The Informer

We #TBT with the  who are celebrating a 35th anniversary this year. In this podcast we touch base with Cal Hawk from JOY and VACs program Well Well Well, which is looking back on the rich history of VAC, how it has influenced us, guided us, and helped us to stand up for our health on all levels and to make Victoria’s LGBTI communities stronger.

This segment aired on JOY 94.9 on 3rd May 2018.

The IAAF, the world athletics governing body, announced new rules last Thursday, including a new classification for female athletes with ‘differences of sexual development’, in other words, intersex athletes. This means intersex athletes will be required to lower and maintain their testosterone levels, in order to be eligible to compete in international competition.

This is an issue for Intersex athletes, who present with both typically ‘male’ and typically ‘female’ sex characteristics. To be clear, these rules that the IAAF have announced are only for specific athletics events, including mid-distance running – the events run by Caster Semenya.

The IAAF has tried to introduce similar rules previously, but they were overturned in 2015. In order to provide better evidence to support the implementation of these rules, the IAAF commissioned a study on the effect of high testosterone levels in female athletes and the unfair advantage this might produce. It found that “in certain events female athletes with high testosterone levels benefit from a 1.8 per cent to 4.5 per cent competitive advantage over female athletes with lower testosterone levels”.

There are two problems with the validity of this research. As pointed out by Dr Karkazis, the IAAF has funded, analyzed and published this data themselves. It’s research specifically designed to support their argument, and therefore isn’t impartial.

The second problem is with the data itself. The report authors ran their test 43 times to come to their conclusion, for example, when you do a statistical test you flip a coin. If you flip enough coins, you’ll eventually get a head. If you do enough statistical tests, you’ll eventually find the result you want.

What does this kind of classification and segregation mean for not only intersex athletes, but the intersex population?

We spoke to Morgan Carpenter, Co-Executive Director of Intersex Human Rights Australia, formally OII Australia, about what these kind of rules, that define a person’s eligibility based on the levels of testosterone in their body mean for intersex athletes and the intersex population, as they see guidelines created that exclude them from competing at their best and put them in a position to only be able to compete by taking medication to regulate their bodies.

This segment aired on JOY 94.9 on 3rd May 2018.

In sport, where many competitions are separated into ‘male’ and ‘female’ categories, what defines an athlete as eligible when looking solely at their testosterone levels can create a problem. The IAAF new rules create a problem that is almost exclusively experienced by those intersex athletes wishing to compete in the female competition.

There is a belief that the main advantage male athletes have over female athletes is the level of testosterone their bodies produce during physical development. Intersex athletes often produce higher levels of testosterone than non-intersex female athletes. The argument is, therefore, that allowing intersex athletes with high testosterone levels to compete in female competition gives them an unfair advantage.

But, most elite athletes are not within the ‘normal’ range of bodies. They all have some sort of advantage over ‘normal’. We don’t ask tall basketball players to shorten their legs, why is it okay to make ANY athlete take medication to lower their testosterone levels?

Sex is the only recognized category of discrimination in sport – we acknowledge that there is a difference between male and female bodies, and we don’t make them compete against one another, because it would be unfair to female athletes. But it’s time to acknowledge

There is therefore a precedent for making rules based on sex characteristics, but, is it really creating a level playing field for all athletes to be able to compete, or creating an alienating environment where athletes who may or may not be intersex and sit outside of the presumed box that is ‘acceptable’ are left with one option, to take drugs to regulate your body to fit these guidelines, instead of being able to compete at the range that you have trained for, and lived your whole life.

Rachel Tyler Jones continues our conversations with Morgan Carpenter, Co-Executive Director of IHRA, formally OII Australia, as we look specifically at the rules that have been created that affect Caster Semenya competing. Is this discrimination? Does Caster Semenya even have an intersex variation.

It’s time we look at the ethics of creating rules and structures as well as reporting on the validity of people’s bodies who are a part of the Intersex population, and the current state of affairs regarding Caster Semenya highlights this.

This segment aired on JOY 94.9 on 3rd May 2018.

Building a community of Leatherwoman, kinksters, sex geeks, sex positive and empowered women (and those who love them) The International Ms Leather weekend was last month, providing an extended weekend to meet, cruise, and play for Leather Women.  

