Written and Photographed by Taylah Herson

read time: 2 min

The End Bar is nestled away in the heart of Meanjin’s [Brisbane] creative sector, West End, its history known for radical youths, punk and queerness. On Clutch’s opening night a buzz of energy emits from the swinging glass door. A clothing rack is beside the entrance, ties and shirts stamped with carabiners and stars, CLUTCH.  

It’s dark inside. Lights out until Henny Spaghetti and Ladybird, described as the ‘lesbian supreme power couple of Meanjin’ by Clutch founder, light up the stage with their performances. Their chemistry is electric, can it get any better than this? Yes. An arm-wrestling competition with free merch for the winner.  

Clutch Meanjin is a series of performance art-based events (drag, burlesque and more) for lesbians; butches, femmes, and gender diverse. The space that it provides is sexy but, unlike a gay bar, comfortable, bolstering the community. Emma Stratton, the founder of Clutch, has been a part of the Meanjin drag community since 2022, as an AFAB drag queen, performer name Dilemma (Instagram handle @dilemmadrag).  

In an interview with them, Stratton says ‘Clutch, the event, is about celebrating and being so proud to be a dyke, a lesbian.’ They’re releasing a short film early 2027, Clutch, which was written whilst struggling to get the event up, with Stratton saying ‘Clutch, the film, explores the struggles that it took to get to that point [the celebration that Clutch, the event, brings].’ For AFAB drag queens, performers, and lesbians in Meanjin and all over the world this struggle looks like misogyny in the queer scene, work, school and life. Clutch is providing a haven from this to affirm lesbians’ place in the queer community.  

With Clutch’s opening night being sold out online, and multiple other successful nights since, it shows a need for lesbian based events for a community’s sake. If you’re a lesbian reading this, follow @clutchmeanjinn on Instagram and head out to one of their events, it might bring the community you need in Meanjin.