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How are you today? I'm good. That's good. Who are you? A. Are you sure that I am? You sure you seemed like unsure about that? No, I wasn't sure what you wanted me to say. Um, hi. Um so how how old are you? 19. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? OK, well, I'm AJ and I study graphic design in Auckland, originally from Christchurch. And, um and yeah, I'm basically, [00:00:30] um, big Adam le fan and obsessed with Hollywood. If you're wanting to be a designer in L A with flashing lights and Glier money things designer to the star. So you're quite special for this tour that I'm doing. Can you tell us why? How so? What have you designed? I designed a logo for the Q 12 tour. Yes, which is amazing, [00:01:00] by the way. Yes, and also featured in my magazine called Work. Yes. Which is out now, which will be out soon. Hopefully in July, sometime or August, sometime soon. That's become a promotional interview out now. Um, work magazine featuring people. Um, So, um, can you tell us what gender identity you are? Female and culture identity. [00:01:30] Like, what is that. What culture do you mainly identify with? Like? Yeah, um, and your sexuality? Bisexual, bisexual? You seem unsure because I was just gonna say bye. And then I was like, Oh, bisexual. So So when did you realise that you were a boy? Um, I was probably I know I was quite young. [00:02:00] Probably maybe like 15. Yeah, What we're like, what gave you the click to realising that you were a boy? I don't know, I was kind of friends, but I've always been friends of, like, a community of people that are quite open and, you know, different genders and everything. And, I don't know, I just kind of when Brown was getting boyfriends when Brown was getting girlfriends in my group, I was just like, Hey, I don't really care. Love is love and yeah, Have you ever [00:02:30] thought I was like, Hey, this is new. It wasn't really a big like progression. Like, I don't think there was a moment where I went. Hey, I think I buy like I think it was just kind of a why choose? I was like, Oh, girl next to me. You're a girl. I'm a girl. I like guys as well kind of thing. Or I kind of I just realise that I'm kind of attracted to the person and not the gender. So kind of like pansexual, in a way, not pansexual, because I think Pan is kind of buy in disguise. Oh, [00:03:00] what I was always taught is that, um, as pansexual as what I was taught. Pansexual is in love with the person, not the gender, but I think that's kind of buy as well. I think they're similar. Similar, but in different ways. So, um so how did you feel when you realised I was gonna fight about it? I remember I didn't want to. Kind of like my friend was like, Oh, you have to come out. You have to come out. And I was like, Why? Like it there? [00:03:30] You wouldn't come out if you're straight. Um, so there wasn't, like, a big kind of turning point. And I wasn't, like, upset by the fact or anything, because I was like, Oh, cool, you know? Yeah. So you you never was in that moment where you had to keep a secret from everybody? Not really. Um I mean, there was a time where I was kind of a little bit hesitant to kind of, you know, when people would ask and I was a little bit hesitant, but I think that's just because everyone wants you to turn around like as a girl. You know, everyone kind of wants [00:04:00] to turn around and be like, Yeah, like guys, because it's the like quote, normal thing to do or whatever. But I think is not as difficult as it would be to come out as like gay or lesbian, because it's kind of, you know, you could end up. Your parents always go, Oh, you could end up with a boy. It's like wishful thinking, wishful thinking, wish thinking, wishful thinking and wishful thinking. So true, Yes, but I think [00:04:30] you are like everyone's kind of buy until you're with a partner. So, you know, I suppose it changes a little bit. Do you think that parents, um, see, want their Children to be the golden child to be like a little image of themselves? In a way, I think, But, um, I don't know. I think it's important to kind of find that place where you identify yourself and not as the product of your parents. Um, which is kind of a hard thing to get past. But [00:05:00] once you get there, it's a good place. Especially when you're changing. Um, when you're a different sexuality to, they are. Yeah, exactly. But I think it kind of it doesn't come up in, like, conversation as much as a lot of people think it would like. I don't think I've ever had my parents go like, What are you? Um I think my I think my brother kind of caught on this, Um, but yeah, I don't It's never I've never had a real big Congo with them over it. Yeah. So, um, where [00:05:30] am I? So you've had a girlfriend in the past? I haven't had a girlfriend. I've been, like, attracted to girls, but, um, I've had, like, three relationships. And, um, like I dated a guy for I've had long term relationships, So, yeah, I haven't explored as much. So, um, going back to when you you weren't really in the closet. So you never were in the closet, were you? No. No. [00:06:00] Yeah. The closet is unknown territory for you, I think. Well, I don't know, because yeah, like I said, I've never had a point where someone's actually asked me directly. So it's never kind of come up. Your