Kedo Baye Oral History Interview, March 2, 2019

Partial Transcript: What are your pronouns, gender/sexual identity, and can you tell us a little about your background?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo Baye tells the interviewer their name, pronouns, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Kedo also shares a little about the small town they grew up in on the outskirts of Spokane, Washington.

Keywords: Gender; Hometown; Identity; Pansexual; Sexual Orientation; Small Town

Partial Transcript: How was it growing up in a small town?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo shares how the town they were raised in was very close knit so they did not have the space or the language to express their differences. Kedo was happy where they grew up but felt they always had to hide.

Keywords: Childhood; Closeted; Differences; Gender Identity; Hometown; Language

Partial Transcript: How is your relationship with your parents and what is your family background?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo talks about their family's historical connection to their hometown and how despite both parents being raised poor, they were able to provide a middle class upbringing to Kedo and their brother. Strained relations with their parents is also discussed.

Keywords: Community; Expression; Family; History; Hometown; Identity; Washington

Partial Transcript: How is your relationship with your brother? Does he provide support?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo shares how ever since they moved out of their childhood home, their relationship with their brother has improved dramatically.

Keywords: Acceptance; Coming Out; Family; Siblings; Support

Partial Transcript: Do you still keep in contact with people from your hometown? Are they aware of your identity?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo talks about not fitting into the dominant identity of their hometown and being labeled as strange.

Keywords: Authentic; Fitting in; Gender Identity; Hometown; Outcasted

Partial Transcript: Where is home for you?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo discusses how Corvallis, Oregon has become home for them after finding a supportive community.

Keywords: Community; Home; Inclusion; Oregon; Safety; Support

Partial Transcript: Are there people who were influential during your undergraduate experience that you still keep in contact with?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo discusses the people in Missouri and Virginia that had a positive impact on them. They also discuss how their last two years of undergrad in Virginia was when they came out.

Keywords: College; Coming out; Community; Friendships; Platonic; Support

Partial Transcript: Who is included in your chosen family?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo discusses how specific friendships have made them feel supported, acknowledged, and valid. They also talk about having friends that are older but that age has never been a barrier in building community.

Keywords: Age; Church; Community; Family; Friendships; Support

Partial Transcript: Can you share about your mental health during the time you came out in Virginia?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo discusses their feelings of depression in their senior year of undergrad and how their roommates encouraged them to begin therapy.

Keywords: Community; Depression; Mental Health; Therapy

Partial Transcript: How has the community in Corvallis been different from the other areas that you have to school?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo describes how the living situation in Corvallis does not foster as much community as their previous universities.

Keywords: Community; Off Campus Living; On Campus Living

Partial Transcript: What is it like to be queer in the College of Public Health at Oregon State University?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo talks about how the institution has been welcoming of their queer and trans identities but that does not always trickle down into the classroom. They also discuss how they have found community off campus in a Trans Support Group in Corvallis.

Keywords: Acceptance; Classroom; Community; Queer; Support; Trans

Partial Transcript: Favorite ways to express your identity?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo shares how their hair has been their favorite way to outwardly express their identity and queerness.

Keywords: Hair; Identity; Queer; Self Expression

Partial Transcript: What is your religious ideology? Struggles of faith?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo shares about their religious upbringing, finding the Universalist Unitarian church in college, and moments they have struggled with religion.

Keywords: Betrayal; Childhood; Church; Faith; Morals; Religion; Spiritual; Struggle

Partial Transcript: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo talks about their hopes of having feelings of peace ten years from now and having a nuclear family. They also talk about changing their name and gender marker legally.

Keywords: Family; Future; Gender; Gender Marker; Hope; Name Change; Peace; Plans

Partial Transcript: Are there any romantic experiences that impacted you?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo talks about a relationship that developed when they were studying aboard in Ireland that ended up being hurtful. They also share that them being demi-sexual makes attraction work differently than others.

Keywords: Abuse; Demi-Sexual; Pansexual; Relationships

Partial Transcript: What was the political climate in Ireland and were you involved as a student?

Segment Synopsis: Kedo shares how they were involved in a queer group on campus in Ireland that assisted in getting young Irish citizens registered to vote. They got to see a National Referendum to treat queer people equally in Ireland be voted into practice.

Keywords: Activism; Ireland; Queer; Study Abroad; Voting

Segment Synopsis: Interviewers ask Kedo if there is anything else they would like to share and then thank them for their time.