Go West

Today’s column is brought to you by the letter -˜L’. Quite often I will have conversations, speaking to a group or facilitating something and I will use the acronym GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender). I do this when I am referring to our community as a whole.

Lesbians and other same-sex attracted women have been such a vital part of our community, walking hand in hand with gay men from the beginning. They’ve been very strong political advocates, carers, and most of all very good friends.

Cumberland Women’s Health Centre has recently set up the Lesbian Access Project to promote services in the Cumberland area. This project has many components and coming up soon on 19 April is their one-day Building Stronger Relationships workshop. Contact Cumberland Women’s Health Centre on 9689 1607 to register or for more information.

If you are looking for information about lesbian health or services in western Sydney for lesbians and other same-sex attracted women, there are many places you can start looking. ACON’s lesbian health officer Siri May coordinates ACON’s lesbian health programs and works in partnership with community services in western Sydney.

Siri is a great source of information when it comes to services and referrals.

At the moment there are social support groups running for same-sex attracted women in Penrith, Blacktown, Richmond, Campbelltown and Macarthur, Liverpool, and the upper Blue Mountains. If you would like contact details or any information on any of these social groups please contact Siri on 9206 2007.

Also, on Tuesday nights at 10pm you can tune into Lesbians on Air, which is a local community radio program broadcasting on 89.3FM, which can be picked up across western Sydney.

Or you can go online and visit www.pinkmountains.com.au or www.olderdykes.org.

Our community is all about diversity; let’s celebrate and remember it.

If you want any information about groups, services, organisations or community events taking place in western Sydney, you can contact Matt Vaughan at ACON on 9206 2064 or [email protected].

Matt Vaughan is the Community Development and Liaison Officer for the ACON Western Sydney Community Development Team.