Hi, I’m Emma (she/her).

So, long story short:

  • I am lonely

  • I wanna befriend some local LGBTQ+ people here in southeast Louisiana

  • I can’t send/receive direct messages to/from Lemmy users with this Mbin account, but I have a Lemmy account I can use if necessary

About me:

  • I’m a 90s kid

  • I’m a trans girl

  • I began transition, including HRT, January of 2023

  • I suffer from OCD

  • I’m a Linux nerd, kinda

  • I use PureOS on my Librem 5

  • I use QubesOS on my Librem 14

  • I use pfSense on my firewall/router

  • I’d like to think that I’m somewhat good at writing

I’d love to meet some LGBTQ+ people, but I don’t know how. The only support group I’ve found is exclusively online via Zoom, and only Facebook users are allowed. As a privacy and security obsessed person, I’m totally excluded, and I just feel so trapped right now. I want to meet people offline, and I just don’t know how.

And I’m really sad right now thinking about how much I love the friends I’ve made online in the past few months and how I feel so isolated from them.

It hurts to post this, but I feel that I must. I don’t expect to find anyone, but I have to try.

Edit:

DMs between Lemmy and Kbin/Mbin still do not work, so here is my Lemmy account:

@[email protected]

  • AFK BRB Chocolate@lemmy.worldEnglish
    20·
    6 months ago

    Hi Emma! I’m not in that area or LGBTQ+, just an ally, and an old guy with paternal instincts, and I wanted to make sure that you stay safe. Lemmy seems much more progressive on average than most online spaces, but like anywhere there are predator types here too. Please make sure that any first meets you do are in public, safe spaces.

    I hope you meet some great people that help you feel less isolated. Good luck!

    • -Emma-@fedia.ioOP
      8·
      6 months ago

      Thank you for the reminder for myself and others that read this thread. Yes, I am aware of the dangers and the necessity of public meetings, and I’d probably bring a family member with me if I actually find someone here to meet.

      Thank you for the well wishes and support.

    • -Emma-@fedia.ioOP
      6·
      6 months ago

      Thanks cowboy, and yes it’s been nice.

      ...

      But I also feel like I’ve been numb for so long that this sudden capacity for feeling, mixed with these new relationships, has just melted me down to my very core and left me more distraught than I otherwise would have been. It’s one thing to be lonely, but it’s quite another to feel so connected and loved by others and yet unable to ever be in their presence. I was more positive when I made my original post searching for friends, but this time I’m just…I don’t even know. I came here to distract myself, and I figured I may as well do this now, call out to the void to save me. But there’s no one coming. I don’t have hope that anything will come of these threads. I don’t think I’m likely to find anyone. I just wish this were all easier. I wish I could just meet my friends and feel a sense of calm wash over me, allowing me to relax and breath easy, knowing everything will be okay. I need to be strong for others, but I also struggle to be strong for myself, and I wish I could just cry with my friends. I’ve cried enough tears in solitude, and I don’t wanna feel trapped anymore. I can’t continue like this; I need an escape from the pain.

  • Juno@beehaw.org
    6·
    6 months ago

    I’m a 90s kid She her I usually play games to get to know people, idk what Linux games are cross platform but I’m sure there’s more now w steam deck.

    Let me know if you want to connect on steam or discord

    • -Emma-@fedia.ioOP
      4·
      6 months ago

      You’re in southeast Louisiana? Do you happen to use Matrix? I’d rather not join things like Discord if I can help it, and I’m not really a gamer. My laptop probably couldn’t handle running steam anyway.

  • Neps@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    3·
    6 months ago

    Hi i was staying in that area for a few months due to a situation but im not there anymore. I wish you good luck in finding friends!! I know luisiana in whole doesnt have much a lgbtq scene/community (nor is really to friendly towards such)

    • -Emma-@fedia.ioOP
      3·
      6 months ago

      Well I’m thankfully close to the Greater New Orleans Area, instead of being totally isolated from blue cities. As a last resort, I might try to work up the courage to go to Pride stuff this year, but I’m so nervous of large crowds of people and evereything being recorded for social media now. If it weren’t for all of the cameras, I might actually be able to find LGBTQ+ people during carnival time.

      Thank you for the luck 🍀 😊

  • Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    3·
    6 months ago

    I don’t think the Fediverse has enough of a reach for the time being for this type of request to gain much traction. I don’t have an issue with anyone attempting it, but I feel that it’d be disingenuous of me to not point out the plethora of mobile apps geared towards meeting people in your area, some romantically, some platonically. I hope you’re able to find people to be yourself around.

    • -Emma-@fedia.ioOP
      2·
      6 months ago

      I appreciate the recommendation, but there really aren’t any mobile apps that are compatible with my Librem 5 phone. I run Linux, and I’m not comfortable running “traditional” apps that contain surveillance malware and engage in data harvesting. Social websites generally tend to require too much personal information, and so I feel banned from those platforms. I’m very glad to have access to the fediverse. Without it, I would have nothing.

      I’m going to try to go to Pride events for the first time in my life and see if I can find anyone.

      • Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone
        2·
        6 months ago

        I hope you are able to find what you are seeking. And aside from mobile apps, there are also bog standard websites you could potentially use. Many require some personal information but some of them don’t.

        The first one that comes to mind is fetlife, and while yes, it’s generally used as a romance or fetish thing, it’s also just a good way to get out with a group to chat about whatever and hopefully find people with similar interests. See if there are any open invite munches happening in your area, those are generally the basic entry points for anything else.

        • -Emma-@fedia.ioOP
          1·
          6 months ago

          I’ve checked out fetlife, but it unfortunately requires javascript, which is a hard pass from me. I don’t feel comfortable accessing sites that block users like me. The reason that I use kbin/mbin is because it does not require javascript at all. Account creation and use of the platform are free from that requirement, giving me a better user experience and increased privacy.

          Thank you for the suggestion though ❤️