What to know
- A Toronto TikTok creator accused ‘Aunties’ of copying LA’s ‘Queer Aunties’ event without credit.
- The LA organizers and local attendees voiced concerns about creative theft and inclusivity.
- ‘Aunties’ Toronto responded, saying the name overlap is coincidental and their event is independently created.
- The controversy has sparked wider conversations about originality, recognition, and creating truly inclusive Queer spaces.
A Toronto community member is accusing a local queer events company of copying a Los Angeles Black Queer brand, raising questions about credit, originality and who shapes Queer nightlife in the city.
Toronto local Anaïsol Opoku, under the @livingwithsol_ on TikTok shared her experience attending @queer.aunties event in Toronto, accusing the company of copying the American Queer brand @queerauntiesla.
@livingwithsol_ ill never go again #torontoevents #queertiktok #dayparty ♬ Mysterious and Sad – Beats by Lucky
The creator accused the Toronto brand of allegedly stealing the idea, without giving credit to the American brand, and exploiting it, as the event already existed in Los Angeles around the Black Queer community.
She captioned her video saying it’s an example of “creative theft” in Toronto.
In an interview with Now Toronto, Opoku shared she hasn’t seen as many POC as she thought, considering the event was supposed to be of that demographic.
“Aunties is a cultural word, specifically for the African Black communities, I know with South Asians as well. So I was surprised to see the more dominant demographic,” she told Now Toronto.
Opoku also pointed out the stolen name and concept.
“If you look up Queer Aunties LA, the only difference is that they have LA in their name, but if you can see the follower amount, they were established first, and you can see clearly in the description that talks about how they’re intentionally celebrating Black and brown Queer culture, so more than just an age thing, it’s about the BIPOC voice,” she said.
“Is it truly BIPOC, or is it POC also taking advantage of the creativity and the contributions that black people make continually, is it, is it truly a total unison thing, or is it still that separation?” Opoku questioned.
She believes that Queer communities should be celebrated and both could exist, but credit should be given where it’s due.
“The conversation is not about whether both can exist, it’s about ripping off Black creators. Both can exist, and they should. It’s a beautiful concept. It’s something that I think is needed in Toronto, but to not ask for that permission, to not acknowledge the contributions they’ve made, that’s not right. And that’s the issue,” she said.
“There is this pattern where Black people are cool enough to enjoy the concepts, enjoy the culture, but they’re not accepted in movements that are supposed to be inclusive. Their contributions are minimized, they’re not acknowledged, and when they’re pointed out, they’re dismissed. It’s disheartening… Toronto has just changed into something that isn’t as PR diverse friendly as they want us to believe,” Opoku added.
How Queer Aunties LA responded
Under her video, Queer Aunties LA thanked the Toronto creator for raising awareness.
“Thank you for this. We created this space for Queer Black folks to feel seen, heard and safe. And we will continue to keep Queer Aunties that way.”
The brand continued by reposting the video on TikTok.
Shatondra, one of the brand’s curators, also added her thoughts.
“Thank you for calling this out. I am one of the curators of Queer Aunties LA, and it’s so disheartening to see our idea/work be stolen and redefined. But don’t worry, we will be in Toronto soon,” she commented.
The accusations prompted strong reactions online from Torontonians..
“Not one lie was said. Thank you for speaking on this,” one TikTok user wrote.
“Little louder for the girls in that back sista,” another said.
“It’s straight up stealing, and the worst part is; those spaces are never truly inclusive of Black people,” another wrote.
Users who attended Queer Aunties’ event in Toronto also commented on their disappointment.
“Yooo, that party was a mess!! Thought I was going to a BIPOC queer event. Ended up being a room full of milk and microaggressions,” one user wrote.
“It was very white-washed to me when I went to it too,” another added.
Toronto’s Aunties responds
The brand clarified that their event name is solely “Aunties,” saying that “Queer Aunties” is simply their Instagram handle due to username availability.
They feel confused by the idea of “stealing,” stating they had “no knowledge” of the LA event.
“There are many differences between our communities, locations and audiences. The name “Aunties” is a common term and isn’t something that either party owns exclusively,” a spokesperson told Now Toronto.
The spokesperson states that their event does not affect or take away from the Los Angeles party in any way.
“There is room for multiple Queer communities around the world to create spaces that celebrate and uplift people who have often been overlooked,” the spokesperson wrote. “It’s disappointing to see negativity brought toward something that has been created with so much love and care. We hope we can all celebrate the fact that more inclusive spaces are being built for our community.”
The brand shares that they’ve received hundreds of thousands of views, likes, and shares, stating that they’ve been growing engagement, community, and support for curating thoughtful Queer events in the city.
“We’re proud of what we’ve built and grateful for the love and support that continues to grow around it.”