closet is filled with glitter and and things, and, um, looking at it, it looks like, um, makeup and Chris Allen. Oh, my God. Yeah. That's Chris Allen in the closet. He should come out of there. [00:06:30] They had the little man crush with Adams. That's their child. So true. So how did you feel when you, um when you realised that you were a boy, I think kind of quite liberated in a way, because it was kind of like, I don't know. I think you spend like, at some point, I think we all spend whether we realise it or not. You kind of identifying with who you are? Um, so I think kind of liberated when [00:07:00] you realise who you are. Um, yeah. So I feel liberated. Yeah. And how do you feel when people started learning about your sexuality? Um, like, see, my friends are quite they're all quite open, so they're all quite good about it. I haven't really had, um I've only probably had a couple of people in my life that would kind of disagree with it. Um, but then, like I said, I've kind of dated guys, so they were fine with it. Ah, so that's what means Ah, [00:07:30] um, but I don't know. I think, Yeah, your close friends kind of stick by you, and they don't care. They don't see you for a sexuality. They see you for who you are. So, um, you've got a lot of support in your little step, don't you? Yeah. From my friends. Not so much family. Um, but I've been kind of away from home long enough to kind of rely more on my friends than my family. And your friends are the ones that stick with you. So you're very independent. Yeah. Yeah. [00:08:00] You're a strong, confident bullet. Yeah. Just don't take my friends. Let's don't take the glitches. You know, it's like the Guyer poster anything. Do not take my sparkles. It was, um, say, um, you can never take my leather. Yeah. Yeah. Um, yeah. So you've been in relationships with mainly guys, though? Yeah. I mean, I've, like, I know, fooled around with a few chicks. Um, but [00:08:30] yeah, kind of relationships with guys. I'm still young. So I don't really play. I'm quite career orientated, and I'm quite goal orientated. So I kind of put them before relationships. In a way, um, so but yeah, I've been with What do you mean by ex Exclusive? Oh, God. Well, exclusive meaning, like with guys. As in what I'd call a relationship. Because, you know, you can say that you're with someone for, like, a week for [00:09:00] a few days, and it doesn't really work out or something. So I think exclusive, as in long term kind of relationships. Not like VIP exclusive kind of thing. Like that's my That's my main one. So go go in a suit on limousines everywhere. Yeah. No, no, no, I'm not a whore. Escorts. So, um, with your does any of, um then [00:09:30] with your sexuality, does that affect any of your relationships? Um, not really. I think there's a few people that when they find out, it's kind of a little bit like Oh, like I don't know. I think I've had a few friends of mine that are girls who have kind of gone. Oh, well, I'm not gonna do that because it suddenly becomes weird, like there's suddenly kind of a barrier. But, um, mostly, I think, um, it's funny. The guys are more hesitant about it than girls [00:10:00] I, I feel because Yeah, but then again, as I said, a lot of the people I hang out with are kind of identify as gay or bisexual or lesbian. So it's not a new thing. I think we'd be more surprised if someone was like, I'm straight. We'd be like, What? Oh, no, we have a straight up. What are the grandparents got to think? Yes, save the Children go out with a church [00:10:30] group going Oh, straight is not natural. Yeah, well, you know, I like to flip around like, you know, there's that kind of slang thing and, like, especially primary school, Um, when kids are like, Oh, that's so gay and they use it as a negative and me and my friends always go well, that's so straight like what you're doing right now, because I think the straight lifestyle is a lot more boring. Live it up a little bit like the conversation I had the other day is when you see a straight male dancing in the club, that's kind of awkward. [00:11:00] It is the most awkward thing, like I spend a lot of time in gay clubs and then I go to a straight club and it's just the strangest thing, like, it's just not as fun. I also found that show when you're like straight people in a club, like all the girls, that they never go to straight clubs. I always go to gay clubs because the straight A normal straight club is too awkward for them. Yeah, well, I just think there's something about going to a club, and I think going to a club is a very liberating kind [00:11:30] of your chance to be free for a night or a few hours or however long you go. And I think there's more freedom in gay clubs. Um, than there is kind of in straight clubs, because in straight clubs everyone goes to pick up someone, whereas gay lads, everyone kind of just goes to have a good time. They're still hooking up, but they're still hooking out that it is more of a. It's more of a party there. I think, like because a lot of people just sit at the bar and, like someone has come to them and I like Are you really having a good night dating your drink? That you better be a good drink [00:12:00] as well? