A University Student’s Guide to a Queer Halifax

Written by Caitlyn Skelhorn

@caitlynskelhorn

Thumbnail and Header Photo by Yoav Hornung on Unsplash

There has been a significant uptick in LGBTQ+ acceptance and celebration over the years. However, while not all environments feel safe and welcoming, many businesses and spaces are created to counteract that. Luckily, Halifax is home to various queer-owned and operated businesses that strive to make queer people feel safe and appreciated. Many of these queer-run/friendly spaces are especially interesting to Halifax’s university student population. Read on to find out about some queer-owned/friendly spaces Halifax is proud to house.

Photo by Outlaw Country Tattoo. Outlaw Country Tattoo storefront.

University is a place full of young adults learning to express who they are. One way to show one’s self-expression is through tattoos. The process of being tattooed can be intimidating as you are often in a vulnerable or exposed position with someone you don’t know well. If you are queer, you may even have an additional level of insecurity when looking for someone to tattoo you. But look no further, as Halifax is home to Outlaw Country Tattoo, a queer-run tattoo shop that strives to create a safe space for people of any gender, sexuality, body type, and race to be tattooed.

Outlaw Country Tattoo is located at 6103 North St. Halifax and is open 12:00 - 6:00 pm Tuesday to Sunday. The shop has three artists: Gabe (she/her), Emerson (they/them), and Amy (they/them), an assistant manager, Amber (she/they), and a manager, Tucker (he/him). While none of the artists are booking new appointments at this moment, they announce via Instagram (@outlawcountrytattoo) when their books are open and how you can book an appointment with them. All three artists at Outlaw Country Tattoo create tattoos for all body types and skin colours and are mindful that the shop is on unceded Mi’kmaq territory.

Photo by Quiet Canary. Quiet Canary interior.

Another queer-run option for tattoos and nails, a less permanent form of self-expression, is Quiet Canary. Quiet Canary is located at 2594 Agricola St. and is quiet and well-lit. The shop is run by Stevie (she/they), who provides nail services, and Megan (they/them), who primarily does hand-poke tattoos. Unfortunately, neither Megan nor Stevie are taking new bookings right now, and they do not accept walk-ins. They will announce via Instagram when their books are open again. In addition, Quiet Canary makes it clear that they reserve the right to refuse service to racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, and disrespectful clients.

Photo by Dave Squires from Global News. Glitter Bean Cafe sign.

Body modification is not the only industry with queer-run spaces. You’ll find many other queer-run businesses in Halifax, including the Glitter Bean Café. The Glitter Bean Café was created by Smiling Goat employees, who unionized after the Smiling Goat neglected to pay them. The Smiling Goat baristas lived off tips and often noticed their cheques bouncing. The employees voted to unionize, and the Spring Garden location became the new site for the Glitter Bean Café. Lorelei Carey, the Glitter Bean Café manager, dreamed of creating a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. The Glitter Bean Café is open 8:30-4:30 pm weekdays and 10-4 pm Saturdays, and it is located at 5896 Spring Garden Rd. Pop into the Glitter Bean Café for a rainbow coffee, some fur-baby bonding time (patio only), and a chance to spend time in an environment proud to be queer. 

If coffee isn’t your cup of tea, there are more queer-friendly beverage options in Halifax. While the Good Robot Brewing Co. isn’t exclusively queer-owned and operated, some management team members are queer. They also strive to create an environment that welcomes the LGBTQ+ community; for example, they hosted a queer prom on August 28th, where people could dress up, drink beer, and have a blast in a queer-dominated environment.

Photo by Meghan Groff from Halifax Today. Good Robot Brewing Co.

There was a $10 minimum entrance fee, with a portion of the proceeds donated to the Halifax Sexual Health Centre. The Good Robot Brewing Co. consists of a taproom/beer garden, where you can enjoy food and beverage with friends, and in-person and online stores, in case you want your beer to go. The Good Robot Brewing Co. is proud to be a place where you can “let your freak flag fly” and enjoy good beer with good company. They are located at 2736 Robie St. and are open 4-10 pm Mondays through Thursdays, 12-12 am Fridays and Saturdays, and 12-10 pm on Sundays.

University students are at many different places in life. Some are going out to drink beer, and some are looking to settle down and buy a house. If you are looking to buy or sell a house and would like to work with a queer realtor, look up Charlie Johnson, Halifax’s Queer Realtor®. Charlie Johnson is trans and works to help members of the LGBTQ+ community find their dream homes. Charlie believes that people should be able to be who they are without explaining themselves. You can find Halifax’s Queer Realtor® at 102 - 7071 Bayers Rd. 

Photo by @venusenvyhfx. Venus Envy storefront.

Another queer-friendly business in Halifax is Venus Envy, a sex shop and book store. They have a wide variety of toys for different kinds of sex, including vibrators, dildos, and kinky toys. Venus Envy is also the spot to go for books about sex, whether they be educational books or for pleasure reading. Venus Envy strives to create a space where queer people can feel safe and has all the gear LGBTQ+ people may need. They have binders and gaffs, packers and breast inserts, and straps/harnesses. Venus Envy also has a fantastic selection of queer pins, stickers, and flags.

As the LGBTQ+ community grows, the number of queer-run/friendly businesses grows, and Halifax is home to many of them. Queer-owned/friendly businesses offer a safe space for LGBTQ+ community members created by people who value the importance of a queer-welcoming environment. While many spaces are “for everyone,” the businesses started by queer people are safe to be authentically queer as the creators understand the need for a safe space. This understanding is the key to creating accepting and queer-friendly places and is the reason why queer-run/friendly businesses are essential for the LGBTQ+ community.

Note: This article is not an exhaustive list of queer-owned and operated businesses in Halifax. In this article, queer-friendly refers to businesses that aren’t exclusively queer-owned but have openly queer employees.