Interview

Age: 21

Gender you identify as: Female

Sexual Orientation you identify with: Lesbian

1) What is your standpoint on the LGBTQ community? Do you support it? If not, explain why.

I think the LGBT is incredibly important. I think that everyone needs to feel a sense of community, and that it is great for LGBT to have people that they feel safe around, and a group they can belong to.

2) What are your opinions on pride parades and other community events used to support LGBT?

I think that they are so fun! It is a great way to celebrate something that makes me who I am, and I think it also helps anyone in the LGBT community to see they aren't alone.

3) Do you know someone in your life who is a supporter/member of the LGBT community? If so how is your relationship with that person?

Yeah, a lot of people in my life are! Myself included. Since I am a part of this community, it is something that is a necessity to me for people in my life.

4) How do you feel about homophobia? How does homophobia affect you?

I haven't ever had a personal experience with homophobia, and I consider myself incredibly lucky. Because I have tons of people in my life who are homosexual, including my girlfriend, it is something that I know will be a struggle in my life.

5) How do you feel about public displays of affection between two people of the same sex?

I don't really like public displays of affection between anyone, regardless of sex! Hahaha, I think it is tacky. But I think that anyone has the right to be affectionate with the people they love. And when it is sweet things like holding hands or tiny kisses, I think it is very sweet to see a couple being loving towards each other.

6) What is your standpoint on same-sex marriage? If you do not support, explain why.

Yesssssss I definitely think that same-sex couples should be allowed to be married. If two people love each other, there is no reason why they shouldn't be able to spend their lives together in marriage.

7) Do you support adoption by same- sex couples? If not explain why.

Yep! I think as long as there are loving parents, that there is also no reason why a child should not be able to grow up with two moms or two dads. Children grow up in single-parent homes all the time, and they wind up being not only successful, but also grow up in a family full of love. The gender of your parents doesn't change how much they love their child.

8) If you have a friend in the same-sex community can you explain how others outside of the community react.

I have a lot of friends who are in that community, and I haven't had a lot of other people who would react negatively towards them. However, I do believe that there are a lot of people who would change their behaviour towards someone when they found out they were LGBT, which I think is unfair. 

9) If one of your family members would want to undergo a sex change or gender re-assignment what would your opinion be?

As long as they are happy, I am happy. I would be supportive for them no matter what.

10) If you are in the LGBT community please explain how your "coming out" felt (this may be to other people and/or coming out to yourself). What resources did you turn to, if any?

Coming out is hard, and it never really gets easier. Every time I have to come out to someone new, I still am terrified of being treated differently, or of someone not accepting me as to who I am. Coming out to my family was the hardest, because they are the people who I care about most, and their opinions of me matter the most. When I first started coming out, and when I was figuring my sexuality out for myself, I was also attending counselling sessions, which were beyond helpful. I also had a friend who was a lesbian, and she helped me to come out to a lot of people.

11) If you are in the LGBT community please explain the reaction your parents and close family members gave you after expressing your sexuality.

They were totally accepting. Some of my family saw it coming, my mother was surprised but loved me no matter what. My mom told my grandparents, and they are also incredibly accepting. My whole family has met (and loves) my girlfriend, and they make me feel just as loved and accepted as I did before I came out.

12) Do you feel people treat you differently? If so, explain how? 

Not really. I think that the group of friends I have don't really see it as me being different at all. That being said, there are definitely situations in my life where I have withheld the information of my homosexuality because I know the people around me would treat me differently. 

13) Do you feel that because of your sexual orientation that you are discriminated against?

I think there are definitely situations where I would be discriminated against if I was out in them, places where I need to hide it in public, people I keep it quiet to, etc. I guess that, no, I never am in situations where I am, but I think the fear of being discriminated against often leads me to be someone I am not. 

14) Do you feel that in Lethbridge there is a community or support system for you? Explain.

When I was in Lethbridge, I definitely didn't have a connection to any sort of support system in the community. I had friends who helped me along the way, but I felt like I had to be very hushed about my sexuality. It didn't feel like an open or safe place for me to be honest with who I was, for fear of being discriminated against.