So I know this topic has come up in a few places, either as a direct reply to similar questions, or as additional comment to a related question. But since I'll soon be venturing out to start dating as a brand-new Gay man, I wanted to get an idea of what other people's specific thoughts and experience was in terms of dating, retaining a long relationship, and by what means did you personally find your current or best and longest-lasting partners? Was it through dating sites, apps, in bars, clubs, social events, etc? I'll be trying a little bit of everything. But if possible, I'd like to have some sort of game plan, especially since I live in a smaller city with not a huge pool, but perhaps enough to find some good guys here and there.
I've never really seen the point of the apps, but then again I've never had difficulties meeting guys, and I guess that's sort of the point of the apps... I was always an in person kind of guy and back when I was dating I pretty much met guys everywhere: the gym, the grocery store, the beach, bars and clubs, volunteering, gay book club, etc. I have to say in my experience, and again it's just my experience, I had the best luck as far as solid boyfriend material guys in... bars. (Ducks and runs). I only dated for about five years, but I dated like crazy, because I really enjoyed it and, yeah, I met the best guys in bars. What can I say? Oh, I also met my husband--we've been together for 18 years--in a bar.
If you try dating apps, make sure to be extra careful. There's a gay guy on youtube/younow who posts on dating apps for fun just to fuck around live on younow, and he did this at a youtuber event one time at his and his friends' hotel room. He opted to meet the guy he'd been playing around with...and he man actually came up to their hotel room and it was this creepy old man with bodyguards. He legit could have been assaulted, but luckily the man realized they weren't actually of age like they said they were and opted to not force it. I didn't believe him cause he was so dramatic retelling the story on youtube...until i found the live video where you can hear the man talking to him and then later hear his friends coming back in and asking if he was okay. So just...if you talk to people online or on an app, just be extra careful. Please.
I met my bf through a dating site--not an app. I feel like the sites are less hookup-focused than the apps. I still made sure that we met in a public place and made sure to tell someone where and when the date was, just in case
Hi, Im having the same problem, Im now out to everyone but my parents and I do want to get a boyfriend but I dont know how. Im only 16 and I dont want to go on dating sites/apps and Im too young to go to bars and things like that so my options are limmited. I have looked for gay/lgbt support groups/meeting places but Ive not found any near me. What should I do? My college doesnt have a GSA or anything like that either as being gay where I like is just accepted and no one really cares.
Wait. What else could you do? Wait. Also, you're wise in avoiding dating sites/apps when you're that young. There's nothing else than luck (and entropy, always) that can really help you, especially if you're already out at your school (read: you're too young for society to generally consider you can have experiences other than hetero-romantic ones; <sarcasm>after all, LGB(and T) teens don't exist or have needs similar to straight teens</sarcasm>). Maybe you could try and found a GSA with other people.. I don't know. As for the main question from OP, since I've got no experience.. Well I'll just say that trying as many options as possible seems like a good first approach, and then eliminating the methods you deem less likely to yield a result (by either experience or deduction). At the same time, don't exhaust yourself with too many interfaces to deal with. There, my two ¢s. Good luck.
