What is a Gay/Bi/Trans/Questioning, GBTQ, “Gateway” New Warrior Training Adventure, NWTA, weekend? It’s an NWTA weekend that takes into consideration the cultural differences of GBTQ individuals. Many of us know, from our own personal experiences, that a greater diversity of men around us can encourage our being more deeply truthful about who we are and where we want to go.
Who staffs the GBTQ Specialized NWTA weekends? About 90% of the men who staff the GBTQ NWTA Gateways are GBTQ, the other 10% are non-GBTQ straight allies.
Prior to the “gateway weekends”, as well as today, some GBTQ men complete their NWTA in the supportive company of a staff of mostly straight men.
Can straight men attend the GBTQ NWTA weekends? All NWTA’s are open to all men. Straight men who have attend previous gateways have reported that the weekend worked very well for them.
Can GBTQ men attend any NWTA weekend? Yes. NWTA’s welcome all who identify as men regardless of sexual orientation.
Are there guidelines for Transgender Men? Yes. He should have been living as a man and taking testosterone for at least a year. He should have a strong support system. Ideally, he has worked with a therapist who has experience working with transgender clients. Surgery is not a requirement.
All men who attend the NWTA complete a pre-event process to ensure that it’s a good fit for their physical and emotional health. We take an additional step with transgender men by setting up a private peer-led conversation focused on transparency, informed consent, and support.
Is the ManKind Project a Gay organization? MKP claims no specific sexual orientation or alliance, we strive to support ALL men.
MKP welcomes GBTQ men to its open circles, the NWTA, and its integration groups. The New Warrior Training Adventure, and our men’s circles, often give gay men the opportunity to create strong and supportive connections with straight allies. Straight men attending a gateway have opportunities to examine their internalized prejudices, take responsibility for their feelings and actions, and learn to value differences and acknowledge similarities. Multicultural awareness is one of our core values as an organization and we take pride in the work we’ve done to create productive cross-cultural dialogues. We never try to change one’s sexual orientation. Read about our policy on sexual orientation here.
We create training sessions and circles in which all are welcome to discover their deepest truths. We welcome those of all sexual orientations: gay, straight, and bisexual, including those who identify as having unwanted same sex attraction, to do their own work as they define it, to respect the identity and value of others, and to take responsibility for the impact their words and behaviors have on others.
MKP is committed to inclusivity.
Why is there a MankindPride website? How was it started? “MankindPride.com” was created to welcome GBTQ men to learn more about our “GBTQ Specialized Weekends”. This site, mankindpride.com , was created in 2011 to support GBTQ men by Alter Nathan Bader. He transferred ownership and management to MKP USA in 2015.
I have general questions about what happens on the weekend, is there an FAQ that can tell me more? Yes https://mkpusa.org/faq
I have other questions about the GBTQ NWTA, who can I contact? Please visit our Talk To A Man page.