Interview with Mandy, 20 - 21, White British, lower middle class, Roman Catholic. Women Risk and AIDS Project, Manchester, 1989. Original version (Ref: MAN99)
Rachel Thomson
10.25377/sussex.10301663.v1
https://sussex.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Interview_with_Mandy_20_-_21_White_British_lower_middle_class_Roman_Catholic_Women_Risk_and_AIDS_Project_Manchester_1989_Original_version_Ref_MAN99_/10301663
This interview is part of the Women, Risk and Aids Project (1989-90) archive which was created as part of the Reanimating Data project (2018-20).<div><br></div><div>Interview with Mandy, a university student in Manchester, talking about her sexual relationships and experiences past and present. Mandy went to a 'posh' boarding school in Northern England after her family relationships broke down. This was a sexist boys school that took girls at 6th form.<br></div><div>She also talks about her experiences at a 'rough' catholic comprehensive school in Wales, including experiences of Catholic sex education which included anti-abortion and anti-contraception education. Her attempts to challenge this were understood as being disruptive. Mandy has an Irish Catholic family and says that her mum wanted to be 'liberal' about sex but that it didn't come naturally. Mandy struggled to talk to her about sex and later sought her own information about sex and AIDS from friends, books and the Terrance Higgins Trust. Mandy is concerned about her own exposure to HIV as previous partners have slept with lots of 'sleazy' people and been caught up in relationship triangles. Mandy talks about previous relationships as a teenager in Wales and as a young woman in Manchester. This includes one partner that she lived with and with whom she tried to negotiate non-penetrative 'safe sex'. Mandy talks about the challenges of having safe sex within the heterosexual community.</div>
2020-03-04 10:51:41
White British
Lower middle class
Catholic
Sexual reputation
Pressure
Illegal drugs
Family life
Divorce
Risk
Religious beliefs
Parent attitude
Comprehensive school
Boarding schools
Rhythm method
Abortion
Atheism
First sex
Sexual pleasure
Cosmopolitan magazine
Women's magazines
Contraception
Condom use
Pill
Birth Control
Contraceptive diaphragm
Responsibility
Family Planning Clinic
Depression
Safe sex
Sociology
Sociology not elsewhere classified