Friends of Dorothy

I wish the meetings were arranged for 'LGBT and allies' because I'd like to go on the basis that it's usually the source of the best company onboard I might put that add in the Horizon on our next trip!

They now list them as LGBTQ
Apparently Q stands for Questioning !

They now list them as LGBTQ
Apparently Q stands for Questioning !

More commonly Q stands for Queer which apparently is now seen as a more positive title than in my youth when it was seen as extremely derogatory Personally I don’t wish to be known as ‘queer’ I hate that term.

Don’t forget the ‘I’ in LGBTQI which includes ‘intersex’ people or gender fluid.

Actually I think it’s getting out of hand.


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More commonly Q stands for Queer which apparently is now seen as a more positive title than in my youth when it was seen as extremely derogatory Personally I don’t wish to be known as ‘queer’ I hate that term.

Don’t forget the ‘I’ in LGBTQI which includes ‘intersex’ people or gender fluid.

Actually I think it’s getting out of hand.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Running out of letters too! I believe they have now added an X! Who do these people think they are using up all of our alphabet to try and find which slot they belong too. It's beyond a joke.

Running out of letters too! I believe they have now added an X! Who do these people think they are using up all of our alphabet to try and find which slot they belong too. It's beyond a joke.

I do not see any reason they need to add letters to the basic originals. One can see the type of meeting being convened. In this respect I do not see any reason that a straight person or even an inter-racial couple celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary should not attend, provided they are not turning up to disrupt things. I am assuming that everybody attending does not discriminate against straight people.

Regards John

More commonly Q stands for Queer which apparently is now seen as a more positive title than in my youth when it was seen as extremely derogatory Personally I don’t wish to be known as ‘queer’ I hate that term.

Don’t forget the ‘I’ in LGBTQI which includes ‘intersex’ people or gender fluid.

Actually I think it’s getting out of hand.


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I pretty much agree with all your sentiments there.

I suppose the point I would like to make (purely in my own opinion and experience) is that if you are LGBT etc, etc, even today it can still feel that you are in a very small minority. Before his death in 2012 my partner & I sailed on numerous cruises as an open - but not outrageously so - couple and never experienced any difficulties with other pax. Despite that, it was always nice when there was an 'FoD' meeting on board to socialise with a few others 'in the same boat' as it were . I personally would be happy for it to be an LGBT etc etc and allies meeting. I now sail solo at times and so find myself in a double minority! At least most of the lines I sail on arrange meetings for solo pax.

I don't think that you are really out of touch I first came across the term while working in USA. I have rarely heard "Friends of Dorothy" used for LGBT community in the UK but it is widely used in USA and Canada. I don't remember ever seeing Friends of Dorothy meeting advertised in the Horizon on P&O but they are always advertised on American ships.

They are a feature on Carnival Cruises and Royal Caribbean


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More commonly Q stands for Queer which apparently is now seen as a more positive title than in my youth when it was seen as extremely derogatory Personally I don’t wish to be known as ‘queer’ I hate that term.

Don’t forget the ‘I’ in LGBTQI which includes ‘intersex’ people or gender fluid.

Actually I think it’s getting out of hand.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree with your sentiments Pete. I remember when it was just "Gay", an umbrella term which encompased all those attracted to their own sex. It was much simpler and easily understood and said all that needed to be said.

I agree with your sentiments Pete. I remember when it was just "Gay", an umbrella term which encompased all those attracted to their own sex. It was much simpler and easily understood and said all that needed to be said.

Absolutely!! They don't need all those pigeon-holes.

I agree with your sentiments Pete. I remember when it was just "Gay", an umbrella term which encompased all those attracted to their own sex. It was much simpler and easily understood and said all that needed to be said.

Ah - but then we have a problem as transgender people are not necessarily attracted to the same sex. I do however agree that things need to stop somewhere and LGBT seems to me the most logical place to stop.

My partner and I cruise a lot and we've never had an issue, quite the opposite most of the time but we loved the term 'friends of Dorothy', we were thrilled when we got to go to a FoD meeting RCI many years ago. There's just something 'nice' about it - surely it can't be offensive to anyone?? It was fun listening to old / straight people try to work out who Dorothy was and why she had so many friends on board.......

