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Maybe you could start off by telling me how you describe your identity. Oh, goodness. Um, is it's kind of fluid for, um, it's kind of close as I can get it, I guess. Would be pan sexual and gender fluid, I guess. What do those, Um, I guess that I'll like I don't know. It's kind of in terms of attraction [00:00:30] and everything. I kind of I'm not really bothered by physical things or anything. Um, I just kind of go for people. And that's, uh I guess pansexual was a good label to have for myself, um, and gender fluid. Um, God, I wake up one day, and it's kind of completely different. Like I can wake up with no gender or four genders, I don't know. [00:01:00] And, um, so yeah, gender flu was a good kind of word for me to flow between them all. Cool. Um, and are you at school? Yeah. Yeah, I am at high school. What's it like being a queen? Please make your school. Um, well, it's a lot easier now than it was when I was, like, 13. Um, I haven't in terms of like gender. I haven't really That's [00:01:30] not nice because I'm in a like a single sex school and we've got, like, a uniform and everything, and that hasn't been nice the whole time. So we're fighting for pants at the moment. Um, but in terms of kind of sexuality, it's been at the school that I'm at now. It's been OK. I haven't had too much bullying. I've had a bit, but not as bad. But I went to another school, like way back when I was 13, and that did not go well at all. Like [00:02:00] originally. I was bisexual as a stepping stone and, um, then I. I think I had some book in my bag and somebody was like, Are you gay? And I was like, I buy. And then I guess within the next two hours everybody know because it was a really small school, and, um then I just I was horrendously bullied for that, um, and I had, like, people coming up to me and kind of like it was kind of the name calling and everything. [00:02:30] And then there was more physical abuse, which wasn't nice and, like the teachers never stepped in or anything at all. And I had somebody pull a knife out on me. Which was? Yeah, like in a corridor. And one of the teachers just kind of walked past and was like, I'll just clean up when you're done. I was like, Ok, thanks. Thank you for that lovely defence, I guess. Where abouts was that school? Um, and and do you get Do you see a much difference in the kind of Nelson community? [00:03:00] Yeah. Like because I lived. I lived here before I moved up there, and then I moved back, um, a few months later, and I didn't think that it was that great here. But then when I came back it, I realised it was really a lot better. And, um, I think while people can, like, you know, they're not always as accepting as you'd like it to be. It's definitely a lot more open here, so, yeah, [00:03:30] maybe you can tell us where angle is and what kind of place it's in Taranaki. It's like maybe 15 minutes out of New Plymouth. It's tiny, tiny town, Um, and kind of like everybody knows everybody kind of place, so I don't really know how I ended up there. Um, but I did. And, um, like, I had a couple of friends, and some of them were really cool. And, um, they were really love me and helped me kind of get through everything [00:04:00] and just, you know, But then they started getting bullied, and the teachers kind of came up to me, and they were like, Look, your friends are getting bullied now, and that's not nice, so I think you should just go. It was like, Wow. All right, thanks. Um, so your current school, that's quite different. What kind of do you have? Well, when I got there in 2009, I was kind of under wraps, And, um, there wasn't a lot kind of going on. And then [00:04:30] when I was, I think 14. I heard about this, like, Queer Straight Alliance there or something. But I ended up going because I got told that I wasn't allowed or something, and I don't know, some crazy person told me I wasn't allowed to go, And so I think it was nice to just kind of knowing that it was there and that obviously, the school is a lot more open to that kind of stuff. But of course, because I was, like, 13. All of the people in my class were like, Oh, my God, are you gay? You wear skate shoes? Um, and so, yeah. And then, um, I started [00:05:00] going to the U a and to the community one I started going to in 2011. And, um, it was just I don't know, It was really kind of nice to know that that kind of stuff existed for people like me and, um, yeah, so I think not. And also, like, not just knowing that they existed, but also knowing that it was there for other people in schools and that obviously it was a lot more kind of inclusive [00:05:30] here. Yeah. Have you seen, um, your school environment kind of change since you were 13. 