Volunteer-run phone lines were a cornerstone of queer community building and collective organizing across Canada in the early 1970s.

Organized and operated by activists and volunteers, phone lines provided callers with emotional support, crisis services, counselling, information about local events, contact information for doctors and lawyers, and more.

LGBTQ2+ phone lines operated throughout Canada in the final decades of the 20th century, however, they slowly fizzled out during the late 90s and early 2000s when other forms of communication technology became widespread.

Phone lines allowed activist groups a way to connect safely, and build community amongst local LGBTQ2+ folks at a time when doing so was constantly under attack. Despite their brief moment in history, the work done on these phone lines was foundational and has had a lasting impact on current LGBTQ2+ communities and the work they do every day.