I've been playing VRchat on and off (emphasis on the "off", though) for a while now, but I've only ever really used it to occasionally privately meet up in VR with a small number of friends and fellow trans people I already knew and was comfortable around. The pandemic has had a pretty devastating effect on my already-limited social circles, even IRL, which has meant I've been isolated and kinda socially stagnant for about a year, so I'm trying my best to get out of this depression bubble and meet people I fit in with again.

Something I've never really done well at is being able to drop into public worlds and keep a good conversation going. I experience a lot of dysphoria over my voice and I've had more harassment and weird comments thrown at me in public worlds than I've cared to keep track of, which together has created an anxiety in me over time in-game that I find hard to shake when I'm not talking to someone who I know either knows what that's like or is supportive. Being timid/anxious makes meeting new people and making good conversation with them feel impossible sometimes.

With that said:

- Does anybody have any tips for feeling more comfortable and safe in-game?

- Are there any sorts of LGBT VRchat meetups or events coming up that anyone knows about?

- Does anyone have any advice in general that'd make approaching people and keeping a conversation going easier? (I can see how silly that sounds, but it couldn't hurt to ask)