17? Yeah. Yeah. I think like people are like, they are, um, because I'm leading the QS a at my school now, um, they've like, it's it's really kind of nice to look at, like to kind of compare everybody back then. Especially all the people in my year group who have grown a lot and aren't so kind of intimidated by everything. And it's just become [00:06:00] more of a normal thing. Over the years, um, and people have started to kind of accept that it's not some ridiculously taboo subject that you should stone people for or something like that. Um, and they've just I think everybody's kind of grown up. And as they keep coming through because these things are kind of there and they're put out in assemblies and stuff, um, they start to understand more at an earlier age that it's it does exist and that kind of stuff. So everybody else is [00:06:30] more comfortable. Um, and as a QS a leader. Could you tell us a bit more about what, like que straight alliance is and some of the stuff you get up to in your school kind of stuff. I hate these definitions of quest. Strait alliance is just kind of a, um, an alliance of, um, queer young people at schools or within schools, I guess, um, and outside, um, and also straight allies and supporters, um, that come together [00:07:00] in a group and we have meetings every week. Um, and we just kind of hang out and talk about stuff, and I've been kind of running workshops with my girls and variations they're upon and, um, kind of helping them to learn about things and making sure that they know that they've always got a place to go if they need to. And somewhere that they've got, like, you know, someone to talk to about anything they need to and basically helping them to get more involved with things. We've got some people who are really keen on it all, Um, [00:07:30] and the, uh um like it's over the kind of like the course of just a year. I've seen all these people kind of grow and, like, mature and stuff, and it's just really nice. Um, what's the kind of education, like in your kind of health classes or in the rest of the curriculum, is there anything on sexual orientation or gender identity? Um, as far as I know, like, I have only taken a certain a certain range of subjects, so I don't you know it's not. [00:08:00] This is only my kind of point of view, I guess. But, um, my health class, well, we only really covered gender and sexuality when I was 14 and it was a really brief, um subject and I don't remember ever touching on gender at all. And I think sexuality was kind of like, OK, there are, like, three sexualities that you can have. You can be homosexual, you can be heterosexual or you can be bisexual, but not really. And then, [00:08:30] you know, we had, like, a couple of videos about relationships and stuff, and there were maybe two queer couples or something in those videos, so I guess that was cool. But, um, then other than that, like we went straight on to like, I don't know, some other weird stuff. And I have and all of my other subjects I don't think we've ever had anything to do with sexuality or anything. Um, and I was talking to one of the year tens in my QS a, [00:09:00] like, a couple of weeks ago about like they just started doing, um, sexuality in their health class. And she was like, It was not good at all like we tried. It was just after we'd done a couple of workshops, and so they, you know, their teacher said, you know, do you know any names for sexualities or gender identities? And so they were sticking their hand up and stuff, and she just kept saying that that wasn't true. And and, um so then she just kind of covered as like, it's a little bit more than we covered when I was in year 10, but still not much at all. And, [00:09:30] um, I did go into a health class and kind of talk to them about Q youth and about, um, our QS a gals, um, and talked about identity and stuff a little bit. And, um, you know, it's been kind of touched upon certain subjects, and I always write about queer stuff and English in the hope that somebody will have to read it later. But, um, there's not a lot, you know, in terms on the education side of things, it's kind of swept under the rug [00:10:00] a little bit. How do the, um, staff and other students in the school kind of react like when you do things like, um, writing about queer stuff in your English assignment? Or I don't know, if you've, like, had an experience taking a, um, career transplant to like a school board or anything like that? What kind of reactions do you now? It's not so bad because everybody kind of expects it from me. Like, um, my I do media studies. And, um, my film last year was about, [00:10:30] um uh, kind of a queer boy. And it was all through, like, symbolism and stuff. And people were just kind of like again. And, um, this year I made a documentary about a, um, queer and straight youth. Um, and they were kind of just, you know, they just kind of accepted that. That's what I do. And, um, they just kind of they're starting to not think of it so much as queer stuff as just stuff. Um, when I do queer writing, they're not. So, you know, they just [00:11:00] look at it as writing now, I guess, um, and my teachers aren't really bothered or anything. Um and yeah, but when we kind of like I went to my school ball a couple of months ago and I took my girlfriend and, um, people were kind of, you know, they didn't think about it so much. But then I think like because a few of them I don't know if they know somehow and then, um I think when they noticed they were just kind of, like, weird. Oh, OK, yeah. And then [00:11:30] I think it was just They thought it was weird that I had a partner, but yeah, but, um no, like, they've just kind of grown up and kind of realise that it's like, Yeah, it's just kind of a normal thing. And I don't really think about it so much now is kind of having that sense of belonging to a group or like being part of this community and putting it up to you. Yeah, I don't think I could have done like anything like if [00:12:00] I hadn't found this kind of stuff like, I mean, I had kind of semi supportive friends, but all of the, like, really, really supportive people that I know I've met through, um, you know, you and gals and all the other stuff all over the country, like all these, like, really wonderful people. I don't