Queerly ME

At A Glance

Location: 

Brunswick, Maine

Primary Issue Area:

  • Living Economies

Active since:

2022

Group Links:

  • Hexagonal shapes filled with different images including a person birding, a person pointing toward a waterfall, a person selecting flowers from flower-filled buckets on the group, three hammocks hanged across a line of trees, a group of people socializing on a trail, three people holding handfuls of orange mushrooms, a group of people doing yoga outside, a circle of people at a rock gym, and a few bundled up people walking down a snowy trail.
  • A collage of participants at various programs: one image shows people lined up on either side of a dirt trail with one person standing in the middle, one image shows a person crushing dried flowers into fabric, one image shows a mass of people outside looking up into a camera, one image shows a group of people holding pumpkins of different sizes and shapes in front of a wagon, one image shows a line of dyed fabrics drying on a clothesline.
  • A collage of participants at various programs: one image shows a small group of people surrounding a fire pit holding smores sticks, one image shows a group of people in the woods holding binoculars, two images show large groups of people gathered facing the camera in the snow, one image shows a program leader educating an engaged group of participants, and one image shows a small group of people in the dark putting a puzzle together using the light of their headlamps.
  • A collage of participants at various programs: one image shows people planting seeds into pots, one image shows a group of people sitting in front of a cabin, one image shows a group of people sitting around a table figure drawing, one image shows a large group of people standing and sitting on a wide dirt trail surrounded by trees, one image shows a topless person reading a book on top of a large boulder with mountain landscapes behind them, and one image shows a small group of people holding lake nets.
  • A collage of participants at various programs: one image shows a group of people in life jackets near a boat launch, one image shows a group of people posing flamboyantly in the woods, one image shows three people investigating the roots of an uprooted tree on its side, and one image shows a group of people outside with baskets looking at mushrooms.

Our Purpose

Queerly ME's purpose is to foster strong support networks and strengthen community belonging for LGBTQIA+ adults in Maine by addressing three areas of life LGBTQIA+ people commonly find difficult to navigate: being seen and understood, accessing resources without fear of discrimination, and finding opportunities to create long-lasting, meaningful social connections.Our three initiatives of an ongoing photo-documentary which has shared the stories of over 300 LGBTQIA+ Mainers, a comprehensive resource directory and event stream, and outdoor, community-centered programs across all 16 counties of Maine are integral to our approach. Through our "community building outdoors" initiative, we specifically work to dismantle the marginalization that the LGBTQIA+ community faces in the outdoors by creating spaces where Queer people feel supported and empowered to engage in nature as their authentic selves.The LGBTQIA+ community is facing turbulent and harrowing times; we have seen an estimated 600 anti-trans bills nationally proposed in 2025 alone. Our work is necessary and vital in combating isolation, scarcity of resources, and actions to eradicate the LGBTQIA+ community’s visibility and history.  It is now that we need to work in solidarity with each other to secure a future where LGBTQIA+ people, especially transgender people, are not only seen, understood, and accepted in Maine, but celebrated and welcomed with open arms.