Contrary to what one might expect, John says that coming out in Dubbo, a small country town in Western New South Wales was relatively easy. John believes that it was more about him accepting who he is. The experience was made even easier due to his confidence that all his friends and family already quietly knew about his sexual identity.
He was encouraged by the fact that those close to him were all supportive.
And the locals were welcoming and accepting as well. This support was mostly on display in Dubbo’s inaugural Pride March some three years ago. John made a dramatic appearance at the event as a drag draped in Aboriginal colours.
John in drag and on the front cover of local paper 'Dubbo Photo News' proudly displaying Aboriginal colours Source: Supplied/Dubbo Photo News
“To show it is okay to be proud to be Aboriginal and a member of the LGBTIQ community, it also encourages others to be okay and walk down the main street of a country town in drag and feel it is okay as well."
John explains why he chose specifically to appear in these emblematic colours and what impact that had on the community: “to show an example that it is okay to be proud to be Aboriginal and a member of the LGBTIQ community, it also encourages others to be okay and walk down the main street of a country town in drag and feel it is okay as well."
"The Pride march was all surprisingly good," says John. "After the march I walked in Woollies to get a can of Coke.
"Everyone seemed a little bit confused - and at the same time everyone seemed to have loved it."
"A lot of people complimented the costume that I’d made and the makeup and all of that. A lot of the females understood why I struggled and I looked like I was in pain wearing high heels, because my feet hurt from wearing the heels."
"A lot of kids thought it was awesome."
John explains he felt lucky that it was a predominantly positive experience
"Overall it was pretty good," he says. "I didn’t get a lot of negative reactions."
"A lot of kids thought it was awesome. Tthey thought it was funny. Everyone seemed to have loved it”.
That warm reception encouraged John to take part in subsequent Dubbo Pride Marches and he is gearing up for this year’s event.
On the issue of marriage equality, John has very strong views and he believes that it is long overdue in Australia.
John appears on SBS TV show 'Undressed' Source: SBS
"I am all for marriage equality," he says. "Not so much that it is a right that we should have."
He explains, "One of the main reasons I am for it is, if I am with someone and their family is not that accepting and something happens to that person; I ran the risk of being cut off and basically have no power."
"If they land in hospital and something happens, and it is usually friends and family, I ran the risk of not being involved in anything, or any decision-making."
"That is a bit of a scary thought and one of the main reasons that I am all for it apart from the fact that it is just a basic human right."
"And most of the country is all for it,” he adds.
"Recently John appeared on SBS’s bold dating show Undressed which features participants from a mix of different cultural backgrounds and sexualities. According to SBS Undressed challenges preconceptions about race and sexuality.
It brought to the screen a format whose boldness has never been seen before in Australian.
Marshall Heald, SBS Director of Television and Online Content, said: “Undressed is much more than a dating show. By bringing diverse individuals together in a new TV format for SBS, the program is an opportunity for us to explore our Charter in a fun and mischievous way”.
The first directive is for the participants to strip each other down to their underwear. As the experiment continues, the couple get into the bed and answer a series of probing and deeply personal questions.
Undressed was originally an Italian format and now a break-out international hit. The hands-on social experiment is inspired by research suggesting you can accelerate the process of attraction by encouraging physical and emotional contact. The show puts the theory to the test.
Though he was initially apprehensive, John rose to the challenge and went ahead with the experiment and the theory seems to have worked.
John says “the physical contact, my match and I encountered, kind of increased the level of intimacy as opposed to just a standard date based on physical appearance. We both matched. It went really well. The physical attraction was just a bonus."
Physical attraction was not the only premise. Producers had also built a profile based on many other criteria.
John executes some physical contact on SBS TV show 'Undressed' Source: SBS
"They asked me whether I was open to dating someone of a different nationality, religious belief," he says.
He says they asked if "I am more inclined to date someone based on the colour of their skin or their religious beliefs - and I said no.
"As long as they are open and accepting to mine then I am open and accepting to theirs.”
John is also passionate about mental health in the LGBTIQ community especially within the Indigenous minority. He recommends some specialist organisations that can help and he also advises to fully accept and assume one’s sexual identity.
He reveals that it wasn't very easy for him as well. He also went through a phase of doubt and struggle to assume his identity.
Giving advice to other First Nations LGBTIQ people John says, "for a while I didn’t like the fact that I was gay."
He explains, "It took me a long time to accept it."
"It is going to be a bit rough. And there is going to be days when you really don’t want it. And it is clichéd to say this and everyone says it. It will, and does get better."
"And sometimes you just need to talk to a stranger about it. And if you think it is becoming like a bigger issue, there is plenty of mental health services. I know for a fact that Head Space is one of them."
"And they do a lot of work with the LGBTIQ community. They are really good at what they do. And everything is confidential. So, just be proud of who you are. It is not something that we pick and choose. It is a card that we are dealt with. Make the most of it and enjoy it. Because it gets better, it is a lot better.”
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