Mez (she/her) is a 61 year old, cis-gendered, lesbian woman who works for Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health in their Way Out program for LGBTQIA+ youth.
In this episode, Mez speaks passionately about the work she does with queer youth as well as what it was like for her as a young person. She shares a beautiful story about her first relationship and the way she has noticed things change over time. Particularly, the way the language changes and the need for us to change alongside it, so that everyone can be respected and referred to in a way that they feel identifies themselves. Mez also speaks about the way she has felt on the outer of some of her family relationships as she had children, but was not the birth mother and so when her relationship broke down it was heartbreakingly difficult to find where she still fit in the lives of her children.
There are no significant trigger warnings for this episode, but if you find anything distressing then please seek support from a loved one or one of the helplines listed at the bottom of this description.
This podcast is released every Tuesday and Friday and could not have been possible without the support of our local community partners, Midsumma and the Fairer Victoria portfolio of the Victorian State Government.
Episode Credits
Wayfinder, Interviewer & Editing : Helene Thomas
Episode Introduction: Josephine Scash
Pridefinder Midsumma Team
Ashlee Hints: Community Engagement Manager
Bec Cooen: Project and Program Manager – Victoria's Pride
Danae Reid: Regional Community Engagement Coordinator
Felicity McIntosh: Marketing & Communications Manager
Martin Broadley: Programming Administrator
Want to know more about Pridefinder?
www.midsumma.org.au/victorias-pride/pridefinder-podcast/
Want to know more about Helene Thomas & The Wayfinder?
Want to be a part of the Pridefinder Podcast?
We hope to continue collecting stories from regional LGBTQIA+ folk as part of the Pridefinder project each year.
If you’d like to have the Pridefinder visit your community, then please email engagement.coord@midsumma.org.au to register your interest!
Music Credits
Intro/Outro “10c Coffee” by Clamshell
“Sage the Hunter” by Landsman Duets
“Acoustic guitar melody fingerstyle #1” by Garuda1982
Seek Support
If this podcast has raised difficult feelings for you, there is always support available:
Lifeline – 13 11 14 | www.lifeline.org.au/crisis-chat/
QLife (3pm-midnight) – 1800 184 527 | www.qlife.org.au/resources/chat
Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636 | www.beyondblue.org.au/support-service/chat
Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467 | www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/phone-and-online-counselling/
