Join some of Australia's best storytellers for an evening of queerstories; reflections on lives well lived and battles fought, pride, prejudice, love and humour. The LGBTQI community has been sharing stories for centuries, creating our own histories, disrupting and reinventing conventional ideas about narrative, family, love and community. There’s more to being queer than coming out and marriage. Listen to an unexpected tale or two from a diverse line up of stars and strangers, hosted by Maeve Marsden Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
347 Joshua Whitehead - Shoot, Shovel, Shut-Up
Joshua shares a poetic narrative about being Indigenous and queer in Canada.Joshua Whitehead is an Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary and he is the author of Making Love with the Land, full-metal indigiqueer and Jonny Appleseed all of which have received a litany of accolades and awards. He is also the editor of Love after the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction, which won the Lambda Award in 2021. He performed this story at Sydney Writers Festival.Q
346 Leanne Yong - Failing at Failing
Leanne shares her greatest failures for your entertainment and edification, and as a terribly public method of therapy, one might suppose.Leanne Yong started her career as an IT business analyst and is now an escape room creator who has designed internationally recognised games with her partner that weave unique puzzle mechanics with narrative. Two Can Play That Game is her debut novel. She performed this story at Sydney Writers Festival.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project
345 Sophie Cunningham - Getting Old is A Real Trip
Approaching 60, and reckoning with family histories, physical stuff, and the world at large, Sophie makes a list.Sophie Cunningham is the author of nine books, including the novel This Devastating Fever and the essay collection City of Trees. She is also a teacher, mentor, climate change activist and every day she posts an image of a tree on her Instagram @sophtreeofday. Sophie is the Chair of the Australian Society of Authors and an executive director of the Copyright Agency. She performed this
344 Daniel Lavery - Dangers, Toils and Snare Drums
Daniel recounts the meaningful form of lying.Daniel Lavery is the cofounder of The Toast, served as Slate's Dear Prudence from 2016–2021, and the author of Something That May Shock and Discredit You. He performed this story at Sydney Writers Festival.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For more information, visit www.queerstories.com.au and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories book is pu
343 Bernie Hobbs - Ghostly Encounters
Bernie shares her experiences with the supernatural.Best known as a judge from The New Inventors and her many years with ABC Science, Bernie Hobbs is an award-winning science writer and broadcaster. She performed this story at the World Science Festival in Brisbane.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For more information, visit www.queerstories.com.au and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories
342 Alison Wright - There and Back Again
Alison is plagued by indecision when choosing between two seemingly perfect job opportunities in Germany.Dr Alison Wright is a Scientist at Griffith University working in the Office for Research. Her research specialised in Spinal Cord Injury stem cell treatments, and chemical tissue clearing microscopy techniques. As a prominent transgender scientist, she has been involved in outreach and advocacy to highlight LGBT individuals in STEM.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project d
341 Joni Sytsma - Rocket Proctology
Joni attempts to launch a rocket while discreetly transitioning; or she attempts to discreetly transition while launching a rocket.Dr Joni Sytsma is an aerospace engineer who began her career at the United States Air Force Research Laboratory before moving to Australia to join the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experiment program with Defence Science and Technology group. Today, Dr Sytsma is the Chief Technology Officer of the Innovative Launch, Automation, Novel Materials, Communicati
340 Dr Jesse Hooley - Transgender Activism: Past and Present
Jesse reflects on the way her activism has shifted over the years, and the people who were fundamental to her work and life.Dr Jesse Hooley is a 78er and was part of the Transgender Liberation Coalition in the 90s – a story she’ll be sharing with you tonight. Jesse went on to an academic career, teaching sociology, and having retired recently, she has devoted her energies once more to trans activism, as well as watercolour painting.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project direc
339 Malaika Mfalme - Handsome
Malaika rides the rollercoaster of grief and new beginnings.Malaika Mfalme {Angel King} is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and event producer creating on Gadigal Land. Malaika is here to create a safe space focused on healing with a powerful message of kindness, acceptance and reflection vibrating through every one of their sonic outputs. They’re a producer for community event Queers of Joy, and they produce the podcast Womb For Improvement with their twin sister.Queerstories an award-winning L
338 C.Moore Hardy - Life is Short
C.Moore shares snapshots of her life.Along with an outstanding career as a queer social documentary photographer & exhibiting artist and curator, C.Moore Hardy was also a Director of PRIDE, (lesbian & gay community centre) in the 1980s. She was born in Darlinghurst and trained at National Art School, College of Fine Arts, and Sydney College of the Arts, and she has successfully left the corporate and community commercial photography world with her life intact. She performed this story at
337 Lisa Salmon - The G.O.D. Gang
Lisa visits the Australian Queer Archives and is transported back to a different time in her life, shifting the way she thinks about her present.Lisa Salmon is a queer artist and writer from Naarm/Melbourne who debuted as a writer and publisher in 1989 when she and her then partner launched Australia’s first lesbian erotic zine Wicked Women. Lisa is currently writing a memoir and I cannot wait to read it.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Maeve Marsden, with r
336 Natali Caro - A Golden Thimble
Natali recalls a long-awaited visit to Chile that unknowingly set the scene for a life-changing moment.Natali Caro is a queer Colombian/ Chilean comedian, actor, drag king, writer and producer. They’re the founder of queer comedy cabaret GAG and PoC comedy lineup show Thanks For Having Me, they’re also the resident host of King’s & Queens, fBi Radio’s queer culture segment. You might have seen Natali on SBS The Feed, The Chaser War on 2021, Me&Her(pes), I'm Dying Inside, or your ver
335 Damien Webb - Blak Lady Moses
Damien shares a story of his ancestors, connecting it to his present, to crossing oceans and preserving stories.Damien Webb is a proud member of the Palawa Diaspora, originally from Lutruwita (Tasmania). He has worked in state libraries for over 13 years, and he is currently Manager of the Indigenous Engagement Branch at the State Library of New South Wales. He performed this story at a special Queerstories event at the State Library in June 2023.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytellin
