02 May 25

Ending HIV

8 gay hobbies for a good gay life

The right hobby could be the perfect way to explore your interests, be an opportunity to meet some new friends, and even be a fun way to express your queerness.

Today, thanks to greater visibility and acceptance of our communities, we’re seeing more queer people getting involved in exercise-related hobbies or interests that they may have felt unsafe or uncomfortable to participate in when they were younger, and it’s so great to see. These days, it’s a whole new ball game (yes, that’s a sports reference).

So why not consider what interests you now and see what takes your fancy? To start, here are some easy-entry hobbies you can get into pretty much straight away.

1. Cooking and baking

There are few things better than a good meal – why not be the one in the kitchen whipping it up! With today’s explosion of recipe blogs, YouTube cooking channels, and FoodTok creators, you are likely already familiar with some existing cooking content and bound to find some easy-to-do recipes yourself, even if you don’t have any formal training in the kitchen. Find a chef or baker you like and follow along!

Our gay chef starter kit includes: Yotam Ottolenghi, Andy Baraghani (Bon Appétit) and TikToker Alex Hall (The Bottoms Digest). Of course, you could watch any episode of the Great British Bake-Off to find many queer bakers as inspiration throughout the series, and watch out for those “soggy bottoms”!

2. Running and walking groups

Get the blood pumping with this next activity. 🏃‍♂️ Running and walking groups are a great way to exercise, take in the scenery and meet new people! In city areas, it might be possible to join an established running or walking group, like Sydney Front Runners, or the Southern Cross Outdoors Group.

Otherwise, you might like to begin with just yourself and some people you already know. Another option could be to post on online message boards like Reddit or Facebook groups for like-minded people in the area.

3. Sewing, knitting and crocheting

Have you ever walked past someone wearing a super cute knit or even seen a pooch wrapped in fab little scarf? Maybe you could be the one knitting or crafting your next knitted number!

All sorts of sewing, knitting and crocheting skills are super accessible, and can be learned online through tutorials which are a great way to get started if you’re completely new. Though if you ever get stuck a great way of learning is by joining a crafting group.

Crafting groups, sometimes known as crafting circles or their queerer cousins stich’n’bitch sessions, have always felt a little witchy. Try connecting with them through craft stores, local councils and library spaces, or search for one on message boards online. Failing that, you can always start one with friends!

If you’re looking for some inspo, gay Olympian Tom Daley has a tonne.

4. Gardening

We can all agree, there’s nothing more beautiful than seeing an eggplant grow, right? 🍆😉 Gardening can be a great hobby regardless of whether you have acres of space out back or a cute 1 bedroom with a balcony full of plants. There is no shortage of gay gardeners across socials, so you can watch for inspiration and then get your hands dirty! Another place to turn could be one of ABC’s longest-running programs, Gardening Australia on TV or on ABC iView.

Local garden centres or nurseries will also be able to give you pointers on starting out with new plants while some local councils will have community garden spaces! These spaces are great to get involved in as they require minimal equipment and are a great place to see if you enjoy it before committing.

5. Dancing

As James Brown says, “Get up off of that thing. Dance and you’ll feel better”. Dance classes are a wonderful way to get active, learn new moves and connect with others, and you can find them all around the country!

Dance organisations and studios might hold LGBTQ-specific events or nights, like the Gadigal-based Dance Therapy, so you can be reassured you’re in a welcoming environment. It might also be possible to find inclusive private dance lessons upon request.

Of course, you could also get started with having a go at TikTok dance trends or YouTube tutorials and see where the small screen leads you!

6. Gaming

Hello player one! Gaming has much to offer, and despite what you may think, you don’t need a lot of skill, nor hardware to get started. These days there is a wealth is queer-themed games and you can play on almost any device – PCs, dedicated gaming consoles like Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, smartphones or even your Apple TV! You can even watch other queer gamers live stream their gameplay for free on twitch.tv.

Role-playing games are a particular hit with the community, with some games giving you the option to customise clothing, hairstyles, gender and even sexuality! Then there are in-person tabletop games, like Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), which are a wonderful way to explore themes like identity, belonging and overcoming hardship, all within a low-stakes space.

If you’re looking to join online games, or just connect with other gaymers, check out the Australian Gaymers Network which has a list of local queer gaming clubs for different areas around Australia. For those wanting to meet up and game in person, you could try your luck with a listing at one of the gaming clubs, through websites like Meetup, or try googling for a local games store, as they’ll also often host in-person events.

7. Sports

The right sport group can be a great way to connect with others and feel part of a community. Joining queer-friendly sports clubs means you can be yourself without worrying about judgment.

The good news is there are heaps of LGBTQ sporting groups throughout Australia! Check out the Pride In Sport’s LGBTQ sporting club directory and see what could be in your neighbourhood. Whether it’s soccer, swimming, or tennis, there’s likely a club ready to welcome you.

Getting into sports as a queer person can be transformative, especially if you felt like it wasn’t a space you could be in safely when you were younger. So, lace up your sneakers and dive into a more inclusive and affirming sporting experience!

8. Drag performance & spectating

Divas grab your wigs, it’s time to drag it up! Whether you’re into it or not, drag has long been an essential element in queer spaces, and local gay bars are a haven for watching drag performers do their thing!

Getting into drag as a hobby has been relatively accessible since the rise of TV giants like RuPaul’s Drag Race. Today you can follow a host of other successful drag stars and now internet personalities on YouTube or other streaming sites. Many have makeup tutorials if you want to start trying on your own drag persona.

Another option if you want to try out drag is to hire a professional make-up artist, or another drag queen to help you get dolled up with some friends for a special occasion!