Garden of Queerdom

2022/ongoing - Social initiative and collaboration

Garden of Queerdom (GOQ) is a community based, herbal care initiative that centers the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community & the earth. We organise herbal community workshop and events such as; queer herbal balm making, herbal foraging and community dinners. We also sell our own herbal balm making kits and handmade herbal products. GOQ usually works in collaboration with other (queer) art organisations and local artists.

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Garden of Queerdom consists of me, the founder, and my partner Mandy van Pelt. To be able to keep our workshops and events as accessible as possible, we usually work together with external partners. So far, we have worked together with organisations such as: RAUM Utrecht, WORM Rotterdam, Centraal Museum Utrecht & De Beach Amsterdam. With this project we want to offer a different perspective on queer care and make room for new ways of coming together, outside of the queer night-life scene, where a lot of great initiatives already take place.

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Why queer?

Unfortunately, care is not divided equally in this world. The people who need it the most, are usually the ones who receive the littlest. And when care is given, in any form, it is most likely created from the same oppressive structures that harms the people who need it the most to begin with. 

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Queer people, among people of colour, people with disabilities and many more, have been fighting for justice, equal rights and fair treatment for decades. Having the proper support, feeling safe, and having the tools to support ourselves and our communities is therefore life saving. Creating safer spaces, care-full spaces, where we are not questioned, with no need to prove our worth or settle for anything less than we deserve are so important. Queer people deserve to feel good.

I especially found that within our community, there is a big need for more queer centered views on (holistic) care, finding ways to reconnect to the earth and to focus on community support over individualism. I've created Garden of Queerdom as a way to make space for that.  For our community, my family and myself.

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Why herbal?

As someone who has always felt a deep connection to the earth, I know that being among our natural surroundings and our more-than-human companions, can be so healing and supportive for our nervous systems. Herbology (the ancient practice of working with medicinal plants and trees) has many ways in which it can offer us support and ease, while bringing us into connection with the earth in simple, accessible ways. Herbal care has always been used to support communities all of the world, and I believe these plant wisdoms can help us create more just and sovereign systems of care, especially for the people who need it the most. 

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Working with plants and connecting with my community has been a journey into self acceptance, love and care that touches me deeply, and I am very proud of what we have created so far.

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If you are interested in joining one of our workshops, you can stay up to date on our latest events via our instagram page: @gardenofqueerdom

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If you would like to work together with us, please send

an email to: gardenofqueerdom@gmail.com

Below you will find a mix of images from previous workshops, events and a short documentary about the initiative.