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    Deep Dives
    James Nouch
    Escrito por
    James Nouch
    Publicado
    03/09/2024

    Queercraft

    Charting more than a decade of support, play, and heaving dancefloors!

    Sometimes, even the very best ideas take a little time to gain momentum. Don't believe me? Well, my trailblazing business venture – chemistry sets for dogs – has been trading for twenty years and still hasn't made a penny in profit. How else do you explain that?

    If you're still not convinced, I've got another (much better) example for you. Back in January 2012 when Beau Hebert started Queercraft, it was a space for him and a few LGBTQ+ friends to hang out. As time went by, though, Queercraft grew into something much bigger. "In truth, I never imagined it would stick around for years," Beau tells us. "But the word spread rapidly and now we're a community with tens of thousands of members in over 70 countries. It can be hard to believe, when I really stop to think about it."

    A large colorful building on the Queercraft server.

    Most Queercraft members gravitate towards Nova, the server's "semi-vanilla" survival world, but there are themed creative worlds too.

    A rainbow-colored building on the Queercraft server.
    Some players in front of a building on the Queercraft server.

    Today, Beau describes Queercraft as "a support network and virtual sanctuary" for the LGBTQ+ community, "a place where LGBTQ+ people (and allies) can spend time together, play games together, support each other, learn from each other, and just be who they are." And it's not just that the server is bigger than it was 12 years ago – Queercraft has also transformed from a ragtag group of friends to a registered nonprofit in that time. "This has allowed us to expand the services we offer, have a broader reach, and demonstrate to people that a Minecraft server is more than just a game. It's a community, creating real friendships and connections between people the world over."

    So, what can you expect when you actually join Queercraft? Whether you hop straight into Survival mode or one of the themed creative worlds, you can look forward to a warm welcome. "We make an effort to greet every new member in our community," Beau explains. "Once a new member has reviewed our rules a member of our volunteer staff greets them one-on-one and offers them a tour of the server. This is one of the traditions I am most proud of, and something that makes us uniquely Queercraft. Despite seeing it literally thousands of times now, I still love watching a member of staff walking someone around our spawn area telling them all about our community."

    Beau still occasionally gives tours himself, so he might be the one showing you around if you join Queercraft.

    As well as rolling out the red carpet for newcomers, Queercraft offers a roster of regular live events, including a weekly radio broadcast. Beau runs the show from his in-game DJ booth, taking requests from community members as the dancefloor fills up around him over the course of each four-hour show. This, it turns out, is another Queercraft tradition, and Beau's been serving as the disc jockey for more than 12 years. 

    These longstanding traditions are one of the striking things about Queercraft, and the fact that the server has been around for such a long time (certainly by the standards of the internet) mean that for all of the growth and change it's seen, Queercraft has also been a beacon of support and stability over the years for many of its members.

    "One of the most meaningful memories I have is of our 10th anniversary celebration. It was an incredible night with hundreds of members participating throughout the event, including many Queercrafters who grew up on Queercraft and were returning as adults to celebrate our anniversary," Beau says. "We have people within our community who played on the server as young teenagers and are now adults with children of their own. It is hard to express how meaningful it is to me to see people now in adulthood doing well, after knowing them when they were younger."

    Sniff. I'm not crying. I just… spilled the contents of one of my many surplus chemistry sets (Professor Barktholomew's Pawtastic Chemistry Kit for Poodles, since you asked) and the fumes are stinging my eyes. That's all.

    Players on a dance floor on the Queercraft server.

    Queercraft's calendar of events includes an anniversary party, Pride celebrations, and a '​​Staff Appreciation Spectacular' to recognise the efforts of Queercraft volunteers. 

    Players on a dance floor on the Queercraft server.
    Players on a dance floor on the Queercraft server.

    So why has Queercraft stuck around for so long? Beau himself is quick to heap praise on the server's "incredible" volunteer staff. But another reason is undoubtedly that supportive spaces like Queercraft are still powerfully necessary. "Despite the social progress we've made in many parts of the world, the internet can still be a tough place," Beau tells us. "This is especially true for queer people and even more so for young queer people who may just be figuring themselves out and not have a support system in place. It is important that people, of all ages, have a place where they can be themselves, be supported, and be valued and loved." 

    "We try our best to celebrate every aspect of this beautiful rainbow we were born into," Beau says. "And we are so very proud."

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