Our community groups bring 2SLGBTQ+ individuals and allies together in welcoming, inclusive spaces where everyone belongs. Whether you’re looking to share experiences, explore identity, or simply connect with others who understand, these groups provide support, friendship, and a sense of belonging. Each gathering is a chance to build meaningful connections, learn from one another, and celebrate the diversity that strengthens our communities.

Grabba Java

Looking for a friendly check-in with your community? Grab a drink and join us as we share in each other’s company! This is a safe space for anyone who is a part of 2SLGBTQ+ and allied communities.

Our in-person meetings will be held at three different locations each week. Please check the column to the right or our Community Calendar for meeting locations and times.

Facilitators will be at a table with a marked sign. All cafés have gender-neutral washrooms on the premises. If needed, we are able to cover the cost of a drink!

Online:
1st Thursday of the month, 6:00 PM
Zoom registration link

In-person meeting (south location):
2nd Thursday of the month, 6:00 PM
Phil and Sebastian Coffee Roasters – Chinook
Floor 1 – 6455 Macleod Trl SW (Google Maps)

​In-person meeting (downtown location):
3rd Thursday of the month, 6:00 PM
Element Cafe
331 17 Ave SW (Google Maps)

In-person meeting (north location):
4th Thursday of the month, 6:00 PM
Rosso Coffee Roasters – Tuxedo
2102 Centre St N (Google Maps)

Between Men

A community group for queer men, including cis men, trans men, transmasculine people, and anyone under the masculine identity umbrella who is gay, bi, pan, toric, queer, questioning, or are otherwise attracted to guys. This is a safe, inclusive space where we can talk openly and honestly about our lived experiences and share our stories to feel heard, respected, loved, and supported.

Online:
2nd Wednesday of the month, 6:30 PM
Zoom registration link

​In-person meeting:
4th Wednesday of the month, 6:30 PM
The Rainbow Room
#400 – 750 11 St SW

Lavender Teatime

A community group for those whose identities are informed and understood in relation to experiences of queer womanhood, including trans, non binary, and cis folks as they feel comfortable in this space. We also recognize that our unique identities can shape the ways we experience and are experienced by the world and that our experiences might not align even when we share identities. There are endless ways to identify and even more ways of being in community. If you feel that you align with this group, you are welcome here!

Online:
1st Wednesday of the month, 6:30 PM
Zoom registration link

In-person meeting:
3rd Wednesday of the month, 6:30 PM
The Rainbow Room
#400 – 750 11 St SW

Monthly special events meeting:
One event on a weekend every month where we host different activities, discussions, and workshops.
​The locations and activities for these meetings will vary. Please see our Events page for details. ​

Teatime with Dorothy

A community group for older 2SLGBTQ+ adults ages 50+, along with their friends and allies. Join us for friendly conversation in a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment.

Online:
2nd Sunday of the month, 2:00 PM
Zoom registration link

In-person meeting:
4th Sunday of the month, 2:00 PM
The Rainbow Room
#400 – 750 11 St SW

Colleqtive

A community group for racialized 2SLGBTQ+ community members. This includes community members who are Black, Indigenous, and people of colour. This group is a closed space, only for those who the group is intended for. Join us in a colleqtive community space together!

Online:
2nd Friday of the month, 6:30 PM
Zoom registration link

In-person meeting:
4th Friday of the month, 6:30 PM
The Rainbow Room
#400 – 750 11 St SW

Youth Programming

Also known as Inside Out, our youth programming is for 2SLGBTQ+ and allied youth ages 13-18 along with their friends, families, and close supporters. We aim to create fun, affirming, and friendly spaces for queer and trans youth!

In-person meetings:

2nd Tuesdays of each month, 6-8pm: Arts & Crafts Club

4th Tuesdays of each month, 6-8pm: Chill Hangout Space with various activities

The Rainbow Room
#400 – 750 11 St SW

Please see our Events page for information about specific activities at each meeting!

