Welcome, dear reader, to, believe it or not - our December issue. It’s been a tough 2020 for all of us, and for a large portion of that year, we had to put pause on the publication of our print edition. So, needless to say, the GCN family are feeling particularly blessed to be able to present this issue of the magazine to you, and to help, in our own way, to keep our community connected. Thank you all so much for the support through this challenging year, it has meant the world to us and your generosity and energy keeps us going.
In this particular issue, it’s obvious to say, lockdown features a bit. Firstly, we share the findings of the essential LGBTI+ Life in Lockdown Survey Report - a joint project between LGBT Ireland, the NXF and GCN highlighting the challenges the community has faced during these strange times. Alongside that, the National LGBT Helpline also celebrates 10 years of providing vital community support -happy birthday, team!
Speaking of birthdays, the birth of a child is always going to be a dramatic time in anyone’s life, but Ranae von Meding speaks to LGBTQ+ families who had the added pressure of welcoming babies into the world in the midst of a pandemic and sees how they fared.