Women in the Spirit

Types of AA Meetings

Candlelight: Candlelight AA meetings are sessions in which members bring candles, usually white, that represent their hopes and goals. When each member shares, that member lights their candles as they discuss their challenges and successes.

Closed: Closed AA meetings in New York are not open to public community members who want to observe the discussion. The only people who can attend are AA members and people seeking help for alcohol addiction. The discussions are informal and everyone can share.

LGBTQ: Selected AA chapters focus on providing a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, and generally welcome LGBTQ+ allies. These groups prioritize members’ recovery and sobriety within a non-heteronormative context.

Lesbian: Lesbian AA meetings are intended as safe spaces for homosexual women and their allies to meet. Discussions generally focus on issues and challenges that lesbians face in their recovery.

People of Color: People of color refers to individuals who do not identify as white/Caucasian. AA groups and meetings that are friendly to people of color provide safe spaces for ethnic minorities to meet and to discuss challenges and issues that impact their recovery.

Transgender: Transgender AA meetings provide safe spaces for transgender individuals and their allies to meet. These groups may discuss issues and challenges related to alcohol use disorder that transgender individuals face.

Women: New York women’s AA meetings are support group meetings for women who are affected by alcohol addiction. Cost-free and open to all women in the community, including women who are addicted to alcohol and those who have loved ones with alcoholism, these meetings offer peer support within a 12-step recovery program.