I feel like there may be context we're missing here? So what I say may or may not be relevant to you depending on that context - but at least for finding friends, in my experience requires putting yourself out there, be it in the local discord (linked from this reddit), in social events in town, at clubs, in facebook groups about your interests, etc.

When theres stigma around part of your lived experience/identity, or have particular values that are important to you that you want people you trust to be as emotionally intimate as friends are, it can reduce the pool of Potential Friends a bit, for sure. But I think it's important to be mindful of which areas and in which ways you're trying to make friends, and reflect on if youre exposing yourself to a group of people who you're likely to connect with in that way with what you're trying.

I think something else folks sometimes stumble with is putting things on a really high pedestal that comes w a lot of expectations, or doing other stuff that makes it really intimidating or not as safe feeling, emotionally, to potential friends, for them to try to get close to you? So sometimes reflecting on if anything can adjust there might help too.

Otherwise, really, I think the secret ingredient is just: genuine connection really truly takes Time.