The Gay & Lbian Swchboard of New York is nsired the "olst operatg GLBT hotle the world". Rerds of phone lls field by volunteers, om March 1972 to July 1983, form most of the archiv of the anizatn, prerved at the New York Public Library as part of s llectn hered om the Internatnal Gay Informatn Center Archiv. In 1977, the anizatn joed wh like-md anizatns to create the jot Gay and Lbian Servic Center , while rporatg on s own as the Gay Swchboard of New York, Inc.
Contents:
- ABOUT THE CENTERSCE 1983 THE CENTER HAS BEEN SUPPORTG, FOSTERG AND CELEBRATG THE LGBT MUNY OF NEW YORK CY. FD MORE RMATN ON AND OUR WORK ABOUT THE CENTER. VIS ABOUT THE CENTEROUR MISSNCYBER CENTERCENTER HISTORYRACE EQUYMEDIA CENTERLEARSHIP & STAFFEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNICORPORATE PARTNERSHIPSANNUAL REPORTS & FANCIAL INFORMATNCONTACT USHOURS & LOTNSEMAPSUPPORT THE CENTER
- GAY & LBIAN SWCHBOARD OF NEW YORK
ABOUT THE CENTERSCE 1983 THE CENTER HAS BEEN SUPPORTG, FOSTERG AND CELEBRATG THE LGBT MUNY OF NEW YORK CY. FD MORE RMATN ON AND OUR WORK ABOUT THE CENTER. VIS ABOUT THE CENTEROUR MISSNCYBER CENTERCENTER HISTORYRACE EQUYMEDIA CENTERLEARSHIP & STAFFEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNICORPORATE PARTNERSHIPSANNUAL REPORTS & FANCIAL INFORMATNCONTACT USHOURS & LOTNSEMAPSUPPORT THE CENTER
Short-term fellow Qun Anex-Ri discs the Gay Swchboard of New York and s llers' daily fears, joys, pleasur, and qutns. * gay switchboard *
By Qun Anex-Ri, NYPL Short-Term FellowApril 28, 2022On the afternoon of March 3, 1972, a man om South Carola picked up his phone to ll the Gay Swchboard of New York for rmatn about gay-iendly plac to vis durg his trip to the cy.
Others sought out emotnal support related to lonels, homophobia, g out, and raisg LGBTQ children. The more than 50 people who lled on the 3rd of March were only a few of many who lled the Gay Swchboard over the urse of s s-long history. The Gay Swchboard was ially nceived the sprg of 1971 by former members of the Gay Activists Alliance and the Gay Liberatn Front as a centralized hub for sharg “rmatn about the radilly new gay liberatn movement and culture born after the June 1969 Stonewall rts.
GAY & LBIAN SWCHBOARD OF NEW YORK
Gay Swchboard Ireland provis a nfintial telephone support service. Their iendly traed volunteers provi a safe space where support is provid. * gay switchboard *
” After a year of planng, the Gay Swchboard began takg lls on January 13th, 1972, makg the first and longt ntually-operatg LGBTQ hotle the untry. Gay Swchboard of New York rerds, box 44The lls field by the Gay Swchboard are rerd thoands of pag of ll logs hoed the Gay Swchboard of New York rerds of the Mancripts and Archiv Divisn at The New York Public Library. The logs pture the day-to-day fears, joys, pleasur, and qutns that prompted llers to reach out to the Gay Swchboard as well as the reactns and thoughts of the volunteers on the other end.
Gay Swchboard of New York rerds, box 44While the nature of the lls might seem relatively mundane to the current observer, the servic offered by the Gay Swchboard of New York were revolutnary. By harnsg the power of the telephone, the Gay Swchboard provid llers wh a safe, discreet, and private platform to accs rmatn about queer-iendly tablishments and to have open discsns about sexualy and queer inty.
The servic provid llers wh a lifele an otherwise hostile polil climate, as many LGBTQ Amerins experienced systematic crimalizatn, homophobia, and excln, even after Stonewall. One such ller om Iowa dited a poem to the Gay Swchboard after receivg support over the phone, wrg “this is a tribute for the volunteers so te / that boy next door Iowa / is gog to make through. ” For llers lik this, the Gay Swchboard of New York not only offered re and advice but nnected LGBTQ people to muny regardls of physil distance.