Buddy System

[bethany]

With all the posts lately of people being in a bad way, and talking of harming themselves has really got me thinking that maybe we need to do more as a community than just be here to respond to their posts. A good as that is. it might just not be enough.

I would like to propose a buddy system of sorts. If say you had some friends from here that plays on the same game system as you do swap user names and chat over voice in private, or skype. Maybe even share phone numbers. So that you can talk to someone when you are feeling down. I know when I am down and need to talk to someone I don't want to have to wait for someone to read a post I made and respond to it. It might get lost in the pack of all the other threads going on.

For those that this might interest my PS3 id is B_Bubbles_66 I am on Home quite often it's a great social interactive community. Somewhat like Second Life but can talk with voice ot text.
On the xbox 360 i am parrott66. And I would be willing to share my number in private to anyone who politely asks for it.

This is just food for thought.
Hugs,
Bethany Dawn

[Danielle Emmalee]

I don't have a gaming system and don't feel comfortable talking on the phone but if anyone wants to add me on Facebook that would be awesome.  PM me if you want to add me.

[MaryXYX]

I don't have a gaming system either, but I would be happy to be available.  There are phone and email helplines, and I am a volunteer responder on one.  Samaritans is well known, but less well known is the "Friend" group in the UK.  Look up "London Friend" for example, or "<any city> Friend".  We are an LGBT helpline so are more likely to understand.

Sometimes the "rather more mature" members like me can feel a bit isolated.  Our problems are not quite the same as the younger members.  I can sympathise with questions about parents and schools, but I don't have my own experience of coming out to either.  For me it was about losing an established family and transitioning at work.

I do want to be supportive to all our friends, but any older members who may be feeling neglected are most welcome to contact me.

[big kim]

I would be available,I'm in the UK message me through here

[Taka]

yaoi fans should read the manga with the same title as this topic...

i'm not anywhere regularly, but i can try.
skype name: g a d n i h a s j
(without the spaces, i just don't want too be too googlable)

desperate people are welcome to contact me on skype (if i'm on) or through the pm system here (just give me 24 hours to answer).

i don't use fb too often, but my profile's address is ...k.com/gahttusj.
again, i don't want to be too googlable. it should be obvious how to write that right. please write me a pm, so i know where you're from, it's also the safer way of communication there.

[Ltl89]

If anyone ever wants to talk to me, they are free to chat through pm.  I don't use any social media sites like facebook and don't feel comfortable using my voice on the phone at this point in time.  So writing things out text is probably the best I can do.  However, I am always available through these channels if people need to talk. 

[mrs izzy]

As said by Mary, us of the older membership seem to be few and far between. I do not have all the answers but i been on this path a very long time. I finished up my transiton this past April so now living post is my new adventure.

If anyone needs that extra sholder to cry, or help with anything, just send me a PM. I get them forwarded to my mobile phone so i can be around in short order.

As i said in other posts i feel the post transition community has failed the newest of our community in the fact that most post just fall out of radar and there is not a large positive showing support group. Was like that when i started back in 1999 but today there should be way less despair seeing more and more who have walked out of the darkness and now are happy. Never let the darkness win.

It is all good.
Izzy

[Erin Kay Howell]

https://www.facebook.com/erin.schuppert.9

Thats where Im at all the time, Im on constant call there it seems and I'm willing to be there for others anytime night or day. Im really good at listening I swear.

[King Malachite]

If anyone wants to talk to me, I am always on Susans.  However, if you prefer real-time, we can always discuss on the chat site or if you want to talk on Skype through their chat box, you can send me a PM here and I'll add you there.  I'm on yahoo im and the PSN as well.  I don't give good advice, so I'm willing to just listen.  If you don't want to talk, then we can just play games on the PS3 (though I don't have much co-op to choose from).  Like others, I do want to be a support to everyone, but those who are especially can't transition for whatever, or of the Christian faith are most certainly welcome to contact me since I deal with both of those realities every day.  I don't have any experience of being in transition or of another faith, but those who do are still certainly welcome to contact me for support if they wish!

[MaryXYX]

I haven't been on this site very long, but I'm also a trainee responder for a helpline - like the Samaritans but LGBT specific.  I do know that many of us have had very bad experiences with churches.  The church of which I had been a member for 30 odd years threw me out on the basis that I owned women's clothing.  That was well before I actually made the decision to transition.  I am now in a church that I joined first, then transitioned as a member.  There the response was more like "Oh hello Mary, can we put you on the rota for stewards, making cakes, arranging flowers or whatever?"  A new t-woman is just a new woman there.

[Lyric]

Having seen countless folks come and go on Susan's over several years, I would say the nature of this site means there always seem to be people here "in a bad way". I'm always willing to correspond via Susan's PM system with anyone who needs an opinion or just an ear. I don't do games and all my social media stuff is work related, but I check into Susan's fairly often (2-6 times a week, I'd guess). I've been around a long time and have seen a lot of people go through a lot of things, so I'd be a person to do contact.

~ Lyric ~