Pact for Attending LGBT Meetings

I'm in, I go back to college in a few weeks, and the first Queer Alliance meeting is on Oct 2. Now I just need the guts to go.

 

Thanks for making this thread!!!

I needed some encouragement to get me to go to the LGBT society at my university.

The only thing is that they don't exactly have meeting...more like lunches, movie nights & then gay club nights. Maybe the lunches are like meetings. Either way attending their lunches would mean a long 40 min walk! **I'm making up excuses now**

I know so much because I've been stalking their Facebook page since April lol.

Our university has two campuses, ones in the city & ones on the outskirts (the main one). I'm on the city one and every Friday they have a LGBT support group meeting so maybe I'll just commit to going to that. But yeah I'm afraid of not being able to speak much as I can be shy around strangers. Their first meeting is on 28th of September :S

Another thing is that I could never join the group on FB as I can't be fully out on it due to family etc.

 

I guess I'll jump in on this. I'm going to go to a pride club my high school has next Monday. I hope it goes well. :eusa_danc

 

I'm going to a meeting at my local LGBT center this Monday. I want to attend PFLAG meetings but the nearest one is in a town half an hour away. I will probably go next month though.

 

This is an awesome idea! I'm well past college but reaching out to local LGBT groups has been invaluable to me in coming out and I've had good experiences doing so. Last night I even went to a women's social event at the largest of the local LGBT community centers here. I was terrified and did not know a soul. It was really difficult for me to mingle but I managed it and even got contact info from a few people, one of whom is a woman coming out in her 30s like me. The point is that if you're on the fence I would say just do it. If you really don't like it you're not obligated to return but more likely than not you'll find a source of support that will make things easier in the long run. Best of luck to you all!

 

I would honestly go, one of my friends said She would go with me.
the problem is that there is no information to when meetings are at all.
in fact within the college all mentions to the group seem the have disappeared.
last year There were loads of posters, this year there's none.
even mentions to it on the website have gone.

 

I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe a lot of the people who ran the organization last year graduated and so far nobody has stepped up to continue it. Do you know if anyone in the school's administration is LGBT friendly and can give you some more info on the group?

 

I honestly have no idea and until I know for sure, I don't want to risk it.

its quite possible that most he graduated but its a shame its gone.

my biggest worry by going to a member of staff is that it will get back to a family member, something that I am not ready for yet.

 

Gosh that's awful. I'm so sorry, what a crappy situation.

 

It has been 2 weeks since I came out to my wife and we are talking about going to a PFLAG meeting next week. I hope going to one will give my wife the chance to talk to other people in similar situations and become more comfortable with me being gay/bi. Maybe even meet some gay friends in the area.

 

I would love to go to a PFLAG meeting, but there isn't really one in my area :tantrum:
I'll most definitely make a pact to go, I just don't want to go alone :icon_sad:

I was actually thinking about creating my own non-profit organization, I know the perfect location for holding meetings and I think it'll be fun.

 

Heh, I didn't think this idea would actually take flight, but I'm glad to see people like it.

Anyways, I'm so down for this. I'ma need to get involved with my school's Queer Students Community Centre eventually, and I guess this is a good way to go about it.

I was talking with a friend of mine two days ago about this actually... we have a mutual acquaintance who is also gay and absolutely refuses to go into the QSCC room. We asked him why once, and it's because he's terrified. Back when I was closeted, I thought this was a really stupid reason, but now I get the fear he's going through. Somehow going into one of those meetings makes everything seem that much more "real". But you know, I don't think I'll be able to move forward with my life until I actually do something to affirm that my being gay is not only public and totally okay, but also something that is very "real" and not simply a secret.

I'll figure out when the dates for me to go is and I'll sign myself up here soon. There's a volunteer orientation thing tomorrow, but I don't think I'm quite up to volunteering yet... I'd much rather hit up a newcomers meeting.

Good luck to everyone else! And remember, you'd better have some good news for us after your meeting time or a damn good excuse! :lol:

 

I love this idea!

I know it is crazy scary to walk through those doors, but just remember that every single person in that meeting has been where you are right now. They get how scary the whole thing is, and most will try to make you feel as comfortable as possible.

Before going to a GSA I personally thought it was the most idiotic idea ever. Why go to a group with a bunch of gay people? And talk about what? but I went and I have met the most awesome of people there. It can also be very rewarding when you hear the stories of people who see the GSA as the only beacon of light in their lifes, and it feels good to be part of that.

So,yeah. Defintely push yourselves to go! If you like it or not, you will never know until you go!

Definitely go to at least one meeting if you can. Even if its 2 hours away!

From my experience, PFLAG parents are the most caring and supportive people you will find. Wonderful, wonderful group of people.

 

Yeah that's my main thought for some reason. I feel like I'm, further segregating myself by going to this meeting and letting homosexuality define me. It's definitely my mind making up excuses not to go as like you said it's terrifying walking through those doors and not knowing what to expect.

Hope it goes well for all of us lol

 

I went to my first gsa meeting about 3 weeks ago. I've only been to two so far but it was nice. We had a great guest speaker come in. I honestly felt really intimidated going in the first time just because the gsa has sooo many people. I don't think I've ever seen so many lgbt people in one room, or in my life, ever. But the second time the anxiety left and it was good

 

This is a great idea. LGBT groups are my lifeline right now.

So, I went to my first meeting at an LGBT community center in April of this year, after having accepted myself sometime between then and the previous December. I had been lurking the website that advertised it on and off for about a month or two and I finally decided that it was a great way to meet my three goals of spending time in the city, being social after a long period of dormancy, and meeting other LGBTs my age.

Then I took the big leap, I signed up on the website, (making it official) and actually took the train to the community center. Once I was in the city I knew I wouldn't back out, but I didn't rush in. I circled the block a few times. I kept observing who was standing outside and what was going on inside. I did that about five times. I was nervous like some big alarm was going to go off as soon as I opened the door. Everyone on the street was going to look at me going in. The same thing was going to happen inside.

And I went into... a building... and there were... people in it. I say that not to trivialize other people's worry, a similar worry that kept me from my LGBT club in college, but to put things into perspective. There was this feeling that I was taking a jump off a cliff into an unknown. Instead I took a jump up and down. I felt like I was doing something completely wild. I wasn't. It was a normal and fun thing to do that I never had to worry about.

So, I get to the meeting and it was just a great time. We were given ice-breaker questions to start conversations. I met a bunch of friendly, interesting people. We then formed discussion groups where the theme was "Queer Abby," so we talked about advice column-like personal problems. The group leader even noticed my being quite and started talking to me when the discussions broke up. Then we went out to a diner as a group. All in all, a great night.

Moment it felt so great to be out with gay guys for the first time: One of the "Queer Abby" letters had a detailed description of a hot, straight football player roommate. The first comment from the group leader was, "Woof."

 

Aw thanks for the advice. I can't go to this month's meeting because I work late that day but I can go in October so I'll definately put it my list to do.

 

I emailed the coordinator of my campuses group the other day. They don't advertise the meeting here but you need to email them and they tell you where and when it is. Still waiting but I am going to force myself to go this year even though I was to scared to last year