When you are single, meeting potential dates is intimidating. But men who date men have an additional worry to contend with: When they learn I am gay, would they avoid me?

This, however, does not imply that there are slim chances of finding gay men who would be interested in dating. The logic is, if you like a certain type of person (gay, in this instance), go where those types of people go. However, if you are shy of venturing into a gay bar, or live in an area that is not gay friendly, gay personals are a discreet way to connect with others in the gay community.

The days of negative stereotypes for personals are gone. Millions of people are finding compatible partners through personals, and gay personals are a good option to find gay men. Whether you are looking for a relationship, a sex partner, or someone to hang out with, gay personals provide a meeting ground for same-sex guys to meet singles.

Dont be flustered if you are unable to find someone interesting the first time; playing the dating game via personals is like playing a slot machine. It has tremendous potential but the odds are uncertain. There is a possibility of hitting the jackpot, but unless you are very lucky, you have to play more than a few times to win. Similarly, if responding to a gay personal does not work the first time, simply try again. Eventually it should pay off.

Once you have located the right person, find something the two of you have in common. If nothing is evident, ask him if he is interested in the things that interest you, and take it from there. Be honest with your potential date, but do not reveal personal details about yourself. Take your time getting to know one another. Gays often rush into relationships looking for love, companionship, and acceptance, and this creates pressure to move quickly into intimate relationships, which might be too much for the other person to deal with.

For online gay personals, check out Cupid.com's Gay Singles Online Community, gay.com, toyboy.com, guyzformen.com, and thegaypersonals.com.