Note: You do NOT need to identify as queer to chat in Yay for Queers! The only requirement is that you are respectful of everyone.
Yay for Queers is a support group primarily for new Trans folks. If you're looking for support, information, community, people to just talk to in real time, this is the place to be. (Please note that none of us is any kind of therapist; we're here as helpful friends, not proper counsellors.) We use the word Queers so as to be more inclusive of people who are questioning, and our friends/family/partners/allies.
The main channel ops are FTMichael (Michael) and Ganimede (Nathaniel). Zedster_the_Myuu (Zach) is also a channel op. If you have any issues with the channel, the LJ community, the Facebook page, or any of the other users, please E-mail or IM one of us about it.
If you don't like what someone is saying, use the /ignore feature. Every IRC client, including the webclient, supports /ignore. /ignore means that everything that person says simply won't show up on your screen. To use it, in the chat box type /ignore whoever - so if someone called Steveqt123 is bothering you, you would type /ignore Steveqt123. You must include the / or it won't work! To stop ignoring someone, type /unignore whoever.
RULES:
The channel is an online safe space. Bashing, insults or offensive comments of any kind will not be tolerated. You will be warned to stop and if you continue after being warned, you will be kicked out and banned from the channel. We operate a three-strike system: 1) warning; 2) kick out of the channel with another warning; 3) kick out and ban. We deal with enough crap offline; Yay for Queers is a respectful place and this will be strongly enforced.
1) Asking someone's demographic information (age, sex, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, etc.) is not allowed unless it is relevant to what you're actually discussing with the person. Idle curiosity is not a good enough reason to ask, because some people find that information quite personal (yes, including age). Asking for someone's general location is okay, because that way we can advise on resources and/or connect with others in the channel who are also in that area. Asking for someone's preferred pronouns is encouraged, because sooner or later you will use pronouns and it is better to ask than to assume.
2) As stated above, no personal attacks on anyone.
3) Please speak from your own experiences and avoid speaking for others.
4) Constructive criticism of something that someone else says is fine; flat-out insulting someone is not.
5) Transphobia of any kind will not be tolerated here, nor will prejudice against any generalised group of people (i.e. homophobia/heterosexism, ageism, racism, classism, sexism, nationality-ism, etc.)
6) Do not change the colour or background of your text - backgrounds should be white and text should be black. Using other colours makes your text more difficult to read and does not make anyone more likely to read it. Similarly, bold, italic, and underline are used to add emphasis to specific bits of text; do not use any of them on a whole sentence or paragraph. This defeats their purpose and has the same effect as changing the background or text colour.
7) Not everyone in the channel is American or lives in the US or has ever been to the US; not everyone's first language is English. Please be conscious of the fact that this is an international chat space with people from different cultures.
8) Links to sites, pics, etc. that are sexually explicit and/or not work safe should be indicated as such (i.e., saying, '[link] - NOT WORK SAFE!').
9) Please be respectful of others and act accordingly. Any kind of discussion that is triggering should not be discussed in the main channel. Take it to a private chat or another channel. (This includes casual use of words like 'rape'.) Although we love hugs and don't mind the occasional snog, anything further is not nice so take it somewhere private.
By joining this community and the channel, you are indicating your acceptance of these rules and agree to abide by them.
The server Yay for Queers uses is irc.blitzed.org. Click here for help in getting started with Blitzed.
Yay for Queers may be accessed by using any of various IRC clients. If you don't have one, you'll need to DOWNLOAD one. I have made this very, very easy for you; just click the appropriate link. All of the clients listed here are completely free, except the ones for iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, etc.). iOS users can expect to pay $5 or less for an IRC client.
If at any point you need help setting up an IRC client, enter #yayforqueers with the web client and ask around in the channel. Someone there should be able to help out.
If for some reason you cannot download a client, or you can't get any downloaded client to connect to the channel, you can use the webclient. From your web browser, you can use the little 'Chat!' button below to get connected. This should be used only by those who are unable to download and install a client, or who can't get their client to connect for some reason. Please note that the webclient will open in a popup window.
CHAT NOW!
(This is the webclient, FYI.)
Be aware that the channel is not always a bustling hive of activity. If it's quiet when you enter, say hello and stick around! Your patience will be rewarded. Also, most of the channel's regulars are currently in North America or western Europe, so if you come in at a time when most of us are likely asleep, you are less likely to find people to chat with.
If the above doesn't work, you can connect here. You must change the channel listed in the box to #yayforqueers!
What's a client?
(Skip this if you're not interested.)
Little known fact: People don't connect to each other online the way most people think they do. If you and I are IMing on AIM, our computers aren't directly connected to each other. There's more than just your computer and mine involved in sending our messages back and forth. There's also the AIM server - a big computer that acts as a middleman. I send an IM, the server gets it and passes it on, and then you receive it. This all happens very very fast (depending on the speed of the server and the speed of your and my internet connections), but the point is that you have to connect to a service on another computer in order to IM someone.
A client is anything you run on your computer that accesses a service. Messengers like AIM and Yahoo Messenger are clients, because the program on your computer accesses the messenger service through the Internet and lets you talk to other people.
