The Log Books

Tash and Adam listen to Abi McIntosh, our youngest interviewee!, who first listed her sexuality on MySpace...Abi also reflects on her experience of connecting with older queer Black people, and how this has changed how she sees herself.You can listen to Abi on the podcast Black And Gay, Back In The Day on Apple and Spotify.Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam and Tash hear from Faizan, who co-founded Imaan, a network for queer Muslims.Faizan recalls what it felt like to be growing up as a British Pakistani queer person in London in the 80s, and the electricity of a first (good) kiss.Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam and Tash listen to Steph Fuller recall what it was like for trans women to go out on the town in the 90s.Steph reflects on growing up queer and trans, and what it meant to have places to go — in one of our most affecting and intimate interviews yet.Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tash and Adam hear from Monty Moncrieff, who took calls for Switchboard for years and now runs London Friend.Monty remembers what it was like to take difficult calls from LGBTQ+ people, and also to be listened to himself, when he gave his first interview in season 3 of The Log Books podcast.Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam and Tash hear from Clare Truscott, a riotous femme punk who tirelessly serves her community and always has an abundance of stories to tell.Clare reflects on being a part of the podcast and being a lesbian in the 80s and 90s, and how more recently she’s been campaigning to end homophobia in care homes for older people.You can find out more about Clare’s work on Not Going In The Care Closet here.Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tash and Adam listen to Catherine Lee, who qualified as a teacher in the late 80s at a time when it was impossible for lesbians like her to be open at work.Catherine reflects candidly on the impact of sharing her story on the original Log Books podcast, and how her life has transformed from shame to pride.Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tash and Adam hear from Richard Desmond, aka Switchboard’s once resident leather queen.Richard reflects on a life in the LGBTQ+ community, as a leatherman, a volunteer, a friend and lover. We love you, Richard.Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tash and Adam listen to Graham McKerrow, who was editor of the newspaper Capital Gay in the 80s.Graham reflects on his gay adolescence in the 70s, and how he and his partner transformed a South London house into a communal queer home.Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam and Tash hear from Andy Piccos, whose memories of Switchboard stretch back to 1977. Andy remembers the queer family he met through volunteering and living the gay life, and what it was like to come out to his biological, Greek Cypriot family.Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tash and Adam catch-up with Femi Otitoju, one of the original contributors of The Log Books podcast, and one of Switchboard’s most valuable volunteers.Femi reflects on what it meant to have her memories recorded, and how she and others made sure that Switchboard served Black people and women.You can also listen to Femi speaking on the podcast Black And Gay, Back In The Day on Apple and Spotify.Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our book is published TODAY! In this special episode, Tash and Adam read an exclusive excerpt from The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened, published by Faber & Faber.This is a huge milestone for The Log Books project, which started when Tash found the log books over ten years ago. If you listened to our first three seasons, we thank you for sticking with us. If you’re a newcomer: welcome to your queer history!Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tash and Adam hear from Anson Mackay, who left a tiny, remote town in Scotland to embrace a gay identity, and then later another queer identity altogether.Anson reflects with trusting candour on their experiences through the 80s and 90s, and how people feel compelled to explore their gender even before the right words have arrived.Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam and Tash are joined in this episode by Diana James, who discovered herself as a dyke in the 80s and joined Switchboard as its first trans volunteer. Diana discusses what she learnt as she handled phone calls from distressed queer people, and how the older and younger generations need to support each other.Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tash and Adam hear from Ruth Turner, who qualified as a teacher in the 1980s at the height of a destructive public debate over gay and lesbian rights. Ruth recalls the chilling effect of Section 28, the law that forbade her from supporting queer students, and helps Tash to reckon with their own experience in school.Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam and Tash’s first guest is John Lindsay, one of the founders of Switchboard, the national LGBTQIA+ helpline. John takes us back to the first night in the phoneroom in 1974, when a ragtag gang of queers listened out for that first phone call.Buy our book or see our events listings: The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened.Hosted and produced by Tash Walker and Adam ZmithThe voice of the log books: Serena JamesAssistant producer: Marnie Woodmeade Engineer: David PyeMusic: Tom Fosket-BarnesOriginal artwork: Natalie DotoThanks to the Bishopsgate Institute; our publisher, Faber Books; the dreamboats at Acast; the staff and volunteers at Switchboard, and all the contributors who shared their stories.Episode transcripts available here.Call Switchboard on 0800 0119 100, email [email protected] or instant message via www.switchboard.lgbt.