This Way Out: The International LGBTQ Radio Magazine

Television in most of the world was still in the closet when audiences Down Under embraced the groundbreaking soap opera, “Number 96.” The gay characters were key to the off-beat show’s success according to Andrew Mercado, producer of a new documentary about it (part 2 of a three-part interview by Barry McKay).

And in NewsWrap: Estonia’s government sends the legislature a draft bill to open civil marriage to same-gender couples, Namibia’s Supreme Court orders the recognition of lesbians and gays married to foreign spouses abroad, Taiwan’s legislature votes to allow married same-gender couples to jointly adopt children, the Beijing LGBT Center is abruptly shuttered under a Chinese government crackdown, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis quadruples-down on anti-LGBTQ campaign, Nebraska simultaneously nixes abortion and pediatric gender-affirming care, queer advocates file a preemptive lawsuit against Texas’ gender-affirming care ban, Missouri Attorney General withdraws his unilateral ban on all trans healthcare, West Hollywood wishes "This Way Out" a happy 35th anniversary, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Sarah Montague and Michael LeBeau (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the May 22, 2023 edition of This Way Out!

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Australian soap opera “Number 96” was an amazing breakthrough for LGBTQ visibility, made possible by a unique moment in the social and political scene … and one television network’s last ditch effort to stay afloat! Producer Andrew Mercado’s new documentary reveals the surprising story (part 1 of a three-part interview by Barry McKay).

And in NewsWrap: India’s Supreme Court reserves judgement on a collection of marriage equality cases, Sri Lanka’s high court rules that decriminalizing same-gender sex would not violate the Constitution, the U.S. Supreme Court decides that a transgender Guatemalan woman can stay in the country to pursue her asylum request, two Republican-dominated U.S. state legislatures force school officials to inform on trans students, Montana equality advocates challenge the state’s pediatric gender-affirming care ban, Washington’s transgender youth get protection from their unsupportive parents, Indiana high schoolers circumvent the cancelation of their queer-themed play, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Brian DeShazor and Wendy Natividad (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the May 15, 2023 edition of This Way Out!

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We honor gay American playwright, poet, lyricist, short story writer and novelist Robert Patrick, who passed away on April 23rd in Los Angeles. The tribute includes Patrick reading from his 1994 novel, Temple Slave. (Produced by Brian DeShazor.)

And in NewsWrap: Uganda’s Parliament returns the revived Anti-Homosexuality Bill to President Yoweri Museveni without most of his requested revisions, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan falls back on homophobic rhetoric in his reelection campaign, the Seoul Queer Culture Festival loses its venue to a Christian youth concert, Montana’s Republican governor signs a gender-affirming healthcare ban for trans minors as Missoulans march in support of their ousted trans state Representative Zooey Zephyr, Oklahoma governor nixes trans youth gender-affirming healthcare and defunds the state’s public television broadcaster, Maryland governor signs protections for reproductive rights and gender-affirming care, Illinois legislature passes a bill denying public funding for book-banning library boards, Pennsylvania’s House passes a bill prohibiting anti-LBGTQ bias, hundreds protest more anti-queer legislation pushed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Victoria Premier Dan Andrews decries anti-drag protesters, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Ava Davis and Joe Boehnlein (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the May 8, 2023 edition of This Way Out!

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Veteran Ugandan LGBTQ activist Frank Mugisha lobbies for support against the world’s most draconian legislation, an infamous measure that’s been circulating in various forms for more than a decade (interviewed by Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!).

Plus: U.S. President Joe Biden serves humor at White House Correspondents Dinner.

And in NewsWrap: Hungarian President Katalin Novák vetoes an Orban-backed bill bill that allows citizens to report same-gender couples with children, Tokyo Rainbow Pride returns to press the Japanese government on marriage equality, NBA Miami hero Dwayne Wade has left Florida for his trans daughter’s safety, Disney Company files suit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over his efforts to punish the company’s criticism of the “Don’t Say Gay” law, 300 drag queens and their supporters storm the Florida statehouse, lawsuits stall gender-affirming healthcare bans in Missouri and Tennessee, Montana’s transgender state Representative Zooey Zephyr keeps making her point despite being barred from speaking, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by David Hunt and Melanie Keller (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the May 1, 2023 edition of This Way Out!

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Ukrainian activist Olena Shevchenko shares her observations about Russia’s homophobic oppression and class exclusivity in the LGBTQI movement, while maintaining her hopes for future liberation in her country and around the world (Part 3 of 3, interviewed by Barry McKay in Sydney, Australia).

Plus: India’s Supreme Court begins hearings on a combination of petitions from around the country seeking one goal: marriage equality.

