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You are about to enter the group chat of two fabulous wits — comedian and glamazon, Matt Hey, and our very own Harriet “Harry” Leigh. Cue a rollicking conversation on gender, Sydney’s first WorldPride, growing up queer on the Central Coast, and what Matt would be as an Archie Rose botanical blend.

HARRY

Cheers.

MATT

Cheers, darling.

HARRY

Happy Mardi Gras! Why don’t we start there — what does WorldPride coming to Sydney mean to you?

MATT

It’s time for Sydney to shine, and for our community to breathe some life back into the Sydney that we all know and love. We have an amazing community here — having this community of people come together and celebrate us is always a fabulous time, but to have the whole world looking on, and to see it all happen on such a large scale is so exciting. It’s gonna be a really, really fun time.

HARRY

What about Mardi Gras? When was your first?

MATT

Mardi Gras is so important to me because it was actually the first time I had ever experienced queer people. I grew up on the central coast, and I was one of the very few gay guys at my school. My first Mardi Gras, I was around 19 years old. It was really special to see other gay men living so authentically and looking so free, and just being in and around this community of people that I almost didn’t know existed. Mardi Gras is so special, because it shows people there is a community… and it’s so important that we have that. We’re all just so happy and we feel so safe and feel so free to be ourselves at Mardi Gras.

HARRY

So you’re 18 to 19. Were you at the start of your coming out journey then or had you been out for a little while?

MATT

Yeah, I came out when I was around 16. I just one day decided I’m sick. I’m sick of the questions. I think people definitely knew, and I always denied it. Then one day someone said to me,

“When are you going to get a girlfriend?”

And I said, “You know what, I don’t think I will.”

And she said, “Why not?”

And I said, “Cos I’m gay.”

The funniest thing about ‘the moment’ was I was in textiles class. I was literally sewing a pillow. I told her it was ok to tell everyone, and then she went and told the whole school. I had my 15 minutes of fame, and then everyone was like, “Oh, my God, he’s gay, he’s gay!” Then a dog ran through the school or something, and everyone got over it. It was onto the next thing.

HARRY

Wouldn’t it be amazing to tell your 12-year-old self that people would care more about the dog?! Amazing. Ok, onto the next question — why don’t you tell us about your exploration with gender so far?

MATT

My exploration of gender is one that I’m still on right now. I think it’s really important to add that, for me, gender is forever changing. It’s something I love sharing with my audience and anyone who will listen. There are some days when I feel like I want to show my feminine side, and there are some days when I just want to wear a hat and jean shorts. I feel like Mr. Potato Head, mixing and matching everything depending on how I feel, which is so fluid. Although I do just identify as a male, I know that people can get very confused when they look at me, but I’m just a man who likes to wear all types of clothing.

HARRY

So what are your pronouns?

MATT

My preference… well, it’s not a preference. It is a fact. I’m happy for you to call me he/him, she/her, they/them — whatever you feel comfortable with. That all started with trying to make other people comfortable, because people would look at me and get confused, which I totally get, like, I’m self-aware enough to know that I am confusing to look at. That said, I still have to make a big deal of it for those people who feel like they don’t have a voice, because I’ve always just wanted to be visible for those people who feel invisible. Even though it doesn’t matter to me, it matters to other people. And so it should matter.

HARRY

Yeah. And it matters to the 13-year-olds on the Central Coast.

MATT

Exactly.

HARRY

So individuality is obviously very important to you and comes naturally to you, I’d say just from having met you today, we asked you to make a gin based on your personality. You came up with a pretty ingenious recipe. What would somebody say your best personality traits are?

MATT

I mean, people would say a lot of things, I don’t know what they’d say. Maybe they’d say I’m fun. I’m bright, both on the outside and the inside. I’m a little cheeky. You know, like, I have a sense of humour. And I think that the one thing I’ve always wanted to do in my life is just to entertain people.

HARRY

What would you say to someone who doesn’t identify with labels?

MATT

For me personally, labels have been really affirming and empowering for me. I’m glad I had some of those labels or some of those terms that we use, because it really helped me. Maybe one day we won’t need labels to help us and that’ll be fabulous. But if I’m honest with you, for right now, I love a label.

HARRY

Beautiful. What’s your experience with creating safer spaces for young people in the community?

MATT

Personally, having safe spaces encourages me to be authentic in other spaces where previously I may not have felt safe. That includes WorldPride and Mardi Gras. Earlier last year back on the Central Coast, I went back to my high school and spoke to a rainbow club, which is like a little safe space for queer kids and allies who want to have a safe place to hang out during lunchtime. I just looked at those kids like thank goodness you are getting this.

HARRY

What advice would you give to your younger self?

MATT

If I could tell little Matthew, anything? I’d probably say not everyone cares as much as you think they do. I just put myself through so much unnecessary stress, thinking about what other people were thinking or saying about me.

HARRY

How would you describe your truest self?

MATT

Can I have another drink? It’s a very deep question. This might surprise you. I’m very quiet. Like, I love shutting off, shutting down, and just being still, which is crazy, because I’m always doing all these fabulous things, and always being a big show. But when it comes down to it, when I give myself the opportunity to just be still and quiet and not do anything, that’s when I am at my happiest.

HARRY

Signing off now with a more light-hearted question. If you were a botanical blend, what would you be?

MATT

I’d be strawberry gum and Australian peach. Strawberry gum because I’m eclectic, colourful and playful, like berry sherbet, and Australian peach because I’m a little bit cheeky.

Take the quiz now, to find your flavour.