Morril, Ren

Interviewer

Zorica Andric

Files

Description

Ren Morrill shares personal experiences of his childhood, coming out, relationships, and the influence of his chosen family. During the conversation, Ren talks about his family dynamics, struggles with gender identity, and societal expectations, offering insights into the complexities of being gay. Ren reflects on the loneliness that many gay men experience and references influential figures like Walt Whitman and Anne Rice. He emphasizes the importance of his chosen family, specifically friends from the roleplaying games community, highlighting their significant impact on his life. The interview then moves on to Ren's views on pronouns, self-discovery, and the challenges that gay men face within societal expectations. Ren shares personal anecdotes, providing a glimpse into his identity and the broader LGBTQ+ community. The latter part of the interview focuses on public health, specifically routine HIV testing. Ren advocates for proactive HIV testing, routine implementation in healthcare, and eliminating the stigma associated with testing. The interview sheds light on Ren's experiences working with Frannie Peabody Center, involvement in community organizations, and perspectives on gender identity. In summary, this interview provides a rich narrative covering personal experiences, LGBTQ+ issues, public health advocacy, and critical discussions on gender identity, offering valuable insights for future generations.

Please cite as: Querying the Past: LGBTQ Maine Oral History Project Collection, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer+ Collection, Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine, University of Southern Maine Libraries. For more information about the Querying the Past: Maine LGBTQ Oral History Project, please contact Dr. Wendy Chapkis.

Publication Date

11-13-2023

Publisher

USM Special Collections

City

Portland, Maine

Keywords

Westbrook, Maine, pronouns, gay men, childhood, singled out, character development, stable household, events for same-sex attracted males, sexual orientation, social experience, archetype father, Jordan Peterson, parental relationship, magical-psychic practices, role models, Saturday Night Live, Wells for Sensitive Boys, Fisher Price, radical fairy identity, Straight Candy, unmasculine art, late bloomer, sexology literature, gender nonconformity, Laura Bennett, Christian beliefs, social acceptance, Act Up, overrated institutions, Walt Whitman, Anne Rice, literature, art, culture, identity, self-discovery process, Boy George, generation differences, roleplaying games, Dungeons and Dragons, Portland, Kyle, Dora, Jason, State Street, Thanksgiving tradition/gatherings, Mecca, kinship network, Larry, HIV/AIDS, Gen X, news coverage, fear, Frannie Peabody Center, testing, relationships, Galvanizing effect, HIV prevention, Act Up Maxim Silence, public health, medical care providers, HIV transmission knowledge, historical HIV context, HIV prioritization, gay men’s health, public health training, LGBTQ inclusivity, transgender focus, gender ideology, advocacy, gay men of color, self protection, Three Letters Podcast, Marcus King, Eric Marcus, Making Gay History, podcast interviews, Indian Health Services, Native American HIV prevention, indigenous LGBTQ+ issues, Bottoms Digest, transgender, transnet, living with HIV, at-home tests, mystery illness symptoms, City of Portland, Maine Family Planning Planned Parenthood, Massachusetts, California, World AIDS Day, Salt-N-Pepa, HIV messaging campaign, R&B, leather jackets, Keith Haring, Glenn’s theory, Legacy, Lord’s work, Mary Magdalene, Portland Recovery Community Center, Pride Portland, Letherman, brotherhood, philanthropy, Harry Hay, radical fairy, comsumerist, assimilationist, gender identity, personalities, mental health issue, courteous, transmen, sex differences, bigotry, medicalization, dysphoria, sexism, feminism, advocacy for women, advocacy for men, TikTok, Marsha P Johnson, Stonewall, LGBT culture, political pressure, gay men's spaces, lesbian spaces

Disciplines

History of Gender | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | Oral History | Women's Studies

Recommended Citation

Andric, Zorica, "Morril, Ren" (2023). Querying the Past: LGBTQ Maine Oral History Project Collection. 105.
https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/querying_ohproject/105

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.