Creek

In this podcast episode titled "Creek - Butch on Butch," recorded on March 9, 2015, the participant Creek engages in a dialogue with interviewer Jac Lynch about Creek's multifaceted identity and complexities within the LGBTQ+ community. During their 25-minute conversation, Creek shares perspectives on identifying with various labels, such as butch, female, submissive, lesbian, and transmasculine, each representing different aspects of Creek's gender, sex, sexuality, romantic inclinations, and gender presentation.

Creek eloquently articulates that these labels are confidently used yet difficult to explain due to the limited and often rigid language available to describe gender and sexuality. Instead of arriving at concrete conclusions, Creek finds it more enriching to explore identity fluidly without confining themself to restrictive definitions. Fond of diversity and resilience found in nature, Creek draws parallels between the pervasive and diverse nature of fungi and the queer community, noting the similarities in persistence and defiance in the face of homogenization and societal expectations.

Jac brings the conversation towards the symbolic significance of fungi to Creek, who spends considerable time in the forest observing mushrooms, likening their characteristics to those of queer identities that resist conforming to consumer capitalist norms. The fungi's extensive diversity, including various mating structures that extend beyond binary sexual classifications, serve as a metaphor for the queer struggle and resistance. Creek employs this metaphor to champion the beauty and vitality found within these diverse expressions of life and identity.

Regarding forming a butch identity, Creek discusses how a mentor played a significant role, helping them to move from butchphobia to butch pride, and growing acceptance of their persona beyond societal expectations. This journey included engaging with the queer community, developing friendships with fellow butches, and practicing butch solidarity which transcended past feelings of antagonism.

Furthermore, Creek touches upon the intrinsic butch-femme dynamic, asserting that the individual identities of butch and femme exist independently of each other, regardless of each other's presence, and can form a harmonious pairing based on attraction.

Creek also delves into their family background, describing a rural working-class upbringing, a complex relationship with parents, and the journey from self-perceived tomboy to a confident butch identity. The movement from Dunedin to Wellington marked a turning point for Creek, bringing them closer to a supportive queer community where they could freely explore and affirm their identity.

The podcast discussion extends to the topic of Creek's wedding, which was consciously designed to reflect authentic personal values, freedom, and the desire for a melodramatic ceremony that would express multiple facets of their relationship, including navigating life's dark and sunny patches together. The wedding departed from traditionally gendered norms and included aspects of their sexual dynamic, such as the dominant-submissive roles within their bond. Creek remarks on the personal motives for marriage, including a deep sense of belonging and connection with their partner, Sian, and the open-minded approach they have towards the institution of marriage and potentially divorce.

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Creek

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