Name: Willow Hamilton
Course: BSc (Hons) Computer Games Application Development 
Year: 2nd Year

What made you choose to join the AberGays Society?  
I found it really comforting knowing that Abertay had a space I could go every Monday night with people who’d shared similar experiences to me, I think it’s really important queer students have those spaces, as while the world has came a long way, it can still be extremely scary or isolating  growing up queer, and spaces like that can’t exist if people aren’t going along, and I would like to have a part in making sure that space continues for another year 

How does the AberGays Society create a safe and inclusive space for its members? 
I think personally, just the fact that it’s a place that queer people can go and meet people who’ve got similar shared experiences goes miles to making a space that feels safe and inclusive but furthermore, furthermore the society has a 0 tolerance policy for hate speech of any kind (which should be the standard) which has helped foster an incredibly welcoming community which I hope continues to grow stronger, I personally in most spaces feel extremely nervous about sharing my interests, but cause of the space that AberGays has created I’ve never once felt scared to talk about something I’m passionate about and I’m sure plenty of others can say the same. 

Can you share a personal story of empowerment or growth that you attribute to your involvement in the AberGays Society? 
AberGays is the whole reason I feel comfortable introducing myself as Willow to people, back in Glasgow where I’m from, everyone knew me by my other name cause while I’d came out as Non-Binary to most of my close friends, I still hadn’t mustered up the courage to say “Hey, I want to try this name”. An AberGays event at Cake and Dice ended up being the first proper social thing I went to in Dundee, where I introduced myself as both names, everyone just referred to me as Willow and hearing that name be used for me exclusively, had a huge impact on my confidence to just use that name, and I've introduced myself as it ever since. 

Looking to the upcoming academic year, what are the goals and aspirations of the AberGays society? Are there any specific campaigns, initiatives or policy changes that the society aims to pursue? 
I really just want to keep making an inclusive space that Queer people are able to feel safe to express themselves in, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I think spaces like AberGays are incredibly important, so I think its really important that it continues to exist. 

What's the most embarrassing or funny thing that has ever happened to you? 
One year at BB Camp I was dragged in my sleep out my squads Tent and ended up in the field, I slept through the entire thing, I’ve only just heard the end of it 

What's your favourite board game or video game, and what makes it so enjoyable for you? 
I am a MASSIVE Warframe player, I’ve got 3391 hours logged in it over the last half a decade or so, I absolutely love the freedom it gives you in how you play, and the fashions fun too. Any of the Jak and Daxter games are a close runner up too, especially the Precursor Legacy! 

What's the most adventurous thing you've ever done or would like to do in the future? 
I really want to backpack across Europe on an interrail pass one day, I really love travel and there’s just so many Countries I want to see so it would be a great way to cross a bunch of them off 

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you want to have with you? 
A big tarp, one of them mad thingies that turns salt water into fresh water, and a fishing kit (Does a fishing kit count as one thing, I think it should, so it does)