You Don’t Have To Be an Athlete
Many of us don’t have the time to participate in organized sports on an amateur level. With work schedules, dating and relationships, and dealing with what the new economy has brought us, just getting to the gym is a major commitment. SimplySocial is a new men’s group that combines socializing and dining with organized physical activities.
SimplySocial is the brainchild of Richard Matthews and Cesar Romero, both of whom volunteered at Utah AIDS Foundation and wanted to put together a new social group, modeled after the organization’s group The Village, a youth empowerment program that was founded by Jeremiah Hansen in 2007.
“The homosexual experience can be very isolating, especially for those just coming out,” said Matthews. “SimplySocial wants people to know that there is a group of amazing guys that meet every single week, do a lot of adventurous things, and want to get to know new people.”
Matthews and Romero want to make it clear that the group is male homo-centric, but straight, lesbian, and female friends of any age, orientation or gender identity are welcome. As a home-grown project, there is no budget and no official organization, as Matthews and Romero plan the events with the suggestions and help of attending members. Facebook has been the main way they have attracted members, but word of mouth is also growing the group.
SimplySocial meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the University of Utah’s International Student Lounge in the school’s Student Union Building for about an hour and then decides on a location for dinner. Begun in November of 2009, the group has grown from fifteen people to over 35 people each week. Dinner locations have included Dee’s, Squatters, Red Robin, Gourmandise, The Bakery, Village Inn and the Desert Edge Brewery. Anyone interested can attend the social hour, just the dinner, or both.
“The space was a good public space and we wanted to come to them, rather than they come to us,” said Romero, who added that many people attending said they see someone in the hallway or at a club who they know is gay, but they aren’t able to speak to that person in such settings.
“When I came out, I literally had no friend to turn to, no one to discuss my new lifestyle with, and no idea where to go to make friends,” said Matthews, 28, who was born and raised in Montpelier, Ida., and attended BYU. “Getting engaged was like staring down the barrel of a gun and it motivated me to live life as an honest man.”
Romero, 26, has been in Salt Lake City for seven years and came from San Francisco and West Hollywood, Calif. “My coming out process happened here,” said Romero, adding that his friends from home find it peculiar that it took him moving to Utah to come out. “I made friends here and came out completely.”
Matthews and Romero met through The Village in 2008 and both volunteer at UAF; Matthews ran Coffee Talk for a short stint and Romero helped Hansen with The Village and volunteers as a counselor for the HIV Prevention Program.
“I like to choose my friends and SimplySocial gives people a non-threatening forum to find their friends,” said Romero. “The gift of gay friendship and who is your choice of gay friends can be very empowering.”
Along with dining and socializing, SimplySocial also includes physical activity. This Saturday, Jan. 23, SimplySocial is planning a ‘Tramp-o-Land Mega Fun Night’, at Progressive Power Tumbling in Provo. Gym clothes are required and those attending should expect trampolines, rope swings and diving boards ending in a ‘pool’ of soft foam rubber cubes and rectangular blocks — especially made for body crashing.
SimplySocial is also planning a winter camp out over the President’s Day Weekend. “We’ll be escaping winter by camping outdoors in the warmest place in the continental United States. Death Valley National Park is beautiful and has views unlike any other place on the earth,” said Matthews. “During our stay, which includes two nights, we’ll be doing several hikes averaging four or five miles a piece. The estimated cost at the moment is $39 a person, which includes the gas and the campground cost.”
Other plans include pool parties, ice skating, sledding and tubing, and water sliding.
“SimplySocial is dedicated to the development of friendship and brotherhood in the gay community,” said Matthews. “If we can focus on this one critical thing, then the other organizations can utilize this closely-knit network to better accomplish their missions.”
Matthews and Romero say they don’t believe that they themselves are anything special — they just want to see gay men have fun and get comfortable with themselves and others. “I think one of the rewarding parts of this is to see a real shy, reluctant homo relax and make friends, while establishing himself socially,” said Matthews.
Check out SimplySocial on Facebook by typing both words into the search engine (don’t include a space), or email richardamatthews@gmail.com for all details of upcoming events and to get added to the group.