Belonging, Mental Health, and Building Community with Ethan Ide

Ethan Ide, founder of the Boston Queer Club, shares how feeling isolated despite growing up in an affirming environment inspired him to build a new kind of queer community. He talks with hosts Shane Lukas and Mattie Bynum about discovering friendship through dating apps, conducting research with LGBTQ+ college students, and turning his personal experiences into an entrepreneurial project. The conversation explores privilege, representation, identity, and why queer spaces don’t always have to revolve around stereotypically queer activities. Ethan also discusses his own mental health journey and the importance of creating communities where young people can connect without feeling pressured to fit a particular label.