The title of this recording is "Zach - Q12". It was recorded in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand on the 15th March 2012. The duration of the recording is 15 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 Zach talks about being young and gay in 2012. The content in the recording covers the 2010s decade. A brief summary of the recording is: In this podcast episode titled "Zach - Q12," recorded on 15th March 2012, the conversation delves into the experiences of an 18-year-old from North Shore, Auckland, and their life as a gay young adult in the 2010s. Despite a modest 15-minute length, the recording touches on numerous topics, from family life to personal identity, providing insights into the intersection of youth, sexuality, and societal perceptions. The individual, engaged in education and training (ET), shares a range of personal interests, including music, cooking, clothes-making, and performing arts such as singing and dancing. Additionally, they discuss their family composition, being raised by a single parent who later entered a same-sex relationship, thus presenting the unique perspective of someone brought up in a lesbian-led household. One poignant revelation is their discovery of their parent's sexual orientation at a young age. The individual never met their father and was raised by their mother until about the age of six, when their mother's girlfriend became part of their family life. Even with a supportive domestic environment, societal norms and the parent's religious beliefs complicated their journey, with the parent initially trying to steer their child towards heteronormativity. This young person recognized their own gay identity around the age of 16 after a period of exploration. They also engage in drag performance, adopting a feminine persona. This dual expression raised concerns for their mother, who struggled to distinguish between the individual's gender identity and sexual orientation. When unraveling acceptance and the act of coming out, the individual describes a journey marked by secrecy initially due to the religious nature of their community, but eventually becoming more public. Their parent guessed their sexuality before any formal acknowledgment occurred. This openness extended to social media, circumventing the need for a dramatic coming out. Within their social circles, they were met with positive reactions, which fostered greater confidence and sociability. Despite this, they were not altogether shielded from negativity and abuse, having faced physical confrontation on the streets. The lack of formal supportive structures in schools then becomes a focal discussion. With no gay association at their educational institution, due mainly to attempts to have it led by Christian individuals, they and others were left to navigate their identities largely independently. Elsewhere within the interview, the conversation turns to relationships and community. The individual's history of relationships has been exclusively with other males, and they note that having a lesbian parent has generally been viewed positively by others in their social spheres. Regarding support systems, counseling and connections with Rainbow Youth, a local organization serving LGBTQ+ youth, provided crucial backing during the formative times of self-realization and acceptance. These resources, alongside inclusive youth groups, were seen as important components for personal development. Lastly, the individual sheds light on the challenges faced by young gay people within the community, including dangers related to apparent gender non-conforming appearances. Experiences of sexual abuse and harassment underscore the ongoing struggles within society, highlighting the importance of visibility and support for LGBTQ+ youth. The full transcription of the recording follows.  It includes timestamps every thirty seconds in the format [HH:MM:SS].  The transcription begins:  Hello. What's your name? I'm Zach. OK, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? I'm 18, gay from North Shore, and I go to a ET. OK, so you're going to be a very interesting interview today? Yes, apparently, yes. So can you tell us about a little bit about yourself? Well, my interests, um I love music, cooking, making clothes, singing and dancing. [00:00:30] Yes. So, um, here's the interesting part. Who are your, um what gender are your parents? They're both female. Lesbian? You got lesbian parents? So growing up, Has that been? Has it been slightly difficult for you? Um, well, my mom tried to cover it up, actually. Really? Yes, she did. Um, she didn't really. Well, I kind of found out when I found her in bed [00:01:00] with with, um, her girlfriend. So and I just thought Oh, yeah, they just hugging. But I was young, and so So when you, um So was it a lesbian couple when you were born, or did you actually had a mother father kind of thing? I've never met my father. Um, my I've had my mum. She's been a single parent with me since. Up until about [00:01:30] 66 years old, and then she went, um, she got a girlfriend, and they've been together since then. And I'm 18 now, so yeah, Got a while. Go wild. So, um, so you're 18? Yes. Um, what is your gender identity? I'm male, but sometimes I do drag. So then I'm female. Um, what culture