True to the spirit of Festival Fierté Montréal, as an inclusive and welcoming event for all individuals from diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, the Safer Spaces serve as dedicated refuges for racialized communities (QTBIPOC, which stands for Queer and/or Trans Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and youth aged 14 to 25. Designed as zones of safety and serenity, these spaces provide a haven for those seeking a supportive environment to reconnect and recharge.
Each Safer Space is crafted to be an anti-oppressive environment where all forms of violence — whether verbal, physical, or sexual — are strictly prohibited. Open to everyone, these spaces invite individuals to relax, connect with others, and, when needed, receive support from facilitators who are members of the communities and are trained in active, inclusive listening.
To ensure a sense of safety, Fierté Montréal requests that authorities remain outside these spaces and that visitors refrain from taking pictures, thereby respecting the anonymity and confidentiality of all participants.
Why Focus on These Groups?
The Safer Spaces at Festival Fierté Montréal address specific needs for safety, mental well-being, and a sense of belonging among 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and QTBIPOC individuals.
For queer youth, aged 14 to 25, these spaces provide a judgment-free environment to explore their identities in a world often dominated by heteronormative and cisnormative standards. Faced with societal pressures, potential lack of familial or community support, and the vulnerability that characterizes this stage of life, the Youth Safer Space serves as a refuge where they can connect, share experiences, and feel understood. Also, the Festival atmosphere — sometimes involving substance use — can feel overwhelming for young participants. This space offers a secure environment to recharge, away from the crowds and public gaze.
For QTBIPOC individuals, the Safer Spaces represent an inclusive and respectful environment where the realities of racial discrimination and intersecting prejudices are acknowledged and addressed. In contexts where they may feel underrepresented, these spaces foster validation and solidarity, allowing for connections with others who share similar cultural experiences. A zero-tolerance policy for microaggressions and oppressive behaviors ensures a safe framework for these individuals, while the active listening resources and calming atmosphere support their mental health.
Although designed with specific groups in mind, these spaces remain open to anyone seeking a calm, safer space, as long as they respect the needs of the groups for whom these spaces are vital. They also encourage visitors to reflect on their own privileges and consider how they can support individuals with different identities or realities.
The creation of anti-racist and inclusive spaces represents a necessary initiative, as demonstrated by the organization AGIR Montréal:
“For AGIR being part of the idea of creating a "Safer Spaces" as an essential component of Pride. Our experience with Safer Spaces has been largely positive, as they provide an environment where individuals from marginalized communities can feel seen, supported and respected. These spaces offer a sense of belonging and allow our participants to engage without fear of discrimination or harm, apart from building stronger community bonds in between them.”
— AGIR Montréal (Action LGBTQIA+ with Immigrants and Refugees)
Organization working at the QTBIPOC Safer Space from 2022 to 2024.
In short, the Safer Spaces offer a festival experience where inclusion and the well-being of everyone are at the heart of the approach.
The Evolution of the Spaces Over Time
Since their inception, the Safer Spaces have evolved to better meet the needs of youth and QTBIPOC communities, adapting their partnerships and locations to provide safe and inclusive environments.
For 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, the first spaces were introduced during the 2017 edition of Festival Fierté Montréal at Parc des Faubourgs, in collaboration with AlterHéros, an organization dedicated to supporting individuals regarding their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality. AlterHéros played a pivotal role in supporting youth until 2019.
After a two-year pause due to COVID-19, the Youth Safer Space was relaunched in 2022 at the Olympic Park, this time in collaboration with Jeunesse Lambda, a community organization created by and for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer or questioning youth aged 14 to 30, alongside AlterHéros. Together, they continued to ensure the safety and well-being of young people, a collaboration that remained strong until 2024.
On the QTBIPOC side, the early years were marked by direct interventions from Fierté Montréal’s staff, from 2017 to 2019, at Parc des Faubourgs, providing support in the absence of specific QTBIPOC organizations on-site. In 2022, the QTBIPOC Safer Space expanded significantly at the Olympic Park with the inclusion of community partners such as Hoodstock — a mobilization organization addressing systemic inequalities—Helem Montréal, which supports 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals from SWANA diasporas (South West Asian/North African), and Mubaadarat, a collective by and for Arabic-speaking queer individuals. AGIR Montréal (Action LGBTQIA+ with Immigrants and Refugees) also joined, providing support to 2SLGBTQIA+ migrants.
In 2023, new organizations like Black Mental Health Connections Montreal stepped in to address the mental health needs of Black 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals. By 2024, ACCM (AIDS Community Care Montreal) became part of the space, offering services to QTBIPOC individuals living with HIV or Hepatitis C.
AGIR Montréal also attests to the impact of these spaces for QTBIPOC individuals:
“We provide emotional support, connection, as well as access to essential resources such as legal, medical, and psychological support. We created a space to build community through organized activities during the two days we were present in 2024. These spaces help reduce the isolation that many of us feel as 2SLGBTQIA+ migrants and refugees. Being able to offer a place where individuals can create, express themselves, and find a sense of belonging filled our hearts with warmth and joy.
”
— AGIR Montréal (Action LGBTQIA+ with Immigrants and Refugees)
Organization working at the QTBIPOC Safer Space from 2022 to 2024.
The evolution of these spaces highlights Fierté Montréal’s and its community partners’ ongoing commitment to meeting the needs of festivalgoers. Together, they provide increasingly diverse and inclusive spaces in collaboration with organizations that enrich the festival experience and address the varied realities of the communities they serve. Notably, several other Pride festivals worldwide are doing the same (e.g., Black Pride in Los Angeles, Boston, and New York).
Long-Term Impact
Fierté Montréal’s Safer Spaces offer more than just a temporary refuge during the festival. They create an environment where 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and QTBIPOC individuals can connect, recharge, and feel supported by organizations that understand their unique needs and challenges.
In the long term, these spaces foster a vital sense of belonging and validation for marginalized communities facing intersecting forms of discrimination. Through the connections and support developed here, participants gain tools to build resilience, explore their identities, and establish solidarity networks that last well beyond the festival.
“We provided QTBIPOC participants with hair products, makeup, decorative nail supplies, and Pride-themed temporary tattoos, as well as snacks. It was incredibly heartwarming to witness the popularity of these items and see participants engaging with them so enthusiastically. Watching individuals pamper themselves—doing their hair and makeup and decorating their nails—was deeply inspiring. Many left the space with a newfound confidence, visibly uplifted by the experience. It was a beautiful reminder of the transformative power of self-care and community in creating moments of joy and empowerment.
”
— Organization working at the QTBIPOC Safer Space
2024
Thus, the Safer Spaces not only contribute to the immediate well-being of individuals but also to the building of a more inclusive and supportive community, fostering lasting social change.
