Interviewee
A local university recently received funding for a "Queer Omaha Archives" project here in Omaha. (As one who has seen the use of "queer" shift from a rather negative slant to a rather positive one, I still have trouble using that word.)
Please understand, not so many years ago this would have been unthinkable in Omaha, Nebraska. But, not only in my lifetime, but in my most recent 30+ years back in the area, I've seen huge (for this conservative area) steps forward in communications and understanding. Omaha is far from a Gay Mecca (plus our weather is awful about 10 months out of the year) but it's progressed. (How did I end up here? When I was young, my parents moved to this area to start a business. I grew up and made friends in the area. I moved away for college and for work, but eventually a job opportunity -- and the friends -- brought me back. It's not perfect -- especially the political environment and the weather -- but there are positives. Heck, we have Costco.)
As part of the Archive project, those in charge put out a call to conduct oral history interviews with community members. I responded to the message and, after nearly six months of messages and some delays, I was interviewed yesterday for the Archives. I was told I'm about the 20th person to be interviewed, so either they're being selective or there haven't been very many volunteers thus far.
I had seen the interview questions in advance so I had a pretty good idea what this was all about. My goal (which I told them) was to share information from the earliest days of our forming the LGBT chorus -- the River City Mixed Chorus -- in Omaha. Not many of the founders still live in Omaha and I've seen misinformation. I hope in my small way I've helped make the facts, as I recall them, available.
As the interview progressed, I once again noticed that -- at least in my case -- being gay is but one part of one's identity and everything else about me is boringly similar to anyone else. Over the years multiple places to live, multiple jobs, changing attitudes towards religion, relationship angst, etc., etc. Sounds pretty standard to me. I'll be interested to hear some of the other interviews once they're available.
This entry was originally posted at https://garyomaha.dreamwidth.org/279116.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
Please understand, not so many years ago this would have been unthinkable in Omaha, Nebraska. But, not only in my lifetime, but in my most recent 30+ years back in the area, I've seen huge (for this conservative area) steps forward in communications and understanding. Omaha is far from a Gay Mecca (plus our weather is awful about 10 months out of the year) but it's progressed. (How did I end up here? When I was young, my parents moved to this area to start a business. I grew up and made friends in the area. I moved away for college and for work, but eventually a job opportunity -- and the friends -- brought me back. It's not perfect -- especially the political environment and the weather -- but there are positives. Heck, we have Costco.)
As part of the Archive project, those in charge put out a call to conduct oral history interviews with community members. I responded to the message and, after nearly six months of messages and some delays, I was interviewed yesterday for the Archives. I was told I'm about the 20th person to be interviewed, so either they're being selective or there haven't been very many volunteers thus far.
I had seen the interview questions in advance so I had a pretty good idea what this was all about. My goal (which I told them) was to share information from the earliest days of our forming the LGBT chorus -- the River City Mixed Chorus -- in Omaha. Not many of the founders still live in Omaha and I've seen misinformation. I hope in my small way I've helped make the facts, as I recall them, available.
As the interview progressed, I once again noticed that -- at least in my case -- being gay is but one part of one's identity and everything else about me is boringly similar to anyone else. Over the years multiple places to live, multiple jobs, changing attitudes towards religion, relationship angst, etc., etc. Sounds pretty standard to me. I'll be interested to hear some of the other interviews once they're available.
This entry was originally posted at https://garyomaha.dreamwidth.org/279116.html. Please comment there using OpenID.