Pride Pen Pals
Sign up by June 8

After the resounding success of our Pride Pen Pals program last June, we’re bringing the program back for this year’s Queer Pride Festival.

We are looking for queers from across Canada—artists, audience members, club goers, retirees, arts workers, community leaders, old or young —who would welcome the chance to write an e-mail (or maybe a few), and get to know someone through a text exchange. A chance to share some thoughts or memories about what Pride means to you, now, or before; a chance to exchange some queer life stories and experiences, to write about what things are like right now for you. 

Participants will be matched up with each other via email and are welcome to keep the connection virtual, or switch to snail mail. We will prioritize (unless you indicate otherwise) matching people across generational lines to help connect our queer community and learn from each other.

“I’ve found that the medium has given me a unique opportunity to think about myself and my story, how I present who I am and my journey to date. It’s been a real opportunity for self reflection, as well as a new friendship. I’m excited for it to continue.”

– Ian, Guelph, ON

The details

• Submissions close June 8, 2021
• Our matches will go out on June 15, 2021
• We’ll start by introducing you to your pen pal via e-mail, and welcome you to exchange mailing addresses if/as you feel comfortable.

Your name and e-mail address will only be shared with your pen pal and with Buddies in Bad Times.

Submissions are now closed.

If you have any questions, please reach out to penpals@buddiesinbadtimes.com.

Pride Pen Pals is brought to you by Buddies’ ongoing Youth/Elders Projects, dedicated to connecting queer folks across generations (previous projects include The Youth/Elders Project stage production (2016/17), the Youth/Elders Podcast (2017/18), and our on-going “In Conversation” series (2018/19 – present). 

Design by Malik McKoy