The title of this recording is "Annabel - South". It is described as: Annabel talks about coming out as a lesbian. It was recorded in Dunedin, Otago on the 9th May 2014. The duration of the recording is 25 minutes, but this may not reflect the actual length of the event. A list of correctly spelt content keywords and tags can be found at the end of this document. A brief description of the recording is: In this podcast Annabel talks about coming out as a lesbian. The content in the recording covers the 2010s decade. A brief summary of the recording is: Summary: In a recorded podcast from Dunedin, Otago, dated 9th May 2014, the speaker, Annabel, shares personal insights into their journey of sexual identity realization and the evolution of language around sexual orientation. Annabel identifies as a lesbian and discusses how the word "queer" is increasingly used as an umbrella term, encompassing anyone who does not identify as heterosexual. The speaker comments on the trend towards using more specific labels within LGBTQ+ communities, although some, like genderqueer or non-conforming, may feel confusing to certain individuals. Growing up in a Catholic school where sexuality was rarely addressed, Annabel realized their sexual orientation at around 14 years old, although they did not publicly reveal this until later. The first person they came out to was a high school friend at age 16. It wasn't until 18, at university, that Annabel began telling more people, initially hesitating due to the gossip that surrounded other openly lesbian students. Annabel reflects on the conversations and reactions following coming out to their family, noting that while their mother needed some time to process the information, their father, with whom they share a less close relationship, was less surprised. Their friends in high school were mostly queer or accepting of queer identities, easing the speaker's personal journey. Discussing their experiences in Rotorua and the move to the South Island, they express a significant sense of comfort and acceptance in Dunedin due to its diverse student population and a generally more accepting atmosphere for queer individuals. Annabel also addresses the importance of community and involvement in activities such as queer support groups and social sports teams like Purple Passions, which contribute to a sense of belonging and support. The podcast spans other topics, including the role of social media in connecting LGBTQ+ communities, although Annabel prefers platforms like Tumblr to Facebook, as they find Facebook to be more judgmental. The speaker highlights the influential role of public figures like Laverne Cox in advocating for transgender representation in the media but notes that representation overall could still be more inclusive and varied to reflect a broader range of identities within the LGBTQ+ community. Annabel raises concerns about the need for more education on queer issues and safe sex practices in schools. They express hope for the future that education on LGBTQ+ matters will be more widespread in New Zealand, helping young people to engage safely and knowledgeably in relationships and communities. In closing, Annabel shares aspirations to travel, experience unique queer community events like A-Camp, and potentially teach abroad, while always striving to foster open dialogue about queer identities. The full transcription of the recording begins:  How would you describe your identity? Um, is I identify as a lesbian? So, yeah, Do you think the language that we use to talk about our sexual orientation has changed much over time? Um, I haven't really thought about it a lot, but I was talking to my mom on the phone and I was because I'm a Quest support intern this year. And I was telling her about that, and she was quite surprised that we used the word quit. So I think that's kind of changed. It's definitely changed a bit, and I think there's definitely a lot more kind of labels and stuff that people use. And it's a lot well, within my friend groups and stuff. It's really easy to talk about. It's not a an issue or anything, like a lot of people, kind of, uh, quite familiar with a lot of different labels. So what do you see? Um, Clara meaning to you? Um, I think it's kind of just I think of it as an umbrella term for kind of anyone that doesn't identify as heterosexual or Susten. So I think it's kind of a nice, all encompassing term that can kind of be a good way to to identify as queer if you're not quite sure, if of if you're still kind of trying to work things out in terms of sexuality or gender. And do you identify with any kind of, like sub categories or labels, like within the queer or lesbian like community or people? You know? I know a few people who heard gender queer. Um, I myself would consider myself kind of non conforming, but it's not so much a things that I've like. I when I think about it, it's just too confusing. And so I'm just like, OK, we'll just kind of stick with that General, um, kind of nonconforming thing. Um and you know, like, I know a few older lesbians that definitely, you know, like they identify as books or, you know, film and things like that. But there's not so much talk about that within my friend group, because I've got most of my friend group is is queer. So it's and a lot of them are lesbians, and a lot of them just identify as lesbian. They kind of don't subcategories it, but yeah, when