Isn't It Queer

Jonny interviews Clare Killman, the first openly trans person in Illinois to be elected to a city council. They discuss the community and Carbondale's future as a sancuary city for folks in surroundling states fleeing anti-LGBT legislation and bans on reproductive healthcare and bodily autonomy. In the back half of the show, Jonny interviews Nancy Maxwell, andother community leader who won a seat on the Carbondale City Council in last week's election. They discuss Nancy's extensive service to community and advocacy for community-based responses to violence (Cure Violence https://cvg.org/). During their campaigns, both Clare and Nancy participated in local Trans Day of Visibility activities and have been active supporters of the LGBTQ community.

Jonny curates some news stories in the wake of the school shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tenessee last week. He focuses mostly on the aftermath, including Rightwing hysteria over the shooter's reported transgender identity, the student protests on Monday, the ousting of state representatives who joined the protestors, and the general failure to focus in any way on gun reform. In the back half of the show, he provides a taxonomy for the over 600 pieces of legislation currently under discussion in 46 states targeting LGBTQ rights. He then reviews the impacts these discussions are having on public opinion about queer and trans folks.

Jonny talks with visiting artist Dr. Jade C. Huell about two upcoming presentations on the SIU campus about storytelling based on skin. They discuss how performance and storytelling create spaces for conversations about shared and sometimes charged expereicnes related to how we "read" skin. In the back half of the show, Jonny interviews Sarah Dubach, the assistant director of the upcoming Stage Company production of Qui Ngyuen's "She Kills Monsters" at the Varsity Theatre in Carbondale.

Jonny shares the highlights of a town hall scheduled for March 13 in Carbondale with candidates running for local School Boards. Many were invited to attend, three indicated that they would, none showed up. So, the community that did come to listen and ask questions had a conversation about the serious issues facing public education, especially re: LGBTQIA+ youth. The questing and the comments were substantive. The irritation that, even in a progressive state like Illlinois, candidates can so easily shun having such conversations with their constituents was palpable. In the back third of the show, Jonny reviews legislation in Illinois meant to protect public libraries from censorship.

Jonny and Dr. Shannon Green, both Beloved Puppetistas, discuss the beginning of public puppet making workshops in anticipation of the All Species Puppet Parade on Earth Day (April 22) in Carbondale, IL. Along the way, they discuss the challenges of public pedagogy, especially for queers. They note smilarites in resistance to environmental reform and LGBTQ rights advancement. But mostly, they celebrate their joy of art, education, and environmental advocacy.

Jonny interviews Ky Chameleon (a.k.a. Jelly Lizard) about the myriad local queer and flow arts projects they are involved in. From fire work to clowning to drag to Dancing Bear Tribe to publishing to music festivals to summer camps, Ky is involved in A LOT. As a long time friend of the show, Ky catches Jonny up about their journey through addiction and in and out of Southern Illinois. Throughout the conversation they address the need for visibility, representation, and vigilance against those trying to erase us. Of particular note, they discuss how trans- and drag-bans impact myriad performance practices beyond what the laws are set to target.

Jonny interviews ChatGPT about trans rights and the logic and accuracy of legislative assaults on trans rights. He then digs into an explanation of what Large Language Model AI Chatbots really are and what conclusions we can and cannot draw from what they say. In the back portion of the show, he examines the good and the bad of what the Internet has done for LGBTQ+ community, equity, and acceptance as a lens into understanding what we might expect from AI technology.

Jonny leans into the holiday spirit and turns to what Valentines Day can teach us about diversity of love. He begins with the often violent history of the holiday. He notes how St. Valentine is held up by some as a hero of marriage equality. He then turns to what the animal kingdom can teach us about love. In the back half of the show, he reviews two stories about the charge of "grooming" that reveals how probematic that term is, especially when applied as a blanket critique to LGBTQ people.

Jonny currates some recent stories about LGBTQ-affirming education and the lie of "parental choice" and "freedom." In the back half of the show, he tries to counter the news of evergrowing amounts of proposed legislation limitiing LGBTQ rights with some stories about places where equity and acceptance are being advanced. He concludes with a rundown of upcoming LGBTQ commnity events in Southern Illinois.

Jonny interviews David W. Jones, author of _I Say Yes to Life: The Affirmation Project._ David speaks about transforming his recovery from trauma and addiction into a collection of meaningful affirmations and meditations for everyone, especially those on similar paths of recovery. The interview takes up most of the episode, but in the final portion Jonny share facts and figures about why substance additction and trauma-strain are higher in the LGBTQ community than in the cis/het majority. If you would like to contact David for an autographed copy of his book, you can reach him at [email protected] or at his FaceBook page "David W Jones Yoga" https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063471825290. The book is also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major online retailers.