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Imagine Jeff, a handsome single gay man who’s moved to a new city for a job and is wondering, “How do I meet gay people near me?” One of his New Year’s resolutions is to reduce the number of hours he spends at the office and start investing in his love life. He wants to make dating more of a priority — but doesn’t know where to start.
If you’re like Jeff with a busy work schedule and tons of obligations to family and friends, you likely don’t have time to figure out where to meet quality guys. Wouldn’t it be nice to find compatible single gay men in your vicinity? Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to travel all the way across town in rush hour traffic to meet up for coffee?
Well, this article will help simplify that process for you in terms of helping you identify venues where you can meet your Mr. Right… right within your own zip code! Here are our best gay dating tips for meeting someone online and offline.
Where to Meet Gay People Online (#1-3)
Online dating has been skyrocketing in popularity recently. As of 2017, it became the most popular way to meet a spouse in the U.S., and we’ve heard countless success stories from happy couples who took a chance online and found their dreams come true.
About 65% of gay couples now meet online, and you could be one of those success stories if you set up a profile on the right platform.
1. Sign Up for a Dating Site
By posting a profile on a dating site, you can quickly attract men who are most aligned with your preferences and values based on the content you write in your profile. Most dating sites will have a geographic radius posted within each guy’s profile for quick reference on how close or far away he may be from you, and this can be a big help if distance is an issue for you.
Below are our top choices for gay singles:
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User Base
Gender Ratio
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All Singles*
49%*
51%*
39.7 Million*
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44%*
56%*
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Be sure to be very clear in your description about what you’re looking for. This can go a long way toward attracting the right kind of respondent; remember, quality is more important than quantity when it comes to yielding responses on dating sites.
When discussing your personal requirements, use your personality and humor to make you stand out from the crowd and create intrigue. David Steele’s book “Conscious Dating” is a good resource for helping you decipher your personal requirements.
2. Join a Specialty Group
has made a splash in the dating scene, and we think gay singles should definitely check it out. The social network offers the opportunity to date friends of friends and stay in your comfort zone as you hunt for romance.
Meetup is another excellent resource for active and outgoing guys looking to meet people more organically. A lot of meetups cater to particular interests — everything from kickball games to drag show bunches — and bring like-minded individuals together.
This is when self-awareness of your talents, interests, and passions can come in handy. You will be positioning yourself in dating venues where you already have built-in compatibility that puts you ahead of the game. Survey your interests and start signing up for these sites to become part of their communities.
If for some reason these sites are lacking in what you’re looking for, you can also create your own specialty groups and become the moderator of your very own gay dating community.
3. Instagram Your Way to Compatible Matches
Did you know that by posting videos and pictures of yourself and your interests on Instagram, you can attract other people and encourage them to reach out and get to know you? Give it a shot!
Similar to your dating profile, your Instagram pictures or videos should reflect your identity and personality to attract compatible dating prospects who best align with who you are and what you stand for.
Where to Meet Gay People Offline (#4-6)
The local farmers market, health club, bookstore, and the like remain common venues for meeting gay singles. However, due to the expansiveness of these places and the difficulty of determining who’s straight versus gay (not to mention knowing who’s single or already taken), these locations can be a bit difficult to screen for potential dating candidates. We’ve brainstormed a few good ways to meet gay guys and spark a connection.
4. Volunteer
Most metropolitan areas have gay health centers, recreational clubs, or advocacy centers where you can volunteer your time and get to know other gay people who share similar values and interests while simultaneously making a difference in the world. VolunteerMatch is a good site to search for volunteer opportunities, and once you find one, contact the organizers to see how you might get involved.
By taking an inventory of your personal values, you can determine what venues to contact that would help fulfill your desire to help others. The added bonus is you’ll also be meeting other people who share similar life philosophies, and this already puts you ahead of the game in terms of compatibility and conversation-starters.
5. Gay Festivals & Events
More often available during the summer months, gay pride activities attract hordes of gay men for mixing and mingling to celebrate being gay and honor our predecessors who made it possible for us to be out in today’s society. Check out your community’s social calendar for the year and get involved in local Gay Pride events and other parties where you can be sure to be among other gay compatriots.
Remember to be the driver of your life! If you see someone who intrigues you, go up and introduce yourself. Lots of missed dating opportunities occur because people are too afraid to make the first move, so take the initiative and put yourself out there. Boost your confidence, self-esteem, and social skills by going to counseling, attending personal growth workshops, or enrolling in an improv class.
6. Join an LGBT-friendly Church
More and more gay-friendly churches are popping up all over the country. By doing your research, you can locate these religious institutions and become involved and meet others who are like-minded. Here’s a site that can help you find gay-affirmative churches near you if this particular venue resonates with you.
Choosing a particular church is a very personal decision. Explore various churches to get a feel for where you’ll be the most comfortable and visit each place a couple of times before evaluating its fit or lack thereof. Also investigate the various activities and causes the church supports to see if any of their service efforts resonate with you. Happy hunting!
Whether Online or Offline, the Gay Men are Out There!
These are just a handful of suggestions on where you can potentially meet other single gay men in your immediate area. The most important thing though is that you get out in the community and make an effort to meet gay men and build relationships.
With these tips, you’ll never have to be a Jeff again.
Have you tried these dating avenues before? Tell use about your experiences in the comments. What other venues have worked for you in meeting other single gay men in your vicinity? Let’s share in the wisdom!
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