 

Last month, Australia’s Girl Ange won the title International Ms Leather and takes us through what the weekend was like for her now on JOY, as she not only talks about winning the title with Dean Arcuri, but what it means to proudly represent women and non-gendered individuals in our alternative and fetish communities. 

 

Photo Credit Shilo McCabe 

 

This segment aired on 2nd May 2018 on JOY 94.9 

 

Now that we have marriage equality, where do we go next? It’s a question we have been hearing a lot since the YES vote at the end of last year.

 

Earlier today the Honourable Michael Kirby made the keynote address exploring this very topic at a panel at the University of LaTrobe Bundoora and joined us earlier to  explore the challenges still facing the LGBTI community now that we have marriage equality.

 

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. Dean Arcuri and Rachel Tyler Jones discuss this now with the Honourable Michael Kirby.

 

This segment aired on 2nd May 2018 on JOY 94.9

On this episode of The Informer we explore the challenges that lie ahead of us after Marriage Equality, as we discuss this with renowned jurist and former High Court Judge the Honourable Michael Kirby. There’s many avenues to consider when we think about what’s next, but is it time to unify or focus our advocacy in a broader scope? 

 

We also speak to this year’s winner of International Ms Leather, Australia’s Girl Ange. We find out what it was like at this yeas International Ms Leather & Ms Bootblack as well as find out more about Girl Ange, who stands proudly representing not only her community, but women and non-gendered individuals in our alternative and fetish communities. 

 

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

Sunshine Coast LGBTIQ families and their allies will come together to celebrate International Family Equality Day this weekend, which is also the first official meet up event for Rainbow Families Sunshine Coast.

 

Dean Arcuri spoke to co-convener Holly Zwalf, about how the group has evolved from supporting each other on social media to coming together in person this weekend.

 

And why it’s so important to create an inclusive and comfortable space for every single member of a Rainbow Family from the kids to the parents, so that everyone can feel welcomed and accepted.

 

Rainbow Families Sunshine Coast will be meeting at Pioneer Park in Landsborough this Sunday, May 6th, from 10am to 12pm and you can find out more about them via their Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/147949022368/

 

This segment aired on 1st May 2018 on JOY 94.9.

Earlier this year, the Better Together Conference in Melbourne allowed LGBTIQ Australians to come together and have a platform to share ideas and experiences, asking the hard questions about how, or if,  we can move forward and tackle what’s important as a collective community. 

 

In the lead up to the national conference, The Equality Project hosted a Leadership Training Academy, specializing in leadership and media training for LGBTIQ community advocates, change-makers and emerging leaders. And now they are going around the country and continuing Leadership Training in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra, with Perth, Adelaide and Hobart soon to be announced. 

 

Dean Arcuri spoke to Jason Tuazon McCheyne from The Equality Project about this Leadership Training, how it was inspired and the future of the Better Together Conference. 

 

For more details click here : https://www.theequalityproject.org.au/leadership-training-academy/ 

This segment aired on 1st May 2018 on JOY 94.9. 

South Australia was the first Australian state to decriminalise homosexuality and it took the last remaining state, Tasmania, 22 years to follow suit. 

 

Though the law didn’t take effect until May 13th in 1997, on May first, 21 years ago, the High Court made its ruling with state law being struck down and passing gay law reform in Tasmania. 

 

No longer would LGBT people face the fear and stigma that sex between consenting adults in private could have them face up to 21 years jail. 

 

Now, with LGBT rights advocate and academic Rodney Croome, who not only took to the High Court to fight the law with his partner but was also a key part of the campaign to decriminalize homosexuality in Tasmania, we reflect on the past, which was not so long ago. 

 

Join us now as we look back, with audio from Tasmanian news reports looking at Croomes’ fight and the highs and lows of public opinion. 

 

This segment aired on 1st May 2018 on JOY 94.9. 

On this episode of The Informer we reflect on the activism to decriminalise homosexuality in Australia, as we look back on Tasmania, the last state to do so, who today celebrate 21 years since the decriminalisation of consensual homosexual acts in private. 

 

We find out about The Equality Project’s Training Academy, with courses around the country specializing in leadership and media training for LGBTIQ community advocates, change-makers and emerging leaders.

 

And we head to Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, where the Sunshine Coast Rainbow Families Group will be meeting in person for the first time this weekend, helping to create a strong rainbow community in the area.

 

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