This Way Out: The International LGBTQ Radio Magazine

Curtis Chin’s family owned the famed Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine in Detroit, and growing up gay in the 1980s he discovered a world of diversity in the restaurant’s clientele. He’s interviewed by Dennis Hensley of “Dennis Anyone? A podcast about making things up and making things happen” (dennisanyone.net).

And in NewsWrap: Canada’s terrorism assessment agency says anti-queer groups present an “extreme threat” of violence, Russian security forces step up their “unlawful propaganda” raids on LGBTQ venues, Tennessee allows authorized officials to use their religious beliefs to opt-out of performing same-gender wedding ceremonies, a bill to guarantee marriage equality in Virginia awaits governor’s signature, Montana repeats its unconstitutional rules to prevent trans people from updating their birth certificate gender markers, Washington state LGBTQ and stripper activists ally to repeal “lewd conduct” regulations and improve the entertainers’ working conditions, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Melanie Keller and Allan Tijamo (produced by Lucia Chappelle). 

All this on the February 26, 2024 edition of This Way Out!

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Renowned playwright Edward Albee talks about life, sex and the theater (interviewed in 2009 by Dixie Treichel and John Townsend of KFAI-Minneapolis/St. Paul’s Fresh Fruit).

Irish drag queen Panti Bliss (a.k.a. Rory O’Neill) responded brilliantly when calling out homophobic journalists and religionists drew criticism from both sides (a 2014 speech at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre).

And in NewsWrap: Greece becomes the 37th country where same-gender couples can get married, Nepal’s Anju Devi Shrestha and Suprita Gurung become the first officially registered married lesbian couple in South Asia, a St. Vincent and the Grenadines High Court justice rejects two challenges to the nation’s sodomy laws, a Japanese trans man can change the gender marker on his official documents without undergoing surgical sterilization, a top host on state-run Polish television apologizes for years of anti-queer rhetoric, a sexy Seville Jesus riles Spanish traditionalists, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Marcos Najera and Brian DeShazor (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the February 19, 2024 edition of This Way Out!

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Looking back at actor/writer/producer Elliot Page’s coming out speech — the first time — a tribute to queer youth at the Human Rights Campaign's 2014 "Time to Thrive" conference.

Prolific science fiction writer Ray Bradbury branched out into several genres, including a lesser-known play with a gay twist (interviewed by Chris Wilson).

And in NewsWrap: Yemen’s Houthi rebels sentence 13 to death for engaging in same-gender sex, Britain’s Parliament hears for the first time exclusively from transgender people about the challenges they face, Mumbai Pride returns better than ever after a four-year COVID hiatus, Oklahoma lawmaker plans to replace Pride with “patriotism,” Seattle queer bar raids reminiscent of Stonewall prompt a review of antiquated Washington state “lewd conduct” rules, Tennessee town and South Dakota agency pay heavy fines for anti-LGBTQ discrimination, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Tanya Kane-Parry and Daniel Huecias (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the February 12, 2024 edition of This Way Out!

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The pressure for marriage equality had been building for years when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom hit the release valve just ahead of Valentine’s Day, 2004. An archival report featuring Newsom, President George W. Bush, California Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger, U.S. Congressman Barney Frank, S.F. Recorder-Assessor Mabel Teng, S.F. Supervisor Tom Ammiano, attorney Clyde Wadsworth, S.F. Chief Deputy District Attorney Therese Stewart and the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.

And in NewsWrap: Russians are now being convicted of “extremism” for petty violations like wearing rainbow earrings, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announces planned anti-trans policies on Twitter/X, Idaho’s ban on gender-affirming healthcare for transgender minors is blocked again by a federal appeals court, trans people in Utah can now use bathrooms and locker rooms based only on their birth certificate gender, Florida will no longer allow trans people to change gender markers on their driver’s licenses, Switzerland gets is first gay male yodeling club, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by John Dyer V and Kalyn Hardman (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the February 5, 2024 edition of This Way Out!

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U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler (D-CA) is the first Black lesbian to ever serve in Congress’ upper chamber. Appointed to fill the seat of the legendary Senator Dianne Feinstein, the life-long labor and community organizer devoted her maiden speech to the upcoming generations of political activists.

And in NewsWrap: a report by Human Rights Watch finds Meta and other social media companies complicit in the persecution and arrests of queer people in the Middle East and North Africa, Texas activists go to the United Nations to seek relief from laws that target LGBTQ people, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban doubles down on homophobia as the EU withholds funds, Ohio trans adults and trans children’s families flee lawmakers’ restrictions on gender-affirming care and student athletes, a California judge blocks a rule forcing trans cops to out themselves, U.S. Gen Z-ers are more queer than Republican, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Ava Davis and Alan Tijamo (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the January 29, 2024 edition of This Way Out!