did you first become aware that you're, um Well, I was probably about 14 when I realised it myself. Um, and I think that was also kind of around the time when I realised kind of what it meant. Like I went to a Catholic school for 13 years and so kind of That wasn't really a thing that was talked about at all. Um, and I knew I had one friend who he came out as gay when he was 12. And so we It was kind of I made the assumption that gay was a thing that, you know, boys that, like boys were gay. But, you know, girls that, like girls there it was just it wasn't a thing. And so kind of. I think I kind of came to the realisation when I was about Yeah, like, 14, but wasn't kind of didn't kind of divulge the information to a bit later. So, yeah. Um, did you have, like, a coming out? Um, well, I remember I was the first person I came out to Was one of my friends in high school when I was 16 at the time, And I had, like, my computer up when we were studying and I had my background on my computer was I think it was a picture of dial because she's amazing. Um and, um, my friend, who's also who at the time identified as bisexual um, she's like, you're so gay. I'm like, Yeah, yeah, I think so. And she's like, What? Are you serious? I'm like, Yes, so and that was quite cool. And then from there, I told, um, my other best friend and friend, like, a couple of days later because I felt so guilty that I hadn't told her. But I told my other friend, um, but then I didn't really come out to anyone else until I was 18. Um, kind of I was at uni. It was my first year, and I was I was planning to be, like, really open about it at the beginning of the year. But then, um, my friend from my friend from high school, um, she moved down here with me, and we she got a girlfriend after, like, four days at uni. And, um so and we were because we were in the flats. We were in the main hall, and so she so there was a whole lot of, you know, rumours and discussions and stuff about the lesbians in the flats. And I was like, OK, well, maybe I'm not gonna be open if there's this, like, an out if there's this much kind of gossip about it, Um but I kind of there were a few people that I told probably about halfway through that year. Um, and I gave my mom a phone call and told her about two months before the end of the year, and I was gonna have to move back home, So she was shocked. It was an interesting phone conversation. She was kind of I told her and she was silent for a while and I was like, I was like, Are you OK? And she's like, she's like, I just need a bit of time to process and you know that stuff And then she's like, I thought, you're gonna tell me you're pregnant and I'm like, Well, there's no chance of that now. And it was not funny. Apparently so, um, but yeah. So, like, I came out to my mum when I was 18, and then I went home and my sister, I came out to her when I'd gone back home and she was just like, Oh, yeah, I already knew that. I was like, Well, OK, um, so that was all good And she told my dad, which apparently took some because I don't have a great relationship with it, like it's not something that will come up in conversation, But it was, um I think he like. I don't think it was a huge looking back. I don't think they like for them. Looking back, I don't think it was a huge surprise, like, I've always been very much a tomboy and kind of didn't really grow out of it and never had boyfriends and things like that. And I think it was kind of just, you know, like they just needed a bit of time to process. And both of them are OK with it now, which is nice. It makes things easy. Um, because I've got a lot of friends that whose parents aren't OK with it, and it seems like it'd be really hard. I probably just wouldn't go back home, so yeah. No, it's How did you go from, um, like, kind of when you when your gay friend came out to you. Um, and you just you didn't know Kind of what what it meant to be like a woman attracted to other woman, but they were kind of, I don't know. I think it was kind of just I think I hadn't really, like, I knew that I'd never liked boys. It was like boys were always friends. And, you know, as soon as I started high school, everyone was trying to set me up with other boys. And I'm like, no boys are my friends. Like, I've always had friends that were boys, and it was kind of like people actually, like, I'm like we're in high school. Like, What is this? We're 11. Um, and I think it's just like I don't think my friend that came out when he was 12. It wasn't so much like I think it was. It was kind of something already, like a lot of people already kind of knew because they'd been teased about it for ages, and, um, he kind of just came out and we were all just like, Oh, yeah, no, like, that's cool. Like it wasn't a big deal. Um, but yeah. And like I hadn't really thought about about it or like about just, you know, being attracted to girls as being anything weird. And then it was kind of I don't know how I kind of it wasn't like one day I was like reading, and it was like, Oh, OK, so this is this is what this is. Um it was kind of just, you know, like I. I think you know, my friends saying, Oh, you're so gay. It was kind of like my like, Oh, yeah, like I. I probably am like, it's not a It wasn't something. I was like, Oh, my God, Am I this like it was kind of just like I'd always I'd never like boys. And then I kind of started liking girls. And it was it