Page 4, High Gear
66
HIGH GEAR interview
Good Evening, Gay Hotline"
By JEANNETTE
Because of the volunteer drive, starting this month, to boost the roll of volunteers working Cleveland's Gay Hotline, I thought it would be advantageous for our readers to meet two typical Hotline workers. Both Hotline workers, Lynda and John, were very cooperative and seemed to be dedicated and sensitive volunteers eager to help all callers with counseling, referrals, and information.
HIGH GEAR: How long have you been a volunteer on The Hotline?
LYNDA: Since August of 1981. JOHN: I started in November 1981, so, almost a year.
HG: Just what compelled you to donate your time to The Hotline?
J: I found out about The Hotline in the phone book during a time that I needed a service like it. I came down to the Gay Community Center and found out that The Hotline was accepting volunteers and decided it was something that I wanted to do. I wanted to get involved in the gay community. I guess just to help other gay people go through what I had gone through -being able to help other people through the stage when they are trying to find themselves.
L: About this time last year, I needed The Hotline. I was having some problems and the Hotline helped me with them. I wanted to give back some of the help that I got. If I can give back just a small portion of the help I got, it's worth my time. HG: Have you gained anything from working The Hotline?
L: Oh, definitely. I've developed an awareness of myself that I didn't have before. I'm more understanding than I thought I was -I had always thought myself to be more conservative than I am. When you
listen to others, you always see some part of yourself in them. Sometimes when you look at problems from the outside, you get a better understanding of what's happening with others and with yourself, too.
J: First of all, a sense of satisfaction that I'm able to help people. It's hard to express the kind of a high that you get from talking to someone and realizing that you are able to help them with their problems. Second, I have gained a greater understanding of the problems that other gay people have gone through and a greater understanding of gay life.
HG: What about working The Hotline has surprised or amazed you the most?
J: The thing that surprised me most was the relative ease with which one can become a Hotline volunteer. You'd be surprised at the amount of knowledge that you have that can be shared with gay brothers and sisters even over the telephone. We've all gone through the same things that other people are going through right now in deciding whether the gay lifestyle is really what is right for them.
L: I'm amazed by the number of calls and the number of different situations that The Hotline handles. HG: Why is this "amazing"?
L: I never would have thought, before working The Hotline, that, first, there are as many calls as do come in, and, second, that the calls range from personal problems, sexual problems, to just basic information inquiries. The reason for this diversity, I think, is that it's so much easier to talk to someone whom you don't know via the telephone than to talk face-to-face.
HG: Since working The Hotline, what has been your best experience?
L: The friendships that I've made with other Hotline workers.
DOWNTOWN BOOKS & NEWS
accepted
open 24 hours.
visa and mastercharge
X-Rated Video Tapes
Large Selection Of Gay Magazines & Films
New Expanded Movie Arcade
120 Selections
1352 West Sixth, corner W. 6 and St. Clair
(216) 861-4869
HG: What about the best experience in dealing with callers?
L: In that case, it would be learning about the gay community itself. Before working The Hotline, I had no knowledge of exactly what went on in this town regarding gays.
J: It has to be a three-hour call I had a couple of months ago that started out with the caller being very upset and distraught with the gay feelings he was having, and ended up with him having a greater understanding of gay life and being able to make decisions on his own regarding the kind of lifestyle that he wants for himself.
HG: What's been your worst experience?
J: Most definitely, a 2-hour suicide call that I received about 6 weeks after I completed my training -that has to be my worst time since working The Hotline. What made it bad was that the man hung-up shortly after he became groggy from all the drugs he said that he had taken. I never knew what had happened if he really had killed himself--that's what made it so bad. He had problems with gay life and with life itself. It's hard to know what to tell someone like that. I'm just glad that this type of call, and suicide calls themselves, are very, very
infrequent.
L: I really have not had a bad experience yet while working The Hotline.
HG: One more question before we finish. What do you see as the most important function of The Hotline to Cleveland's gay community?
L: I think that The Hotline has two very important functions: First, to dispense information as to what is going on in the community and what is available to gays, and, second, it's someplace where gays can talk as openly as heterosexuals do about problems and relationships in their lifestyle. Gays, sometimes, are more likely to be closeted and The Hotline is just somebody to talk to about problems with lovers and the lifestyle. It's a needed thing in gay life.
J: The Hotline's most important function, in my opinion, is to be able to provide the gay community with the resources to help people who are just coming out, to provide them with advice, counseling, referrals, information, etc., and, also, to disseminate information regarding the businesses -the bars, baths, etc. -and the happenings within the community.
HG: Lynda and John, you both are super people. Keep up the good work.
New Year's Eve 1981 for women
Sponsored by L.I.G.H.T. with the assistance of Oven Productions
Featuring
Deb Adler-Live at 9:00 p.m. signed for the hearing impaired
Disco at 10:00 p.m.
"Light Buffet" by Anythyme Caterers Cash Bar-Complimentary Champagne
Ticket Information:
$10 in advance/$12 at the door On sale at Coventry Books or from Women of L.I.G.H.T.: Phone reservations: 661-1856
Advance Mail Reservations (Only until December 20): Sarah Adams
947 Vineshire Rd., Cleveland Hts., OH 44121 Work Exchange: 381-8179
G.E.A.R. Membership Rebate: $1 in drink tickets
Door Priz
Raffle