Last night I went into Sydney for my first time to attend a support group meeting for men who identify as LGBTQI. It's a bit of a trip in and back and I felt nervous. For a little there I almost didn't go with travel time and distance my reason as the train trip alone is an hour each way. Still, I made myself go or I would have scolded myself for not going. I got there and met some other men aged from the 20's up to their 50's roughly. A little over a dozen of us and thankfully I wasn't the only noob there. They were a good group of people. It is so true that men don't open up that easily and I'm surprised I found myself putting myself up to start the discussion rolling when the floor was opened to discussion. The night's topic was "Coming Out to Family" which gave me a chuckle as I had only just told my mother a few days before, who wasn't happy but didn't lose the plot. Just put her foot in her mouth which I just left there. Anyway, we split into two groups and we discussed family and a little the cultural differences as two people were from Asian nations. It was interesting to hear what they had to say. Interesting is that homosexuality is not illegal in China. It's a cultural taboo but not illegal. After the two hour meet, I followed those who went down to the coffee shop where we could talk about whatever. I really enjoyed it and I'll be back. Definitely. This is important for my healing and reconnection to who I denied myself from being for far too long.
Sorry .. iPhone on a bumpy bus ride…:icon_bigg I meant ...Well done for going through with it. I hope you will continue to go and get the benefit from these meetings. See the long commute as an investment in your personal development !
Thank you bingostring and looking for me. I will be heading back. Not for every meeting but I will head back. Observing others there, there is so much emotional pain going on caused by so many things including guilt and rejection and some factors I thought had basically disappeared in certain areas of Australia. We don't seem to have advanced as far as we think we have. Seemed like that.
That's great, congrats! Did you make any friends? I have tried looking for a support group in my area for women my age and there seem to be none :/. There is a group for pretty much every other LGBT category you can imagine- teens, trans, older gay men, Lesbians with cancer, and so on. Your post inspired me to try looking a little further out though, maybe I can find something in Boston.
Yeah, I can't find anything local either. The closest looks like it's nothing but a fuckfest which isn't what I'm looking for. When I was 18, I tried looking for something but everything I came across was based on just having sex. Nothing wrong with sex but I was left wondering if there is anything held that wasn't sex. I'm sure there was. I just never found it. I was asked out plenty but I wasn't confident enough in myself to say yes and just be. Look further out. Closer in the main regions I guess. Friends? There were some good people but we'll see. A few people seemed good to get to know. ---------- Post added 23rd Aug 2014 at 10:54 AM ---------- Yup.