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The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) started organizing globally in 1978, and in 2004 its 22nd World Conference was held in Manila — the first event of its kind in Asia. One major issue on the table was Brazil’s United Nations resolution against sexual orientation discrimination, which finally passed the UN Human Rights Council ten years later. (Michael Schemer interviews attendee Uma Kali Shakti, both of Sydney, Australia.)

The biggest queer news story out of Egypt in 2001 was the raid on The Queen Boat, a well-known gay venue in Cairo. Twenty-eight-year old Mazin was one of 23 men arrested for “debauchery” who served time in prison (interviewed by Jonathan Groubert of Radio Netherlands).

And in NewsWrap: the United States Supreme Court declines to review an appeals court’s decision to allow a transgender student to use the bathrooms that match his gender identity, U.S. state legislatures have spawned a record number of deeply alarming anti-queer bills, Missouri legislators debate eight anti-trans bills while the rabbi dad of a trans boy testifies to the truth, Idaho House struggles to define what they want to censor, appeals court upholds injunction against Texas book ban, Taiwan elects its first queer to the the Legislative Yuan, Irish Cabinet Minister Jack Chambers comes out, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Joe Boehnlein and Sarah Montague (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the January 22, 2024 edition of This Way Out!

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With two queer daughters in homophobic Kenya, Mary Mumbi talks about spreading the word about tolerance and fairness to other parents and families, using her influence to create safe spaces in an increasingly hostile environment (interviewed by Diana Wanyonyi, part two of two, from wingsradio.org).

And in NewsWrap: French President Emmanuel Macron promotes two gay men to the positions of Prime and Foreign Ministers, Taiwan elects LGBTQ-supportive Vice President Lai Ching-te to the presidency, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announces that a marriage equality bill will go to Parliament, Vietnamese women’s national football team member Tran Thi Thu makes history by marrying her girlfriend in a public wedding ceremony, a U.S. appeals court allows Alabama’s pediatric trans healthcare ban to go forward, the classics and reference books removed by a Florida school district for “sexual content” include several dictionaries, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Elena Botkin-Levy and Michael LeBeau (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the January 15, 2024 edition of This Way Out!

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After coming to terms with one daughter’s sexuality, a Mombasa mom becomes a community confidante and an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights (interviewed by Diana Wanyonyi, part one of two, from wingsradio.org).

And in NewsWrap: Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye says all LGBTQ people should be rounded up and stoned to death, a landmark decision of Israel’s High Court of Justice opens adoption to same-gender couples, Estonia begins accepting marriage license applications from gay and lesbian couples, Ohio Republican Governor Mike DeWine vetoes a ban on gender-affirming healthcare for transgender minors and protects it from override with an executive order banning (practically nonexistant) pediatric gender-affirming surgery, federal judges temporarily halt enforcement of Idaho’s trans healthcare ban for minors and Iowa’s book ban, Massachusetts sues neo-Nazis for disrupting “Drag Queen Story Hours,” and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by David Hunt and Nico Raquel (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the January 8, 2024 edition of This Way Out!

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Celebrate the fifth anniversaries of Australia’s first gay and lesbian legally married couples with a look back down their long road to marriage equality. From the 2004 “heterosexuals only” amendment to the Marriage Act to the 2017 postal survey on the issue and, finally, the legalization of same-gender marriages, Sydney correspondent Barry McKay covered the key developments. Included are former Prime Ministers Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull; Senators Penny Wong, Sarah Hanson-Young, George Brandis and Dean Smith; MPs Bill Shorten and Tanya Plibersek; former High Court Justice Michael Kirby; journalists Karl Stevanovic and David Koch; right wing activist Lyle Shelton; LGBTQ+ activists Jo Ball, Tiernan Brady and Alex Greenwich; entertainer Magda Szubanski and swimmer Ian Thorpe.

NewsWrap will return next week.

All this on the January 1, 2024 edition of This Way Out!

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The 2003 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned state laws against non-commercial private consensual adult same-gender sex reverberates today in the pivotal decisions on reproductive rights, as well as the Courts own ethical scandals. Our flashback report features “Lawrence v. Texas” lead attorney Ruth Harlow of Lambda Legal and litigants John Lawrence and Tyron Garner, Dallas Gay & Lesbian Alliance President Roger Wedell, Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council, Robert Knight of the Culture and Family Institute, Revs. Rob Schenck and Jerry Falwell, Sr. of the National Clergy Council, Kate Kendall of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Jennifer Pizer of Lambda Legal, San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano, Dallas attorney Mitchell Katine, Houston activist Ray Hill and San Diego queer columnist Rex Wockner.

NewsWrap will return the week of January 8th.

All this on the December 25, 2023 edition of This Way Out!

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