Finding Community This Pride Month

The world is a pretty wild place right now. Every individual and group is being affected by current events in different ways. The LGBTQ+ community is one of the groups being hit hard by some of these events. 

When turning on the news or scrolling through social media feels tiresome, it can be important to have a community of people who get it. We all deserve people who understand our frustrations and can be a caring ear or help distract from the chaos. 

Life can be hard, but having good people around makes it better.

Community can look different for everyone and sometimes it’s hard to find. Here are some options if you’re not sure where to start:

Look locally

Whether it’s going to the coffee shop down the street that has the pride flag in the window, a late-night drag show, or a punk concert at a hole-in-the-wall venue, starting local can be one way to find community. It can be a great way to get out, have some fun, and meet people with shared interests.

Hope for the Day’s coffee shop Sip of Hope can be one such place to relax, enjoy a pastry, and connect with the community. We will even be hosting an in-person Identity & Orientation education there on June 18. But located in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, this is typically for Chicago locals.

Here are some friends of Hope for the Day that are based in different parts of the country:

Trying to meet people in-person can be intimidating. It may not be the best option for everyone and that’s ok! There are plenty more ways to find community.

Look online

While the internet can be an overwhelming and exhausting place, it can also be a great source of connection. Through the myriad of social media sites, there are countless ways to get a hold of people and find others with shared interests and experiences. There’s a corner of the internet for just about every niche hobby and lived experience.

Can’t find the group you’re looking for? Create it! There’s so much room to build your own community on the vast space we call the internet.

Although, in that great expanse of the internet, it’s important to exercise caution when giving out personal information. Use your best judgment during your interactions.

Therapy

Having someone to talk to about all the happenings, stressors, and anxieties in your life can help take the weight off during your day-to-day life.

Finding a therapist that’s the right fit for you can be a challenge. CenterLink is one resource to help find LGBT Community Centers and therapy options that are near you.

To ensure that the therapist that you’ve found is a good fit, Hope for the Day has compiled some questions to start an honest conversation with your potential therapist. Questions include: “How much experience/training do you have in working with the LGBTQ+ population?” and “Have you ever worked with [insert your identity] before?”. The full list can be found here.

Therapy can be very helpful, but it can also be very expensive and may not be an option for some. Hope for the Day’s Resource Compass can help you find low and no cost options that may be available.

Support Groups

In the same vein as therapy, support groups can be a useful outlet to release some of the pressure that builds up over time. They can be especially helpful as the group is often based around a shared life experience. 

Chicago-based organization Center on Halsted has a variety of support groups. Once again,  CenterLink is a great resource to find groups in you area attached to their local LGBTQ+ center.

If you’re looking for a community and you haven’t found it yet, don’t give up hope. The people and spaces that you’re searching for do exist even if you haven’t come across it yet. You are not alone.

In the meantime, try to take some time for self-care, whatever that looks like for you.

We are in this together.

Need some help finding what you’re looking for? Feel free to reach out to info@hftd.org for assistance.

Resources

The Trevor Project

National organization

Serving LGBT+ youth

https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

Crisis Lifeline: 866-488-7386

SAGE

National organization

Serving LGBT+ elders

https://www.sageusa.org/

Elder Hotline: 877-360-5428

Trans Lifeline

National organization

Open to all ages

Serving the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming communities

https://www.translifeline.org/

Crisis Lifeline: 877-565-8860

Therapy for Queer People of Color

National Organization 

Serving Black, Indigenous and people of color

Open to all ages

https://therapyforqpoc.com/

Mary Grace Ritter