Jack Martin - Finally Living Out Loud at the Men’s Shed

I’ve been with the Grande Prairie Men’s Shed for about eight months, but the story that brought me here started long before that.

In my late fifties, I came out as a gay man.

It took me a lifetime to say those words. To claim that truth. And when I finally did, it hit me harder than I ever expected. The weight of years spent hiding, pretending, and holding myself together finally broke through. I was overwhelmed, not because I regretted coming out but because I didn’t know what came next.

Eight months ago, I admitted myself to the hospital.

It wasn’t easy. At first, they weren’t even going to take me. Maybe I didn’t look like someone in crisis, but I was. I was hanging on by a thread. Eventually, they saw that. They admitted me, and I stayed for 12 days.

Those 12 days, strange as it may sound, were the best days of my life.

Because for the first time, I wasn’t hiding. I wasn’t pretending. I was just... me.

When I left that hospital, I was determined to live differently. I wanted connection and acceptance. And that’s when I found the Men’s Shed.

I didn’t know what to expect. I carried all the usual fears, would I be judged? Would I be welcome? But when I walked through those doors, none of that mattered. I found a group of men who didn’t care about labels and didn’t ask for explanations, just a coffee, a conversation, a shared laugh or silence.

For the first time, I was fully seen and accepted.

Not tolerated. Not just included. Accepted.

I’m 69 years old now. And because of the Men’s Shed, I’m not just surviving; I’m living. We build things together, woodworking, small projects, useful stuff, but that’s not the point. The point is that we show up. We sit together. We talk about life, or we don’t. There’s no pressure here. Just space. Just kindness.

This place helped me get my life back. It gave me a reason to keep going, growing, and finally live fully and truthfully.

If you’re struggling, know this: You’re not too old, it’s not too late, and you are not alone.

Walk through the door. We’ll be waiting.