Queerly ME

At A Glance

Location: 

Brunswick, Maine

Primary Issue Area:

  • Living Economies

Active since:

2022

  • A group of 30-sum campers sit and stand together in front of a large shingled building. In the center of the group, several campers hold up a rainbow Pride flag.
  • a group of people sit at an outdoor amphitheater. Two people bundled up in bright neon colors sitting side by side smile down at a turtle held firmly in a wildlife rehabilitation worker's hands.
  • A group of people crouch down near an overturned log in the woods looking for insects. Many are dressed in bright neon rain jackets, and there is a mist in the air. One person carries a see-through container to put the bugs into for close viewing.
  • A group of 80 some people sit in rows indoors looking forward and smiling. Ages vary from people in their 20s to people in their 80s.
  • A group of 30 sum people stand against a railing looking off into a brook. A person stood on a rock in the center of the brook gestures, explaining the construction of the alewife fish ladder nearby.

Our Purpose

Queerly ME fosters strong support networks and strengthens community belonging for LGBTQIA+ adults in Maine. As the only LGBTQIA+ led nonprofit in Maine serving all 16 counties annually, Queerly ME is helming the creation of a robust statewide community network where LGBTQIA+ people can develop critical support systems, share affirming resources, and access the restorative power of the outdoors. This dedication and broad geographic reach allows Queerly ME to directly partner with local organizations, businesses, and community members everywhere in Maine to take an informed approach to identifying existing resources and fulfilling unmet community needs. Queerly ME’s work is bolstered by three strategic initiatives to create and increase 1) LGBTQIA+ visibility, 2) resource accessibility, and 3) opportunities for community building outdoors. Queerly ME’s widespread efforts reduce isolation and resource scarcity while increasing community health and wellbeing in regions where LGBTQIA+ infrastructure is scarce to nonexistent.Queerly ME’s primary demographic is LGBTQIA+ people who live in rural, underserved regions, are gender nonconforming, transgender, or queer, and range between their 20s to 60s. LGBTQIA+ adults are often limited to nightlife to access affirming community spaces. By creating low-barrier outdoor programs and leading resource accessibility effort catered to LGBTQIA+ adults, we offer an alternative pathway towards essential social connection.