She created a community, a chosen family, and a home for queer people in one of Switzerland’s most conservative cantons. Co-founder of the cultural collective «Dolls on the Block» (DOTB) Anora de Luca in conversation with Elle Bohner.
Interview: Elle Bohner
Why is it especially important to create queer spaces in southern Switzerland?
The lack of representation and the invisibility of queer people in the region have historically been very strong. This has often created a hostile and isolating environment for both younger and older queer individuals to navigate. To this day, there is not even a single dedicated queer bar or gathering space in Ticino.
For these reasons, creating safe spaces is essential, places where people can feel seen, supported, and protected, rather than feeling like society is working against them.
What does building a sense of home and chosen family in a restrictive place mean to you?
For me, it means living visibly and authentically, while also creating something that can support future generations and the people who are currently in Ticino but still feel too afraid to fully embrace their identity, sexuality, or queerness.
It also means creating a real sense of home and family. For many of us, moments with DOTB are much more than social gatherings. They are acts of care. As a trans woman living in a very conservative area, creating this kind of environment is essential. It is about building a space where people can finally let their guard down and feel loved.
What would you say to young queer and trans people in Ticino who still feel isolated?
Seek out community and connect with other queer and trans people, even if we are still a relatively small community here, especially among trans femmes. Build your support network, reach out to people across Switzerland, and never hesitate to ask for help or advice when you need it.
Isolation is one of the hardest things you can experience at this stage of life and having people around you who truly understand what you are going through is essential. My Instagram DMs are always open, and I will always help where I can.
If you do not know where to start, go to Zonaprotetta and ask for Davide, he can help connect you with the community.
Since the founding of Dolls on the Block, has anything changed within the local community?
Yes, absolutely. My house is constantly full of people coming and going, and the Dolls gatherings and parties now genuinely feel like family reunions.
We look out for one another, support each other, and create a sense of belonging together. I am rarely alone anymore, and that is entirely thanks to what we have collectively built as a community. Anyone involved would probably tell you the same. I feel incredibly blessed to witness and be part of this transformation.
What legacy do you want the project to leave behind?
I want our practices to become completely normal and no longer something rare or exceptional: booking trans artists, paying them fairly, and creating stages and spaces for queer and trans people, especially for the dolls. I also want to help create shelters, opportunities, and support systems for my sisters all over the world. More than anything, I want the project to leave behind a future where queer and trans people can exist safely, visibly, and with dignity everywhere.
«Dolls on the Block» (DOTB) has established itself as an important cultural and social force in Ticino, a part of Switzerland often overlooked in national conversations about the queer community. Mostly active in cities such as Lugano, Locarno, and Mendrisio, the collective brings together queer people, performers, artists, and allies through nightlife, drag, ballroom culture, and community-driven events. DOTB operates as more than a party platform. In a region where queer visibility and infrastructure remain limited, the project creates spaces where people can gather, express themselves freely, and experience a sense of belonging. Through performance and collective celebration, DOTB transforms nightlife into a form of care and resistance. At the centre of the project is a commitment to plurality. Here, queer life is not positioned as marginal. It is on centre stage, loud, creative, and deeply rooted in cultural expression. This is especially significant in Ticino, where social conservatism and experiences of discrimination have historically pushed many queer people into isolation or forced them to leave the region altogether in search of safety and acceptance. The celebration and creation of a chosen family play a central role in the collective’s work. Founded by Anora and Fre, «Dolls on the Block» was never conceived solely as an entertainment project, but as a way of building sustainable community structures. Alongside events, the collective has organised panel discussions, educational initiatives, creating spaces that combine celebration with mutual support and knowledge sharing. As the project has grown, so has its public presence. Features on nationally recognised platforms such as RSI and Switzerland Tourism suggest a shift in how queer culture in southern Switzerland is perceived: no longer as something hidden but increasingly acknowledged as part of the country’s wider cultural landscape. At the same time, DOTB remains grounded in the realities of a smaller region, where queer spaces are still fragile and needed. In this context, the project’s significance lies not only in what it represents culturally but also in what it enables socially and emotionally: the creation of community, visibility, and belonging in a space where these things have too often been absent.