Ruin Carroll is a passionate advocate of LGBTQI+ rights through their involvement in the Four Pillars charity. In this conversation, Ru shares insights into the impactful work of Four Pillars, the challenges faced by the community, and their own personal journey.
A Hi Ru! Could you tell us about the Four Pillars charity?
R Hi, here goes nothing! Four Pillars emerged due to the lack of spaces for the LGBTQI+ community. It all started off the back of Deejay, the founder, and he to this day still does too much work! Most people know us for our community hub drop-in which is our café. We have really good coffee and okay wifi. One-to-one support, provided by myself and colleagues, allows individuals to express their worries without judgement. We are based in Regents Quay which is a nice place to look at the boats, even though I wouldn't say I care too much about boats.
A What's the age range of people looking for your support?
R I've done one-to-one support with younger teenagers all the way up to people in their 60s who are transitioning. Currently, we see trends with a significant number of younger people, especially trans individuals, navigating the challenges posed by the current political climate for the trans community in the UK.
A Is there slight ease with having the Scottish government on your side?
R I mean there has been a lot in the past that has done damage to people permanently. But, I guess these things inspire protest which is always important.
A I would love to hear about your go-to safe spaces and events. Are there any you'd like to highlight?
R Absolutely! Joy On Tap is held at OGV and hosts a monthly drag evening which is fun, it always runs over time but I guess that's just part of being a queen. Splatter, a queer performance night organised by us, is only £3 for students. The Belmont cinema used to have a queer film club with an interpreter there and they were all a fantastic bunch of people. Due to them shutting down we've launched our own, starting with 'Paris Is Burning,' duh. Speakin' Weird, a spoken word event, is also great, and Expressive North East spreads activities around Grampian towns, showing love to various areas.
A And you run groups! Are there any for kids still in their growing pains phase?
R Yes! Our best-attended group is 4 Teens, focusing on education for teenagers. We try to plan activities but once they arrive they just want to come together to play video games and all hang out. It is really heartening to see them come to a space and just be annoying teenagers and not have to worry about it.
A Hah, very important. And groups for adults?
R The T group is 18+ and specifically for trans people. We also have Out 4 Me, a group led by our volunteers for minority ethnicities. We have a monthly writers' club just to touch on something more creative. Our open-night mics try to emulate Club Kids stuff from the 90s which steers away from the cookie-cutter charity imagery, it's at a venue called Spin. I would say it's the most aggressively queer thing we do.
A Can you share a bit about your personal journey and involvement with Four Pillars?
R After living in Glasgow for a while, comfortably exploring my sexuality and gender, I moved back to Aberdeen. I missed my family. One friend in the community introduced me to Four Pillars. Enamoured with the place, I quickly became a volunteer, eventually becoming the Outreach Coordinator. It's a space where I can speak my mind, not that I have any hot takes or anything! It's a place that I can be confident in, which I haven't always been, believe it or not.
A What are the next steps for Four Pillars?
R With unlimited funds, expansion would be our dream. LGBTQI+ hubs are limited in Scotland, and we'd love to have a more extensive reach. More employees in smaller areas, like Moray, are essential for better support. Just because these towns are small, it doesn't mean they don't need the support and recognition. If we had all the money in the world, we would do all the work in the world I suppose.
A Can you tell me about Grampian Pride and the growing support?
R Grampian Pride had record attendance last year! We had City Grampian Pride which took place in Duffy Park which is a fantastic space, and then we had our events throughout the towns which is so encouraging to see the turnout of people in the community or alleys getting involved. We did a 'gaylidh' last year which is a gay, ceilidh and that is probably the second biggest event we did which was a load of fun.
A And lastly, are there any other services you'd like to highlight?
R I'd like to emphasise our third-party reporting service. Many in our community feel unsafe around the police, and this service allows individuals to report issues to us. We can then take the information forward for legal action, relieving the stress for the person affected. It's a crucial service, especially considering the challenges faced by the community. I got called the F slur the other week and thank god it didn’t trigger me, I was more like 'Oh that's fun they can tell' but it wasn't expected and it's hard to always bounce back from these things. Of course, Pride month is when the police start to get in contact about things we report months beforehand, but at least there are people trying.
A Everything you and your team are doing is amazing. Thank you so much for your time.
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