}
OH414 Interview with George Gosling (OutStories Bristol)
Please note this is not a full complete transcript but a detailed summary of the recording
V04_Gosling.wav [01:24:39] [19 August 2012] George Gosling [GG] born at Southmead Hospital in Bristol, 1984. Comments on family moving from Bishopston to Henleaze. Remarks on going to Filton High School. Comment on Gloucester Road feeling as home. Discussion about nature of friendships growing up. Mention of younger sister. Comments on school activities he participated in. Comments on parent’s mental health difficulties. Remark about feeling happier with age. Mention of parent’s work. Mention of being close to cousins growing up [00:06:10]. Discussion about early understandings of own sexuality. Description of attraction to Buddhism. Description of first relationship with a woman. Discussion about childhood character. Mention of involvement in school drama group. Mention of St Anne’s (area in Bristol near Brislington). Remarks on lack of coming out experience. Description about telling first girlfriend about being attracted to men [00:13:45]. Discussion about talking to parents about being in a relationship with a man. Story about coming out to housemate at university who’d been on Christian Alpha course. Comments on going to Bangor University (North Wales). Remarks on insular nature of Bristol. Remarks on expectation of university. Comments on openly gay students at school. Story about himself and openly gay student performing in school musical [00:19:53]. Comments on parents normalising gay sexuality. Description of working in a bookshop in Bristol. Comments on going out in Bristol - mentions the Hatchet and the Mandrake pubs. Mentions ending of relationship with first girlfriend. Comments going to gay clubs in Bristol - mention of Queenshilling and Vibes. Remarks on atmosphere of Vibes [00:26:18]
[00:26:18] Comments on moving to Bangor University in 2003 to study History and Social Policy. Comments on (unexpectedly) middle-class nature of university. Comments on three distinct years during degree. Description of meeting now-partner Claire, breaking up with her and starting first relationship with a man. Discussion about wanting to act on bisexuality. Description of bisexual identity after relationship with man [00:34:33]. Fuller discussion of bisexual identity focussing on own use of identity labels. Mention of involvement with Liberal Democrats. Discussion of politician Simon Hughes’ sexuality being subject of public debate. Mention of own relationship with gay community. Mention of Bangor Pride. Discussion of own relationship with Pride. Discussion of wider stereotypes of bisexuality [00:40:43]. Discussion of visibility as bisexual when in relationship with a man. Mention of gay pub in Bangor. Description of socialising in pub with boyfriend. Mention of phrase ‘screaming queer’. Description of ending of relationship with boyfriend. Description of re-starting relationship with Claire. Mention of engagement to Claire a year ago [00:46:05].
[00:46:05] Comments on moving to Oxford to do Masters degree for a year at Oxford Brookes. Mention of PhD in London in History of Medicine. Comments on going out in Soho. Comments on differences between gay scene in Soho and in Bristol. Remarks on going to gay venues with partner Claire and other straight friends. Discussion about different groups of friends and which ones would socialise at gay venues. [00:52:08]. Comments on limited socialising at Oxford. Discussion about involvement in politics. Mention of teenage involvement in Socialist Alliance in Bristol. Description of initial involvement in Liberal Democrats. Story about meeting with Lord Roberts of Llandudno at House of Lords. Remarks on liberal equality agenda. Remarks on limited involvement in gay politics [00:56:20] Long story about involvement in political campaign for asylum claim of Mhedi Kazemi, an Iranian student in Brighton whose boyfriend was tortured and executed for sodomy. Comments on Lord Roberts’ and Simon Hughes’ involvement in political campaign. Comments on Independent newspaper’s involvement in campaign. Discussion of personal significance of political change. Discussion of gay activism. Story about involvement with Northern Ireland gay adoption vote. Mention of Lord Roberts as Methodist minister. Comments on coming out to Lord Roberts. Comments on Lord Roberts’ religion informing views on gay adoption [01:03:00]. Mention of George Ferguson’s campaign for Bristol Mayor. Mention of Stephen Williams as openly gay Liberal Democrat MP. Story about partner Claire’s aunt and homophobic attitudes. Mention of Claire’s brother being gay and Conservative. Discussion of relationship with Claire’s family. Mention of friend having a Civil Partnership. Mention of living in Clifton. Mention of North Bristol, Filton, Gloucester Road, South Gloucestershire. Comments on differences between these places and Clifton. Mention of comedian Russell Howard. Comments on Clifton houseshare. [01:10:00]
[01:10:00] Mention of the Pineapple (pub). Mention of Horse and Groom (pub). Discussion about contemporary gay scene in Bristol (2012). Mention of Vibes (nightclub). Mention of Queenshilling (nightclub). Mention of Old Market (currently a gay area of Bristol city). Mention of Mandrake (pub). Mention of Hatchet (pub). Mention of The Cooler (bar) on Park Street. Comments on perception of Old Market area as ‘seedy’. Discussion about socialising with friends. Discussion about relationship with gay community in Bristol. Comments on going out for Claire’s brother’s birthday and going out with gay friend. Comments on OMG nightclub (previously Vibes). Comments on Bristol gay scene being quiet. Comments on avoiding places in Bristol with obviously gay friends; mention of ‘rough pubs’ in Southmead. Mention of growing up in Henleaze and Southmead. Mention of being more comfortable in St Pauls and Easton [00:01:19]. Comments on current relationship with Claire. Mention of current economic climate and difficulties finding work. Discussion about types of people attracted to. Comments on hopes for having children in the future.
