| Description | An interview with Tas J.P., a single man with no children, who is a Charge nurse, bed management, born in BIRMINGHAM and now living in . TasJ.P.’s father was a Shop-keeper, born in India (Punjab) and his mother a Housewife/factory worker born in India (Punjab). In the interview, he talks about …
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I was born at City Road Hospital…I was mainly brought up in Handsworth…Parents from Punjab and arrived in England around 1962. Describes situation for parents when they first arrived.
1.13 2 brothers, 4 sisters.
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Father worked at factory in Oldbury. Had industrial accident and left work.
Mother worked for a company that made measuring tools.
59” I’ve lived in Handsworth most of my life, more than 22 years…we used to have a very close community in my early years….quite an Asian community around the area…
1.50 Describes the shops in the area.
2.26 Things started changing in the late 70s-early 80s…we had a lot of working class people moving into the area…
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Describes his background as working-class.
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Just two doors away from my parents' house there was a corner shop that was owned by a white man….As a very young child I used to go and help him out at the shop….It was a very traditional shop….
1.15 Couple who owned the shop took him out for day trips.
Parents bought the shop.
2.06 Story about an elderly neighbour which prompted him to go into nursing.
2.55 Comments on the ethnic mix of people in Handsworth.
Had a happy time at primary school.
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My primary school era was from 1975-82. I went to Wilkes Green which was just down the road from my parents house….I wouldn’t say my first language was English but I was very good at my English…even though mum and dad never spoke a word of English…
1.30 Schoolwork.
2.22 Attended Handsworth New Road Secondary School.
2.58 For a very long time I knew I was different to people…Secondary school was a bit harsh because other boys used to know I was different…But I was quite a strong person….
4.22 Didn’t want to stay on in sixth form. Encountered prejudice.
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Reflects on how his behaviour was different to other children.
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I even knew in junior school that I was homosexual, but those aren’t the sort of words I would use….during my days at junior school I wouldn’t know what name to give it….I felt differently….Elaborates.
3.10 There was a period in secondary school where a discussion arose in one of the classes I was in about homosexuality….what being gay meant to some people and it was quite an emotive subject. A lot of the children found it difficult to comprehend….
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I didn’t have any role models or homosexual icons that I knew about at that time….It was crucial that this particular teacher spoke about it….but I was very afraid during that period because I basically had no-one to turn to….I wish there was more education about sex….In the job that I do now I see 12 year old girls giving birth to children….
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Experience of speaking two languages.
Older brother would translate documents for parents.
1.18 I don’t think there was the same amount of support given to ethnic minority children….in a way I felt as though I was deprived…
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I can’t remember any language support at school….
39” I don’t think the education system actually understood where ethnic minority children were coming from…It’s all changing now….
2.10 Relationship with mother. It is different for Asian communities. They still feel that boys take on the family name. Girls are very expensive especially when it comes to getting married. Three of my sisters had arranged marriages…
3.07 Sikh religion. Parents not fervent practitioners. We mainly used to go to the Soho Road Temple….My brothers and sisters used to go to Punjabi School at the temple and they used to tell me it was very aggressive….
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Continued.
26” Remembers being smacked at primary school.
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Mum and dad always used to say to me, you really ought to go to Punjabi school, but I felt I had no association, not just with my religion….or learning Punjabi…I’m not sad that I didn’t learn it….I’m not a very religious person…
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I don’t think I’m part of an Asian community….Elaborates.
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Relationships at school.
1.28 Attempted to go out with girls for a time when questioning his sexuality.
3.49 Sister felt oppressed and left home. Even today Asian girls can feel very caged within their home environment and still very oppressed…
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Not making them feel that because this is an Asian culture, this is how it has to be for girls….Sometimes we had massive arguments about how things should be for Asian girls….
1.14 My sister’s behaviour was a great scandal for my family and all my community…Explains why.
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I left Handsworth New Road Secondary School in 1987 when I was 16….not with very many qualifications….
45” Intended to go to Sutton Coldfield College to study GCSEs.
1.42 I was more interested in getting out of the cage that I’d been in regarding my sexuality….and getting out on the scene.
2.14 Even at college I didn’t come across anyone else that was homosexual which was baffling…..
2.55 Contracted salmonella poisoning.
4.25 I had very long discussions with my parents about becoming a male nurse….they said men don’t become nurses, go and become a doctor….
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Enrolled on access course to nursing at Handsworth College which was linked to Dudley Road Hospital. Of 16 students, he was the only male.
2.20 Took up temporary porter's post with the Dental Hospital in 1990.
4.00 Began nurse training in September 1990.
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Helped father at the shop with stock.
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1.00 Story about having long hair at the hospital and being reprimanded.
2.55 Describes nursing training and moving into the hospital accommodation.
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Continued.
12” Diagnosed as having testicular cancer during training.
2.03 Most students in the nursing group were comfortable with the knowledge of his homosexuality.
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I started going out on the scene….in 1989…
1.59 Not many Asian men in the bars and clubs in 1989. Describes the atmosphere at the clubs in Hurst Street.
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Concerned about not putting himself at risk from HIV/Aids.
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Story about a gay Asian friend who had an arranged marriage.
1.08 Would consider Buddhism as a religion to follow.
1.45 I feel that one of the more fundamentalist religions is Islam and that’s not just because I’m Sikh that I say that….a lot of these religions end up brainwashing people into a way of thinking….
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The gay scene in the 1990s.
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Continued.
3.01 Met partner in 1990. How relationship has evolved.
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Continues to discuss relationship and the gay scene.
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Continued.
2.45 First holiday abroad together in 1992.
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After qualifying as a registered general nurse in 1994….I worked on a Haematology and Isolation ward….I was there for about a year….
Secured a junior nursing post in the Accident and Emergency Unit.
1.59 During my nursing training and part of my career I felt that very oppressed and that as an Asian male nurse I was treated differently from my white colleagues…
3.12 Account of official complaint against racist colleague.
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Continued.
1.09 Switched to Bed Management. Details role.
3.05 Hopes to go into general management within the NHS.
3.30 Applied to become a magistrate.
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Parents pleased about his career success. Father recently died.
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Changes in the NHS.
ENDS. |