A home base for queer and trans BIPOC students 

Emily Liang and Yasmin Meghdadi know that starting university can be daunting, and that it can  be even harder for racialized queer and trans individuals, who often struggle to find friends and community support.

Liang and Meghdadi are co-presidents of the McMaster Queer and Trans Colour Club (QTCC), an MSU club at that celebrates and supports queer people of colour in the community.

They sat down to tell us more and to invite community members to learn about their club.

What is QTCC?

The Queer and Trans Colour Club focuses on advocacy, resources, support and building a safe community for queer and trans BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of colour) individuals.

That can be hard to do without a space like the QTCC, Liang says.

“It’s really difficult when you don’t know anyone, to know where to start looking for this community,” she says, noting that many queer or trans people are not necessarily looking to announce it, making it even harder to find and forge meaningful connections.

In addition to advocacy and events, one of the QTCC’s goals is to create a sense of community and acceptance, where people can feel safe simply hanging out and living their lives.

“You don’t have to attend an event, you don’t have to do anything extra, you don’t have to be involved in activities,” Meghdadi says. “Just be.”

What QTCC does

The club has organized poetry slams and open mic sessions in partnership with other groups, coffee chats, “Deliver and Destigmatize” giveaways of trans-affirming gear and sexual health resources, scavenger hunts and de-stress sessions around exams and holidays.

“Holidays can be very difficult for queer and trans people,” Liang notes, and it’s important to give people a chance to connect and find a support network in times of stress.

Programming during the pandemic was virtual, but as public health restrictions ease, Meghdadi and Liang hope to organize more in-person or hybrid events.

They also want to open up general membership to the community and organize networking events where community members can learn more about organizations and resources beyond McMaster’s campus. “Kind of like a career fair, to help you learn what’s out there and what suits you,” Liang explains.

Community building and letting people know what’s out there is key, Meghdadi agrees. “The more people who know about us and what we do, the more people we can reach,” she says. “The more people we can reach, the more people we can help.”

“Whether you’re involved with us or not, you can find your community and get involved in whatever speaks to you.”

Learn more or get involved

An easy way to keep up with QTCC plans and learn more is to follow them on social media. The club is active on Instagram and Facebook.

They also plan to restart their newsletter, which allows community members to subscribe and stay informed while keeping their interest in QTCC more private than a visible follow on social media.

“Our goal is to just give you a home base and a community,” Meghdadi says. “We want you to know we’re here and you are always welcome.”