Interview with Karen
- Reference Number: DW-94/1/13/3
- Date: 2013
- Level: Piece
- Extent: 1 item
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Description: 0.40- ?I put myself as a lesbian, but it took me a long time to finally admit that to myself, in my sort of twenties I was convinced that all I needed to do was find a husband and have children and life would be wonderful while at the same time realising that I didn?t actually like men very much but, and then I suppose over time I realised that I had 25 years with nobody at all because I wasn?t sure what I knew I didn?t want men but I wasn?t sort of accepting myself that I did want women so I only came out when I was 48?
1.55- wasn?t sure how being a lesbian, spent much of her life in female spaces anyway, mostly just the difference it made with herself-being unhappy all of the time
2.45- was cautious about coming out to family, when she did her sister said she was going to throw her a coming out party- but you ought to work it out yourself first, no one seemed surprised when she came out, no problem with work, volunteering, not had any homophobia ?which I understand is quite unusual?
4.35- when she first came out, started going to lots of groups just to get to know people, hasn?t been easy, doesn?t really like groups, but seems to be the only way to get to know people. Has never really been into dating, so can?t say whether gay or straight dating is any different
5.35- move to more open society
7.45-talks about AIDs, how it was originally called GRIDS as it was only ever related to gay men in the beginning. Was also a student nurse, and what they went through, the (mis)information they were told about AIDS. Also mentions an EastEnders storyline which touched on AIDS.
9.30- LGBTQ in the media
11.30- Used to have to go into Birmingham, Martha has made it so there?s more in Wolverhampton
12.00- talks about long-term mental health issues, how this seem to occur more often in the LGBT community- psychiatric facilities are not geared to cope with this, some have had out right homophobia
- Access Status: Open
- Contact: Wolverhampton Archives, Wolverhampton Archives & Local Studies