Interview with Buster Brock, September 27, 2011

Partial Transcript: Uh, this is Zack Pence, um, we're interviewing Buster Brock, Junior, uh, on September 27, 2011, in London, Kentucky, for the Queer Appalachia Project.

Segment Synopsis: Buster talks about growing up in Manchester, Kentucky and being raised with small town values and morals. Kept his homosexuality a secret.

Keywords: Manchester (Ky.); Rural towns

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Gay teenagers.; Gay youth; Sexual minority youth

Partial Transcript: And, you know, being brought up in a Baptist church (laughs) bringing religion into it for just a second.

Segment Synopsis: Explains religious upbringing and coming to terms with what he was taught as a child.

Keywords: Adolescence; Baptist church; Fear; Youth

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Gay youth; Homosexuality--Religious aspects.

Partial Transcript: But, growing up in Clay County, all in all, it was a really, really rough, rough time.

Segment Synopsis: Talks about childhood conflicts concerning homosexuality. Talks about these hardships helped shape him as an adult.

Keywords: Closeted homosexuals; Conflict; Personal growth

Subjects: Gay teenagers.; Gays--Violence against; Homosexuality--United States.; Sexual minority students.

Partial Transcript: But, did you, but still, a little bit before, there was a lot of, like, gays in the media and stuff and gay characters on TV and stuff like that, I would say, so when, maybe, did you have a lot of, like, representatives in the media?

Segment Synopsis: Buster talks about the absence of gay people on television. Talks about the absence of gay role models in a rural area.

Keywords: Gay characters; Role models.; Rural town; TV; Television

Subjects: Gays--United States.; Homosexuality--United States.; Mass media and gays; Sexual minorities--Identity.

Partial Transcript: Could you describe what that, how that, what that feels like? To not really have, like, another example of, of yourself?

Segment Synopsis: Buster talks about growing up not knowing any other homosexual people led to feelings of loneliness. Talks about making the best out of his situation.

Keywords: Isolation; Lonely; Personal growth; Reflection

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Gays--Identity.; Gays--Mental health.; Homosexuality--Social aspects.; Homosexuality.; Sexual minorities--Identity.

Partial Transcript: And, like I said, religion, coming back into it again, I am a religious person. I do believe in God.

Segment Synopsis: Buster talks about his beliefs and how his life has been affected by religion.

Keywords: Beliefs; Decisions; Direction; Guidance; Morals; Personal beliefs; Personal choices

Subjects: Closeted gays.; Gays--Identity.; Homosexuality--Religious aspects.

Partial Transcript: Well let's, uh, talk a little about, um, past your adolescence, into your young adulthood. Uh, uh, you went off to, to college at some point?

Segment Synopsis: Talks about leaving home to go to college. Talks about not being able to identify with other gay people he met away from home.

Keywords: College; Education; Self doubt

Subjects: Gays--Identity.; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Stereotypes (Social psychology)

Partial Transcript: I realized that, you know, it wasn't, I guess, until, I ended up moving to Lexington that I realized that there were other people out there besides the flamey, real flamboyant gays that I found, uh, in one of my social studies classes or my history class.

Segment Synopsis: Talks about his first boyfriend and keeping the relationship a secret.

Keywords: Relationships.

Subjects: Gay couples.; Lesbian and gay experience.

Partial Transcript: During the course of me going through college and going through, um, my first couple of years of work, I ended up, you know, going to a lot of clubs and I ended up going to a lot of bars.

Segment Synopsis: Buster talks about being intimidated by his introduction to gay culture. Talks about gay bars in Lexington, Kentucky, and his first drag show.

Keywords: Club 141; Drag shows; Insecurities; Lexington (Ky.)

Subjects: Gay bars; Gay community; Gay culture.; Homosexuality--Social aspects.; Sexual minority college students

Partial Transcript: So this, this, was your fir-, you're, you're having a little bit of an awakening moment, at this point.

Segment Synopsis: Talks about how nursing school influenced decision to practice safe sex. Talks about changing attitudes toward people with AIDS.

