Again we have another mixed bag of topics and we begin with a 90 minute documentary film, featured in the 2018 Melbourne International Film Festival, about the wonderful happenings with the ‘All the Queens’ Men’ social group in Melbourne. Gordon was present and tells the story from behind the scenes and the responses of those who attended.

We chat about the modern recurrence of slavery in our society – unpaid and unjust enslavement in the 21st Century, and here in Australia.

The recent volcanic activity around the rim of the Pacific Ocean highlights the fragility of the surface of Earth, the power and terror of volcanoes, their eruptions, ash, lava and earthquakes, which lead to uncontrolled effects upon our weather patterns, land masses and populations.

Fences are used to protect property, separate animals from people or keep people separated from each other. We talk about the longest fence in the world (1930), which divided Australia from North to South, to keep the scourge of feral rabbits from invading Western Australia. This same fence traversed indigenous country and split communities. Wrapped into this story is the tale of three juvenile girls, plucked from their northern homes to be trained as ‘domestic staff’, and retold in ‘Rabbit-Proof Fence’ – a must-see film. They escaped from their servitude and walked over 2400 km along the fence, back to their homes.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more – presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #818 – First broadcast on 21 August 2018

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All politicians can be trusted! – well, maybe some? Or none? We hope that when the rules are changed, no one gets hurt as a result. However, we have learnt to be cynical about motives and trust no one. We’ve been hurt all through the years with sneaky politicians. Here’s another example?

Even religions change their tune – and hopefully we are among the beneficiaries of their enlightenment. We will see what eventuates, as we discuss the change of attitude in the Catholic Church surrounding the death penalty in the light of a renewed evaluation of the sanctity of life, hoping that similar re-assessments may result in modernisation of the attitudes to same-sex marriage and the role of women in the church.

Medicine has similarly moved from folk-remedies to a professional modern scientific process with wonderful results in microbiology & we focus on the leaders in virology, vaccination and the first use of penicillin in Australia. We depend upon these modern medicines to keep restore our wellness, but we shouldn’t get hooked on antibiotics – watch out! ‘superbugs’ are on the way.

We recognise the anniversary of the Yirkalla Bark Petitions – the Land Rights claim by traditional owners, in the lead up to the 1967 Referendum and recognition of land rights.

We note the birthday celebrations on 16 August of Dennis Altman, Australian academic, author and gay-rights campaigner, and Madonna – US pop star and fashion setter, who seems to have been entertaining us for quite a few years.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more – presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #817 – First broadcast on 14 August 2018

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Phil relates how he overheard a private conversation on the train, and he wished that he could un-hear it. How much do we value privacy these days and are social media and modern technology blurring the lines between private and public conversation? Then there are conversations which get rudely shut-down most disrespectfully – eg the Uluru Declaration from our indigenous peoples’  representatives. Politicians! – are you listening? Or are you scared of the conversation?

It is just 200 years since the first anti-cruelty to animals Bill was passed in the British Parliament. Since then, we have become more aware of the plight of the way we humans treat animals – as beasts of burden, as exhibits in zoo, creatures for sport, or as food.

On the World scene, we report about Singapore’s Gay Celebrations during the Month of August, as they find a place in the restrictive scene in Singapore; At this year’s AIDS Conference in Amsterdam, Prince Harry highlighted the need to eliminate the stigma from HIV/AIDS; The situation of a long-term lesbian couple being banned from joining a US seniors village is also discussed.

On the 69th anniversary of the creation of the Snowy Mountains Authority in 1949, we wonder whether the original scheme would meet current environmental impact scrutiny, and how Snowy II, as promoted by the current government, will be possible with climate change, droughts and the possible lack of water resources for an expansion of the Hydro scheme.

Did you know that some of QANTAS’s its earlier aircraft were assembled from a ‘box of bits’, rather than being built in a factory, fully tested and airworthy?

Listen to these stories, opinions and more – presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #816 – First broadcast on 7 August 2018

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With the recent Blood Moon event, we take a moment to consider how this would have been interpreted in past millennia. The Eastern mystics or wise men had already charted the heavens and were skilled in mathematics, so they would probably predict what could occur in the heavens. But there were plenty of ordinary folk who weren’t so well informed, and were likely to imagine all kinds of scenarios, including super-natural powers or beings.

Ignorance was also a factor with the realisation that there were plenty of gay people in the world, and we are grateful for authors like James Baldwin and Randy Shilts for their spirited explanation of the circumstance in which they found themselves, as they came out and coped with the society around them at that time, in the mid-to late 1900s, and the unfolding of the AIDS crisis. We note the ever-changing media landscape, with newspapers closing and being replaced with irresponsible social media.

We take a moment to sympathise with our northern hemisphere friends – who find themselves at the mercy of Mother Nature with disastrous bush fires, heatwaves and loss of life.  Is this the new normal, we ask? Is climate change really happening?

