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Yay! So tell us a little bit about yourself and where you are from. My name is Simon, and I'm from Hamilton way up in the middle of the North Island. And what group are you representing today? Today I represent Waikato Youth. Who? We just got our very first office for ourselves. So ya go gay? Yeah. And how are you finding this? Is this the first kind of big national thing you've been on or [00:00:30] you're a veteran? Um, I'm a veteran of the university scene. Um, I work with a group, and I've been to, uh, uniq conferences, which is a union of queer students associations. But this is the first queer, specifically queer youth that I've been to. And, um, I was a bit worried about, like, the sleeping patterns and stuff because I'm a weird one, but it's it's pretty cool. There's some loud people, but, uh, sleeping pills really help. [00:01:00] Totally. And you just came out of a session or a couple of sessions this morning. What? What have those sessions been like What? What? What have they been? Um, the 1st 10, gosh. What was it about? The first one was about identification of gay the differences between gays and straights like, um, certain names that are used to describe the queer community and terms that are used to describe the straight community. And it was a correlation of, um, names that you [00:01:30] had been called for being queer or identifying as queer. And, um, the second one was more focused on what? Um, which of us in the groups which each individual person does and which group they work for and support and what works and what doesn't for a queer youth group and also what are, like, real priorities for them as well. And that's Yeah, that's around it. And so you grew up in the Waikato? Yeah. All [00:02:00] 19 and years. Odd years. I've been there almost 20 years. Yeah. And how's that been? So you've been a few groups, and, um and so I was coming out. I had, um it was the way that I came out. Um, I. I told everyone I was by because it seemed to be an easier stepping ground. Um, but I was outed to both my parents on two separate occasions. Um, the first was at my mother's [00:02:30] brother's wedding. I was outed. Um, and I was also incredibly drunk, so that didn't help. And then my brother outed me to my father accidentally when he told my dad that I was in a queer relationship and that didn't go down very well, but, um, bridges have been built and mended, and they seem to be a bit more accepting of it. Now, um, coming out to my friends, I didn't come out at high school because I went to an all boys school, [00:03:00] which at the time, uh, was very homophobic. Um, there were a lot of slurs being put around there. And, you know, the worst thing that you could say to someone was calling them gay and I I it really hurt me. Um, when I had to study there, but, um, but now, uh, when I came out around 17, um, to a lot of my friends, I lost a lot of friends simply because they didn't want to know they didn't want to be friends with a gay guy. Um, whether it was because of their religious beliefs, their personal beliefs, or the belief [00:03:30] that just because I was a gay male that my male friends automatically assumed that I wanted to sleep with them, which wasn't the case. So, um, but yeah, um, Waikato is quite nice. Um, it certainly has its ups and downs. Um, groups like Hamilton Pride, Waikato, queer youth and, um, the work that I do really help, But, um, there's still, like anywhere. There's still a lot of homophobia. Um, you know, I am quite unique in my in how I present myself. And [00:04:00] I take pride in my sexuality. I get attacked for it quite often. Um, I get attacked. From whom or how? How are you? Um Well, when when I walk down the street, I get, um, people chucking beer cans at me from their cars, calling me a faggot. And, um, when I I was lining up for tickets once and I was sitting outside and a woman walked past and spat on me, and she said, Well, I you know, I know you're a dirty, filthy faggot, and I [00:04:30] don't believe I'm not advocating this, but I don't believe in putting up with abuse. So I abused her back. Um, I've had my car door urinated on because I'm gay. Um, but I promptly broke their back windscreen window. Um, it it's sort of things like that. I don't see why I should be treated any less of an individual simply because of what I do in the confines of a bedroom. And I also don't I also get frustrated [00:05:00] that two women on the street can, you know, kiss each other and not, You know, it's generally accepted. And also for men, it's, you know, a great thrill. But for two gay guys to do it as seen as perverse and dirty and all of this, there needs to be a quality between, um, between the straight community and the queer community. Um, and I find it very unfair. And at times it gets really upsetting that we're persecuted for it. Yeah. What is [00:05:30] what? What kind of advice or messages would you give to a young person? Um, yeah. I was going to homophobic boys school. What? What? Yeah, Um, try and talk to your counsellors counsellors to keep things confidential. So that's always a bonus. Look for support groups in your area or failing that, try services like outline which operate New Zealand wide, or try and find, um, friends somewhere. Um there are [00:06:00] groups like on Bebo and my space that, um, you know, look at queer youth. Look at them, um, and just generally get all the support you can, because I know being queer and being young is really difficult. And I know that for a lot of people, when you come out, it's a really hard decision and a hard process, I mean, for you and everyone that's related to you. And I know that it can be extremely detrimental to your mental health. So my best advice is get as much support as you can [00:06:30] if you need it. And, yeah, and and also choose when to come out. I mean, if you do go to a homophobic boys school or, you know, generally a religious school that may not be so accepting, maybe it's not best to come out at high school. Maybe it's best that you wait a while because, well, your sexuality may or may not be important to you. For me, my sexuality is very important, but my personal safety is first, so never ever put yourself into a compromising situation to [00:07:00] declare your sexuality always wait because you know there's plenty more years ahead and there's plenty more things that you will do. And hopefully you'll be in a more accepting environment. Cool. Thank you very much. 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