Scope and Contents 00:00 Reflections on gay rights movement: feels any kind of couple in long-term partnership should have rights of a spouse. MH was member of Homosexual Law Reform Society in North London. MH and Colin were members of Islington art group. No memory of going on marches, but was on recent gay pride march in Glasgow. People who want to hide their sexuality are not being true to themselves.03:41 Some people hinted something going on between MH and Jack: Jack annoyed, but for MH if...

Scope and Contents 00:00 Steph [S] was born Helensburgh 24 December 1960, youngest of twelve children. S was aged two when family moved to Clydebank. S stayed there 29 years, came out as gay when aged thirty, left Clydebank year later. Short account of different places S lived. Spent five years in Edinburgh, involved in gay scene/politics.02:32 Describes previous involvement in gay politics Glasgow. Came out to family and friends and attended Out on Sunday group. Launched project in 1991 for gay...

Scope and Contents 00:00 Continues about four-day trip to USA and what S learnt regarding KS. S considers own KS to be average, explains how it is to do with number of X chromosomes a person has. ADHD [attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder] has at last been associated with KS. S diagnosed with ADD [attention deficit disorder] four years ago, explains it. Describes how spent four years in child guidance centre, because couldn’t settle at school. Learnt little because teachers were not teachers but...

Scope and Contents 00:00 About first relationship, Kenny from Edinburgh. S had testosterone implantswhich re-kicked puberty even though in thirties. S wanted open relationship, Kenny agreed, but in practice finished relationship. In Edinburgh S had short-term relationships characteristic of people with KS, due to short-term memory loss. Tried to meet people on the gay scene but no good at chatting up. Describes gay centre in Broughton St, Edinburgh, and continues about the Lantern Group, which met...

Scope and Contents 00:00 About how S defines self for bureaucratic purposes as male where given binary choice: including ‘other’ is step in right direction. S would like birth certificate and passport to reflect intersex gender. Mentions Alex MacFarlane, Australian who has succeeded in doing this. Describes positive aspects of having KS. Can understand both genders because is both. Believes in openness and honesty between partners.04:35 About S’s present disabilities, describes when first began to...

Scope and Contents 00:00 Edwin Morgan [EM] born 27 April 1920 in Glasgow. Father clerk in Iron and Steel Works, mother typist in same firm. Reception of EM’s work following the 1990 interview with Christopher Whyte and the question of apprehension about coming out. EM explains muted reaction in literary world, some had guessed, some were surprised. Mentions one strong reaction from someone unsympathetic to homosexuality for whom the love poems were ‘spoiled’. EM felt some guilt hadn’t been more open in 60s...

Scope and Contents 00:00 Edwin Morgan [EM] born 27 April 1920 in Glasgow. Father clerk in Iron and Steel Works, mother typist in same firm. Reception of EM’s work following the 1990 interview with Christopher Whyte and the question of apprehension about coming out. EM explains muted reaction in literary world, some had guessed, some were surprised. Mentions one strong reaction from someone unsympathetic to homosexuality for whom the love poems were ‘spoiled’. EM felt some guilt hadn’t been more open in 60s...

Scope and Contents 00:00 EM only child, no family now except one distant cousin. Importance of different friendships, mentions three: Christopher Whyte, who opened up the whole subject and keeps in touch; Margaret, a straight female friend, who was the first person he told and was very supportive; young heterosexual friend Mark, whom he met at Edinburgh Science Festival [1998], instant attraction on EM’s part. Parents deaths 1965/1970: EM explains how difficult it would’ve been to tell them. Mother dropped...

Scope and Contents 00:00 ‘Night Pillion’: real life story behind poem. Young artist who lived near EM: they had been to see art exhibition, and EM was offered lift home on a motorbike. Exciting: attracted by him and EM’s first time on a motorbike. Last two lines express intense moment of closeness that broke shell of solitude. Solitude as negative and positive in EM’s life: always wanted a seesaw between solitude and company.05:30 ‘A Memorial’: poem written after coming out, able to write about...