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK’s best LGBTQ+ history podcast is BACK. After three groundbreaking seasons from 2019-22, featuring the unique archives at Switchboard, winning a string of awards, we’re returning with a new season.We are Adam Zmith and Tash Walker, hosts and producers, and your guides into queer memories and countless, essential stories.The all-new season of The Log Books will feature intimate interviews we’ve done as research for our book, which will be published by Faber on January 29th 2026.We thought: we can’t fit everything into the book, so let’s bring back the podcast!THE LOG BOOKS season 4 is produced by Aunt Nell. New episodes from January 1st. Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss them!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Quilt: Living memories of queer Britain & Northern Ireland An audio exhibition open to anyone, anywhere, at any time of day, produced and hosted by Tash Walker and Adam Zmith. Born from a collaboration between the producers of the award-winning podcast The Log Books and the UK’s first and only LGBTQ+ museum Queer Britain, challenges who and what makes queer history. The series takes the listener on a journey across the UK, collecting queer memories, from queer people. The Quilt weaves together all these stories and histories, into a beautiful documentary patchwork series. The Quilt is an audio archive for the future.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We'd love to introduce you to this new podcast we've been working Queer Roots and Routes!Queer Roots and Routes is made by a collective. We are queer. We are migrants or descended from migrants. And we want to tell our stories. Stories of where we’ve come from and how we move in the world today.We don’t have a boss or a Beyoncé. So each episode of this six-part first series of Queer Roots and Routes has a different host and a different set of voices from our group. Our promise to you is that our podcast is GORGEOUS, FIERCE, SUPERGAY and... REVOLUTIONARY! We all met through the MAUREEN project by The Love Tank, a not-for-profit community interest company that promotes health and wellbeing of under-served communities through education, capacity building and research.An Aunt Nell ProductionSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We'd love to introduce you to this new podcast Black and Gay, Back in the Day which brings to life a photo archive of Black LGBTQIA+ life in Britain, from the 1970s through to the early 2000s. Each episode is an intergenerational journey focusing on a key photograph from the archive - joining stories of the past, with those of today. Marc Thompson is the gentle, inquisitive and warm guide to the archive, helping a rotation of younger Black LGBTQIA+ co-hosts navigate these often untold stories. Each episode covers a different theme drawn out of a single photograph from the collection, submerging you into Black LGBTQIA+ history.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode made for Nothing Concrete, the podcast of London's Barbican, Tash and Adam riffle through many more items from LGBTQ+ history. The Bishopsgate Institute doesn't just look after the amazing Switchboard log books — they also hold gay badges, protest placards, intimate photo albums and historical trackie tops. Forty of these items are being displayed in the free exhibition Out and About! at the Barbican in London from February 28th to March 21st. To mark the occasion, Adam and Tash made this special episode for Nothing Concrete, featuring archivist Stef Dickers and recorded on location at the Barbican and in the bowels of Bishopsgate.Transcript here.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is it! After three seasons covering 1974 to 2003, Tash and Adam reach the final page in the log books in Switchboard’s archive. In this closing episode of The Log Books, Adam and Tash reflect on all the stories they’ve heard across the three years making this podcast. They also bring to light one type of log book entry that has not yet been covered in the podcast, and listen to young people who are living our queer futures.Thank YOU, our amazing listeners, for joining us on this moving, empowering and joyous journey!Content warning: biphobia, suicide and archaic language about transgender identitiesTranscript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBTQI+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.Music by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rubber? Feet? Piss? Flogging? Role play? What’s your kink? In this episode Tash and Adam listen to dozens of dirty stories from the LGBTQI+ community in the 90s. From the publicly funded multi-gender kink night at the London Lesbian and Gay Centre to people wearing nappies and S&M dykes — this episode is raw, sexy, hilarious... and you’ll never be the same again. We also speak to Alex (the DJ Kiwi) from Crossbreed and Matt Skully about running kinky events and club nights today.Content warning: extreme sex practices and state homophobiaTranscript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBTQI+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.Music by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the 90s more and more lesbians called Switchboard to ask where they could get hold of sperm. All sorts of LGBTQI+ people in the period sought to make families outside of conventional methods and constraints. In this episode, Tash