What do people actually do when/if they go to one of those community center things? I'm just wondering.
Hi there! Often times, LGBT community centres or groups have activities, ranging form movie nights, and coffee houses, to hikes or nature outings and/or potlucks. Some will also have game nights, while others will invite guest speakers or will have some public events. What they do depends on their mandate. If they are an advocacy group, they will more often than not have events that try to educate the public, or at least engage the wider community in a dialogue. Other centres or groups simply act as a safe space, where any LGBT person can come in and feel at ease and just make some new friends or talk about what ever they would like to talk about. That said, most LGBT centres or groups will have a combination of the things mentioned above. If you are thinking of joining one, I can only encourage you to do so.
So you mean I won't be forced to listen to Lady Gaga and episodes of Glee LMAO :icon_wink:badgrin:. So you physically walk into such a place, and what would happen exactly?
I won't be making any promises on that one. :lol: Well, most places will try to make you feel welcome and most often than not, people will start or try to talk to you. You can ask a few questions about what they do, or what they are all about.
I volunteer at the LGBT center in my area and we have a combo of what has already been mentioned. There are movie nights, support groups, teen activities, elderly activities, fundraisers, etc. The goal of our center is to provide that safe space and resources. As for what happens when you actually walk in, it'll depend on what you're there for. At ours there's a common area with tables and couches that you can just hang out at if you want, or someone can show you where to go if you're there for an activity. Most centers will have a website or calendar of events that you can check. Don't be afraid to call and ask questions either. If you've got one near you, you should check it out!
My next question was actually going to be what age groups are there and such. I've got to be honest, I don't really want to have to hang out w/ a bunch of 14 year old LOL.
There's a whole range of ages at ours, so I'd check the calendar to see when they offer what. The teens are usually only around when there's a specific "teen" activity, otherwise it's mostly adults. I don't poll people on their age, but I'd say anywhere from mid-20s and up. Plus, most of the teens (technically it's "youth" which includes people up to 24) are at the upper end of the scale. I haven't seen any 14 year olds that I know of. It'll also vary by area....the center where I used to live was a ghost town compared to the one now. You'll never know until you check it out!
