Pride Line vox pops, file 1
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Prideline_2023-02-27_1523.mp3 |
00:03:00.145 |
Oh, hi there, State library. Thanks for the great exhibition that you've provided. Hey, my story of Pride that I wanted to go over, was really going back about 30 years and being a gay person or a queer person from Western Sydney and, you know, seeking community in contact with us and through friends. I started, well, you know, some friends actually took me to the historic Drummoyne Clever Business Woman's Club and that's a bit of a an old chestnut I know, but it like, it was a really great place for people to meet and find their community and best thing of all I met my partner of nearly 30 years, so I've got a pretty pretty much a soft spot for the Clover Club, which is no more, sadly. Another thing that, you know, was a bit of a highlight on my Pride journey was going with my partner to participate in the Mardi Gras parades. And this was kind of going back over 20 years ago, giving my age away here. And so it was actually [inaudible] so that was real strong [inaudible] in coming into the parade they they're like some bikes lead the parade and you know everybody revving up their their motorbikes and you know that deafening sound that was amazing sort of riding into the crowd and you know there's just all these happy smiling faces, which was so, you know, sort of validating for, you know, queer community people, you know, sort of friendly, happy faces and everyone chatting. Happy Mardi Gras. So good. So yeah. Finally, one last thing. I remember, gosh, 35 years ago going in on the train? From Western Sydney into the Mardi Gras Parade and taking my beautiful little girl. And, you know, sort of just showing her that there was colour, there was music and here I guess to the gay community and subsequently, she has really grown up to be [inaudible] person. And you know [inaudible]. Grateful. |
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Prideline_2023-02-28_1755.mp3 |
00:01:05.916 |
Hello there. My story is I'm Asian, I'm Catholic. I was adopted when I was just three years old and gay and my dear partner's Jewish. I married an Australian soldier, came over to Australia and shortly thereafter, within such a short time, I was hospitalised and in isolation for 12 months of tuberculosis. You could say it was a rather rocky start. After my marriage broke up and I was left with a little boy to raise, but here I am today, 50 years strong in Australia. And I can say I'm so fortunate. To have led a very happy and contented life with the love of my life, my beloved of 33 years. It has been one hell of a ride. I cannot say anymore and what a ride it has been. She is. I have a very fortunate, I'm very fortunate to have an extended family who I love and adore. And God bless us all. Happy Pride. Thank you. Bye. |
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Prideline_2023-03-01_1551.mp3 |
00:01:16.537 |
Hi, my name's Liz. I think the first time I remember references to lesbians was when I started uni and I joined the Women's Collective for a morning of banner painting and my first job was to draw and paint a women's symbol with a fist in the middle. And I guess that was my first introduction to fisting, because the feminists were talking about now we're going to get fisting jokes, but it was all in good fun and we went to the Coogee Woman's Bath later on to cool down. Walking around. Coogee was really wild back then, which was like 1999, and I'd come from a small country town, so I was terrified that we were going to step on a syringe or something because we were walking around the streets in Sydney with bare feet but end up being pretty clean really in retrospect. That's my story. Thank you. |
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Prideline_2023-03-01_1553.mp3 |
00:07:50.668 |
Hi, my name's Julie and I'm a very, very proud gay lady who's 65. I came out when probably when I was about 12 or 13, I knew I was gay. Went through school, had a bit of a hard time at school, but it was only when I went into the workforce in the 70s that I actually struck, you know, a bit of, well, not a bit of trouble, but people who were anti-gay. And I worked for a big company, and I don't mind telling you who it was or who it is, but it's Coles. I worked at North Rocks and I never spoke really much about, you know, my outside life, because I thought that's pretty private and all that sort of stuff. Anyway, when I was working at one of the Coles stores, I got a promotion and one of the girls didn't like the fact that I got a promotion and she went and told everybody that I propositioned her and you know, I was gay and all that sort of stuff, which I didn't do that anyway. Just to cut a long story short, I was made to leave that store because they wanted, they didn't want, like a whole staff to walk out because they went to the Union. So they moved me and I went to North Rocks. But unfortunately the story went to North Rocks and for about two or three years I had had a very hard time there. I actually had gay stickers put on my car. I had somebody from Kmart who fancied me and followed me one night because I bowled ten pin bowling, and they followed me to the bowl one night. Followed me home. I ended up going to the legal department in Coles and just put my case forward to them and they were on my side, which I thought was absolutely fantastic and they said if I wanted to take legal action I could. But I said no, I don't. I said all I want to do is come to work, do my job and go home. And basically from, you know, that day onwards, you know, like I don't have, never really had an issue now at Coles. And I've been in the one store