Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard

Eastbourne Pride was brilliant this year 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ The turnout for the parade was the largest so far, which was great to see. It was lovely to chat with people about the support we offer for the LGBTQ+ community at our stall in Princes Park. Thanks to everyone who stopped by!

📱💻 If you have questions about your own or anybody else's sexual behaviour, please get in touch.

👍🏼 You can chat to us anonymously and in confidence, and we'll listen carefully and won't judge.

🏳️‍🌈 We'll signpost you to the facts and other sources of information and support.

Happy Trans Pride ‍🏳️‍⚧️ We loved joining the march and running our stall in the Trans Pride community area. It is so amazing to see Trans Pride grow every year, with 40,000 people attending this year. Thanks to all of the many friends, old and new, who stopped by to say hello 💗

Content warning: the last slide honours Trans people who have passed away, many due to violence.

👉 Making new friends after moving to a new area can be a daunting prospect.

🌈 If you're struggling to meet other people from the community, reach out to us.

✅ We'll signpost you to the Sussex groups and venues near you.

💜 We've been at the heart of LGBTQ+ life in Sussex for almost 50 years, helping our rainbow family find information, support and community.

🏳️‍🌈 But now we need your financial help to secure our future.

▶️ Please support us at bit.ly/donate-to-switchboard or by scanning the QR code.

If your family continually make jokes, threaten or ignore your sexuality or gender identity you may be experiencing domestic abuse. Abuse from family members is sometimes not recognised as abuse and written off as a 'family dispute' or having 'different values'. Whether others recognise it or not, help is available. Our domestic abuse service is an LGBTQ-led service, supporting survivors in a safe, inclusive and affirmative community space.

Call us on 01273 359042, or email [email protected] with a number for us to call you back on, and a safe time to call you. You can also use our online forms at switchboard.org.uk/what-we-do/domestic-abuse/

Switchboard had a fabulous day at the Brighton Bear Weekend Garden Party on Sat 13th July. Congratulations to Fran for winning Brighton Bear 2024. Shoutout to other organisations there Terrence Higgins Trust Brighton & Hove Brighton & Hove FrontRunners Brighton & Hove Labour Group Brighton & Hove Green Party Brighton Gay Men's Chorus Rainbow Chorus KatOuttaHere, Thucri Designs, shotokan-ryu karate kyokai kokusai, Bearskin, LGBT Foundation Above Avg. That Gay Creation, Arcobaleno Brighton BOBU: Back Off. Back Up. Kennel Klub South

😪 No LGBTQ+ person should be ridiculed for their sexuality. It's just not on.

🤝🏼 If it's happening to you, don't suffer on your own.

💛 Reach out to us and we'll listen and help. We're here for you if you need us.

We're Hiring: Fundraising Manager

We're looking for an experienced and proactive professional to oversee Switchboard’s fundraising and income generation - does this sound like you? If so, take a look at our job pack and consider joining this award-winning team.

https://www.switchboard.org.uk/were-hiring-fundraising-manager

🏳️‍🌈 If you're new to Sussex, finding out about services for LGBTQ+ people can be difficult.

✅ This is where we come in.

👉🏿 Reach out to us and we'll signpost you to q***r organisations, groups and venues near you.

💙 Get in touch and we'll help.

July 14 is International Non-Binary People's Day! Non-binary is an umbrella term for anyone who doesn't fit into the gender binary of man or woman. Many gender identities can fall under non-binary, including agender, demigender, genderfluid, genderq***r, pangender, and more. There's no wrong way to be non-binary.

A big thank you to Hove Waitrose & Partners for their awareness table they set up for us yesterday and the donation of care bags for our service users. We really appreciate your support!

Disabled LGBTQ+ people shouldn't have to live in fear of abuse, help is out there. If you're experiencing domestic abuse from your partner, family member or carer, we're here to support you. Our service is confidential, independent and non-judgemental.

