LGBTQIA+
152 Members
This online group serves the LGBTQIA+ members of our arthritis community seeking family inside the arthritis community. We invite all to the rainbow table for support, education, robust programming, expert speakers, and camaraderie.
Live Yes! Connect Groups offer connections, education, and empowerment. Adults living with arthritis from across the country come together online for professional- and volunteer-led sessions on topics, as well as fun group activities.
We offer a place of understanding and encouragement for both people living with arthritis and their loved ones. Group participants become self-advocates, develop self-management skills, and learn how to not just survive life with arthritis but to thrive.
Upcoming Events
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Sunday, July 20th, 20256:00 PM ET30m
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Virtual Event
- 9 people attending
Please join the LGBTQIA Connect Group on Sunday, July 20, 2025 at 6 pm EST, 5 PM CST, 4 PM MST, 3 PM PST for "Late Pride is the Best Pride and Pride History Trivia"
FUN.
We are going to do a second annual lightening round of pride history trivia and the winner will be crowned this year's LGBTQIA+ Live Yes Connect Queer History Bee Winner. Group member Mercedes won last year! This year a Bonus point for naming a nonprofit and explaining its good work in your home area. As with last year we will mail a prize to the annointed winner. Special outreach to never attended members. We are welcoming, fun and supportive.
Be the community you want to have.
This is for the ones who never gave up.
The ones who carried dreams of love
bigger than anyone thought possible
and who made it possible.
The ones who showed up
so we could show out,
today and every day.
Mercedes Lucero
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Sunday, September 21st, 20256:00 PM ET1h
-
Virtual Event
- 9 people attending
Please Join the LGBTQIA+ Connect Group on Sunday, September 21, 2025 at 6 PM EST, 5 PM CST, 4 PM MST, 3 PM PST for “our joint LGBTQIA connection”.
Welcome to the national LGBTQ Connect Group. This is a safe and celebratory affinity special interest meeting for people who self-identify within the vibrant spectrum of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Nonbinary, Queer, Intersex, Asesxual + identities and have an arthritis diagnosis of any kind. We understand the fluidity of these identities, the challenges of care and the importance of safe mutual aid to each other. Anyone who is questioning their gender or sexual orientation is also very welcome here.
We are going to share how we get the best LGBTQ care and overcome discrimination and disconnection both at home, in our communities, at work, and when pursuing medical treatment. We claim our joint effort! As a LGBTQ+ community we validate that health is more than a team of specialists and med management but also includes meaningful LGBTQIA+ connection. Come make connections and receive support. You belong here!
- Event List
-
Sunday, July 20th, 20256:00 PM ET30m
-
Virtual Event
- 9 people attending
Please join the LGBTQIA Connect Group on Sunday, July 20, 2025 at 6 pm EST, 5 PM CST, 4 PM MST, 3 PM PST for "Late Pride is the Best Pride and Pride History Trivia"
FUN.
We are going to do a second annual lightening round of pride history trivia and the winner will be crowned this year's LGBTQIA+ Live Yes Connect Queer History Bee Winner. Group member Mercedes won last year! This year a Bonus point for naming a nonprofit and explaining its good work in your home area. As with last year we will mail a prize to the annointed winner. Special outreach to never attended members. We are welcoming, fun and supportive.
Be the community you want to have.
This is for the ones who never gave up.
The ones who carried dreams of love
bigger than anyone thought possible
and who made it possible.
The ones who showed up
so we could show out,
today and every day.
Mercedes Lucero
-
Sunday, September 21st, 20256:00 PM ET1h
-
Virtual Event
- 9 people attending
Please Join the LGBTQIA+ Connect Group on Sunday, September 21, 2025 at 6 PM EST, 5 PM CST, 4 PM MST, 3 PM PST for “our joint LGBTQIA connection”.
Welcome to the national LGBTQ Connect Group. This is a safe and celebratory affinity special interest meeting for people who self-identify within the vibrant spectrum of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Nonbinary, Queer, Intersex, Asesxual + identities and have an arthritis diagnosis of any kind. We understand the fluidity of these identities, the challenges of care and the importance of safe mutual aid to each other. Anyone who is questioning their gender or sexual orientation is also very welcome here.
We are going to share how we get the best LGBTQ care and overcome discrimination and disconnection both at home, in our communities, at work, and when pursuing medical treatment. We claim our joint effort! As a LGBTQ+ community we validate that health is more than a team of specialists and med management but also includes meaningful LGBTQIA+ connection. Come make connections and receive support. You belong here!
Facilitators [2]
Members [152]
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Comments [4]
Hi 👋🏼 I'm Margaret, 46 yrs old, I live in Asheville NC with my wife. I've had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since age 9 and it carried on into adulthood.
I'm trying to get back in shape and I feel like my physical therapist doesn't understand me and is pushing me too hard and I'm feeling resentment due to the pain from what he's asking me to do. I feel like having RA is having a totally different kind of body and response system to exercise. Does anyone else feel this way? I've yet to have a good relationship with physical therapy because I end up in so much pain that it negates what it's supposed to be doing. Has anyone had success with a PT understanding how to rehabilitate you differently??
HI Margaret
Welcome. We are glad you are here. This is Ro. My co-facilitator and partner in crime on this group is Erika who will also probably answer you.
PT cane be a blessing or a curse dependending. We get it. I find when I am at my worst, I can only tolerate PT in the heated medical pool. I have one about 30 minutes from my house. Is this an option for you? I also have participated in the arthritis foundation aquatics group exercises at the Y which also has a heated pool. I am sorry the PT is being too rigorous for your stage of pain. Can you switch physical therapists until you find one that aligns with your level of communication and need? And yes I only motor normally when I am not in a flare which is pretty close to almost, never. How would you feel if you took the exercises that the PT gave you and did them yourself at home at your own pace? One of my favorite tools at home when in flare is my TRX system (resistance bands that hang over a closed door in my hallway). I can do very very very VERY small movements with them. The other is medical chair yoga. I find a free program and do one off you tube. Glad you found us. We meet every other month and have a variety of discussions. I would love to bring someone on to do chair yoga with us and we can shut off our cameras for privacy. Be well and meet you soon. Ro and Erika
if you rsvp'd for our zoom pride tomorrow, Sunday, May 21, 2023, here's the registration link
If you are new, we have a two step registration process. click on this link below and fill out a few things and you will get a zoom link.
https://arthritisfoundation.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEkdO2vqjksEtfi0LBMhmkSR6Y7IfqdSsFJ
see you tomorrow
BE THE COMMUNITY YOU WANT TO HAVE
We are looking forward to seeing ALL of you on this Sunday, November 13, 2022 for our event "East West and Me: A Physician's perspective
the time for this event is: 3 PM EST, 2 PM CST, 1 PM MST, and 12 Noon PST - check YOUR time zone
This timing is different from our last 2 lgbtqui meetings so please note the time that you start based on your time zone.
Here is the registration link for the upcoming event. You need to click this link and fill out a few small items to get the direct zoom link.
https://arthritisfoundation.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0oc-Ctqz4oEtBOm6tCQX27W5ltDwwIIhhQ
Again, for newbies: We have a 2 step registration. Your RSVP on the site is the first step. This link is the second step and will take you to a short form which will give you the zoom link. Last month new folksl with the LGBTQIA group had some issues logging in: the link above must be filled out in order to receive a direct zoom link.
Hi everyone!
I wanted to drop a friendly reminder here that our next meetin will be this Sunday October 16 at 6pm EST, 5pm CST, 4pm MST, 3PM PST. I really hope to see you all there for some good discussion and support!