GSA is a phenomenon of familial bonding that has been delayed until adulthood.

2012 © All text and images are copyright by Genetic Sexual Attraction.

I know there has been some questions about the new forum, and the fact that it requires a subscription. I wanted to give a bit of background and explanation, so that people can make an informed decision.

There are hundreds of free forums on the Internet. I have been a member of several, and enjoy their benefits. Free exchange of real-time information is the primary reward. I am also a part of a paid forum. In this forum, I receive the same benefit of the free ones, plus additional benefits of a smaller tight knit community, as well as privacy from casual Internet visitors.

Why did Carly and I decide to make the SOAR GSA forum a paid community?

People are more involved, more committed, more motivated- when they are invested. I have a friend who is a music teacher, and when I began my own private piano lessons, she explained this concept to me. "Julie, do not undersell your services. Do not try to teach people for free. I have done both, and it doesn't work. People who don't invest something themselves, do not put as much into it. What you have to offer has value, and when people give in relation to that value, they are more apt to get more out of the lesson." She was right. I did try to teach a couple "pro-bono" and it never lasted. They forgot to come, to practice, and generally had less appreciation that what I was giving them was valuable.

This is the primary number one reason we are charging a small fee. It will deter those who aren't that serious about being an active member and/or participant in the GSA community. It will give those who do decide to join, more impetus to check in, develop friendships, and invest their own ideas and opinions. The truth is that aside from the updated software and neat features, the authors of SOAR have valuable information. It costs them something to be a part of the community in terms of time and emotional energy. They, more than other members have an obligation to help those who come to the forum. That is valuable, and to not expect our forum members to invest themselves in a valuable online community, is foolishness on our parts.

We set the yearly subscription to $30.00 a year. That is $2.50 a month. How much do we pay for monthly magazine subscriptions, cable, gaming communities, and other monthly services? $2.50 is a small price for access to a forum 365 days a year which has a diverse set of people to offer help and support. Think about the price of just one therapy session? One hour is usually over $150.00. We are not therapists, and never claim to be, but sometimes- sound advice from friends can be as valuable as therapy.

Of course, there are costs associated with running a forum and the subscription price will help these costs. We've been advised to use ads instead of a subscription as a way to offset costs. There are two reasons why we will not do this. Number one, our primary reason for charging is for the reason stated above, and ads do not accomplish this. Secondly, ads can clutter and ugly up a site distracting viewers.

Our plans for the future do take into consideration a small scholarship fund if there is someone that financially needs help. We do not want anyone to be left out if it is a true financial need.

Finally, the privacy issue. Some are concerned about the paper trail associated with a subscription. The company that handles our finances is in no way linked with GSA. Your bank or credit card statement will say the company name only. If this is still a problem (because of an extremely controlling or abusive relationship), we advise the person to contact us directly by email, so we can arrange to accomodate them. It may be as simple as the user snail mailing a money order to one of us and letting us set up their account once we receive payment. Where there is a will, there is way- and we are committed to those who want to be a part. That is our promise.

We hope that if you've been enjoying our blog, you will consider becoming a member. If a forum is not for you, we will continue to offer our SOAR blog free of charge - to the entire Internet community.

Why Pay $30 for a Year Subscription to The GSA Forum