and Adam hear stories from the people who pioneered queer family-making. We also catch-up with some folks who have their own experiences and opinions on what queer family means to them today.Content warning: homophobiaTranscript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBTQI+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.For more information about the themes in this episode, take a look at:NHS info: having a baby if you’re LGBT+ Stonewall: parenting rightsCOTS: Childlessness Overcome Through SurrogacyPACT: Parents and Children TogetherMusic by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is still so much work to be done in making sure LGBTQI+ people with disabilities have what they need, but the 90s saw a definite shift in the right direction. Legal change, growing awareness, and a place at the front of the Pride march. In this episode, Tash and Adam hear from queer disability rights campaigners and, of course, Switchboard volunteers about handling calls about intersecting identities. They also catch up with Erin Ekins about the experience of being queer and neurodivergent today.Content warning: archaic language around disability.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBTQI+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.For more information about the themes in this episode, take a look at:Para Pride: Pride. In. Everyone.Regard: Supporting Disabled LGBTQ peopleMusic by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Understanding and awareness of various gender identities grew from 1992 to 2003, and more and more trans people called Switchboard for support. This episode offers a fascinating insight into how the LGBTQI+ community evolved over the period, and how trans people grew stronger in asserting their identities. Essential listening for anyone interested in the recent history of gender and queer identity. Tash and Adam also hear from Steph Fuller, the general manager of Switchboard, about the nature of calls about gender identity today.Content warning: archaic language around transgender identities, transphobia, and stories of negative medical experiences.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBTQI+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.For more information about the themes in this episode, take a look at:MermaidsLondon FriendGendered Intelligence Music by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On April 30th 1999, the Admiral Duncan gay pub in Soho was bombed by a homophobic Nazi. The attack followed a series of calls to Switchboard threatening violence. In this episode, Adam, Tash and volunteers at the helpline tell the story of the bombing from the phone room, as volunteers rushed to support the LGBTQI+ community. We also hear from John Sizzle, who runs The Glory pub in east London, on creating safer queer spaces today.Content warning: homophobic language, and stories of hate crime and violence.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBTQI+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.For more information about the bombing, we recommend the Netflix documentary Nail Bomber: ManhuntMusic by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Remember how you felt when you first saw the lesbian kiss on Brookside? Or *those* scenes in Queer As Folk? This episode is a tour through the landmark television moments for queer people from 1992 to 2003. Taking in Hayley in Coronation Street and even the calls to Switchboard following a gay storyline on Peak Practice, Tash, Adam and contributors discuss the importance of TV representation, with a few laughs along the way. We also feature a conversation between producers Stella Merz (Gentleman Jack) and Katie Carpenter (Flowers, The Bisexual, Landscapers) about their experience as queer women in the TV industry today, compared to the 90s.Content warning: archaic language around transgender identities.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBTQI+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.Music by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Because Switchboard is set up to support people around matters of sexuality, volunteers sometimes take difficult calls from paedophiles and those who have been the victims of abuse. In this episode, Tash and Adam hear from Switchboard volunteers in the 90s about taking those calls, and how they supported people in these awful situations. This episode also features an interview with Oliver, a Switchboard volunteer today reflecting on taking difficult calls.Content warning: paedophilia, rape, sexual assault, sexual violence, suicide, and archaic language around transgender identities.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBTQI+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.For support around the themes in this episode, take a look at:ChildlineGALOPMusic by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the 90s, if two men had sex and one was under 21, both could be imprisoned, while straight people could legally have sex at age 16. This inequality could not last, and that’s thanks to campaigners such as Hugo Greenhalgh and Euan Sutherland, supported by Stonewall. This is the story of their campaign to equalise the law, and of the Switchboard volunteers who helped. Tash and Adam also hear from Phil Samba, from Prepster and the Love Tank, about his work on campaigning around queer sex today.Content warning: homophobic language.TV clips from Age of Dissent, directed by Will Parry.