Friends of Rhonda Expands as Safe Space for Queer Creatives in Australian Ad Industry

Founded by Julia Stretch in January 2024, Friends of Rhonda has grown into a beloved networking hub for queer creatives in the Australian ad industry. With more than 10 successful meet-ups in Melbourne and an interstate visit to Sydney in 2024, this vital addition to the industry scene shows no signs of slowing down.

In light of increasing queer and transphobia globally, the LGBTQIA+ community faces heightened vulnerability, with organisational DEI initiatives particularly under attack.

2025 marks a critical moment to advocate and fiercely protect the progress made thus far — and in our industry, Friends of Rhonda aims to do exactly that.

This year, Julia Stretch will be joined by a new committee — lovingly coined the ‘Best Friends of Rhonda’ — comprising long-term collaborator Alayna Kunitake and Rhonda regulars Fenn Aldred and Liam Jenkins. At a time when the community is most at risk, Stretch believes banding together is essential.

"I'm really pleased to be bringing together this team to help Friends of Rhonda grow and reach more queer people working in advertising in 2025. Alayna, Liam, and Fenn have been Rhonda loyalists from the group's beginnings and most importantly each bring a unique and valuable queer perspective that I'm confident will help bring the community together beautifully."

Friends of Rhonda will move into a quarterly model this year, with events in March, June, September, and December. There's a refresh that brings the platform’s original queer zine culture-inspired brand to the forefront, as well as a location change to Bar Flippy's, hopes to expand the gatherings into queer events across the cultural calendar and plans to diversify the offerings through creative collaborations of their own.

Alayna said, "I'm incredibly grateful to Jules for giving us the opportunity to officially join a platform I've been fortunate to be involved with over the past year. While I've organically built my own network of like-minded individuals during my eight years in the industry, there's truly nothing quite like the Rhonda experience."

Alayna hopes to continue the legacy by connecting more queer creatives across the industry, leading to better, more authentic and exciting work when it's needed most.

"At the end of the day, successful creative collaboration comes from the ability to 'click' with like-minded talent. To be able to sit down and share a casual conversation with someone who not only allows you to be yourself, but also understands your reference points and perspectives on life is truly unmatched."

Queer agency creatives, production-side friends and even clients are all encouraged to get involved, as well as reach out if they have ideas they'd love to bring to life with Rhonda.

"We've already been talking to some great creatives who have exciting ideas they've brought to the table."

Amidst all of this, however, the core intention of Friends of Rhonda serving as a low-stakes and casual space for the community to come together remains very much the same. Much like the euphemism that started in the 80s to subtly ask if someone was gay — Friends of Dorothy — of which Friends of Rhonda is named after, the platform wishes to continue its grassroots origins and ensures its guests that it will very much continue to be a space for queer people, by queer people.

"Showing up to industry events alone not knowing anyone there has always felt daunting for me, but with Rhonda, I didn't have to annoyingly persuade anyone to be my plus one once. Rhonda warmly welcomes anyone who resonates with any of the above to come along; whether that’s to meet friends, make new ones or just share a space with community for an hour or two. That is the power of a safe space—a feeling I'm realising I've been missing out on for too long, and a feeling I'm passionate about others experiencing, too."

The first quarterly event of the year will be held on Thursday March 27 from 7pm at Bar Flippy's (646 Sydney Rd, Brunswick).