Like it or not, most Queer spaces are synonymous with drinking and partying. This, however, does not accommodate people who are underaged or do not feel comfortable in loud environments for whatever reason. Bellingham's Inner Child Studio presents an alternative for those who aren't fond of club settings: Queer events that take place in a community center.
"A lot of the people who come through here are neurodivergent," said ICS founder Rachel Andrews. "And I've worked with neurodivergent kids for so long that I know that, like, stuff is overwhelming, people are overwhelming, loud sounds are overwhelming. They still need a place to make friends [though]. ...That's important, because [for those] between 18 and 21 what do they get to do? Where do they hang out?...
"...People [also] have told me that they come here specifically because we don't have alcohol events or things like that, because they're recovering. And so that's great to hear as well."
ICS started with Andrews driving with her massive Lego collection to different programs in Whatcom County that cater to children and adults with special needs. Then, after the pandemic, Andrews decided to buy a space to reconnect with people — and for her Legos.
"I really wanted to have a place where people could reconnect, but it wouldn't be an overwhelming stadium or like a big event," Andrews said. "[I wanted] a small, not overwhelming event venue that was open for anyone to do whatever they wanted... Then I knew the community would figure out what they wanted to do with it.
"[Now] I have it, it's kind of like 'if you build it, they will come.' So, I've just been listening to what people want and doing it. It's been fun, because I get the most awesome types of events. Like tonight we have a musician, with their musical partner accompanying [using] sign language..., and then a comedy show after that.
"So, we have everything from book clubs and meetups and parties [to] our art nights, movie nights, TV shows, screenings, things like that."
Helping Queer youth
While ICS is not a technically a space for only Queer people, it still strives to make sure LGBT+ people are comfortable and have events that cater directly to them, like a monthly "Gayme" night, a monthly polyamory social, and a monthly furry meetup.
"I identify as Queer," Andrews said. "I'm a parent of a Trans kid and a Queer kid. And all my friends are Queer. And I just was like, 'I need a spot where I can reconnect with my community that I kind of lost during the pandemic, or that I didn't get to connect to.'
"And also, during the pandemic, [I was] doing a lot of identity searching things, too. And just realizing, like, 'This is where I want to be. This is what I want to be doing for the rest of my life. And these are the people I want to be helping.'
"And for me, I think it was just, 'Hey, if I had a place like this to hang out with when I was a teenager, who knows what I could've accomplished.' I turned out okay, but [I was] just really thinking of what I would have wanted when I was young and Queer and trying to figure out who my people were and where I belonged, and things like that. And then as an adult, and as a parent, wanting to serve families and children and babies."
According to a 2020 survey conducted by the Trevor Project, "LGBTQ youth who reported having at least one LGBTQ-affirming space had 35% reduced odds of reporting a suicide attempt in the past year." So, having an affirming environment for Queer youth is crucial for their well-being.
"There's a lot of science to back why we need to help youth in the [Queer] community," Andrews said. "So, for me personally seeing it, just the looks on some of these kids' faces when they come into like our teen lounge or their tween night... They are terrified, you can just see it on their face, because they're like, 'What are these kids going to say?' And they realize after looking around that, like, 'Oh, there's another kid with ears' or 'there's another kid that has different-colored hair' or things like that. And then they get to feel like, 'Okay, I can hang out.'
"And then of course, we play video games and play with stickers. So, like, you can bond over that, no matter who you are. So, within five minutes, they have a whole new group of best friends. And what's great is that I get to see those same kids on a regular basis. So, I get to see them grow up and become young adults. And that's fun."
While ICS is not the only community center offering quieter events to a Queer audience in Washington, it is the only one in Bellingham. Hopefully, this will start a trend of new Queer-positive community centers in smaller towns around the state.
This month ICS is holding a series of Pride events ranging from art nights to water parties. If you are interested in attending any events or holding your own event at ICS, visit https://www.innerchildstudio.com