Gay AA and Recovery in Rochester, NY

Meetings

There are four regularly scheduled AA meetings for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered community in Rochester every week.

Open Meetings

Open meetings are open to alcoholics and addicts as well as to our partners, friends, family and anyone else interested in the AA program of recovery.

Closed Meetings

Closed meetings are limited to alcoholics and addicts. We ask that partners, friends, family and others respect our privacy.

Wednesdays

New Freedom/New Happiness Group

• 7 pm at the First Unitarian Church, 220 S Winton Rd [ map ]
• Bus riders:
  • Take the 6:17 pm #18 University Ave bus to 12 Corners. Use the stop just past the top of the hill at Hillside Ave and before Highland Ave.
  • The #18 does NOT return after the meeting. Instead walk five minutes downhill to East Ave and Winton Rd, turn left and wait for the 8:59 pm #1 Park Ave bus at the East Ave Wegmans. Better yet, ask someone at the meeting for a ride.
• Open meeting, all are welcome, “straight-friendly”
• Mixed men and women
• Handicapped accessible, take the elevator to the basement

This meeting begins with a topical reading and discussion flows from there.

Fridays

Friday Night Gay Men’s AA

• 7:30 pm at Immanuel Baptist Church, 815 Park Ave @ Brunswick [ map ]
• Bus riders: Take the 7:05pm #1 Park Ave bus to the corner of Park and Brunswick.
• Closed meeting, limited to alcoholics and addicts
• Men’s meeting
• NOT handicapped accessible

This is a round-robin discussion meeting. If you are shy about meeting people or speaking up in a group, you will find this meeting particularly nice because everyone gets their turn to speak (or pass). As a result, this meeting sometimes runs long, so plan on more than the usual hour.

Saturdays

Saturday Night Special

• 7 pm at the First Unitarian Church, 220 S Winton Rd [ map ]
• Bus riders:
  • The #18 University Ave bus does not go by the church on weekend evenings.
  • Take the 6:20 pm #1 Park Ave bus to the corner of East and Winton, then walk five minutes south (uphill) on Winton
• Open meeting, all are welcome, “straight-friendly”
• Mixed men and women
• Handicapped accessible, take the elevator to the basement

This meeting begins with a speaker who is followed by an open discussion.

Sundays

Rochester Gay Men AA

• 8:00 pm at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 17 S Fitzhugh St [ map ]
• Bus riders: Use the Fitzhugh St stop on Main St at the County Office Building and walk south one block
• Closed meeting, limited to alcoholics and addicts
• Men’s meeting
• NOT handicapped accessible

This meeting begins with a speaker who is followed by an open discussion.

Alcoholics Anonymous Rochester Area Intergroup

• Web site and complete Rochester area meeting list: http://www.rochester-ny-aa.org/
• Phone: 585-232-6720 (answered 24/7)
• 10 Manhattan Square, Suite D [ map ]
• Walk-in office hours:
  • Monday–Friday 9am–7pm
  • Saturdays 9am–1pm

More resources

International Advisory Council for Homosexual Men and Women in Alcoholics Anonymous

• http://iac-aa.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous World Services

• http://www.aa.org/

What is AA?

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

• The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.
• There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions.
• AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes.
• Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

—Copyright © by The A.A. Grapevine, Inc.; reprinted with permission

What makes GLBT AA and recovery special is that we recognize:

• issues surrounding our sexuality can contribute to our alcoholism and addiction.
• coming out and coming to terms with ourselves as alcoholics or addicts can be as difficult as coming out and coming to terms with our sexuality.
• other drugs of abuse run rampant in our community, so we do not exclude those so addicted.
• the bars play a large role in socialization within our community which can present challenges even when we are fully committed to our sobriety. After our meetings, we frequently go out for coffee, dinner, movies, whatever.
• while it’s tempting to stay in the fold of GLBTI recovery, we live and work in a predominantly straight society, so we encourage our members to include “straight” meetings in their program. Diversity is a two-way street.

This web page is not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous, the Rochester Area Intergroup, the International Advisory Council for Homosexual Men and Women in Alcoholics Anonymous, or any meeting location mentioned herein.

It is owned and maintained in the spirit of the Twelfth Step by brucew, who is solely responsible for its content.

Please send updates, corrections, flames and requests for more information to:

Updated: February 26, 2008