With funding for projects involving older lesbians difficult to attract and the cost of maintaining an incorporated body becoming more expensive, the NSW Matrix Guild decided to ‘de-incorporate’ in mid-2000 and reconnect with the Sydney Ten Forty group. Its outstanding funds were donated to Ten Forty to establish a website to serve the needs of older lesbians.

Ten Forty Matrix then made a successful application to LINC (the funding wing of the Lesbian Space Project) for an enhancement grant which, together with the Matrix funds, enabled us to employ a professional web designer.

Our argument was that there are growing numbers of older lesbians (in keeping with the demographic profile of the general population) scattered throughout metropolitan, regional and rural areas who find it difficult to locate others.

There are also many issues affecting the lives of older lesbians that are different to those of younger lesbians. Until now, older Australian lesbians have had to rely on websites generated in the USA for information and contact with others. We hope that our website www.olderdykes.org , which has been operating since 2001, inspires lesbians across Australia and the world to contribute to our What’s on page and publish stories and articles about what it’s like being an older dyke in the 21st Century!

www.olderdykes.org is managed by a group of Ten Forty Matrix volunteers with various levels of IT expertise. We call ourselves the Websisters. In early 2007, Ten Forty Matrix agreed to fund the annual expenditure associated with the website, including web server costs and volunteer skill development. In late 2007 the site underwent a major re-design by two members of Websisters. We hope you use it and enjoy it.

LOGO MYSTERY REVEALED

The labrys, which is incorporated into the logo design, is a double-edged sword or axe – a symbolic weapon of the Amazon women, an ancient community of warrior women who lived without men.

The logo was originally created by Matrix Guild Victoria.

Download the logo as a jpeg or as a vector eps.