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48 <br />LGBTQ Focus Group Themes <br /> <br /> <br />Characteristics of Homophobia <br />• There are always outliers but generally in South Eugene we’re accepted or people even think they want to be with us <br />so that their children can have an enriching gay experience. <br />• The folks in my circles who struggle the most are trans and gender queer people. <br />• I have not experienced any kind of discrimination, no issues in town; I tell my friends to come. <br />• When I moved in twelve years ago, Eugene was tolerant of queers; I’ve seen that moved toward acceptance and I <br />want to move it further toward celebrating. <br />• I feel very privileged I have a good job. I also feel very uncomfortable -- when I go out dancing at night, I want to <br />dress up in pink sparkly things and I don’t feel comfortable with that. <br />• “I will not hold my wife’s hand.” <br />• This community speaks about being progressive, but not enough to embrace people of color and all that means. <br />• I think that Eugene is very accepting of what is now mainstream heteronormal gay culture. <br />• Having grown up in a rural community, I feel more embraced in Eugene; feel safe coming to town. <br />• Eugene has become more accepting of gay people so long as they’re like the ones they show on TV. <br />• I was born here and have seen a lot of change; things have gotten better. <br />• I get to hear a lot of conversations. Lots of ignorance and lack of information about trans people. <br />• This community speaks about being progressive, but not enough to embrace people of color and all that means. <br /> <br />Intersectionality <br />• If you’re new in Eugene and white, I would say welcome, you’re in a great place. If you are a person of color, the <br />answer is different; tell them to be careful going out at night, colored by my own experiences. I would “prepare a <br />gathering with my people, introduce to POC; we can lift each other up and keep each other safe.” <br />• I have reached out to every community group that is welcoming to female people and have not found a place where I <br />fit. Not a lot of support besides meeting individuals who are like-minded. A white person may not share that <br />experience. <br />• Being a POC and LGBTQ is very different. I was harassed by a white gay man; it caused a lot of trauma. I was still <br />trying to figure out who I was. <br />• In the Latino community, it tends to be closed minded about these issues. <br />• I don’t feel welcome in Eugene at all ever, not because I’m queer but because of my race. I spend most of my time <br />in my house. <br />• I only feel safe in my house. I’m glad to hear that we are talking about the intersections of race because in my <br />experience I don’t think I could separate them. <br />• In my experience, I cannot separate homophobia, xenophobia, accent, old or look young; my heart is pounding <br />because the stories of folks of color around the table are my stories as well. There needs to be a shift in the culture, <br />from the top down. <br />• For a lot of white people in Eugene, you have to make an extra effort to reach out to diverse communities; John <br />(owner of Lamb) moved here from NY; still doesn’t know how to reach out. <br />• White LGBTQ people have white privilege; people of color are more subject to mistreatment. (LGBTQ) <br /> <br />Institutional Expressions of Homophobia <br /> <br />City of Eugene <br />• We never experienced harassment. Every supervisor I had in my 25 years with City of Eugene. The current city <br />manager’s motto was bring everything you are to work. I appreciate that in a professional setting. <br />• EWEB’s culture has changed a lot and I am out at work and feel comfortable with that. Still that’s in presenting <br />myself in a heteronormative context. How do I express that part of who I am and not suffer negative consequences? <br />How “out” can I be at work? If there is a promotion or the possibility of being assigned to the right project, then “not <br />very.” <br />• My drive to push the boundaries has been there with running for Slug Queen and doing queer burlesque—that is <br />where I feel most at home, with the freaks and outcasts. <br />• Those talking sessions 4-8 years ago that happened with city employees, community members. I was labeled that I <br />was too angry and my anger was creating my experiences. Not saying that everyone at COE is like that, but those <br />types of people are everywhere. As long as an agency has people like that, I question how much progress there is <br />going to be. <br />September 12, 2018, Work Session - Item 1