“Out of this World!”: Alien-themed Sapphic night seeks to provide safe space for underrepresented segment of London’s queer community  

On August 29th, London’s vibrant sapphic community gathered downtown at the Honey Dip Bar for our city’s first ever “Sapphic Invasion” event.

Organized by Sapphire 519’s Theresa Hayes, the highly anticipated alien-themed event was met with overwhelming enthusiasm, with many attendees saying that it provided a much-needed safe space for the often-underrepresented community to connect.  

“I am so tired of sapphic people getting breadcrumbs when it comes to events and dedicated groups for them in London,” said Hayes. “We’re a city of over 447 000 people, yet we’re seriously lacking in representation for queer women and nonbinary folks.”  

Following the disturbing allegations of sexual assault and systemic misconduct that emerged earlier this year surrounding The Well, a bar that has previously proclaimed itself to be “London’s Queer Safe Space,” Hayes explains that the inspiration behind Sapphic Invasion was born from a longstanding community need.  

“I know a couple people who came by themselves with no plans to meet up with friends there,” she recalled. “A friend told me that this event was the first time she’d ever worn a skirt to a bar, and she had never done that before because she was afraid. Knowing I made a space where sapphic people and women could come and feel safe – it makes me emotional, honestly.”  

These sentiments were further reflected in conversations with those who attended. “It was so much fun to be surrounded by a huge community of local queer where it felt genuinely safe and respectful” said Em, one of over 160 sapphics who attended the event, “it was easy to make friends while waiting in line to gp upstairs, which was moving quickly!”

Seine, another attendee, aptly described the night, complete with an all-sapphic DJ lineup and a costume contest with the winner announced at midnight, as a “sapphic renaissance” for the city. 

Throughout the process of planning the event, Hayes made it a priority to ensure that it could remain accessible and barrier-free for all – such as instituting a no-charge-for-entry policy made possible due to funding from MAGICAL, a queer-led grassroots collective aimed at building inclusive spaces for London’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community.  

Described by one attendee as a “sapphic renaissance” for the city, the night was complete with an all-sapphic DJ lineup and a costume contest with the winner announced at midnight.

In one final reflection, Hayes expressed a renewed sense of hope for London’s sapphic scene that was clearly shared amongst those in attendance.  

“I don’t think the event could have gone much better,” she stated. “This is the first time I’ve ever planned a community event, and we had a line up before doors were open. It makes me so optimistic about how these events could go in the future, and I hope other sapphics who are interested in planning events like this feel encouraged by the turn out.”