She Culture Spotlight: Brittney Shields

Brittney Shields. Rock star. Spunky. Bubbly. “Our team.” Formerly of local rock ‘n’ roll band, Oh, Be Clever, she now spends her time as a hair stylist and music enthusiast. As an activist for the queer community, she helps bridge the gap between the straight and queer community in Salt Lake City.

QSaltLake: What was your upbringing like?

Brittney Shields: I grew up in Fillmore, Utah, where everything was really conservative. There was one person in town that was gay, that we knew of, and nobody really talked to him – he was scary. And then one of my best friends ended up coming out in senior year, but homosexuality in that town was just not talked about. And because nobody talked about it, I didn’t really grow up exposed to it at all. When I started college at (Southern Utah University), I started to be exposed to different people and cultures, because in Fillmore there’s no diversity at all.

Eventually I moved to Orem to pursue music, and then to Draper to pursue doing hair, and then to Salt Lake just recently, and I definitely think that Salt Lake City is the best place in Utah to live.

QSL: How long have you known that you’re sexually fluid?

BS: I’ve always been a sexual person, but I was first exposed to girls in Cedar City a few years ago.

You know, I’d just be drinking and make out with girls, like, “Oh, this is great! I’m not gay though, I just like making out!”

And then a couple years ago was probably when I was more exposed to everything and more girls, and that’s when I was like, “Oh my gosh, I think I like girls… What do I do?!” and I was kind of freaked out. But it was about a year ago when I discovered that I am truly, just sexually fluid.

QSL: Tell us about your hobbies and your music. Are you still with your band?

BS: I’m not with Oh, Be Clever anymore, I’m trying to find something a little more conducive to my personality. We just drifted apart as far as musical tastes go, but I still jam all the time with people, especially my roommate. But music is huge for me, and I love to read and write also.

QSL: What was the last good book you’ve read?

BS: Great Expectations.

QSL: Can you explain to us your style and style influences?

BS: I just really love gypsies and filthy street style, and ’60s and ’70s styles are huge for me. I love dirty, hippie style, while still keeping it classy.

QSL: What do you find attractive in a person?

BS: Looks are big, good hygiene, good style – I can’t date somebody who can’t dress themselves.

QSL: What do you think is good style?

BS: Just uniqueness. Everybody is a byproduct of everybody, but if you can get away with wearing something really weird, that’s really cool to me. I don’t really like generic stuff, like Hollister or Aeropostale, I like somebody’s personality to show through their clothing. And that way, you can tell if a person is interesting, just by looking at them.

So if they look interesting, then I’m obviously like, “OK, let’s talk, let’s mingle.”

QSL: What were your first impressions of the queer/lesbian scene in Utah?

BS: I definitely found it to be very accepting. When I was first introduced to it I didn’t really know much about it because previously every gay person that I’d known was either really secretive about it or bitter about it or about straight people because they felt like they had been judged. But here in Salt Lake City, I feel like everybody in the queer scene is actually very welcoming and friendly. I really like the efforts that are being put forth toward unity and being involved with each other, I really love that. The community has really stepped up over the last couple of years.

QSL: What do you think about the queer community now?

BS: I think it’s really come a long way as far as a community and everyone really working together to make things better.

QSL: What do you think could be improved upon?

BS: For me personally, I’d like to be more involved. And I’d like to see people being more willing to talk about it in a way that’s positive.

I’ve encountered people who just kind of cram it down your throat, and even a lot of my personal friends can be like, “I’m gay, and you need to know why!”

And then I say, “OK, how about you just talk to me and include me in your life.”

I think people should be more willing to just be like, “This is me, and I’m happy with it. And if you want to know more about it, just talk to me.”