Hug & Cuddle Group for Single, Gay Men arrives in Chicago
by Dwight Okita Today was the launch of my Chicago Meetup Group "The Hug & Cuddle Group for Single, Gay Men" at the Center of Halsted, Chicago's LGBT community center. Our first man hug session was an intoxicating, nurturing mix of beautiful diverse music, a safe cozy space, and 12 men who were strangers in search of tenderness and intimacy in a non-sexual setting. It was about an hour and a half of embracing, talking, caressing, and engaging. If you look at the picture above, it looks like we're slow dancing. The effect was a deep feeling of affec tion and connectedness. I'd never quite felt this feeling before. Our group currently has over 70 interested members. I developed this event with Assistant Organizer Charles Gamble. Initially at the event, people seemed a bit nervous which is natural. Chairs were arranged in a circle and people were asked to tell their name and a little about themselves. I spoke a while giving an overview of the Cuddl