the purpose of these groups (besides the nifty icon you get if you have no personal icon, and the great color your name can be if you so choose!) is to gain access to the tops-only and bottoms-only forums. you won't even SEE these forums unless you're a member of the group in question. i don't know if the tops' forum is active, but i know that we bottoms occasionally have nifty discussions, free from the cranky... er, prying... er, observant! eyes of our tops.

you join the groups by clicking on "user control panel" and then choosing "usergroups," at which point, you choose which group (or groups) you will join. there has been a general consensus that people don't join both groups, but i think that's up to each individual to decide for themselves.
