Making connections in spaces that aren’t your usual stomping ground

What's a girl to do if she's invited to a bear party but isn't hairy? What's a bear to do if he wants to go to an event that welcomes men but is designed for women? How does anyone relate to someone they don't know, are different from or don't identify with, if they want to make a new friend or connection of any kind?

As the title suggests, this workshop is about being a fish out of water, or being in a space, particularly in the fetish or LGBTIQ community, which isn't your usual stomping ground. Learn from my experiences as a lesbian, a bear, a social worker and a leatherwoman. Whilst lots of workshops focus on technical skills, this workshop is all about building relationships, which are the first step towards fetish play, and often the hardest thing to learn- especially if you're shy or find it hard to say hi to new people at parties.

In this workshop you'll be given the chance to hear some interesting stories, and try some new interpersonal and group facilitation skills that are relevant to all of us as kinksters and/or queer people. You'll leave with a few tricks up your sleeve for both breaking the ice in a new fetish or queer space, and creating spaces that are inclusive without losing their focus. Whether you're a veteran of the scene or completely new to community building, there's something here for you.