CampOUT for Kids with LGBTQ Parents

Looking for an LGBTQ-friendly place for your kids to spend time this summer, where they can not only have fun, but be themselves and talk openly about their families without fear of rude questions or harassment? Check out CampOUT, in beautiful western Massachusetts.

I’ll start by saying I have a personal connection here. My day-job boss, Emmy Howe, founded CampOUT and hosted it at her own farm until this year. This year, it’s at neighboring Red Gate Farm, and she’s planning it with Ben Holmes, Red Gate’s director, and some CampOUT alumni. (She also helped found the Welcoming Schools project now run by HRC.) I can vouch for her commitment to making this a fun and inclusive week for all. (And just to be clear: I offered to help promote the camp, but am receiving no job compensation from doing so. The camp, like Mombian, is unconnected to our day jobs. Also, my coverage of the camp predates my hiring; I ran a guest post several years ago by a lesbian mom whose son went to CampOUT and loved it.)

This year, CampOUT will be at Red Gate Farm Education Center in Buckland, Mass., about 45 minutes from the lesbian mecca of Northhampton (so you can stop by with your sweetie after dropping off the kids).

CampOUT provides unique overnight farm/camp experiences where young people from LGBTQ families are productive members of a farm community and share in the fun of summer camp activities. Through farm work, and activities we create a sense of community where difference and diversity are celebrated and children can be themselves. Young people have the opportunity to talk openly about their families and the experience of being in an LGBTQ family.

Grades 5 and up – Sunday, June 29 — Thursday, July 3 – $650/session

More information about Red Gate Farm and registration, visit http://explore.redgatefarm.org/farm-camps/campout/

Farm Scholarship assistance is available for those families in need.

CampOUT certainly isn’t the only camp for kids with LGBTQ parents. I have several more listed in the Resource Directory — or for a couple of bucks, you can order the back issue of Gay Parent magazine that contains their annual listings of sleepaway and day camps.

Happy camping!