Family acceptance

TRANSCRIPT

INTERVIEWER: So have your family been able to accept and embrace you being part of the LGBTQ family?

ASSIF: Yeah, my family know… but it’s not something we really talk about, but they’ve always known. I mean, I’m 37 now, and you know I live my own life. It’s just one of those weird topics that we don’t really talk about [laughs] but they know – for example, if I was straight, y’know, if I had a girlfriend, we wouldn’t be able to talk about it, because it’s a very conservative – coming from a Muslim background, so y’know it’s a very conservative culture, you’re not allowed to have, y’know, relationships and things, never mind saying ‘oh I’m gay and I’ve got a boyfriend’ or something; you just, you don’t, you don’t talk about these things. I’ve probably, because my parents weren’t born in this country, maybe if they were born here they’d be a bit more relaxed about dating and going out and whatever. But because they weren’t born here and they’re a lot older, y’know they’re in their 80s, they’re a different generation, not that age is an excuse, but y’know they’re from a different culture – so, yeah, they’ve embraced in in their own little way. I mean, I’m, y’know, I’m their son, they still love me, so y’know, and it’s fine. But it’s just that awkward kind of, kind of topic, I suppose, but that’s just maybe because I’m a bit shy about it, I don’t know, but then maybe it’s a mixture of both.