Here Queer Sober 2025 Update

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Hey Super Sober Heroes— I’m back with another special update, this time joined by my longtime friend and guest, Phil from Here Queer Sober.

Phil shares the exciting news about the first-ever Here Queer Sober Roundup, happening next month in New York City at the Marriott Marquis. What started as a small Facebook group in February 2024 has grown into a vibrant community of 2,200+ queer sober members—and now they’re bringing that energy into an in-person celebration of recovery, resilience, and connection.

In this episode, we talk about:
 🌈 The growth of Here Queer Sober from a handful of members to a global community.
 🗽 What to expect at the 2025 Roundup in NYC—two full programming tracks for both 12-steppers and alternative recovery pathways.
 💌 Why spaces like this matter, especially when queer communities continue to face discrimination and erasure.
 🤝 How inclusivity—whether you’re in recovery, sober by choice, or simply curious—is at the heart of this event.

Even if you can’t make it to New York, you’ll hear how Here Queer Sober is creating a safe, uplifting space where all letters of the LGBTQIA+ rainbow and all recovery journeys are respected.

👉 Ready to register? Don’t wait—spots are almost full!
Sign up now at: herequeersober.org/hqs-roundup-2025

And if you just want to stay connected, you can join the Here Queer Sober Facebook Group or reach out directly to Phil at [e-mail]

Until next time—stay sober, friends. 💪🌈

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Episode Transcript

Steve (00:03):
Hey there listeners, and welcome to another surprise
update of Gay, a podcast.
It's Steve here with a longtimefriend and Li listener and
guest.
Phil, welcome back, Phil.
Hey Steve.
Thanks for having me back.
Anytime.
Literally.
Even when we're on hiatus.
Anytime.

(00:24):
Yeah, exactly.
You're here with some surprise,exciting updates for Hear Queer
Sober, the big roundup nextmonth in New York City.
Correct?

Phil (00:32):
Yeah, totally.
So, um, for the listeners thatare not quite fully aware of it.
There's the Facebook group here,queer, sober.
It is open to every singleletter of our rainbow family and
honors and respects all pathwaysof recovery.
And we are hosting our firstroundup, uh, in about five weeks

(00:57):
in New York City at the MarriottMarque.
And just before you and Istarted, uh, chatting earlier
this evening, we are like nineregistrants away from our goal.
So that's why I was like, I needto like get Steve to like do an
update because we want to wewant the word to get out,

(01:20):
because yes, there's our goal,but our we still have some
wiggle room and we want thecommunity to know we are here to
celebrate recovery within thequeer community.
And I'm just, I'm in a verysurreal and serene headspace

(01:41):
because here, queer, sober,officially got formed in
February of 2024.
Mm-hmm.
As small little Facebook group.
That just kept growing andgrowing and growing, and as you
were getting on there to pressrecord, I jumped into the
Facebook group and we have 2,200members.

Steve (02:06):
That's huge.

Phil (02:09):
Yeah.
And we all know gay men are sizequeen.
So Yes.
To go from basically every gayperson I know in recovery to
over 2,200 people is.
Amazing.
And I'm so looking forward tothe conference itself because
we've got two tracks ofprogramming for traditional 12

(02:33):
steppers and othernon-traditional pathways of
recovery.
And you don't even have tonecessarily be.
In recovery to attend theconference.
If you are sober by lifechoices, you know, maybe it's a
medical condition or whateverelse, or whatever, you are more

(02:54):
than welcome there.
That's part of the reason why,or my co-founders and I created
this community because we keptscratching our head going, where
did gay people that don't drinkmeat, and we kept doing the
well.
Why don't we just create a safespace?
And listeners, this recording isbeing done on the same day that

(03:19):
like it broke on the news thatthe Pulse nightclub memorial
rainbow crosswalk was paved orwas repainted, whatever, uh, in
the middle of the night am.
And while I personally don'tknow anybody that died at Pulse
in Orlando.
I know people that were staffedthere and my heart breaks for

(03:44):
the disrespect that ourcommunity at large is facing.
And that's just one more reasonwhy I'm so looking forward to
going home to New York City.
In, like I said, about fiveweeks.
If any of the listeners havequestions or want to get
connected, they can find theFacebook group or they can email

(04:06):
me, Philip [e-mail].

Steve (04:12):
I can certainly say with the success of the number of
members in the group and justalso how positive and uplifting
the entire group is, it justgoes to show that you are
meeting a need that like existedwithin our queer and sober
community because so many otherplaces I've been, they're either
exclusive against one part ofthe LGBTQIA Plus and or they're

(04:32):
exclusive where you have to be a12 stepper and if you show up
and you don't.
It's open with the SerenityPrayer and all the words you're
looked at like you're an alien.
And so.
I learned through doing thispodcast for over 250 episodes
that like I've met so manypeople that have found other
roads to recovery that are justas valid and they're having just
as much of an amazing experienceliving sober.

(04:54):
And I've gotten to know so manypeople that like.
I feel like a, a lot of thekeynote speakers I have had on
the show before at like JC KClark.
Yep.
And so, you know, I'm gonna bethere with you in spirit with
all the changes that I talkedabout in my last update episode.
I'm not gonna be able to make itthere myself this year, but I'm
so grateful that you createdthis group and that it exists

(05:15):
and that.
I want it to be as successful aspossible.
I hope you blow past that ninemore registrant's goal and
exceed it because it just goesto show that we can keep on
going even in the face ofadversity and having certain
areas, especially like beingfrom Florida, knowing that I'm
actively trying to be erasedfrom existence to show that we
are here and like we're notgoing anywhere, and that we can

(05:36):
still be successful while beingour authentic selves.

Phil (05:40):
Exactly, Steve.
Yeah.
You know, like you said, you'rethere in spirit with us.
Um, and don't get it twisted onme.
I got your phone number.
I will FaceTime, and

Steve (05:49):
yeah.
Exactly, and if it's super dupersuccessful, then you could do it
again next year, and then I candefinitely make it next year
with proper timing and withoutmy life turning upside down.

Phil (06:00):
Yeah.
And hi, I've got a couple ofother ideas for 2026.
20 27, 20 28.
Wait, I will tell to my dearfriend Steve, as soon as he
presses stop on the recording.

Steve (06:15):
Okay?
For sure.
Well, in the meantime we'llfocus on your first 1, 20 25.
Uh, this episode will belaunching on Friday, August
22nd, so you'll still haveplenty of time to register.
I'll make sure to include allthat in my show notes as well as
the Facebook group, because evenif you can't attend the
conference.
There's a safe space whereeveryone is valued and

(06:36):
appreciated and respected, andyou're not gonna get shady
comments if you post that you'rehaving a bad day from just
people saying go to a meeting.
Like there'll actually beemotional support and a safe
space where all roads torecovery are celebrated.
Thanks Steve.
Thank you Phil.
Thanks for the update.
We'll check in soon.
Yep.
Bye.
And thank you listeners, by theway.

(06:58):
Lemme redo that.
Thank you listeners for tuninginto another episode of Gaya.
Find all that information in theshow notes and stay tuned for
more content coming soon.