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The holidays can be hard for LGBTQ+ people who lack family support, said Stephanie Hormig-Dismuke, the LGBTQ+ survivor advocate with DEFY Domestic Abuse.

Friendsgiving began when “we realized how many people didn’t have a place to go, and saw them having Thanksgiving with their friends,” because they weren’t welcome at their own family gatherings, Hormig-Dismuke said.

Attendees are asked to bring a dish.

“We wanted a place where people could bring their own dishes, or traditional dishes that they had for their family,” Hormig-Dismuke said.

Hormig-Dismuke said she enjoys watching people drop their shoulders and relax “without the worry of hate,” or “’I can’t do this, I can’t talk about this, I can’t hold my partner’s hand.’”

“It’s none of the ‘I can’t’ and watching as people feel comfortable being who they are,” she said.

Remi, who is a non-binary and a Janesville Pride board member, played on Thursday night with the children of the founder of Janesville Pride, who call her “Unty.”

A lot of LGBTQ+ people are scared and unsure of their future following the recent election, Remi said.

“I try not to think about the election results because it hurts,” Remi said. “But I want to let people know… we are here for you. There is a community around. We’re here to support you.”

“We just need to come together as a community and to recognize the faces and the voices of people that we can trust,” Hormig-Desbuke said. “The months coming up are going to get harder. I think this year, more than others, it’s about a sense of all of us being able to be together in a safe place where we can just relax, even if it’s only for a few hours, and just know that we’re with like-minded people that are going to support each other.”

The mother of a queer son and a board member of Yellow Brick Road, Tracy Buck aims to support others.

Her son “really struggled,” Buck said. Today, “there is so much more openness now about being who you are,” she said.

“My son didn’t have that. So now I want to do anything I can to support and help provide that for other kids. Love and acceptance is one of the most important things for queer people, especially transgender youth,” she said. “Being here and promoting that is the least that I can do.”

“We’re here. We’re together. You’re not alone,” Hormig-Dismuke said. “If you need anything, whether it’s today or seven years from now, someone’s going to be here.”