Notable quotations “I think I always knew I was bisexual before I knew what that word was” [00:06:37].
“I knew I wasn’t a laddish boy. I was a bit sickly, a bit effeminate, more into music and art than sport” [00:09:43].
“So my first year was single, my second year was being in a relationship with a woman having expected to be in a relationship with a guy and then later on things changed in the third year. I perhaps felt that if university was a time of being away and a chance to be experimental then I was supposed to have a boyfriend” [00:31:49] [On 3 years at university]
“For other people it looked like I’d experimented and got it out of my system. For me it proved what I’d always felt which is that there is no difference [between being with men and being with women]” [00:33:40]
“I quite liked the gay scene in London but wouldn’t necessarily have equated it with what I knew in Bristol. I think Bristol’s a much quieter scene, especially for someone who feels on the outside of it. The way that Bristol is, a much smaller, village-like insular place I think it’s very easy to be on the outside of the gay scene. And that’s maybe something that people who are part of it don’t perhaps appreciate it. Whereas London felt much more relaxed because it’s such a big place you don’t expect to know everybody... I always felt more on the outside in Bristol” [00:48:09].
“I tend to think of gay clubs in Bristol as being half empty... I don’t remember Vibes being quite so empty at one point... It seems to me that the name changes but the decor doesn’t, the music doesn’t and there doesn’t seem to be any more people than there ever was [01.16].
“I would still hope to end up back in Bristol. It’s a small, interesting place and the kind of place I want to be” [00:01:21].
V04_Gosling.wav [01:24:39] [19 August 2012] George Gosling [GG] born at Southmead Hospital in Bristol, 1984. Comments on family moving from Bishopston to Henleaze. Remarks on going to Filton High School. Comment on Gloucester Road feeling as home. Discussion about nature of friendships growing up. Mention of younger sister. Comments on school activities he participated in. Comments on parent’s mental health difficulties. Remark about feeling happier with age. Mention of parent’s work. Mention of being close to cousins growing up [00:06:10]. Discussion about early understandings of own sexuality. Description of attraction to Buddhism. Description of first relationship with a woman. Discussion about childhood character. Mention of involvement in school drama group. Mention of St Anne’s (area in Bristol near Brislington). Remarks on lack of coming out experience. Description about telling first girlfriend about being attracted to men [00:13:45]. Discussion about talking to parents about being in a relationship with a man. Story about coming out to housemate at university who’d been on Christian Alpha course. Comments on going to Bangor University (North Wales). Remarks on insular nature of Bristol. Remarks on expectation of university. Comments on openly gay students at school. Story about himself and openly gay student performing in school musical [00:19:53]. Comments on parents normalising gay sexuality. Description of working in a bookshop in Bristol. Comments on going out in Bristol - mentions the Hatchet and the Mandrake pubs. Mentions ending of relationship with first girlfriend. Comments going to gay clubs in Bristol - mention of Queenshilling and Vibes. Remarks on atmosphere of Vibes [00:26:18]
[00:26:18] Comments on moving to Bangor University in 2003 to study History and Social Policy. Comments on (unexpectedly) middle-class nature of university. Comments on three distinct years during degree. Description of meeting now-partner Claire, breaking up with her and starting first relationship with a man. Discussion about wanting to act on bisexuality. Description of bisexual identity after relationship with man [00:34:33]. Fuller discussion of bisexual identity focussing on own use of identity labels. Mention of involvement with Liberal Democrats. Discussion of politician Simon Hughes’ sexuality being subject of public debate. Mention of own relationship with gay community. Mention of Bangor Pride. Discussion of own relationship with Pride. Discussion of wider stereotypes of bisexuality [00:40:43]. Discussion of visibility as bisexual when in relationship with a man. Mention of gay pub in Bangor. Description of socialising in pub with boyfriend. Mention of phrase ‘screaming queer’. Description of ending of relationship with boyfriend. Description of re-starting relationship with Claire. Mention of engagement to Claire a year ago [00:46:05].
