Meet LGBT+ friends

The private community app for gay, lesbian, bi, trans, and queer people. Find events, friends, networking, and more.

About   
Michael Toler (@casbahmike) - Collective Profile | Providence, US Just an average guy working in academia. Kinda shy! Looking for conversation. What are your favorite cities, books, songs, architects, movies? Recent posts: a black background features a quote attributed to albert einstein, alongside a chalk drawing of the famous equation e=mc² on a chalkboard., a vibrant purple clematis flower blooms amongst lush green leaves in a garden setting. the flower's delicate petals are spread wide, revealing its yellow center, while a single bud rests below., close-up of vibrant pansy flowers with yellow, pink, and deep burgundy petals. the flowers are blooming in pots, suggesting a garden setting., an outdoor art installation made of wood and colorful fabrics is set up in a sandy area on a college campus. the abstract sculpture features a wooden frame adorned with various textiles, creating a vibrant and eclectic display., a screenshot of a phone displaying song lyrics by iris dement titled 'wasteland of the free'. the lyrics criticize politicians and corporate influence, reflecting on the state of democracy., a young boy walks past a vibrant mural on the side of a white building in a sunny, outdoor setting. the mural features abstract arabic calligraphy in shades of blue, green, and purple, with a painted seascape on the right side., a close-up shot of bright yellow daffodils blooming in a garden bed, with a wooden fence in the background., the album art features the song title "steppin' outside" in bold green lettering, with "(feat. tyler childers)" in smaller green text below. the artist's name, "cory branan," is written in large pink bubble letters curving around the left side of the, the stage of a theater is set for a performance of 'the outsiders' musical. the backdrop features a stylized illustration of figures running, with the show's title prominently displayed. red velvet curtains frame the stage, and an audience is visible, a collection of colorful, dome-shaped buildings are clustered together in a desert landscape, with rugged mountains in the background. the unique architecture features a variety of bright colors, including blue, yellow, red, and green, creating a vib, a man wearing a black cowboy hat and a purple western-style shirt stands in a dry, grassy field under a bright blue sky. he has light brown hair and stubble on his face., this is album art for lori mckenna's album "the bird & the rifle." the artwork features a vintage rifle, a bird perched on a branch, and various botanical elements like flowers and leaves, all rendered in a hand-drawn, illustrative style., the image is an album cover featuring abstract geometric shapes in pastel colors. the album title, "i get along without you very well," and artist, "chrissie hynde with the valve bone woe ensemble," are prominently displayed., a retro album cover features a disco ball and the title 'mutiny after midnight' in a stylized font. text below announces the release date and available formats: vinyl, cd & cassette only., a man wearing glasses, a camouflage and orange baseball cap, and a red t-shirt that says "libraries are essential" poses for a selfie. the hat has the words "y'all means all" on it., .
Profile Picture

Michael Toler @casbahmike

Just an average guy working in academia. Kinda shy! Looking for conversation. What are your favorite cities, books, songs, architects, movies?
Providence, US
ResearchGate Bluesky
architecture
urban design
politics
literature
history
cycling
hiking
gardening
languages
live music
A black background features a quote attributed to Albert Einstein, alongside a chalk drawing of the famous equation E=mc² on a chalkboard.
Relatable!
A lot people on this app list gardening as an interest, but I wish more people would share photos. Here’s one of mine! Clematis.
Close-up of vibrant pansy flowers with yellow, pink, and deep burgundy petals. The flowers are blooming in pots, suggesting a garden setting.
Pansies in our pots!
An outdoor art installation made of wood and colorful fabrics is set up in a sandy area on a college campus. The abstract sculpture features a wooden frame adorned with various textiles, creating a vibrant and eclectic display.
This is so MIT!
A screenshot of a phone displaying song lyrics by Iris DeMent titled 'Wasteland of the Free'. The lyrics criticize politicians and corporate influence, reflecting on the state of democracy.
Much of this song describes my country (US) today as it did when it was released first released in 1996! There’s the verses above and other like “We pilfer oil then throw a party when we win…”
Born a worm Spins a cocoon Goes to sleep Wakes up a butterfly! On what the f—k is that about? What the f—k is that about? -Dan Reeder
A young boy walks past a vibrant mural on the side of a white building in a sunny, outdoor setting. The mural features abstract Arabic calligraphy in shades of blue, green, and purple, with a painted seascape on the right side.
A mural in the coastal city of Asilah, Morocco painted by Syrian artist Khaled Al-Sa’ai for the city’s annual art festival. The artist is known for his abstract use of Arabic calligraphy.
“Dating” apps are not built to help people find a partner for a long-term relationship. It’s not in their interest They oblige us to make quick decisions about potential partners based on a couple of photos and very limited information because it is not in their interests for too many users to find their “reason for deleting” the app. They want you to keep coming back. With their checklists and comparability filters, they make superficial factors deal breakers and are training us to believe the perfect match is out there and that we can only be happy with him. Sadly, in all but the largest cities, the apps (and the digital revolution more broadly) have led to the demise of so many places where we used to gather and meet: the local gay bookstore, bar, community center, sauna, adult movie theater, sex shop, and even city park at night. While the places at the end of the list are mostly locations for anonymous hookups, I know of numerous longterm relationships that began in one of them. Someone slipped their phone number to the other or two men decide to leave together for a drink or bite to eat. What do you think? Are the apps destroying gay communities or helping us find love?
