LADIES NIGHT How one

WANDERLUST

How one lesbian is transforming Detroit’s nightlife for queer women.

By Jacob Anderson-Minshall

Chelcea Stowers (left) is the founder of Lesbian Social, which produces pop-up events for women in the city of Detroit. A freelance lifestyle photographer and event curator, she started Lesbian Social in 2017 because she felt there weren’t enough spaces for queer women to connect.From a single pool party, the events have grown and now serve more than 700 women in the Detroit area. Out Traveler recently spoke to Stowers about how these parties build community and her dreams for the future of LGBTQ+ Detroit.

How did Lesbian Social Start? I hosted a pop-up pool party with a friend and everyone asked me to host another event for women. After connecting with a mentor in the nightlife industry, he helped me build relationships with club owners and the opportunity was given to me to host an event at a rooftop in downtown Detroit. Why are lesbian parties gaining traction in Detroit? Fresh ideas, content, and word-of-mouth marketing. Lesbian Social only hosts events once a month to keep things fresh and to help build anticipation for what Lesbian Social will do for the next event. After the events, I noticed women talking on social media about how great of a time they had. This built interest for those who didn’t know these types of events were happening around the city. Lesbian Social is also personable. At each event I’m checking in with partygoers, getting feedback on what they like, what they would like to see more of, and overall if they are having a good time. Lesbian Social is providing more visibility to a community of women that exists in the city that many may not have known existed. I do believe the Lesbian Social platform on Instagram is helping bring women together from all over, whether it’s them resharing event posts, creating polls to interact with followers, and just being a source for information. What is a typical Lesbian Social party like? I always say after an event that I feel like I just walked out of the bar on the ’90’s TV show Cheers. The women that attend the events celebrate each other. Women are able to be free in expression without a sense of intimidation. You never know who you may spark up a conversation with at our events. My partner, who recently relocated from Charlotte, North Carolina, said she’s never gone to an event where women truly embraced each other in this capacity. There are women of all nationalities that attend the events in Detroit. What would you like to see for Lesbian Social in the near future? My next goal is to make Detroit’s Pride festival even bigger. I want people to travel from out of state to come to the events and get a chance to experience Detroit culture for themselves. The city gets a bad rap but for those who have visited, they love the culture and pride of Detroit. Outside of nightlife events, I look to host events around health and wellness, connecting singles, as well as planning domestic and international group trips because I love to travel. What would you like to see Lesbian Social doing in five years? My main goal is to grow Lesbian Social as a staple in the community for women to come and connect. I would love for Lesbian Social to be a part in building the entertainment and nightlife scene for those in the LGBTQ community. I would also like to work with the City of Detroit in establishing a neighborhood or small district for the community that includes a variety of small businesses.

Follow Chelcea @LesbianSocialDetroit @Just.Chelcea