What started as small local gatherings in 2022 has grown into a thriving space for LGBTQIAPN+ joy, performance, and mental well-being. From the outer suburbs of Melbourne to major festivals across Victoria, Euphoria Social has become a grassroots movement for queer connection, mental wellness, and joy. Meet the hearts behind the vision.

“Hey, we’re T and Emma — the hearts behind Euphoria Social.”

T and Emma have been together for nearly 15 years, and their journey as a couple is one of love, resistance, and deep care. When they began planning their wedding seven years ago, they were turned away by several venues and service providers — simply because they were a same-sex couple. The message was clear: even in 2017, queer love wasn’t welcome in all spaces.

As they began navigating fertility and parenting, they continued to face systemic discrimination. Over seven long years, they experienced two heartbreaking pregnancy losses and encountered brutal treatment from the public health system. In that same chapter, T was diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and Premenstrual Exacerbation (PME) — conditions that severely impacted their mental health and everyday functioning. About five years ago, their physical health began to decline, and T was formally diagnosed with a disability.

Amidst all this — the grief, the love, the exhaustion, and the fight — something powerful began to grow.

In 2022, T created Euphoria Social in response to something they deeply needed: inclusion, support, and community connection beyond clubbing and nightlife spaces. Living in the outer suburbs of Melbourne often meant feeling disconnected from the wider LGBTQIAPN+ community. T imagined a space where people could gather, feel safe, be joyful, and build friendships without needing to spend money or explain themselves.

“My hope is that someone walking into a Euphoria Social event for the first time feels like they’ve arrived somewhere they belong,” T shares. “Somewhere they don’t need to justify themselves. Somewhere they can feel safe, joyful, and connected.”

What began as small, local gatherings has since grown into a vibrant and expansive initiative. Euphoria Social has hosted statewide events like the GALA & People’s Choice Awards, surf days, mental health workshops, and social activations at major festivals like Midsumma and the Australian Open Glam Slam. Alongside their own events, the group has supported other community initiatives, raised funds and advocated for Taco’s Top Surgery Fundraiser, Queering the Air on 3CR, and Wear It Purple.

“Not everyone feels at home in traditional venues,” T says. “Some are parents, neurodivergent, sober, or simply searching for something more grounded and accessible.”

One of the biggest lessons T has learned along the way is just how many people crave accessible, low-barrier, family-friendly queer spaces. As a volunteer-led, micro organisation, T and the Euphoria Social team realised the importance of moving at a sustainable pace, prioritising care not only for the community but for themselves.

Euphoria Social centres joy, kindness, and authenticity — reminding attendees: “You don’t need a plus one. You’re welcome exactly as you are.”

Their events centre joy, kindness and belonging—The sense of freedom to show up without needing to perform queerness in any specific way. Everything Euphoria Social does is built on the belief that social inclusion is mental wellness. When people feel connected, seen, and celebrated, their wellbeing transforms.

“We may have founded Euphoria Social — but you are now the reason we show up. The reason we keep going. The reason we are inspired every single day.” – T & Emma, via Instagram

Connect

To connect, collaborate, or just say hi, reach out to hello@euphoriasocial.org or find the team on Instagram @euphoria_social. Learn more at euphoriasocial.org.

Support Resources

Euphoria Social works closely with affirming professionals like Q Psychology and offers free mental health workshops to make support more accessible. While Euphoria Social doesn’t provide direct therapeutic or crisis services, they remain a gentle point of supportive community connection. If you or someone you know needs immediate or professional support, please contact:

• QLife – 1800 184 527
• Lifeline – 13 11 14
• Beyond Blue – 1300 224 636
• Emergency services – 000