2SLGBTQIA+ Care Partner Dementia Support Group Facilitated by Alzheimer Calgary

​A 2SLGBTQIA+ support group for caregivers of people living with dementia run by Alzheimer Calgary, in partnership with Calgary Outlink. The group is open to anyone part of 2SLGBTQ+ communities in Calgary and surrounding areas, and is caring for someone living with dementia. Meetings are facilitated by Alzheimer Calgary, and not Calgary Outlink facilitators.

The cohort will meet for 6-8 weeks, with limited registration open prior. Stay tuned for when the next cohort registration will be open! If you are interested in registering for the group or are in need of support, please contact Janine at [email protected].

For all meetings at The Rainbow Room, please refer to any signage on the 4th floor and/or main lobby for direction. The address of the building is 750 11 St SW.

There is a ramp leading up to the main door. Please be aware that there is a lip at the bottom of the ramp, so it’s not quite flush with the ground. There is an elevator in the building. Washrooms in The Rainbow Room are all-gender and wheelchair-accessible.

Paid and free street parking is available in the area. The nearest LRT Stations are Downtown-West Kerby (blue line) and 8th Street (red line). Nearby bus routes include the #65 and #66.  Other buses are nearby in the area as well.

  • queer readslogo

    Organization Spotlight

    RHIANNE FIOLKA (she/her) - Founder of Queereads YYC

    Published On: August 17, 2023
    rhianne fiolka bio photo

    I’m Rhianne (she/her), I’m the [sole] founder of Queereads YYC and I facilitate the group. I started the bookclub in July 2020, so it’s three years old. Since then, Owl’s Nest Books has become a partner, and we use their space and their Zoom account. They also give us 10% off our books, while we still have full freedom to choose the books we read.

    Queer, discussion, intersectional.

    When I was living in Montreal, I had joined a queer book club as a way to ingest more queer media. When I knew I was going to be moving back to Calgary, I wanted to make sure that I could find queer community here. I looked for queer book clubs, and at the time, there weren’t any in Calgary that I could find. So, I decided to start a queer book club here as a means to meet the community and discuss topics that mattered to me. At Queereads YYC we read poetry, fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and children’s books, and we try to discuss a wide range of books that cover a breadth of identities. Since starting, I know there’s at least two other queer book clubs in Calgary, which is a lovely testament to the community that is building here.

    It’s important to empower queer voices for a lot of reasons: to ensure that there’s representation, so that people can see themselves and others that look like them out in the community, and so that folks can see that there are a lot of opportunities for queer people in Calgary. There needs to be a diversity of options and opportunities in Calgary, to match the diversity of the queer community here.

    I think Queereads YYC offers an opportunity to empower queer voices by being a place that highlights queers artists, brings folks together in a safe space, and allows for an open discussion on a broad range of queer topics. I try to pick books that center on [being] queer but that show the diversity of the queer community. I know that people who come to my book club, even when they haven’t fully read the book, really appreciate the discussion. I think that’s one of the main reasons people come – to discuss queerness together and to feel seen.

    I also volunteer with Airdrie Pride and I like to do art and outdoor activities, like hiking and xc skiing.

    Creating safe spaces for queer people is an important way to support a sense of belonging and understanding for the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Calgary. Being around folks who have similar experiences as you is important, and it’s important to be connected to community in order to feel a connection to the spaces we live in, and to feel validated in different parts of our identities.

    For me, I really like the sense of community [Queereads YYC] brings. I really like the fact that it’s very discussion-oriented, and that people get to express themselves authentically. I’ve always had at least one person at each event, and I think that that is really special, because people are coming and finding it to be a helpful, connective and fun space.

    Finally, as a community group in Calgary, I am often supported by other community groups. Owl’s Nest Books supports us. Outlink supports us. Many of the other queer organizations and bookclubs support one another by promoting each other’s events. It never feels like there are going to be too many of us, because each group is unique, and people can decide which ones fit them best. Uplifting each other in these ways really is what creates that sense of belonging for the queer community in Calgary.

    Queereads YYC is an intersectional-focused book club. They will be resuming meetings in September. You can check out what they’re reading and more info on group meetings by following their Facebook or Instagram pages. Events will also be posted on Outlink’s Meetup page.