Interview with J.P. Davis, July 13, 2018

Partial Transcript: This is Adriana Sisko and we are in the Nunn Center.

Segment Synopsis: J. P. Davis is introduced. He talks about growing up in Ashland, Kentucky. He talks about his relationship with his parents and his two brothers. He talks about his parents' careers, attitudes, and social standing in the community. He briefly mentions the conflict between himself and his parents regarding his sexual orientation.

Keywords: Ashland Oil; Beauty pageants; Brothers; Closeted; Conflicts; Effects; Elementary schools; Fast food; Fathers; Fighting; Grandparents; Growing up; Impact; Jobs; Louisville (Ky.); Mothers; Parents; Reasons; Sports; Upbringing

Subjects: Ashland (Ky.); Childhood; Closeted gays.; Education; Employment--Kentucky; Families.; Gay men--Family relationships--United States.; Gays--Family relationships.; Homosexuality.; Sexual minorities' families.; Sexual minorities.; Sexual orientation.

Partial Transcript: But, um, but, yeah, Ashland was great.

Segment Synopsis: Davis talks about his brother's interest in sports in school and talks about how his own interests and personality differed. He talks about being aware of being gay very early in life and talks about others' perceptions of his sexuality. He talks about his personal feelings regarding his sexual orientation and why he kept it hidden for so long. He talks about the attitudes of his parents, classmates, and community regarding sexuality, race, and gender.

Keywords: Apologies; Awareness; Brothers; Bullied; Bullying; Classmates; Colleges; Crushes; Dating; Different; Fairview High School; Hiding; High schools; Homophobia; Homophobic; Middle schools; Name changes; Parents; Peers; Perceptions; Popularity; Racism; Racist; School principals; Sexism; Sexist; Social life; Sports; Student body presidents

Subjects: Ashland (Ky.); Childhood; Churches; Closeted gays.; Education; Families.; Gay men--Family relationships--United States.; Gay men--Identity.; Gays--Family relationships.; Homosexuality--Religious aspects.; Homosexuality.; Religion; Sexual minorities' families.; Sexual minorities.; Sexual orientation.

Partial Transcript: So, um, it wasn't until I finished undergrad and went to England and worked in Parliament...

Segment Synopsis: Davis talks about studying abroad in England after college and the experience that led him to decide to come out.

Keywords: Avoidance; Avoiding; Colleges; Dating; England; Hiding; Ignoring; London (England); London School of Economics; Parliament; Relationships

Subjects: Closeted gays.; Coming out (Sexual orientation); Dates (Social engagements); Dating (Social customs); Gay men--Identity.; Homosexuality.; Interpersonal relations; Sexual minorities.; Sexual orientation.

Partial Transcript: Um, I--to this day, um--I can tell you--I want to back up before I tell you how I came out...

Segment Synopsis: Davis talks about an incident before he left for college in which someone told him his brother was gay and then he outed his brother to his parents. He talks about how these events changed his family. He talks about his relationship with his brother currently.

Keywords: Brothers; China; Christian schools; Colleges; Critical; Fathers; Friends; LGBTQ youth; Mothers; Outing; Parents; Reactions; Regrets; Resentment; Therapy; university of Louisville

Subjects: Ashland (Ky.); Childhood; Churches; Closeted gays.; Coming out (Sexual orientation); Education; Families.; Gay men--Family relationships--United States.; Gay men--Identity.; Gays--Family relationships.; Homosexuality--Religious aspects.; Homosexuality.; Religion; Sexual minorities' families.; Sexual minorities.; Sexual orientation.

Partial Transcript: But, um, you know, my mom and dad, you know, they're something else.

Segment Synopsis: Davis talks about coming out to his parents via a letter. He talks about their negative reactions and how they led to his desire to be an advocate for LGBTQ youth. He talks about how coming out to his boss was very stressful, but says that his boss' positive reaction gave him a lot of confidence and security. He talks about his difficulty fitting in to the LGBTQ social scene.

