“After going to Outspoken the first time, I didn’t know what to think. It was a group of kids who could just be themselves, something hard to find in this day and age. After going to the group twice, I started to notice how contagious being yourself was, first inside the group, then spreading to your everyday life. After attending the weekly meeting for about two months, I had to miss one and that’s when I realized how much a family Outspoken quickly became to me.”

                                   Matthew

Outspoken has always been a place where I feel like I don't have to hide any part of myself.  It gives me a place where I feel safe to talk about anything, and has provided me with lifelong friends that I never would've met otherwise.  For kids who don't know a lot of GLBT youth in their own town, Outspoken is a great place to meet new people.  Without it, I don't think I'd feel as comfortable in my own skin as I do right now.  It's also a way to make a dull Sunday afternoon a little more cheerful.

                                   Jeff

I don't think anybody knows this, but the very first time I ever heard about outspoken was the day I went. It was a Sunday morning, I was on the computer and stumbled upon ctgay.org. Since I wasn't doing anything that day, I got up and went. The first Sunday I went, there weren't many people there and it was a little boring so I wasn't sure if I would go regularly. Then I decided, "What the hell? Maybe it'll be different. Maybe there'll be more people." As I started going regularly, I realized I wasn't going for the population, I was going for the different environment. I can't think of any place I can go to so frequently that is so open and accepting. I'm so used to being in a place where friends of mine feel forced to not be their complete true selves because they want to get through the day nasty-remarks free. I want there to be an Outspoken for every kind of person on earth.

                                   Abi

My thoughts about OutSpoken are that it is an amazing place where you can talk about anything that is bothering you safely.  The group of people who come are really supportive and amazing.  I was first unsure whether i would hang out with people outside of OutSpoken but then i realized i love being with them because they accept me for who i am, when very few people have in the past.  Now we even hang out outside of OutSpoken and all became pretty close friends.  It is one of the safest places i have been to and i feel so accepted there.  The three leaders are really kind and funny.  It is the one place where people don't have to pretend to be someone they aren't...they can just be who they are and are accepted for it.

                                   Jenna