Remembering Rainbow Afternoon
About this event:
Switchboard Victoria is based on the lands of the Yaluk-ut Weelam clan of the Boon Wurrung peoples.
We acknowledge that our work takes place on lands that are under colonial occupation and that sovereignty has never been ceded. We hope to pay our deepest respects to Boon Wurrung elders, past and present, and wish to extend this respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People across this Country we know as Australia.
Remembering Rainbow afternoons at VPC:
Be part of creating our memorial with other LGBTIQA+ people who are bereaved, to remember our loved ones we have lost to suicide. At Switchboard, we know the power of collective spaces to come together in the face of loss and pain to generate hope through action. We are inviting our community to pay tribute and remember the lives of our LGBTIQA+ loved ones we have lost to suicide by continuing to build upon our Remembering Rainbow.
Event information
Where: Victorian Pride Centre, Lobby
When: Wednesday 15th and Saturday 18th November 2pm – 5pm.
Who can attend: Anyone who is part of LGBTQIA+ communities. You may bring along anyone you might like to show the Rainbow to, or would like to have with you to be part of this activity.
Event Activities
Our activities for these afternoons are to embroider/sew the names of LGBTIQA+ people who have suicided on colourful ribbons for the Remembering Rainbow. We will have volunteers guiding craft activities and offering help - no prior craft experience is required.
We know that holding spaces for our loved ones, coming together and creating a community memorial can be powerful for our processing of our losses. We hope the symbolism in this Rainbow creates spaces for us to grieve, and know our loved ones have a space in collective LGBTIQA+ memorial and ceremony.
Supporting you to be there
If there are ways we can make it more comfortable for you to attend and participate, please let us know.
Can't attend in person?
We know some folks are interstate or unable to make it and would to tie a ribbon, please write to us at bereavement@switchboard.org.au and we will tie one on for you and send you a photo.
About the Remembering Rainbow
Our Remembering Rainbow is a physical tribute memorialising the names of LGBTIQA+ people across Australia who have taken their own lives on colourful ribbons. By tying ribbons on the Remembering Rainbow, we tell the world that the countless people in our communities who experience suicidality and those who we have lost to suicide will not be forgotten, their lives and stories live on because we are taking action together. We hope the Remembering Rainbow can offer us a way to hold memory, space and commemorate LGBTIQA+ loved ones.
About LGBTIQA+ loss after a suicide
Sadly, many of us who identify as part of LGBTIQA+ communities have experienced the heartache of loss after a suicide. You can read more about suicide loss on our online suicide prevention hub, CHARLEE. Visit: https://www.charlee.org.au/lgbtiqa-experiences-of-grief
About suicide prevention at Switchboard
Switchboard is a LGBTIQA+ community organisation and the national leading organisation providing suicide prevention, intervention and postvention programs to LGBTIQA+ people. Established in 2019, our dedicated LGBTIQA+ suicide prevention program is centred on research and building community resilience through peer-led lived experience activities.
To find out more about our Bereavement Program: If you have experienced the loss of a loved one to suicide, and would like support, please contact our LGBTQIA+ Suicide Bereavement program to speak with one of our program staff. Email: bereavement@switchboard.org.au call/text: 0437 918 239