Being a lesbian in Ireland in 1979 was a lonely place to be. Fear of exposure, isolation, abuse and social exclusion were just some of the difficulties they faced, and on top of all this, there was nowhere to turn to for support. A small group of women who had experienced this, knew it was wrong, and decided something needed to be done.
With no money, and against a background of the Roman Catholic church encouraging the view that any same-sex relationships were sinful and immoral, and with male homosexuality still being illegal, they decided to start a helpline. They had so little money that initially it wasn’t even a phone line. It was an address to write to, and someone would write back!
Despite this, other helplines gradually spread across the country, and a community of support and encouragement developed. Still though, they mostly had to remain hidden, with many people still unable to live a full life. But by merely existing, these lines helped spread the word throughout Ireland and let women know they were not on their own. It was hard on the volunteers though. Listening to calls from women who were being physically abused, suicidal even, was tough. No one offered counselling or any training back then.
Until now this has been an undocumented part of Irish LGBTQ+ history, but Cara Holmes’ film, Lesbian Lines gives this story long overdue recognition for the pioneering and the unquestionable life-saving work these women did. With almost no resources, and in the face of enormous public hostility, they did it because they knew it was the right thing to do.