think that I could have, um, kind of gotten to this age at all without having come to these kind of groups and realised that it was [00:12:30] OK because I I wouldn't have lost it at all. How did you get involved in, um, Keith um, my my girlfriend at the time her cousin came. I don't know how she found out about it, but, um, yeah, her cousin came and she Yeah, we were hanging out at her place one day and she was like, Oh, yeah, no, I heard about you. You you guys should totally come like, look at you. And so we went along, and then, um it was really cool [00:13:00] and colourful and the people were really nice and all that kind of stuff. And so then we came back and one of the people that was there kind of said to us, Oh, hey, you should come along to gals at school. Um, I've seen you around. You should come. And so we started going there, and then we broke up and she stopped coming. Um, but I came anyway and, um, yeah, so that's yeah, that's how it happens. Have you had any, like, highlights being involved in the grove like things you've got to, [00:13:30] um I don't know, like even I don't know, like, the like and like going to all the that, um, have happened is some really cool, like meeting people from all over the country and, like, just, I don't know, they're really cool. And and, um, like the like. Pride Week has always been really cool. And I really liked getting to kind of organise it this year or helping out to organise it at school. And, um, [00:14:00] I think being able to step up as a leader and kind of role model for all these people at school and within as well, I guess, um has been really nice and kind of heartwarming when people come up to you and they're like, Oh, hey, I really like what you do. It's really nice. Like I'm like, Oh, I'm fuzzy. Um, can you tell us more about what a who he is? Um, it's a gathering of people. Um, [00:14:30] I guess, Like who is? I go to queer and straight allies. Um, and we kind of hang out for three or four days, um, and do kind of workshops and stuff on inclusive groups. And, um, like I don't know, QS a planning that kind of stuff. And, um, meet new people from all over the place and just hang out and make friends and have fun. I don't know. [00:15:00] Do you think those are like important events to be happening or yeah, why? Yeah, definitely. Um, I think it's really important for people to kind of go to them like not only for you know, there's I don't know, like I can't really explain it like, um even if like, they're not, You know, even if somebody's kind of firm in their identity or not, it's always nice to go into these kind of things like, because basically, you just like it's [00:15:30] your own community and your own kind of little living situation for a few days. And it's kind of just a little society that you make where nobody is assuming anything or judging anything. And, um, to have even just a few days of that is like a blessing. I guess, um and it's really important for people to go so they can kind of see what the world could be like. And then it gives them more motivation to work towards it. [00:16:00] Are you involved in any, um, kind of activism or political stuff in terms of care, training stuff? Um, I don't know I. I do some things. I just I don't know. I don't really put names on them or anything. I just do stuff. Um, I've Well, we made a What I do remember as a kind of thing was, um, my QS a made a, um, submission for the marriage equality campaign thing last year. Um, [00:16:30] and it was basically just kind of a slide show with some pictures, and they were really cute. And we kind of, like, held signs up saying stuff about marriage quality, and I kind of just wrote people. And I was like, Hey, come hold this sign and take a picture. Um, and we put it all together alongside a letter that I wrote, um, as a QS a letter and a queer person and a young person and sent it off. And people really liked it, like I don't know, like I. I got some kind of messages [00:17:00] on Facebook from people who said that their friends had, like, messaged them this link and been like, Oh, look at this. This is really cool. And so that's kind of the only thing that I really remember doing. It's awesome. How do you feel about, um, current trait protestation in the media? Um, I don't I have kind of mixed feelings like, um, there's definitely a need for kind of more representation Or maybe better representation. Like I, [00:17:30] um I don't know. All of my knowledge comes from TV shows, but I've been watching Orange is the new black, and that was really good for presentation. Um, but I kind of started watching it, and I was like, Oh, my God. Translating being played by a translator, Um, and all this stuff. And I was kind of like I shouldn't have had to be surprised that a show was so good for representation. Um, like all the diversity was in it like it was just crazy. [00:18:00] But it shouldn't have been crazy. I don't know. And, um, like, I feel like even at, like, the film festival that we had. Um and I made the film this year and last year about kind of queer stuff. People were like they they watched it and they were like, Oh, this is about queer weird. It's like, Well, why is that a special thing? I don't understand it. I don't know. I feel like there definitely needs to be more so that it's more of [00:18:30] a like Nobody's really surprised and or, like, really, really excited about it when it happens. Like it just it's just a random queer couple in there. I don't know. Do you think that certain kind of parts of