A New Club For Queer Women And Nonbinary People Launches In New Orleans
The membership-based club, Where The Femmes Frolic, kicks off with a pool party in the Bywater.
Featured image: Courtesy of MJ Clark
New Orleans is no stranger to queer nightlife, but a new club is giving women and nonbinary people a much-needed place of their own. Launching this weekend, ‘Where The Femmes Frolic’ arrives just in time for Southern Decadence, the city’s famed LGBTQ+ celebration.
The club is the brainchild of MJ Clark, who also works with Black Pride and has spent much of the summer visiting Pride events across the country. Clark says the trip made it clear how often queer women are left without a dedicated spot. “Even in spaces that say they’re for everyone in the LGBTQ community … they’re usually still male-centered,” Clark told Axios. “They’re not really for us.”
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That gap is what inspired Where The Femmes Frolic, a membership-based club designed to create community through parties, health resources, and social events. The very first gathering is set for Friday at the Railyard, a new queer-focused, clothing-optional pool club in the Bywater. Tickets run $50 and come with two drinks and full Friday access to the space.
For Clark, exclusivity isn’t about shutting others out, but about creating a true sense of belonging. “Secret societies are just needed right now,” Clark said. “Exclusive activity is needed right now.” She notes that while queer nightlife has historically offered refuge, women and nonbinary folks still struggle to find a space not dominated by men. “You still want to go out and do all these things, but I also don’t want to necessarily be surrounded by men. I love men, and I love their community but that’s not why I go out.”
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Beyond parties, Clark wants the club to be holistic, with resources that support both physical and mental health. “It’s a total, well-rounded space for all of us to come together and actually be where we need to be with each other in the days and times we’re in,” she told Axios.
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