This March, Mica Fisher, Hena Mustafa, and Kacey Liebes created something radical: a brick-and-mortar, in-person gathering space for sapphics called Boyfriend Co-op.
The queer, cooperatively owned and managed café in Brooklyn is home to events including dance parties and clothing swaps, and is open seven days a week. Its menu cheekily features Hens Homo Hummus and elixirs with names like Delighted, Dear Carmilla, and The Erotic as Power. Mustafa, Fisher, and Liebes call it “Brooklyn's queer living room: a friendly third space that doesn't take itself too seriously and caters to the community and workers who built it.” And, as it's a co-op, there is a path for those who work at Boyfriend to become owners.
“We are proudly leftist and unapologetically anti Zionist, committed to being an accessible, joyful, and affirming space where BIPOC queer folks can gather, drink, and feel at home,” they add. The trio crowdfunded, hosted pop-ups, and faced New York City real estate to create their queer haven. Next up, they hope to break even and then turn a profit. “We want to demonstrate that queer people, especially BIPOC queer communities, can own businesses and create spaces where they are prioritized.” @boyfriendcoop
