'A chance to dream'

TRANSCRIPT

KUCHU PRIDE: It’s different because now you have a chance to dream, you can see a future happening. And, yeah, I hope to marry my girlfriend. And making plans: we’re going to have a baby soon, so there is – I think like becomes different that way because then you can dare to dream, and hope for something, and it’s within reach.

INTERVIEWER: Where would you like to get married?

KUCHU PRIDE: Mill Hill Chapel [laughs].

INTERVIEWER: Why is that place the special place?

KUCHU PRIDE: Why is it special? I think it’s special, for me especially it’s the fact that I can literally get married to somebody I love, because I am religious, I’m in a church; I think it’s something that means something to us. It means, I think it’s a round circle, we come full circle to acceptance and embracing who we are, and they’re just parts of us. I think that is the bit we usually leave behind, with the hatred, and that would be something, beautiful. And I think when she was here last I took her there, like, ‘that is the church I want us to get married in’.

INTERVIEWER: What did she make of it?

KUCHU: She was happy, she was like, ‘Really?’ I’m like, ‘yeah, when the time comes we’re gonna just,’ she was like, ‘they’re gonna allow us to get married?’ I’m like, ‘yeah, in that church’. At least that’s what I’m sure of.

INTERVIEWER: So, does she travel from another part of the country to see you?

KUCHU PRIDE: She travels from London. Hounslow, she travels from London.

INTERVIEWER: How long have you been going out?

KUCHU PRIDE: Since December. Since December – she’s from my country… And I think the first time I knew I wanted to really date her – she was beautiful, she’s one of those people who really captivates you and you’re like ‘mm-mm, you are from my country’. She reminds me a lot of trauma, but with her I think I found healing… because it’s the ability of working and hearing somebody speak your language anyway, it is okay, and you don’t have to panic and, yeah… I think she’s brought me some serious healing… I love her. I would never date somebody from my country before – before everybody’s far away because I was busy running away from my past.