Picture the scene: one living room is filled with blow up palm trees to replicate a tropical beach. Another has a giant whirly glitter ball lighting up housemates dancing round their sofas, and another is filled with people chilling in dressing gowns on their sofas.

It’s half-midnight and this is Queer House Party, the isolation disco taking place in living rooms across the country every Friday night. Log into the party via Zoom, and there’s the opportunity to dance remotely alongside hundreds of other queer people. There’s live cabaret performances too, and a proper DJ live mixing pop, house and disco from 9pm until 1am.

In an era that is being defined by tiresome Zoom calls attempting to recreate real life social experiences, Queer House Party feels actually authentic. It tricked me into feeling as if I was properly out with mates as I scrolled through the hundreds of active profiles logged in, live, to the weekly club session last week. And for the first time since lockdown, I found myself sweating one out, dancing.

The house parties are particularly important because under lockdown, queer people may feel the pinch more than most. For lots of us, clubbing is an essential way to celebrate our difference, to express ourselves properly in a place that feels safe, and to meet like minded people. Obviously, the privileges of club culture have been stripped in the wake of Covid-19, but Queer House Party is a convincing way to meet other queer people and share stories - and dance moves - in this challenging period.

Don’t worry if turning your laptop camera on feels exposing - there’s the option not to, and just to just dance without others ogling your living room. For extroverts, hedonists and groups having a proper ‘night out’, having the camera on is a chance to show off moves and outfits.

I toggled between having the camera on and off, and even got an Instagram DM from a guy who told me I looked ‘cute’ sat in my dog-eared dressing gown alone on my falling-apart sofa.

Being chatted up at a digital disco may be the most #Lockdown era moment I’ve had yet.

Queer House Party runs every Friday night from 9pm, find out more details on their Facebook page and donations are welcome to help pay the DJs and artists a fair wage. Donate here.