Opening the Anniversary Book, we have a chance to reflect upon some icons of our times, including gay Danish author Hans Christian Anderson, died 4/8/1875, a reclusive odd fellow best known for his fairy stories; and UK pop singer Geri Halliwell Spice Girl, born 6/8/1972; and Australian pop singer Vanessa Amorosi, born 8/8/1981.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more – presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #815 – First broadcast on 31 July 2018

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From recent gay press reporting, we learn that US Military policy will force out HIV+ members, and we discuss whether that is just plain discrimination or are financial savings the reason? Conversely, the NYPD celebrates the success of support for their GLBTI members by fellow gay police-force members – a well-developed buddy process.

We honour the birthday on 28 July 1902 of Albert Namatjira – a famous and prolific indigenous painter in a colourfully & distinctively Australian but European style. Since his death there has seen some squabbling over inheritance of property rights, and it is pleasing to report the resolution in favour of his natural inheritors. Another icon having a birthday around this time is Yvonne Goolagong-Cawley – the Australian Tennis player & winner of many major competitions.

In a spacey-way, we are reminded about the first moon landing (anniversary 20 July 1969) & Phil relates some of the history, comparing it to the most current state of modern technology. We play part of a very camp little song “American Flag” (write to us for more details).

Opening the Anniversary Book, we have a chance to reflect upon some icons of our times, including gay Australian Rugby sportsman Ian Roberts, gay UK film director and winner of Oscars, Academy, BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards John Schlesinger CBE; and  gay UK blues singer John ‘Long John’ Baldry (who provided the ‘John’ in Elton John’s stage name). Listen for the back story.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more – presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #814 – First broadcast on 24 July 2018

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We remark on the changing nature of our gay world – the good, the bad and the fun aspects.

Locally, we note the Uniting Church of Australia will now allow ministers to marry same-gender couples in their churches, and they will also allow those ministers to opt out if they are not in favour. Sounds like a well-balanced response to the current scene.

Are you alarmed?  No, but Melbourne’s CBD is! Recently, a test was conducted on the streets of our CBD, for public mass-communication purposes, in the event of emergencies, just like our existing building emergency and warning alarms in city office buildings. This adds to the suite of other surveillance cameras and shop-owners CCTV installations.

Gordon tells of his teenage heart-throb Tab Hunter who died recently at 86 yo. Tab was a product of and captive to the Hollywood scene where gay sexuality was kept hidden. Yet, he survived that cruel environment.

We talk about The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever – an event held at locations around the world where participants recreate the music video for musician Kate Bush’s 1978 song Wuthering Heights, and even in Melbourne guys and girls in red dresses lined up to mimic Kate Bush.

We also comment on the Northern Hemisphere’s month-long Pride Season, with public marches, events and parties making the most of their summer season.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more – presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #813 – First broadcast on 17 July 2018

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We discuss NAIDOC Week 8 -15 July 2018, and remark upon the maturing attitude towards our indigenous peoples as we are taught by them about their culture and history – in their words and from their perspective. We are also reminded that the Aboriginal Flag of three colours was first flown on 12/7/1971 in Adelaide.

It concerns us that the resolution of the 1950 invasion of South Korea by North Korean forces at about this time, still remains to be finalised, and we note the ever-present belligerent attitudes.

From our Gay Anniversaries book, we celebrate Jimmy Somerville and Alicia Bridges – both having birthdays at this time; Jimmy for his unique musical style and Alicia for great disco memories.

Another huge cultural celebration occurs on the 14th of July with the anniversary in France of the successful storming of the Paris Bastille by the revolting peasants, and the overthrow of the Royal Rule, leading to the three ideals of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity of the Republic.

The contributions of Alison Thorne and Keith Harbour (dec) to the development of Victorian AIDS Council are recognised and honoured at the 35th Anniversary celebration, as it is renamed Thorne Harbour Health.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more – presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #812 – First broadcast on 10 July 2018

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From the international press, we report on the pardoning in Northern Ireland of historical gay crimes and extinguishment of criminal records; the move in UK to outlaw ‘gay conversion therapy’; and locally, the admission by NSW police that the wave of 88 murders in the gay community of Sydney during the period 1975 to 2000, had been caused by hate and had been inadequately investigated by the police force of the time.

We discuss the forthcoming celebrations for NAIDOC Week 8 -15 July 2018, with the theme ‘Because of her, we can’, and the focus upon the contribution of indigenous women.

We connect the concurrent activities of Lieutenant James Cook and his initial exploration of the east coast of Australia, the Queensland settlement of 1770, and the substitution of Botany Bay as the destination for Britain’s convicts following the separation and independence of the developing colonial settlements of the North American continent after 1776.

We recognise the contribution of David Hockney, OM, CH, RA, born 9/7/1937 – a gay English painter, draftsman, print-maker, stage designer and photographer. He is an important contributor to the pop art movement of the 1960s, and considered to be one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century (see pic).

We also recognise the life and work of (George) Percy Grainger (8 July 1882 to 20 February 1961) – an Australian-born composer, arranger and pianist, who had a long and innovative career and played a prominent role in the revival of interest in British folk music in the early years of the 20th century. Much of his work was experimental and unusual, and he is remembered also for the Museum of Music and Granger Museum located within the University of Melbourne. He had a well-documented sex life that was so violent that he came to fear it might kill him.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more – presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #811 – First broadcast on 3 July 2018

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