wasn't any girls that I knew. It was like celebrities. And so I was like, Oh, everyone does this, but I don't think they did. So it's just yeah, it wasn't like a long, kind of process of finding out. It was kind of I think it was mostly the my friend being like, Oh, you're so gay and I'm like, Oh yes, I, I Yeah, yeah, I think I have, and kind of from there I was like, Yeah, definitely. So I think, Yeah, it had to be kind of. I mean, previously. I. I kind of when I was 14. It was kind of like I knew I kind of liked girls, but I didn't think of it as kind of weird. I just assumed everyone else did as well as liking boys like it was just Yeah, whereabouts. Did you grow up? Um, I grew up in Rotorua. So did you experience any kind of like homophobia there? Like like a Catholic school? Or I wasn't I wasn't really out, so it wasn't, uh it wasn't really an issue for me. And I had quite a diverse group of friends in high school, too. Like I was friends with a lot of people who identified as bisexual or as gay. And it was so it was kind of all people that were kind of open to that. It wasn't, um, so within that it was easy. But it was I also still felt a little bit out of place because I was I felt like I was the only one that only liked girls. So it was. Yeah, it was Still, I still felt kind of on the outside of that group, but I knew that they were accepting of it. Like I. I didn't. Most of them didn't know. A lot of them had assumed. But it was, um Yeah, it was. So I think it was. There wasn't a lot of experiencing of homophobia because I wasn't I wasn't out. So it was, Yeah. What's it been like? Um, kind of moving to the South Island and starting like university. Um, I love it down here. Um, it's just it's so like, I feel a lot more comfortable being myself and like, I'm not going to be judged because there's such a large student population here. I think everyone's still kind of everyone's wants to express themselves in in their own way. And so it's kind of there's a large kind of diversity just in general, across people in, like, a lot more, I suppose acceptance like it's it. It feels like people are going to be more accepting of, you know, any kind of queer people. And so it's, you know, like you see lots of different kinds of people walking around So you're like, Oh, yeah, so II I don't think I'm as out of place as I feel sometimes. Like it's, um it's great. Like I It feels like I feel comfortable being out here, whereas I think, like when I go back home and stuff like my friends from high school now. But I wouldn't kind of kind of share that information with a whole lot of people and be like, Hey, I'm gay like, um, I wouldn't like here. I'm involved in a lot of stuff like I play, um, social soccer with the Purple Passions, who's a lesbian ally and lesbians and their allies social football team. They've been in existence since, like the the late eighties. Um, So, um, I'm I'm really involved with that. And this year I'm involved with, um, queer support and, like, I don't think I'd be and and, you know, like I play competitive football as well. And so that's like all my teammates there now, and I don't think I'd be quite as comfortable like with being as out as I am here. If I was still in Rotorua. So yeah, um, do you think it's harder to be, um like out in the South Island? Or is it more of like a small town? This city thing? I think it's a small town verse city thing. Like, I think, like I've got, um, a couple of friends from Invercargill. Um, and it's a bit that I've been there once and it seems very similar to, um like it's still classified as a city, but it's kind of, um and I think kind of being out there isn't ideal. They've got very kind of set ideas about, um, homosexuality and things like that. So I think it's Yeah, I think it's dependent on kind of the size and kind of the I think the age of the population as well because, you know, here it's a lot of students and things like that. Um, and I feel that kind of our generation is a lot more accepting of kind of queer people because it's something that's been kind of acknowledged a lot more like as we're growing up and it's so there's not kind of as set ideas about like get is bad kind of thing. So yeah, it's I think it's definitely a size of the city, and you know kind of what the how the population is made up. So, um, is it important to have to, like, kind of be involved with the like stuff that's going on here and be like have a sense of community? But definitely, definitely. Um, it makes it so much easier to know that there's like to to know that there are other people like me because I think that was part of my problem in high school was that I would I wasn't coming out. I didn't come out because, you know, like I didn't have anyone to identify with. So it's It's definitely great to have a sense of community. And just to be able to talk about like just to be able to talk about like, queer things is great, Like if I mention a movie or something, that that's a queer movie, it's just like, Oh, yeah, no, I've seen that. It was a great movie kind of thing as opposed to, you know, like within a group of like if I was to talk about it in my football team, they'd be like, what? Like, what is this? So it's, um yeah, it's definitely great to just be able to have to to and to feel. I think there's a feeling of safety as well. You've got, like, a safety net that if you've got any problems or anything, you