Interview with Lisa Ann House, September 28, 2011

Partial Transcript: This is Zach Pence with the Queer Appalachia, uh, Interview Project. We're with, uh, Lisa House today.

Segment Synopsis: Lisa House talks about living in Corbin, Kentucky and moving to London as a child. She talks about her family members, going to school, and her experiences playing with neighborhood children. She talks about her interest in sports, how her mother felt about them, and her tomboyish mannerisms.

Keywords: Baseball; Basketball; Brothers; Church; Elementary school; Grandmothers; High school; Kissing; Middle school; Playing house; Tee ball; Tomboys

Subjects: Childhood.; Corbin (Ky.); Gay youth; Gays and sports; Homosexuality--Appalachian Region; Lesbians and sports; London (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: And then in high school I was, uh--you know, people start getting their license.

Segment Synopsis: House talks about feeling like she and her girlfriend were the only gay people in high school. She talks about getting a job at Winn Dixie and mentions going to Eastern Kentucky University for college. She discusses her mother's reaction to finding a letter from her girlfriend.

Keywords: "Parking"; Alone; Bible; Boyfriends; College; Drivers licenses; EKU; Friends; Gay; Girlfriends; High school; Lesbian; Letters; Only one; Parents; Scripture; Winn Dixie

Subjects: Gay couples.; Gay high school students; Gay teenagers.; Homosexuality--Appalachian Region

Partial Transcript: But then, um, after college I got a job--well, when I was at college I transferred from London to, uh, Richmond to work at Winn Dixie.

Segment Synopsis: House talks about working for Winn Dixie, first in London then in Richmond while in college. She worked until she eventually came to Lexington. She talks about feeling settled and open about her sexuality in Lexington, especially compared to eastern Kentucky.

Keywords: Corbin (Ky.); Discrimination; Gay; Homosexuality in the workplace; Openness; Partners; Settled; Sports; Working

Subjects: Coming out (Sexual orientation); Lexington (Ky.).; London (Ky.); Richmond (Ky.); Winn-Dixie Stores

Partial Transcript: Well did you ever, um--'cause it sounds like you went from one job to another until you ever--eventually were li--you know, uh, ended up in Lexington.

Segment Synopsis: House talks about how she felt about London, Kentucky while she was in high school and whether she ever felt like leaving. She talks about some places being close-minded and how being out, especially for teachers, can be a risk.

Keywords: Being out; Closed-minded; High school; Leaving home; Only one; Openly gay; Risks; Scared

Subjects: Closeted gays.; Coming out (Sexual orientation); Gay teachers; Gays--Employment--Law and legislation; Homosexuality and education.; Homosexuality in the workplace.

Partial Transcript: Where'd you go to college at?

Segment Synopsis: House talks about going to bars and other activities while in college at EKU. She talks about the differences in acceptance for gay men and lesbians. She talks about whether she visits London now. She talks about meeting people from Cumberland College (now University of the Cumberlands) and an incident involving discrimination that occurred there.

Keywords: Atmosphere; Bars; Being out; Closed-minded; EKU; Eastern Kentucky; Kicked out; Religious colleges; Visiting family

Subjects: Discrimination.; Eastern Kentucky University; Gay community; Gay men--Relations with heterosexuals; Lesbian and gay experience; Lesbians--Relations with heterosexuals; Lexington (Ky.).; London (Ky.); University of the Cumberlands.; Winn Dixie Stores

Partial Transcript: Okay when did you really, um, come out to your family in like a formal sense?

Segment Synopsis: House talks about when she told her mother and brothers that she was gay and what their reactions were. She talks about how she did not tell her father before he passed away. She talks about her mother's interactions with her gay friends.

Keywords: Anne Heche; Books; Brothers; Disappointment; Fathers; Friends; Girlfriends; Grandchildren; Helping; Mothers; Religious beliefs

Subjects: Coming out (Sexual orientation); Families.; Lesbian and gay experience; Parents of gays.

Partial Transcript: Did you know any other, um, like when you were growing up in London--

Segment Synopsis: House talks about her lack of knowledge of the term or label 'lesbian' growing up in London and how the lack of knowledge may have given her more freedom. She talks about learning about the existence of the gay community.

Keywords: Cliques; College; Feelings; Freedom; High school; Knowledge; Lesbian; Media; Playing sports; The Advocate; Tomboys

Subjects: Gay community; Gay culture.; Gays--Identity.; Homosexuality--Social aspects.; Lesbians--Identity.; London (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Um, do you ever, uh, run into lesbians that are still closeted--

Segment Synopsis: House talks about the people she knows who are not open about their sexuality and why they have not come out. She talks more about teachers being hesitant to be open. She talks about whether she knew of any hidden relationships between people of the same sex in London growing up.

Keywords: Berea (Ky.); Eastern Kentucky; Fairness; Fired; High school; Living together; Veiled relationships

Subjects: Closeted gays.; Coming out (Sexual orientation); Discrimination.; Gay teachers; Gays--Employment--Law and legislation; Homosexuality in the workplace.; London (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: And why do li--what do you like about living here in Lexington?

Segment Synopsis: House talks about her preference for living in Lexington over eastern Kentucky because of the greater ability for openness and the existence of the gay community. She talks about whether she would ever return to live in London. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: College; Entertainment; Families; Jobs; Openness

Subjects: Gay community; Homosexuality--Social aspects.; Lesbian and gay experience; Lexington (Ky.).; London (Ky.)