Character Interview: Rebecca Wilder from A. J. Walkley’s “Queer Greer”
Today’s Character Interview is an In World one with Rebecca Wilder from Queer Greer by A. J. Walkley. I’d like to thank them both for being here today! Enjoy!
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Background: Rebecca “Becca” Wilder is one of protagonist Greer MacManus’s love interests in Queer Greer. Greer meets Becca when she joins the swim team after moving to Becca’s hometown of Prescott, AZ, and an instant connection is sparked between the two.
Q: So, I imagine that you’ve had a little time leading up to today to think about your admissions essay. What are your thoughts about what you might like to write about?
A: Well, I was thinking that my swimming career would make sense. I’ve been in the water since before I could walk. I was made captain of my high school swimming team as a sophomore, which never happened before. I’ve set at least 10 records, five of which were the first for my school and district. So, that probably makes the most sense, right?
But, I was thinking about it and I don’t know if that’s enough. Colleges like to see that you’ve been able to overcome challenges, right? Swimming’s never been a challenge for me, just a series of accomplishments, really. Not to brag.
There is one thing, though, one part of my life that has been a challenge in some respects. And I think the colleges I want to apply to are liberal enough to understand…
Q: Oh? What is that one thing? Tell me a little about it.
A: To be blunt, I’m gay. I’ve known I was gay since as far back as I can remember. I chased girls at recess instead of boys. My first kiss was with a girl behind the jungle gym in third grade. You’d think that my challenges in this area might have to do with my parents finding out about my sexuality and kicking me out – but actually, before I even knew what to label myself, my mom was completely honest with me about all types of identities. I came home one day in fifth grade and asked her what sex was for the first time, and she told me about straight sex AND gay sex. She didn’t hold anything back. Maybe she already had a feeling I might be a lesbian back then, before I even really did.
When I told her about my first real girlfriend, Kate, she didn’t so much as blink. She just told me I should invite her over so both her and my dad could meet her.
I assumed that meant her and my father were on the same page about it. But, my mom has always been more open-minded than Dad. He registered as a Republican when he turned 18, after all, though he’s always claimed to be more of a moderate. He never seemed to be a judgmental person until he confronted me about my coming out the day after my mom took the news as if I had just told her I was going to the mall for a smoothie.
I take after my dad in a LOT of ways. He was the athlete between my parents. In high school he played a sport every season – wrestling, basketball, baseball. And he swam, too. I actually ended up beating a lot of the same records he set, at least on the women’s side of our high school’s swimming stats. To say I looked up to him in that way was an understatement. I was always striving to make him proud.
So when he came to my room after dinner and told me that no daughter of his was going to end up a dyke – pretty much a direct quote – I felt like, well, like everything I had ever accomplished meant absolutely nothing.
I’m sorry – is this too personal?
Q: Not at all. Today is to talk about you, and this is obviously a big part of your history and who you are. Has you dad come to terms with it since then, or is there still trouble between you two because of it?
A: It’s definitely been a struggle. It’s been maybe four, four-and-a-half years since we had that confrontation about it. Our relationship hasn’t been the same since and, honestly, neither has my parents’ relationship. I confide in my mom about everything, so she was the first person I turned to after my dad called me a dyke and left the room – I’ve been called that awful word by many people since, but he was the first person to say it, which hurt more than you can imagine. My mom and dad got in the biggest, screaming fight I’ve ever heard after I told her and she actually kicked him out of the house for a week because of it.
My mom tried to explain to me how he was just scared, knowing about the discrimination most gay people encounter at one point or another. But I’ve never been able to forgive him for saying what he did. I don’t think Mom has, either. He hasn’t really been an active part of my life since then.
Q: That’s a shame. It must be difficult for you. Do you think you’d want to talk about this in your college essay?
A: You know, maybe I can link my accomplishments in the pool with the perceived disappointments of my father. They seem pretty connected, don’t you think? It was about a year after our confrontation that I became captain of my team. I don’t think I worked out harder, swam faster or pushed the team to make better times than in that period – and then once I was officially named captain, I just kept going. I put all of my anger and hurt into the water. In a lot of ways, ironically enough, I’m not sure I would have done as well as I have as a swimmer if my father hadn’t said what he had to me – if he hadn’t actually believed those words.
You know, you’re the only person I’ve ever actually talked to about all of this other than my mom? I’ve dated since then and I haven’t even told my girlfriends about this. I’ve kind of pushed it out of my mind. Until now, I’ve kind of pretended that both of my parents had the best reaction to my coming out, the kind of response a lot of LGBT kids only dream about.
Q: At least your mother did react that way, but if you haven’t talked about this with anyone until now, do you feel that you’d be comfortable talking about this in an essay for admission?
A: I actually think it’s about time. I’m not doing anyone any favors keeping it to myself and I think it sheds some light on my character, don’t you think? I didn’t let my father’s disapproval of my identity change me one bit. I kept excelling in the sport I love and I’ve never made any excuses for who I am – to myself, to my family or anyone else.
Why wouldn’t a college want someone like me in their ranks?
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Author Bio: A.J. Walkley is the author of the newly released Queer Greer, as well as Choice. Follow her on Twitter @AJWalkley, on Facebook at facebook.com/ajwalkley, through her website at ajwalkley.com and her blog at alisonwalkley.com.
Buy Link: Rocket Science Productions
Buy Link: Amazon
