Gay Social Men (Ipswich)
Gay Social Men (GSM) is a social group for gay men in Ipswich, East Anglia and Essex, founded in 2022.
The group was established by a married couple who had moved to Suffolk, and grew out of the difficulty many of its early members described in meeting people locally, particularly those who had relocated to the area during the coronavirus pandemic. It runs regular social events in and around Ipswich, and holds a bimonthly gathering at the Thomas Wolsey public house in the town, which members of the Sailing and Cruising Association on the East Coast also attend.[1]
GSM describes its purpose as friendship, support and connection rather than dating, and publishes a set of group guidelines to that effect. These state that the group is for gay men, a boundary the organisers explain as making room for a group often overlooked when it comes to connection and belonging rather than as excluding anyone; that it is not a space for seeking hook-ups or making unsolicited contact; and that members' personal details and stories are not to be shared outside the group.[1]
The group maintains a presence on Facebook and Instagram, where its founders use the collective nickname the FAGS.[1]