Nathan Brown The face of the AIDS Foundation's "Negative Role Model" campaign, Nathan is a tireless worker for the GLBT communities in Otago. Who are you and what's your background? In 2003 and 2004 I filled the role of UniQ Otago Coordinator, a half-time position, employed by the Otago University Students Association, coordinating Dunedin's Queer Student Support Service. My involvement with Youthline Otago, Pride Dunedin Youth, Pride Dunedin, and other community organisations prepared me for what would prove to be a demanding position that I found carried a great deal of expectation from Dunedin's Queer Community, students and non-students alike. What have you hoped to achieve through your work in the GLBT student community? I think UniQ is on the right track if it has succeeded in lifting the profile and presence of queer students on Dunedin's campuses and provided some good opportunities for queer students to meet each other and form friendships. So my approach has been to keep close to the media especially student media such as Critic, to provide social space that is free from scary political and bureaucratic stuff, and to look at ways of urging acceptance of gender and sexuality diversity. What characterises the NZ GLBT community for you? I think we are generally a reasonably involved and politically active lot. In smaller centres ‘out' queer people are more likely to be closer to the various community organisations because they are more likely to meet and socialise with the people that lead those organisations and therefore more likely to be informed on local community issues and goings-on and more prepared to support those organisations. I think much larger centres such as Sydney suffer from the “I'm sure someone else is doing it” attitude when often they aren't. What's the worst thing for you about being GLBT? Having people assume that I am str8. Like the drunk guy in the toilets at a nightclub the other night asking me “Where's all the pussy tonight?! I want some pussy. You got some pussy for tonight mate?” Best thing? Being able to enjoy a small-town sense of community, of knowing each other, and running into each other inside a larger urban environment, with all of its advantages, that I am certain str8 people don't get in quite the same way because there is just too many of them. Relationship status? I have commitment issues – SINGLE for three years Favourite food and drink? I really am not sure whether you could say NZ has a national dish anymore based on the eating patterns of most. Would I be wrong to suggest that most people use rice, pasta or noodles for half or more of their home cooked meals? Well I do – Asian, curries, satay, pastas are my staple favs – no meat and two vege here. Worst habit? Mining for bogey's Favourite TV show/movie? "It's noice, It's different…, it's definitely unusual." I had heard good things but because I am a sparse TV watcher I had never managed to regularly watch Kath GayNZ.com - 25th February 2005