at North Rocks for 42 years. Most of the customers, you know, know me and know that I'm gay. But then no one has an issue with it. It's actually, it's probably the last 10 years or 15 years. This is the best time I've had in my life. I'll just go there, do my work. And it's funny, but, you know, ever since, you know, the Pride has come out, like, sort of stuff, and Coles are supporting, you know, the all walks of life and welcoming everybody into the store. I've had so many people, you know, come up to me and say, you know, like, you know, we're proud of you, and our son and our daughter have come out and, you know, we still love them and they're the same. And and I said, yeah, I said we are all the same. I said, you know, like I don't do anything different to, you know, anybody else. I've, I've worked, you know, for 48 years. I'm in a beautiful relationship with a lovely lady called Claire who we've been together now for 33 years and, you know, we have a a great life together. We just, you know, she works, you know, with horses and, you know, we do everything the same. We pay bills, we got a mortgage, we we, you know, fart and poop and cough and laugh and just have a great time and it's, I want to tell you a funny story though. One of the customers that comes in when we put the banners up and all that sort of thing, she she... and I actually, I wore my pride tie last week. And she, she, she said, What's all this business going on? And I said, What with? She said, Oh, your tie. I said, It's a Pride tie. What do you mean by that? And I said, Well, look at the banners that we've got up. I said, Coles, you know, don't discriminate. I said, Against any walks of life, you know, whether you're gay, straight, black, white, Brindle, you know, Indian, whatever. And you know, and she said, Well, I don't like it. She said, I find it offensive. And I said, Well, you know what darling? I said, you know what I said, Coles even let people like you in. Anyway. So see. Yeah, sort of. Oh, yeah. Well, you know, I don't want to talk about this. Well you know what? I said, Maybe you won't want me to serve you next week. I said, You know, when you come in. Oh, well, I still find this offensive. And I said, Everyone to their own. Nobody bothers you when you come in. I said, You do your shopping. I said, I'm polite and polite to you and courteous and all that sort of stuff. And I told that story to a lot of people about, you know, saying about, that we let you know, people like you into the shop and they just cracked up laughing, I mean. They they thought it was funny. And you know like I'm very, very lucky that, you know, I work in an environment where, you know, it's it's just, it's never, it's not talked about, it's common knowledge. And you know, I even have people come up to me all the time and ask how Claire is and how did we meet and you know, it's a look even though I'm at the well, you know at the other end of, you know, my life. This is the best time that I've ever had and the best time of, you know, just being a proud person. And, you know, I just think that the world is a better place in 2023 with companies like Coles doing what they're doing and other companies. And I think the kids of today are very, very lucky because they're growing up in a world where everybody now is tolerant and, you know, people don't give a shit, you know, who you are. And there's actually another customer who I've known for 20 odd years. I watched her go through her pregnancy with, you know, her younger son. And last year, you know, you sort of get a funny feeling about someone and I thought it was like, yeah, he's probably are, you know. Anyway, he came out to his parents and they, you know, he got together with his parents and his brothers there and just, you know, said, Look, mum and dad, you know, I'm gay and all that sort of stuff and they are as proud as punch and you know, I'm, I'm proud of him too because he's, he comes from a beautiful family. His family's, you know, accepted. And you know, I just think the kids are today, they're very, very lucky in growing up in the the world today because everybody, you know, the majority of people, I'd say 95% of people are still accepting. And I think there's that little majority of people that still live in the the old school, but you know, at the end of the day, you know, it's it. Life is absolutely fantastic and wonderful and you should just go out there, you know, live your life, laugh a lot like I do all the time. And you know, I think what you're doing in getting people's experience and and stories, I think it's great. And I'm really, really proud to be a part of it. And I'm really thrilled to bits that I had some beautiful friends who are gay ring me and said look, you know, would you like to ring and talk, and I said yeah, I said I'll do it. I said, I don't have a problem with it, but look, I'm there if you know, you need any more information. I don't. I'm not. I'm back here. If you know where I work, it's Julie and I work at Coles at North Rocks. And you know, if you want to come in and meet me and talk, that's fine. Don't have, I don't have an issue, don't have a problem with it. And thanks for doing what you're doing and thanks for all your support. OK, Thanks. Thanks, everyone. Bye. |
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Prideline_2023-03-02_1339.mp3 |
00:00:29.484 |
Hi, this is Joel Alvarez. My story of Pride is at the 2023 Sydney World Pride. It was amazing to see lots of people coming together from all over the world to celebrate pride, diversity, equality and love. It was amazing to see everyone so happy and enjoying themselves and having a great time. It was a wonderful celebration. |
