In this podcast Ann-Marie talks about religion, a 19-year relationship and three commitment ceremonies.
Summary
Ann-Marie Stapp's interview with Jac Lynch, titled "Butch on Butch," lasts 28 minutes and covers a range of personal topics from religion and family to long-term relationships and social activism. Recorded in 2015, the podcast reveals insights into Stapp's life from the 1960s through to the 2010s.
Stapp opens up about growing up in a small New Zealand town, appreciating its beauty later in life despite its perceived limitations during their youth. Born to a family of five, including parents and three siblings, Stapp navigated through the loss of loved ones, including their parents and a brother. The remaining siblings grew closer with age.
A significant portion of the interview centers on Stapp's 19-year relationship with their partner, Mary. They discuss how they met through a Wellington lesbian choir in the mid-90s and cemented their commitment on a beach walk. Their relationship endured hardships, including a health scare for Stapp, which led to a commitment ceremony in 2003 due to uncertain medical outcomes. In 2006, as the legal landscape changed, they celebrated their relationship with a civil union. The passage of the Marriage Amendment Act in 2012 allowed the couple to legally marry, further solidifying their union.
Stapp delves into their connection to a spiritual family that provided immense support, particularly during legal challenges faced by a friend from that family. This adopted family's values of peace and open-door ethos have become intertwined with Stapp's own life.
Anchoring the personal narrative in a religious context, Stapp speaks of a complex religious upbringing, with parents from different Christian denominations. They trace their spiritual journey, pointing to the influences of Anglicanism, Presbyterianism, and the Salvation Army on their formative years. A pivot towards progressive Christianity and social justice aligns with their deeply-held nonviolent principles.
Moreover, Stapp reflects on their participation in a "Butch on Butch" photo exhibition and their evolving understanding of gender identity and roles. They recount past experiences of gender nonconformity and how these have influenced their identity construction. Defying traditional gender binaries, Stapp reshaped their narrative of strength and resilience, embracing a butch identity that resonates with and empowers them.
The discussion also touches on social activism, with Stapp recounting participation in various protests and movements, like the Springbok rugby tour protest, and their alignment with social justice causes.
This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.
Voices
Tags
1960s, 1990s, 2010s, abortion, abuse, activism, adrian leason, anarchism, anglicanism, ann-marie stapp, aotearoa new zealand, binary, blenheim, brass bands, butch, butch on butch (exhibition/series), catholic workers, catholicism, chicago, children, church, civil unions, clothing, commitment ceremony, community, dance, dyke, education, facebook.com, family, femininity, feminism, femme, fluidity, galaxies (wellington), grandparents, hair, hangi, health, homosexual law reform, hui, identity, jac lynch, lesbian, lesbian choir (wellington), lesbian nuns: breaking silence, liberation, louisa wall, margaret mayman, marriage, marriage amendment act (2012), marriage equality, matiu / somes island, mental health, mental illness, movies, music, new zealand youth for christ, non-binary, nonviolent response, parents, prayer, proposal, religion, rugby, salvation army, school, siblings, social justice, soft butch, sport, springbok rugby tour (1981), st andrew's on the terrace, sunday school, survival, ties, tomboy, waihopai ploughshares, waihopai spy base protest (2008), wellington, women's refuge, Ōtaki
Tags (computer generated)
acceptance, army, attitude, auckland, baptism, berlin, blood, books, button, change, choice, christianity, christmas, connect, conservative, conservative christianity, conversation, dancing, data, difference, drama, equality, events, exhibition, face, food, friends, fun, funeral, gay, gender, god, growing up, history, hit, homosexual, homosexual law reform, hope, hospital, hospitality, india, justice, law, love, mannerisms, march, marionette, marriage equality, mary, melbourne, narrative, news, opportunity, other, outsider, parties, peace, people, politics, presbyterian, protest, radio, rally, reading, rejection, relationships, retirement, running, school uniform, sex, silence, sleep, social, spying, strength, stuff, support, surgery, survivor, time, top, travel, uniform, unions, united nations, violence, wedding, women, workshop, writing, youth, youth group