Hiding sexuality as a teacher
1973
"When all that was happening in 1973 I got my first job in teaching as a primary school teacher and that’s when I went off and became this radical feminist in the Communist Party. At school I was just this woman that wasn’t married, there were almost two sides to me, which makes gay people unhappy. I was in this work situation with people I knew really well and was seen as this asexual unmarried woman, it strips your personality. All of my whole life really didn’t exist for them. I don’t think I’ve had got the sack but I don’t know. I think the Gay Liberation Movement did such a lot to help people. The first school I taught in was a very good school in Chelmsley Wood and I made a lot of good friends who I still see from all those years ago. It was in a big working class suburb and I loved the Deputy Head, he was a really sensitive, great bloke. They knew but you didn’t say so; ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ just in case it comes back and you can make enemies in staff rooms like you can in any situation, there are people who would use that against you. They knew I was in the Communist Party, a gay activist”.
Contributed by: Jean Turley, 72