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Prideline_2023-03-02_1423.mp3 |
00:00:38.304 |
Hi there, my name is Josh. I'm a proud gay man from Australia calling you from this box here in Sydney. I'm actually from Perth. Just wanted to call and thank you for all that you have done for the voices to be known and be heard. And I look forward to living a proud life here in Australia and being part of the revolution that is to come. |
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Prideline_2023-03-02_1919.mp3 |
00:01:33.061 |
I feel very lucky about the family I came from. I have very, very supportive, beautiful parents who have always accepted me and my gay sister, and I never felt prouder than in 2016 when I took my husband and our boyfriend and our big group of queer family members up to Lismore for tropical fruits. And we stayed at my parents house and as we came over the hill towards their house, we saw a row of rainbow flags made. Championed all the neighbours to allow them to put up massive rainbow flags down the hill. So a row of rainbow flags guided us into our house and and as we arrived home and looked out at the backyard there was a a sea of small rainbow flags making up another very big installation of rainbow love heart in the backyard and I felt very, very lucky to have my biological and my chosen family together and it was a very, very special year. And on another note, when I told my mother that we were bringing my boyfriend home. Me and my husband were bringing our boyfriend home. The only question that she asked was how many beds should I make up? At the time it was one cause we're all in love and sleeping together still. But as time went on we needed more beds. We're not with him anymore, but we're still great friends. I'm actually standing here looking at my husband and our ex-boyfriend together, coming and seeing this exhibition. Anyway, that's all I had to say. |
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Prideline_2023-03-03_1220.mp3 |
00:00:15.264 |
Hi, 3 March 2023. This is my first visit to the State Library and it's well, Pride. Pride is amazing. Thanks. Love you. Bye. |
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Prideline_2023-03-03_1333.mp3 |
00:07:21.828 |
Hello, my name is Haley Cardiff. Not sure? And I'm a transgender woman, um, at 18 years old, from Australia. And. Where should I start? I'll start the beginning. Umm. I sort of realised I was trans when I was about 14, I think. From earliest memory. I mean, I barely remember anything from my childhood, but I do have the distinct memory of thinking, hey, I'd rather be a girl instead of being a boy, but. But then my thought was just, Oh well, too bad it's not going to happen because, I thought, I didn't think I could be trans, because my idea of trans people just came from a media and shit like um, what do you call it? Silence of the Lambs, Psycho, Dressed to Kill, Ace Ventura. Um, just gags of like, Oh, you had sex with the trans. I'm so disgusted. And that was my idea of trans. So I kind of repressed it for a while until I was 16 when I realised I'm I was trans and that kind of just set up a bombshell for me and I, after that, the first person I told, was one of my closest friends at the time. Um. Let's just call him, Sam. Let's call him Sam. And he was super supportive, which was great. Um, which I'm very happy about. Um. And then later on. I learned, I met another person who is non binary. I'll call them Moss. That's a very stereotypical non binary name. And Moss and I were like sort of friends. We were like semi friends through it. And at one point I told them I was non binary, I'm not binary. They're not binary, I am a transgender woman and I told them that. And they were so supportive. I do not think I would be where I am now. If it wasn't for them. There was one day where me and another non binary person they knew, I'll say his name is Leo, Saint Leo. So Leo, Sam and I, we went to the city, we tried on clothes. It was super duper fun, yeah. And they got me, I mean. Um, some makeup and shit and moisturising and stuff, which I loved, which was great. And I'm not going to go through every detail I'm going to go to. Um. When I came out to my parents, they were not extremely supportive, first of all all. Um. My mum, mum still said that I wasn't really, wasn't really a woman and always to be a boy and that kind of stuck with me for a bit. So, yeah, that kind of, it's annoying. Um asked her if he wouldn't tell my dad and, she did. But throughout the, what, it's been like over a year at this point, she's mostly come around, which is nice. Yeah, I love her. She's great. Yeah. Um. It was about 11 months ago at this point where I came out to everybody. And that kind of changed my life. I feel like now that's when my life started at that point. Because now I'm, oh, actually happy. I'm really happy and I've have been for. Well, I've still gone through shit like depression for that. I didn't really have the, um, that I didn't really have, like, a good excuse to live or to be happier or whatever. Which sounds horrible now that I'm actually like, saying it out loud. Umm. Yeah. I'm a trans woman. And since, according to this, it's going to be stuck into the NSW Library, so my legacy will live on forever. Um, maybe. I don't know what they're doing really. I heard that's putting into the state library, so yeah, we'll see. Lately I've been reading more into transgender history. Specifically with Marsh P Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. And I've had just a great kinship to those people. To those transgender women who, if they weren't around. I wouldn't be here. So to whoever is listening to this, you better learn about them because