334 Ian Roberts - Mate
Ian recalls a treasured moment with his former coach, and reflects on how much things have changed.Ian Roberts started his career as a professional rugby league player in the mid 1980’s, playing for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the North Queensland Cowboys. He went on to play for NSW in 5 State of Origin series and over a dozen test matches for Australia. In 1994 at the high of his playing career Ian came out publicly and told the world he was a gay man, the fir
333 Ellia Green - Liberation in the Dark
Ellia was sure they were always destined to be someone and something, they just had to find their way to the truth of it all.Ellia Green is a retired professional rugby sevens player who was a part of the Olympic gold winning team at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Ellia is a national champion for change ambassador for the United Nations Australia, a Raise Ambassador and an Adopt Change ambassador. They performed this story at Riverside Theatres for Sydney World Pride.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI
332 Patrick Abboud - Safe House
After a wild night of partying among fellow closeted friends, Patrick nearly loses the safety he has carefully created for himself.Patrick Abboud is an award winning journalist, documentary director and TV host. He is ambassador for Twenty10 and Wear it Purple advocating for LGBTQIA+ young people. Pat speaks Arabic and German and is Daddy to a two-year-old. He performed this story at Riverside Theatres for Sydney World Pride.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by
331 Handsome - I Hope To Remember Paradise
HANDSOME takes us through a series of moments, of community, connection and belonging.HANDSOME is a self-described tomboy pop artist who’s music celebrates the power of expression, creativity and fluidity and creates a space for anyone who longs to feel free. She performed this story at Riverside Theatres for Sydney World Pride.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For more information, visit www.queerstories.c
330 Bev Lange - Finding Mardi Gras
Bev shares her Mardi Gras journeyBev Lange volunteered on the Fair Day Committee for Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras and then went on to chair Fair Day and the Parade before 5 years on the Board with 3 years as President. Bev also volunteered as a Director on the boards of the Centenary of Federation, ncoss, Sydney Gay Games and more recently the Stepping Out Program and Human Society International (Australia). Bev lead the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, was Director of Communications and Major
329 Kerry Bashford - Bloke Can Write
Kerry discovers a fictional version of himself.Kerry Bashford started his queer career as a baby activist, organising rallies at the age of 18 in 1982, before escaping south to the big smoke. After several years of apprenticeship in gay, street and independent presses and countless queer arts endeavours, he scored a job at NineMSN where he worked as Producer of Online Portal and Entertainment and ended up as movie critic for the network. He ended his corporate career and became a copywriter
328 Shauna Jensen - The Town Of Make Believe
Shauna shares her path to 'The Town of Make Believe'.Shauna Jensen has lived, loved and worked in the music biz for over 50 years. An icon in the LGBTQI+ community, Shauna is also lauded as one of the best singers in Australia. Working for the majority of her career as a backing vocalist, studio singer, and vocal coach, she has worked with Jimmy Barnes, Cold Chisel, Noiseworks, Doug Parkinson, Richard Clapton, Hugh Jackman and Powderfinger to name just a few. Shauna has performed 4 main solo sho
327 Erin Heine - Frocks
Amidst an earthquake, Erin is caught looting frocks.Erin ‘Bullet’ Heine is the Program Manager LGBTIQ+ at Sydney Local Health District. Originally from New Zealand, of Māori and European heritage, they are passionate about improving the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ community. They won the Out Role Model at this year’s ACON Pride and Health in Wellbeing awards and completed the NSW health management traineeship program (2012-2013) including a Masters of Health Science, Health Service Mana
326 Neville Williams Boney - Platonic Boyfriends
Neville reflects on how each of his platonic boyfriends has helped him grow.Neville Williams Boney is a proud Wiradjuri/Weilwan man from Wagga Wagga. Neville is a 2018 Graduate of NAISDA Dance College. He is currently an independent, interdisciplinary artist living on Dharug Lands. Neville danced with Karul Projects in their work CO_EX_EN premiering at Dance Massive (2019, he was a Collaborator for Phunktional’s Beyond The Wall (2019), Associate Producer for Sydney Festival and 2021 Artist in Re
325 Brooke Scobie - The Break Up Queen
How many breakups does it take to break someone? When western culture runs on the power of the romantic couple, it took losing a best friend to prove to Breakup Queen Brooke that she wasn't made entirely of stone and ice.Brooke Scobie is a queer Goorie woman, single mum, poetry and prose writer, podcast host and community worker. Born and bred on Bidjigal country, and now living on Darkinjung land, she considers herself first and foremost a creative weirdo. As a writer she is dedicated
324 C S Pacat - The Tram Conductor
CS has always been told they got their knack for storytelling from their family, oral histories passed down, told over and over. But are there more to those stories than meets the eye?CS Pacat is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller, Dark Rise; the Captive Prince trilogy; and the GLAAD-nominated graphic novel series Fence. Born in Australia, CS Pacat has since lived in a number of cities, and currently resides and writes in Melbourne.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ sto
323 Yves Rees - The Apparatus of Hiking
Yves shares their passion for hikingYves Rees is a historian at La Trobe University, co-host of the Archive Fever podcast and author of All About Yves: Notes from a Transition. They are also co-editor of Nothing to Hide: Voices of Trans and Gender Diverse Australia. Rees was awarded the 2020 Calibre Essay Prize.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For more information, visit www.queerstories.com.au and follow&
322 Omar Sakr - Poems Part II
Omar shares his poems.Omar Sakr is the author of two acclaimed poetry collections, These Wild Houses and The Lost Arabs, which won the 2020 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Poetry. His debut novel, Son of Sin, is out now.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For more information, visit www.queerstories.com.au and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, a
321 Krystal De Napoli - The Ocean Above
Krystal reflects on stargazing with her mumKrystal De Napoli is a Kamilaroi author and astrophysicist devoted to the advocacy of Indigenous knowledges and equity in STEM. She is the co-author of Astronomy: Sky Country, published in 2022, which explores the wondrous interconnected world of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander astronomy.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For more information, visit www.queers
