Isn't It Queer

Jonny and Danette discuss recent celebrity deaths (particularly George Michael and Carrie Fisher), water damage at the local Rainbow Cafe and a call to community to help replace their LGBTQ youth lending library, HB2 shenanigans in NC and similar legislation across the country, and the importance of art as a mode of political activism and self-care.

If you would like to help Rainbow Cafe in its time of need, here is a link to the Go Fund Me campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/rainbowcafewaterdamage.

Here is a link to the Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/ls/ref=cm_wl_list_o_0?ie=UTF8&lid=1FX3ZDTNYVIAB&ref_=cm_wl_list_o_0&ty=wishlist

And here is the email address to contact if you have materials you would like to donate: [email protected]

Jonny and Danette are joined by Danette's son, John, to discuss fake news and how to recognize it, a check-in on North Carolina and the impending repeal of HB2, the unlikelihood of abolishing the Electoral College or states seceding from the Union, Pulse nightclub victim families suing social media sites for promoting Islamic extremism, Thomas Robert's newshour being cancelled on MSNBC, and embedded queer messages in Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer...and STAR WARS!!!!

Jonny and Danette discuss holiday potlucks, a recent Rainbow Cafe dinner for local Gay Straight Alliance student groups, a study that shows the number of self-identified trans people has soubled in the last five years, the impending growth of anti-LGBTQ legislation and organizations, state-level push-back against that by elected officials and businesses, and a check-in on recent LGBTQ representations in popular culture.

Don't Forget: The SI Pride holiday potluck and gift exchange is tomorrow night (Thursday, 12/15) from 7-9 at the Gaia House (913 S. Illinois Ave, Carbondale).

Jonny and Danette discuss Les Delgado's efforts to bring more gender neutral bathrooms to the SIU campus, a check-in on events that occurred on World AIDS Day, a check-in on North Carolina political and protest developments, links between LGBTQ concerns and the NODAPL protests, and two stories about LGBTQ visibility in popular culture with a focus on Star Trek and Supergirl.

Jonny and Danette discuss the return of Alison Bechdel's "Dykes to Watch Out for" comic strip, a run-down to Trump's anti-LGBTQ appointees thus far, a check-in on North Carolina's post-election politics, and a rebuttal of Mark Lilla's charge that the Left needs to abandon identity politics.

Technical note: Last week, the radio broadcast had mic difficulties while the podcast recording was fine. This week, the broadcast was fine but the recording for some reason did not pick up Danette's mic. We apologize for the additional sound artifacts that occur as a result of our attempt to correct this in post-production. We are working to fix this problem for future broadcasts and podcasts.

Jonny and Danette are joined half way through by John (Danette's son) to discuss Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving preparations, surviving difficult Thanksgiving conversations, and what we are generally thankful for this year. We also discuss the emerging details of the anti-LGBTQ+ tenor of the Trump administration appointees, the queer-friendly representations of the DC comics/animation/TV universe, and Ellen Degeneres receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Apologies to broadcast listeners for the technical snafus in the first half of the show this morning. While Danette's mic wasn't broadcasting, it was picking up for the podcast recording. This is a new mysterious configuration of technical toggles that confounds us!

Jonny and Danette are joined by performance artist and activist Tim Miller to discuss his residency at Southern Illinois University this week, including a performance of his new show "Rooted." We also discuss the recent election, the safety pin as a symbol of solidarity, dealing with post-factual campaigns and social media, and a review of likely legislative moves under a Trump/Pence administration that will impact the LGBTQ community.

Danette is joined by CC while Jonny is away to go over the sad and scary news of the election results. They discuss the experience of voting in a general election for the first time, the few good stories to come out of the election, and why it is important to vote and stay politically engaged.

Jonny and Danette discuss campaign backlash against LGBTQ candidates (particularly in Iowa), the hostile climate many are experiencing in this election cycle, the Supreme Court taking up a trans* rights case, North Carolina's first trans* high school homecoming queen, and Halloween costumes and the politics of representation (with particular attention given to the drag costumes of Colton Haynes and Tyler Perry).

Jonny and Danette discuss election season impacts on the SIU campus, IL lawsuits and a bathroom bill that challenge trans rights, naked Trump and Clinton statues as guerilla art protest, and the continued impacts of HB2 on North Carolina elections.