Julie Williams Oral History Interview, May 5, 2016

Partial Transcript: My name is Alissa Alyssa Kauth and Kaitlyn Stephen and I are here conducting an oral history interview for Oregon States' History 368: Lesbian and Gay Movements in modern America.

Segment Synopsis: The interviewers state the purpose and context of the interview. The begin by asking introductory questions about the interviewee and her background.

Keywords: Montana; OSQA; Oral History; Oregon State University

Partial Transcript: Were there any discussion of LGBTQ rights in or out of your home while you were growing up?

Segment Synopsis: Williams discussions the climate around LGBTQ people at home and at school when she was growing up.

Keywords: LGBTQ; representation; rights

Partial Transcript: Where did you go to college?

Segment Synopsis: Williams states which colleges she attended and when before discussing the climate surrounding LGBTQ issues at those places. She also touches on her experiences with intimate relationships.

Keywords: College; Montana; Oregon State; sports

Subjects: Colleges and Universities; Montana; Oregon State University; sports

Partial Transcript: When would you say in your life that you started feeling safe and okay?

Segment Synopsis: Williams discusses how she started to feel more safe after coming out to her friends and family around the time of several important ballots regarding LGBTQ rights.

Keywords: Affect; ballots; coming out; emotions; safety

Subjects: Affect; ballots; coming out; emotions; safety

Partial Transcript: Today, do you consider yourself an activist?

Segment Synopsis: Williams says she is an activist, but has moved beyond the need for labels. Her work focuses on protecting LGBTQ children and facilitating the Queer Straight Alliance at Corvallis High School.

Keywords: Activism; Gay Straight Alliance; Queer Straight Alliance; affect; children; teaching; trans

Subjects: Activism; affect; children; teaching; transgender people

Partial Transcript: So, now you teach at Corvallis. What made you decide to want to be a teacher?

Segment Synopsis: Williams describes why she chose to become a teacher, how her sexual orientation and engagement with LGBTQ issues has affected her teaching, and the community of teachers and students at Corvallis High School. She also discusses hopes for the future.

Keywords: Activism; Corvallis High School; LGBTQ; Student Support; Teaching

Subjects: sexual minorities; students; teaching

Partial Transcript: In the 90s, when those ballot measures were being past, like Measure 9 and 19, or trying to be passed like in 1992, did you see any changes in the high school community?

Segment Synopsis: Williams talks about the history of Corvallis High School, specifically whether she noticed changes in the high school community in the 90s when anti-LGBT ballots were up for vote. She also discusses room for improvement today.

Keywords: Corvallis; Corvallis High School; LGBTQ; hate crimes; suicide; trainings; violence

Subjects: Corvallis, Oregon; hate crimes; sexual minorities; suicide; violence

Partial Transcript: Back to the QSA, how did that get started in Corvallis, and when was that?

Segment Synopsis: Williams describes the history of the Queer Student Alliance - how it came into being, what is purpose is, and community response to it. She relates this to other contemporary events, such as anti-LGBT ballots up for vote at the time.

Keywords: Gay Straight Alliance; LGBTQ; Queer Student Alliance; acceptance; community push back; education; organizing; outreach; religion; suicide

Subjects: activism; education; religion; sexual minorities

Partial Transcript: What differences do you see from when you were in high school or college to today with LGBTQ issues?

Segment Synopsis: Williams describes her perspective about changes in LGBTQ issues since she was in high school. She says that LGBTQ students are much safer and more supported today than even a few years ago.

Keywords: LGBTQ; military recruiter; social issues; support

Subjects: sexual minorities; students

Partial Transcript: Do you think this kind of program or approach is applicable, or could be implemented in other high schools with ease across the country?

Segment Synopsis: Williams says that a QSA program could be implemented in other schools across the country, and that it is important because of contemporary LGBTQ issues.

Keywords: Gay Straight Alliance; Queer Straight Alliance

Partial Transcript: How has being involved in this community - the LGBTQ community - affected your life?

Segment Synopsis: Williams discusses how being involved in the LGBTQ community has positively affected her life, and her hopes for the future of the community and LGBTQ issues.

Keywords: LGBTQ; acceptance; authenticity; community; equality; future; identity; mentoring

Subjects: community; equality; identity; mentoring; sexual minorities

Partial Transcript: Is there anything you would like to touch on that we haven't touched on that you would like to go back to and expand on?

Segment Synopsis: After being asked for any additional comments, Williams talks about her history of activism, specifically regarding marriage equality and the Oregon courts.

Keywords: Activism; courts; legality; marriage equality

Subjects: Activism; courts; marriage

Partial Transcript: You've mentioned before how you try to protect the LGBTQ students in the past. Could you expand - what could you do to help protect them within the schools?

Segment Synopsis: Williams talks about strategies for protecting LGBTQ students in the schools, such as coming out herself, having difficult conversations with coworkers, and creating policies.

Keywords: Coming out; LGBTQ; activism; children; difficult conversations; mentoring; policy; students; teaching; training

Subjects: Coming out; activism; children; mentoring; policy; sexual minorities; students; teaching; training

Partial Transcript: Are there any major singular events or events in general that have led Corvallis to where they are today on LGBTQ issues? Or, is it just a giant wave that's grown?

Segment Synopsis: Williams speaks more to the history of LGBTQ issues in Corvallis, focusing on how the community got to where it is today.

Keywords: Harvey Milk Award; activism; personal accountability; tolerance; violence

Subjects: activism; violence

Partial Transcript: Any advice for new teachers or people in general on how to combat the LGBTQ harassment in a classroom or how to be more inclusive?

Segment Synopsis: Williams offers general advice on how to support LGBTQ students, such as challenging assumptions that historical figures were straight and visibly wearing signs of support.

Keywords: LGBTQ; challenging assumptions; harassment; mainstreaming; student support; teaching

Subjects: Sexual minorities; harassment; students; teaching

Partial Transcript: That's all the questions I have. Anything else?