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBTQI+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.For more information about the themes in this episode, take a look at:StonewallPrepsterThe Love TankMusic by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The internet began to revolutionise LGBTQI+ life in the 1990s: chat rooms, emails, and of course dating websites. In this first episode of the third season of The Log Books, Tash and Adam pull out stories from the archive at Switchboard - the LGBT+ Helpline about people who called to talk about how the internet was changing their experience of sexuality and gender. They hear memories of early online photo searches and hook-ups arranged via chat rooms. And YouTuber Jake Edwards who grew up making videos about their transition and coming out as non-binary, explains their experience on the limits of the internet at making genuine connections today.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBT+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.Music by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.org Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tash and Adam are back, with 11 all-new weekly episodes covering LGBTQI+ life from 1992 to 2003, using calls made to Switchboard in that period.In this opening teaser episode, Tash and Adam visit two special locations to explain what’s coming up in the season. They also play clips from the forthcoming episodes, from the lesbians looking for sperm donors to the kinky group for people who like dressing up as babies.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBTQI+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.Music by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season three of The Log Books launches next week, November 1st, with eleven all-new episodes covering 1992 to 2003, released weekly. FOR NOW — just before our third season begins — we want to share one of our inspirations. Making Gay History. This is such a special podcast to us at The Log Books, for showing us how to bring LGBTQI+ history to life sensitively, now working on its tenth season.To give you a taste of Making Gay History, we’re dropping one of our favourite episodes right here. In this episode, host Eric Marcus interviews Edythe Eyde, who started a newsletter for lesbians in 1947 through illicit use of her typewriter in her office job as a secretary. Edythe even sings for Eric from her porch — one of her witty ditties about cute butches...You can find Making Gay History wherever you get your podcasts or at www.makinggayhistory.com. We hope you enjoy this amazing podcast and come back for The Log Books season three.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News! We’re making season three of The Log Books because we’ve received a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. While you wait, here’s an episode of Call Me Mother, another podcast, featuring an interview with Sandra Caldwell, a 67-year-old actor who was forced to hide part of herself for 40 years. We loved hearing Sandra tell her story to Shon Faye, with such warmth and wisdom, and we think you will too. We’ll be back with the third season of The Log Books later in 2021... See you soon.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have so many fascinating stories for our final episode of the season: a lesbian who helped a gay immigrant to stay legally in the UK, a gay refugee who fled Syria, an Indian who learnt that cruising is different in India, Canada and the UK, and a British Indian who built mixed dance nights for London’s range of cultures.Tash and Adam hear about the people who phoned Switchboard for advice on how to live, love and work in the UK, and from a range of contributors with different perspectives on borders, cultures and LGBTQ+ identity.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBT+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute and the BFI National Archive.‘Louise’ voiced by Cathy Tyson'Sami' voiced by Aso SherabayaniClip from Here and Now: Gay Black Group used with permission from MACE, the Media Archive for Central England at the University of Lincoln. First broadcast on June 26th, 1983.For more information about the themes in this episode, take a look at:Legal advice from the Joint Council for the Welfare of ImmigrantsBlack Pride UKNaz and Matt FoundationKaleidoscope TrustPeter Tatchell Foundation : Speaking out for Human RightsLesbians & Gays Support the MigrantsUK Lesbian & Gay Immigration GroupGaysiansMusic by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a gay bookshop was raided by customs officers in 1984, the booksellers fought back. This is the story of censorship and community solidarity, and it is not the only one in this episode. Tash and Adam explore the actions of the British state to stop people from seeing things that were considered obscene in the 80s. We also feature a story from people whose magazines and posters were seized, and Adam even sings a song.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBT+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute and the BFI National Archive.For more information, take a look at:More about Operation TigerMore about Yulia Tsvetkova’s case Fringe! Queer Film and Arts FestEzra BenistyMusic by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From 1983 to 1991, calls to Switchboard about rape and domestic violence increased in number. So in this episode Tash and Adam hear some of those stories and ask volunteers from the time to share their experience of supporting survivors. This episode also features an account of how Switchboard evolved in order to improve how it handled calls about violence, and an update on how these matters are handled today by GALOP, the LGBT+ anti-violence charity.Content warning: domestic violence, abusive relationships, rape and sexual consent, and suicide.