The Informer

Spearheaded by RuPaul and World of Wonder, RuPaul’s DragCon was this past weekend over 3 days in Los Angeles, and it provided a platform for fans – of all ages and backgrounds – to meet and interact with world-renowned celebrities and icons in a creative, friendly and accessible environment.

But what does that actually mean? While it sits under the heading of drag, it’s also a big celebration of part of the queer culture and identity that exists in our world right now. Drag and drag race have seen an elevation in the past decade that has become a strong part of the queer narrative, so what does that mean when its elements also sit in a convention that people can come and visit?

RuPaul’s DragCon celebrates all the colours of the rainbow, and Dean Arcuri investigated what have a queer con like this means by speaking to some of the Aussies that headed to Drag Con LA.

This segment of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 on 16thMay 2018.

In 2017 Melbourne’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival, Midsumma, launched Midsumma Futures, a development and mentoring program focused on bringing together a diverse range ofearly-career artists and culture makers, who are looking to forge their cultural and artistic voices. Midsumma Futures included professional mentoring, peer-support and workshops to assist participants to further develop their practise.

While reception to the program was an undeniable success, it was quickly identified that for some in our LGBTIQA+ communities who also identified as living with disability had barriers, both perceived and actual, that were preventing them from confidently engaging with the program.

It was time for that to change, and this year, the Midsumma Festival have launched Midsumma Pathways, a new professional development program for queer artists living with disabilities.

Dean Arcuri spoke with Midsumma Festival Chief Execuitive Karen Bryant to find out more.

You can find out more about Midsumma Pathways by heading to Midsumma.org.au

This segment of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 on 16thMay 2018.

The Victorian Liberal Party have passed a motion to support ‘Nordic Model’ of sex work regulation in Victoria, which has seen sex workers and advocates speak out saying that employing the Nordic model would be a step in the wrong direction.

The ‘Nordic Model’ criminalises paying for sex but does not criminalise the sex worker. Which would mean that in Victoria, buying sex, pimping and keeping a brothel would all against the law should this be made law. Currently in Victoria, it is only illegal for clients to solicit sex in a public place. The act itself is not illegal.

Dean Arcuri spoke to Reason Party founder and Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for the Northern Metropolitan region, Fiona Patten, who has called for an audit of the Liberal Parties support for the ‘Nordic Model’ in Victoria.

This segment of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 on 16thMay 2018.

On this episode of The Informer we speak to Leader of the Reason Party Fiona Patten, who has condemned the Liberal Party’s support for the so-called ‘Nordic Model’ of regulating sex work in Victoria, which was passed at the Liberal party state conference. Calling on a review of the legislation in Victoria, with calls to look at the decriminalization that exists in the ACT & NSW.

We find out about Midsumma Pathways, a new professional development program by Victoria’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival for queer artists living with disabilities.

And we look at what it means when our queer culture is celebrated in a convention? As we speak to Australians who attended RuPaul’s Drag Con on the weekend and find out not only what the event is like, but what that means for our identity.

This episode of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 and was hosted by Tom Morgan

Where next after marriage equality?

We’ve been hearing that a lot during the past 6 months, since the YES vote was announced in the Marriage Law Postal Survey.

Sure, the outcome was successful, and the battle was hard fought, but it only began to tackle the varied inequalities faced by our LGBTIQ population.

Earlier this month at a panel hosted by the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University, experts in law, public health and policy presented their ideas on the impact of marriage equality on LGBTIQ populations, outlining what they see as the challenges that still lie ahead.

Now on The Informer, we hear from panellists Bobuq Sayed, Adam Bourne and Brenda Appleton.

How do you think we are doing 6 months on?

You can download all the full talks from these panellist at the event, as well as the Honourable Michael Kirby and Lee Carnie from the Human Rights Law Centre, via The Informer Podcast page at the joy website.

Link : https://joy.org.au/theinformer

This segment of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 on 15th May 2018.

The LGBTIQ community of Albury-Wodonga, sitting on the New South Wales/Victoria boarder, will come together this Saturday to celebrate Border Pride Fair Day, as the inclusive event filled with regional pride returns.

Dean Arcuri found out more as he spoke to Tyson Arapeli, the regional outreach worker for ACON for the South western region of NSW.

ACON is a member of the LGTBQI Alliance Albury Wodonga along with many other organizations, and Arapeli is not only the Media Liaison Officer, but part of the working party managing the Boarder Pride Fair Day, this Saturday.

Link to event : https://www.facebook.com/events/1830316580335759/

This segment of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 on 15th May 2018.

Yesterday, the YouGov Galaxy poll in The Guardian commissioned by just.equal, showed that four out of five Australians oppose the right of religious schools to hire and fire staff or expel students because of their sexuality.

It found that 82% of respondents opposed the expulsion of students from religious schools because of their sexuality, and 78% opposed the expulsion of students because of their gender identification. It also found that 79% opposed the

firing of teachers if they married a same-sex partner, 78% opposed religious schools receiving taxpayer funding if they legally discriminate against LGBTI staff and students, and 69% believed the law should not be changed to allow businesses to refuse services for same-sex weddings.

With nearly 80% of Australians surveyed opposing religious schools having a free pass to discriminate against LGBTIQ people, the Greens have called for stronger anti-discrimination protections.

So, religious freedom vs school discrimination, what’s it all mean?

Ian Muchamore & Rachel Tyler Jones sat down with Greens spokesperson Senator Janet Rice and Dale Park, co convenor of the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby and discussed just that.

This segment of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 on 15th May 2018.

On this episode of The Informer we look at the findings of the YOUGov Galaxy Poll released in The Guardian yesterday, showing that nearly 80% of Australians surveyed opposed religious schools having a free pass to discriminate against LGBTIQ people. As we explore religious freedom vs school discrimination, what does it all mean?

We find out about Border Pride Fair Day, which sees the LGBTIQ communities of Albury-Wodonga and their allies celebrate regional Pride this weekend sitting on the New South Wales/Victoria boarder.

And 6 months after the announcement of a YES vote in the Marriage Law Postal Survey, we explore what’s next at as we hear from speakers at a panel hosted by the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University.

Last year’s battle only begins to tackle the varied inequalities faced by our communities.

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

Hosted by the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS) at La Trobe University, ‘Where next after Marriage Equality?’ explores the challenges still facing the LGBTI community. While the Marriage Law Postal Survey outcome was successful, the battle was hard fought and only begins to tackle the varied inequalities faced by this population.

With panelists:

The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG

Bobuq Sayed

Brenda Appleton

Lee Carnie

Adam Bourne

Master of Ceremonies – Liam Leonard, Director of GLHV at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society.

Hosted by the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS) at La Trobe University, ‘Where next after Marriage Equality?’ explores the challenges still facing the LGBTI community. While the Marriage Law Postal Survey outcome was successful, the battle was hard fought and only begins to tackle the varied inequalities faced by this population.

Adam Bourne is newly appointed Associate Professor of Public Health at the Australian Research Centre of Sex, Health & Society at La Trobe University. Adam takes a leading role in the development of research that examines the health and well-being of LGBTI populations, at both a domestic level and in an international context. He also maintains active involvement in HIV research among key populations and works on a number of projects in South East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa that examine how new HIV prevention and treatment technologies can work best for those who need them the most.

 

Adam joins a panel of experts in law, public health and policy who presenting their ideas on the impact of marriage equality on LGBTIQ populations and outline what they see as the challenges that still lie ahead.

Master of Ceremonies – Liam Leonard, Director of GLHV at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society.