The 1967 Beatles classic hit, With a Little Help from my Friends, emphasizes the importance of having social networks to avoid loneliness – a problem that has become a growing concern nowadays, especially for the LGBTQ+ community.
“Making connections is life-giving,” said Molly McGowan, a member of LGBTQ+ Newton, a nonprofit organization that was created in 2024 by resident Rosa Buffone.
“As you get older, your isolation increases,” said member John Mazzullo, a Newton resident. “It’s nice to have a community.”
While the City and numerous houses of worship offer groups that support the LGBTQ+ community, Buffone said her intergenerational social nonprofit is not affiliated with any religious or political organization, so all will feel welcome. Its focus is on building social connections.
Activities to create community
Since its inception, the group has held luncheons, dinners, and craft nights; hosted movies and social events including ice cream gatherings; created this June’s Pride Month display case at the Library; and held other friendship-building activities for all age groups.
“After college …you lose all your connections,” said Buffone.
McGowan, one of the younger members, at age 29, found LGBTQ+ Newton on the Library’s website, where she had been looking for groups to join so she could make local connections.
She noted that some in the community do not have supportive families — that LGBTQ+ Newton provides people with the opportunity to create a “chosen family” of intergenerational friends.
Attending group events is “a way for people to socialize without risking themselves,” said Mazzullo. “Our [group’s] job is to create a tribal experience where people can feel safe and comfortable.”
For those who fear letting others know about their identities, LGBTQ+ Newton aims to be a lifeline. Group leaders note that it’s a place where people can feel comfortable discussing their concerns about how the current political climate is affecting their lives and other difficult issues.
It is also an organization where non-LGBTQ+ allies can learn how to help and be supportive.
For resident Marcia Johnson, an ally who has a trans family member, “It was important for my husband and me to learn about that world,” she said. After joining the nonprofit, she said, “It became another place to learn about people in the queer community.”
Grim statistics
Buffone’s group was created at a time when many advocacy, health, and governmental organizations are emphasizing the dangers and consequences of loneliness and isolation, citing concerning statistics about the LGBTQ+ community in particular.
“Social connections can help protect health, research shows,” according to the American Heart Association (AHA) article, Protecting LGBTQ people from the health risks of social isolation.
The article stated that “social isolation has been associated with increased risk of premature death from all causes, according to a 2020 report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.”
Because of the troubling statistics on isolation for people of all ages in the LGBTQ+ community, Buffone wanted the Newton group to help build intergenerational friendships.
“Social isolation among LGBTQ youth has been associated with problems such as depression, substance abuse, and suicide attempts,” according to the AHA and many other organizations.
With some being rejected by their families, “LGBTQ people have always had to find ways to build community. … Being among welcoming people can be crucial to health, … by providing an understanding, stress-relieving refuge from personal affronts and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric,” according to the article.
In a study conducted by AARP of members of the LGBTQ+ community who were 45 or older, the statistics are even more concerning.
“The AARP Dignity 2024 survey found that four out of five older LGBTQ+ adults [out of 2,200 surveyed], or 78 percent, are concerned about having enough social support as they get older,” according to AARP.
Half of those who took the survey said they “already feel socially isolated at times, which can have a profound impact on a person’s mental and physical health, research shows,” according to AARP. “The feelings are highest among transgender and nonbinary adults, with 63 percent reporting they often or sometimes feel isolated from others.”
Progress and resources
LGBTQ+ Newton is slowly making inroads on building a supportive community. More people have signed up for the group’s newsletter, attended the group’s events, and are regulars at meetings.
“We’re becoming a family,” said Buffone.
To learn more about LGBTQ+ Newton, visit lgbtqnewton.org.
The City has also created a guide to LGBTQ+ resources.