York has a small number of LGBT venues, and a growing number of regular events, groups and organisations. The guide below provides details of these, including brief descriptions and links to more information (or, in their absence, contact details).
Note that the ‘Regular events and meeting groups’ section does not include York Pride or York LGBT History Month, as these only take place once per year. Details of these can instead be found in the ‘Charities and organisations’ section.
Are we missing something? Please let us know LGBTQPlusStaff@yorksj.ac.uk
Contents
- Venues
- Regular events and meeting groups
- Charities and organisations
- University/higher education groups
Venues
The Family Shambles
Website | Facebook | Instagram 
The Family Shambles mission is to entertain and create a fun safe space for performance art and free expression of all communities.
They hold regular drag nights in York across a number of venues. See Instagram and Facebook links for the latest news and performances.
Regular events and meeting groups
Generate
Website
A trans group offering a safe meeting space for people who currently identify as trans or are beginning to explore their gender identity. We meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Other Coffee and Cake
A joint venture between York LGBT Forum, York Pride and Yorkshire MESMAC, the group encourages, inspires and supports LGBT people who are isolated and need somebody to chat to. The main goal is to help people feel part of a community, have their views and feelings heard and to have some fun. The group meets the first Saturday of every month at Yorkshire MESMAC. For more information, contact Jake Furby: jake_furby@hotmail.com or 07935 200 575.
Positive Mingle
A social group for men with HIV, predicated on living happily with HIV, with meetings every month at Yorkshire MESMAC. For more information, contact Ben: b.arnup@mesmac.co.uk or 07771 931 335.
York Lesbian Social Group
A York-based social group, established over twenty years ago, for lesbians to keep in touch and enjoy friendship with like-minded women. We are all ages and our meetings are casual and informal. We meet on a monthly basis for a bite to eat at a local restaurant, but you’re welcome to just have a drink or a cup of coffee. Members also organise ad hoc events. For more information: yorklesbians@outlook.com or 07989 927 165.
YSJU Coffee Mornings 
The LGBTQ+ Staff Network are holding Coffee Mornings on the last Friday of every month in the Dining Room Extension on campus between 10 and 11am. These will occasionally be centred on a certain topic or theme, and everyone is welcome to come along and have a chat.
York LGBT Social Group
A new social group developed by York LGBT Forum, aiming to bring together people who identify as LGBT*, curious, any other non-cisnormative or heteronormative identities and allies. The group meets monthly and aims to provide activities for members to engage with, such as a gay history walk. Membership is free. For more information, contact Jake Furby: jake_furby@hotmail.com or 07935 200 575.
Charities and organisations
York LGBT Forum
Website | Facebook | Twitter
York LGBT Forum works on behalf of the LGBT communities within the York area and beyond. We’re a campaigning, local community organisation and we aim to:
- promote equality, diversity and social inclusion to LGBT people;
- support and encourage LGBT inclusion in all aspects of life;
- challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia;
- work with partners and organisations in developing initiatives that will enhance and safeguard LGBT people’s lives.
York LGBT History Month
Website | Facebook | Twitter
York LGBT History Month brings together organisations across York for a cohesive, collaborative, city-wide campaign. This is achieved through the creation and promotion of a single programme of public events. Its purpose is to enable the whole community (LGBT or not) to learn about the past struggles and achievements of LGBT people, and potentially about the challenges that remain, with the aim of promoting and advancing equality, diversity and inclusion.
York Pride
Website | Facebook (York Pride) | Facebook (Gay York) | Twitter
York Pride aims to promote equality, diversity and advances in education, in order to eliminate discrimination against the LGBT community. We raise awareness of LGBT issues by promoting and staging events – namely the main York Pride event held each year – and taking part in campaigning. We aim for York to be a place where diversity offered by the LGBT community is celebrated and LGBT people can feel safe and accepted.
Yorkshire MESMAC
Website | Facebook (Ben Arnup, North Yorkshire Community Development Worker) | Twitter
Yorkshire MESMAC was founded in the early 1990s to counter the spread of HIV and AIDS. From the outset our focus was reducing the transmission of HIV amongst gay men. Our remit is now broader, as we seek to inform anyone vulnerable to a sexually transmitted virus. We offer a rapid HIV testing service, with a result in 20 minutes, across Yorkshire.
University/higher education groups
Staff
Higher York LGBTI Matters Staff Networks
Facebook
The city of York has a number of higher education institutions: University of York, York St John University, Askham Bryan College and York College (for more details visit Higher York). Some of these institutions have staff forums/networks that work towards equality for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ). This Facebook page exists to facilitate communication between those groups, and with other people interested in the area of LGBTIQ rights.
York St John University LGBT Staff Network
Blog | Twitter
The LGBT Staff Network at York St John University contributes to the achievement of an environment where everyone feels welcome and where the needs of individuals are recognised and addressed so that they can reach their full potential, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity.
Students
LGBTQ Postgraduate Network (University of York)
Facebook
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Postgraduate Network, supported by the Graduate Student Association, is a community of postgraduate students that self-identify as LGBTQ. The Network aims to foster a nurturing and inclusive environment in the University of York for postgraduate LGBTQ students both by encouraging and organising frequent social interactions between them and liaising with local LGBTQ groups to engage with the wider community in campaigns to raise awareness about LGBTQ issues.
YSJ LGBTQ+ (York St John University)
Webpage | Facebook profile 
YSJ LGBT+ aims to be inclusive to anyone who is accepting of all people regardless of their orientation or gender, whether you are lesbian, gay, bi, trans, questioning/curious, straight, ‘out’, not ‘out’ or anything else. We are a friendly group currently trying to establish our place at the university, working very closely with the LGBT+ Champions trying to create a fun and peaceful environment not only at our socials but also in the university campus.
YUSU LGBTQ (University of York)
Webpage | Facebook (YUSU Bi Network) | Twitter
We run campaigns on LGBTQ issues and aim to fight homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and hetrosexism to help create a safe and inclusive environment in the university. We also look out for the welfare of LGBTQ students at York by holding drop-in sessions, providing information and support, and running welfare campaigns. Our events and campaigns cover a wide range of issues that aim to increase LGBTQ representation on campus.
