Opting for the quiet comfort of their beds over the thumping bass of the dancefloor, fewer young people are going out clubbing. The cost of living crisis, post-pandemic social anxiety, and concerns about women’s safety are making it harder to enjoy a night out
Yet there’s a beacon of hope, a place where celebration and the queer community thrive in unison. For the creators of Femmergy, one of Edinburgh’s biggest queer DJ collectives, the solution could not be simpler: intentional ticket pricing, ethical values, inclusivity and community. The result? An accessible, open, and undeniably fun club scene.
Femmergy has built a space for queer people, by queer people.
“This space feeds itself,” says the collective’s co-founder, Annafleur Broekman. “The queer folk attending our raves are genuinely there for the love of dance and community. But it didn’t actually start off this way.”
With a turnout of 140 people at their first event, Femmergy was initially thought to be a one-off event in memory of Sarah Everard’s shocking murder.
“We had the whole event planned, but then Sarah Everard’s death completely shocked us. We decided this would be the perfect way to offer a momentary escape from the tension that her murder brought to all of us,” Annafleur reminisces.
Annafleuer and her friends, uncertain about the appropriateness of raving during such challenging times, made the decision to take action. “We felt that touching base in a space where we could just be and exist for the night as women was what we needed to move forward.”
We quickly realised how much Edinburgh needs this kind of nightlife
Nothing could have prepared Annafleur for the attention her first DJ event would amass. “It was amazing to see people from all over Edinburgh – queer people, straight people, young and old – having the best time they could in such heavy circumstances.”
“We quickly realised how much Edinburgh needs this kind of nightlife.”
Instead of making a club collective just for women, Femmergy branched out to the queer community, choosing to make their events an inclusive queer hub. “Why exclude people from a space we can all benefit from?” Annafleur asks. “I think we’ve made a community where everyone can be free from traditional expectations.”
At Femmergy’s first event, the air was thick with an undeniable sense of liberation, where every beat became an invitation to momentarily forget the heaviness of the world.
“Everyone was looking for the chance to shed societal constraints and embrace the joy of self-expression.” A glimmer of elation sweeps across Annalfeur’s smile, overjoyed with the impact Femmergy has had for upcoming DJ artists.
“We try to platform new and under-represented voices in the queer DJ scene; they deserve to have their voices heard,” she said. “I think that bridges the gap between people and the music they’re dancing to.”
On the dancefloor, the thrum of the bass reverberates in your chest. Bodies move together, faces glow with joy and excitement. Drag queens sashay past, their costumes a riot of colour and sparkle, while young clubbers experience their first queer night out.
In a city where inclusivity and acceptance are on the rise, Femmergy is a landmark destination demanding nothing but authenticity.
“Whether it’s someone’s first or fiftieth time at Femmergy, they can expect to meet wonderful people, discover parts of themselves they didn’t know existed, and feel like they’re part of something monumental,” Annafleur beams, her eyes sparkling with the conviction of someone who truly believes in the power of a good night out.
At its core, Femmergy reminds us that freedom is not reduced to fleeting moments; it emerges and evolves in spaces made through the love of community.
