Who's Dorothy? And why...

[CanadianMAG]

Did she along with Bill W. get their own party everyday?

[tomc]

Alas, Bill gets his own party every day and has it listed in the day's calendar. Dorothy not only does not get her own party (despite having more friends onboard), but seldom gets her get-togethers listed in the daily calendar. That's mainly due to the CD, not HQ, as the CD might have you believe.

 

I'm not a friend of Dorothy (but I don't dislike her, either; just not a member of her group), but I do think that her friends should have their meetings listed. They are allowed to charter ships; why can't they have their small meetings listed in the program? It's not as if they are hogging entire rooms or anything.

 

Friends of Dorothy (FOD) is a code word for gays, just as Friends of Bill W is a code word for people who belong to Alcoholics Anonymous.

[CanadianMAG]

OHHH~!!!! Here I am thinking Dorothy was the old lady I read about in a thread here that lived on the cruise ship! :cool:

 

Thanks for clearning that up.

 

Both had their daily party on the ship when I was there.

[4boys4mom]

As best as I understand it, and please if I'm wrong don't hurt me:D , but as I understand it "Friends of Dorothy" is the "code" for the Gay and Lesbian Cruises to meet and mingle, and to let them know that the druise line welcomes their group.

 

As for Bill W.- I am wondering the same thing. I figure it must be something similar, that or Bill, his friends, and my family take all the same cruises.:)

[peaches from georgia]

As for Bill W.- I am wondering the same thing. I figure it must be something similar, that or Bill, his friends, and my family take all the same cruises.:)

Friends of Bill W. is a support group for alcoholics meeting daily on most ships.

[4boys4mom]

tomc I posted before all of the posts had come up. Thank you for the Bill W. info. That will come in handy as one of the friends cuising with us is eight years sober. I figure if you must abstain then are a cruise ship friends to lean on and socialize with are good for everyone.

[jhannah]

Here I am thinking Dorothy was the old lady I read about in a thread here that lived on the cruise ship!

That would be Dolly ... or Mama Lou.

[General Max]

Now I know who Dorothy is. A bunch of her friends had a big party down in Key West in October, 1997 when we had scheduled a long weekend there. It was Fantasyfest and we didn't know it was a gay festival.

 

Cheers

 

General Max

[tomc]

Bill W's friends meet daily, so there's plenty of support.

[2Cruise4Ever]

Just as an FYI: Friends of Dorothy meetings are held and advertised daily on NCL. At least on the NCL Dawn anyway. I recently looked at the Freestyle Dailies from a passenger who had sailed her in April, I think and every day around 3:00 (I believe) they held an FOD meeting. I, too, am not a member, but have several friends and family members who are. :)

[annebill]

Friends of Bill W. are a support group for people struggling with an illness. Friends of D. are not a support group for people struggling with an illness, are they ? If they are, then certainly their meetings should be listed in the daily programs. If only a social group, then they shouldn't be given any more consideration than 'possum hunters, tobacco chewers, bass fishermen---you name it. JMHO.

[RichGuy]

Oh no... here we go....

[General Max]

You're right, Richguy. I wonder if the friends of Bill W meet in the ship's bars.

 

Cheers

 

General Max

[Iggipolka]

Friends of Bill W. are a support group for people struggling with an illness. Friends of D. are not a support group for people struggling with an illness, are they ? If they are, then certainly their meetings should be listed in the daily programs. If only a social group, then they shouldn't be given any more consideration than 'possum hunters, tobacco chewers, bass fishermen---you name it. JMHO.

 

 

As a lesbian who lives in the (at times) overwhelming world of hetrosexuality, I can say that I greatly appreciate the FOD meetings on board. It's really nice to know that there are other gay/lesbian folks on the ship. Being gay/lesbian is not an illness, but being gay/lesbian when surrounded by hundereds/thousands of hetrosexual people, can be very lonely.

[annebill]

Iggipolka, I understand your feelings, believe me. Any social group or organization should have an announcement in the program at least once for special meetings. But to expect daily anouncements for any social group because Friends of Bill have it is unnecessary and social meetings shouldn't be compared to FOB.

[Iggipolka]

Iggipolka, I understand your feelings, believe me. Any social group or organization should have an announcement in the program at least once for special meetings. But to expect daily anouncements for any social group because Friends of Bill have it is unnecessary and social meetings shouldn't be compared to FOB.

 

I don't think anyone has asked for daily announcements for FOD. Once annoucement in the program on the day of the meeting would certainly be nice though. There have been many times when CD's have refused to even announce one gathering.

 

I also could argue that the high suicide rates, alcoholism and drug addiction rates amoung gay and lesbian people (espicially youth), due in part to social isolation and discrimination, makes FOD meetings as important as FOB meetings. But, this isn't the board for such a discussion.

[General Max]

Are FOD meetings held elsewhere other than on cruise ships?

 

Cheers

 

General Max

[george@sea]

You're right, Richguy. I wonder if the friends of Bill W meet in the ship's bars.

 

Last summer on the Rotterdam, at 4pm every day. About 15 of us held an FOBW meeting at the Crow's Nest on a closed off section on the port side of the ship.

[george@sea]

I don't think anyone has asked for daily announcements for FOD.

 

I've never heard an FOBW meeting announcement over a PA system. Just listed as an activity in the program of the day.

[tomc]

I've seen this go nastily off-topic before. The OP wanted to know who Dorothy was. We've answered it. Let the thread sink, ok folks?

[bepsf]

AnneBill--

You certainly are entitled to your opinion - it's an opinion both shared and opposed by many others for various reasons. Neither opinion is right or wrong, they just are.

FOD gatherings do exist on most lines, they are in fact meant to facilitate socialization for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and their friends. Some ships/lines gladly have them quite often and some ships/lines will do so begrugingly if at all.

Everyone, in the interest of not turning this thread into a personal slamfest - may I suggest we all agree to leave our personal opinions on whether FOD events should or should not be held/compared to Friends of Bill W., etc. out of this forum since this issue has a very fine line between talking about the actions of persons in public (which is perfectly fine to discuss) and people's personal identities (which I think we can all agree is not okay to judge).

[george@sea]

Friends of Bill W. are a support group for people struggling with an illness.

 

I'm not ill, just alcohol challenged!!! LOL

[Krazy Kruizers]

On our last Zuiderdam cruises (and not on other HAL ships) nearly every day there was listed in the daily program about meetings for "Friends of Dorothy" and "Friends of Bill W".

[Krazy Kruizers]

Do have a story to tell about "Friends of Bill W".

Many, many years ago I had no idea what this meant. Curious that I am, and after reading many times that this meeting was to take place in the Piano Bar (OH YEAH) at a certain time, I thought - Okay - DH is sleeping so I will go and check this out - it might be fun! So I went to the Piano bar and waited 15 minutes - no one there - not a host or crew member or a bar tender! Finally after about 20 minutes a bar tender came in to begin setting up for the evening and I asked him about "the meeting". Boy did I have a good laugh.

[General Max]

What better place for friends of Bill W. to meet than the Piano Bar with no bartender. They must have found another lounge that was open.

 

Cheers

 

General Max