Call us on 01273 359042, or email [email protected] with a number for us to call you back on, and a safe time to call you. You can also use our online forms at switchboard.org.uk/what-we-do/domestic-abuse/

❤️ If you live in Sussex and need sexual health advice, please get in touch.

We'll signpost you to services that can provide you with the support you need.

Reach out if we can help.

We're Hiring: Fundraising Manager

We're looking for an experienced and proactive professional to oversee Switchboard’s fundraising and income generation - does this sound like you? If so, take a look at our job pack and consider joining this award-winning team.

https://www.switchboard.org.uk/were-hiring-fundraising-manager/

💛 If you've just moved to or the surrounding area and don't know about services for the LGBTQ+ community, please reach out to us.

🌈 We'll give you the lowdown on our services and introduce you to those run by other organisations which may be able to support you.

Being bullied for who you are is unacceptable.

If this is happening to you and you don't know where to turn, please turn to us.

We're here for you every step of the way if you need us.

We'll listen to everything you say and give you as much support as we can.

🌈 Meeting people like you after moving to a new area can be tricky.

But you don't have to try to make friends on your own. We can help connect you.

Reach out to our helpline team in confidence, and they'll give you all the info you need.

At Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard, we recognise the historic lack of inclusive domestic abuse services for trans, non-binary and intersex people. Our service supports all LGBTQ+ survivors.

Call us on 01273 359042, or email [email protected] with a number for us to call you back on, and a safe time to call you. You can also use our online forms at switchboard.org.uk/what-we-do/domestic-abuse/

🌳 If you're LGBTQ+, living in a rural area can be isolating if you don't know how to access support from the rainbow community.

✅ We can help by connecting you to a range of q***r services.

🌈 Reach out by phone, email or webchat, and we'll provide you with support.

↘️ If you feel that your mental health is beginning to slide, please reach out to us.

🥰 We'll have a chat and listen very carefully to everything you have to say.

👍🏼 And if we can't help, we'll signpost you to someone who can.

💙 We rely on donations from people like you to run our services.

🌈 This support helps us reduce social isolation, improve mental wellbeing and offer a listening ear to LGBTQ+ people across Sussex.

👍🏽 Please scan the QR code or click bit.ly/donate-to-switchboard to fund our work. Thank you.

✍️ As an asylum seeker, you might find form-filling difficult. We can help.

🌈 We can also refer you to our International Rainbow Inclusion Service.

🧡 Please contact us and we'll signpost you to people who can help.

📞 Switchboard has weekly support groups through our specialist International Rainbow Inclusion Service. Our helpline can provide details and refer you to the group.

👂🏽 You can talk to us anonymously - we'll never judge you.

🥰 You're not on your own. We're here for you.

It's (17-23 June)! We're celebrating with our IRIS service, set up with Conversation Over Borders which offers support for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

One IRIS member said "Everyone here is nice and I've gained confidence to talk to people. I've been able to make friends, get food vouchers, and get support with my dental care."

Another IRIS member said "I've enjoyed meeting LGBT people here because it isn't easy to in the country I am from. We get to meet lots of different professionals and learn about topics like sexual health, reporting harassment and getting vaccinated. It's nice to have a support system.”

Learn more at bit.ly/3Uewl8w and support IRIS at bit.ly/donate-to-switchboard

📞 We're here to support LGBTQ asylum seekers. We can refer you to our specialist International Rainbow Inclusion Service for one-to one and group support.

👂🏽 You can talk to us anonymously and we'll never judge you.

🥰 You're not on your own. We're here for you.

🌍 Being in a new country can be hard, especially if you are LGBTQ.

🌈 All our listeners are LGBTQ. You can talk to us anonymously, and we never judge.

🥰 You're not on your own. We're here for you.

🆕 Refugee Week (17-23 June) starts today!

🌈 We're celebrating with our IRIS service, set up with Conversation Over Borders, which offers support for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

✅ Learn more at bit.ly/3Uewl8w and support IRIS at bit.ly/donate-to-switchboard



Main design courtesy of Manjit Thapp.