Sophie

What was the last snack you ate?

Water crackers.

What was the last song you listened to?

Foo Fighters, Walk.

What was the last thing you googled?

Calculus Differentiation.

Ok, tell us your Wikipedia bio – what’s your family story to date?

I’m half Polish and half Māori. Dad’s mum was a refugee from Poland when Germany invaded. They took the boat to NZ, landed in Wellington, and made a little Poland town in Welly. Mum’s family is from Tuakau, that’s where my Marae is.

Do you and your family get on? 

Yeah we are, that’s the one thing that’s different about my family compared to my other friend’s families. I could talk to Mum about everything, even like periods and sex. Evenmy brother and I talk, it’s cool that my brother asks me about girls. We can all be so fun loving and like, “holaaa! Yes gurrrrl!”

That’s really lucky, not everyone has parents that are so open…

Yeah, like in year 9 we had sex-ed but it was so vague. You know, here’s a condom, here’s a banana. I felt odd being in that class because thanks to Mum I knew everything…So I’m there thinking, “Um that’s not the only sex you can have..?!” What about the queer people? So it was weird because I knew about stuff others didn’t. I’m an odd bean that’s thrown in the mix! A special magic bean that’s gonna grow into a beanstalk…

Haha, do you like being a magic bean?

I love being a magic bean! But there’s always a struggle…Like, with my peers I want to learn to understand them, I want to see things the way they do. But when I ask them they just outcast me. Even in home room, I’m like the only one on the table by myself. Some kids say they hate the sound of my voice. But I also think, why do they spend so much time thinking about me? Why are they holding on to so much anger? Doesn’t it make them tired?

You came out as bi this year, was coming out hard?

It would have been hard to do in year 12. I was gonna do it then but my teacher was like, “Don’t do it – just wait until your last year. You gotta realise not everyone is like you…” Because I hadn’t really realised how homophobic it was at school. Like in RE class they say, “Oh it’s bad to be gay eh, Miss?” And I’m like, “Oh my god, is this what you’re gonna say to me? If it is, you better watch out because I’m not gonna stay silent!” I may be tiny but I’m mighty…

OK, so what’s the one thing you want to change most in society right now?

There’s a lot of things I want to change, but I think most is being respectful of the environment – and sports! I’m so passionate about sports. When I had no one to talk to I worked it out through sport. I wanted to play soccer this year but we didn’t have enough to make a girls team, and I asked the boys team if I could play. And they said I can’t because I’m a girl. There’s no mixed team because there’s no competition for college sports. So that’s what I want! After I get my degree in exercise science I want to make a mixed competition for college sports!

What’s one word to sum up your future?

Ambitious!

And why ambitious?

In the future I’ve just got this feeling that I’m going to change something big! I don’t know what it is but I’m going to change it! I’m hungry for it. I’m little but watch out world!