We witnessed with pride the transformation of our diverse gay community celebrating our progress in social acceptance and equality in the 40th Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade – a very good trouble-free time was had by all, in perfect viewing conditions. We are thankful that we had colour TV (first TV broadcasts in colour were back in 1 March 1975) for seeing all the glorious costumes in this parade.

We also thank Sydney’s gay Peter Travis for his wonderful design of the Speedo (or Sluggo) skimpy swimming costume – better known generically now as budgie-smugglers. Peter was born 22 Feb 1927 and lived to a great age of 89 years, dying in 2016.

Robert Mapplethorpe – US controversial gay B&W photographer (who died 9 March 1989) – used some models who would have overflowed Speedos!

On 13 Feb 2018 high-fashion British company Burberry revealed their new fabric featuring the gay rainbow – designed by gay Christopher Bailey – see illustration.

QANTAS’s gay CEO Alan Joyce is named as Patron for Pride in Diversity – the workplace diversity program for employers and employees.

On 12 March 2018 we celebrate Labour Day with a public Holiday for the 1856 advancement of working conditions, leading to the 8-hour working day, which then allowed 8-hour recreation and 8-hour rest. Melbourne has the Moomba parade – celebrating our diverse community of workers and the fight for workers’ rights, although it seems that in the modern digital age, the formula has become somewhat distorted.

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

Show #793 – First broadcast on 6 March 2018

The post Seeing ourselves at Sydney’s Mardi Gras Parade 2018 appeared first on Been There Done That.

Our gay Olympics champ Matthew Mitcham has not disappeared from view – he’s part of the new enterprises which have arisen since the Marriage Equality bill was passed into law. Listen to find out what he’s up to now.

We commemorate the life of gay icon singer Dusty Springfield who died 2 Mar 1999, after a life of 59 years of entertaining her fans but having a dramatic life facing the demons of her sexuality, the church, drink and eventually cancer.

We look at the lives of Chas Bono (born 4/3/1969) who transitioned from her birth gender as Chastity to the chosen gender as Chas, and a newly transgendered married Anglican priest in NSW – and discuss the changes necessary to public opinion, major organisations and attitudes in a mainly heteronormative society.

We celebrate the birthday on 5/3/1974 of British actor & comedian Matt Lucas – of “Little Britain” TV fame – and especially his character Andy Pipkin who is always portrayed as being wheelchair bound (but who then appears able-bodied when no one is looking). We note that some dementia patients are using the current aid of ‘silent disco’ headphones to receive aural stimulation which in turn can often produce muscle stimulation like speech, physical activity and general improvement in mood.

On the eve of 2018 Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, we reflect upon their 40 year history shown in the ABC TV production “Riot” which shone a spotlight on Australia’s 1970s Gay & Lesbian Rights Movement and the passionate individuals who, facing ever-present adversity, conceived a celebration of diversity in what is now a key moment in LGBTQI history. Also seen recently was the British production of the 1950s situation – represented in the TV film “Against the Law”. The fight for equality has long and distant roots.

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

Show #792 – First broadcast on 27 February 2018

The post New Beginnings ….. appeared first on Been There Done That.

We recall with pride the transformation of our cityscape with this year’s overnight White Night festival – a very good trouble-free time was had by all, in perfect viewing conditions. Earlier in the weekend was the Chinese New Year cultural celebrations – another aspect of our wonderfully diverse community.

Did you know that Facebook is only 14 years old? It has grown from a simple concept into a useful tool in connecting our communities; but is it too big and intrusive? What is its future with the next generation?

Feb 18, 1564, was recorded the death of the gay Italian painter, sculptor, poet, engineer, and architect – known just by his given forename Michelangelo. He was born on 6 March 1475 and died at the ripe old age of nearly 89. Was this due to his environment, genes, diet or lust for life? We reflect upon his energetic and productive life in a society of rustic under-processed foods and wonder if the simple life is better?

Continuing with this idea of eating simply, we are reminded of the birth of John Kellogg – the inventor of the modern corn flake – an accidental creation.  He and his brother favoured a vegetarian life-style as part of their religious practices and their simple food products are still around today – in Australia under the Sanitarium brand; in great contrast to sugar-laden junk foods.

The first wedding in Australia was performed in the colony of New South Wales on Feb 10, 1788. In comparison, it has taken nearly 230 years before weddings for same-sex couples were made possible.

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

Show #791 – First broadcast on 20 February 2018

The post Making a Spectacle of yourself, Melbourne? appeared first on Been There Done That.

Roses? Missed out again? Join us as we commiserate and realize that Valentine’s Day is just another commercial venture. Thank goodness for fur babies who love us every day of the year?

Elon Musk may be the latest Rocket Man, but nearly 200 years ago, Frenchman Jules Verne, a fellow with a powerful imagination, wrote of fanciful technology which has since all come to be reality.

We look forward to some recent technological advances in lighting display at White Night Melbourne 17/18th February 2018 as city buildings are transformed by colour.

There are out gay Winter Olympians in Korea – including some from Australia – much to the chagrin of the host nation.

We celebrate birthdays of Graham Kennedy Australian TV and Radio gay star born 15/2/1934; Barry Humphries – Australian character actor and social commentator – born 17/2/1934, as well as Patricia Routledge – gay UK concert singer and character actor (including Hyacinth Bouquet), born 17/2/1929.

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

Show #790 – First broadcast on 13 February 2018

The post Valentine’s Day, Rocket Men, Technology, Winter Olympics –– and more appeared first on Been There Done That.

Gay weddings may be new (again) – despite ex-PM Abbot. Newly-weds, like Mr Abbot’s sister Christine Forster, can have the classic bridal waltz – as long as one partner of the happy couple has learnt to dance backwards! Some dance clinics are catering to a new range of customers, joining specialist bakers and florists who provide ‘old’ products.

We recall International Holocaust Memorial Day (Jan 27) and pause to remember that, as well as the horrors of the concentration camps and furnaces, many gay people were swept away as part of the purge. Hopefully humankind will remember these events and learnt from them.

We hope to learn from our own shortcomings in the management of natural Australian forests and the summer bushfires, and possibly take notice of how our First Peoples use fire to advantage in their as custody of country.

With the heaps of so-called recyclable waste piling up, we are recognising that instead of sending our mixed waste to China, we will soon have to locally sort our rubbish and convert it into new products or energy sources, or completely change our habits with current packaging eg plastic micro-bead glitter can be replaced by natural the mineral mica – if we really need to have glitter at all.

With the new session of Federal Parliament opening this month in Canberra, we see ceremonies inherited from previous generations and from infrequently used pageantry of British royalty – ie Coronations.

We wish birthday greetings to Peter Allen Australian showman (10/2/1944 – 18/6/1992), James Dean US Emo actor (8/2/1931 – 30/9/1955), and Robbie Williams UK pop star (13/2/1961).

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

Show #789 – First broadcast on 6 February 2018

The post Making history or repeating history … is nothing new anymore? appeared first on Been There Done That.