What has Shys done for you?

[StarDust]

I can't remember how long I was on the old site for.. probably a good 5-6 years. The last time I used it was probably 2017? Anyway, I thought about it a lot because I had so many good memories of it. I found it when I was confused about my sexuality. I thought I was bi but later realized that I'm lesbian. I was in a brief relationship with someone from the old site and I made some good friends - who I still talk to today. I knew the old site was having financial issues and was surprised to find this one. Anyway, I can't wait to see this community grow and hopefully make some new friends!

[Matriarch]

The reality is she kept that site going, at least partially at her own expense (and the expenses she posted at one point were significant), for 15-20 years (I'm a little unclear if the first incarnation of the site on Internet Archive, from 2003, is the same owner).

She totally could have handled things better...

The OG site LF started was a single server (if you could call it that) out of her home in 2004. By 2005 it grew so fast a single server couldn't support the traffic. LF and her husband A personally financed 'cloud' (cloud isn't what it was called then) expansion... fairly new and expensive in that era. All while trying to grow their family and struggling with IF. They even had to buy the rights to their own domain name..and were offered on many occasions money to sell the domain. While they certainly could have used the money they declined and they did this to ensure the foundation of safety remained paramount for women struggling to learn about their sexuality. Could this have been better handled? Of course. But none of us were on the frontline of pioneering this, none of us sacrificed what they had to... all so we have what we have today - a safe place for women to learn and identify with others. I'd say in that respect LF achieved her goal.

Anyways, just a little back story from an OG.

[Greengirl]

Years and years ago, I found shys and it helped me understand that there were plenty of women out there who were in long term relationships with men that were in the same position as me.

I made lots of friends on here then and I am hoping to do the same again this time around!

[Leigh]

I found shys probably back in 2009, when I was having conflicting thoughts. I googled shy bisexual and i was hooked lol. Having chatted with hubby about it he told me to check out the forum where I came to realise I wasn't alone. I made many friends on there over the years ( most who still are friends ) I was asked to be a mod which I gladly accepted and it progressed to admin. I tried so hard to keep the site going but with NO replies from LF I couldn't stop it failing! Even emailing for months after it went I got nothing.
Am so glad its been rekindled and I hope to make more friends this time round lol. Am an open book and can be an ear if you need it x

[moonbynight]

That's exactly how I found it - googling shy bisexual.

[VirgoGirl]

I found shys probably back in 2009, when I was having conflicting thoughts. I googled shy bisexual and i was hooked lol. Having chatted with hubby about it he told me to check out the forum where I came to realise I wasn't alone. I made many friends on there over the years ( most who still are friends ) I was asked to be a mod which I gladly accepted and it progressed to admin. I tried so hard to keep the site going but with NO replies from LF I couldn't stop it failing! Even emailing for months after it went I got nothing.
Am so glad its been rekindled and I hope to make more friends this time round lol. Am an open book and can be an ear if you need it x

Thank you for trying so hard Leigh...it's appreciated. It was not your fault and you did an amazing job as a mod and admin.

[Leigh]

Thank you. Means a lot x

[Shymum]

Years ago, about 20, I found this site as I started to really admit to myself I could be bi. I found this site was amazing and made me realise there were so many other women out there, like me who werent sure of what they felt and what to do about it. I did briefly get in touch with someone on here and we nearly met but for some reason it never ended up happening, maybe because my engagement to my fiance broke down... I am not sure. I have just found this site still exists and found that amazing! I have read through a few threads and already this site is bringing me great comfort again in helping me rediscover myself and reasurring me I am not alone. X

[moonbynight]

Just to be clear - we're not the original site, shybi.com. That disappeared in February 2021 for unknown reasons. Eventually a group of us who were still in touch decided to try to get something going again and made this site.