Spotlight On Sobriety 01/11/2026
- GaL-AA Newsletter Committee
- Jan 5
- 5 min read
In this week's publication:
Click the link below to jump to that section:
My Journey as a Single Mother
Quarterly Contributions
LGBTQ+ Podcast Portal
Spotlight On Sobriety 01/11/2026
Join GaL-AA (It's Free) Click Here
PDF Version:
Please let us know if this PDF version is helpful or not. Click Here
Getting Sober: My Journey as a Single Mother
1974: I was coming slowly out of the closet and living a dual life. While I was starting to find new friends in the gay bars, I was holding onto my other life by continuing to live in the suburbs and retain custody of my three kids. I was continuing to use drugs and alcohol. I was also dealing pot, the profits from which, along with welfare, supported us and gave us a fairly comfortable life. I was, however, beginning to have minor jackpots concerning my kids that were scaring me. I was reported to the state because my son, who was in third or
fourth grade, was acting out a lot in school. As a result, the state office of Child Protective Services decided to have a woman come in once a month to see that the kids were ok and to search my house for drugs. This did not slow me down. I just learned how to work around it.
The boyfriend of a woman who was staying with me provided my final scare. At one point, when I was not at home, he held my kids at gunpoint while she was typing bad checks. When I found out about the incident, I
called the police. As a result of my call, she was caught a few days later. I never learned if he was caught. Also, I was sent to Child Protective Services for a review of my case. I won the case because the schoolteachers, and other folks from my community attended the hearing and stood up for me. This was my last jackpot. I wanted to figure out how to change my life.
1980: I was introduced to AA on April 4, 1980. I was told that if I went to AA, I could get my
slate clean with the state. At the same time I met a few women that I liked for their laughter and fun. My drinking softball team was playing against their sober team. We lost. I was talking to the manager after the game and she told me about a meeting that Friday night that was a lesbian group for AA. I thought I would check it out, thinking I could meet some women and at the same time get the state off my back. I liked what I heard but didn’t believe it. I was told to try it, get a sponsor, and just sit and listen. I did and never picked up again.
The beginning was hard. My sponsor told me I had to stop dealing so I moved into public housing and got on welfare. My kids and I had very little. If it wasn’t for food pantries, other resources, and AA emotional support I am not sure I would have pulled through. I was fortunate to have gone to school and was able to get a job. With time I was able to get our own housing and get off of welfare.
My AA life started strong. Twelve other women and I were getting sober at the same time, some of whom also had kids. We went to meetings, did the 12 steps together, and at the same time had fun.
I began to do service work early on. First I was a greeter and helped set up the meeting
rooms. Then I began chairing meetings. During all of my sobriety I have had just about every job with my groups. After a few years I also started to be active on roundup committees. I think during my 30 years I held every position they had. I feel it is important to do service work. It's a way to keep involved with AA.
I am now active in GaL-AA, (Gays and Lesbians in Alcoholics Anonymous). This is the most challenging and rewarding volunteer work I have done. As Chair of the Executive Committee, I work every day. Working with people from around the country and now around the world, I have learned how great an arm AA has. And I am able to reach out with that arm and hand. I still go to meetings and sponsor new commers. I never want to forget where I came from and where my safety line begins.
Hilde M.
Stoneham, MA
Quarterly Contributions
GaL-AA’s Treasurer reports are published monthly for transparency into how your support
helps us continue to carry the message.
You can view those on our website:https://www.gal-aa.org/treasurer-reports
To sign up to be a supporting member, visit our members page:https://www.gal-aa.org/members
Quarterly, we publish groups and individuals that contributed during the past quarter. We thank them for their continued support!
Quarterly Contributions | |
GaL-AA | |
October 1 - December 31, 2025 | |
Donor | Contribution |
7 AM Sunny Dunes Attitude Adjustment Online Group - Palm Springs, CA | 64.00 |
Aaron H. | 15.00 |
Acceptance Group - Charleston, SC | 70.00 |
All Are Welcome Online Group | 71.79 |
Bradford D. | 20.00 |
Calvin N. | 32.10 |
Fri Night Men's Group - Doylestown, PA | 48.00 |
G&L AA Group - Des Moines, IA | 50.00 |
Guy M. | 15.00 |
Jaime G. | 60.00 |
Keith H. | 30.00 |
Lambda Group - Traverse City, MI | 20.00 |
Lambda South - Austin, TX | 23.73 |
Last Call - Los Angeles, CA | 16.72 |
Lee B. | 15.00 |
LGBTQ Plus - Tallahassee, FL | 171.32 |
Live & Let Live - Birmingham, AL | 75.00 |
Live & Let Live - Tampa, Fl | 206.00 |
Mark B. | 100.00 |
Midday Group # 419671 - Palm Springs, CA | 62.73 |
Primary Purpose - Columbia, SC | 186.21 |
Richard H. | 15.00 |
Richard W. | 40.00 |
Robert M. | 34.55 |
Spiritual Awakenings - San Diego, CA | 472.90 |
Steven N. | 60.00 |
Sunny Dunes #100 - Palm Springs, CA | 119.07 |
TOTAL | $2,094.12 |
LGBTQ+ AA Podcast Portal
Discover LGBTQ+ Recovery Voices — All in One Place
Finding sober podcasts that speak directly to LGBTQ+ experience can be challenging. Most podcast platforms mix everything together, making it hard to locate LGBTQ+ focused recovery content.
GaL-AA has created the LGBTQ+ Sober Podcast Library—a curated collection featuring only podcasts that uplift, support, and reflect the experiences of our LGBTQ+ community in recovery.
We’ve recently added several new podcasts and updated our categories, making it easier than ever to explore:
🌈 LGBTQ+ AA Stories & Speaker Meetings
🏳️⚧️ Trans & Nonbinary Sobriety
🏳️🌈 Gay / Lesbian / Queer Sober Podcasts
📚 LGBTQ+ AA History & Archives
🎙️ Bill W. Talks & Foundational AA Audio
Whether you're looking for speaker meetings, LGBTQ+ history, spiritual growth, or personal stories—this library removes the noise so you can go directly to what matters.
Check out the Podcast Library today: 👉 gal-aa.org/podcasts
Have a podcast recommendation? We’d love to include it. Email: podcasts@gal-aa.org
Spotlight On Sobriety 01/11/2026
The Spotlight On Sobriety 01/11/2026 features personal stories, articles, and reflections submitted by members and friends of the fellowship. The views expressed are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of Alcoholics Anonymous or GaL-AA.
Statement of Inclusion
GaL-AA exists to serve lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender people, queers and others in Alcoholics Anonymous regardless of how they self-identify. GaL-AA embraces all members of the AA Fellowship.
Your GaL-AA Newsletter Team