Keywords: Education; STD; Safe sex; Sexual health; Sexually transmitted diseases.

Subjects: AIDS (Disease).; Gay culture.; HIV infections; Safe sex in AIDS prevention.

Partial Transcript: Because, you know, growing up as a, as a young adult, as a teenager or whatever, young person, middle-aged person, you know, your parents are one of the biggest issues of, of you trying to make it through this life.

Segment Synopsis: Talks about importance of having a good relationship with parents. Talks about his parents accepting his sexuality. Talks about his parents' relationship with his partner.

Keywords: Acceptance; Blame; Happiness; Parenting; Perception

Subjects: Coming out (Sexual orientation); Gay couples.; Gays--Family relationships.; Parents of gays.; Sexual minority parents.

Partial Transcript: Um, let's, we'll talk about Roy here in a second, and your all's relationship, but let's go back to, um, I just have a quick question about, um, you know, HIV education.

Segment Synopsis: Buster talks about how he gathered a health education in eastern Kentucky. Talks about receiving support from his extended family.

Keywords: Education; Health; Information; Internet

Subjects: Gays--Family relationships.; HIV infections; Rural families

Partial Transcript: Well, it's, it's interesting, this is a little side note, but, uh, um, not, there's a lot of men who don't consider themselves gay.

Segment Synopsis: Talks about closeted gay men in small towns. Talks about gay men with families.

Keywords: Denial; Guilt; Self perceptions

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Closeted gays.; Gays--Family relationships

Partial Transcript: But as far as you and Roy, um, what kind of, you've been together for six years, um, do you have a lot of gay friends?

Segment Synopsis: Buster talks about the lack of a gay community in eastern Kentucky. Talks about importance of monogamy.

Keywords: Community; Friends; Isolation; Minorities

Subjects: Gay community; Gay couples.; Homosexuality--Social aspects.; Sexual minorities.

Partial Transcript: And, as, as a small town person, you know, growing up in Manchester, Laurel County, it's not that much bigger but it offers a little more space to be who you want to be.

Segment Synopsis: Talks about London being a more accepting town than other mountain towns. Talks about growth and changes in London over time.

Keywords: Communities; Hometown; London (Ky.); Rural towns; Travel

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Closeted gays.; Gay community

Partial Transcript: Well, you have to realize too, the further you get into the mountains, the less Internet you're gonna have. Um, so a lot of it, you know, it, it could be coming from the Internet.

Segment Synopsis: Buster talks about sexual education in eastern Kentucky. Talks about regional influences on sexual behavior,

Keywords: Education; Rural youth.

Subjects: Closeted gays.; HIV infections; Homosexuality and education.; Rural families; Sexual education.

Partial Transcript: Do you think that you have to have so many examples around you, like for certain people, um, this is one thing, you know, the reason I mentioned, uh, the whole, or asked the question of whether or not you need to leave in order to be able to realize, like your, your gayhood, I guess, is, you know, do you think you need a certain number of, uh, other people who are like you before you can finally become comfortable expressing that?

Segment Synopsis: Talks about being accepted in the community. Talks about establishing a successful business. Talks about his partner.

Keywords: Occupation; Success

Subjects: Gay couples.; Gays--Identity.; Homosexuality in the workplace.

Partial Transcript: Here, in Laurel County, you wouldn't hear anybody.

Segment Synopsis: Talks about Laurel County making strides to accept the homosexual community;

Keywords: Acceptance; London, Ky.

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Homosexuality--United States.

Partial Transcript: Let's talk about the word queer for just a second.

Segment Synopsis: Buster talks about why he finds the word queer offensive. Talks about how he labels himself.

Keywords: Labels; Language; Offense; Terms

Subjects: Gay community; Homosexuality--United States.

Partial Transcript: Um, was there anything else you'd like to add, before we close up?

Segment Synopsis: Talks about importance of mental drive and finding support. Talks about not settling for less because of sexuality. Warns against drug use. Interview is concluded.

Keywords: Aspirations; Confidence; Drugs; Education; Goals; Support

Subjects: Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs.; Drug abuse--Social aspects.; Gay community.; Homosexuality.