320 Dylan Mooney - Still Thriving
Dylan reflects on the steps he took to make it as a professional artist.Dylan Mooney is a proud Yuwi, Torres Strait and South Sea Islander man from Mackay in North Queensland working across painting, printmaking, digital illustration and drawing. Legally blind, the digital medium’s backlit display allows the artist to produce a high-impact illustrative style with bright, saturated colour that reflects his experiences with keen political energy and insight. This blending of digital technology and
319 Kevin Yow Yeh - The Safari
Kevin shares one of the most exceptional experiences of his life.Kevin Yow Yeh is a Wakka Wakka and South Sea Islander man and current Higher Degree Research student and Sessional Academic at the Queensland University of Technology. Kevin is a Director at the Institute for Collaborative Race Research and is an active member of the Meanjin community where he enjoys collaborating with other First Nations peoples across academia, activism and the arts. Kevin
318 Lara Thoms - The Party
Lara is tasked with producing a party at a funeral home for work, but life ends up complicating the process.Lara Thoms is interested in socially engaged, site-specific and participatory possibilities in contemporary art and performance. She works as an artist in Field Theory and is a co-director of Aphids. For ten years she has also been a curator and producer for organistations including Dark Mofo, Supplefox, Next Wave and Performance Space. Her work has been presented with Perth International
317 Ivy Hawke - Gamers, The Most Oppressed Minority
Ivy explains how Townsville turned her into the joke making abomination she is today.Inspired by both her father and Shaun Micallef, Ivy Hawke completed a law degree then went straight to Brisbane to become a comedian. Her comedic style is a mix of chaotic ramblings, punch lines about lessons she learnt growing up queer in Townsville and disaster tales formed from not paying attention to her surroundings. Ivy runs a dungeons and dragons radio show on zed digital where she encourages writers and
316 Benjamin Law - So, You're A Homosexual
Benjamin wrestles with a recent gay trauma, and finds a way to process it and plan for the future.Benjamin Law is an Australian writer, broadcaster and absolute icon. He’s written books, TV shows, plays, he hosts Stop Everything on ABC Radio National, he writes for Good Weekend, he’s hosted documentaries, he’s on Australian Survivor, I don’t know when he sleeps, it’s outrageous.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around A
315 Shanaya Donovan - Eyebrow Propoganda
Shanaya reflects on her year 7 speech assignment.Shanaya Donovan is 18 and a proud Darug, Dhungutti and Gumbayngirr woman from Western Sydney. A lover of music and art, and believer in knowledge and truth. She’s staunch and aiming to change it up through breaking down social and cultural barriers and rewriting the rules of the world. She performed this story at Blacktown Arts Centre as part of Kolour Me Kweer an all First Nations line up curated by Steven Lindsay Ross and hosted by Neville
314 Keith Quayle - The Wounded Healer
Keith writes a letter to someone who needs to hear it.Keith Quayle is a Malyangapa and Barkindji gay man, who was raised on Dharug country. His lived experience of the NSW correctional system informs the advocacy work he carries out on behalf of trans and gender diverse people in detention. He performed this story at Blacktown Arts Centre as part of Kolour Me Kweer an all First Nations line up curated by Steven Lindsay Ross and hosted by Neville Williams Boney.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQ
313 Gary Lonesborough - The Path to Sydney
Gary remembers the events that led him from the small country town where he grew up to the big city.GaryLonesborough is an award-winning Yuin writer, who grew up on the Far South Coastof NSW as part of a large and proud Aboriginal family. His debut YA novel,THEBOY FROM THE MISH, was published in February 2021, and was published byScholastic in the U.S asREADY WHEN YOU AREin March 2022.THE BOY FROMTHE MISHhas been shortlisted for numerous awards, winning the 2022 BooktopiaFAB Award for Favourite
312 Zac Roberts - Karen
Zac learns an important life lesson: never travel with your ex.Zac Roberts is a Yuin man currently living on Wallamattagal land, Dharug country. He’s a historian, currently struggling through a PhD about the relationships between Indigenous and Jewish people in Australia since 1788. Zac has previously worked in museums, education, and as a pizza delivery driver. He performed this story at Blacktown Arts Centre as part of Kolour Me Kweer an all First Nations line up curated by Steven Lindsay
311 Jinny-Jane Smith - Jumping the Fence
Jinny-Jane realises there's something that makes her different from her loved ones, and she finds a way to tell them.Jinny-Jane Smith is a proud Wiradjuri/ Walbunja woman of the Yuin nation. Jinny identifies as a lesbian woman, mother and aunty to many. She is a dedicated advocate, giving her time to enhance communities, address social justice and self-determination for the betterment of community. Jinny is the Community Engagement Officer of BlaQ. She sits on the board of Gadigal
310 Chris Southcote - Oh, to be in the Netball Team
A coming of age tale, from junior school to a Catholic high school via more than a few netball courts.Following a very, very long corporate career, Chris Southcote burst onto the comedy scene in 2020. He has since bagged gigs throughout Australia; he was a grand finalist in Sydney’s Comedy on Edge 2021, Queensland Raw Semi-Finalist 2021 and the Sunny Coast Festivals Laughable Runner Up 2021. At an age where he could quite possibly be hitting “mid life crisis” territory, he comes armed with years
309 Aurelia St Clair - Playboy Bunnies and First Jobs
Aurelia tells a tale about working minimum wage in dimly lit stores, fashion internships and meeting Dennis Rodman at the Playboy Lounge.Aurelia St Clair is a comedian, writer, podcaster and dog mother who now calls Melbourne home. You can listen to another of Aurelia’s stories on the lockdown edition of the podcast I produced in 2020, head to Queerstories.com.au and look her up.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Austr
308 Kirsty Webeck - Otway Panther
Kirsty has an encounter with the Otway Panther...or does she?Kirsty Webeck is back with another tale, this one performed at Brisbane Comedy Festival in 2022. If you don’t know who Kirsty is, I’m not sure where you’ve been. She’s a national treasure.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For more information, visit www.queerstories.com.au and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories book is published
307 Fran Mulcahy - Who's A Sissy Now?
It takes Fran nearly a lifetime to work out why the slurs thrown at her in the schoolyard never quite sound right.Fran Mulcahy is an Ipswich based performer who is aging disgracefully, a spoken word performer, feminist writer and poet. Her first stage work was at age 10 when she performed the angel Gabrielle in the school pageant. Before retiring she had a career as a doctor, and she is currently involved in educating health professionals and medical students about the gender diverse community.
