We are Balle Molle Queer Softball (BMQS), an amateur softball league created by and for the queer community in and around Montreal | Tiohtiá:ke | Mooniyang. We are a non-profit group that grew out of a desire to create an inclusive and safer league for 2SLGBTQIA+ people. Our goal is to build community, create connections, foster physical and mental well-being, and, of course, have fun playing softball!
Many of us met in the Spring of 2023, when we created a queer softball team to play in one of Montreal’s existing leagues. The response from the community was so overwhelming that we ended up forming not one, but three full teams, with dozens more people dropping in to join our weekly practices! This massive outpouring of interest, along with some barriers we faced due to outdated gender rules and attitudes in the existing league, sparked a fire in us to create our own fully queer league, which we did in March 2024. In our first year of existence, we have 9 teams, made up of 100% people from the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities!
We welcome players of all skill and fitness levels, whether you’ve been playing since childhood or have never held a bat. We would love to share with you the sheer joy of hitting a home run or catching a pop fly, or just chilling in the sunshine with your queer community. If you’re unsure whether playing softball is for you, feel free to drop in on one of our weekly open practices, or just come out to one of our games to cheer our players on. Either way, we hope to see you soon, whether out on the field or in the stands!
For more info on our philosophy, check out our Community Agreement!