• covers<strong>to</strong>ry •LINKED IN | Karyn Choi, from left, Carolina Azevedo, founder Tiff Khris Cochran and Patricia Durham are among members of The S.O.L.I.D. Network, which prides itself on diversity. (Anna Waugh/<strong>Dallas</strong> <strong>Voice</strong>)The sisterhood of S.O.L.I.D.Lesbian social network founded by<strong>Dallas</strong> woman has grown <strong>to</strong> morethan 1,800 members and expanded<strong>to</strong> several other cities in two yearsANNA WAUGH | News Edi<strong>to</strong>rwaugh@dallasvoice.comTwo years ago, Tiff Khris Cochran wanted <strong>to</strong>make some lesbian friends. Now she has morethan 1,800.After Cochran’s marriage ended in 2011, she realizedher few friends were scattered aroundNorth Texas, so she created a Facebook page forThe SOLID Network — short for “Socially OpenLesbians in <strong>Dallas</strong>” — as an avenue for lesbians <strong>to</strong>meet one another.“That’s what it started as and then it quickly becameso much more,” Cochran said.Cochran remembers asking her friends <strong>to</strong> jointhe group in hopes of reaching a few hundred.The group grew in a matter of months <strong>to</strong> severalhundred, with members using the network <strong>to</strong> seekadvice, plan social gatherings and bond.“People started talking online and started havingevents, and it just continued <strong>to</strong> grow,” Cochransaid.A<strong>my</strong> Poole was among the group’s first members.After serving in the military for several years,she moved <strong>to</strong> Texas and was looking for a groupin which <strong>to</strong> get involved. She said SOLID has aThe original focus was on lesbians, but Cochransaid she later decided <strong>to</strong> open the network <strong>to</strong> bisexual,transgender and even straight women becauseshe wanted the group <strong>to</strong> focus on femalerelationships. And while the group is closed <strong>to</strong>men, they are welcome at several of the group’sevents.“I came <strong>to</strong> realize that lesbian includes bisexualfamily feel much like the militarywomen. It also includeswith members who listen,Fundraiser set Aug. 25women who are transgender,”offer advice and care about oneshe said. “But the primaryThe group is having a fundraiser foranother from the beginning.focus is for women-<strong>to</strong>-womenlegal expenses <strong>to</strong> make it a nonprofit“It’s a sense of community,” organization from 4-7 p.m. Aug. 25 at relationships where they canshe said. “It’s really neat becauseit’s a safe place <strong>to</strong> go.” Facebook.com/Groups/SolidWomen can discuss things involvedEden Lounge. For more info, visit have a safe place where theySOLID members plan or TheSolidNetwork.com.with being a lesbian within theevents regularly and the grouphas a monthly talk series focused on empowermentissues for women like building confidence,self-improvement and navigating coming out. Artexhibits, happy hours, game nights and volunteerdays are other events the group has staged. Thegroup launched affirming faith events earlier thisyear as an opportunity for church leaders <strong>to</strong> speakabout their beliefs.community.”Cochran said the group’s diversity has helpedchange the views of some of the women aboutstereotypes and cliques within the lesbian community.She said education within the group <strong>to</strong> createsolidarity has always been a focus of events anddiscussions.“What I’ve learned is even within our owncommunity we have <strong>to</strong> learn <strong>to</strong> educate ourselvesabout who we are and embrace one another as awhole and not L and G and B and T, but LGBT,”she said. “I wanted <strong>to</strong> get <strong>to</strong> a place where we havethe solidarity that we need so that people don’tfeel like they don’t have anywhere else <strong>to</strong> go.”The group’s more than 1,830 members havebuilt a community that extends beyond online,building friendships as they empower each other.Karyn Choi joined the group about a year agoafter hearing about it from a friend. She said itsmembers genuinely care about the women in thegroup — and negative posts and people aren’t <strong>to</strong>lerated.Members helped take her <strong>to</strong> the doc<strong>to</strong>r after shewas in a car accident.Others have helped complete strangers moveand left food and medicine on doorsteps when awoman posted that she was <strong>to</strong>o sick <strong>to</strong> leave herhome.“I see it as more of a family because, yes, wehave our drama, but we’re also supportive of eachother,” Choi said.Members come from all age groups and back-SOLID, Page 86 dallasvoice.com • 08.09.13
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