Queer Death Salon is a community space for all 2SLGBTQIA+ people to come together to discuss death, dying and grief. It is a facilitated drop-in discussion space, with the purpose of building connection, skill, and resources for 2SLGBTQIA+ people navigating end of life in our personal lives and in our communities.
We are all present as community members and participants to discussion and resource sharing. Attendees are welcome to come with questions, stories, or special objects to share with the group. Some months, we may have a guest speaker or a community researcher for all or a portion of a session. Other months, there may be a predetermined topic of conversation for a deep-dive. These will be announced as they are scheduled.
We are kicking off a three-part series on Medical Assistance in Dying.
May’s Queer Death Salon is for people who’ve had a loved one choose medically assisted death.
This is a space to share stories, explore our feelings, and ask questions about our experiences with loved ones who have chosen medically assisted death.
June’s Queer Death Salon is for people who are considering medically assisted death for themselves.
This is a space to discuss our decision making processes, how we hope to interact with loved ones and caregivers throughout the process, and ask questions of each other.
July’s Queer Death Salon is for community discussion on medically assisted death in the contexts of colonialism, capitalism, and ableism.
This is a space for talking about the roles of public consultation and activism, explore ethical considerations, and share related stories of experiences navigating medically assisted death.
Participants are invited to bring related questions of their own.
You are always welcome to make suggestions for future topics, questions, and speakers, using this web-form.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR UPCOMING QUEER DEATH SALONS
Setting and Access:
Queer Death Salons take place monthly, online over Zoom on Tuesday evenings at 7p.m. (Eastern Time) and are regularly attended by participants from all over the world. They are hosted in English with captions available and last about 90 minutes. Attendees are welcome to participate to their level of comfort. This means cameras can be on or off, people can unmute to speak, raise their hand to be called on, participate through chat, or simply listen in after the intro portion. Queer death salons are not recorded.
Pay What You Can:
The suggested donation is $20 and you’re encouraged to select a price that’s accessible to you, including $0. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. By paying the highest amount that you’re able, you make it possible for others with less access to resources to join this event.
Agreements for participation:
This is a space where we intentionally come together to discuss all aspects about death, dying, and grief. Global events, personal histories, and intimate details of our lives may come up and may bring up strong emotions. Participants are encouraged to do what they need for themselves in these situations.
Racism, homophobia, xenophobia, transphobia, antisemitism, ableism, and any other form of prejudice against a person or way of life will not be tolerated. Anyone engaging in prejudice towards another group member will be subject to immediate removal.
We are curious, open, and respectful – We assume good will, ask questions, and allow space for different experiences and points of view
We take care of ourselves – We stretch, take a break, eat, mute for a bit, drink, use restroom, connect with a friend, rest, call it a night, etc. as needed for our own well-being as individuals.
We keep confidentiality – We speak from personal experience and take home learnings while taking care not to identify anyone other than oneself. If we want to follow up with anyone regarding something they said during a session, we ask first and respect their wishes.
We use inclusive language – We speak using plain language and ask clarifying questions when we aren’t sure what someone means. We make effort to use gender-neutral language as appropriate.
We are all here because we want and choose to be here – We are free to leave at any time, for any reason.
Queer Community Deathcare 