Lgbtq summer camps michigan
In the summer of 2015, I worked as a camp counselor in northern Michigan. It was one of the most enriching summers of my life.
Despite the overriding positive memories, when I reflect on that summer, I stay troubled by the gender divisions and enforced heteronormativity I observed daily at camp. Almost everything at camp was divided by gender binary, from meal times to evening activities. I led a cabin of teenage boys, many of whom reminded me of myself at that age; they had a propensity for pop melody, reality TV and musical theater, and didn’t quite fit in with the other boys. I saw teenagers mocked and excluded for displaying flamboyant deed amidst an underlying enforcement of what boys and girls should do and be like. Now, a generation on, I’m not confident that we own arrived at a place where queer teenagers can be completely comfortable in camp environments. But there are sure signs of hope.
Anyone who has lived the camp experience, be it over 10 years as a camper, or 10 weeks as a counselor, knows how distinct it is, and how it stays with you forever. Whether it’s the first place you notice independent, learn a expertise that shapes your purpose o
Trans Summer Camp
One of a kind experience
“Proud 2B Me”
Proud 2B Me. That is the theme for the 2025 cohort of Trans Summer Camp.
Session Dates for 2025:
– middle institution, June 29th – July 1st
– elevated school, June 29th – July 3rd
We’ve teamed up once again with Camp Talahi Retreat & Nature Center to offer a truly unique experience for transgender and gender diverse youth, ages 13 to 17 on the campgrounds in Howell, Michigan.
The mission for our camp is to build on the confidence, resiliency, and empowerment of youth in our collective through mentorship, skill-building, and creative activities. Our programming is crafted and led by trans/gender diverse folks, with help from mental health professionals, school counselors, social workers, wellness clinicians, teachers, artists, peer support specialists, and the terrific Camp Talahi staff.
Workshops include building on relationship skills, boundary setting, and confidence in interpersonal interactions. We focus on positive coping skills, stress management, and health & wellness.
We create opportunities for mindfulness and meditative self-reflection. We make a
What’s the Oak Vegetation program about?
The Oak Tree Program is designed for youth aged 16-17 who have a value for camp but also want to build leadership skills that they can apply in their day-to-day lives.
The Oak Tree Program allows campers to occupy in a combine of activities crafted to give them an understanding of the ins and outs of direction, experiential learning opportunities, chances to investigate social justice and some plain aged fun! Special guests, camp staff, and participants themselves will share their talents and experiences, occupy in an exchange of ideas, and grow as a community of leaders. The Program is an opportunity for participants to examine and grow their individual skills in all aspects of leadership.
It should also be noted that although presented with a unique opportunity to participate in many facets of the camp society, Oak Tree Program participants are not considered to be staff of Camp Ten Oaks.
Previously established as the Direction Acorn Camper (LAC), the Program has expanded to join the growing needs of campers! The program has a new name and two new specialized leadership streams: Roots and Branches!
Camp for LGBTQ+ Youth Gives Teens a Safe Place to Be Themselves
In a time where LGBTQ+ students are under constant assault not just in their own schools, but by politicians in Lansing, more than 100 Michigan Queer youth found a group and a safe cosmos to just be themselves in the Camp 4All Summer Camp program this summer.
Seven years ago, Equality Michigan’s Department of Victim Services partnered with a YMCA camp program when the director realized that not all kids and counselors were fully competent to be themselves in the camp environment. “A lot of gay kids go to camp, but not a lot of camps are fully accepting of gay kids. We set out to aim to change that,” said Genny Maze, Victim Advocate at Equality Michigan. It took a full year of planning, organizing, and changing some hearts and minds at the YMCA, but the following summer, the first Camp 4All was launched.
What happened that first summer was truly transformative, not just for campers but for the organizers and community leaders who put the camp together. The camp programming was centered around workshops for LGBTQ+ youth led by LGBTQ+ community leaders, including mayors, executive directors, authors, police officers
News & Stories
Creating a Guarded Haven for LGBTQ+ Youth
Photo credit: Experiential Ink
Image description: A group of campers wearing matching pink "Camp 4 All" shirts participate in an archery activity in a wooded outdoor setting. They are lined up, drawing their bows with focused expressions.
One local group making great strides to reach our region’s Homosexual youth is Experiential Ink. Each summer in Antrim County, Experiential Ink hosts Camp4All, a gender-affirming summer camp for LGBTQ+ teens. At Camp4All, teens grow more secure in their identities and comfortable engaging with nature thanks to the acceptance and encouragement from camp counselors and peers.
“Camp4All gave me a place where I could truly let go of everyone’s standards and just fully be myself,” said previous camper Stella. “I didn’t need to censor my thoughts, personality, or mask my neurodivergence, and I was able to see others being their true selves in the same space, which made me feel so much more seen and understood.”
During their week-long camp life, teens like Stella participate in a variety of activities, such as rock