Jeremy(September 2012)

This abstract summarizes content from a podcast recorded in Napier, Hawkes Bay on September 17, 2012, where an individual named Jeremy discusses their experiences of being a young gay person in the 2010s. Jeremy is 24 years old and is passionate about theatre arts, including dancing, singing, and acting, as well as working at a bookstore and playing video games.

Born and raised in Napier, Jeremy shares their hobbies, which, apart from theatre and gaming, include reading, spending time with friends, and watching TV. When it comes to self-identification, Jeremy confidently states their sexuality as gay and their gender identity as male, describing their cultural identity as white. In terms of gender expression, Jeremy positions themselves somewhere in between masculine and feminine presentations.

The conversation delves into the moment of self-realization regarding their sexuality, which occurred at the age of 13 during a trip to Wellington. A significant moment was seeing an image of a shirtless man and recognizing an attraction, leading to the internal acknowledgment of being gay. Despite holding this truth within, Jeremy never denied their sexuality, even though it remained a closely guarded secret for some time.

High school presented challenges, with bullying and ridicule from peers before Jeremy had openly declared their sexuality. However, transferring to a different school became a turning point. At around 15, a new friend convinced them to change schools, enabling a fresh start and the opportunity for Jeremy to come out in a more accepting environment. Friends and new acquaintances were already aware of Jeremy's sexuality by the time they disclosed it, helping to ease the process. Parents, while not ecstatic, did not turn Jeremy away and maintained a relationship despite some initial reservations and reluctance to discuss the topic.

Regarding relationships, Jeremy touches upon previous partners, including a manipulative one that tried to restrict Jeremy's contact with friends and family. Another relationship ended when that partner claimed to have turned straight for religious reasons. When meeting new people in the LGBTQ community, Jeremy prefers introductions through friends or cautious use of internet resources.

Jeremy candidly discusses past bullying experiences related to their sexuality but notes that, since high school, such incidents have not reoccurred. They comment positively on life in Napier in 2012, finding it fantastic as long as one is at peace with oneself. They also mention the wish for more open acceptance in the community, like being able to hold a partner's hand in public without concern.

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.

2010s, aotearoa new zealand, bullying, coming out, dance, family, friends, gay, hawkes bay, homophobia, internet, internet dating, ivy bar and cabaret, napier, parents, public display of affection (pda), q12 (series), regions, relationships, religion, school, sex, singing, theatre, venues, video games, wellington, youth

abortion, abuse, acting, bible, button, change, class, community, culture, dancing, david, emotional, environment, feelings, fishing, fun, gender, gender identity, god, hell, hit, hospital, identity, lgbt, love, masculine, nightclub, opportunity, other, people, podcast, rainbow, reading, sexuality, shopping, straight, stuff, support, technology, time, toronto, video, virginity, voice, walking, work, youth, youth group