In Newfoundland & Labrador, the lesbian/gay community exists primarily in St. John's. It is in the capital city that lesbian women & gay men can readily access support groups such as NGALE (Newfoundland Gays & Lesbians for Equality), or where they can safely meet at the local gay bar & gay-friendly coffee shops. Although members of the lesbian/gay community in St. John's are constantly exposed to heterosexism, for the most part, they need not be isolated. They can find some degree of comfort in discussing its effects with each other. But not all lesbians choose, or are able, to live in St. John's and not all lesbians who reside in St. John's participate in the gay community.
Newfoundland and Labrador is comprised mostly of rural communities, many of which are fairly isolated. Because of the associated risks of revealing ones identity, particularly in small, conservative towns, LGBT are not only isolated by geography, but by their invisibility. Not only are they invisible to their neighbors, but also to the very people with whom they should feel safe to be honest -- their caregivers. Their social workers, physicians, insurance agents, etc. Health and security workers are governed by the policies and procedures of their agencies and these often assume that everyone is heterosexual.
Unfortunately, this often leads to heterosexism. For LGBT, particularly in rural parts of the province, these heterosexist practices are totally isolating.
The Internet can provide many LGBT with their first sense of community. As computers become more accessible in libraries, colleges, women's and community centres, as well as in private homes, so will Internet access. The primary advantage of the Internet is anonymity -- a woman can privately and safely communicate with other lesbians, without the risk of inadvertently outing herself.