A close-up shot of bright yellow daffodils blooming in a garden bed, with a wooden fence in the background.
Daffodils in the garden
The album art features the song title "STEPPIN' OUTSIDE" in bold green lettering, with "(FEAT. TYLER CHILDERS)" in smaller green text below. The artist's name, "CORY BRANAN," is written in large pink bubble letters curving around the left side of the
Love this new tune!
That time of year thou mayst in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. In me thou see'st the twilight of such day As after sunset fadeth in the west, Which by and by black night doth take away, Death's second self, that seals up all in rest. In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire That on the ashes of his youth doth lie, As the death-bed whereon it must expire, Consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by. This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong, To love that well which thou must leave ere long. - Shakespeare, Sonnet LXXIII
The stage of a theater is set for a performance of 'The Outsiders' musical. The backdrop features a stylized illustration of figures running, with the show's title prominently displayed. Red velvet curtains frame the stage, and an audience is visible
Last night at the theater: The Outsiders. I loved the book when I was young, and now I love the musical, too!
A collection of colorful, dome-shaped buildings are clustered together in a desert landscape, with rugged mountains in the background. The unique architecture features a variety of bright colors, including blue, yellow, red, and green, creating a vib
So many people list architecture as an interest, but so few of us share photos of architecture. So here is a recipient of the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2026, Majara Residence and Community Redevelopment in Iran, an eco-resort on Hormuz Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
A man wearing a black cowboy hat and a purple western-style shirt stands in a dry, grassy field under a bright blue sky. He has light brown hair and stubble on his face.
A beautiful French adaptation of the Townes Van Zandt classic by a Texas-based singer-songwriter.
This is album art for Lori McKenna's album "The Bird & The Rifle." The artwork features a vintage rifle, a bird perched on a branch, and various botanical elements like flowers and leaves, all rendered in a hand-drawn, illustrative style.
Another singers version of this song claimed high on the charts, but this version is by the women who wrote it, and it hits more powerfully, at least to me!
The image is an album cover featuring abstract geometric shapes in pastel colors. The album title, "I Get Along Without You Very Well," and artist, "Chrissie Hynde with the Valve Bone Woe Ensemble," are prominently displayed.
I’ve never really thought of Chrissie Hynde as a chanteuse until Apple Music suggested this and a few other records she made without The Pretenders. This one is a jazz album and I love it!
A retro album cover features a disco ball and the title 'Mutiny After Midnight' in a stylized font. Text below announces the release date and available formats: Vinyl, CD & Cassette Only.
This album by Johnny Blue Skies, aka Sturgill Simpson, reached #3 on Billboard’s album chart despite not yet being released on a streaming platform! I helped that happen and I’m glad I did because it’s a great record!
I see a lot of complaints about the lack of engagement on this app. I see the point, but I have a suggestion for users that may help. Post captions on the photos you share so that we have something to comment on. If you share a scenic image, work of art, building or street scene, tell us where it is or why you felt the photo was worth sharing. If you share a gym selfie, tell us what you were working on that day or what you wanted to show off in the pic. If you post an interior view, tell us if it’s somewhere you live, work, or are visiting. They don’t have to be long captions, just something that makes your image easier to comment on than the countless others that are almost just like it. Otherwise, all we can do is like the photo or comment something banal like “hot” or “nice.”
A man wearing glasses, a camouflage and orange baseball cap, and a red t-shirt that says "LIBRARIES ARE ESSENTIAL" poses for a selfie. The hat has the words "Y'ALL MEANS ALL" on it.
Just a silly selfie! The hat features a lyric from this song: “Y’all means all.”
A law was made a distant moon ago here, July and August cannot be too hot; And there's a legal limit to the snow here in Camelot. The winter is forbidden till December, And exits March the second on the dot. By order summer lingers through September In Camelot. Could someone please direct me to this Camelot? It’s chilly here today! 3 degrees! Only yesterday it was 21!
A poem titled 'On An Unsociable Family' by Elizabeth Hands is displayed on a gradient background transitioning from dark green to lighter green. The text is white and centered on the screen.
O what a strange parcel of creatures are we, Scarce ever to quarrel, or even agree; We all are alone, though at home altogether…
A striking, reddish-brown mud brick mosque stands prominently in a sun-drenched landscape. The building features multiple towers and intricate facade details, with sparse trees and grassy ground surrounding it.
Not in Mali or anywhere in Africa, but a concrete simulacrum of a mud brick mosque located in the beachfront town of Frejús, on the Côte d’Azur in France.
A close-up shot of a pink and purple fuchsia flower hanging from a black chain. The flower is surrounded by numerous green buds and lush green foliage in the background.
