Michael Riordon

The interviewee, a single, gay man, discusses how, following a life-changing inner experience, he accepted that he was gay and made learning about himself his focus.

The interviewees (a gay male couple, a lesbian couple, and a single lesbian), who are in their twenties and attend or attended Acadia University, talk about coming to terms with their sexual identity, how out they are, who they socialize with, what their sexual identity means to them, and the experience of rural life.

The interviewee, a geologist, describes her relationships with women, same-sex couple parenting, and taking part in the effort (successful) to amending the New Brunswick Human Rights Code to include sexual orientation as prohibited grounds for discrimination.

A gay man who returned to the rural area of his childhood talks about his parents, how he got into photography, and meaningful experiences that emerged while leading photography workshops.

The interviewee, a young gay man who lives at home in a rural area, describes his gay relationships, coming out to his parents, and how he has changed.

Two gay men discuss rural life and their relationship. One interviewee tells of how, after the social life he led in cities, he returned home to his village, started a business, and came out, and he feels accepted.

Tom and Don, a couple who have been together for eighteen years, talk about their moves, multiple houses, and real estate ventures, including their departure of the city for a farm in rural Ontario and then their move to rural Nova Scotia. They also discuss their journeys of self-discovery, their families, their relationship, and differences of community acceptance and support in urban and rural settings.

Ken discusses his life as a gay man who came out late in life, after a marriage and three children, and his time in the military, his friendships, his relationships, and his experiences with dating. He discusses his desire for a monogamous relationship based on friendship, and the loneliness he feels as an older gay man in rural Nova Scotia, and his concern that he may not find companionship.

Two gay men who are partners, two single gay men, and a lesbian, who all live in rural areas, talk about topics including the development of their sexual identities, claiming spousal benefits, and violence in schools.

A gay man discusses his life in the rural village where he grew up in a close-knit family; having seasonal employment there and spending winters in cities; his struggles to reconcile his Roman Catholic roots and his gay identity; and the sense of belonging he feels in Cape Breton versus his desire to experience the “gay world,” an outside world that he sees as urban.