Sweat, soak, and unwind! Our biannual Trans Sauna for Black People & People of Colour is coming to South London 🔥
A night for trans+ people (transgender, non-binary, intersex or gender non-conforming) to warm up, cool down, and connect. Expect hot hot saunas, icy cold plunges and a space that’s entirely ours for the evening. This is not a cruising event - it’s a care, rest, and community event, for trans people of colour / global majority trans people.
See you in the steam. ❤️🔥
What’s new:
- A step-free sauna
- Warm showers!
- Indoor changing facilities and bathrooms you can use without having to get dressed
- Both indoor and outdoor trans-only social spaces outside the sauna
This month's reminders:
- You're welcome to be in the venue from 7:45pm till 10:30pm, although there may be cis people in the space from the previous sauna session until 8pm
- If you're feeling unwell, please consider not attending this event in order to protect others. Take a Covid-19 test if you have any symptoms. We are able to transfer your ticket to a future event in these cases.
- Be mindful of our wristband system. If the sauna cabins are busy, prioritise those wearing wristbands for the current session. You are welcome to hang around the indoor and outdoor hangout spaces if the saunas are full.
- CLOSE THE DOOR! - don't let the heat escape. Enter and leave the sauna cabins as quickly as possible, never leave the door open.
Check below for the details, including event policy and what to bring. If there are any changes, we will update ticket holders by email, modify this description and share on our Instagram @trans.sauna and WhatsApp community.
- What to bring
• swimwear
• two towels, one to sit on in sauna and one to dry off with
• sandals/ sliders/ flip flops
• a padlock for locker (optional)
• bathrobe (optional)
• sauna hat (optional) - Sauna Etiquette
• CLOSE THE DOOR! - don't let the heat escape. Enter and leave the sauna cabins as quickly as possible, never leave the door open. This is especially important for electric saunas as they are slower to heat back up again than wood fire saunas.
• Make space for others to sit where possible.
• Check with everyone in the sauna before adding water to the stones. Nothing unusual on the stones, water is great.
• Spreading the heat with a whisk/towel/fan is allowed, but check with those around you.
• Rinse off in the shower before your first cold plunge. We recommend sauna then rinse then plunge then back to sauna.
• Listen to your body when inside the sauna, it is not recommended to stay in the sauna for over 15 minutes, there is no need to push yourself. Strictly no sauna competitions.
• No glass bottles are allowed in the changing rooms, shower room, or the sauna itself.
• There are two medium-sized electric saunas, unlike the range of sizes we have at Hackney Wick events. This has its pros and cons, please be patient with things being different to what we’re used to and work with us to make this as nourishing an experience as we can ♥️ - Nudity Policy
• As this is a closed space, attendees are free to be as dressed/ undressed as they would like. Just be considerate of how close you are to other attendees if you aren’t wearing anything on your lower half! The venue are also writing their own guideline around navigating spaces with nudity that we will share round to ticketholders once it’s ready. - Safer Spaces Policy
• No racism, cis-sexism, transmisogyny, transphobia, ableism, fatphobia, or body commentary.
• No harassment of any kind, this includes touching without consent, excessive or inappropriate staring, verbal abuse, explicit gesturing, and more.
• Do not take photos within the sauna space. Be mindful of who may be in the background of your photos and ask for permission.
• This is a drug and alcohol-free event. Avoid drinking when using saunas.
• Please show up only when you are healthy and have no flu symptoms. - Ticketing
• All tickets for any time slot will allow access to the venue for the duration of the event, from 7.30pm - 10.15pm.
• The priority slots are to ensure everyone gets a chance to spend time in the sauna, however you are welcome to be at the event outside your slot! You can even enter saunas outside of your slot if there is space, but please prioritise those wearing wristbands for the current session.
• You are welcome to purchase more than one time slot if you want to guarantee more time within the sauna. - Refund Policy
• We cannot guarantee refunds for our events, but please do message if you can't make it anymore and we will try to help you out if we can afford to on a particular month! Just be patient if we don't get back to you as we're doing our best <3 - Accessibility Information
For Sauna Social Club, 842 Brayards Rd, London SE15 2AG. There is level access from the street, a car or taxi can pull up directly outside the archway. Shared car parking with other arches in loading bays with a blue badge. There is also a secure rail to lock bikes to. - The nearest step-free station is Queens Road Peckham (14 min walk), with Peckham Rye about 12 mins away but not step-free. There are also bus routes serving Nunhead Green, Rye Lane and Peckham high street, all approx 5-10 minutes away.
- Venue Access
The sauna area is indoors, with a private outdoor space for plunges, showers and chats. The entrance is step-free, and the entire ground floor is step-free including one of the saunas, the lockers and an accessible toilet. Outdoors the social area and changing rooms are step-free and there is a step to reach the plunges and showers. - There is a 15-step flight of stairs to reach the mezzanine, which has a second sauna (with one step), an additional bathroom, additional changing facilities and unlocked storage units.
- The space has low lighting, with smooth floors - sandals are recommended though you can be barefoot.
- Facilities
• Saunas: 2 in total, the ground-level sauna is step-free with a 940mm-wide door, and the mezzanine-level sauna has a step to enter. The upstairs sauna is cooler, the lights are brighter, and no water or essential oils are used on the rocks. The downstairs sauna is hotter and has music playing, with essential oils used sometimes (with consent of all in the sauna at the time).
• Cold plunges: four in total - one barrel at 3 degrees Celsius and three metal baths at 6 degrees Celsius each. There are two steps up to the plunging area, with a 2ft lip to step into each of the baths.
• Showers: 2 electric showers with adjustable temperatures, all are outdoors and not private. Each shower tray is raised by 10cm.
• Changing rooms: 4 private stalls; 2 are step-free and outdoors, the other 2 are indoors on the mezzanine level. All have seating.
• Lockers: Bring a padlock.
• Toilets: The accessible toilet is indoors at the end of the corridor by the cafe, there is another toilet upstairs.
• Seating: Available indoors (sofas, chairs and floor cushions) and outdoors (sofa).
• Café: This is not managed by the Trans Sauna team, but you are welcome to buy teas and soft drinks. Standard teas are currently £1.95, with other options ranging up to £3.95.
• Additional Notes
• Do not attend if you have Covid-19 symptoms or have tested positive - we can transfer your ticket to a future event in these cases.
• Not all staff members are trans themselves but they are all aware of the importance of a trans-safe space and committed to protecting our community.
• For access assistance or questions, contact us, or ask our team/ venue staff on site.
Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.
The event is organised by the Trans Sauna team - Fey, Jeng and Oran.
Design by Jeng Au.