[00:46:05] Comments on moving to Oxford to do Masters degree for a year at Oxford Brookes. Mention of PhD in London in History of Medicine. Comments on going out in Soho. Comments on differences between gay scene in Soho and in Bristol. Remarks on going to gay venues with partner Claire and other straight friends. Discussion about different groups of friends and which ones would socialise at gay venues. [00:52:08]. Comments on limited socialising at Oxford. Discussion about involvement in politics. Mention of teenage involvement in Socialist Alliance in Bristol. Description of initial involvement in Liberal Democrats. Story about meeting with Lord Roberts of Llandudno at House of Lords. Remarks on liberal equality agenda. Remarks on limited involvement in gay politics [00:56:20] Long story about involvement in political campaign for asylum claim of Mhedi Kazemi, an Iranian student in Brighton whose boyfriend was tortured and executed for sodomy. Comments on Lord Roberts’ and Simon Hughes’ involvement in political campaign. Comments on Independent newspaper’s involvement in campaign. Discussion of personal significance of political change. Discussion of gay activism. Story about involvement with Northern Ireland gay adoption vote. Mention of Lord Roberts as Methodist minister. Comments on coming out to Lord Roberts. Comments on Lord Roberts’ religion informing views on gay adoption [01:03:00]. Mention of George Ferguson’s campaign for Bristol Mayor. Mention of Stephen Williams as openly gay Liberal Democrat MP. Story about partner Claire’s aunt and homophobic attitudes. Mention of Claire’s brother being gay and Conservative. Discussion of relationship with Claire’s family. Mention of friend having a Civil Partnership. Mention of living in Clifton. Mention of North Bristol, Filton, Gloucester Road, South Gloucestershire. Comments on differences between these places and Clifton. Mention of comedian Russell Howard. Comments on Clifton houseshare. [01:10:00]
[01:10:00] Mention of the Pineapple (pub). Mention of Horse and Groom (pub). Discussion about contemporary gay scene in Bristol (2012). Mention of Vibes (nightclub). Mention of Queenshilling (nightclub). Mention of Old Market (currently a gay area of Bristol city). Mention of Mandrake (pub). Mention of Hatchet (pub). Mention of The Cooler (bar) on Park Street. Comments on perception of Old Market area as ‘seedy’. Discussion about socialising with friends. Discussion about relationship with gay community in Bristol. Comments on going out for Claire’s brother’s birthday and going out with gay friend. Comments on OMG nightclub (previously Vibes). Comments on Bristol gay scene being quiet. Comments on avoiding places in Bristol with obviously gay friends; mention of ‘rough pubs’ in Southmead. Mention of growing up in Henleaze and Southmead. Mention of being more comfortable in St Pauls and Easton [00:01:19]. Comments on current relationship with Claire. Mention of current economic climate and difficulties finding work. Discussion about types of people attracted to. Comments on hopes for having children in the future.
Notable quotations “I think I always knew I was bisexual before I knew what that word was” [00:06:37].
“I knew I wasn’t a laddish boy. I was a bit sickly, a bit effeminate, more into music and art than sport” [00:09:43].
“So my first year was single, my second year was being in a relationship with a woman having expected to be in a relationship with a guy and then later on things changed in the third year. I perhaps felt that if university was a time of being away and a chance to be experimental then I was supposed to have a boyfriend” [00:31:49] [On 3 years at university]
“For other people it looked like I’d experimented and got it out of my system. For me it proved what I’d always felt which is that there is no difference [between being with men and being with women]” [00:33:40]
“I quite liked the gay scene in London but wouldn’t necessarily have equated it with what I knew in Bristol. I think Bristol’s a much quieter scene, especially for someone who feels on the outside of it. The way that Bristol is, a much smaller, village-like insular place I think it’s very easy to be on the outside of the gay scene. And that’s maybe something that people who are part of it don’t perhaps appreciate it. Whereas London felt much more relaxed because it’s such a big place you don’t expect to know everybody... I always felt more on the outside in Bristol” [00:48:09].
“I tend to think of gay clubs in Bristol as being half empty... I don’t remember Vibes being quite so empty at one point... It seems to me that the name changes but the decor doesn’t, the music doesn’t and there doesn’t seem to be any more people than there ever was [01.16].
“I would still hope to end up back in Bristol. It’s a small, interesting place and the kind of place I want to be” [00:01:21].
