We are a curious and distinct group within Mensa – fortunate to have grown up in a world of unprecedented peace, prosperity and education. All Mensans born in the years 1961 through 1981 are potentially eligible for membership in the Generation X Special Interest Group (GenX SIG). It’s been said that this 21 year age range covers such a huge variety of life experiences that it can be broken down further: 1st ten years are known to some as the `Atari Gen Xers’, while 2nd ten years may be called the `Nintendo Gen Xers’.

However you prefer your definitions, we’re bonded by our unique life experience, and use our Groups.io community and Facebook group as our main venues for communication. We’ve come together to enjoy our particular perspective, as we collectively remember pet rocks, devil-child films, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. We’re the first generation of Americans to be completely comfortable with computers, body piercings, and Urkel.

Our group was started in early 2001, with a handful of on-line members. Today we have over a thousand members, and are one of the largest Special Interest Group in the history of Mensa. Many of us have gotten to know each other in person by our attendance at Mensa Gatherings – both national and regional. We’ve met some best friends and even a few spouses here. Be careful – you may get more than you bargained for!

How to Join the GenX SIG

  1. You can request to join the Facebook group and/or the Groups.io Community
  2. Request to join the GenX-Ms Facebook group by initiating a join request to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GenXMs/. Membership verification will require that you answer two questions (name you’re registered under with Mensa, and Member ID) and also request that you email a picture of ID showing your birthdate to excom@genxms.org. Your membership in Mensa and your eligibility for the SIG will be verified and you’ll be welcomed with open arms.
  3. Request to be added to the GenX Ms Groups.io Community by clicking here and sending an email with your full name you use in Mensa, your membership number, a picture of your ID showing your birthdate, and the email address. Your membership in Mensa and your eligibility for the SIG will be verified and you’ll be welcomed with open arms.

Next Steps after Joining

The most critical step is participation. Lurk the groups for a little while to catch on to the flow and then dive right in! Introduce yourself and say hi / howdy / hello / Na-Nu Na-Nu.

Attend a gathering. Mensa’s Annual Gathering is by far the largest and you will meet a ton of GenX-ers there. Regional/local gatherings are smaller and provide a more intimate, but not necessarily quieter, venue to meet people.

The whole point is to meet people that are much like yourself – yes, they’re out there, and you’ve finally narrowed down where to find them!