LGBTQ+ activism/volunteering while studying abroad in Barcelona?
July 29, 2013 2:50 PM   Subscribe

I'm studying abroad this fall in Barcelona with pretty workable Spanish but very limited Catalan, and I'd love to do some work/activism/volunteering/organizing around queer or related issues (HIV/AIDS, youth development, homelessness, etc.) while I'm there. Is this possible given my language limitations?

I've done a lot of queer/feminist activism on my campus in the States, and would love to contextualize this work while studying abroad. I'm particularly interested in queer youth issues. I'd be especially grateful for organizations or contacts to get in touch with, or other more appropriate venues to post this question.

If you have any other advice on being a queer, male-identified student studying abroad in Barcelona please feel free to share that as well -- thank you all!
posted by kylej to Travel & Transportation around Barcelona, Spain (4 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
What a great idea - wish I had done some civic engagement during my study abroad experience in Rome!

I don't have specific orgs for you to look up, but CouchSurfing communities around the world tend to be quite progressive and youthful/youth-minded. Check out their Barca group (and maybe recreate your post there). You'll find a trove of leads/contacts/networks for LGBTQ+, and hopefully, for activism, too.

Also, I've heard that speaking Catalan will help you integrate better with locals, but otherwise, shouldn't hold you back much.

Good luck and have a blast!
posted by Helleaven at 7:44 PM on July 29, 2013


A friend of mine runs a gay travel site based in Barcelona - 60By80.com. You might find some useful information there, particularly for socializing.
posted by candyland at 8:30 PM on July 29, 2013


I showed your question to a gay friend of mine who lives in Barcelona, and he recommended that you contact Sin Verguenza, an LGBT umbrella organization for universities in Catalonia.
posted by southern_sky at 5:06 AM on July 30, 2013


Best answer: Someone I know in Spain recommended these resources:

ACATHI is focused on LGBT immigrants.

GAG (Society Group of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Friends) seems to be a general LGBT group with social activities.

And the aforementioned Sin Vergüenza, which looks like a GLBTQ student organization for several universities in and around Barcelona.
posted by jiawen at 9:25 PM on August 1, 2013


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