The Informer

On Thursday May 17th, Victoria Police published the findings of a report into police and young LGBTI people’s perceptions of each other.

 

Fifty-eight per cent of the young LGBTI people surveyed said they didn’t believe police understand young LGBTI people’s issues with a mixed level of trust in police on various measures.

Almost 95 per cent of young LGBTI respondents had experienced some sort of discriminatory abuse in their lifetime, but only half indicated that they’d report a prejudice-motivated crime to police.

There were 20 recommendations that the report made to Victoria Police under four key themes –leadership, capacity building, GLLOs (LGBTI Liaison Officers), and reporting processes.

Some of the recommendations were to:

* provide a more visible police presence at young LGBTI people’s events

* increase training on LGBTI issues for recruits, current officers and senior police

* promote the role of GLLOs to increase awareness in LGBTI communities

* consider recruitment strategies to increase LGBTI diversity within Victoria Police.

Rachel Tyler Jones and Dean Arcuri sat down with Priority Communities Division Commander Stuart Bateson and unpacked the findings of the report, exploring how Victoria Police can meet the needs of our LGBTI communities as well as build greater awareness within the force.

 

This segment of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 on 22nd May 2018.

On this episode, we unpack the findings of a Vic Police report, exploring how Victoria Police can meet the needs of our LGBTI communities as well as build greater awareness within the force; after they revealed that 95% of those surveyed said they wouldn’t report a prejudice-motivated crime to the police.

And, with Leader of Victoria’s Liberal Party saying that they won’t be adopting the ‘Nordic Model’ for policing sex work legislation, we find out where we need to go in order to create a fairer working environment with the Vixen Collective.

This week is National Volunteer Week, an annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of our nation’s volunteers. Here at JOY we have over 300 volunteers both on the mics and behind the scenes helping to keep us out loud and proud.

This episode of The Informer was hosted by Darcy Meeham & aired on JOY 94.9

This week is National Volunteer Week, an annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of our nation’s volunteers.

Here at JOY we have over 300 volunteers both on the mics and behind the scenes helping to keep us out loud and proud.

On this episode we find out about the ANZ and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Community Grants, with up to $10,000 available to LGBTQI not-for-profit community organisations, charities and individuals to help support local LGBTQI communities around Australia.

We hear form last night’s AIDS Candlelight Memorial in Melbourne, with powerful speeches remembering the past and looking to the future of what it means to be a person living with HIV.

And we find out about the winners of the GLORIA’s, Australia’s Gay and Lesbian Outrageous, Ridiculous and Ignorant Comment Awards, who every year shine a light on the ridiculous comments made about gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in our communities every day. Find out who made the list!

This episode of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 & was hosted by Rachel Tyler Jones

Over the weekend, AIDS Candlelight Vigils were held around the world, acknowledging people living with HIV and those that were lost to the disease.

Tonight, we will hear from Living Positive Victoria & the Victorian AIDS Council‘s Candlelight Vigil yesterday evening.

Supported by the Low Rez Choir singing Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colours”, you’ll hear from Max Niggl, Heather, Bill O’Loughlin and Fiona Patten as they braved the cold and wet and spoke about the past, and the bright future that people living with HIV have today.

Image provided by Sanjeev Singh

This segment aired on JOY 94.9 on 21st May 2018

The nominations have been made, the votes have been counted and the results are in – that’s right, the GLORIAs have been announced for 2018.

The Gay and Lesbian Outrageous, Ridiculous and Ignorant comment Awards, more commonly known as the GLORIAs, is a fun event that shines a light on outrageous, ignorant and plainly ridiculous public comments made about gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex (GLBTI) people in our communities every day.

There are eight categories in the GLORIAs, and the overall award, the Golden GLORIA, is given to the winner of one of those categories, for being the actual worst of the worst.

This year the GLORIAS have followed a special theme, focussing on comments made during the 2017 Marriage Equality campaign.

If you know someone who has made a ridiculous, outrageous or ignorant public comment about the LGBTI communities, go to www.theglorias.com.au to nominate them for next year’s GLORIAs.

This segment aired on JOY 94.9 on 21st May 2018

ANZ & Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras have opened applications for a national LGBTI community grants program, which will provide grants of up to $10,000 to LGBTI not-for-profit organizations, charities and individuals to help support their local LGBTI communities.

Dean Arcuri finds out more.

Applications for ANZ & Sydney Mardi Gras Community Grants are open right now, until the 1st July. With successful applicants announced on 16 July.

For more information please visit www.mardigras.org.au/grants

Image provided by Ann-Marie Calilhanna

May 17th  is IDAHOBIT Day around the world. IDAHOBIT is the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism & Transphobia.

We can sometimes live in a bubble within our own communities, which can mean a day like today can seem fun or a great celebration for some, while for others it can mean something completely different, and on this episode of The Informer we are looking at what this kind of visibility means for our communities, and our allies.

As we explore what IDAHOBIT actually means to members of our LGBTIQA+ families.

We also hear from Michelle Shephard from JOYs Trans POV when she spoke earlier today at a Victorian Police event about being better allies to one another.

And we look past our own backyard and look at how we can respect each other past the acronyms.

This episode of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 and was hosted by Dean Arcuri & Tom Morgan.

No matter how you identify, whether it’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, genderqueer, asexual, whatever your label or however you express yourself, you are always asked stupid questions by people, and sometimes you laugh it off and give an honest answer, other times you bite your tongue and sometime you just get over it, because there’s no reason to ask a stupid question if you took some time to stop, and think about the person you’re asking it to.

Rachel Tyler Jones explores, what not to ask, when talking to members of the LGBTIQA+ communities.

This segment of The Informer aired on 17th May 2018 on JOY 94.9

One of the important things to do on a day like IDAHOBIT is to acknowledge different conversations that we need to hear.

Not only from other parts of our own community, but with our allies as well. Michelle Shephard form JOYS TransPOV is no stranger to talking very openly about her life as a transgender woman, constantly communicating to allies the realities of what it is like when people see you as different.

Tonight on the show we head to Footscray Police Station where Michelle was asked to speak after she shared her story with another officer about what it is like being a parent, and a father to her children.

It’s something that many of the officers at the IDAHOBIT event could relate to being parents themselves, and as the trains travelled past, they got to hear a story from a member of the Trans community, that is just like what they go through with their children as well.

Do you know what IDAHOBIT means? No really, so you know?

What does the international day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism & Transphobia mean to you?

First it was IDAHO, then IDAHOT, and now it is IDAHOBIT –

While it is our diversity that makes our community stronger, on a day like today it is so important to acknowledge those in marginalised in our communities that are often left behind. Today is more than just having rainbow cake in the office or putting up a flag, it is a day to learn, a day to understand, a day to listen and a day to acknowledge.

This segment of The Informer aired on 17th May 2018 on JOY 94.9