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cuter bartenders at gay clubs, too. So how do you meet other people in the community? I don't really know. I think it's a very It's a crossover. Like you kind of meet someone, and they know someone else, and, um, they're very attracted to you. I've noticed. It's quite funny. Yeah, I've, um but I I don't really know. I kind of meet them through each other. And you're very active in the community. Yeah. I don't know. I just Maybe I just club at the right places and [00:12:30] go to the right events. You've got, like, Rainbow Youth behind you and stand up for love project that you're doing. Yeah, I try to be kind of I try to be kind of active in it because I've had a lot of friends that have kind of although it hasn't affected me the kind of dark side of it all And, um, you know, just sort of coming out. And, you know, that's lead to a few people, like committing suicide as such and It's kind of I don't think anyone should have to feel that way. So I think I I find it really important to kind of stand [00:13:00] up and kind of stop that from happening. So you want to tell us about your project? Um, stand up. Love is kind of, uh, what we're doing is we're creating t-shirts and we're pairing up with different celebrities and particularly musicians, um, around the world and we are creating walking inspirational messages. So we're splashing song lyrics out of context onto t-shirts and clothing and then we are selling these online with the support of celebrities. [00:13:30] And then all the proceeds are going to go towards charitable trusts such as Rainbow Youth and New Zealand and also Trevor Project, which is in America and kind of more global. Um and then in turn, that can kind of go towards suicide prevention programmes, um, educational programmes, awareness and schools. And, you know, it kind of because when we came up with the project, it was like we were just one person. Well, there was three of us, but it was just one idea and we had to kind of it's harder [00:14:00] to make a difference when there's just three of you. Um, but yeah, it's kind of we're hoping to kind of get it into schools. And really, because when people see a celebrity that they're a fan of, they're gonna listen to them more than they're gonna listen to three young girls that are just, you know, they're gonna listen to Would you listen to me, or would you listen to Lady Gaga like you're kind of more hooked to that. So you've got Adam on board as well, don't you? We do. We've got, um I can't dish too many [00:14:30] names at this point, because until it kind of launches that, yeah, we've got a few people lined up some big names that are yeah. Um, so going for a more personal thing? What is your definition in virginity? Oh, good. Um, I don't even know to answer that one. Can I play the on that one? Um, I [00:15:00] I don't even know what to answer to that one. Rephrase your question. Rephrase it. Um, well, and and some some people, especially in religion. The first virginity is the first time you do something sexual or or or some people just think the first time you have sex. Some people think it's and multiple things the first time you do anything. It's like your lamb. But virginity I said, It's the first time [00:15:30] in a sexual way would be virginity or spiritually or anything like that. First time for anything? Yeah, I think, Yeah, I'd name it in a sexual sense, because I think, um, you know, just kissing someone isn't like a commitment in a way, does It probably makes me sound like a slut, but I think a kiss like that, what is the play is because he's not a contract. So and it's true because, you know, you go to parties and I go to parties and, um, you know, you do end up like [00:16:00] kissing and you know you can kiss people goodbye and you can kiss people one night at a club. But I don't think that's losing your vigil like, because it's not a contract. That was very nice. Exactly. So, yeah, so do you have any other comments you'd like to make? Um, I just think for anyone that's kind of that is bi or gay or identified as anything other than straight that you should kind of not be afraid to kind of get out there. Because if you've got [00:16:30] friends and they're true friends, they're gonna support you. And I think the fear is that no one will support you. And a lot of people don't wait for that chance to kind of give someone the time to stand up and go. Hey, it doesn't matter. And you'd be surprised how many people don't care about what you identify as because people don't come up to you and be a friend. And the first question isn't what is your sexuality? And if it is, then they're not worth your time. So I think people are gonna stick [00:17:00] by you and especially for young people. You need to get over the fear of kind of coming out because we are in 2012 and it's a different age and people are more accepting. And there's more people out there. And, um, it's not we we kind of past the point where sexuality was a boundary, and especially in New Zealand, you know, we don't live in a place where you can get fired for your sexuality, and there's not as much discrimination, So I think there's that kind of little voice in people's kids that go, I'm not going to come out. I'm [00:17:30] just gonna I'm not gonna do this. I'm gonna be really upset and live in my own little bubble when it's really not that scary on the other side. So Yeah, well, thank you for the interview.
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