Simon is joined by the writer and author Benjamin Law to discuss his Quarterly Essay 'Moral Panic 101: Equality, Acceptance and the Safe Schools Scandal'. They discuss the causes of the scandal, the dangers of framing queer people as 'vulnerable', and what queers should do after the marriage equality postal survey.

Moral Panic 101: Equality, Acceptance and the Safe Schools Scandal: https://www.quarterlyessay.com.au/essay/2017/09/moral-panic-101

That could have been me: Benjamin Law on the suicide of gay schoolboy Tyrone Unsworth: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/12/that-could-have-been-me-benjamin-law-on-the-suicide-of-gay-schoolboy-tyrone-unsworth

Benjamin and Simon take a look at Benjamin Law's Quarterly Essay on the Safe Schools scandal, and wonder what it says about the ways queer communities engage with problems as 'systemic'. Are some people just bad? And if issues like queerphobia are bigger than anything one person, how can we even begin to break them down?

'Moral Panic 101: Equality, Acceptance and the Safe Schools Scandal': http://bit.ly/2yo9HSB

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Benjamin and Simon take a look at Benjamin Law's Quarterly Essay on the Safe Schools scandal, and wonder what it says about the ways queer communities engage with problems as 'systemic'. Are some people just bad? And if issues like queerphobia are bigger than anything one person, how can we even begin to break them down?

'Moral Panic 101: Equality, Acceptance and the Safe Schools Scandal': http://bit.ly/2yo9HSB

The campaign for the yes vote in Australia's postal survey on same-sex marriage is in full swing, coming after years of speculation from within queer communities about what a free-for-all public debate on the issue might look like. Digging into the campaign so far, Simon and Benjamin ask whether it's all as bleak as many queers fear, or if this is an unprecedented opportunity to fight homophobia.

'Same-sex marriage No campaign launches; 'Vote No' scrawled in Sydney skies': http://ab.co/2xgPCu4 '

The Project gets mixed reception for gay marriage 'no' ad parody': http://bit.ly/2fisuqH

'Marriage equality would be a victory for 'respectable' gays, but what about the rest of us?': http://bit.ly/2xgbMMS

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The campaign for the yes vote in Australia's postal survey on same-sex marriage is in full swing, coming after years of speculation from within queer communities about what a free-for-all public debate on the issue might look like. Digging into the campaign so far, Simon and Benjamin ask whether it's all as bleak as many queers fear, or if this is an unprecedented opportunity to fight homophobia.

'Same-sex marriage No campaign launches; 'Vote No' scrawled in Sydney skies': http://ab.co/2xgPCu4

'The Project gets mixed reception for gay marriage 'no' ad parody': http://bit.ly/2fisuqH

'Marriage equality would be a victory for 'respectable' gays, but what about the rest of us?': http://bit.ly/2xgbMMS

Benjamin and Simon are joined by writer and commentator Helen Razer to discuss whether there's any 'left' left in queer communities, the successes and failures of identity politics, and to ask if there's even any point to queer political movements in the face of capitalism.

An extract from Total Propaganda: Basic Marxist Brainwashing for the Angry and the Young, by Helen Razer: https://dailyreview.com.au/otal-propaganda-basic-marxist-brainwashing-angry-young/63964/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Benjamin and Simon are joined by writer and commentator Helen Razer to discuss whether there's any 'left' left in queer communities, the successes and failures of identity politics, and to ask if there's even any point to queer political movements in the face of capitalism.

An extract from Total Propaganda: Basic Marxist Brainwashing for the Angry and the Young, by Helen Razer: https://dailyreview.com.au/otal-propaganda-basic-marxist-brainwashing-angry-young/63964/

When actor Andrew Garfield says he's currently a "gay man right now, just without the physical act", Simon and Benjamin decide to take him at face value and address the question: who gets to identify as queer? In this second part of a two-part episode, things get weird in a discussion of postmodern pornography, the abstract-ness of "identifying", and whether Andrew Garfield is the vanguard of a queer utopia.

'Andrew Garfield Faces Backlash After Saying 'I Am a Gay Man Right Now Just Without the Physical Act'', by Dave Quinn: http://people.com/theater/andrew-garfield-angels-in-america-gay/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When actor Andrew Garfield says he's currently a "gay man right now, just without the physical act", Simon and Benjamin decide to take him at face value and address the question: who gets to identify as queer? In this second part of a two-part episode, things get weird in a discussion of postmodern pornography, the abstract-ness of "identifying", and whether Andrew Garfield is the vanguard of a queer utopia.

'Andrew Garfield Faces Backlash After Saying 'I Am a Gay Man Right Now Just Without the Physical Act'', by Dave Quinn: http://people.com/theater/andrew-garfield-angels-in-america-gay/

A major fashion magazine says it's "gender fluidity" when a (heterosexual) celebrity couple swaps clothes occasionally, leading to a backlash then an apology. Delving into the thorny topic of 'essentialism' within queer communities in the first part of a two-part episode, Benjamin and Simon wonder what is gained (and maybe lost) when we locate even an idea like gender performance within particular and essential identities.

'Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik are part of a new generation who don’t see fashion as gendered', by Maya Singer: http://www.vogue.com/article/gigi-hadid-zayn-malik-august-2017-vogue-cover-breaking-gender-codes

'Vogue apologizes for Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik 'gender-fluidity' cover story': http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2017/07/15/vogue-apologizes-for-gigi-hadid-and-zayn-malik-gender-fluidity-cover-story.html

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.