Lived Experience Forum

[IsAnybodyThere]

Hi TuxedoCat, I am a lesbian trapped in a man's body. It makes me feel very alone. I don't know what to do and am very depressed.

IsAnybodyThere.

[hanami]

Hi @IsAnybodyThere 

So sorry to hear you're not doing too great right now. I've actually sent you an email to check in on you and provide some crisis numbers. Also wanted to add Qlife which may be of help. https://www.qlife.org.au/get-help 

Sending hugs

Hanami

[petrichor]

Hi @IsAnybodyThere 

I promise you that you’re not alone feeling this way. Have you been able to talk to your GP or online groups to find someone with similar experiences? I’ve got a private FB account where I don’t have any friends but can take part in groups that. I feel alone too. We can feel alone together x

[Trickster]

Its been 2 years or something I think since the thread had activity, I'm no comfortable talking about my issues just yet but I thought it might help some other to talk about the good things happening in my area. We have 3 towns all an hour and half apart all have LGBTQIA+ social bbq I got involved last year they were tremendously helpful to feeling seen and visible even if just in my own community. Before I turned 26 I was able to attend headspace which had a LGBTQIA+ social group and I still meet some of those people before their group once every week and it helped me learn more about myself and helps them learn too lived experience to lived experience.

[tyme]

Wow @Trickster ! Good on you! Thank you so much for sharing! 

It certainly sounds like a very positive connection. 

Would you consider organising or attending more of these larger social events?

I'm glad to hear that meeting once a week has been helpful. I guess it's like you've found your tribe? It sounds so liberating 🙂

[Trickster]

volunteering time is all I've been able to do set up for certain things like the bbq and I love doing that. Found family is good.

[Jynx]

Hey all! Decided to breathe a bit of life into this space!! 

@Trickster @outlander @tyme @petrichor @Adge @Pepsi @Captain24 @eth @NatureLover @greenspace @TheVorticon @Clawde 

We've been chatting a bit about creating a Group Hub for our LGBTQAI+ members and I wanted to put out some feelers! Group hubs are is to offer a dedicated spaces that allow members with shared experience to connect to other queer folk, and to be able to discuss issues relevant to our community. 

Would you be interested in joining an LGBTIQ+ Group Hub?

Because these spaces are still in their pilot phase, we’d wanna ensure that this is both something the community wants, and something we’d all be keen to get stuck into building together. It’d be phenomenal to have a few peeps who would be open to helping us kick start the space and get the ball rolling.

The most exciting part is that there’s potential for a lot more! With the launch of the hub, SANE could then kick start promotion to encourage more members to join, as well as reach out to SANE partner organisations (such as LGBTIQ Health and Q-Life) to offer mental health recovery webinars similar to the one held recently. There’s also the opportunity for peer chat events, sharing and collaborating resources, and promote community events like Mardi Gras, Midsumma, etc., and more.

Let us know what you think, whether you’d be keen to join, and whether you have any ideas on what you think the space could look like, what you’d like to see in it, or any concerns you may have. I hope y’all are as keen as I am!

[Captain24]

Hi @Jynx 

A hub sounds good. 

I am really unsure though about me though. 

Im not sure how I feel about being tagged. 

I don’t really have any words.

[Jynx]

That is very fair @Captain24  - I tagged you because I recall we had a conversation about asexuality! I just wanted to be inclusive, but my apologies if I've made assumptions! 

Even if you're not 100% sure on your identity, there's always room in the community for folks who are questioning, you'd be super welcome! But totally your choice, whatever you're most comfy with 😉

[Captain24]

It’s ok @Jynx. I get why and I’m not offended or anything and I do appreciate you thinking of me. 

Im having trouble admitting it to myself.

Im not comfortable but maybe I could work through it better in a ‘private’ space.