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBT+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute and the BFI National Archive.For more information, take a look at:Get help from GALOPSurvivorsUK for help with male rape and sexual abuseBook: In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado Music by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It wasn’t easy being young in the Eighties! Tash and Adam read log book entries and hear stories about growing up, looking for help, and even a teenager who took the government to court. We also catch up with the changes happening around relationships and sex education in schools right now, via Kaley Foran from The Key.Content warning: Suicide, sexual consent and under-age sex.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBT+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute and the BFI National Archive.For more information take a look at:Brook, a charity with help and advice about healthy relationships and sexual healthSex Education Forum, partners working on relationships and sex education for young peopleThe Key, with advice for school leaders Educate & Celebrate, helping to make education more inclusiveMusic by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1988 the British government passed explicitly anti-gay legislation. Through log book entries from Switchboard, Tash and Adam return to the scene: lawmakers spaffing about what constitutes a family, gay teachers zipping up and living in fear, and bewildered young people with seemingly nowhere to turn to for advice. This episode is filled with untold stories about Section 28 of the Local Government Act and the censorship of LGBTQ+ lives — and concludes with the joyous launch of a new kids’ book by Olly Pike called Kenny Lives With Erica and Martina.Content warning: attacks on LGBTQ+ people, including language that some people may find offensive.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBT+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute and the BFI National Archive.TV clip from Gay Rights – The London Programme, produced by LWT, April 10th, 1987. TV clip from Back In The Closet, produced by Thames TV, January 14th, 1988.For more information about Section 28, take a look at:Section 28 detailed history from the LGBT+ History ForumMusic by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lipstick on the windscreen to tackle homophobia — just one of the stories in this latest episode from 1983 to 1991. Tash and Adam focus on the hostility in the air during this period, from people using HIV/AIDS as a reason for their prejudice to tensions within Catholic families. We conclude by speaking to Hafsa Qureshi about her experience as a bisexual Muslim woman today.Content warning: attacks on LGBTQ+ people and biphobia.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBT+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute and the BFI National Archive.A book: Go The Way Your Blood Beats by Michael AmherstFor more information, take a look at:Imaan, supporting LGBTQ+ MuslimsHidayah, supporting LGBTQ+ MuslimsNaz and Matt Foundation, tackling homophobia triggered by religionTackling biphobia, support from GALOP BiPride UK, a safe space for bisexual people in the UKOneBodyOneFaith, empowering LGBT+ Chrisitans advocating for changeKeshet, supporting LGBTQ+ JewsSarbat, LGBT SikhsQuest, a support group for LGBT+ CatholicsMusic by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every time anything to do with LGBTQ+ life was mentioned on TV or in the newspaper in the 80s, Switchboard volunteers took extra calls. In this episode, Tash and Adam speak to the people behind TV programmes and newspaper columns, and hear about the feverish atmosphere that led to anti-gay legislation in 1988. The section on today has two very special guests: our very own Shivani Dave, and Simon McCallum from the BFI National Archive, both comparing the media today with 1983 to 1991.Content warning: some archaic language that some listeners may find offensive as our contributors discuss how language was used to attack people especially in the media.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBT+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute and the BFI National Archive.LAGNALesbian and Gay Newsmedia Archive at the Bishopsgate Institute TVWatch more episodes of Gay Life on the BFI Player. BooksMediawatch: Treatment of Male and Female Homosexuality in the British Media by Terry SandersonPolicing Desire by Simon WatneyMusic by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some light and laughter in our fourth episode of this season! Tash and Adam hear memories of joy and strength from 1983 to 1991, through the log books at Switchboard and stories from people who remember those years. We also feature the Lesbian Strength Marches, Switchboard’s one-millionth call and an interview with Thigh High, the band who centre their music on queer joy. Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBT+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute and the BFI National Archive.Songs by Thigh High featured in this episode, Go Slow and Nannas on the Rampage, used with kind permission of the band. Listen to Thigh High on Spotify.Music by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bottling attacks and cruel newspaper editorials — this is the story of how the HIV/AIDS crisis hit the LGBTQ+ community in the 80s. Through Switchboard’s unique log book entries, Tash and Adam also uncover the story of a very special volunteer who handled the hardest calls you can imagine. This episode concludes the three-part set of episodes on HIV/AIDS in Season Two, before we move on to other stories found in the log books.Content warning: Illness, death, archaic language, and ill-treatment and discrimination of people living with HIV and AIDS.