The History of GLWA through the eyes of Rev. Ivor Holmans (03 May 1933 - 22 June 2007)

Genesis 1:31 "...and God saw everything that God had created and behold it was very good".

Early in 1984 Lance Haines approached the executive of the Free Business Association (the Gay and Lesbian Business Network) for permission to address a monthly dinner gathering at The University of Queensland. Lance had a notion, which was supported by others within the community, to form a counselling team which would offer support and referral and information services to the gay and lesbian community. There was a great need for an accountable service to which people could go regularly for help.

The first twelve-week telephone counselling course for volunteers was facilitated by Lance Haines, Brian Day and Peter North. The course dealt with issues which, until then, many of us had not even considered or been aware of. Subjects included gay and lesbian identity in the historical perspective, coming out, client and counselling issues, counselling skills. We were asked to consider how heterosexual and homosexual people differed, to identify tolerance and acceptance, and to develop pride in ourselves. We discussed strategies for political change and we looked at social myths. Those were just a few of the diverse subjects we studied.

For me it was an eye opener to discover how we as men treated women as subordinates. We men had the first demonstration of the extent of our patriatchal dominance. It was a great lesson for me who had always thought I treated all people with equality.

Twenty-one people volunteered for the first course and of these, three women and six men graduated in the sense that they went on line. By August 1991 there were twenty-eight active telephone counsellors. At the time of writing there are now forty nine. Only two of us from the original team are with the Association now.

GLWA has been known by two other names. First it was called the Brisbane Homosexual Counselling and Information Service. When it was incorporated the name was changed to the Homosexual Counselling and Welfare Service. The name was changed to the Gay and Lesbian Welfare Association during the 1990-91 financial year to acknowledge the Association's lesbian participants.

At formation GLWA's three objectives were to provide:

1. a telephone counselling service
2. a welfare service
3. to conduct research and promote education.

The Association has come a long way since its inception but has kept closely to the ideals determined when it was formed.