Scope and Contents 00:00 Stewart Brown [SB] born 1970 Dumbarton. Moved to Linwood, Renfrewshire. Moved to Paisley aged 24. One brother. Lived next to school. Nice neighbourhood. Aged 13-14 thought ‘something not quite right’ because didn’t fancy girls. Bullied at primary school, remembers coming home crying. Teachers were aware of it but were not prepared to do anything about it. Enjoyed school. Linwood High school. Good student, academic achievements, stayed on for 5th year.04:38 Began thinking...

Scope and Contents 00:00 Stewart Brown [SB] born 1970 Dumbarton. Moved to Linwood, Renfrewshire. Moved to Paisley aged 24. One brother. Lived next to school. Nice neighbourhood. Aged 13-14 thought ‘something not quite right’ because didn’t fancy girls. Bullied at primary school, remembers coming home crying. Teachers were aware of it but were not prepared to do anything about it. Enjoyed school. Linwood High school. Good student, academic achievements, stayed on for 5th year.04:38 Began thinking...

Scope and Contents 1988-1989 period of change. Gay scene difficult by public transport from Linwood, but passed driving test. Court Bar was first experience of gay bar: mainly middle-aged men. Bennets nearby: gay nightclub full of happy people. Wanted to be part of it, but had to think about gay men as scourge of society, and not wanting parents to know. Took it step by step: another month before went back on the gay scene. Apprehensive about approaching someone. Relationship for 6 months with man 9 years...

Scope and Contents 1988-1989 period of change. Gay scene difficult by public transport from Linwood, but passed driving test. Court Bar was first experience of gay bar: mainly middle-aged men. Bennets nearby: gay nightclub full of happy people. Wanted to be part of it, but had to think about gay men as scourge of society, and not wanting parents to know. Took it step by step: another month before went back on the gay scene. Apprehensive about approaching someone. Relationship for 6 months with man 9 years...

Scope and Contents 00:00 Continues about naivety. Talks about sectarianism in West of Scotland and Northern Ireland: bigger problem than being gay. In Northern Ireland they were not interested in gay issues: religion, race, women and disability came before gay issues, which they didn’t want to top the agenda. People want to know more there, but naivety in the fire service and union, where they were scared about talking about the issues.04:35 Fire service has moved on dramatically. At settling-in...

Scope and Contents 00:00 Continues about naivety. Talks about sectarianism in West of Scotland and Northern Ireland: bigger problem than being gay. In Northern Ireland they were not interested in gay issues: religion, race, women and disability came before gay issues, which they didn’t want to top the agenda. People want to know more there, but naivety in the fire service and union, where they were scared about talking about the issues.04:35 Fire service has moved on dramatically. At settling-in...

Scope and Contents 00:00 Following Section 28 battle and firefighters’ dispute, it’s important to talk to schools – fire safety and fairness message: firefighters are from all different groups, including LGBT. Need to be open to pupils. Gay firefighters would open up career to people who may feel excluded.03:45 Had no role models or set goals. Never looked to be someone else. Absence of positive role models. In primary school, policeman visited. Stereotypes in media – John Inman, Larry Grayson: SB...

Scope and Contents Summary of Oral History Interview by OurStory ScotlandInterviewee: Stewart BrownInterviewer: Jaime ValentinePlace of Interview: Fire Brigades Union, GlasgowDate of Interview: 14 January 2005Summariser: Jenny SimmonsAccession no. AA003StewartBrown1a00:00 Stewart Brown [SB] born 1970 Dumbarton. Moved to Linwood, Renfrewshire. Moved to Paisley aged 24. One brother. Lived next to school. Nice...