Please do read the following before you decide to join a support group. The information here will be helpful to your decision.
• What is a Support Group?
• Testimonials – Comments from Previous Groups
Within a support group, members give support to and receive support from one another as they share and discuss issues they care about. A support group is growth-oriented. Through the group's activities, members become more self-aware and will be in better control of their own behavior.
Members face shared challenges in life. In our case, members are trying to come to terms with being gay in a largely homophobic society.
Members in a support group can expect to see results. They will learn from one another, confront one another's opinions and prejudices and respond to the feedback of others, all within a safe, supportive framework that helps each member cope better with his life issues.
Joining a support group does not imply that there is something wrong with you. Rather, it reflects a positive desire to improve self-awareness and to be a more well-adjusted person.
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OC Men
“While it is impossible for our small-scale discussions to have any real perceivable impact on those straight who are bigoted out there, networks among gay people are formed during these sessions. With these networks in place, we'll be able to help one another. This, according to David Birch (whose essay appears in the PLU book launched recently), is the basis for changing society's perception of us.”
“Oogachaga serves as a platform for gay people from different walks of life to come together outside of the ‘ghetto' settings (e.g. pubs, saunas, discos). This is a positive affirmation that we can lead meaningful lives without being trapped in lifestyle-based activities, which can erode our sense of identity as gay individuals with unique identities.”
“What has probably proven life-changing for me is the mere act of having participated in these discussions and the various social activities. That was a very practical way of learning to acknowledge my sexuality in the larger context of the life I lead. I feel that I have taken an irrevocable step. It is in some ways like climbing up out of a cellar and finding (to one's delight) that the steps leading back down have crumbled to dust; there is no way back down.”
“The group became a playground where I could just be my fun-lovin' self with a group of buddies who, just like me have their own share of hang-ups and idiosyncrasies. It was good to laugh at myself and at one another. The way we united in our diversity was amazing. Sharing one's experiences was good for my spirit and bonded us in friendship.”
“Joining a support group was actually a very remote idea for me. I would never have imagined a group like Oogachaga to be in existence and, furthermore, accessible to a socially marginalized group like us. It all started in a strange way, in retrospect. My initial fear was, what if I met someone I knew in the group? Thinking back, I now believe that it is all part and parcel of coming out—especially here in Singapore.”
OC Women
“OC Women has given me a safe space to share and listen and grow. The sessions have also opened my eyes to important issues happening to women that need to be addressed. The experiences and knowledge that I’ve gained from OC Women are truly inspiring and empowering. I hope many others will get a chance to experience the support and comfort that OC Women has given me.“
"OC Women support group has been effective in providing a safe and
non-judging environment for its participants to discuss issues of the
heart and mind. I discovered that even though each of our lives is
unique, the challenges and gifts we face are varied and yet similar.
Learning about the life paths and choices of some the participants has
been humbling. If you push your limits and play it 100%, the group
sessions will more often than not surpass your expectations."
"It has always been my passion to create awareness for gay women in
Singapore, a safe space for us to be in.
As I was surfing the net, the OC Women website caught my eye. I went down
for an interview and I thank God for leading me the way.
I'm surprised to know that there are other gay women who had the same
passion as me, and I knew immediately, that once we can form a gay women's
group, we can do something for other gay women out there who are in need
of help. Just by listening, it does make a big difference.
OC women has changed my life to aim for my goal. They are supportive and
caring for each other, listening, sharing and advising. Especially
sometimes, when you feel useless, they are there to care and encourage you
with warmth and concern."
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