Our first trip to Flagstaff Hut this year was fantastic! Our biggest overnight group yet, of 23 folks, hiked around the lake identifying plants with @sikwani_dana, played games including our cornhole tournament, fly fished with Chelsea and Laura of @mefishwildlife, lounged on the rocky beach, canoed and kayaked, made art and did figure drawing, learned how to tie knots, and gathered around many a campfire. We are so grateful for the opportunity to gather as a Queer community in Maine in this way. Thank you Sewall Foundation for funding these trips! We have our next Flagstaff Hut trip coming up August 31st to September 2nd. Keep an eye out for updates later this summer!

Max, He/Him . “Hey my names Max, I’m a proud trans man who aspires to be a nurse and continue working with those who have dementia. In my free time I enjoy long boarding and anything involving nature. I’m very excited to be moving out of the winter season and into spring time. I enjoy the sense of new beginnings!” . @maxkelly125

Ashley, She/They . “I grew up in a very conservative religious community in Southern Kentucky, and while I knew and loved people who were gay, I didn’t learn about bisexuality until my mid-twenties. It was a moment of, ‘wait, doesn’t everyone make out with their girlfriends when they’re drunk?!’ By that point, I was in a loving hetero-presenting marriage (one I’m still happily in today!), and even still, learning about and being able to name this part of myself felt SO liberating. It’s like when you have this feeling you can’t quite put your finger on, but then you come across an essay or poem where someone articulates the feeling perfectly. You feel so seen like, ‘Yes!!! That’s it. That’s how it is for me too. I’m not alone!’ There’s a lot of privilege I have in moving through the world in a cis-het passing relationship, and also, I see that as a tool that I get to utilize. Since coming out to myself, my spouse and those close to me — all of whom were deeply supportive and not at all surprised — I’ve shared about my queerness online and in my art because representation matters. There are as many expressions of and iterations of queerness as there are queer people, and it’s important that people know that just because you appear femme and are with a man, that doesn’t mean you’re straight — or even a woman! One of my favorite moments since coming out publicly was being approached at a park by someone who had read my story online. That sparked her own journey of deconstructing her compulsory heterosexuality and eventually coming out to herself, her husband, and her family. I felt so humbled and delighted to have played a small part in her discovering more of herself. That’s what it’s all about for me — becoming and expressing more and more of who I am, and in the process, celebrating and supporting those around me doing the same.” . @ashleytrabue

Jason, He/Him . “Hello, I’m Dr. Jason (he/him/his), and I want to be there for you for your favorite family member. As an end-of-life care veterinarian and a bunny/bird dad, I know the power of the human animal bond and how much such a loss of such a pure soul can truly change your life. I know how difficult and stigmatized this time can be, especially the grief that comes with it. I truly want to be there for you and your family. Best friends can be hard to come by and I want to celebrate that bond by ensuring you are as informed and prepared as possible with some ‘Bucket List’ items (and even some chocolate!) crossed off. I work with an organization is called Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice that helps families all across southern Maine and work closely with The Tilly Project Senior Pet Photography as well.” . @jason.h.doll

We had a wonderful time connecting with each other and gardening at our Grow Together event in collaboration with @portlandrecoverycommunityctr, @primalblossoms, and @theheartfarmer! We can’t wait for future gardening activities and ways to further connect with our community.

Dimitri, He/They . “What does it mean to be male? This is something I used to ask myself. Several years ago my spouse came out as nonbinary, so I became fixated on words like ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’; I questioned them and used them cautiously. What was I trying to say instead: kind, strong, empathetic? There was always a more truthful word. Doing this brought me to realize I did not identify with the common cultural idea of a masculine person. I removed a box society placed me into, realizing I was greater than the space that held me. I can be beautiful, tender, brave, I can be anything — I can be myself. Who I am doesn’t line up with what I’m told a CIS male looks like, and that’s okay! Don’t let this world put you in a box, because you cannot be contained or defined. I have come to love the word queer. It allows me to declare that I don’t quite fit in with the CIS gender straight box of society, but I don’t have to plant my flag in any other constricting boxes, either. I am allowed a semblence of fluidity. Am I nonbinary? Pansexual? Polyamorous? I am just Dimitri!” . @starlikeidiot

Join Queerly ME and Primal Blossoms’s Owner, Hedda Campbell, for a flower crown workshop June 2nd 9am to 10am, right before Lewiston Pride! Materials will be provided at the location, Simard-Payne Memorial Park. Registered attendees will receive exact coordinates for the event a week prior to the date! Registration is required and spots are limited! Registration can be found on our story or under “announcements” on our IG.

