Hi, Mikey. Hi. Welcome. Hello, everyone, and welcome
back to our Queer Conversation series. My name is Phi, my pronouns are she/her,
and I am the Lead Resident Artist in the Living Arts program here on Kuarna
land, where we’re catching up today. Woo hoo! Yay! Mikey, can I get you to introduce yourself
to the good people at home and let them know how you’re
connected to Life Without Barriers? Mikey. Pronouns he/him. I started out as a client under the…
I was basically a foster kid, and, through LWB’s programs when I was probably 9 or 10, is when I started getting involved with Life
Without Barriers programs and stuff. We connected through Living Arts sessions
where you were utilising the arts and really got drawn into the world of dance,
and now you’re working as a technician and learning the ropes
behind the scenes in that space. Yeah, it’s been really fun
actually doing all that kind of stuff. What are some of the things
that would have helped you on your journey of understanding
who you are and your identity, and maybe seeking some ideas
about how folks working with LWB and elsewhere in the community
can show up better for LGBTQ+ youth? … I was in high school
and people already, like, assumed that I was,
you know, a part of the community. And, you know, I was already… Because I went to school in the Riverland
and everyone knows everyone. And, you know, it’s
a small country school. So basically, if you didn’t fit into
a certain mould, you would get ridiculed. But I also, never in my youth, I never was around anyone who was
a part of the LGBTQ community at all. And I never really, I don’t know, I never really… You had no representation, no role models. Yeah. Back in those days, and because of the way
I acted, people just already assumed. They kind of put you in a box and said,
this is who you are. Can you think of the time that, like, when you came to Adelaide,
you started to meet people that were more inclusive and accepting
that you felt you could connect with? What felt good about that? What was what was so important
about those sorts of experiences? Hearing other people’s experiences and knowing that I wasn’t… that I’m
not alone is definitely a big thing. Feeling validated and yeah, basically, I guess, yeah, knowing
that I wasn’t alone and feeling validated. And that, you know, what I’m going through
is completely normal. The feelings that I’m feeling
are completely normal. Yeah. And that was kind of good. Just reassuring. Yeah. And it was really about meeting those safe
people and having them accept you. Yeah. How you are, who you are. And the support that they’ve offered over
the years has been really great as well. If you could talk to little Mikey or if you could talk
to… Imagine if I had brought in a young person who’s in care with LWB
now and he’s having a tricky time. What would you want to say to them, or what would you want to say to their carer or their worker about supporting them
on their identity journey? I guess I’d want them to, you know, be understood. That whatever they decide in identity
is fine. It’s normal, it’s
completely valid, and it’s okay. And for the carers to, like,
be loving and accepting of them no matter who they are.