Interview with Rory Barron, July 17, 2018

Partial Transcript: My name is Adriana Sisko and the date is July 17th, 2018.

Segment Synopsis: Rory Barron is introduced. He discusses his family and childhood, moving around Kentucky before settling in Woodford County. He talks about his elementary school experiences, his participation in Girl Scouts, and the class distinctions he noticed in Woodford County. He talks about how his twin sister's experiences differed from his own.

Keywords: 'Weird'; Brandenburg (Ky.); Brothers; Bullying; Class distinctions; Communication; Daydreaming; Divorce; Easygoing; Elementary schools; Family; Friends; Girl Scouts; Growing up; Lexington (Ky.); Middle class; Mothers; Moving; Neighborhoods; Parents; Playful; Popularity; Recess; Schools; Sisters; Social; Troop leaders; Twins; Undergraduate; University of Kentucky; Upbringing

Subjects: Childhood; Education; Families.; Sexual minorities' families.; Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: When you were in elementary school or younger, um, did you engage in any behaviors that other people around you considered to be masculine?

Segment Synopsis: Barron talks about the masculine behaviors and qualities he displayed as a young child. He talks about his parents' and other adults' reactions to his masculine tendencies.

Keywords: Adults; Assumptions; Class distinctions; Clothes; Clothing; Expectations; Extended family; Femininity; Hyper feminine; Masculine; Masculinity; Parents; Poor; Practical; Reactions; Sisters; Sports; Supportive; Tomboys; Twins

Subjects: Childhood; Education; Families.; Gender expression.; Gender identity.; Gender.; Sexual minorities' families.; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Sexual minority students.; Sexual minority youth; Transgender children.; Transgender youth.; Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Did you continue with Girl Scouts moving into middle school?

Segment Synopsis: Barron talks about discovering his attraction to girls in middle school. He talks about the angst that these feelings caused. He talks about coming out to two friends in his freshman year of high school and how those friendships ended. He talks about how his mother became aware of his sexual orientation. He talks about his struggles with his sexuality and discusses reaching out to a religious organization for help.

Keywords: "Normal"; Alone; Angst; Attraction; Awareness; Awkward; Basketball teams; Conversations; Crushes; Emails; Freshman year; Friends; Girl Scouts; Girls; High schools; Joking; Mental health issues; Middle schools; Mothers; Problems; Relief; Revelation; Secrets; Sexuality; Sisters; Social life; Teammates; Texting

Subjects: Childhood; Coming out (Sexual orientation); Education; Families.; Homosexuality--Religious aspects.; Religion; Sexual minorities' families.; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Sexual minority students.; Sexual minority youth; Sexual orientation--Religious aspects.; Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: So this, um--these religious people or this religious group that you emailed, how did you find them?

Segment Synopsis: Barron talks more about reaching out to a religious organization for help with his sexual orientation. He talks about the role of religion in his early life, including his parents' beliefs and feelings about churches and his own attendance (or non-attendance) of church.

Keywords: Baptists; Bible; Bible study; Catholics; Churches; Class distinctions; Community dinners; Conversion; Fathers; Hypocritical; Important; Internet; Interracial marriage; Interracial relationships; Mothers; Online; Parents; Religious community; Religious groups; Religious organizations; Skipping church; Spiritual

Subjects: Childhood; Coming out (Sexual orientation); Families.; Homosexuality--Religious aspects.; Religion; Sexual minorities' families.; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Sexual minority students.; Sexual minority youth; Sexual orientation--Religious aspects.; Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: So moving into high school.

Segment Synopsis: Barron talks more about coming out to two friends in his freshman year of high school and the aftermath of those friendships ending. He talks about his internal struggles, as well as his negative experiences with coming out to friends, teammates, and crushes. He talks about a former teacher who he now recognizes as a lesbian and her struggles with parents' reactions.

Keywords: Angst; Awareness; Awkward; Basketball teams; Camping trips; Classes; Coaches; Crushes; Feelings; Freshman year; Friendships; Future; Girl Scouts; Guidance counselors; High schools; Hurt; Issues; Letters; Parents; Reactions; Rejection; Relief; Religion; Religious affiliation; Seating assignments; Sexuality; Social workers; Struggles; Suicide; Supportive; Teachers; Teammates; Uncomfortable; Wrong

Subjects: Childhood; Coming out (Sexual orientation); Education; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Sexual minority students.; Sexual minority youth; Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: When you graduated from high school, how did you feel when you finally graduated?

