Here Queer Sober 2025 Update

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 phil@herequeersober.org

Until next time—stay sober, friends. 💪🌈

Transcript

Steve: 0:03

Hey there listeners, and welcome to another surprise update of Gay, a podcast. It's Steve here with a longtime friend 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. Yeah, exactly. You're here with some surprise, exciting updates for Hear Queer Sober, the big roundup next month in New York City. Correct?

Phil: 0:32

Yeah, totally. So, um, for the listeners that are not quite fully aware of it. There's the Facebook group here, queer, sober. It is open to every single letter of our rainbow family and honors and respects all pathways of recovery. And we are hosting our first roundup, uh, in about five weeks in New York City at the Marriott Marque. And just before you and I started, uh, chatting earlier this evening, we are like nine registrants away from our goal. So that's why I was like, I need to like get Steve to like do an update because we want to we want the word to get out, because yes, there's our goal, but our we still have some wiggle room and we want the community to know we are here to celebrate recovery within the queer community. And I'm just, I'm in a very surreal and serene headspace because here, queer, sober, officially got formed in February of 2024. Mm-hmm. As small little Facebook group. That just kept growing and growing and growing, and as you were getting on there to press record, I jumped into the Facebook group and we have 2,200 members.

Steve: 2:06

That's huge.

Phil: 2:09

Yeah. And we all know gay men are size queen. So Yes. To go from basically every gay person I know in recovery to over 2,200 people is. Amazing. And I'm so looking forward to the conference itself because we've got two tracks of programming for traditional 12 steppers and other non-traditional pathways of recovery. And you don't even have to necessarily be. In recovery to attend the conference. If you are sober by life choices, you know, maybe it's a medical condition or whatever else, or whatever, you are more than welcome there. That's part of the reason why, or my co-founders and I created this community because we kept scratching our head going, where did gay people that don't drink meat, and we kept doing the well. Why don't we just create a safe space? And listeners, this recording is being done on the same day that like it broke on the news that the Pulse nightclub memorial rainbow crosswalk was paved or was repainted, whatever, uh, in the middle of the night am. And while I personally don't know anybody that died at Pulse in Orlando. I know people that were staffed there and my heart breaks for the disrespect that our community at large is facing. And that's just one more reason why I'm so looking forward to going home to New York City. In, like I said, about five weeks. If any of the listeners have questions or want to get connected, they can find the Facebook group or they can email me, Philip P-H-I-L-I p@hearqueersober.org.

Steve: 4:12

I can certainly say with the success of the number of members in the group and just also how positive and uplifting the entire group is, it just goes to show that you are meeting a need that like existed within our queer and sober community because so many other places I've been, they're either exclusive against one part of the LGBTQIA Plus and or they're exclusive where you have to be a 12 stepper and if you show up and you don't. It's open with the Serenity Prayer and all the words you're looked at like you're an alien. And so. I learned through doing this podcast for over 250 episodes that like I've met so many people that have found other roads to recovery that are just as valid and they're having just as much of an amazing experience living sober. And I've gotten to know so many people that like. I feel like a, a lot of the keynote speakers I have had on the show before at like JC K Clark. Yep. And so, you know, I'm gonna be there with you in spirit with all the changes that I talked about in my last update episode. I'm not gonna be able to make it there myself this year, but I'm so grateful that you created this group and that it exists and that. I want it to be as successful as possible. I hope you blow past that nine more registrant's goal and exceed it because it just goes to show that we can keep on going even in the face of adversity and having certain areas, especially like being from Florida, knowing that I'm actively trying to be erased from existence to show that we are here and like we're not going anywhere, and that we can still be successful while being our authentic selves.

Phil: 5:40

Exactly, Steve. Yeah. You know, like you said, you're there in spirit with us. Um, and don't get it twisted on me. I got your phone number. I will FaceTime, and

Steve: 5:49

yeah. Exactly, and if it's super duper successful, then you could do it again next year, and then I can definitely make it next year with proper timing and without my life turning upside down.

Phil: 6:00

Yeah. And hi, I've got a couple of other ideas for 2026. 20 27, 20 28. Wait, I will tell to my dear friend Steve, as soon as he presses stop on the recording.

Steve: 6:15

Okay? For sure. Well, in the meantime we'll focus on your first 1, 20 25. Uh, this episode will be launching on Friday, August 22nd, so you'll still have plenty of time to register. I'll make sure to include all that in my show notes as well as the Facebook group, because even if you can't attend the conference. There's a safe space where everyone is valued and appreciated and respected, and you're not gonna get shady comments if you post that you're having a bad day from just people saying go to a meeting. Like there'll actually be emotional support and a safe space where all roads to recovery are celebrated. Thanks Steve. Thank you Phil. Thanks for the update. We'll check in soon. Yep. Bye. And thank you listeners, by the way. Lemme redo that. Thank you listeners for tuning into another episode of Gaya. Find all that information in the show notes and stay tuned for more content coming soon.