the queer community are more represented than others? Like, Do you see your kind of identity as, like, sexual, gender, flu kind of stuff? Do you see that? Represented in the media? Um, like, I think most of the things [00:19:00] that I've seen are kind of like, um straight. Oh, no, not straight one. Like, um, maybe sis gay white men and, like sis gay lesbians and all that kind of stuff, like, um, girl's fi. And, um, it's like they're always, I don't know, it seems like, and they're always kind of like middle class and all this kind of stuff, and it's like, Well, I'm I'm [00:19:30] Maori and, like, gender fluid and all this stuff like, where am I and this stuff and, like, I never I've never I've seen, like, maybe one thing with a trans person in it. And, um, like, like the kind of gender identity is really not explored at all really mentioned on anything. Um, and when it is, it's kind of. It's so because it's so um kind of invisible to people. They're all really taken aback by it and disgusted [00:20:00] and all that stuff, or they jump on some bandwagon that they think exists. Um and I don't I don't know. I think like maybe I think gays and lesbians are definitely more represented than kind of like like basically, people focus on the LG and not the BT. I like I've never seen anything about an intersex person. I don't know. Do you think social media plays a pattern for [00:20:30] community, Especially with young people? Yeah. Yeah. Like I, um I think like without the like a lot of, like, all of the planning for like and stuff happens online. Um and, you know, you hear about it more through, um kind of like Facebook and Tumblr and all that kind of stuff. And, um, also kind of managing to keep in contact with people like mainly on Facebook, and, um, kind of joining groups and stuff like, I've I'm part of a tonne of kind of gender [00:21:00] groups and stuff on Facebook and just seeing people kind of interacting on there even if they're like I don't know. Like I even if I never I've never posted on there. I never talk to them, but it's just nice, like seeing them. And like, I think it's it's good for people to just make connections, I guess, and just know that they're there. So when you were kind of realising your sexual orientation and gender identity, did you have to come out to people? What was that like? Um, well, I [00:21:30] kind of when I was like, maybe 12. I started kind of realising something was up with sexuality and I was like, Hm, maybe I'm kind of gay, But I also went to a Catholic school. So then I was like, No, I'm not God will swipe me. Um, and I kind of tried to stop thinking about it. And then, um, I accidentally came out to my teacher because I had an argument with her about why I say came out. She assumed, [00:22:00] um, because I had an argument with her about why God made gays if he hates them so much and all this stuff. And then I got really kind of riled up about it, and she was like, You can't be this passionate unless you're queer. And I was like, Well, yeah, I could be whatever. And, um, there were a couple of, like, really good friends that I had there. And I was like, Guys, I felt straight and they were like, OK, that's cool. And then they kind of shoved me into some weird relationship with this other girl. I don't know. And then, um so I sexuality wasn't really an issue [00:22:30] in terms of coming out. Like, I've always been kind of comfortable with it. And I came out to my parents. Well, I, I came out to my mom, and she wasn't too bothered by it. My dad has yet to fully accept it. He said words to me about it, like a few months ago. They were great. Um and, um, yeah, so I mean, sexuality hasn't really been a huge issue, and I just kind of got to a point where I was like, I don't care. People will kind of guess after I shave my [00:23:00] head and was really open about being at Q youth and stuff. Um, but gender, I haven't really No, I haven't come out to many people about it like the only people that I've kind of come out to. I love like within the queer community and a couple of my friends. Actually, they're all in the queer community. Yeah, so I like. That's kind of really under wraps. And it's really difficult because I've got two different names in two different communities and sometimes they cross over like I've [00:23:30] got one name at school, which means I've got one name in my QS a but then they come to you and then I've got a different one, and so that's really hard. And I thought that I accidentally out of myself with a different name at this at this film festival. But I didn't, so that was OK. Um, I think the only reason that I, I mean, I'm I'm I'm I'm as comfortable as I can be with a gender that changes every day. But I think the only reason that I haven't been kind of able to come out to people is because it's so invisible [00:24:00] and kind of not represented and all that kind of stuff that people just think that it doesn't exist at all. So then if I try, they'd be like, Oh, no, No, no. You just like wearing shirts. I don't know. Yeah, like I know that my my parents would kind of just be like, Oh, again, another one. Like, what are you doing? Um, so that's kind of difficult to live with. I'm kind of I'm excited to move out and move to a different city so that I can introduce myself with this kind of new name and stuff [00:24:30] and new pronouns, and nobody's going to question it. And then later on, I can come back and be like, Hey, guys. Yeah? Where, um, where do you want to go? What do you want to kind of do with your