.gay Community Spotlight on Qweerty Gamers

On this week's .gay Community Spotlight, we're highlighting a trailblazing group making major strides in advancing LGBTQIA+ representation within the gaming industry.

With a focus on inclusive gameplay and fun, Qweerty Gamers offers a safe and supportive space where LGBTQIA+ gamers can connect, network, and reach new heights.

Learn more about their work in our chat below.

How would you describe your organization’s mission?

Our mission statement is to provide LGBTQIA+ resources, support, and networking access to advance visibility and representation in the global gaming and media industry.

Tell us about how that mission is brought to life through your work?

We host events, panels, talks, meetups, and mixers online & in person to advocate and create a productive and inclusive space for LGBTQIA+ gamers and professionals to connect and collaborate. We also provide a quarterly microgrant named after my mother, Victoria Kennedy, to support games in development with queer themes.

What would happen if your organization suddenly did not exist?

Not many organizations have dedicated their mission to the representation of queer themes in games. Without our impact, many games would have to find support and funding elsewhere, and there would be one less space where gamers could feel validated and belonging.

What can people do to get involved and help make sure that never happens?

Donate to Qweerty Gamers so that we can invest our time and money in queer games for you. Buy queer games from different platforms like Steam, Nintendo, Sony, Xbox, IOS, Android, and more. Volunteer with Qweerty Gamers. You can email us or join us in Discord.

Why does LGBTQIA+ visibility matter to you?

Everyone should have a vested interest in LGBTQIA+ visibility, even if you aren’t LGBTQIA+ or even have friends or family that are LGBTQIA+. When one person isn’t given the opportunity to be seen, we all risk being erased from public life next.

In your own words, what does “LGBTQIA+ safety and support” mean specifically?

LGBTQIA+ Safety and support means having access to the same resources as everyone else. Many LGBTQIA+ people lose access to resources because of family or outside prejudices. Without generational wealth, getting into the gaming industry is very hard due to costs and networking. That’s why you see many queer-themed games on a smaller scale, in the indie world, with lower budgets.

Who are some of your LGBTQIA+ heroes?

The heroes are the LGBTQIA+ people who started the movement before I was born who don’t have their names in history, who were arrested, or who died of a virus that our government conveniently ignored. The heroes are also the allies that also understand that if LGBTQIA+ people didn’t have equal rights, nobody would. For me, there is no individual hero but an entire generation of heroes and all those that came after.

If you could give LGBTQIA+ youth one message, what would it be?

Get into gaming. Learn about the different jobs the game industry offers, from narrative to coding. Our stories are being told worldwide, and there isn’t a firewall big enough to block our stories from being told and played worldwide. If you visit an LGBTQ center, or any place that offers you services, ask for them to create a program or contact other organizations that offer programs to youth, like Code Coven.

Tell us about a time when you felt like the work you do at your organization really mattered or made a difference for the communities you serve?

One of the first events we ever threw, before we were as organized as we are today (and getting organized is an ongoing project), we held a fairly large meetup at RIOT headquarters in West Los Angeles. After the event, one of our attendees confessed they finally found a space where they belonged.

Anything else you would like to share with the .gay audience?

If you don’t play video games, or don’t consider yourself a gamer, consider investing in knowing about queer-themed games. The video game industry is the largest industry in the world, and it’s the industry telling the next generation about our stories. If you care about queer rights and exposing people to queer culture, you should certainly care about video games and their impact on our right to be seen.