306 Jude Perl - Aim Low, Score Low
Jude resists her impulse to tell a sad a sad and traumatic story, instead finding happiness in the most unlikely of rubbish places: school.Jude Perl has been performing music and comedy for nearly a decade, touring, recording and winning 3 Green Room Awards for Best Original Songs, a Green Room Award for Best Cabaret Artiste and Best Cabaret at Melbourne Fringe. She’s sold out seasons at Melbourne Comedy Festival, packed shows at The Hotel Cafe in LA and Ronnie Scott’s in London and in 2012
305 Thomas Parer - The Year of Realising Things
An innocuous message kick-starts the second ‘Year of Realising Things’ (as Kylie Jenner would put it) for Thomas - filled with realisations that allowed him to stop worrying and love his brain.Thomas Parer is a creative producer, DJ, ex-lawyer and bon vivant living in Meanjin, probably best known for being the creator and producer of local queer dance party, Shandy. Thomas is passionate about creating safer spaces for people to connect and believes in the community building potential of parties,
304 Steven Oliver - Slut
Steven has so many slutty stories to tell - but somehow he whittles it down to three...Steven Oliver is a descendant of the Kuku-Yalanji, Waanyi, Gangalidda, Woppaburra, Bundjalung and Biripi peoples. He has worked with numerous theatre companies, festivals and arts organisations across Australia but became notorious with ABC’s Logie/AACTA nominated sketch comedy show Black Comedy as a writer/actor/associate producer. He is co-creator/writer/presenter for Indigenous Arts Quiz Show Faboriginal as
303 Christian Hull - Gag Reflex
En route to Melbourne Comedy Festival, Christian has a memorable encounter at the covid clinic.Christian Hull is a comedian and creator who has accumulated over 600 million views on his videos and gained a loyal following of over 2 million on social media. Here’s hoping every single one of those people listens to this podcast episode! Christian’s podcast “Complete Drivel’ drives over 9,000 listeners tuning into each episode to hear his outlandish stories and general chit chat and currently sits
302 Nadine Chemali - Gay Soundtrack
Nadine shares a collection of tales from a queer life.Nadine Chemali is a writer, researcher and social worker. She is dedicated to creating and nurturing communities, facilitating discussions on identity, sexuality, displacement and representation, discourse she feels was missing from her own migrant upbringing in Australia. She has written for publications like SBS Voices, The Big Issue, The Guardian and has spoken at events like Melbourne Writers Festival and Brisbane Feminist Festival.Queers
301 Jeremy Lloyd Santos - Grow Up
Jeremy's parents keep asking him, “Jerms! What do you want to be when you grow up?” Now in his twenties, he chronicles the way his answers change over time.Jeremy Lloyd Santos is a first generation Filipino Australian Movement artist and Writer who’s intersections of Dance, Spoken Word & Mythology have provided pathways, platforms and perspectives for him to explore and express his experiences and views as a Queer millennial of the Asian Diaspora living with HIV. His professional practi
300 Fahad Ali - To My Mother
Fahad remembers what it took for his mother to finally meet one of his boyfriends.Fahad Ali is a molecular biologist, science educator, and writer. He is a member of the Palestinian diaspora, a co-founder of the Queer Solidarity Film Festival and the Muslims for Marriage Equality campaign group, and a community advocate and organiser. He performed this piece at Riverside Theatres in Parramatta then again at the Sydney Opera House for All About Women.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytel
299 Gloria Demillo - Dear Elyan
Gloria pens a letter to their baby nephew and in doing so ponders what it means to be their Tita, or Tito, or simply Gloria.Gloria Demillo (they/them) is a poet, researcher and multidisciplinary creative. Their most notable contributions include the Harana Poetry Tour for the Art Gallery of New South Wales; published works with the Australian Poetry Journal, Peril Magazine, Cordite Poetry Review, Red Room Poetry; and performances at the Biennale of Sydney, the National Young Writers Festival, Wo
298 Laura Hart - The Dog, The Rockstar and the Beach
A sleepy beachside town is the unlikely setting for Laura's wildly unlikely, memorable meetcute.Laura Hart is a drag king, comedian & improviser who has been performing for yonks. They are the founder and host of popular drag show The Kings & Drag King Bingo, and have toured around Australia and internationally. They perform and teach at Improv Theatre Sydney, and in 2022 they won an Honour Award for Arts and Culture.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by
297 Eda Gunaydin - Cultural Ambassador
Eda's always considered herself a cultural ambassador for being gay, but a night out during Mardi Gras isn't quite the promotional tour she'd hoped for.Eda Gunaydin is a Turkish-Australian writer and researcher interested in class, race and diaspora. You can find her essays and creative non-fiction in Meanjin, The Sydney Review of Books and The Lifted Brow. She has been shortlisted for a Queensland Literary Award and the Scribe Non-Fiction Prize. She is currently Contributing
296 Adrian Mouhajer - BUB; Beating Up Bilal
Adrian recalls a formative encounter with a boy at school, and reflects on how their memories of fighting intersects with their experiences of gender.Adrian Mouhajer is a non-binary lesbian Lebanese writer, fighter, and all-around class clown that never really grew out of it. They specialise in over-sharing and giving good hugs which surprisingly comes in handy when they fight because they prefer grappling over striking. They currently work at ACON as a Program Coordinator of Safety, Inclusion,
295 Mary Duong – Reimagining
Mary tells a story she's well-versed in, one I’ve told herself in one form or another for as long as she can remember, but she reimagines it for where she is now.Mary Duong is a filmmaker and video artist. She created and co-wrote queer drama web series, ‘TWO WEEKS’, which premiered at Brisbane Queer Film Festival 2018, and won Best Web Series at the SAE ATOM Awards 2018. Through the Screen Queensland/SBS Unscripted initiative, she produced and co-wrote ‘BANANAS’, which was an official selection
294 Madeleine Stewart - The One Armed Bandit
Madeleine recalls the markedly different approaches her family members took to chatting to her about disability.Award-winning comedian Madeleine Stewart has performed with the likes of Adam Hills, Rove McManus and Andrew Denton. A hilarious turn on ABC Tonightly with NDIS Fails showcased her ground-breaking exploration of disability and social norms. Practicing what she preaches, Madeleine won the AMP Tomorrowmaker award for her production of inclusive, accessible comedy show Crips & Creeps.