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBT+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute and the BFI National Archive.TV clip from The London Programme produced by London Weekend Television, 08/03/1985.For more information about the themes in this episode, take a look at:From organisations:All about HIV from the Terrence Higgins TrustAll about PrEP from PrepsterNational Aids Trust, the UK’s HIV rights charityPositively UK, advocates for and supporters of people living with HIVPositive East, health and wellbeing for people living with HIVThe National AIDS Map, which grew out of Switchboard!Tonic Living, which seeks to build LGBT+ affirming retirement communitiesTV:BBC Horizon Killer in the Village from 1983Podcasts:From Probably True with Scott Flashheart:Doctor part 1 Doctor part 2PlagueBooks: Policing Desire by Simon WatneyThe End of Innocence by Simon Garfield AIDS: Don’t Die of Prejudice by Norman FowlerMusic by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tash and Adam continue exploring the HIV/AIDS crisis through the calls made to Switchboard from 1983 to 1991, in this second of three episodes on the subject. This episode contains memories of Switchboard volunteer Mark Ashton, more from George, and further log book entries from the anonymous volunteer looking for others with an HIV diagnosis. We also have untold stories about the UK government’s official public health campaign from 1987 and words from Dr Tristan Barber on the status of HIV prevention and treatment today.Content warning: Illness, death, and ill-treatment and discrimination of people living with HIV and AIDS.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBT+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute and the BFI National Archive.TV clip from Daytime: AIDS produced by Thames TV, 02/07/1988. TV ad clip from the UK government campaign AIDS: Don’t Die of Ignorance campaign produced in 1987. For more information about the themes in this episode, take a look at:From organisations:All about HIV from the Terrence Higgins TrustAll about PrEP from PrepsterNational Aids Trust, the UK’s HIV rights charityPositively UK, advocates for and supporters of people living with HIVPositive East, health and wellbeing for people living with HIVThe National AIDS Map, which grew out of Switchboard!Tonic Living, which seeks to build LGBT+ affirming retirement communitiesTV:BBC Horizon Killer in the Village from 1983Podcasts:From Probably True with Scott Flashheart:Doctor part 1 Doctor part 2PlagueBooks: Policing Desire by Simon WatneyThe End of Innocence by Simon Garfield AIDS: Don’t Die of Prejudice by Norman FowlerMusic by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the story of the early years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic as it has never been told before: through the voices and notes of the people who took phone calls made to an LGBTQ+ helpline. From 1983 to 1991, Switchboard volunteers supported people living with HIV, their loved ones, and people scared of it. In the first of three special episodes that start Season Two of The Log Books, Tash and Adam hear from survivors, a nurse and a doctor, and the people who were among the first to tackle what became a crisis.Content warning: Illness, death, and ill-treatment and discrimination of people living with HIV and AIDS.Transcript here.The Log Books — stories from Britain’s LGBT+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam Zmith, in partnership with Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline. With thanks to the Bishopsgate Institute and the BFI National Archive.For more information about the themes in this episode, take a look at:From organisations:All about HIV from the Terrence Higgins TrustAll about PrEP from PrepsterNational Aids Trust, the UK’s HIV rights charityPositively UK, advocates for and supporters of people living with HIVPositive East, health and wellbeing for people living with HIVNAM AIDS Map, which grew out of Switchboard!Tonic Living, which seeks to build LGBT+ affirming retirement communitiesTV:BBC Horizon Killer in the Village from 1983Podcasts:From Probably True with Scott Flashheart:Doctor part 1 Doctor part 2PlagueBooks: Policing Desire by Simon WatneyThe End of Innocence by Simon Garfield AIDS: Don’t Die of Prejudice by Norman FowlerMusic by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The award-winning podcast The Log Books returns for Season Two! Our brand-new set of episodes cover 1983 to 1991, continuing where Season One left off in 1982. As always, our re-telling of Britain’s history is led by the handwritten notes made by volunteers at Switchboard - the LGBT+ helpline.In this short episode, hosts Tash and Adam return to the Switchboard log books by visiting two locations that are integral to LGBTQ+ history in these years. We hope you’re as excited as we are about the re-opening of The Log Books, and for all the stories, memories and reflections ahead.Transcript here.The Log Books: stories from Britain’s LGBT+ history and conversations about being queer today. Produced in partnership with Switchboard, the LGBT+ helpline.Produced by Shivani Dave, Tash Walker and Adam ZmithNightclub music at the start of this episode by Pond5Music by Tom Foskett-BarnesArtwork by Natalie Dotohttps://www.thelogbooks.orgSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thelogbooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.