Oral History with Robert Rigby Jr.

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Now a retired school Fairfax County school teacher, Robert Rigby Jr. has spent his career advocating for queer youth. His advocacy work helped popularize and make more accessible local high school chapters of GSA and anti-discrimination/anti-harassment policies. Rigby helped organize proms, barbecues, and conferences for queer youth in Fairfax County. Part of his advocacy work is also advocating for housing for vulnerable queer youth, and the importance of having a safe place for homeless youth or youth in unsafe home environments. Rigby discusses the relationship the school environment has had for queer youth and staff overtime and how social reception of queer people has changed. Rigby also discusses his coming out journey, as someone who came out fully in his thirties as well as discussing how his experiences with reparative/conversion therapy has inspired his advocacy work. He talks about how queer friendly faith has helped him and accept his queerness and how important it was that he had an outlet like that. Rigby briefly talks about his first pride and pride’s evolution in Northern Virginia as well as the gay rugby team, “The Renegades”.

Delaney Resweber

Yes

00:47:57