293 Gary Lonesborough - Love Letter to Kylie
Gary writes a letter to an idol and hopes it may one day reach her...Gary Lonesborough is a Yuin writer, who grew up on the Far South Coast of NSW as part of a large and proud Aboriginal family. Growing up a massive Kylie Minogue and North Queensland Cowboys fan, Gary was always writing as a child, and continued his creative journey when he moved to Sydney to study at film school. Gary has experience working in Aboriginal health, the disability sector (including experience working in the youth j
292 AJ Lamarque - Alpha Kappa Alpha
Raised on American culture, AJ trades in the high-rises of his council estate for the rolling hills of the Bay Area and the cramped, densely populated ends of London for the seemingly never-ending mansions of campus life.Making the NSW Raw Comedy State Finals in 2020, AJ Lamarque has written for a number of TV productions (currently being developed), and has appeared on podcasts such as Wax Quizzical, Dungeons & Drag Queers, and I Speak Giant as well as being a regular contributor for Justin
291 Peter Polites - The Birth of Honoured Peasent
An excerpt from Peter's work in progress about his mother, a midwife runs through a village trying to find the person birthing.Peter Polites is a novelist from Western Sydney. He has written two queer noirs, Down the Hume and The Pillars, which won the 2020 NSW Premier’s Multicultural Literary Award. He also won the 2020 Woollahra Digital Literature Prize for Fiction. In 2021 he was the ACT Writer in Residence at UNSW Canberra and working on his third novel, God Forgets About the Poor.Queerstori
290 Josephine Inkpin - Pantomime Outings
As a child growing up in rural England, Jo discovers the queer God in unexpected places.Josephine Inkpin is the first openly and fully recognised transgender Anglican priest in Australia, now currently working as Minister of Pitt Street Uniting Church in Sydney. Chair of Equal Voices, the national network of LGBTIQ+ Christians and allies, Jo has also been a prominent leader in inter-faith, multicultural, Reconciliation and other justice activities over many years. Originally from England, and la
289 Glace Chase - Walking New York Fashion Week
Glace's attempt to walk the opening ceremony goes pear-shaped despite, or perhaps because of, encounters with Sasha Velour, Xtina and Nicki Minaj.Glace Chase is an award winning multi-disciplinary “trans-queen” / performer / playwright / comedienne / screenwriter / tour guide / bon vivant. Glace created the world’s first Drag Queen Tour Guide business – Dream Queen Tours – named “Best Alternative Tour” by the International Travel & Hospitality Awards. As a playwright Glace has won two Griffi
288 Yalda - The Little Prince
Yalda shares his journey from Iran to Australia as a refugee.Yalda is an Iranian queer man, Radical Faerie, DJ, musician, poet, activist, and masseur. Now a Lismore local, Yalda grew up surrounded by lush green nature in the north of Iran, near the Caspian Sea. He attended an Islamic High School and his experiences in Iran led him to develop a strong passion for human rights and protesting injustice. Two things guide him in life; music and massage. He uses both to work on the spirit, soul, body,
287 Sophie Wilksch - Tools
Sophie likes playing with tools...she finds a beautiful way to share that passion with others.Sophie Wilksch is the Director of Shedding Community Workshop Inc, a not-for-profit organisation located in Mullumbimby. Sophie has 10 years experience in sustainable architecture, building and carpentry and established the workshop in May 2018. Sophie is trained in non-violent communication and Mental Health First Aid. Shedding Community Workshop offers a safe space and haven, aiming to share life skil
286 Huey Acuna - Where Did I Come From?
After leaving Chile for Australia as a child, Huey has persistent questions about where he comes from, til a family secret is revealed that changes everything.Huey Acuna aka Ru Bella came to Australia from Chile in 1975 as a refugee with his family of 6. Huey has been performing as a Drag Queen for the past 15 years, and has been performing more broadly since 1988 including stage, TV and events, as well as teaching singing and dancing.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project di
285 Jex Lopez - From Surviving To Thriving
Jex shares a story about healing from trauma through therapy and music while working as a children's performer in regional NSW.Jex Lopez is mostly known amongst queers as a singer songwriting pianist. A vaudevillian cabaret noir artist, her music and style is intrinsically tied to her identity as a queer Latina Meztiça with Portuguese Indian heritage. Jex creates unconventional and elaborate costumes and projections to accompany her unique sound stories. She released her irreverent debut album ‘
284 Peter Lehner - Spirit Encounters
Through their encounters with ghosts - sexual, familial, always magical - Peter questions what is real, and finds such encounters are more common than you'd think.Peter Lehner lives in the rainbow region and travels to connect with communities. Their many years of experience includes acting, directing and production of short films, TV, theatre and cabaret. Best known for their work with choirs and singing, the Universal Peace Federation, a worldwide, non-profit organization founded to advance th
283 Travis Larcombe - The Good Samaritan of Hocking Street, Footscray
Soon after moving to Naarm, Travis moves into a sharehouse in Footscray, finding a sense of belonging that inspires him to research his local family history.Travis Larcombe is a local queer writer and proud resident of Tuggeranong. They have been writing funny, sad and inspiring stories since they were old enough to pick up a crayon. Their work has previously been published in SBS Voices, The Chaser, and Perspektif magazine.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by M
282 Yenn Purkiss - From Prison to Public Service
Yenn shares a story about contending with their past.Yenn Purkiss is an autistic and non-binary author, advocate, public speaker and community leader. They also have a diagnosis of schizophrenia. They are the author of nine published books on elements of autism and blog regularly. Yenn is a public speaker of almost 20 years’ experience and has presented at a range of events including for TEDx Canberra in 2013. Yenn facilitates an autism support group which has been running since 2011. They
281 Joo-In Chew - Ice Cream at The Crem
When Joo-Inn and her brother meet Liz from the crematorium their grief turns to delirium as they try to plan their father's funeral.Joo-Inn Chew is a writer and doctor working in general practice and refugee health. She has had short stories, memoir and poetry published in various anthologies, most recently 'Growing Up Queer in Australia' and 'These Strange Outcrops: Writing and Art from Canberra'. She lives in Canberra with her partner and two children.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ stor
280 Dale Sheridan - You Can't Fight Nature
