One of the best ways to meet other gay teens in a welcoming environment is in a support or alliance group. These groups bring together GLBTQ youth to discuss issues like coming out or discrimination and also just to help them make new friends and have a good time in a supportive environment.

Depending on where you live, there may be a group in your school, such as a gay-straight alliance (GSA), or in your community, often organized by teen centers or clinics.

If you live in an area without an existing group, consider starting one. YouthResource and Queer America have excellent search engines for GLBTQ groups. Youth Resource also includes advice on starting one of your own.

The YouthResource site and Young Gay America also include links to safe online communities, which are a good way to meet other gay teens if you live in an area where you cannot find or create a suitable group.

As you meet people online, just remember these safety guidelines (to make sure you are meeting people who have your best interests in mind):

• Never give out personal information, such as your real name, e-mail address, home address, phone number, school name, etc.
• Read everything someone posts with a critical eye. In other words, you can't believe everything you read, because you have no way of knowing if it is true!
• Never meet anyone you meet online face-to-face offline, except in a public place with other people present and with your parents' or guardians' permission.
• Don't tolerate harassment. You never deserve it, and life's too short to put up with it. If harassment continues through e-mail or IM, get help. Your local police station can locate users through their IP address and press charges to make them stop. You can stop Internet harassment! Go to this free site to report Internet bullying.