Ok before I start I realize that everything thats been going on lately has been somewhat taken care of but drama just keeps coming. I just want people to ask themselves one question, WHY ARE WE HERE? I joined because I needed someone or somewhere to talk about stuff. I personally don't care about competing or about drama. I am here to help people and occasionally get some help myself. Yes its fun to come here and participate in games and different things but if someone needs help and I can help them I will. I have had people thank me for helping them and I have had people yell at me. If my joining this forum has helped just one person then I think being a part of this is worth it. I know that MANY of you if not all of you at some point has helped me with something and for that I thank you so much. lets make this site a place for helping and fun. Not about drama, competition (unless its friendly). lets build people up, not tear them down after all thats what this site is meant to be. A place to give advice and support, get advice and support, while having fun and making friends. You all have a special place in my heart. If you agree with me then lets start working to make this place even better then it already is. Sam (&&&)
Thanks Sam ^^ I think this is exactly what we all needed to see. Thanks for slowing things down for us ^^ Personally, I joined EC because I decided that it was time I accepted that I'm not straight, and I needed to talk to others to better understand what this meant for me. So many people here helped me out so much, particularly in the first few weeks. I was so touched, that I've made it my mission to comfort others who are in a bad spot. It was a mistake for me to have gotten involved in this mess in the first place. It was none of my business, and the moderators will make the same, wholly beneficial decision that they would have if I had said nothing. I'm ready to just take a step back and resume my life here on EC like it was before. Thanks again, Sam (*hug*) that was a good call! (&&&) Dan
I joined because of many reasons. I was not comfortable on ###. I needed advice. I was lonely. I was sad. I do my best effort to make EC a better place (for example, through the magazine project) and by trying to post interesting/helpful/funny posts. I am not very successful but I try to.
I came here because I tried ### 6 months to early. lol Hey! I was honest! I thought the idea of EC was about the best one ever... helping out youth with their sexuality and even older then youth. Anyone who has questions or concerns can/could get help here. Plus it had places to get your mind off of things. (fun and games) Plus it has Mr JayHew who is just pure awesomeness. lol
I came for support while i was questioning my sexuality. I found that as i got answers and support for myself that i was able to good helping others. I have gotten a lot out of this site and i totally agree with the point of this thread.
EC was the one thing i needed.. cause honestly...i think i would've done something to myself if someone didn't tell me to embrace being gay.
I too am one of those people who probably wouldn't be here today if it weren't for this site, and my friends. to this day I still haven't completely accepted myself even though plenty of people accept me. But I know if I'm feeling really bad I can come here and find people who are going through a similar situation and I know I'm not alone. I can also talk about whats bothering me and get the support I need from the wonderful people on this site and I like being one of those people for someone else too, it makes me feel really good to know that I can help someone else the way people have and still do help me. I'm glad all of you agree with me about the true purpose of this site.
I honestly wouldnt even have acknowledged that I was gay if it werent for this site. I was in a denial that probably would have lasted until death. But the more time i spend here the more I become comfortable with myself
The situations etc you have all described above are exactly what EC is here for. Some history, for those who don't know... Over on ###, we have loads of people signing up who need support, but because they are under-age they have to be banned (for legal reasons - ### is a porn site). So we are rejecting people instead of offering the support they need. About three years ago we had a few memorable cases of people who were finding the support very useful having to be banned, which upset those of us that had been helping them. As part of the resulting discussions a few of us looked at the list of sites these underage banned members were being referred to, and concluded that they were being thrown to the wolves. None of the sites were very good, and several of them were very worrying. We felt there must be something better out there but none of us could find anything. We thought it must be possible to do better, and the best people to do it would be the guys who run ###. They rose to the challenge and created Empty Closets, several of us volunteered to help run it, and the rest is history. Of the original moderators TriBi and I remain, and two others dropped out ages ago. Dave joined the mod team a couple of years ago and Becky recently. I am now an admin. The site has just continued to grow! It got a real boost earlier this year when the owners started paying for "Sponsored Link" advertising on Google. Immediately the number of new members started increasing, the site got busier, and people posted more and stayed longer. We are also attracting loads more people who would be old enough for ###, because they prefer EC. Plus people aren't leaving here and returning to ### on their 18th birthdays. We have a wonderful community here, and I am proud to help run it. But it is all of you that make this place what it is.
As I was wandering and surfing around the net, I couldnt find a better place better than this place, I'm sure you can notice that EC is special as you signed in and you feel all teh warm heat just coming rigth at you. This comunity, to me is like a school, you come here to learn and make friends, to do homework together, to help each other when you are stuck with problems. ### is a bad website, you cant get any support out from there but just porn, it can make yourself become worse and worse, amkee you envolve in all the bad thinsg you cant imagine(of course, soem people can get over it0 And for other teen forums, they suck, they just talk about nonsense stuffs, that dont fit their ages I think I'm lucky to find this place, we all are lucky.
Luckily this is the first GLBT community I've joined, so I don't know about the 'bad' ones out there, but I felt like I needed a place to vent and communicate with people who may have similar problems. Besides, I think my friends who I am out to (all straight) deserve a break from my ramblings now and then.
Paul...look at all these wonderful testimonials to your work here. Thank you and thank you to everyone else who makes the effort to come here and be a part of this safe, and wonderful place!
Thank you for bringing EC to life! Without it, I would most certainly still be in the closet, beating myself up over not being the person that I should have been. Now I am out to my friends, and am accepted by them, even if I still have a few things to work through for myself. I might not have still been here without EC. EC is the most supportive place I have found! Most of the rest are just porn sites. I don't object, but they aren't any good for anything but...porn...