future? Um, next year I'm moving to Dunedin and I'm gonna work for a bit, and then I'm gonna go to uni and I'm studying. I'm gonna study to become a teacher, which I think will be really cool, because I could probably help schools. [00:25:00] So yeah, I could be that teacher, and, um, I just really I I don't know. I want to kind of get involved with, um kind of local Q SAS and kind of make sure that I don't lose touch with the queer community. and kind of basic I. I want to try and kind of give back as much as I've gotten from these kind of things. Um, And I think if when I'm a teacher, I don't know, um, being [00:25:30] able to kind of, like, help out with the school and kind of be the teacher to go to about, like, QS a stuff. Or maybe they won't need a QS a but maybe they want one. I don't know. Um, being able to help out with that kind of stuff would be really nice, especially if it's like, you know, knowing from my own experiences at school. And I think it would just be really heartwarming to know that other people don't have to go through that kind of stuff. So I wanna help. That's an awkward ending. [00:26:00] Um, you talked before about how kind of invisibility, especially around like gender stuff, is one of the most like it really big issue. Um, what other issues do you think are kind of the most pressing ones facing current trans young people in New Zealand at the moment? Um, I don't know. I like I always have, like, one thing in my head at a time of, I think, really just that nobody knows about it so much. And I mean, people get scared, but they don't know things. [00:26:30] Um, like it. I think they just like basically, if everybody kind of got more educated on things and knew about it, I think that the lack of education around it is appalling. Um, like, even if we just had kind of more of a segment in health classes and introduced it more at an earlier age, like if you'd started learning about it in, like, Year seven and year eight, then it wouldn't be such a difficult thing to try and [00:27:00] understand. When you start thinking about it more, and when you have to try and swallow like all of the stuff about queer like and straight relationships and all this stuff when you're 14 and then you never hear about it again like it's, I don't know. I think education is really lacking, and it really needs to happen more. I don't know, and kind of like that would definitely kind of clear a lot of stuff. [00:27:30] This is really big, and, um, I think just a lot of people's kind of like they don't want to accept things like they just like there's people who just don't want things to change, and they can't accept that things are changing. And so, you know, if these people have Children who are queer, it's like it's either kind of, you know, they don't want to face it And so they kind of kick them out and that kind of stuff or they, [00:28:00] you know, maybe some of them accept it and change themselves. Um, that would be nice, but I think I don't know. I don't know. It got really vague. Um, having more spaces for queer and trans youth to kind of be within would be really good, like if every kind of if every town had a QS a or had some sort of education thing happening, it would help [00:28:30] so much and kind of push everything forward a little bit because people would then know about it all. And they wouldn't be so scared of trying to accept it and trying to understand it. I think that's that's a lot of it is that people just don't know what issues do. You think, um will be facing clear and and say, like, 10, 50 100 Like I know, like in the future. Um, hopefully just really bad. Hopefully the only issue is that they're not comfortable with themselves, [00:29:00] and they need help trying to understand it. And hopefully there will be kind of, like resources open to them. And I mean, this kind of fight, I don't know isn't gonna end any or probably isn't going to end any time soon, but I think it's definitely changing things. Um, so I don't know. I mean, hopefully it'll be kind of less like, you know, swept away and ignored and everything, but [00:29:30] I don't know. I've got some idea in my head I don't know how to describe it like I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I'll come up with an answer at some point. So maybe to finish off, what is your favourite thing about being a young person in New Zealand? Oh, man. Um, probably just all the people that I've met and knowing, like, because if I like all the people that I've kind of met through [00:30:00] all of the like kind of work that I've done with and with girls and everything like they've just been so open and and lovely and beautiful and all those things, and they've helped me kind of grow as a person and grow into my identity. Um, like, I had no idea that gender was a thing until, like, last year or something. Um and I don't know, basically just yeah, meeting all these people and like learning all these different stories [00:30:30] from people and kind of, you know, sharing your experiences and sharing your stories and knowing that they're helping people somewhere. And kind of just knowing that you're not alone in the world. I guess that's when, like and also just like what? Like knowing that things are changing and that you've helped it. It's a really it's really rewarding, I guess. Like one day, people are going to look back and be like, Oh, look at all the stuff that happened and be like, Yeah, I was there. [00:31:00] I helped. Yeah.
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