A lovely walk along the river to end our season of Trail Mixers! We had a lot of fun pointing out Spring plants along the path and looking out for little critters. Thank you all for coming out to our trail mixers with @brunswicktopsham this Spring! We’ll see you again in the Fall for our next walk series.

Queerly ME is seeking community testimonials! By sharing your experiences with Queerly ME, we can more aptly show folks the impact of our work and obtain funding. This furthers our mission of LGBTQIA+ visibility, resource accessibility, and community building, and helps us to expand our programming statewide. Your insights and feedback are appreciated! You can fill out a short form through the QR code or message us directly with testimonial.

Lili (pronounced lee-lee), prefers name instead of gender pronouns. . “I moved to Maine with my partner and three cats 3 years ago after receiving a remission status from colon cancer for a change of pace and a different type of fresh air than the Midwest has to offer. Maine has been a great place to get into hiking and connect with nature, I love spending time outdoors. I’m looking forward to doing that more in these warmer months, despite heavily preferring the cold. I also love reading mystery & thriller novels, writing poetry, baking, and playing Pokemon games (Platinum is the best!). Since coming here, I’ve gotten very in touch with my spiritual and religious beliefs and have met others within the Jewish community who have become close friends. I’ve gotten very involved with the Maine Coalition for Palestine & Jewish Voice for Peace, with whom we now have a state pod, connecting with aligned Jews fighting for Palestinian liberation and liberation for all people throughout Maine. @jvp.maine Baking is my heart’s passion. It was a large part of what helped me mentally get through my cancer treatments, and I feel very strongly that all cultures live on through three things: language, music, and food. I’ve led multiple cultural baking and food history classes and feel great joy and pride with every student’s finished product. People learn how to handle the motions of a dish, respect where it comes from, and taste the history behind it. I’m starting a baking business centered around these ideals, with the hope of connecting people with foods from mine and other cultures. I’m still seeking my queer community in Maine, but the more I find myself the more friends I find. The BIPOC Queer community here is small but extremely vibrant, and I am excited and hopeful to find myself as a more connected part of it.” . @t0r.terra @barebearbakehouse

Queerly ME is seeking volunteers to support our summer programming and tabling at events! Interested in getting involved as a volunteer? Fill out our short volunteer interest form on our site under “get involved” or reach out to us to learn more!

Zach, He/Him . “I have a deep curiosity and desire to widen my skill base that sees me practicing many varied hobbies. Knitting, crocheting, visible mending, sewing. Permaculture design with a strong interest in tree care, soil building, foraging and water harvesting. Rowing my single shell. Embedding myself in queer community through participation or organization of events from simple potlucks and game nights, to garden work parties and talent shows. I have lived for the last 17 years in Portland, Oregon, so I am very curious and excited, having moved back to my home state, to see how my love of queer community will intersect with my love of small town/rural community that I have been away from for so long. My fixer-upper house and its setting in the forest on the edge of Cumberland County and the Mountain and Lakes region of southwest Maine give me the opportunity to explore that intersection. Maine did not feel like a safe place for me to be gay when I was growing up. I couldn’t wait to leave. I don’t know who I’d be if I stayed here, but I know who I am now. I spent my young adulthood steeped in a loving queer community that allowed me to safely explore all of the edges of my identity. Not fully knowing how Maine had changed in the last two decades, safe or not, I was ready to move back and stand in my truth. I have to remind myself that 20-30 years ago, when I was looking for mentors and parental figures in the gay community, they were being wiped out or traumatized by the AIDS epidemic. I am now the age they would have been when I was a teen. The teens and twenty somethings of today seem hidden within a technological landscape that I am not entirely familiar with. My wish is to be part of keeping the queer generations linked with in-person community engagement.” . @oldwaysceremonies

Curious about our Grow Together event? Here is some more info. on our activity leads and who is welcome to attend! Spots are limited so register when you can, either through our site or through our announcements highlight on our IG!

We had a wonderful time at our LGBTQIA+ vernal pool exploration with Katrina Cornish @katrinamcornish and Samaa Abdurraqib @rahmah500! Many frog and salamander friends were made and much fun was had! Thank you to @hidden_valley_nature_center for supplying us with some gear and helping us get acquainted with the land!

