Benji Watt(September 2012)

In this podcast episode, Benji Watt, the producer of Q12 The Tour, conducts an interview with Gareth Watkins to discuss the tour and Watt's personal journey. Q12 The Tour was a project that involved interviewing LGBTQ communities across the North Island of New Zealand about a variety of topics such as realisation, coming out, relationships, and socialising. The tour aimed to give a voice to community members and also served as a research opportunity.

Throughout the tour, Watt visited a number of locations including major urban centers and smaller towns. Watt spoke with a diverse group of individuals including males, females, and transgender people, tallying up to approximately 50 interviews conducted. Watt expresses how in some areas, finding participants was relatively easy due to enthusiastic local LGBTQ communities. However, in other places, the process was hindered by the absence of organised groups or because local attitudes were more conservative and less accepting of sexuality. Notably, social media platforms like Facebook played a significant role in facilitating connections with individuals and groups for the tour.

Watt's dynamic and personable nature appears to have helped many participants open up during the interviews. Conversations revealed a wide range of ways in which individuals identified themselves within the LGBTQ spectrum, highlighting the varied and nuanced nature of sexuality. For example, one interviewee identified as demisexual, indicating a preference for forming a strong emotional bond before engaging in sexual activity.

Reflecting on the tour, Watt identifies the rigorous schedule as the most challenging aspect, involving planning, interviewing, socialising, and editing into late hours. Despite the exhaustion, the experience of traveling and interacting with a multitude of LGBTQ members across New Zealand was rewarding for Watt. The tour offered a landscape for learning as well as for cultural and community exchange.

From a psychological standpoint, Watt found the task unexpectedly manageable because of the support network in place. This network included Rainbow Youth, family, and friends who provided necessary emotional stability. Themes of verbal versus physical abuse emerged from the interviews, with some participants indicating that verbal abuse had a more profound and lasting impact on their well-being than physical confrontations.

Watt's interview also touched on personal aspects, delving into early realisations around sexuality, the journey towards self-acceptance, coming out experiences, and the support from family and friends. This conversation highlighted both the individual and collective challenges that come with navigating sexual identity in a world that often struggles with acceptance.

The recording concludes with Watt satisfied with the tour, seeing it as a wonderful opportunity to forge new connections and understand different stories from the LGBTQ community. Despite the physical and emotional demands, the successful completion of the tour appears to have been a meaningful and enriching experience.

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.

Benji Watt

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