Gay Swchboard Ireland turns 40 this year. Tony Cooney talks about how has diversified to meet the needs of ers, and mental health the LGBT muny.
Contents:
- GAY SWCHBOARD RELNCH AS THE SWCHBOARD WH EVEN MORE SUPPORTS FOR THE LGBTQ+ MUNY
- CELEBRATG 40 YEARS OF GAY SWCHBOARD IRELAND
- GAY SWCHBOARD IRELAND
- GAY SWCHBOARD
GAY SWCHBOARD RELNCH AS THE SWCHBOARD WH EVEN MORE SUPPORTS FOR THE LGBTQ+ MUNY
Gay Swchboard Ireland provis a nfintial telephone support service. Their iendly traed volunteers provi a safe space where support is provid. * gay switchboard ireland *
It was ially nceived as a telephone listeng and rmatn service for LGBTQ people by a group of gay rights activists, cludg Senator David Norris. ” The service officially began 1974 at 48 Parnell Square Dubl, home of the gay rights movement at the time as 1979 Tel-A-Friend had moved to the Hirschfield Centre Temple Bar and would rema there for the next . One of the dited volunteers at the time remarks “…The Samarans reported that of the 180 lls received om homosexuals 1978, 20% were suicidal…” (Patrick McDonagh) people were more likely to ll The Samarans the early years and was que a stggle for the service to fd s’ dience.
CELEBRATG 40 YEARS OF GAY SWCHBOARD IRELAND
Ireland's olst LGBTQIA+ helple. Formerly known as Tel-A-Friend, then Gay Swchboard, The Swchboard has operated sce 1974 providg listeng support and signpostg for members of the lbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, tersex, asexual and other members of the LGBTQIA+ muny. * gay switchboard ireland *
1986 - 1987 was Tel-A-Friend’s bit time wh over 4, 500 lls beg received wh a 12-month perd, but on November 5th 1987 a fire which stroyed The Hirschfield centre left Tel-A-Friend whout a 1989 Tel-A-Friend renamed self Gay Swchboard service ntued over the followg years wh many volunteers g and gog.
GAY SWCHBOARD IRELAND
The Gay Swchboard has relnched as The Swchboard, but still provis the same sential service for the muny, and has grown to offer even more. * gay switchboard ireland *
After spendg a long time hoed Carmicheal Hoe Dubl, 2011 Gay Swchboard Dubl to Outhoe on Capel Street, the recently opened LGBTQ+ rource 2014 the service had 51 volunteers and took 2, 900 lls.
GAY SWCHBOARD
* gay switchboard ireland *
It was also the 40th anniversary of the service and the service changed s name to Gay Swchboard Ireland to reflect the fact that had long been takg lls om all parts of the untry. The Print thanked the volunteers who attend for the huge amount of work they had done the muny over the 2021, after a particularly rough year for many charable anisatns 2020, Gay Swchboard Ireland aga rebrand self as The Swchboard - LGBTQIA Support & Rourc, as creased s outreach to areas of the muny sometim overlooked by offerg new dited support l.
Not many people know this but Ireland's gay swchboard had to be lled Tel-A-Friend when lnched 40 years ago bee the powers-that-were prohibed the word 'gay' beg ed the Irish telephone book. * gay switchboard ireland *
Many people are still rryg enormo shame about their sexualy and have layers of ternalised homophobia still needg to be acknowledged and healed.