do you identify with New Zealand [00:02:00] and your sexuality is obviously gay. Gay? Yeah. Yeah. So when did you realise? Um, I probably officially realised when I was 16, but before then, I was experimenting like I've had. It's an odd thing. I pose as my other self. Who's my drag? Self called Jesse. And through her, [00:02:30] I dated guys that out. I've never officially had a girlfriend. Never had a girlfriend. Never. So, um, how did you feel when you realised? Um, well, at first, I wasn't quite sure because I've never I wasn't really with anyone properly, and it sort of just happened. [00:03:00] And the weird thing was that my mom sort of guessed for me because it's like did she feel that since she's in a lesbian relationship, she's going to have a gay son? Well, she tried to bring me up this track because she likes females. So she wants me to like females, too. And, um, she's, um she's a Christian. So she tried to bring me up with a Christian background as well. So it's kind of unusual, but yeah. [00:03:30] And did you ever have to feel like, um, that you had to keep it a secret? Um, since I had lots of Christian friends and so did my mom. I felt I had to keep it a secret from them. Just from them or from everyone. Not everyone. So, um, you obviously came out, right? Yeah. So how did you How did you come out to them? Um, pretty much when I had a work [00:04:00] with the P the norm. Um, my mum found out I was gay by guessing, and so I went along with that, and I haven't really officially come out. But if people ask me, then I'll say, yes, I am. And on Facebook, it says I am so so there's never been actually like a non official like a um You sitting down with your mother saying Hey, I'm gay. Oh, recently? [00:04:30] Yeah, She's because she thinks I'm crazy. She keeps saying I'm confused whether you're gay or trans because I dress, um feminine like stockings and stuff. But I say I'm gay. I'm just like wearing different clothing. You just like to be. You just want to express yourself like a Madonna kind of Madonna Express your C. I was, like, born this way. It's productive. [00:05:00] Look it up. Um, So you've come out to your family? Um, how? How about to your friends? How did you come out to them? Um how did I come out to them? I think once I told them I had a boyfriend or something I can't really remember. And, um, they were just They were pretty good with it. They said, Oh, you have a boyfriend. So you're gay, and [00:05:30] I'm like, Yeah, and they're like, Oh, that's pretty cool, because they they've never really had proper gay friends before. And they enjoy having a gay friend. So, um, how did you feel after coming out? Um, more confident. And ever since then I've been making more friends and socialising more so drinking more drinking, I bet. Yeah. Yeah. So what was the general reaction that you, um that you [00:06:00] got him when you came out. Um, it was all pretty positive. Everyone's really friendly and positive about it, but sometimes you see randoms on the street, and they're not positive. So did you get abuse from the street? I got spat on once. Oh, yeah. Not there. Not really. The thing that you really want in a general day. No, Really? [00:06:30] Was it just from a random guy called Maori Dude? Was it on like Rose Queen Street or something? Queen Street. OK, that's delicious. Um, So how was it? What was it like? So did you come out when you're at high school? Yes. How was the school? What was the school like? Um, a lot of the people at school didn't really notice because, I don't [00:07:00] know, they're pretty much blind to it all, But they're just like, Oh, that's sick. Yeah. Yeah. So some people used to call me like a homo and stuff in the past and what we like. Um, yes, I am. Back then. I wouldn't I wasn't I was just experimenting, so I wasn't sure then. But now I'm like, Yeah, I am. I actually said that to someone, like, two years ago, when they yell out. They said Homo. And I'm like, Yeah, how did they react [00:07:30] after that? Oh, OK, they kind of negative. Um, usually those super popular guys that have sex with everyone. I think it's like when you when it comes to popular people or even just general teasing when they yell out Oh, you're a homer. You're a fag. You're gay. And you say yes, I am. They just Well, they don't actually expect you to say yes, you are you? Yeah. When you say yes, I am, they'll be like, Oh, shit, they don't have to come back to that. [00:08:00] Um, well, you like some cock where you could just say, Oh, shut up your carpet liquor. Have you actually done that before? Or, um, I say nasty things to people if they annoy me. And just in general. So, um, do you have do you or did you have support support? Definitely from my mom. She put me into counselling [00:08:30] as well because I had a lot going on in the past few years and, um, counselling helped and referred me to Rambo youth. So that's how I started going there. And I made quite a few friends from there. So, um, was this during when you were realising or coming out? Or now? It was when I was just before I turned 17. So about a year ago, Yeah, a year and [00:09:00] a bit. And, um, I was just starting to get myself out there more so I was a bit shy trying to discover yourself. I'm discovered now, so I am queer. I am here kind