I do not see any reason they need to add letters to the basic originals. One can see the type of meeting being convened. In this respect I do not see any reason that a straight person or even an inter-racial couple celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary should not attend, provided they are not turning up to disrupt things. I am assuming that everybody attending does not discriminate against straight people.

Regards John

Totally agree.
On our latest Celebrity sailing (I believe the 1st cruise line to be able to offer same sex marriages on board at sea after a change in the law in Malta which is their country of registration) there was a LGBT meeting at the Martini Bar every evening at 19:15.

However, that did not mean that this bar (must be one of the most inside popular bars in the fleet) was closed as a private event, resulting in any guest not being able to access.

It was just advertised as a venue where like minded people could meet. It wasn't hosted by officers and so not 'official' by any means but was clearly advertised in the daily news letter 'Celebrity Today'.

I can assure you that nobody at the Martini Bar discriminated against straight people, in fact we probably chatted to more non LGBT people! That's how we are.

.....It was fun listening to old / straight people try to work out who Dorothy was and why she had so many friends on board.......

I was one of those people quite a few years back on my first US Cruise Line, trying to work out why Bill W had so many friends, who seemed to meet every night... Mind you, I was neither old nor straight

Totally agree.
On our latest Celebrity sailing (I believe the 1st cruise line to be able to offer same sex marriages on board at sea after a change in the law in Malta which is their country of registration) .....

You may be right but P&O may also have been the first. The Supreme Court imposed same sex marriage legislation on Bermuda in May last year and Malta passed legislation in September last year. Sadly, the Senate of Bermuda reversed the decision last month!

Ah - but then we have a problem as transgender people are not necessarily attracted to the same sex. I do however agree that things need to stop somewhere and LGBT seems to me the most logical place to stop.

At the risk of being flamed .....
I regard being gay and being transgender as two entirely separate issues. I see no obvious connection between someone who is attracted to their own sex and someone who wishes to dress like or be a member of the opposite sex.

Hey, Boys,Girls, Boy girls, Girl boys, I do not give a monkeys about your sexuality, just keep it to yourselves, as Brit boy said, he had a loving personal relationship but not outrageously.
He is a proper person!
Sad for him, also, well happy that he could share.

We are going on holiday!

Hey, Boys,Girls, Boy girls, Girl boys, I do not give a monkeys about your sexuality, just keep it to yourselves, as Brit boy said, he had a loving personal relationship but not outrageously.
He is a proper person!
Sad for him, also, well happy that he could share.

We are going on holiday!

Thanks for your kind comments. I was fortunate to have had 26 years with Tony before cancer took him away from me. He was determined that I should have a full life after he had gone and I am doing my best to live up to his wishes for me. Hence a couple of cruises a year!

hi we are going on the 7 night cruise with P&O Oceana leaving Malta 7th Sept 2017. Was wondering if there is a friends of Dorothy meeting on this cruise or if anyone similar is going and would like to meet up.

You Guys should be booking with Cunard rather than looking to P&O ( P oor & O rdinary or P ensioners & O ld folk ) P&O is a bit behind the times when it comes to the Pink Pound

You Guys should be booking with Cunard rather than looking to P&O ( P oor & O rdinary or P ensioners & O ld folk ) P&O is a bit behind the times when it comes to the Pink Pound

Thought I would let you know that I don't fall into any of those categories . P&O may not have FoD meetings but I have noticed more gay male couples and travellers on P&O over the last couple of years. There were quite a few of us on Aurora in May. Last June I was on Queen Elizabeth for 10 nights and apart from me and my travel companion, no-one ever turned up for the LGBT meet in the Commodore Club. Cunard may have higher standards, commensurate with the higher fares - but P&O offer a perfectly acceptable product for the price paid.

You Guys should be booking with Cunard rather than looking to P&O ( P oor & O rdinary or P ensioners & O ld folk ) P&O is a bit behind the times when it comes to the Pink Pound

Or Celebrity. In our experience one of the most LBGT friendly lines around and the evening get togethers at the Martini Bar are well attended.

Or Celebrity. In our experience one of the most LBGT friendly lines around and the evening get togethers at the Martini Bar are well attended.

Hello,

I agree with you completely. I would say P&O seems to attract the older members of the LGBT community whilst Celebrity and Cunard the younger - or at least appear so based on attendance at LGBT events.

Re the expression FOD - I have a problem with this as I don't like musicals.

Regards,

Cublet