About GAMMA
What is GAMMA?
For nearly thirty years, GAMMA has been offering support to men who are or have been involved in a long-term heterosexual relationship, but are coming to terms with their sexual attraction to other men.
The group receives funding from the NSW government as part of their AIDS prevention and safe sex awareness programs.
Meetings
GAMMA meets on the 1st and the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7:30pm.
- The venue is the ACON building, 414 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills.
- Meetings usually end between 9:00 and 9:30, with most people opting to have coffee with us and extending the chat a bit longer.
The environment is friendly, safe and relaxed and it is possible for men to feel confident about raising and discussing issues relating to their sexuality.
Meetings are facilitated by experienced GAMMA members, often professionals in the field, who have been through a journey like yours and have a first hand understanding of what you are going through. There are also guest speakers with specific knowledge on topics such as:
- Family Law: the issues and suggested approach
- Managing the change with children, families and parenting
- Relationships with former spouses/partners and support networks for wives and families
- Safe Sex education and awareness
- Support Groups, social and professional
- Financial Planning: making long term responsible decisions
- Managing a Gay lifestyle.
Our Home Page features details of the next meeting.
A calendar of speakers for the year can be found on our Meetings Page.
To put your name on our confidential email list and receive information about meetings, just contact us at
gammansw@yahoo.com.au, and enter the words MAILING LIST in the subject box.
No registration is needed, there are no fees to pay and there are no obligations to attend any meeting or other function it you put your name on the list.
At GAMMA meetings there are four key guiding principles:
1. The privacy of each of us must be respected by all, therefore confidentiality is of utmost importance.
2. Non-judgmental environment. We are here to tell our stories and to hear yours. We do not tell you what to do or when; we are here to support you in the path you believe is right for you and your situation. You are encouraged to be an active participant, but its also OK to be silent observer, particularly if its your first meeting.
3. Support not therapy. Although many men say their experience at GAMMA meetings is therapeutic, it isn't a therapy session. It means that we are here to listen, and share our experiences with each other. It's through those experiences that we can all glean something that may be helpful to ourselves.
4. Non-sexualised environment. Although GAMMA has a social element, it's main purpose is to support people going through the process of acknowledging their same sex attraction. It's important that everyone feels comfortable and that it isnt a place where you feel worried about being hit on or picked up. It doesn't mean that you won't make friends or form relationships, but we need to be cognisant of providing a supportive, caring, and non-threatening environment for each other.
Phone Support
As well as meetings, GAMMA operates a phone support line. If you ring us, you will not be talking to a call centre but to a competent trained GAMMA member who has been on similar journey to yourself. Anyone is welcome to call for support, information and referrals.
The service has a Freecall number and you can ring from anywhere in New South Wales for the price of a local call.
So, if you've got a problem you'd like to discuss, or are hesitant about coming to a meeting in person, or simply not able to get to Sydney easily, give us a call.
The number is (1800) 804 617.
Social Events
Finding new social outlets is often hard for men whose lives have been centred on home and family. To this end, we have a monthly brunch and three or four major events during the year.
When we have organised a new social event, details are listed on the Home Page of the site at Next Social Event and members are notified via email.