they were beautiful people who saved our lives, yeah. Um, I can't really give all my my entire story as a trans woman on the spot. Um. Linenay lineni, linenilunaleninay. I have a boyfriend now. He's a massive ally and he's great. Say his name's Carl. Let's say it's that. He's a great person. Yeah. Um. Abababababababa And I'm planning on being a filmmaker. So if you come across this and I'm like, a famous film director and yeah, this is me. Also, I'm four months in oestrogen at this point. That's me. I'm a trans woman. Yeah. Yeah. And it's probably not as like dramatical, incredible as some of the people stories are, but yeah, that's who I am. Yeah. It's probably a lot more like dramatic stories I could go through, but. Um, yeah. There were times that I've been harassed. And cackled, and degraded just being the way I am. But. You know, at the end of the day. I'm I'm really happy. I'm just. I'm happy at this point, I'm. For a better word, I'll be content because, you know, everyone feels happy and sad and depressed at the same time. But. I don't know. I'm content with myself. I'm really happy and. All right. Yeah. Thank you. Bye. Love you. |
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Prideline_2023-03-03_1342.mp3 |
00:01:46.201 |
Hello, my name is Fiona and I identify as being a bi-romantic homosexual, or as I'm commonly just called to my friends, either bi or a lesbian, depends who I'm talking about. I haven't quite come out to my parents yet, but who's to say I need to now in this day and age. I really like dating women and I am, I guess, identified as being a woman myself, and I think it's really freeing knowing that whilst growing up I wasn't, I guess, queer or had really no idea what that meant or saw no representation of that in my life. I think it's really nice now having World Pride in Sydney. I came down from Brisbane to check it out and be part of this momentous occasion. And it's really cool now coming to the State Library and seeing how I can share my story in this little telephone box here. And I just, yeah, thank you for listening to us and being a a space where we can discuss things and share our stories and, I think that's really nice way to be, I guess, open and honest, and really aligns with what Pride is all about, which is being your authentic self. And I'm not really sure what else to put in this. So thanks for hearing, I haven't quite, I guess, said this out aloud to a lot of people, so I'm looking forward to maybe seeing what this collection will look like in the future and, yeah, great work to all the organisers for this Pride line. It's really cool. OK, I'll go now. Bye. |
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Prideline_2023-03-03_1353.mp3 |
00:01:08.580 |
When I was 18, I went to Iran for the first time in about 10 years. Obviously, ten years before that. Well not obviously. But ten years before that, I didn't know anything about myself and my queerness and when I went to Iran, I realised that I hadn't registered someone as queer in a while until about my last week over there and I saw a girl wearing a rainbow scarf around her neck and she had a pixie cut. And it had been about 3 weeks since I had even seen a queer person and I had gotten so used to seeing so many queer people that I knew and was friends with in Sydney, that seeing this one person after weeks made me feel so inextricably connected to all the queer people that are not only from my country, but all around the world, who cannot be themselves. |
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Prideline_2023-03-04_1113.mp3 |
00:00:52.272 |
Hello, my name is Wolfgang from Germany. In the year 2004, I came for the Mardi Gras also to Sydney and registered for the face to face speed dating at Forrester Hotel, part of the Pride Week's programme. Yeah, 20 years ago. And there I found Ian, my first really gorgeous love for many years. So I'm really thankful and Sydney is a great city, but for me personally, will be always very romantic place and yeah, you can say in some ways, as a centre of the world. So this is my story. Thanks for the exhibition. Bye. |
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Prideline_2023-03-05_1109.mp3 |
00:01:14.556 |
It was a phone box like this on new Taylor Square that I came out to a counsellor. I was not happy, and I knew there was something in me that I wasn't expressing. I didn't have pride, used to punch mirrors. Was not happy, but I knew I had to do something about it and it was early 2000s and, for some reason I was near Taylor Square and I decided to do something about it and made a phone call in a phone box, like this, and it was the beginning of my coming out story. My long, like 8 year partner and I just finished walking over the Harbour Bridge for World Pride. It's not, I'm in a much better place now. Happy World Pride 2023. Thank you phone boxes for, and the people at the end of the, counselling service, who did an amazing job and who were listening and and go me. And my friends and my family for being great about it. |
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Prideline_2023-03-05_1129.mp3 |
00:01:11.352 |
Hello, today we went to the Pride March across all The Sydney Bridge? Harbour. Furthermore, it was the best event ever. We love all the families and friends and drag kings and old queer couples and beautiful costumes and people singing along the way. And the acrobats that were hanging, like, doing aerials from the buildings, that was freaky and crazy. They had like, two halves of the Pride flag and they were dancing in the air and it was so cool. And the vibes were immaculate. We all loved it and we're all gay. Tee hee. We'll talk to you all later. Tee hee. Bye. Bye. |