The Gay Café

As a gay woman living in Ireland I am extremely aware of the lack of LGBTQ+ spaces, especially ones that are alcohol free and under 18 friendly. I want to open a café  that will be that safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, where inclusivity is promoted and everybody is accepted and celebrated. I posted a tweet jokingly about opening my own café and so many people loved it and encouraged me to make my imagination come to life, and thus; The Gay Café  idea was born. This late-night café  will use sustainable, eco-friendly products and will serve gluten-free and vegan treats alongside our hot and cold drinks that have the option of being dairy free. The café will also have indoor and outdoor seating. In the seating area there will be seating for those coming alone, with friends, and a designated table for people who are open to having a stranger come and sit with them. I have many more ideas such as selling people’s art from the cafe, having live music and spoken word poetry, having colour-coded coasters based on one’s sexual orientation, optional pronouns and flag that represents how staff identify on their name tags, and many more. I know that if I had something like The Gay Cafe when I was a teenager I would have accepted myself and my sexuality a lot sooner and felt safe doing so, and that is one of my goals for others who are in that same place.