DIVA sits down with this grassroots sapphic collective
BY LUCY CHUNG, IMAGES BY ELLA MCCONVILLE AND CHARLOTTE
“Where are all the lesbian bars?” is a question which has long been perplexing modern queer women. As a demographic that often feels underrepresented in popular media and alienated from spaces that are targeted towards cis gay men, surely there is ample demand for more lesbian spaces?
In the place of permanent lesbian spaces there appears to have emerged the DIY presence of grassroots sapphic collectives like SWITCH North. DIVA spoke with Charlotte, the founder of SWITCH about her experience founding a lesbian night out in Liverpool, and why she thinks there is a lack of permanent lesbian spaces.
What inspired you to start a lesbian night out when you did?
Charlotte: “I came to uni in Liverpool freshly out and felt like there was just nothing for lesbians.”
Charlotte described how her first experience at Vanilla, a lesbian bar in Manchester, was “actually quite emotional” and the urge she felt to create a lesbian scene in Liverpool.
“Me and my girlfriend at the time thought, well, why can’t we do this?”
They developed explaining that people had been tolerant of them as they figured out events planning and challenges that arose there, such as picking the right venue, drink pricing and selling tickets. She attributed this patience partly to people just being nice, and partly because there was such a lack of lesbian events like theirs in the area at the time.
What’s your view on there being less permanent lesbian venues?
“I think it’s really sad that we don’t take up that space.”
Charlotte shared how she’d love a La Camionera variant in the Northwest, “But it’s really difficult… I know that if we did, we’d really struggle for it to be financially viable if it was just targeted at lesbians.”
She emphasised the importance of the community going to lesbian events when they do pop up.
“I think there needs to be a lot more understanding that people are going out there creating these spaces and we have to go and support them.”
Why do you think lesbians gravitate to events like yours?
“I think we like grassroots things, and I think we like specific things. It’s really good in Liverpool, it’s like there’s a new era now. In comparison to two years ago, when we first started, it’s like insane the difference.”
She highlighted that lesbians appear to enjoy variety, creativity and authenticity – something that collectives perhaps do better than commercially owned gay bars.
“You’ve got like walking groups now, rather than just socials. I think there’s a sober sapphic thing in Liverpool now, which I think is so good.”
“And it’s all organic I feel like as well. I know a lot of London events have come up North and tried to do stuff. I love the idea that it’s people like us just thinking ‘oh, we’ve not got this – I’m just gonna go do it myself’.”
She also observed that lesbians are attracted to events that align themselves with a good cause and that focus on community building.
“I think what I have found is that when queer women are going to an event and they’re paying money for a ticket, they want to know you have good values.”
She shared how SWITCH has donated to trans charities, been advocates for grassroots Pride, and acted on the feedback of the community to make their events as inclusive as possible.
What do you think lesbian events do differently than other queer groups?
“I can’t really speak for gay men or the wider queer scene, but I get the impression that us as lesbian event organisers are a lot more collaborative. I guess because there’s not a lot of permanent spaces you do feel like everyone’s doing something really good and it’s not competitive.”
Charlotte shared how SWITCH is in a group chat with other Northwest sapphic collectives, like Butch Revival, Diesel Dykes, and the University of Liverpool Butch Society.
“It’s really good for us to bond and bounce ideas off each other.”
So, whilst there might be less permanent lesbian spaces, it seems that the success of grassroots collectives within the lesbian community is because they speak more to our values. Lesbian space making goes beyond a sign claiming the outside of a nightclub, it’s about having a fundamental understanding of the community and the principles that define us.
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