For Mac users who can't get Adium to work for them for whatever reason, you can use LimeChat or Colloquy.
For Linux:
Linux users can download Pidgin from their distro's software package or here. (Ubuntu, Debian, and other Debian-based distro users can also download it here.)
For Linux users who can't get Pidgin to work for them for whatever reason, you can use X-Chat, available in your repositories - if it's not already installed.
If neither Pidgin nor X-Chat appeals to you, try irssi, which is also available in your respositories if it's not already installed.
For Android smartphones/tablets:
There are a number of IRC clients available in the Android Marketplace. AndroIRC is available in both a free version and a premium version. The free version is all you need. Download and install it from the Android Marketplace onto your Android device.
For iOS smartphones/tablets (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, etc.):
You can get LimeChat or Colloquy in iTunes. Download and install it onto your iOS device.
On your computer:
Download the client of your choice. This means that when the little window pops up asking whether you want to open or save it, tell it to save.
MAKE SURE IT SAVES TO YOUR DESKTOP; you don't want to save it somewhere and then not know where it is!
Once it's done saving, double-click it on your desktop to run it. (If you are installing Colloquy on a Mac, you will need to unzip the file first.) Then follow the instructions to install the client.
Once the client is installed, you can delete the install file that you originally downloaded.
Pidgin setup instructions
Do you use Trillian (which functions basically like Pidgin but is a little different to set up)? Scroll down a little; Trillian instructions are just under the Pidgin instructions.
If you just downloaded and installed Pidgin, an empty buddy list should pop up when you run it for the first time, along with an Accounts window that says 'Welcome to Pidgin!'
If you're already a Pidgin user, go into your Accounts window by pressing Ctrl A in your buddy list.
Click the Add button in the Accounts window.
Change the protocol to IRC.
Change the server to irc.blitzed.org.
Pick a username for yourself and type it in, then type your name as the Local alias.
Do NOT put in a password.
Then save it.
Check the Online box next to the account to login, then close the Accounts window.
Once the signon window has come and gone, in the Buddies menu at the top of your buddy list, select Add Chat. Change the account in the Add Chat window to the irc.blitzed.org one, and type #yayforqueers as the channel. No password, no Alias. Type Chats as the Group. Then click the Add button. You'll see the chat show up in your buddy list.
Right-click #yayforqueers in your buddy list and select Auto Join. Then double-click it to join the chat.
Once you've done all this, unless you remove the account or the chat for some reason, you don't need to re-add it every time you want to get into the chat! Just log into that account, and you'll automatically join the chat.
Trillian setup instructions
In the preferences, go to Plugins and make sure the IRC box is checked.
Click on Identities & Connections on the left.
Click Add a new connection, then click IRC.
Click where it says Server Alias and type Yay for Queers.
Click where it says irc.trillian.com::6667 and type irc.blitzed.org::6667.
Click where it says Nickname and enter whatever nickname you want.
Click where it says Username and put your name, or whatever you want it to say.
If you want to fill in the userinfo, feel free.
Check the box that says Automatically connect to this account at startup.
Click Connect.
Click on the white IRC button and choose Show Status Window.
Type /join #yayforqueers to join the chat.
X-Chat setup instructions
When you open X-Chat, a window should pop up that says X-Chat: Server List. (If it doesn't, press Ctrl S in the main X-Chat window to bring it up.)
Enter in your user information.
Then click Add on the right.
You should see the words New Network appear in the Networks list. Click on New Network and type Blitzed - that should replace the text.
Now click the Edit... button. A new window will pop up that says X-Chat: Edit Blitzed.
At the top, click where it says newserver/6667 and type irc.blitzed.org/6667 - again, that should replace the text.
Check the following boxes (the others should be unchecked):
Connect to selected server only
Use global user information
Auto connect to this network at startup
Use a proxy server
Where it says Channels to join:, type #yayforqueers. Then click the Close button.
In the X-Chat: Server List window, check the box at the bottom that says 'Skip server list on startup.'
Then click the Connect button. You should see the client connecting to the server - a bunch of text will scroll past. Once it finishes connecting, you should join the channel automatically.
Once you've done this, the next time you open X-Chat, it should connect you to the server and join the channel automatically - you don't have to do anything.
mIRC/Kickchat setup instructions
Note: This is only for people who already have mIRC on their computer and are unable to install anything else. If you don't have mIRC, you should download X-Chat, which works much better.
Close the window that says @QuickHelp and the one that says KC 2.0 Server Selection.
Click on 'File/Options' to open up the configuration window.
Click on the 'Connect' category.
Enter a nickname and alternative nick for yourself.
Click on the 'Add' button in the upper right corner. You should see an 'Add Server' window pop up.
Click the 'Add' button on the 'Add Server' window.
Then click the 'OK' button on the 'mIRC Options' window.
To connect to the server, click on the far left icon just under 'File' (looks like a little lightning bolt). You should see the client connecting to the server in the Status window - a bunch of text will scroll past.
If a window that says mIRC Channels Folder doesn't pop up, click the third icon from the left up top (looks like a little yellow folder with #+ on it).
Click the Add button on the right. You should see an 'Add Channel' window pop up.