Keywords: Advice; Advocates; Awareness; Brothers; Bush Administration; Conservative; Expectations; Fathers; Fears; Fitting in; Gay bars; Hurt; Jobs; Judgment; LGBTQ youth; Letters; Life choices; Mothers; Owsley Brown Frazier; Parents; Personal assistants; Prodigy; Questions; Reactions; Regrets; Republicans; Responsibility; Scared; Security; Social scenes; Suicide; Understanding; Young people

Subjects: Ashland (Ky.); Childhood; Closeted gays.; Coming out (Sexual orientation); Families.; Gay men--Family relationships--United States.; Gay men--Identity.; Gays--Family relationships.; Homosexuality.; Sexual minorities' families.; Sexual minorities.; Sexual orientation.

Partial Transcript: Um, I want to hear more about the church you attended growing up.

Segment Synopsis: Davis describes the church he and his family attended during his childhood. He talks about being very involved in the church, and also talks about the negative messages preached at the church. He talks about how his family's relationship with the church changed after his brother was outed as gay. He discusses his current feelings about church and religion.

Keywords: Beliefs; Brothers; Christian schools; Church camps; Conflicts; Conservative; Divisiveness; Fathers; Following; Friends; Influence; Kicked out; Leadership; Mission trips; Mothers; Negative; Parents; Preachers; Religious; Rose Hill Christian Church; Sermons; Social groups; Spiritual; Summer camps; Yelling; Youth groups

Subjects: Ashland (Ky.); Childhood; Churches; Closeted gays.; Coming out (Sexual orientation); Education; Families.; Gay men--Family relationships--United States.; Gay men--Identity.; Gays--Family relationships.; Homosexuality--Religious aspects.; Homosexuality.; Religion; Sexual minorities' families.; Sexual minorities.; Sexual orientation.

Partial Transcript: And growing up, what was your awareness of words like 'gay' or 'homosexuality,' um, or even gay people in general?

Segment Synopsis: Davis talks about his awareness of LGBTQ people during his childhood. He talks about why people may have assumed he way gay during his youth.

Keywords: Actors; Assumptions; Avoidance; Avoiding; Awareness; Dating; Denial; Derogatory; Different; Family; Flamboyant; Girls; Hiding; LGBTQ people; Movies; Perceptions; Personality; Schools; Slurs; Social circles; Social life; Terminology

Subjects: Ashland (Ky.); Childhood; Closeted gays.; Families.; Gay men--Family relationships--United States.; Gay men--Identity.; Gays--Family relationships.; Homosexuality.; Sexual minorities' families.; Sexual minorities.; Sexual orientation.

Partial Transcript: And so was it at 23 that you came out?

Segment Synopsis: Davis talks more about studying abroad in England after college and his experience dating for the first time. He talks about how LGBTQ people are treated in various places around the world and how he is relatively lucky to live in the United States.

Keywords: Discrimination; Emotions; Fears; Grateful; Homelessness; Homophobia; Illegal; LGBTQ youth; London (England); Murder; Sexual experiences; Treatment; Vocal

Subjects: Closeted gays.; Coming out (Sexual orientation); Couples.; Dates (Social engagements); Dating (Social customs); Gay men--Identity.; Homosexuality.; Interpersonal relations; Sexual minorities.; Sexual orientation.

Partial Transcript: Um, if you're ready I have another follow up question.

Segment Synopsis: Davis talks about coming out to his friends. He talks more about how coming out to his boss was very stressful, but says that his boss' positive reaction gave him a lot of confidence and security. He talks more in depth about his mother and father's reactions, including his mother trying to set him up with women or 'save' him religiously. He talks about his relationship with his grandmother, her religious and social beliefs, and her acceptance of him. He talks about his negative experience at his grandmother's funeral. He talks about coming out as a perpetual process.