know people you can go to and they're not going to be judgmental. So do you feel like, um, like Facebook and social media play a part in our young people, like connecting and building that community? Um, to a degree, I think, like I'm not out on my Facebook, Um, I don't know why. I just I feel like Facebook is quite a judgmental social media, whereas things like, um, there are other kind of social media like things like YouTube and tumbler and stuff. They're all kind of you. There are communities within them that are queer, and they are accepting of queer. And so it's. I feel like those social media are a lot you know, better for building communities as opposed to things like Facebook, because there's still like if you go on some Facebook pages, it's just and you see, like read comments and stuff. You're just like, what are you talking about? Like, um, and I think there are some websites like, Um, what is this like after Allen and Auto straddle, which, like blogs and stuff that post well, they're not blogs, but they post like articles and stuff. Um, and it's really good to have. That is a sense of community as well, because it's stuff that's kind of relevant to you as well as being stuff that you'd usually get in like a you know, like a teen magazine or whatever. But it's directed at lesbians. So it's, I think that's really cool, like things like that, um, great for meeting people and building online communities. It's just depends on the type of social media that it is. What do you think about the way, um, current and Trans people are represented in the media and in in the media in general? Do you mean like movies and stuff or just like all sorts? Um, I think in terms of trends, there's not a lot of, um, stuff it, and I think it's kind of coming like there's there's kind of more now with like, um, the only movie I can think of trans movie I can think of is, Is it about a boy or boys don't cry. Boys don't cry, which is so, so sad. Um, and um, I think with there's kind of more talk about it now. Especially since, um, Orange is the new black and Laverne Cox, who is amazing. Um, and I think she's been a real good kind of voice and role model for, um, trans women in particular to kind of, um just to give a voice to trans trans women specifically, Um, so it's, I think it's quite like it. It's It's improving slowly, but it's definitely not as it's definitely not as talked about as it should be. It seems like it's still kind of a taboo kind of subject. Um, in terms of queer, I think it's there's a lot of television now that's got that it that it's either like queer, centred or have queer characters. Um, but in saying that there are quite often like in terms of lesbians, they're quite they're all very feminine. There's not a lot of like there's not a broad range of representation within a certain label. It's all very, you know, in the stereo. And for gay men, it's always very stereotypically gay men, um, flamboyant. Um, and so I think like we've got kind of a bit more. We've got more representation now, but it's still the way it's represented. Could could be adjusted to make it more, I want to say accurate or more representative than, um than it than it is. Why do you think it is that, um, that thing kind of, because it's what men want to see. Um, yeah, it's because it's what men want to see. And it's the same with lesbian porn. It's it's directed at straight men. It's not at all for like, it's great to see on TV to be like, yes, lesbians who, um But at the same time, you're like, Oh, there's no one that looks like me So I think it would be great to kind of have more variety in the representation of lesbians, but I don't know whether that will be happening any time soon. So what do you think are some of the biggest issues that are facing current train people in New Zealand at the moment? I mean, we just got married quality, but, um, mostly, I think education, like in education, educating young people about just, you know, queer issues And you know what queer is? Um I mean, I don't know if that's covered in non Catholic schools, but it definitely wasn't covered in, um, my school. Um, but as you know, from what I gather, there's not a lot of education around it, and it's especially in terms of, um, sex Ed. I think that there needs to be a big push for that so that people can so that young gay people can engage in safe sex because that's that's important. Like it's important to be safe and to kind of promote that, whereas it's just not talked about at all. So, um, where do you think we might be as a country in, like, 10 years time in terms of some of that 10 years, right? Um but yeah, What IIII. I hope there will be more education around it, like I. I feel like that's kind of needs to be the next big push, because I don't want I'm gonna sound really cheesy. But like the Children are our future. Um, like and we need to kind of. And it is it is something that's becoming like coming out is more acceptable as is seems to be, you know, more acceptable. People are coming out younger. Um, and they need to be kind of aware of how to go about things and how to, you know, how to engage in same sex and, you know, meaningful relationships and just kind of knowing places to, even if they're not going to explicitly give information in schools to provide, um, young people with places where they can find that information. So hopefully we'll be there. Um, what are your