In this week’s show, we honour gay icons who have birthdays around this time, and who have entertained us and widened our horizons of what it means to be gay.  We salute the late Graham Kennedy – a Australian TV legend who entered our Melbourne living rooms and flaunted humour (often gay or risqué) to our parents and us; And whoever would have thought that (Dame) Patricia Routledge – who played Hyacinth Bucket (Bookay) – was actually a member of our larger gay family; We also gratefully acknowledge our own Robert Dessaix – now a famous writer and journalist.

On the anniversary of the apology to the Stolen Generations by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd 10 years ago, we refer to the actions in 1846 of Tasmanian aborigines displaced onto Flinders Island, petitioning Queen Victoria about their mistreatment, and to the recent Uluru Statement from the Heart which continues the fight for respect and political recognition.

At our recent Pride March, our Premier announced that Victoria was to ban gay conversion therapy. As expected there was some opposition from the fundamentalist-right of politics, and we relate the recent story from New York of an action to sue the NY City for banning gay conversion therapy, on the basis that is restricted the right of free speech. Meanwhile in Tasmania, they celebrate support of gay students in a Catholic school. Valentine’s Day get a mention, too.

We also learn that in UK, a football club will wear a Pride sports kit for an anti-homophobia game.

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

Show #843 – First broadcast on 12 February 2019   

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