QueerCon 2023

Amount Awarded: $3,700.00 

Academic Year: 2022-2023 

Implementation: April 2023

Full Application: Link

Categories: Campus and Community Engagement

QueerCon is an annual one-day gathering of the local WWU and Bellingham queer community, to come together to connect students, artists, activists, and allies together under the united love for queer culture and sci-fi. The primary purpose is to provide a safe space for the celebration of the intersection of queer culture, science fiction, and fantasy. QueerCon is a multi-faceted event which focuses on education and enrichment through unique presentations and events, boosting the local economy by supporting local creators, and connecting the various parts of the queer community with other parts on campus and in the community. 

This year's conference was held April 29th, 2023. Their keynote presenter was Seattle-based YouTube creator Jessie Gender, a fantastic activist, advocate for the queer community, and unapologetic Star Trek fan. The event also had presentations about creating queer characters, and for the first time, they hosted a drag show performed by Western’s own Royal Gambit Drag Club. They chose these presenters to highlight a diversity of experiences and to encourage attendees to express themselves in ways they might not have felt comfortable doing so in the past. As a lot of queer people continue to experience prejudice and daily systemic hardships of various forms, they wanted to create a space that fosters celebration and joy.