Dale shares a story about facing her fears relating to transition during a trip to Nepal.Dale Sheridan is a writer, transgender advocate and lawyer. Her writing on transgender and broader LGBTIQ+ issues has been published in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Canberra Times, Stuff.co.nz and snowsbest.com. She has also appeared on ABC Radio and at various public speaking engagements to share aspects of her lived experience as a woman with a transgender history.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQ
279 Jordan Shea - Lola
Jordan reflects on the bond between child - 'Apo' - and Grandmother - 'Lola' - during an ugly chapter of Australian history.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For more information, visit www.queerstories.com.au and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia.To support Queerstori
278 Krissy Kneen - The Day I Danced Burlesque
Feeling disconnected from her body, Krissy signs up for a burlesque class.Krissy Kneen is the author of the bestselling memoir Affection; the novels Steeplechase, Triptych, The Adventures of Holly White and the Incredible Sex Machine; and the Thomas Shapcott Award–winning poetry collection Eating My Grandmother. Her novel An Uncertain Grace was shortlisted for the Stella Prize, the Norma K Hemming Award and the Aurealis awards, while Wintering was longlisted for the
277 Rebecca Starford - The Story of the Seven Cats
Rebecca leans in to the trope of lesbians and cats, adopting not one but seven to appease her animal loving wife.Rebecca Starford is the author Bad Behaviour: A Memoir of Bullying and Boarding School and novel The Imitator. She is the Co-founder and Publishing Director of Kill Your Darlings magazine and a former editor at Text Publishing and Affirm Press. Bad Behaviour is currently in development with Matchbox Pictures for adaptation into a TV series. Rebecca recently completed a PhD at the Univ
276 Alistair Baldwin - Cult
Alistair briefly dates a man who tries multiple times to convert him to his cult.Alistair Baldwin is a writer, comedian, thought leader and sometimes blonde. He has written for The Weekly, Hard Quiz, Get Krack!n and At Home Alone Together. He is a member of experimental comedy duo Nemeses with Vidya Rajan. He has been published in Metro, Archer, The Guardian and ACMI Ideas – and is a contributor to Growing Up Disabled In Australia.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project d
275 Kaya Wilson - Transition in Translation
Kaya goes hiking with his mother in the Himalayas, an extract from his memoir As Beautiful As Any Other: a memoir of my body, published by Pan McMillan in 2021.Kaya Wilson is a writer and tsunami scientist whose work has been published widely. In 2019, Kaya was the recipient of the Writing NSW Varuna Fellowship where he completed his first book As Beautiful as Any Other: A memoir of my body, published by Pan Macmillan.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Maeve M
274 Hayden Moon - Becoming A 'Senior Man'
Hayden shares his experience being the first transgender person to compete in Irish Dancing competitions in so-called "Australia".Hayden Moon is an out and proud 26 year old Queer, legally blind, transmasculine person. He is a PhD candidate in Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Sydney, a Pinnacle Foundation Scholar and a competitive Irish dancer. In any spare time he can find, he advocates for the LGBTQIA+, disabled and First Nations communities through his roles in various act
273 Joe Levitt - Love You, I Do
Joe shares a moving story of family, love, dance and Parkinson's Disease.Joe Levitt moved to Australia from America in 1996 at the age of 36. He recently retired from work in clinical trials, but has also been a dance instructor, flight attendant, registered nurse, pharmaceutical rep, and bartender. When not contemplating what to be when he grows up, he can be found biking, swimming, at the dog park, or dancing with his husband.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed
272 Fiona Kelly McGregor - Of Porn, Parties and the Perils of Censorship
In the mid-90s, balancing the hedonism of being embedded in the queer community with the formalities of her growing profile as a writer, Fiona takes a memorable trip to Queensland.Fiona Kelly McGregor has published seven books, most recently the essay collection Buried not dead. Her novel Indelible Ink won the Age Book of the Year. Her other books include the photoessay A Novel Idea, travel memoir Strange Museums, short story colle
271 Tamara Natt-Fawcett - Masturbating For Jesus
A brief career as some sort of cult leader lands a young Tamara in trouble after she preaches self-discovery from the top of the school slippery dip.Tamara Natt (she/her) is a queer poet, essayist and playwright living with her wife and the local bird gangs on the semi-rural Australian coastline. Spanning her beat poetry play ALPHA (Edinburgh Fringe Festival) to A Letter to Everyone I Have Ever Met, an online project that interrogates the significance of first
270 Brendan Hancock - At The Table
A queer reboot of the Arthurian table of legend, but this time with lesbians, drag queens and a ghost.Brendan Hancock is a Sydney based comedian who is well-known on the scene. You've heard him on FBi radio, seen him host the rave-reviewed Two Queers Walk Into a Bar at Giant Dwarf Theatre, and as the resident MC of Darlo Underground at Darlinghurst Theatre. Not one to let 2020 get him down, he also co-produced the Two Queers Festival, Australia’s first queer comedy festival! Already a crowd fave
269 Ani Sidzamba - From Ice Queen to King
Ani meets a certain lady in red who forces her to upend a lifetime of self-protection.Anivuyina (Ani) Sidzamba is a; black activist, actress and Sydney Drag King -Malcolm XY. Ani's drag style focuses on highlighting black excellence through spoken word, dance, comedy and lipsync. She has taken her performances all across Sydney stages and actively promotes and encourages black visibility and participation within the Sydney queer scene. Ani was born and raised in South Africa until migrating to t
268 Rosie Piper - I Like You
Rosie doesn't have great luck with showing vulnerability in the world of romance. Here are but a few embarrassing calamities from a life well (read: poorly) lived.Rosie Piper is Australia’s premier transgender lesbian comedian*. “A long-running favourite of Sydney’s comedy scene, you might’ve seen Rosie perform her stand-up at the Sydney Opera House, Enmore Theatre, on Tonightly, at Splendour in the Grass or just at gigs all around the country, supporting the likes
267 Frances Lockie - A Token
Frances shares a story of migration, Mills and Boon, and a daughter finally recognising her mother.By day, Frances Lockie is a public servant turned corporate sellout clinging desperately to the vestiges of her soul by working on human services projects. By night, she is a mouthy dork who has strong opinions about pro wrestling, One Direction, and sex playlists. Her first crush was Joey McIntyre from New Kids on the Block.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Mae
266 Imogen Kelly - Close To The Bone
Imogen reflects on bodies, history, gender and connection, remembering her mother, an ex-partner and her childhood.Imogen Kelly is a performance artist, writer, director and producer. Hailing from the queer underground, Imogen is renowned as Australia’s Queen of Burlesque and was officially crowned World Queen of Burlesque in 2012 (Burlesque Hall of Fame, Las Vegas).
