we usually get enough to cover rent. Also if we made an announcement that we needed this money or that's it the money would come from somewhere.

Jocelyn: There are a couple of reasons behind not wanting to take institutional money. First it would put restrictions on what we could do ie. you can use this money but you can't do x,y, and z. Also as long as it is funded by the community the community keeps it alive. If The community doesn't want it any more it should fold.

Northern Ireland can be pretty homophobic and you've got lots of pricky politicians and religious fanatics out there. Have you had any opposition/difficulties from this area or anywhere else?
Ryan: There is talk of Free Presbyterians picketing outside...

Jocelyn:...and we were waiting for that but it never actually happened. We haven't come across any opposition; actually people have been fine.

Ryan: That's not to say that out on the street that individuals don't get trouble but so far we haven't as a group.

What's the best thing about QS?
Ryan: It's laid-back and you can do what you want.

What's the worst thing about QS?
(pause!!) Jocelyn: It takes time for people to get comfortable with the idea of collective consensus and at times people try to gain more leadership. But people are slowly learning. Its like seeing peoples politics change and grow through the space.

Groups often start off making collective decisions and everyone having input, however a lot of the time it ends up with one or two people coming up with all the ideas and its not that they want to be leaders but everyone kinda looks towards them to be spoon-fed. Can you see that happening to QS?
Ryan: Some people have a lot of good ideas but I haven't seen that people look to them all the time. I think what's is good is when people are starting to look like leaders and withdraw a bit and say "look I'm not a leader". That puts the balance back.

I read a brief article in Women's News about an action on St. Patrick's day at the American Consulate. Have you anything similar planned for the future?
Jocelyn: Yeah; though its not actually through QS itself. Some people have set up a separate direct action group and its called Queer Action Belfast. The group has been responsible for various actions; flyposting the US demo in support of Irish lesbians and gays in New York excluded from the St. Patrick day parades in the last 8 years.

Ryan: There has also been some media manipulation which has been quite good and were putting out pamphlets and leaflets etc.

Being a bit cynical by nature when I first saw the flyers for QS I thought "Oh know not another tight clique scene". What would you say to people who might have similar sentiments?
Ryan: Cliques happen but it takes individuals to break them apart. Because QS is a collective cliques do happen... People take part everyone is welcome, no-one is judged. In our 'manifesto' so to speak we've got an anti-discrimination cause which keeps ourselves focused on that.

Jocelyn: People really make an effort to welcome in new people. Sometimes when people come in for the first time their a bit scared; they don't know what to expect. But the people who come here are really friendly and show them what's what. The person who is new is soon making decisions and all sorts of things.

So what's coming up in the immediate future?
Jocelyn: There's all sorts of things we have an events calendar. Coming up is a bring and buy sale, tarot reading, drumming workshops, art exhibits, movie nights, parent and kids nights, all sorts of things really. We have workshops on the last Saturday of every month.

Have you anything else to add that we haven't covered here?
Ryan: QS is a space for everybody. It's a space where everything is possible. If you've got an idea come along and get the ball rolling and you'll get some help and some support along the way.

Contact Queer Space at info@queerspace.org.uk or check out http://www.queerspace.org.uk
 

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