Queering the Map: This Maps-Style Site Helps You Drop a Pin on Your Queer Experiences

If you’re looking to preserve your queer history, this site is the perfect place to start. Queering the Map is an online community-generated counter-mapping platform, that allows LGBTQI individuals to drop a pin on their own personal queer experiences at different locations around the world.

As a place for queer memories to be recorded and preserved, Queering the Map acts as a communal space to connect with history (“Bennett Street share house – great parties in the Late ’70s & early ’80s and the birth of the Lesbian action group.”), as well as other LGBTQIA+ people living in, or visiting the area. 

The site features a catalogue of heartfelt first dates (“The Tofu Shop where my guy and I had our first date in 1989.”); sweet messages of queer support (“Watched my two best friends fall in love.“); raunchy sexual encounters (“My boyfriend at the time s***ed me off down these dark streets late one night, all I could see was car headlights passing along the nearby streets.”); and moments of heartbreak (“After breaking up with my girl at the botanic gardens we shared a plate of nachos and she cried the whole time.”).

in Bierces, Spain: "My father called me his son today. I never thought he would take me being trans seriously"#queeringthemap pic.twitter.com/Cqei8zvXUb

— Queering The Map (@queeringthemap_) April 4, 2023

Archiving Queer Stories

While some stories love to expose funny slices of life (“Where I get my kebabs when I’m in drag.”), others highlight unfortunate instances of homophobia and transphobia that have occurred in certain spaces (“I was called a lot of names here, I hope people begin to teach their kids how to be respectful and not throw slurs around like they’re nothing”).

Not only is it important for Queering the Map to archive these queer stories, but it is also a vital tool in helping queer people locate unsafe places that they may not be wary of. 

With over 400,000 submissions in over 26 languages, the site has grown exponentially since its inception in 2017.

A passion project from Lucas LaRochelle through a class project for Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, the site has been run independently since its release, relying on donations through Patreon to help keep the site going for future generations.

"Spent the last day of pride 2021 here with the girl I was dating. We skinny dipped at night under the stars listening to 80s music. I very much felt like I was in a black lesbian summer rom com that was kind of like Call Me By Your Name"#queeringthemap pic.twitter.com/S5zFbTIrQa

— Queering The Map (@queeringthemap_) September 2, 2022

Now with a book holding a collection of stories tied to spaces across the globe, Queering the Map has shown no signs of slowing down.

If you have your own story that you would like to contribute or would love to hear more about other LGBTQI histories, head over to their website and drop a pin of your own.