Gingerbeer was a London-based virtual community for

lesbian A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...

and

bisexual Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...

women. The name "Gingerbeer" ( Cockney rhyming slang for "

queer ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...

") referred to both the web site, and to the community, which it supported. It was maintained and moderated entirely by a team of

volunteers Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...

. Gingerbeer was initially launched on 1 January 2000, and underwent two subsequent relaunches, firstly on 25 June 2001 and later on 11 November 2005, following a major redesign. Gingerbeer became an official

not-for-profit organisation A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

in March 2004, when it was registered as a limited company by guarantee. The site's main feature was a highly active messageboards forum, with over 2,000 registered members in May 2007. In the eighteen months to the end of May 2007, they logged over 335,000 posts in over 5000 topics or discussion threads. One of the distinctive features of the messageboards was that they supported an active calendar of social, cultural and sporting events across the UK, so that Gingerbeer existed as both a web community and a real-life community. Besides the messageboards, Gingerbeer offered listings of bars, clubs and community events, reviews, and a London guide. Gingerbeer was recommended as a useful resource for lesbians by some travel guides.Bay Area Reporter, Vol 37, No 22
London, England: Europe's 'gay' capital
31 May 2007 Gingerbeer ceased to exist in November 2018.

References

External links

Gingerbeer
{{LGBT social networking services Defunct LGBT organisations in the United Kingdom Lesbian-related websites LGBT social networking services

See also

References

External links