Segment Synopsis: Barron talks about his relief as well as fear upon graduation from high school. He talks about how having no representation or personal role models led to his feeling that he had no future possibilities. He talks about his unsatisfying experience attending community college and how he did not see a future until he began attending Gender & Women's Studies classes at UK.

Keywords: Academic probation; Alternatives; Bluegrass Community & Technical College (BCTC); Classes; College majors; Community colleges; Courses; Decisions; Eastern Kentucky University; Expectations; Financial aid; Future; Gay people; Gender & Women's Studies (GWS); Graduation; Jobs; Relief; Role models; Scared; Small town mentality; Stagnant; University of Kentucky; Working

Subjects: Education; Gender identity.; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Sexual minority students.; Sexual minority youth; Transgender identity; Transgender people--Identity.; Transgender people.; Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: So, you mentioned that somewhere around this point in time you're thinking about gender identity.

Segment Synopsis: Barron talks about beginning to come to terms with his thoughts about his gender identity. He talks about how he was affected by the film "Boys Don't Cry," as well as by Chelsea Manning's coming out. He talks about the lack of non-stereotypical transgender representation which delayed his realization about his gender identity. He talks about his thoughts on various terms and labels for gender and sexual orientation. He talks about how his mother became aware of his gender identity and describes his coming out process. He talks about his feelings regarding various aspects of transitioning, including dysphoria and surgery.

Keywords: Angst; Awareness; Best friends; Black queer experience; Boys Don't Cry (Motion picture); Brokeback Mountain (Motion picture); Chelsea Manning; Classmates; Closeted; Clothes; Clothing; Connected; Daunting; Denial; Disclosure; Double life; Dysphoria; Excuses; Expression; Fathers; Feedback; Feelings; Films; Google; Haircuts; Hairstyles; High schools; Identifying; In the closet; Inner turmoil; Lesbians; Marriage equality; Masculine; Masculinity; Media; Meg Coppala; Mothers; Movies; Names; Nuances; Openness; Peers; Portrayals; Process; Public; Reactions; Relief; Representation; Searching; Stereotypes (Social psychology); Surgery; Terminology; Texting; Thoughts; Toll; Trans man; Trans masculine; Transgender man; Transitioning; Transman; Transmasculine; Uncomfortable; University of Kentucky; Whistleblowers

Subjects: Coming out (Gender identity); Education; Gender identity.; Gender issues; Gender.; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Sexual minority students.; Sexual minority youth; Transgender identity; Transgender people--Identity.; Transgender people.

Partial Transcript: And once you transferred to UK--you made some comment about UK being a

Segment Synopsis: Barron talks about his experiences at UK as a transmasculine person in regard to professors and classmates using his correct name and pronouns.

Keywords: Awareness; Classmates; Emails; Experimental ground; Gender & Women's Studies (GWS); Introductions; Misgendered; Name changes; Names; Peers; Professors; Pronouns; Reputations; Self-explanatory; Trans masculine; Transmasculine

Subjects: Coming out (Gender identity); Education; Education, Higher; Gender identity.; Gender issues; Gender.; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Sexual minority students.; Transgender identity; Transgender people--Identity.; Transgender people.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: And so earlier you mentioned that while you never at all identified with 'female' or 'woman' or 'lesbian' or anything that was female-gendered...

Segment Synopsis: Barron talks more about his gender identity and his reasons for preferring the labels 'transguy' or 'transmasculine' over 'man' or 'transman'. He talks about the role of religion in his current life.

Keywords: "Man"; Comfortable; Connections; Connotations; Earthly matters; Female; Non-binary (gender identity); Non-binary people; Nonbinary; Religious beliefs; Role of religion; Spiritual practice; Toxic masculinity; Trans guy; Trans masculine; Transmasculine; Women

Subjects: Coming out (Gender identity); Gender identity.; Gender issues; Gender.; Religion; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Transgender identity; Transgender people--Identity.; Transgender people.

Partial Transcript: And so, moving back to UK.