A La Clique/ La Soiree veteran and creator of award winning burlesque theatre shows, Imogen has performed in The Sydney Opera Hou
265 Dan Murphy - The Smoking Section
Dan shares a story about his relationship to smoking, and its connection to family, community and his sense of self.Dan Murphy is a DJ and filmmaker, and is not to be confused with the liquor shop, although they both are full of cheap booze. He's been the opening DJ for Cher, Kylie and Dannii Minogue, created community videos for marriage equality, GetUp! and Mardi Gras, and was a regular columnist for QX Magazine and Same Same.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed
264 Trent Wallace - Goodbye Gadigal... Movin' to Meanjin!
After a stark realisation that childhood dreams aren't always the best realities, Trent decides to move to Meanjin. Trent Wallace lives on Gadigal country and is a First Nations Advisor and Pro Bono Lawyer in a global law firm - the first and only Aboriginal person to hold this position. Prior to this, Trent was the first Aboriginal lawyer on the Disability Royal Commission and was with Australian Government Solicitor. In between these positions, he developed postgraduate course content that equ
263 Evie Ryder - Body Varial
Evie tells a tale about learning how to ride through transition. Evie Ryder is a Skateboarder, Trans Female, pansexual, Film maker, Community activist .She has 20 years social work experience working with LGBTIQAP+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy people and communities. Evie has a history of working in AOD, mental health, sexual health, group work and training. Evie is passionate about visibility and empowerment of all parts of the community. Biggest Achievement for 2020 being voted as
262 Yen-Rong Wong - A Missing Atlas
Yen-Rong attempts to let go of a decade-long grudge over a missing atlas. Yen-Rong Wong is a writer of of non-fiction based in Meanjin (Brisbane), on unceded Jaggera and Turrbal land. Her work has appeared in many print and online publications, including The Guardian, Meanjin, and Griffith Review, and she is currently working on her first full length manuscript, Things Left Unsaid. Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events arou
261 Fletcher Quilty - Patience
Fletcher's obsession with a particular piece of rainbow paraphernalia drives this radiographer round the bend. Fletcher Quilty was found face-down in a lovely bog when grunge was on the rise. He writes short-stories, poetry, and theatre. His words can be found in Jacaranda Journal, The Tundish Review, Sugarcane, PASTEL Magazine, and occasionally on a stage. By day (and also by night—it's shift work) Fletcher is a radiographer with Queensland Health. He still smells of peat.Queerstories an award-
260 Roj Amedi - Hugs and Kisses
Roj tells a story about going out, and about the sacred wonder of a queer bar. Roj Amedi is a writer, strategist and human rights campaigner. She is currently the Engagement and Communications Manager at Justice Connect, where she leads a team on advocacy, communications and fundraising. She also serves as a Director of the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival and Overland Journal. Previously, Roj was the Senior Human Rights and Racial Justice Campaigner at Getup, where she expanded the work of C
259 Michael James - What's in a name?
Michael has a chat with his foster son on one of their regular visits to the dog park. Michael James is a teacher, writer, producer and the current entertainment editor for Qnews magazine. In 2011 Michael and his husband came to prominence as part of the “RipnRoll” campaign that gained international attention and spurred his involvement in queer activism. He has served on the Brisbane Pride Festival committee for 8 years and been an active part of the Brisbane queer community. In 2011 Michael an
258 Madhuraa Prakash - Cry-baby President
Mads joins the Model UN, changing her life's course and shifting her relationship to expressing her emotions. Madhuraa Prakash, also known as Mads, is an activist, formerly working with PLAN International Australia, and a drag king who performs under the name 'Manish Interest'. Born in Sri Lanka and raised in Australia, she has spoken of her experiences as a queer brown woman on panels for organisations like Women's Agenda and is keen to have another chance to share her voice with her community.
257 David Moutou - Tracing my place(s)
David ponders maps, memory and a sense of place, while sharing a story of his time in the Sydney University Catholic Society, David Moutou has worked in local government in Western Sydney for the last ten years. Prior to this, he worked for Twenty10, and was a Director and Chairperson of The Aurora Group, a LGBTIQ philanthropic foundation. In the years before YouTube and Smart Phones, David performed as Sandy Toggs at The Imperial Hotel. David is addicted to 1980s style aerobics and has a s
256 Mark Mariano - Angry @ Anne Hathaway
Mark, Doonside's resident hopeless romantic, is yet to find his Mr Right. Is he just down on his luck? Or have rom-coms set an astronomically high standard that this chubby gaysian just cannot seem to shake? Mark Mariano is an Australian-born Filipino editor, writer, model, and social media whiz from Doonside on Darug land. Mark works at SBS in an editorial role and is also an active member of SBS Pride’s steering committee. He is also part of the Sweatshop Western Sydney Literary Movement, thro
255 Jane Marsden - My Awakening
An unexpected encounter in the hospital cafeteria awakens Jane, then a young nurse, to a career as a lesbian and an activist. Jane Marsden is a learning and development professional and project manager. She commenced her career in LGBTI+ community organizing and activism in the early eighties. In the early nineties she was appointed to the Board of Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras on which she served for five years. Shortly thereafter she joined the Board of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Community P
254 Miranda Aguilar - Bend Your Knees
Miranda lays out their thesis for why everyone should skate.Miranda Aguilar is a proud, queer, Filipinx writer, creative producer and community arts worker. They're passionate about working with young people and providing inclusive, accessible pathways for people to tell their own stories. They write scripts and stories for soft-spoken brown weirdoes, spicy gay nerds and hopeful pessimists.Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ storytelling project directed by Maeve Marsden, with regula
253 Naomi Mourra - The Last Days
Naomi finds that growing up a Jehovah's Witness prepared her for 2020 in unexpected ways.As Sydney’s only Lebanese, lesbian, ex-Jehovah’s Witness comedian, Naomi Mourra is your gateway woman to chicks, chickpeas, cults and culture. Her solo show, An Open Book, debuted in 2018 and she has since had sold out runs at the Sydney Fringe Comedy Festival and the Sydney Comedy Festival. She co-founded and co-produced What She Said, Sydney’s first weekly all women's comedy night. Not satisfied with just
252 Belinda Quinn - A Song, A Body
Belinda explores the impact of trauma on the body, and considers what is possible for them if they change the way they connect to others, change the way they experience pleasure. Belinda Quinn writes, listens, plays and rests on the lands of the Yuin and Dharawal language groups. They have worked in street press, commercial magazines, in sound and in venues, and have volunteered for community radio. You can read more of their work at belindaquinn.com. Queerstories an award-winning LGBTQI+ s
