Mo

In this 31-minute podcast episode titled "Mo - Butch on Butch", Moana Parsons shares intimate details about life experiences with interviewer Jac Lynch. The recording, captured on April 4, 2015, in Wellington, New Zealand, dives into Parsons’ background, work as a Diversity Liaison Officer for the New Zealand Police, and participation in the Auckland Pride Parade.

Parsons recounts growing up in Kaitaia, a small town in the far north of New Zealand. This location, while breathtakingly beautiful, was described as socially constrained and economically depressed. The desire for broader opportunities propelled Parsons to leave home at 18, despite cherishing the area's natural beauty. Life in Kaitaia was steeped in beach-based activities, influenced by parents who were enthusiastic about sailing, and adventures with friends on farms with horseback and motorbike riding.

Regarding education, Parsons attended the local schools in Kaitaia, moving through primary to senior levels with a consistent peer group that formed tight-knit friendships. Despite being sporty and accidentally placed in an advanced academic stream, Parsons admits the preferential focus was on playing sports rather than studying, yet ironically, this academic misplacement pushed Parsons to work harder in school.

The journey from Kaitaia to Auckland was prompted by a desire to join the police force, a goal that Parsons felt necessitated maturation and a backup plan. Working initially in Auckland, but finding the city unwelcoming, the move was then made to Dunedin where a Physical Education degree was pursued. This relocation marked an important personal milestone; it was in Dunedin that Parsons came out as gay to family members, revealing a transformation from a "baby dyke" to an active participant in the LGBTQI+ community, marking a stark contrast to the more conservative Kaitaia experience.

Transitioning from Dunedin to a career with the police, Parsons faced outdated attitudes during the recruiting process but managed to become a pioneering Diversity Liaison Officer in 2004, a position that engages with LGBTQI+ community and internal police culture.

Highlighting a significant event for the LGBTQI+ community and the New Zealand Police, Parsons recounts the experience of marching in uniform during the Auckland Pride Parade, despite some controversy surrounding the inclusion of police force members and ongoing discussions around their full support and recognition by the organization. This participation was described as personal vindication and an important step in supporting LGBTQI+ staff within the police force.

Currently residing in a close-knit community just outside of Wellington, Parsons reflects on hitting the milestone of turning 40, finding contentment and motivation to shape life according to personal wants and needs. Moreover, Parsons participated in the exhibition "Butch on Butch" as an expression of identity and support for the LGBTQI+ community, beyond the professional realm and uniform.

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.

Moana Parsons

2010s, acceptance, accomodation, aotearoa new zealand, auckland, auckland pride festival, baby dyke, buddhism, butch, butch on butch (exhibition/series), clothing, coming out, community, dance, department of corrections, diversity, diversity liaison officers (police), dunedin, dyke, employment, feminism, flatting, friends, jac lynch, kaitaia, law, lesbian and gay balls, long distance relationship, out in the carpark (wellington), out in the park (wellington), out in the square (wellington), parents, physical education, police, porirua, pride, pride parade (auckland), prisoners, protest, quakers, reclaim the night, relationships, school, soccer, sport, stereotypes, study, support, transcript online, uniform, university, values, waka ama, wellington, whanganui

accident, apprenticeship, birthday, boxes, change, class, clubs, coming up, conversation, crime, culture, exhibition, failure, family, food, gay, growing up, gym, hell, identity, job, lesbian, lgbt, love, march, motorbike, opportunity, other, palmerston north, parade, people, plan, queen, queer, questioning, race, reclaim, recognition, regrets, religion, respect, rural, sea, secondary school, security, sex, sexuality, siblings, social, squash, straight, stuff, the edge, the other side, time, top, training, trans, transport, trust, walking, water, women, work