Married Dad, just realized he's bi and coming out(Need to find a local group)

[Bi4now2006]

Hello,
I am new to this scene, my name is Ryan and I am 36 years old Bisexual male, there, I said it! I am trying to find a Bisexual Network of people to make friends with who can help me with understanding what it is I am actually feeling within myself at this point.

This is not a personal ad, I am seeking Bisexual men and women alike in Sussex County, NJ to help me with understanding this lifstyle or should I say " confusing sexual attraction" and possibly helping me to come out completely. I am married and have a child, I came clean with my wife last night and she suggested I find a group for Bisexual people in the area, to help me figure this all out before I come completely out, to find out if this is the lifstyle for me..or not with her support either way.

Thanks and I appreciate the advice and suggestions.

Ryan

[shameless agitator]

I would suggest finding the local PFLAG. They'll be able to point you in the right direction.

[Bi4now2006]

I'm sorry "PFLAG" whats that, please excuse my ignorance.

[shameless agitator]

Sorry, I have a tendency to forget not everybody's an activist. It stands for Parents & Friends of Lesbians And Gays. They're really a support group for glbt allies, but they're a great resource. I just did a quick google search on bisexual support new jersey & came across this. http://www.bisexual.org/g/nyabn/resources.html
These folks should be helpful too.

[Brian]

Hi Ryan,

Support groups that are specifically bisexual are rare outside of the biggest cities. If you are near NYC, there is a list of NYC groups here: http://www.nyabn.org/Pages/NYCGroups.html

But I couldn't find any specifically bi groups in NJ.

You may have to settle for a gay support group in your area - and there is probably one of those even if you are fairly rural. Support groups are usually quite inclusive so I would guess you will find a gay group to be quite supportive and helpful. But you might want to brace yourself in advance for the "one in every crowd" situation that many bi folks have found when intracting with the gay community - that's the one gay guy in every group that feels threatened by bisexuality. To the credit of rural GLBT folks, in my experience they are more inclusive of bisexuality than some urban GLBT folks - but now I am generalizing which is dangerously close to stereotyping.

Here's some links I found using Google that hopefully will help:

--> http://www.galynj.org/resourcesLocal.html - the site is for GLBT youth in NJ but the list of NJ resources is not only for youth.

--> Sussex County AIDS Task Force. This is an HIV support group specific to your county. You might want to call them and ask if they know of any general GLBT or Bisexual support groups in your county - they would probably know and would be glad to help you I imagine.

Contact Info: Sussex County AIDS Task Force and The AIDS Center at Hope House cosponsors a discussion group for HIV-infected people Monday evenings at the Sussex County Hope House Office, 95 Main Street, Newton. 7:00 - 8:30 pm. For further information, please call 973-579-6617. The AIDS Center at Hope House, 19-21 Belmont Avenue, Dover, also sponsors support groups for HIV-infected men and women, teens who have an infected family member, and infected gay men every Wednesday evening, 7:00 - 8:30 PM.
A new group for HIV-infected substance abusers meets Friday afternoon 1:00 - 2:30 pm. For further information, please call 973-361-5565, ext. 141. "Spirit Connections," an interfaith ministry in Warren County, sponsors an HIV support group on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, 7:00 - 8:30 PM in Washington, For more information please call 908-698-8554. All HIV support groups in the region are open to residents of Sussex, Morris, Warren and Passaic Counties.

--> http://www.gaamc.org/ In spite of the name "Gay Activist Alliance of Morris County", their mandate says they work statewide, so I am sure they could help.

Best of luck Ryan and welcome to the club! :)

- Drew :paw:

ps. A terrific link for your spouse: http://www.straightspouse.org/

[DiamondDog]

Are you near Philly or NYC?
There are bisexual groups in both of these cities.

There are also online discussion groups, like this one.

Congratulations! You've overcome the hardest step.

[lewneski]

How fortunate to have had a positive response from your wife and how courageous to have told her.