Greetings from new volunteers Alison & Marc

Kia ora everyone, Alison here. I’m a 23 year old escaped Hamiltonian who has been living in Wellington for about 5 years now. I started my coming out process roughly 3 years ago, and recently decided to get involved with WGWG as a way to connect with the community. I was inducted last November, and have just been voted in as a full member, go me!

I'm graduating this May with a BA in International Relations and Geography. Don't ask me what I plan to do with it. Please. Other interests/hobbies include music, comic books, hanging out at the library, green politics, feminism and intersectionality, and naming my future 17 cats for when I inevitably become a cat lady (true story).

I enjoy a good label - I identify mostly as queer but sometimes gay and occasionally a lesbian. It's a pretty complicated system. So far I'm enjoying being a part of WGWG as a Helpliner, and look forward to helping out with other parts of the organisation when I get the chance. Alison

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I’m originally from Guernsey and my parents divorced when I was 5. As a teenager I was unsure of my sexuality. I had a kind of relationship with a boy when I was 13 but told friends I liked girls. I lost my virginity to a woman at the age of 18 but thought that didn't really go how I thought it would go! I tried again at 20 and still had the same weird feelings so I said to mum "I think I'm bi". Her eyes just widened and she said “whatever makes you happy”.

By the time I was 21 I told my close friends I was gay. Mum was the next mission – I thought she might disown me! I was making a cheese and ham sandwich at the time (it’s sooo much easier making a sandwich and telling the parents lol). Mum walked in and the words “mum I’m gay” just fell out of my mouth. She went into the conservatory and shut the door. It felt like a lifetime and I wondered if her heart sank with the notion that she would not have grandkids. But she returned and once again said “whatever makes you happy Marc”. I’m lucky that I was accepted by all my family including my 86 year old granddad.

I didn't tell my dad I was gay and I regret that I never had the chance. I didn't see him much growing up. When he celebrated his 50th birthday it was a great night and I sat next to him at the head of the table. But dad just didn't seem right. Two days later he died at home. I was 23. A few weeks after that I told my step mum I was gay. She said “yeah we knew, and your dad accepted you for it”. Marc