Could you sort of give me a little bit more information around what
Pride in Ageing entails, and how it's helped you or others in the community?
One of the goals of Pride in Ageing
as a group is to put together programmes
which will help older people as we age
and move forward with our lives
to make it easier for us to understand
that if any of us suffer
homophobic or transphobic hate,
that we're not alone.
So, when you came out in 1981,
how did that feel?
Absolutely terrifying,
and it felt like I'd got my handbag full of all my stuff,
everything was in it and it was like it had just got tipped onto the floor
and I hadn't a clue which things
I would want to salvage from that to take forward with me.
I know over 100 people who've died of AIDS,
and I think I've got a lot of unresolved grief there,
things I haven't dealt with.
Things have improved so much,
I think there is still stigma yeah, but not the same
as it was, because it was an unknown thing.
People wouldn't share a mug, or use the same toilets and things like this, you know.
I think it's great that we're seeing everybody of different ages
having these conversations as well.
I came out as bisexual
three and a half years ago.
It was a tremendous relief because since then
I've had quite an incredible journey.
I take part in Pride in Ageing
within The Foundation, so I've met lots of new people.
Now I am 73,
my aim in life now is to help other people.
I'm really proud of you, Dad, he said.
You've used all your experience and your knowledge
and you've added this wonderful new Pauline twist.
And...
I realised when I read it that his love for me
was the same as mine for him.
See, my current thinking is: binary is great for computers,
but binary is not enough
to express the diversity of people. You know,
and I just think it's fantastic that things like this are happening.
A major international institution
and a local centre of, you know, charitable work,
campaigns and everything, are coming together.