RAINBOW CHAT



**NOTE: Rainbow Chat Groups will not be meeting in the summer.**

Rainbow Chat is an opportunity for students to talk in an open and supportive environment about issues impacting their lives and the LGBT community. Students can use the groups to discuss topics ranging from coming out to spirituality. The groups have facilitators to provide guidance and resources. Counseling and Psychiatric Services in the University Health Center also offers a LGBT therapy group.

These groups provide a supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning UGA students. Confidentiality is an important aspect of these groups, therefore, they are not open to individuals writing papers for classes, the newpaper, or other projects. If you want to learn more about the LGBT community, you may stop by LGBT Resource Center during its regular business hours.

Rainbow Chat Groups

Coming Out/Questioning Chat
Coming Out Everyday - The coming out group will be a safespace to discuss what it is like to come out in our society everyday. When do you choose to come out and when do you not? Where are you in your identity at this point? This group is meant for everyone,
whether you are just coming out to your family or friends for the first time or negotiating when you tell the grocery store clerk that you did not buy the rose for your heterosexual partner or that you do not identify as the male they just perceived you to be. This is an important group for everyone because the coming out process occurs throughout our lives.

The group is open to all identities regardless of your self-identified race, ethnicity, sexual identity, gender identity, socioeconomic status, size, culture, age, ability status, partner status or other identities that you feel you need a safespace to feel comfortable discussing. The group will focus mainly on coming out issues in the GLBT community (as well as other queer/genderqueer identities or gender/sexual orientations).

For those of you who attended the coming out group last semester, this semester we will be doing activities, watching films and inviting speakers to the chats to broaden knowledge of yourself and coming out issues. We believe it is important to discuss coming out everyday and not just when you “first” come out.

Gender Focused Chat
Gender Chat is a group that provides an opportunity to discuss issues of gender, gender identity, and gender expression in our society and on our campus. Please join us each week for an engaging conversation.

Men's Chat-Tuesdays
The Men's Chat provides weekly opportunities for safe discussions among
UGA students in the LGBT community who identify as men. New participants
are welcome each week as we introduce different topics during every
chat.

Students of Color Chat
The purpose of this discussion group is provide a space and a place for students of color who self identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, or allies to discuss issues related to diversity, marginalization, dating, identity, stereotypes, invisibility, and other concerns on a predominantly White campus. This group does not exclude any members based on race, class, or ethnicity. Our mission is to provide a safe environment for individuals to discuss concerns related to being a "dual minority" and to have a voice when individuals might otherwise feel silenced.

Women's Chat
This group is going to have discussions that impact LBTQI women at UGA. We invite anyone who self-identifies as a woman to join the discussion any week. Topics may include family concerns, dating, and spirituality, as well as any others the group chooses. In addition to group discussions, from time to time we may invite guest speakers, show movies, or bring in interesting articles.

Rainbow Chat is sponsored by the LGBT Resource Center and CAPS.
Call 706-542-4077 or email lgbt@uga.edu for more information.

LGBT THERAPY GROUP
Unlike the Rainbow Chats, which are discussion groups, the therapy group will focus on more in depth issues such as queer, genderqueer, transgender, questioning, gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, omnisexual, and asexual (QGTQGLBPOA) identities as they relate to depression, anxiety and other issues that come up for individuals that identify as an identity that is not dominant in our culture. 

The main goals of the group will be 1) to create a safe space for QGTQGLBPOA individuals 2) to process emotions and thoughts about living in a homo/bi/transphobic world 3) to explore ways to combat internalized homo/bi/transphobia 4) to have discussions about how members struggle with coming out, relationships, family, religion, spirituality, multiple identities and other issues that may surface for QGTQGLBPOA individuals. 

In order to join this group or if you want to ask more questions about the group please contact Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) at 706-542-2273.