I’ve come out twice in my life – the first time when I was around 14 as gay, then at 19 as trans. Luckily my family and friends were (and continue to be) very supportive, but I’d never really gotten involved in the LGBT+ community outside of the internet (I grew up in a very small village). I identify as Trans/Non-Binary, I use he/him pronouns and I am demisexual. I am also a massive history geek and I am disabled and neurodivergent.
I spent 4 years in London for my BA at university and I was suddenly surrounded by queer people. Amazing, loving, extravagant, quiet, gorgeous, polite and kind people who were so much more than just ‘queer’. They became my family away from home and taught me so much, not just about myself but the community I come from. So when I moved away from London to Leeds for my MA last summer, I found myself without that support around me. Of course I had the internet but it’s not the same.
That’s when I found West Yorkshire Queer Stories. As a young historian I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be part of a queer oral history project. My partner saw an advert they posted saying they wanted more volunteers and suggested I sign up. So I thought ‘screw it’, throw anxiety to the wind and just dive in. There’s no better way to meet such a cross-section of local queer society. I’ve met so many incredible people through my time with WYQS. I’ve been able to help create zines with Non-Binary Leeds, help run stalls at events such as Happy Valley Pride, create interview summaries and interview people myself.
Through listening to people’s stories I’ve felt so much more connected to the queer community around me. Be this through conducting interviews or making up summary sheets, I’ve interacted with so many more people than I’d dreamed of, and not just people like me, but people I probably wouldn’t have met in normal circumstances. People with life experiences wildly different to mine, but just as important. I’ve learnt so much about local queer history and experiences. One of my favourite things about the interviews is being able to hear the emotion which comes with each of these stories, and how every single one is unique. I’ve ‘met’ (either through interviews and summaries) an Israeli trans-man who has given birth to his children; a lesbian refugee from Uganda; a non-binary Jewish, disabled, activist (hi Leo, you’re fab); a gay man from Bangladesh who had to escape for fear of death; and a Yorkshireman who hid his homosexuality when working in the mines but then went on to create the Yorkshire Bears. I’d never have left my safe bubble if I hadn’t signed up to help this project. This had been the most fun few months. And I’m so proud of all the hard work everyone has put in making this happen. And I am proud of me.
