Dylan
Queerability Podcast
Episode 11: I AM DYLAN
My name is Dylan Cairns, and I am twenty-six. I'm originally from the US - that being an hour outside of Boston, Massachusetts - but I spent the majority of my life from five and a half onwards growing up in the west of Ireland, in Co.Galway.
I moved over to London five years ago this month in pursuit of a life rich in diversity, culture, music, arts, opportunity and life experience; something I felt Ireland was in no way going to be able to offer some shadow-dwelling, goth, at-the-time-unrealized queer bitch like myself. Like many in the alternative/queer circles, I grew up with barely any friends after the age of twelve (thank you, Catholic Ireland), save for one dear friend and my family, who I am desperately close with.
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I have an incredibly supportive Mother and Father, and four younger sisters, all of whom I consider some of my best friends. But through those isolated teenage years, it definitely helped shape my current often introverted personality, whilst allowing time to help fester my great fascination with all things dark, dreary and dreadful; the dark side is where I am most comfortable and where I feel I thrive creatively and spiritually. Music takes up a huge component of life, and my interests vary greatly, all always under the umbrella of something dark, alternative and queer/queer-friendly, ranging from alternative metal to electronica, post-punk to early 00s pop and anything in between. I am also a drummer of nearly sixteen years, and enjoy writing poetry, and steam of consciousness pieces in my free time, both of which I would like to pursue more seriously going forward. Cinema, TV and reading also consume a sufficient amount of time, as well as learning languages; I'm currently a year and a half into learning Swedish, and have recently begun trying to juggle Icelandic and Japanese alongside of it.
Most weekends pre-Covid, and now more lately also, one can find me at a goth/alternative or pop-orientated club night, which is where I have met a great deal of my dear, beloved friends currently in my life, which is something that still constantly blows my mind and will continue to as someone who grew up rather isolated in life, ready to settle of having said life continue for years on end...
These things mentioned above, and all other hobbies and activities of mine are, for the most part, to always try and expand and broaden my knowledge, connections with other humans/creatures and conscious/subconscious mind. Of the few loves I have in this life, pushing my mind and self to ask, seek and explore new/uncharted/difficult/existential moral situations and questions, is one thing that always gives me a sense of purpose.
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