We Are Queer opened its doors 4 years ago as Amsterdams first Queer Gym. Founded by Senn van Beek who’s mission to ensure a safe space for queer people to workout resulted in a crowd funded community gym in Amsterdam East, with daily classes in strength, mobility, pilates and yoga, powerlifting, kickboxing and more.
As we in Amsterdam are kicking of World Pride, and are celebrating our identities and (the importance of) our freedom, we are conscious of the shrill contrast with the situation of the majority of LGBTIQA+ persons globally.
With support for our movement increasing when it can be used to fuel hate of others, or in an attempt to wash the sins of human rights violations off of blooded hands. With attacks on our communities becoming more frequent, more blazen, also in countries where previously we may have thought ourselves becoming safe(r).
We are reminded of the importance of spaces that are ours, where we can connect, release, and recover.
We Are Queer is one of these places, where we can WERQ-out and sweat it out. Where we (re)find joy, where we (re)connect with our bodies, and where we just get to be.
With queer coaches, queer volunteers that welcome us into the space, and among other queer people. We are a space by the community, for the community.
And for the next 11 days we are bringing this space to the Westergas, where we have transformed the Meterhuisje to our very own pop-up gym with the classes you know and love of WERQ (and some new ones), and with a exhibition of some of the amazing pictures capturing the joy, community, and vibrancy of WERQ, Prins de Vos has been capturing over the past 4 years.
The exhibition is open every afternoon between 29 July and 8 August.
Classes are scheduled almost every morning and evening. See the full schedule for all classes, and claim your free ticket here.
Is Canal Pride not your thing? Join us for a Mobility session, or a run with the WERQ Run Club in the morning, and a low sensory space for reading and gentle creativity hosted by the Queer Library in the afternoon.
Join our panel “Gamechangers: Joy and Belonging Through Sports” on 3 August, to dive into the importance of inclusive sport spaces.
Lucian Squid and Helena (members of the House of Løstbois) are bringing drag to the gym! Get ready to Drag Up and Work Out! On 4 August.
And of course we go out with a bang, during our Boogie in the Gym closing evening on 7 August.
