Throughout much of the 20th century, members of the LGBTQ+ community who lived in the U.S. faced discrimination in multiple facets of life. Not only could you lose your job, family and friends — you could also be arrested for being gay.
During that era, queer people developed subtle ways to find and support one another. One such code that members of the community used was the phrase “Friends of Dorothy,” a discreet nod to actress and gay icon Judy Garland by using her character’s name from “The Wizard of Oz.”
Now that society has taken steps to welcome in the LGBTQ+ community, such as celebrating Pride Month festivals and legalizing gay marriage, the term is not used as much.
There’s a real “Dorothy” who wants to have a safe space for the community in Northern Virginia.
“I am currently raising startup funds to open a cafe in Alexandria — a family friendly, queer and trans-centered space,” Dorothy Edwards said. “My vendors will be from LGBTQ+ vendors, all of the artists and makers in the artisan marketplace will be queer and trans.”
Edwards and her wife Rachel were inspired to create “The Friends of Dorothy Neighborhood Queer Café,” after the birth of their son. The couple said they quickly realized that Alexandria lacked inclusive, daytime spaces for queer families that weren’t bars or nightlife-centered.
They started a social group for queer moms in Alexandria that meets twice a month, where their kids play together at parks, breweries and recently, fall festivals.
“I kid you not, I have some families drive an hour one-way to come to these meetups,” Edwards said.
The hope, Edwards said, is that the cafe could be that spot where families spend time during the day where they are safe, while building a community, celebrating art and all things beautiful and joyful in the Del Ray neighborhood.
This past June, Edwards started a GoFundMe to get the project off the ground.
“My goal is $180,000 — that is startup funds, plus six months of expenses,” she said. “I’d like to give myself a little bit of a runway as we build on the business after we open.”
So far, she’s raised over $7,800 of her $16,000 goal on the fundraising site.
On Nov. 10, Edwards is hosting a fundraiser at Continues Arcade in Alexandria that features drag performances and a silent auction, with art pieces from area artists. Edwards said all proceeds will go toward supporting the cafe.
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