As we have a steady influx of folks joining the forum I?m taking the opportunity to re-ask a question in a bid to understand how better to tempt members into meeting others.
With a break for covid over about the last 5 or 6 years I?ve made the offer to those here of a chance to meet up in a LGBT friendly location, Canal Street in Manchester. Manchester is one of if not the most LGBT friendly city in the UK and Canal Street forms the centre of the Gay village. I?m going to make the same offer this year.
I?ve been fortunate over the years to have met a number of forum members but I have to say the take up is low. I do make a point of focusing my offer towards those who perhaps haven?t been out in public before but would like to do so. However it?s not exclusively for the newbie, seasoned hands are welcomed to.
Now I appreciate that there are all sorts of practical reasons why many wouldn?t be able to attend. Family and work commitments, distance to travel, haven?t got a thing to wear!
So my question is, if there?s no logistical/practical reason for you not to go, for those for whom this would be there first time out in public, assuming you had a desire to go out in public, what would be the thing(s) that would keep you away? What is it that the little voice in your head says to deter you? What would be your biggest fear? Do you have a preconception of what it?d be like or would you approach it with an open mind?
Conversely, what would be the one thing that would tempt you the most to pull up those big girl knickers and get out there?
In a few weeks time I?ll place a post in the places to go section with the time/date/venue for anyone interested in going or PM me for details. (If you don?t get an immediate reply don?t worry, I?m going to be ?Off grid? for a few weeks but I?ll be back.)