Add in the following information:
Channel: #yayforqueers
Description: Yay for Queers
Check the box at the bottom that says 'Join channel on connect.' Then click OK.
Now find #yayforqueers in the list of channels, click on it, and click the Join button. A channel chat window should pop up.
Once you've done all this, the next time you use mIRC, you should only need to click the lightning bolt icon up top to connect. The rest should take care of itself.
Adium setup instructions
If you just installed Adium, a setup assistant will open when you run it for the first time. Close the window by clicking the X button in the title bar.
Choose Preferences from the Adium menu.
Select the Accounts preferences pane.
Click the plus (+) button.
Select IRC.
Enter whatever nickname you want.
Enter the hostname as irc.blitzed.org
Do NOT enter a password.
Check the 'Connect when Adium opens' box.
Select the Personal panel.
Enter your name as the Realname.
Enter your nickname as the Ident.
Click OK.
Select the General preferences pane.
Check the 'Save opened chats when quitting' box.
Select File -> Join Group Chat and type the chat name as #yayforqueers
Once you've done all this, the next time you open Adium, it should connect you to the server and join the channel automatically - you don't have to do anything.
LimeChat setup instructions
In LimeChat, in the Server menu up top, select Server Properties.
Select the General tab.
Enter 'blitzed' as the Network name.
Check the 'Connect on start up' box.
Pick whatever Nickname you want (enter it as both the Nickname and the Login name), and enter your actual name as the 'Real name'.
Enter irc.blitzed.org as the Server.
Do NOT enter a password.
Click OK.
In the Channel menu up top, select Add Channel.
Type the channel as #yayforqueers
Do NOT enter a password.
Click OK. LimeChat will immediately connect you to the server and open the channel for you.
Once you've done all this, whenever you open LimeChat, it should connect you to the server and join the channel automatically - you don't have to do anything.
Colloquy setup instructions
In Colloquy, hit Command-1 on your keyboard to bring up the Connections window.
Click the New button to make a new connection.
Pick whatever Username you want, leave the Server Protocol as IRC, and enter irc.blitzed.org as the Chat Server. Tell it to "Remember this connection".
Hit the Details arrow, click the plus sign under "Join Rooms", and type #yayforqueers.
Click the Connect button, and our chat room should soon show up.
Hit Command-1 to bring up the Connections window again.
Right click or control-click the irc.blitzed.org from above, and go to 'Get Info' on the pull-down list.
On top of the new window select 'automatic'.
Check the 'Connect on launch' box.
On the 'Join Rooms' click on the +
Add #yayforqueers.
Once you've done all this, the next time you open Colloquy, it should connect you to the server and join the channel automatically - you don't have to do anything.
AndroIRC setup instructions
Open AndroIRC, then press your device's Menu button.
Select More, then select Options, then select Servers.
Press your device's Menu button again, and select New server.
Select Name. Type Blitzed, then select OK.
Select Address. Type irc.blitzed.org, then select OK.
Select Nickname. Type in a nickname for yourself. (You can always change your nickname later.) Then select OK.
Enable both 'Auto-connect' and 'Auto-join channels'.
Press your device's Back button. The server info should be saved automatically.
Press your device's Back button again, then select Channels, then select Blitzed.
Press your device's Menu button, then select Add a channel.
Select Channel name and type #yayforqueers, then select OK. The # symbol must be there!
Make sure 'Auto-join this channel' is enabled.
Press your device's Back button four times, which should take you all the way back to the AndroIRC main screen.
Press your device's Menu button, then select Connect. You will see some text go by as it connects, and then Yay for Queers will open automatically. Now you can chat!
To leave the chat, press your device's Menu button, then select Disconnect. Then press your device's Menu button again and select Exit. If you do not do this, AndroIRC will continue to run in the background.
Once you've done all this, the next time you open AndroIRC, it should connect you to the server and join the channel automatically - you don't have to do anything.
irssi setup instructions
Type /server irc.blitzed.org 6667
Once you're connected, type /join #yayforqueers
Other notes: The Blitzed network is not limited to just one chat channel such as #yayforqueers. Users are free at any time to create other channels. Just type /join #somechannelname in any channel or in the Server/Status/Blitzed window. The '#' is required before the new name of the channel.
Voice Chat
If your computer has working sound and you have a microphone, you can voice chat! The voice chat isn't in the IRC channel - it's through a different client. This means that having an IRC client downloaded is not enough; you need to download the voice chat client as well. If you connect to Yay for Queers through the website, you'll still need to download the voice chat client if you want to voice chat.
We use Skype, which is available for Windows, MacOS and Linux. You can download it here for Windows.
Download the install file. This means that when the little window pops up asking whether you want to open or save it, tell it to save.
MAKE SURE IT SAVES TO YOUR DESKTOP; you don't want to save it somewhere and then not know where it is!
Once it's done saving, double-click it on your desktop to run it. Then follow the instructions to install the client.
Once the client is installed, you can delete the install file that you originally downloaded.
Get Skype usernames from people in the IRC channel and add them to your Skype buddy list; then you can conference with them!
The Yay for Queers Facebook page
The Yay for Queers LiveJournal community