And in NewsWrap: the Cook Islands repeals the law against “indecent acts” between men, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni sends back the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill for reinforcement, Florida’s infamous “Don’t Say Gay” law is extended to grades through high school, Florida’s House passes a bill to restrict gender-affirming health care and trans bathroom use, Montana’s trans state Representative Zooey Zephyr gets muzzled for speaking out against a ban on pre-pubescent gender-affirming care, Colorado’s Governor Jared Polis signs bills to protect the rights to abortion and gender-affirming healthcare, U.S. federal ban on transgender girls and women competing in female school sports introduced in House, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Tanya Kane-Parry and Marcos Najera (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the April 24, 2023 edition of This Way Out!

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Under occupation and in the free zones, TIME Woman of the Year Olena Shevchenko and LGBTQ volunteers are serving the needs of the marginalized people forgotten by the major aid organizations, building coalitions and gaining respect and visibility for queer heroes. (Part 2 of 3, interviewed by Barry McKay in Sydney, Australia).

And in NewsWrap: Florida state Rep. Webster Barnaby boldly brings his brimstone into the bathroom bigotry debate, Scotland stands firm against the British government’s rejection of its gender recognition reform bill, Missouri's Attorney General blocks gender-affirming health care for trans people of all ages, Estonia’s re-elected Prime Minister Kaja Kallas makes a marriage equality pledge, same-gender couples go to court in Lithuania, Hungary seeks informants on queer families, ”Rainbowland" scandal sidelines Wisconsin teacher, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Allan Tijamo and Elena Botkin-Levy (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the April 17, 2023 edition of This Way Out!

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Olena Shevchenko has been in the forefront of Ukraine’s LGBTQ campaign for rights, and now, at the center of her country’s resistance against the Russian invasion, she’s been named a Time Woman of the Year (interviewed by Barry McKay in Sydney, Australia).

And in NewsWrap: the U.S. Supreme Court rejects West Virginia’s appeal and blocks the state’s ban on transgender student athletes, majority Republicans in the Kansas legislature overrides the Democratic governor’s veto of an anti-trans school sports ban, North Dakota legislature moves a record-breaking ten bills to deny LGBTQ rights, Governor Phil Murphy declares New Jersey a “safe haven” for those seeking and prescribing gender-affirming healthcare, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona issues gender-affirming policy guidance based on “Title IX” civil rights law, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” stars backup trans ally Kelsea Ballerini at the CMT Awards, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Kalyn Hardman and Michael LeBeau (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the April 10, 2023 edition of This Way Out!

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“This Way Out” debuted on April 1, 1988, bringing LGBTQ programming to community radio stations around the world. In observance of our 35th anniversary, CEO and NewsWrap Producer Brian DeShazor talks to Josh Shepperd of the U.S. Library of Congress Radio Preservation Task Force about the show’s historic legacy and the project to maintain it.

And in NewsWrap: Scotland’s new First Minister Humza Yousaf is Muslim and an LGBTQ ally, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris presses Ghana’s government to abandon a draconian anti-queer bill, British anti-trans campaigner Posie Parker gives up on New Zealand, Republican controlled U.S. state legislatures continue the rash of anti-trans laws, Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton’s "Rainbowland" is "too controversial" Wisconsin first-graders, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Ava Davis and John Dyer V (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the April 3, 2023 edition of This Way Out!

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Exiled Zimbabwean activist Rikki Nathanson of OutRight Action International, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel L. Levine, co-founder of the Colorado Transgender Educators Network science teacher Sam Long and gender-fluid multi-disciplinary artist Dorian Wood reflect on the impact of their visibility for individuals and the community as a whole. Their comments are drawn from our special 2022 series “Queerly Yours, Profiles in Courage with Roger Q. Mason” in commemoration of International Transgender Day of Visibility (March 31st).

And in NewsWrap: a new version of Uganda’s “Anti-Homosexuality Bill” criminalizes coming out, the Namibian Supreme Court overturns the citizenship granted to a bi-national gay couple’s child, Bosnian queer activists assaulted by Serbian opponents in Banja Luka, high courts in Bolivia and Nepal open doors to marriage equality, more U.S. states pass anti-trans bills, anti-queer bigots in Australia and the U.S. violently protest trans rights and Drag Queen Story Hour, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Sarah Montague and David Hunt (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the March 27, 2023 edition of This Way Out!

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World Pride participants from Japan, Thailand and the Philippines bring their own flavor to the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade (correspondent Barry McKay reports).

Florida’s ban on gender-affirming healthcare for trans children goes into effect and Georgia’s legislature tries to follow that example, but President Joe Biden, his Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Georgia state Representative Karla Drenner and entertainer Lily Tomlin decry the trend.

And in NewsWrap: Milan’s same-gender couples lose parental rights on orders from Italy’s far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, one of two imprisoned Iranian LGBTQ activists freed on bail, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz orders discrimination protections for trans people, Wellesley College students vote for consideration of trans male and non-binary applicants, trailblazing New Zealand trans politician Georgina Beyer dies, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Michael Taylor-Gray and Melanie Keller (produced by Brian DeShazor). 

All this on the March 20, 2023 edition of This Way Out!

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