Gay AA Meetings & Recovery Support Groups

About AA Meetings & Recovery Groups

Long before turning to gay AA meetings, many alcoholics, upon discovering that their drinking problem is having negative effects on their lives, will begin attempts to either stop drinking on their on, or at least to control the amount of their drinking.

These efforts may well succeed for some amount of time, but all too often the alcoholic will relapse into their former patterns. In such cases, it is not unusual for their drinking problem to quickly return to its former levels or even exceed them, and the problems arising as a result of alcohol consumption soon return as well. Repeated efforts to go it alone in this way often meet with the same repeated failures. As a result, alcoholics seeking to get and stay sober frequently discover that finding support from others seeking the same thing is an integral part of their recovery from the effects of alcohol addiction.

This importance of group support in recovery from alcohol addiction is no less true for gay men and lesbians. In fact, one could speculate that overall pressures of heterosexist society upon gay men and lesbians might make such support all the more important in such minorities. The not infrequent estrangement of families, alienation from organized religions, and even avoidance of seeking professional help can all conspire to raise the level of challenges faced by gay men and lesbians in dealing with addiction.

While there are different approaches, support groups for alcoholics often follow a program of recovery and sobriety centered on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. These AA meetings typically meet in local communities where close and ongoing personal interaction is possible. This may be in lieu of or as a follow-up to alcoholism treatment or even a drug addiction rehab / treatment program intended to address the drinking problem in a more concentrated way.

The list provided below provides a good starting point for finding gay AA meetingsand other Twelve Step recovery groups in different location. The links to gay AA group or clubhouse web pages will sometimes include a map and driving directions, so be sure to check for it. Where links are to pages listing mixed groups, check for legend codes (often "G") to find the gay -friendly groups.

Gay AA Meetings Listing

Arizona, Mesa

AA meetings list by East Valley Alcoholics Anonymous Intergroup, including the New Hope group.

California, Long Beach

Atlantic Alano Club web site listing of the several different recovery group meetings held there.

California, Palm Springs

The Sunny Dunes 5th Tradition Group offers many recovery gatherings each week.

California, San Diego

Gay AA meetings at Live and Let Live Alano Club recovery clubhouse, hosting multiple drug addiction and other recovery groups.

California, San Francisco

Castro Country Club in the Castro District, a sober recovery place for alcoholics and drug addicts.

California, Silver Lake

Online listing of A. A. meetings in the Los Angeles County area, put together from many sources,

Colorado, Aspen & Durango

AA Intergroup list. Gay AA meetings denoted by legend code "G".

Connecticut, Bridgeport

Look for gay, lesbian and bisexual 12 step groups at Burroughs Community Center

Connecticut, Hartford

See list for gay AA meetings at GLB Community Center

Connecticut: Manchester, Middlebury, New Haven, New London, Norwalk

Gatherings are in differing locations for each city

Connecticut, Stamford

AA group for GLBT folk at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

Connecticut: Waterbury, West Hartford, Westport, Willimantic

Check for mixed GLBT groups as well as lesbian gatherings at varying addresses.

Colorado, Denver

Use this Central Committee query facility, searching for "Special Meeting" type of "Gay".

Delaware, Lewes

Check for GLBT-friendly groups included in listings for Sussex County, Delaware.

Florida, Clearwater

AA meetings schedule for the Free to Be Me Group at the Unitarian Church.

Florida, Ft. Lauderdale

Lambda South provides a safe place for GLBT's in recovery from alcoholism, drug addiction recovery, or other addiction problems.

Florida, Key West

Schedule for Keep It Simple and Candle Light Groups on Key West plus other Keys.

Florida: Miami, Dade County

The Lambda Dade Clubhouse hosts daily gay and lesbian AA meetings.

Florida, Orlando

Check listings for these AA groups: Wake Up Call, Hi-Sobriety, Pink Clouds, Principles Before Personalities, & Made a Beginning.

Florida, Lakeland / Polk County

Rainbow Recovery group of gay-friendly open discussion meetings.

Florida, St. Petersburg

AA meetings listings for Go After Your Sobriety Group at the MCC in St. Petersburg.

Florida, Vero Beach

The Sober Rainbow Group meets weekly in Vero Beach, Florida.

Georgia, Atlanta

Listing of alcoholism / drug addiction recovery groups at the Galano sober clubhouse.

Georgia: Atlanta, Decatur, Emory

Check listing for Frankly Open Group, at St. Bartholomew Episcopal on La Vista Road.

Hawaii, Maui

Review list by day of week to determine latest scheduling of AA meetings.

Iowa, Cedar Rapids

See the Friday schedule for gathering at Gay & Lesbian Resource Center.

Massachusetts, Boston

Meeting hall for GLBT people in recovery, with numerous weekly recovery meetings.

Minnesota, Minneapolis

GLBT In Recovery. Includes Narcotics Anonymous (drug addiction) 12 step groups & other sober events.

Missouri, Kansas City

The Live and Let Live group of AA located on Broadway in KC.

Nevada, Las Vegas

List for the Southeast area includes LGBT-friendly groups.

New Hampshire, Manchester

See listing for All Together Group group.

New Hampshire, Nashua

See listing for Sober, Grateful and Free group.

New Hampshire, Portsmouth

See listing for the Gay Together in Sobriety group.

New Jersey

Covers Northern, Central, and Southern New Jersey, including Trenton, New Brunswick, Red Bank, Piscataway. Includes Al-Anon meetings.

New York City

Great listing of sober resources for recovery beginners and visitors to the city, including cocaine addiction links.

North Carolina, Greensboro

Check the InterGroup listing for date and times for the Principles and Free Spirit groups.

Ohio, Akron

Review AA meetings schedule by day of week for LGBT friendly groups.

Pennsylvania: Allentown, Philadelphia, Reading, Warrington

Twelve Step schedule for area in and around Philadelphia.

South Dakota: Watertown, Summit

Buffalo Rainbow offers open meetings for GLBT people. Friends and family are welcome.

Tennessee, Knoxville

Review schedule for gatherings of Simply Gay Group.

Tennessee, Nashville

Query schedule for 12 step groups with type of "Gay and/or Lesbian Mtg".

Texas, Houston

Wide range of groups, including Al-Anon, at the Lambda Center in Houston, Texas

Virginia: Norfolk

The Saturday Night Live group of Alcoholics Anonymous provides recovery and support in Southeastern Virginia.

Virginia, Virgina Beach, Hampton Roads

Listing of GLBT meetings in Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads area.

Washington DC

The Triangle Club - Located in the Dupont Circle area, hosting alcoholism and other addiction recovery 12-step groups.