Interview with Abi (part 1)
- Reference Number: DW-94/1/3/1
- Date: 2013
- Level: Piece
- Extent: 1 item
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Description: 1.17- ?If I?m filling out a form I?d generally put lesbian but I?d actually more identify as a bisexual lesbian because even though I see myself long term with a girl I still tend to have crushes on boys sometimes?
1.45 ? discovering your identity/sexuality
2.10 ? not coming out, religious background, coming out and moving out because of this
6 ? Religious household, Jehovah?s Witnesses, loss of family/friendship ties
7- School and university life
7.50 ? Trainee teacher, course requires to go into schools on placement, this is a worry for Abi,
8.06 ? ?At the moment I?m working in a Catholic primary school which is possibly the scariest thing I?ve ever done I?ve always promised myself I wouldn?t hide who I was I?m proud of who I am and I?m not going to change that for anybody but at the same time thinking about telling that Catholic school head teacher that I am gay [laughs] is the scariest thing so that does worry me a little bit but I think with the way that things are going it?s becoming less and less acceptable to be openly at least homophobic so I think hopefully by the time I do graduate it?s going to be okay to be who you are obviously there?s going to be limits to that you?re not going to be flouncing around the staff room or anything like that but hopefully it will be accepted and it won?t be appropriate or acceptable for people to discriminate against me on that basis?
9.02 ? ?Erm I think one of the big things is that when I was younger it um homosexuals were sort of taboo they weren?t ever talked about gay people weren?t around you didn?t see them you didn?t see girls in the streets holding hands you didn?t see people on tele being gay erm whereas now I think it?s a lot more open people are more willing to talk about it and at the same time I think it?s become more unacceptable to be homophobic I think people not everybody but people are more concerned about being politically correct and they won?t say oh I hate gays the way they would have perhaps 10 years ago because it?s just not acceptable anymore and the other thing I?ve noticed as we were talking in the media there?s now a lot more gay couples trans people lesbian couples that are having happy healthy relationships whereas previously it was mainly only in soaps wasn?t it and people and if you were gay that was it you had a terrible life you got maimed in a car crash and that was it so whereas now people have got healthy relationships which I think is great I think there?s still a long way to go though?
10.25 ? lgbtq+ dating
10.40 ? ?And I think really the only options for LGBT people the only options are still to either look online or go to a bar I don?t think there are really safe normal places where a person could meet because you know if you?re hanging out in the coffee shop or something and someone comes and chats you up that?s fine what if you?re gay nobody?s going to go any chance you like someone the same sex as you that doesn?t happen erm but I do think it can be dangerous especially for young people who want to meet somebody and don?t know who they whose gay and where they can go getting into all kinds of trouble and I?ve seen it happen so that worries me but for myself I just think if I didn?t already know the person I don?t know how I would meet anybody?
11.37- caution around online dating
12.45 ? consideration towards adoption, the issue of adoption v biological children between two people of the same sex, and how the disparity could be an issue. Less stigmatized but also very expensive
12.55- acceptance within the LGBTQ+ community, especially around labels e.g. gay, bisexual
13.10- Biphobia (from gay people) ?I think it?s ridiculous erm I think I used to be like that myself though I think because people say either you know you say you?re bisexual as a stepping stone to admitting that you?re gay or um you say that you?re bisexual because you?re not sure what you want and I went the other way I was certain that I was gay and then I was like hang I but I like this guy and I like this guy and I don?t know what that means and at the end of the day I don?t really think it matters all that much I don?t believe that anybody is 100% heterosexual or homosexual I don?t think it?s as plain and simple as that and when you add into that you?ve got issues of masculinity and femininity and why does it matter can?t you just love who you love like who you like and get on with it I think that people who re biphobic are basically just transferring hate they?ve received onto another party because we all need something to have a go at and it?s not the best choice really but we?ll see change I hope?
12.27- Wolverhampton LGBTQ+ community ?it?s very white? not very out
The LGBT Network, BME representatives, Network at the university is good, quite a lot of clubs, bars, groups, and still not as accepting as Birmingham
?I think it?s a case of informing people not chastising them because a lot of people in Wolverhampton have just grown ignorant really I don?t like to generalise this way but I think that?s the truth and I think that the schools need to do a lot about it as well because there?s not a lot of promotion of LGBT people in schools there?s a bit of taboo of it still and I think if we could change that we could really get to educating people when they?re young and they can grow up with more idealistic attitudes really so I think that needs to change?
18.20 ? Talks about race and LGBT identities, and having a mixed ethnic background
18.50 ? ?Luckily for me I only got kicked out?
18.58 ? Wanting to move away from the us and them mentality of LGBTQ or Straight/Cis
21- Experience of an all-girls school in Wolverhampton, lots of queer behaviour at the same time as lots of homophobia
22.02 ? Section 28
- Terms:Homosexuality
- Terms:Relationships
- Terms:Childhood
- Terms:Discrimination
- Terms:Schools
- Terms:Religion
- Terms:Lesbians
- Terms:Bisexuality
- Terms:Identity
- Access Status: Open
- Contact: Wolverhampton Archives, Wolverhampton Archives & Local Studies