Lauren, They/Them . “In the same way a lot of us have struggled with not feeling ‘queer enough’, I’ve also often not felt ‘outdoorsy enough’. In other places I’ve lived, the outdoor culture has felt pretty competitive - who could climb the highest mountain or backpack the longest trail. In my twenties I started doubting my own connection with nature to the extent of not even trusting myself with a houseplant. I’ve found that Maine is more welcoming and casual about outdoor interaction. Since moving here in 2021 I’ve gotten to try so many activities that would have felt off-limits before, like ski touring, snowshoeing, canoeing and kayaking, fishing, hiking, swimming, mushroom hunting, camping, and gardening. In large part thanks to the great queer outdoor programming here, I’ve gotten to start rebuilding my connection with nature at my own pace. And my first houseplant (Britney the peace lily) is still alive!” . @ltlyfe2

Join Queerly ME and Portland Recovery Community Center as we encourage recovery and growth through connection with each other and the earth! The first half of this program will be dedicated to an outdoor LGBTQIA+ Heart Circle, a community practice rooted in mindfulness and radical empathy led by The Heart Farmer, Jake Krueger. The second half of this program will be dedicated to gardening in an urban environment with Primal Blossoms’s Owner Hedda Campbell, learning how to grow healthy, edible, and usable plants in raised garden beds. This event is for LGBTQIA+ individuals who wish to recover from the weight of the world alongside fellow community members while engaging in activities that encourage grounding and connection. Prior registration required, spots limited!

Tara, They/Them . “Born and raised in southern Maine, this place has a piece of my heart. I am thrilled to be back in Portland after some years away, serving as the Minister of Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church, fondly known around these parts as ‘A2U2.’ LGBTQIA+ Mainers have been part of this congregation since the beginning, and I follow in the footsteps of a number of out, queer A2U2 clergy with humility and gratitude. It was in finding my spiritual home in Unitarian Universalism that I also found queer community. It was in church that I met queer and trans families for the first time... gay, lesbian, and intersex elders with incredible stories to tell. I saw parts of myself reflected in their families... their stories... their pronouns... and worlds opened up for me. Faith and queerness, to me, are inextricably interconnected. It’s all about learning to be human in our fullness, and working to create the conditions for others to do the same. In my tradition we believe not in original sin, but in original BLESSING. We are blessed, whole, holy, cherished... not in spite of who we are but because of who we are. And what a gift. To be out, proud, always changing, growing, deepening, questioning... in this beloved community that is home.” .

Join Queerly ME over the holiday weekend at Flagstaff Hut! All attendees must be LGBTQIA+, 21+, Maine Residents, and COVID vaccinated. Pre-Registration closes April 22nd, and spots are filling up fast! These off the grid cabins overlook Flagstaff Lake and beautiful woods! There are many activities planned throughout the weekend for attendees to take part in, such as a plant identification walk, a fishing demo, and nature walks. The LGBTQIA+ Cabin Weekend is a donation based trip. Filling out a form does not guarantee a spot on the trip; we will be prioritizing spots for those in rural areas of Maine, LGBTQIA+ BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ individuals who have not been able to attend a Queerly ME trip yet. That being said, we had enough space for everyone who filled out a pre-registration form last summer to attend! For more info. on the trip and to access our pre-registration, check out our site under “events” or our “announcements” highlight on our Instagram profile.

We had such a wonderful Spring walk today through Crystal Spring Farm with @brunswicktopsham! Despite jumping around several muddy pools along the trail, we made it back mostly dry and reconvened at Wild Oats for a big Queer lunch. See you all next time Sunday May 12th 1pm at Androscoggin Woods!

Oronde, He/They, is a city boi turned witch of the woods in Midcoast Maine, spending lots of his time tending to/thinking about his plants and pretending to be an old timey apothecary. Despite the transitional energy of the past few years, they are still incredibly dedicated to social justice and finding ways to highlight the importance of communication and vulnerability in creating stronger, healthier lives and relationships, especially for folks with marginalized identities and/or histories of trauma. At heart, Oronde hopes to empower folks to show up more fully as themselves and help to strengthen and support their communities. A lot of this work is done as Executive Director of Speak About It, a Maine based nonprofit focused on consent education/sexual assault prevention programming that has worked with over 600,000 students across the globe. Speak About It is doing lots of programming this April for Sexual Assault Awareness Month and in May for Mental Health Awareness Month. So feel free to check out their website or IG @wespeakaboutit to keep up with them or join them for their burlesque/drag show on April 19th at @austinstreetbrewery with @portcitypeepshow

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