Interview with Jacqueline and Kelly, White British, working class, Catholic. Women, Risk and AIDS Project, Manchester, 1989. Anonymised version (Ref: MYC04)

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).Anonymised transcript of an interview with two young women (Jacqueline and Kelly) at a youth club in North Manchester. There is lots of background noise and interruptions and the girls refer to the boys in and around the room where the interview takes place as their friends, peers and potential people they would ‘go with’. One young women talks a lot more than the other who appears to not always be following the conversation. Both girls are at school in their last year. They want to leave to go and find work but are unsure what they want to do. They have jobs at the local market but would like something more permanent. They have some interest in travel and tourism but are not sure why. The girls don’t want to get married and have kids - at least not yet. The main participant says she doesn’t want to fall into her ‘mam’s shoes’ and that it looks ‘exhausting’. Her mam has 10 children and is a single parent. The girls go out to the local pubs sometimes when they can get served. They hang around in a big group of girls and lads and mix with their older brothers and friends. They often go with lads older than them. This appears to be a bit taboo but ok in their case because they are the ‘top group’. The main participant says this makes her feel ‘safe’ because she can walk home without anyone jumping her because they know they’ll get their head kicked in. They get into trouble with the teachers because of this. The quieter participant seems to have lots of relationships but the main participant longest relationship is 1.5 years. She says she has a new crush every week and get bored easily. She goes with lads for a few nights only. She doesn’t want to be tied down. The girls have basic knowledge of the difference between HIV and AIDS and how HIV is transmitted. They know that a condom prevents transmission of HIV but are ambivalent about using condoms. It is unclear but it seems both girls are sexually active but do not use condoms. They see this as a lads responsibility. They had both had some sex education around AIDS in their third year, which was a whole school approach, with some led by the art teacher. They had leaflets and there was a film about AIDS, but they either didn't watch it or can't remember it. Safe sex to them is considered as using condoms and not sleeping around. Both their mum's have given them some sex education, mainly around periods and conception, but if there was anything further they would like to know then they would ask a youth worker at their youth club.