personal, like, hopes for your future? Um, well, I don't know. Like I I'm studying primary teaching. Um, so but I, I want to teach the little little ones, so I don't know whether I can contribute much to, um, um, like queer education. Um, but it's definitely going to be something that I hopefully will be able to talk openly about, Um, I work in an after school programme at the moment, and I was having a discussion with one of the boys the other day. He's 10. We were discussing, uh, like, I'm not out there, but it's, um, I. I was discussing. We were discussing the Wizard of Oz and which one of us he's like he's like, I we were having a discussion about who liked The Wizard of Oz more, and he's like I would marry Dorothy. I'm like I would, too. He's like he's like I'm like, you know, it's it's legal now So it's kind of it was kind of nice and we just kind of had a little, um, discussion about it. And it was quite nice to kind of just be able to chat about it without even being him, knowing that I was gay. It was kind of it was It was a natural conversation. I hope to kind of bring that into my teaching. Hopefully, depending on what kind of school I'm at, Um and I don't know, I kind of want to do a bit of travel. I have huge, huge dreams to go to a camp which is run by auto shadow, which is the website I was talking about earlier. Um, I would love, love, love to do that. So I'd like to Yeah, I'd like to travel over, particularly I'd like to move over to Canada, um, ideally or England and teach. So those are my kind of long term goals. Um, it's a camp run by where a whole bunch of queer women kind of come together and do activities and interact, and it looks like an awesome time. I have a friend who went while she was over in Canada a couple of years ago and so, so jealous. She said it was amazing. So it's just to kind of meet more people and kind of participate in activities and things. So if you were to give a message to kind of, um, a young person in a Catholic high school, um, struggling with their sex sexual orientation, what would it be? Um, I would probably say find in, like, if you feel comfortable, talk to your friends about it. Um, because your friends are more than often more often, they're not gonna support you, like if. And if they're not, they're gonna Well, then you're kind of screwed, but, um but no, like, it's it. II I found on like online communities are really, really helpful. Um, you like, you know, go on YouTube. Go on. Tumblr kind of find communities there where you can make friends. Even if it's a friend that lives in America. You've got someone who you can talk to if you're having problems or you can discuss things about. There's a lot of information online that you can find if you are questioning and things like that, and I think kind of don't be like, feel forced to do anything, like If you don't want to come out, don't come out if you don't think it's safe you know, just it's kind of like a natural progression type thing. Just be comfortable. Try to be comfortable in yourself first and kind of go from there, um, to finish up. What's your favourite thing about being a young person in New Zealand? My favourite thing? I don't know. I don't know I. I really like the communities like I like the sense of community with that. I've got a variety of different communities. I suppose so. II. I like, Yeah, I like the communities. They're all very friendly and welcoming and great to be a part of. The full transcription of the recording ends. A list of keywords/tags describing the recording follow. These tags contain the correct spellings of names and places which may have been incorrectly spelt earlier in the document. The tags are seperated by a semi-colon: 2010s ; A-Camp ; Aotearoa New Zealand ; Australia ; Boys Don't Cry (film) ; Canada ; Catholic school ; Coming Up ; Dunedin ; Events ; God ; Invercargill ; Laverne Cox ; OUSA Queer Support (Otago University Students' Association) ; Orange Is the New Black (tv) ; People ; Purple Passions (soccer team) ; Rotorua ; Rule Foundation ; South (series) ; Stuff ; Tabby Besley ; The Wizard of Oz ; activities ; afterellen. com ; allies ; autostraddle. com ; bisexual ; blogs ; building ; camp ; children ; coming out ; community ; conversation ; diversity ; education ; facebook. com ; femme ; film ; flamboyant ; football ; friends ; fun ; future ; gaming ; gay ; gender ; genderqueer ; growing up ; hell ; heterosexual ; hit ; homophobia ; homophobic bullying ; hope ; identity ; intern ; internet ; labels ; language ; lesbian ; love ; marriage equality ; media ; movies ; other ; parents ; physics ; podcast ; queer ; questioning ; reading ; relationships ; representation ; role model ; safety ; school ; sex ; sex education ; sexuality ; so gay ; soccer ; social ; social media ; sport ; stereotypes ; straight ; support ; teaching ; television ; time ; tomboy ; trans ; transgender ; travel ; tumblr. com ; university ; voice ; walking ; women ; work ; youth ; youtube. com. The original recording can be heard at this website https://www.pridenz.com/south_annabel.html. The master recording is also archived at the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington, New Zealand.  For more details visit their website https://tiaki.natlib.govt.nz/#details=ecatalogue.1089603. Please note that this document may contain errors or omissions - you should always refer back to the original recording to confirm content.