Segment Synopsis: Barron talks more about his experiences at UK, especially his feelings about the Gender & Women's Studies Department. He talks about safe spaces on campus, as well as places where he feels alienated or unsafe.

Keywords: Activism; Alienating; Assault; Athletics culture; Belonging; College departments; Comfortable; Community; Eerie; Friends; Fulfillment; Gatton College of Business and Economics; Gender & Women's Studies (GWS); Harassment; Home; Information; John Schnatter "Papa John"; Mentors; Office of LGBTQ* Resources; Protests; Representation; Restless; Safe spaces; Stadiums; Unsafe; Unwelcoming; Welcoming

Subjects: College campuses.; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Coming out (Gender identity); Education; Education, Higher; Gender identity.; Gender issues; Gender.; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Sexual minority students.; Student protesters; Transgender identity; Transgender people--Identity.; Transgender people.; Universities and colleges.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: You mentioned that you started a student group?

Segment Synopsis: Barron talks about the student group he and his friends created, called The Queer Project. He talks about the group's mission, as well as his views on what constitutes activism.

Keywords: Activism; All-encompassing; Best friends; Binary; Clothing drives; Clothing swaps; Creative outlets; Dr. Chamara Jewel Kwakye; Expression; Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA); Genders & Sexualities Alliance (GSA); Goals; LGBTQ students; Long-term; Meetings; Meg Coppala; Mentors; Missions; Protests; Representation; Student groups; Student organizations; The Girl Project; Trans people; Women's March

Subjects: College campuses.; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Coming out (Gender identity); Education; Education, Higher; Gender identity.; Gender issues; Gender.; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Sexual minority students.; Student protesters; Transgender identity; Transgender people--Identity.; Transgender people.; Universities and colleges.; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: How would you characterize your relationship with, um, the LGBTQ community?

Segment Synopsis: Barron discusses his relationship with the wider LGBTQ community and talks about his current social circles and friends.

Keywords: Cisgender; Complicated; Disconnected; Family; Friends; Gay men; LGBTQ community; Perspectives; Queer; Social circles; Social life; Straight; Trans men; Transgender men

Subjects: College students--Social conditions; Coming out (Gender identity); Families.; Friendship.; Gender identity.; Gender issues; Gender.; Interpersonal relations; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Sexual minority students.; Transgender identity; Transgender people--Identity.; Transgender people.

Partial Transcript: And so hopping topics a bit, moving more big picture.

Segment Synopsis: Barron discusses his views on the current political administration under Donald Trump. He talks about beginning to feel burnt out due to the constant need for activism.

Keywords: Activism; Burnt out; Donald Trump; Friends; Future; Healing; Losses; Organizing; Personal; Political administrations; Process; Protests; Tired; Urgent

Subjects: College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Politicians; Politics and government; Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ); Sexual minority students.; Student protesters; Transgender people.

Partial Transcript: So it seems like activism is very important to you...

Segment Synopsis: Barron talks about his passion for activism since childhood and some of the influences on his interest in activism. He talks about the first protest he attended.

Keywords: Activism; Activists; Anticlimactic; Dissatisfied; Dr. Chamara Jewel Kwakye; Influences; Inspiring; Justice; Marches; Masculinity; Monsanto; Organizing; Passionate; Role models; Suffragettes

Subjects: Childhood; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Gender identity.; Gender issues; Gender.; Politics and government; Sexual minorities--Identity.; Sexual minority students.; Student protesters; Transgender identity; Transgender people--Identity.; Transgender people.

Partial Transcript: And when was your first encounter with the idea of feminism?

Segment Synopsis: Barron talks about when he became aware of the concept of feminism and why it took so long for him to self-identify as a feminist.

Keywords: Attitudes; Chores; Conflicts; Criticisms; Domestic work; Fathers; Feminists; Gender division of labor; Gender division of labor in the family; Homemakers; Jobs; Labor disparity; Mothers; Parents; Stereotypes (Social psychology)

Subjects: Childhood; Feminism; Gender issues; Gender.; Sex role

Partial Transcript: And, this is gonna be my last question.

Segment Synopsis: Barron talks about what gives him hope for the future. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Family; Friends; Future; Hopes; Mentors; Plans

Subjects: Families.; Friendship.; Interpersonal relations