FBI (France Bisexualité Info)
April 11th, 2011 § Leave a Comment
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Volunteers changed my life. When I was 17, I made a decision – one that was both difficult and liberating: I “came out” as a lesbian. I was living in Mississauga and as far as my teenage self could tell, I was the only lesbian, gay, bi or trans (LGBT) person for miles and miles around. Then I discovered a peer support group for lesbian/bi young women. This volunteer-run group was a haven.
Twenty years have passed but I remember my first encounter vividly: on a warm June evening I headed downtown for my first meeting – escorted by my two supportive and straight best friends (it was like a mini gay-straight alliance before there was such a thing). Equal parts nervous and excited, I walked into a cramped little room at U of T, joining about 20 young women – strangers – and it felt like I had come home (coming out cliché I know but it really did feel that way!)
Those first few months were an exhilarating blur: weekly meetings where we shared our hopes and fears, potlucks where we found best friends and first loves and cooked up political actions (‘twas the heady days of LGBT activism). Later as a volunteer coordinator for the group, I had my first experience in the hard and soft skills of organizing. I spent hours on the phone offering referral and support to other young women, facilitating m