Fuchsia
Love this clock at MIT!
A hand holds a photograph of a deceased person lying in an open casket, surrounded by flowers. The photo is in a plastic sleeve, with other photos stacked beneath it.
Creepy things you can find in an antique store: Someone else’s photo of an embalmed relative in her casket. I’ve never even been tempted to take a photo of anyone laid out for their funeral, but having found this, I find myself imaging stories behind the photo and its journey to the shop!
A man in a plaid shirt, baseball cap, and glasses holds a coffee cup while wearing headphones. The selfie appears to be accidental, taken from a low angle with a modern building visible in the background.
From this morning, a completely accidental selfie I didn’t even know I took! 🤣
Two jars of Litehouse freeze-dried basil are prominently displayed on a grocery store shelf, alongside other spices and herbs. The jars have blue lids and feature labels indicating the product is freeze-dried basil, with pricing visible below.
Why’s there no fresh basil at my local grocery store!?!? There’s only this freeze dried and a tiny container of “fresh” pre-chopped basil! WTF?
Who are your favorite bands, singers, songwriters, composers, or musicians that no one has ever heard of? It can be any genre, language, culture, or era. I’m always looking to discover music that is new to me and am curious about the range of musical tastes among Collective users.
A wide shot of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus on a clear day. The foreground features a large, paved plaza with a grid pattern, leading to a wide set of concrete stairs. Above the stairs, a large concrete overhang creates a dr
MIT
A close-up shot of a textured paper with a poem typed in black ink. The poem details the author's past struggles with addiction, self-harm, and eating disorders, and how they found their voice through writing.
By Molly S. Hillery
A glimpse through an interstice caught, Of a crowd of workmen and drivers in a bar-room around the stove late of a winter night, and I unremark’d seated in a corner, Of a youth who loves me and whom I love, silently approaching and seating himself near, that he may hold me by the hand, A long while amid the noises of coming and going, of drinking and oath and smutty jest, There we two, content, happy in being together, speaking little, perhaps not a word. -Walt Whitman, “The Glimpse”
A black and white portrait of two women in vintage attire. The woman on the left wears a dramatic puffed-sleeve top and a polka-dot skirt, while the woman on the right is in a velvet dress.
The original version was released in 1966. Fifty years later, it’s still very relevant!
A unique architectural design featuring curved, organic shapes and stepped pathways is illuminated at night. Lush green trees are planted in circular beds, adding a touch of nature to the earthy-toned structures under a deep blue sky.
Another image from Majara Residence and Community Redevelopment on Hormuz Island. Let’s hope it remains intact after the current conflict.
This is an album cover for "Texas Rain" by Townes Van Zandt. The album features many artists, including Emmylou Harris, Freddy Fender, and Willie Nelson. The cover features a close-up of a man's face, with the album title and artist name prominently
And for the sake of comparison, the original song with the writer and the angel-voiced Emmylou Harris!
A chaotic collage of images, featuring planes, military equipment, and various political figures, with the text "EVERYTHING IS GREAT!" prominently displayed in pink bubble letters.
A very funny, but dark, letter from America. We’re not doing so great.
A group of five women, dressed in punk-inspired fashion, pose against a vibrant red background. They are holding musical instruments, including guitars and a keyboard, and appear to be a band. The text "RIOT WOMEN" is prominently displayed at the bot
This show is so good!
This is album art for the Carolina Chocolate Drops' album 'Genuine Negro Jig'. The painting features three people in profile, with a woman in the center with her eyes closed and braided hair. A guitar is depicted at the bottom of the image.
Bet you’ve not heard this song like this before!
Hypothetical: You’ve been condemned to spend the rest of your life listening to only 3 albums. What are they?
A vintage book cover features an ornate border with floral motifs. The center of the cover displays a quote from the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám in elegant white text against a backdrop of intricate green floral patterns.
The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, Quatrain XI, Edward Fitzgerald, translator. Published 1859.
A man wearing glasses, a beard, a camouflage baseball cap, and a blue and light blue striped puffy jacket with a penguin logo is taking a selfie in a car. He is also wearing headphones around his neck.
Yesterday was shorts and shirtsleeves weather, though rainy; today I’m wearing this and am still cold! Why! Oh why!
A tabby cat sits on top of a bookshelf filled with books, looking out a window.
“Tsundoku (積ん読) is the phenomenon of acquiring reading materials but letting them pile up in a home without reading them.” 😂
A vibrant, colorful oil painting depicts a bustling street scene with various elements including a building, carts, a fire hydrant, and a street light. The artwork, titled "Greene Street" by Beauford Delaney, is rendered in a bold, expressive style w
Beauford Delaney, “Greene Street,” 1946, oil on canvas, 16 inches by 20 inches; J. Harwood and Louise B. Cochrane Fund for American Arts, Virginia Museum of Fine Art
Michael Toler is on Collective
The private community app for LGBTQ+ friends, networking, events and more.
See their full profile in the app
Sign Up
Join 100,000 members Download
Profile Picture
Michael Toler is on Collective
Get the app to continue
Download