Interview with Nicola
- Reference Number: DW-94/1/16/1
- Date: 2013
- Level: Piece
- Extent: 1 item
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Description: 0- association with area, also lived in the US for 3 years, lived in Glasgow with a man she had met online, when they broke up after 7 years, she came out
3.20- thinks she always thought she was bi growing up, from around age 12, didn?t really know about labels. Recognised that she liked girls but assumed she had to like boys
3.45- didn?t come out until 24, thinks this is influenced by living in America, in Florida, which was very southern in its attitudes. No one was out at school, no teachers, no role models, very close minded
4.35- can see more clues in hindsight, e.g. when she was 8 visiting Disneyland and taking multiple photos of one woman in a parade
5.05- was engaged to a guy for 4 years, felt he was her soulmate, but this was on an interest level, not a physical level. Didn?t enjoy that aspect of their relationship, thought more and more and felt she had to do something about it for the sake of her sanity
6.35- Ginger Beer, London based women?s group online
6.55- still identified as bi because she still had strong feelings for her fiancé
7.05- people from the Ginger Beer group were going up to Glasgow for a new year?s thing, she met up with them at a gay bar, first time she?d ever been to one, first time she?d been around gay people, didn?t know any. Following this it became clearer that things weren?t going to work with her fiancé, so she left to explore those feelings, now identifies as a lesbian
9.30- came out around Christmas break at uni, due to exams, she even pre-emptively filled out extenuating circumstances forms just in case things became messy after coming out
9.45- became very involved with the lgbt group on campus, later becoming president
10- Went to bi group Bi Scotland for a long time
10.10- finds that the bi community if friendly and much more accepting than the rest of the LGBT community. Still feels like a bi ally, because bi and Trans people get prejudice from within and outside of the community
11.45- also worked for sexwise, a telephone line for young people about puberty and sexual health etc.
12.10- applied for a job with LGBT youth Scotland, working with LGBT young people, did outreach work in pubs and clubs
13- ?It?s all over my CV it?s not something I can hide anymore because I?ve done so much work in it?
13.50- grandmother was first member of family she told, who was fine. Told dad first, and asked him to tell her mum, as she was the one she was uncertain of. Had to do it over the phone
17- Importance of networks because being LGBT isn?t always visible, they give people a way to socialise meet other people, in a way that isn?t dominated by drink. Also helps to provide confidence in the community
18- Met quite a lot of people online including her first girlfriend
19.10- met her current girlfriend at the White Hart
19.50- talks about section 28, different in Scotland. Nothing was ever mentioned when she was younger, in the UK or USA.
21.50- legalisation in Scotland was much later than the rest of the UK, but repeal of section 28 was earlier
22.15- feels largest change in her lifetime is social attitudes towards LGBT people and the levels of acceptability, but acknowledges Trans people still struggle, and that legislation is lags behind
- Access Status: Open
- Contact: Wolverhampton Archives, Wolverhampton Archives & Local Studies