No doubt you will have ideas and assumptions in your head about what gay pubs and clubs are like. The best way to find out is to experience it for yourself.

Going to your 1st gay pub can be a daunting experience, it is best not to go by yourself. Try looking up a youth group in your area – that might be a good way of making other gay friends to go with or if you have already come out to your friends maybe they will go with you.

The Gay Scene can vary depending on where you live – Big cities like London, Manchester, Birmingham have a wide variety of venues to suit a range of tastes whereas smaller more rural areas may just have 1 or 2 bars.

You may have heard that gay clubs just play dance and chart music which in some cases is true but in the bigger cities there is much more choice and most guys find something that suits them.

You should always think of your personal safety when you are out in pubs and clubs – if you go home with someone, make sure your friends know where you are going and who with

Be aware of how much you are drinking, There is further information on the site on drugs and alcohol - educate yourself on how much is too much, Alcohol and drugs could lead to you taking unnecessary risks like unsafe sex.  Never leave your drink unattended – it could get spiked. Everyone goes out to have fun don't drink so much that you can't remember all the fun you had.

The gay scene isn’t for everyone – you may find out that you just don’t like it, there are alternatives for meeting people – check out youth groups or gay social groups, your local switchboard or gay men’s health agency may know of lots of local activities you can get involved with.