of thing. Yeah. So, um, from a young perspective, how do you feel in the gay community? Um, since I'm 18 now, I feel a bit more free. [00:09:30] Whereas before, I didn't really feel so free. Like, you can go to bars now and before you're a bit Yeah. Yeah, because I always liked the party scene because, I don't know, you get to meet new people. And did you ever feel that you couldn't do anything when you were younger? Pretty much just go to Rambo youth. That's what I thought I could do if you knew that there was more of a, um, more group [00:10:00] activities. Would you do that when it's not? Not necessarily, well, not involving drinking at all. Sexual or drugs or anything like that. But if you knew that there was more out there, as in, like, more groups, would you go? Yeah, I would. Would you feel more like, um, hey, there. There is actually more stuff. I'm not so constructed. Yeah, that would be, um, quite good. And meet, meet more people. So did your school have a, um, had a gay group? Nope. Why is that? [00:10:30] The school was like they tried to get Christian people to lead it. So gays at the school were like, No, you don't Pretty much. Yeah. I remember when I was at my school, they were like, um, I said I went to West Lake. What school did you went to college? Yeah, my school at West Lake. They were like, um, we do not allow groups that are, [00:11:00] um or or as an extra activity kind of thing. Um, So have you been in a relationship before? Yes. Yes, I've been in a few boys or girls. Boys never been with a girl. So you said that before. So what was that like? My first one was a bit awkward because it was long distance. So I went on a 10 hour bus ride to [00:11:30] Palmerston North and back. So, like, 20 hours or just one day? One day I stayed there five days, OK? Was that worth it? And I No. No. So has you being out affected your relationship? Um, not really. My mainly get positive things from people. Um, I used to get a lot more negative, so I suppose it's been transferred [00:12:00] to positive a bit. How about, um, when you're being having a lesbian mother has that affected your relationships? Um, not really. Because everyone thinks it's pretty cool. So, um, do you feel that you live a different life with having a two with actually having a lesbian mum? Yeah, compared to a normal life or straight life, or even just like a life [00:12:30] of two men, I think it's quite different. Um, that's where that's where I get my feminine side from because I've been brought up around women and, like, no man. So I don't know why I became gay. I just did. But, um, what did you say? So how do you meet other people? Um, through through groups or Internet or bars? N CD? [00:13:00] Yeah, Grinder? No, man. Facebook. Yeah, I remember you Yeah. Random people on the street. No. At least I burn your face. Hey, Nice meeting you. Yeah. No. Um, So what's your definition of virginity? Yeah, my definition of virginity is [00:13:30] pretty. It's a bit of physical and emotional because, like, if you have to have, like, some sort of feeling towards that person when they have intercourse with you, That's just how I feel. If you don't really have any feelings whatsoever for them, then but it's just pointless. So, going back to your part, the question before, um, have you experienced any abuse? Like more [00:14:00] abuse than just a spat and face? Um, yeah, I've had numerous times. I've had sexual abuse in town when some guy followed me into the bathroom and pretty much forced me on her. I've had sexual abuse in the past when I was younger, and that went on for, like, six years, [00:14:30] and I think that's about it. Do you feel that road is slightly dangerous for the, um, young gay youth in the community? It depends how you dress Depends on how you dress. So getting abused. Is it dangerous for very camp? People? Little gay. You very camp people Yes, definitely. [00:15:00] Because predators tend to go for the people that definitely look gay. Because I've had, like, um, an encounter on K Road as well Come to think of some Arabian guy Thought I was a hooker. Lovely. Yeah, And he came up to me and said, Do you want to get into my car? And I'm like, No, he's like, I'll pay you and I'm like, No. Oh, go, hump. So now yeah, that was It wasn't really pleasant. [00:15:30] Yeah, well, thank you for the interview. That's all right. Have a lovely day. You, too. Thank you. 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 ; Aotearoa New Zealand ; Auckland ; Palmerston North ; People ; Q12 (series) ; Rainbow Youth ; Stuff ; Youth ; abuse ; activities ; bars ; bus ; coming out ; community ; cooking ; culture ; dancing ; drag ; drugs ; experiment ; face ; family ; feelings ; friends ; gay ; gender ; gender identity ; hit ; homo ; homophobia ; identity ; internet ; kissing ; lesbian ; love ; music ; normal ; other ; parents ; performance ; relationships ; religion ; school ; security ; sex ; sexual abuse ; sexuality ; singing ; straight ; support ; trans ; virginity ; youth. The original recording can be heard at this website https://www.pridenz.com/q12_zach.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.1089228. Please note that this document may contain errors or omissions - you should always refer back to the original recording to confirm content.