This story was produced in collaboration with Queer Kentucky, with support from Queen City Charities.
Last year, during Midwestern Lesbian’s inaugural “Sapphic Sips” Anniversary Party, guests were invited to pick up the receiver of a cherry-red rotary telephone.
Between party games, Valentine-themed cocktails and live music from the Cincinnati-based band Boy Clothes, partygoers left quiet, often deeply personal messages about their lives and experiences as sapphics and lesbians.
“Thank you to Midwestern Lesbian and to sapphics and lesbians for changing my life,” a voice says through light static – a low beep, then another message:
“Being present, being together, we need this now more than ever,” a different voice says. “I think we all deserve the smiles and the laughter and a night of having comfort and ease with each other. I love you all.”
Midwestern Lesbian founder Kelsey Ference – who runs the Cincinnati-based LGBTQ+ events company with her partner, photographer Caitlin Chrisenée Dunkley – kept those messages in mind while planning the second annual Valentine’s Day-themed “Sapphic Sips” anniversary celebration.
The recurring pop-up event is Midwestern Lesbian’s “bread and butter” – and the Valentine’s Day anniversary iteration the undeniable highlight.
This year, more than 200 people bought tickets to the event, designed and produced specifically for lesbians and sapphics — including trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming people.
With more than 50,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, a new brick-and-mortar office and a growing demand for LGBTQ+ events, Ference is ready to take Midwestern Lesbian on the road – recreating the experience of belonging and celebration for LGBTQ+ Ohioans across the state.
Midwestern Lesbian is born
While working at a Cincinnati brewery, Ference created a weekly calendar for taproom events.
It sparked an idea: “I thought ‘Why don’t we have something like this so we can easily find events that are safe for the LGBTQ+ community?’” she said.
After producing a successful drag event for Rhinegeist Brewery, the Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati reached out asking Ference to help plan a drag brunch.
She agreed to produce the entire event.
“I did that for about nine months,” Ference said. “Then sports betting became legal. Our drag branches were on Sundays, and they decided Sundays are for football and sports betting.”
But Ference she wasn’t ready to stop producing quer events – and had already tapped into an appetite and demand for drag and other LGBTQ+ events across the city.
“I created an LLC,” she said. “That’s how Midwestern Lesbian was born.”
Full-time Midwestern Lesbian
In 2024, Ference quit her job to focus on Midwestern Lesbian full-time.
This year, she and Dunkley opened a brick-and-mortar space in Over-the-Rhine, where they work together during the week and invite guests to drop by every Tuesday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for crafts and community.
“It’s just the two of us.” Ference said. “We have help from volunteers sometimes, but mostly everything that we do is just the two of us and it’s crazy but it’s a lot of fun and we love doing it.”
In addition to “Sapphic Sips”, which is hosted at different LGBTQ+-friendly venues across the city — Midwestern Lesbian’s upcoming pop-events include Queer Karaoke Night at Tokyo Kitty, Sapphic Pottery Workshop in partnership with Queen City Clay and Sapphic Kicks, an annual sapphic kickball game at Salway Park in collaboration with HotMess Sports Cincinnati.
Ference also runs the Cincinnati Gay Agenda Instagram page, where Midwestern Lesbian’s full weekly event calendar now lives.
‘Sapphic Sips’ signature event
Ference and Dunkley started the “Sapphic Sips” series on Valentine’s Day 2024, hosting the first event at Liberty’s Bar & Bottle Shop in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.
The pair expected about 30 guests.
Instead, more than 100 people showed up.
“Safe spaces that are designated for specific groups can be taken over by groups that just want to have that experience,” Ference said. “That’s the reason why we don’t have any lesbian bars in Cincinnati anymore.”
“Because there’s no lesbian bar in Cincinnati, it hit 7 o’clock and it’s like the floodgates opened.” Ference said. “It was insane. “Caitlin and I looked at each other and we knew this was something we had to continue doing.”
“Sapphic people in Cincinnati didn’t have a space to go,” Ference added. “So we created one by doing this pop-up and just going to different spaces that are supportive of our community and want to support us and have people learn about the sapphic community and how much we need a space like this in Cincinnati.”
Everyone is welcome
While Ference considers “Sapphic Sips” Midwestern Lesbian’s main event series, the group also hosts year-round events designed for the entire LGBTQ+ community.
“We host events every Wednesday at Homemakers Bar where everybody in the queer community and allies are welcome,” Ference said. “Basically, the only events that are specific are the ones that are labeled, like our Late Bloomer [an Evening for Sapphics 30 and Older] or Sapphic Speed Dating events.”
“Anything that specifically says sapphic is for sapphics,” Ference said. “Otherwise, the queer community is welcome to pretty much anything.”
Midwestern Lesbian hits the road
On Feb. 13, 2026, more than 200 guests attended the “Sapphic Sips” Second Anniversary party at Rhinegeist Brewery’s Clubhouse.
Featuring DJ Nymph, and a “Sappho’s Disco” theme, Dunkley’s photos capture dozens of queer people dancing and laughing.
The images reveal a carefully crafted space – lush with deep reds and pinks – where sapphics and lesbians are safe, smiling and present in their joy.
Ference said she wants to bring that experience to other LGBTQ+ people across the state.
“We’re hoping to expand throughout Ohio this year,” she told The Buckeye Flame. “We’re hoping to host an event in Columbus as our first stop over the next few months, and then hopefully Dayton, Cleveland and whoever else will have us.”
“We want people to get excited and give us ideas,” Ference said. “Where do people want to see us? If there are any spaces that want to host us, we would love to get in contact with anyone who wants to partner.”
Still, Ference finds it hard to believe Midwestern Lesbian’s roots were truly accidental.
“I never expected this to become my full-time job,” she said. “But I created this for our community because it’s something I wanted myself – so I know there are other people in other places who want this too.” 🔥
Ignite Action
- To view a full weekly list of LGBTQ+ events across Cincinnati, click here.
- To follow Midwestern Lesbian on Instagram, click here.
- To follow Midwestern Lesbian on TikTok, click here.
- To follow Cincy Gay Agenda on Instagram, click here.
- To apply for your LGBTQ+-owned business to be featured on Cincy Gay Agenda’s Instagram page, click here.
- To submit an event to Cincy Gay Agenda, click here.
- If you are a young LGBTQ+ person in crisis, please contact the Trevor Project: 866-4-U-Trevor.
- If you are an transgender adult in need of immediate help, contact the National Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
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