Contact:
Jill and Gordon Green
Address:
64 Holmside Avenue
Halfway Houses
SHEERNESS
Kent
ME12 3EY
Telephone
01795 661 463
e-mail:
jill&gordon@acceptance.fsnet.co.uk
In writing for literature please enclose a 9"x4" stamped addressed envelope.
"Acceptance is run by parents of people who are gay for parents and families of gay people.
There are plenty of groups and organisations that gay men and women can turn to for help and advice but until recent years very little help and support has been available to the parents and families.
We as founders of "Acceptance" truly appreciate how difficult it can be for a gay child of whatever age, to 'come out' to their parents and we fully realise what distress and torment that child goes though while leading a double life.
We receive telephone calls and letters from all over the British Isles and have recently made contacts in New Zealand, South Africa, Germany, Israel, America and other parts of the globe.
Having been told that our son was gay and having to work out our confused thinking and emotions alone, we realised that other parents in the same situation would probably find comfort in having a 'listening ear'.
When the disclosure that a child, of whatever age is homosexual, the conflict of emotions can be devastating to the parents. To what extent, obviously varies with each individual family.
As parents, feelings of bereavement, shame, guilt and isolation, along with many others are experienced and we can totally empathise with these. However, as in our personal experience and from many others we talk to there can be a positive and happy ending and families can often result in being stronger and a lot happier given the opportunity to help one another.
The helpline offers support and empathy to parents and families who are experiencing difficulties after being told that a member or members of the family are gay. Any enquiries which are outside our actual field of experience will be referred to the appropriate agencies.
We are here to listen to and to help parents to understand their feelings and the feelings of the child they thought they knew.
Newsletters are sent out quarterly for which we ask an annual subscription of (currently) £5. (this being our only regular income) Also available, a compilation of newsletters, Nos 1 to 50 for the current price of £10 including postage.
Meetings (please phone for further details) give parents and families the opportunity to take an active verbal part. This is totally acceptable and understood. Listening may be all that is needed at that particular time. On the other hand, the meetings are geared for those people who feel ready to release their feelings in a group setting and it must be emphasised that strict confidentiality is expected from all participants, in order to maintain an atmosphere of safety and empathy.
Other activities include lobbying MPs etc in campaigns for equal rights for homosexuals. Writing letters, giving talks, and appearing on radio and television, both local and national in a bid to hopefully end the prejudice and bigotry towards the issues of homosexuality.
In common with hundreds of other voluntary organisations who are non-statutory funded we always need donations to finance the cost of stationery, phone bills, photocopying etc.
We also need the right people to help us man the helpline and with fund raising.
Please make cheques for subscriptions and donations payable to "Acceptance".
