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 centre in Glasgow. S unemployed registered disabled. Set up network of contacts, committee was formed. Involved in committee for two years, then nervous breakdown in 1993. Went to Edinburgh, explains relationship with Peter, their work with Lantern Group. Continues about coordinating committee for Glasgow Gay Centre, fund raised, including organising annual ceilidh in Winter Gardens [People’s Palace]. LGBT Centre opened 1996. S uses it rarely now.

08:40 Describes first awareness of being different aged nine. Brought up as boy, but wondered why so much like a girl, and not just in attraction to boys. At 14 knew was ‘gay’ but didn’t know the word. Sex a taboo subject in family. Called names at school and imitated because of high-pitched voice. Was shy till about 8 years ago. About siblings: next older is George, four years older, who has Down’s syndrome.

13:07 About S’s late puberty because has Kleinfelter’s Syndrome [KS], how went to America to find out about KS. About first sexual encounter, explains reasons for using artificial testosterone. How S discovered own KS, what was told by doctors in Scotland. From age of 12 to 19 S suffered blackouts, explains reason given at first, how left school to work briefly in shipyards. 1987 diagnosed with KS day after mother’s death. S had no-one to talk to about KS until visited USA. Symptom of KS is short-term memory loss, describes how this affects self.

22:32 Explains how came out as gay, reactions of different members of family, mother had died three years previously. Sister-in-law, who was also a close friend, said she knew since S was 10, no big deal; but S wanted to make it a big deal, had carried it around for years. Came out to rest of family by letter, went well. Brother in New Zealand supportive of gay rights. Story of father, staunch Roman Catholic, offering his bedroom to S and boyfriend when they stayed over.

28:15 Describes how came to understand about intersex, joined support group for KS on internet, found out about Kleinfelter’s Syndrome and Associates, and went to their annual conference, Baltimore USA