Keywords: "Saved"; Acceptance; Attitudes; Barack Obama; Beliefs; Bible; Bosses; Closeness; Conservative; Constant; Death; Difficult; Eastern Kentucky; Education; Elections; Employment; Empowerment; Fathers; Fears; Fired; Friends; Funeral services; Girls; Grandfathers; Grandmothers; Home; Jobs; Lifestyles; Losses; Mothers; Negative; Offensive; Peers; Perspectives; Preachers; Reactions; Relationships; Ridicule; Suicide; Visits; Voting; Widows; Women

Subjects: Ashland (Ky.); Childhood; Churches; Closeted gays.; Coming out (Sexual orientation); Families.; Gay men--Family relationships--United States.; Gay men--Identity.; Gays--Family relationships.; Homosexuality--Religious aspects.; Homosexuality.; Politics and government; Religion; Sexual minorities' families.; Sexual minorities.; Sexual orientation.

Partial Transcript: Um, so you mentioned that, you kno--as a result of having this sort of like, kind of like delayed adolescence, delayed sexual awakening...

Segment Synopsis: Davis talks about his current relationship with the LGBTQ community, which he says is mostly through his fundraising and policy change efforts. He talks about cliques and segregation within the LGBTQ community.

Keywords: Assumptions; Bar scene; Civics; Cliques; Delayed; Educate; Education; Fitting in; Fundraising; Infiltrate; Infiltration; LGBTQ community; Labels; Left out; Perceptions; Policies; Policy changes; Positions; Power; Pride festivals; Scholarships; Segregated; Segregation; Social scenes

Subjects: Coming out (Sexual orientation); Gay men--Identity.; Homosexuality.; Sexual minorities.; Sexual orientation.

Partial Transcript: And I'm probably--I'm going to ask you a question that might necessitate another long answer.

Segment Synopsis: Davis talks about his career path and his current work as the Executive Vice President for the Fund for the Arts. He talks about some of the challenges he has faced.

Keywords: Activism; Careers; Challenges; Changes; Fund for the Arts; Fundraisers; Jobs; Owsley Brown Frazier; Reactions; Resources; University of Louisville; Women; Youngest

Subjects: Employment--Kentucky; Gay men--Identity.; Homosexuality.; Politics and government; Sexual minorities.; Sexual orientation.

Partial Transcript: So it seems like with all of your fundraising and sort of activism work that you probably have...

Segment Synopsis: Davis discusses how Kentucky has changed, both positively and negatively. He talks about how politics and religion have influenced one another. He talks about the negative impact of ultra-conservatives' control of the state.

Keywords: Better; Changes; Control; Culture; Discrimination; Economics; Hateful; Hurting; Influence; Kentucky; Leadership; Policies; Policy; Political climate; Progress; Protection; Republicans; Rights; Small communities; Small towns; Society; Treatment

Subjects: Churches; Coming out (Sexual orientation); Gay men--Identity.; Homosexuality--Law and legislation.; Homosexuality--Religious aspects.; Homosexuality--Social aspects.; Homosexuality.; Politics and government; Religion; Sexual minorities.; Sexual orientation.

Partial Transcript: So continuing heading in this direction, um, how do you feel politically and personally regarding the current presidential administration?

Segment Synopsis: Davis discusses his views on the current political administration under Donald Trump. He talks about how divisiveness is hurting the country and his worries in regard to the president.

Keywords: Authority; Careless; Divided; Divisiveness; Donald Trump; Followers; Hurt; Ideology; Integrity; Leadership; Minorities; Party politics; Policies; Policy; Political administrations; Presidency; Public leaders; Public servants; Representative; Track record; Women; Worry

Subjects: Politicians; Politics and government; Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )

Partial Transcript: And heading in a different direction now that we've looked into the darkness.

Segment Synopsis: Davis says that the next generation gives him hope for the future. He talks about how their lack of divisiveness will improve things, but says that they lack knowledge of civics and how to talk to those who disagree with them. He talks about citizens becoming involved in politics. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Challenges; Changes; Civics; Disagreements; Divisiveness; Elections; Empowerment; Establishment; Fundraising; Future; Hopes; Leadership; Next generation; Social issues; Sports figures; Teaching; Women

Subjects: Gay teenagers.; Gay youth; Politicians; Politics and government; Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ); Sexual minority youth