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Oral history of Steph Tonner interviewed by Jaime Valentine: file 2b, 2004

 Item
Identifier: TD.3658[AA001]

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 collapse, diagnosed with arthritis and peripheral neuropathy [damage to nerve endings], not certain if related to KS. Explains how began to use crutches, then manual wheelchair, now electric wheelchair. Reasons why S hasn’t joined disability groups.

11:11 About disappointing response from LGBT community to S being intersex and disabled. Only LGBT Centre has wheelchair accessibility. Doesn’t feel recognised at

LGBT Centre for all the groundwork S did for creation of the Centre. Volunteered at Centre, but volunteers not respected for hard work they do. Centre seems currently unwelcoming and unlikely to survive. Centre relies on the café. Vision was initially for a vibrant community centre.

15:48 Support for S in the future: hopes for support from friends plus paid assistants. S has seven different home-helps at present, explains shortcomings. S is open about sexuality: one home-help complained, but social worker said this was sexual discrimination. Dreams of retiring to Malaga, Spain. S has hopes and dreams rather than fears: doesn’t allow self to feel fearful about future. S makes life content: hard work but worth it.

Dates

  • Creation: 2004

Creator

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Extent

28498.755 Megabytes

Genre / Form

Repository Details

Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository

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