About Us

Gay First Responders is a grassroots initiative to bring visibility, community, and support to LGBTQ+ individuals serving as first responders—paramedics, firefighters, police officers, and EMTs. We highlight PTSD awareness because it is a topic no one wishes to address, yet the need is greatly there. Should you have the need, please consider our resources we've made available. There is no shame in askng for help.

We are part of the non-profit GayVeteransUS-Inc. 501(c)(3) umbrella of websites supporting the LGBTQ Veterans Community.

Our founder and webmaster, Bill Kibler, is a 100% VA disabled, hearing-impaired USMC Beirut Veteran, now retired having served 11.5 years at the Nashville VA Hospital and currently living outside Nashville, TN. He served with the Military Police Department for 1.5 years at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii after returning from Beirut, Lebanon (prior to the 10/23/83 bombing).

Bill's late father was a Captain in the Fairfax Co. (VA) Fire and Rescue Service in charge of Communications. Bill also served five years as a community outreach specialist with the DC Metropolitan Police Department’s Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit (GLLU).

He has been building and moderating online communities since 1986, and worked full-time at the American Psychological Association (APA) in Washington, DC, where he managed their Journals Program website and PsycINFO InPress Server for 13.5 years.

Bill is deeply familiar with PTSD and its impacts on both Veterans and First Responders.

 

In dealing with the general str8 community when they address you as a "gay first responder", correct them and say you are a "first responder who happens to be gay". It replaces the operative and its's an easier pill to swallow for those you are addressing. I tell this logic to Veterans all the time and it seems to work for them. It also separates the allies from the bigots.

 

With respect to those who say "Thank You For Your Service", simply reply with "You, Were Worth It". Veterans get this all the time, and I/we use it as my/our standard response.