251 Neisha Murphy - The Juggler
From humble beginnings in Yass, Neisha didn’t expect to end up a circus entertainer traveling the world. She looks back on her childhood and the moments that indicated who she might become. Neisha Murphy is a vibrant variety entertainer and director who blends a mix of physical skill and characterisation with juggling, slack rope, hosting, comedy and a range of dare devil stunts. Neisha has worked for The South African State Theatre, Legs on the Wall, The Hoopla Festival, The Flying Kiwi Ci
250 Joshua Lobb - Soon As
A teenage encounter by the water, Schnapps, and memory – Joshua shares his own gentle take on the well-worn coming of age. Joshua Lobb teaches Creative Writing at the University of Wollongong. His stories have appeared in The Bridport Prize Anthology, Best Australian Stories, Animal Studies Journal, Griffith Review, Text, Southerly and Island. His ‘novel in stories’ about grief and climate change, The Flight of Birds (Sydney University Press, 2019) was shortlisted for the 201
249 Ellen Van Neerven - A 30th Birthday
After an encounter at their 30th birthday, Ellen considers friendship, connection and the colonial construct of gender.Ellen van Neerven is an award-winning writer, editor and educator of Mununjali Yugambeh and Dutch heritage with strong ancestral ties to South East Queensland. They write fiction, poetry and non-fiction, and play football on unceded Turrbal and Yuggera land. van Neerven’s books, Heat and Light, Comfort Food and most recently Throat have won countless awards. They are the editor
248 Pierce Eldridge - Douche
Being a young queer baby is practically the equivalent of having to be an undercover private investigator to your own sexuality. Pierce tries to find out the basics of gay sex, with hilarious results. Pierce Eldridge is a sensitive gender non-conforming curator and writer based on the Gold Coast; with lavender bulbs blooming for brains. They have a distinct interest in poetry and photography, often blending the two disciplines when discussing the intersections of art, queerness, and contemp
247 Liv Hewson - Birthday
Performing for 600 people at the Opera House on their 25th birthday, a birthday they never expected to reach, Liv looks back through the years and tells themselves a few things. A dynamic and versatile actor, Liv Hewson is continuing to hone their craft with each new role. They starred in Netflix's hit comedy series, SANTA CLARITA DIET opposite Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, performed in the 2018 feature film PUZZLE directed by Marc Turtletaub and appeared ABC’s hit comedy series
246 Omar Sakr - Poems
Award-winning poet Omar Sakr shares some of his work, inviting the audience into his process and passions.Omar Sakr is an award-winning poet born and raised in Western Sydney to Lebanese and Turkish Muslim migrants. He is the author of These Wild Houses (Cordite Books, 2017), which was shortlisted for the Judith Wright Calanthe Award and the Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry, as well as The Lost Arabs (University of Queensland Press, 2019), which was shortlisted for the Judith Wright Calanthe Awa
245 Cadance Bell - A Tale of Two Kitties
Growing up in Mudgee in rural NSW, a young Cadance learns a brutal lesson while out driving with her father.Cadance Bell is an emerging writer, producer and director. She is the CEO and co-founder of production company Wayflair Studios, where she unmakes prejudice through entertainment. Cady was the writer/director of The Rainbow Passage – commissioned by Screen Australia and Network Ten and the award winning comedy horror short Mirror Spider. Selected into Cohort One for the Poplabs Social Impa
244 Nadine Chemali - Love Lost
Nadine reflects on an epic love that lasted years but never quite happened.Nadine Chemali is a writer, researcher and social worker. She is dedicated to creating and nurturing communities, facilitating discussions on identity, sexuality, displacement and representation, discourse she feels was missing from her own migrant upbringing in Australia. She has written for publications like SBS Voices, The Big Issue, The Guardian and has spoken at events like Melbourne Writers Festival and Brisbane Fem
242 Samuel Leighton Dore - Moments of Culture That Raised Me
Samuel shares a countdown of the key moments from Australian 90s and 00s popculture wthat helped shape the person he would become.Samuel Leighton-Dore is a multidisciplinary artist and writer based on the Gold Coast. With a keen interest in mental health and masculinity, Leighton-Dore writes for SBS Voices and produces work spanning ceramics, LED neon, illustration, animation and painting. His book of illustrations, How To Be A Big Strong Man, was released through Smith Street Books and Simon an
242 Sarah Tiong - Rio
Sometimes the inspiration to change your life can come from unlikely places. Sarah shares the story of meeting the person who inspired her to apply for MasterChef Australia.Best known as one of MasterChef Australia’s favourite contestants from 2017 and 2020, Sarah Tiong’s passion for and love of sharing food is a joy to watch and be a part of. Sarah is the successful author of the sensational cookbook Sweet, Savory, Spicy and owner of pop-up market stall Pork Party. However, Sarah wasn’t always
Queerstories 2020 | Community | Miss Katalyna & Alex Gallagher
Queerstories 2020 is a special series of the Queerstories podcast recorded during the lockdown months of 2020, featuring LGBTQI+ storytellers reflecting on the events of the year.To conclude Queerstories 2020, this episode features stories about community, or rather, about the impact on so many of us when we lost access to community in 2020.Miss Katalyna is a proud Samoan Fa’afafine/Transwoman. She is the host of Australia’s first LGBTQIA+ multicultural cooking show presented by Thorne Harbour H
Queerstories 2020 | Belonging | Valerie Berry & Nevo Zisin
Queerstories 2020 is a special series of the Queerstories podcast recorded during the lockdown months of 2020, featuring LGBTQI+ storytellers reflecting on the events of the year.This week’s episodes are about belonging, and on that feeling of home you get when you're with the people you love.Valerie Berry is a Filipino Australian actor, performance maker, theatre educator and emerging director. She grew up in country South Australia, Ceduna, part of the traditional lands of the Wirangu people.
Queerstories 2020 | Resilience | Zoya Gill and Mark du Potiers
Queerstories 2020 is a special series of the Queerstories podcast recorded during the lockdown months of 2020, featuring LGBTQI+ storytellers reflecting on the events of the year.Stories about the experiences queers have that can equip us to deal with the challenges thrown at us, our strength and resilience, how we navigate communication and manage our relationships in different ways.Zoya Gill grew up in London but lived sitting across worlds. In a sentence, they’re a mixed-race, trans non-binar
Queerstories 2020 | Risk | Maeve Marsden & Trent Wallace
Queerstories 2020 is a special series of the Queerstories podcast recorded during the lockdown months of 2020, featuring LGBTQI+ storytellers reflecting on the events of the year.In a year where it was often risky to simply go outside, Maeve and Trent reflect on risks they've taken in their own lives, with either positive or disastrous consequences.Maeve Marsden is a writer, director, producer and performer who works across both main stage and fringe / independent venues and festivals. She is th
Queerstories 2020 | Connection | Atul Joshi and Sarah Asumadu
Queerstories 2020 is a special series of the Queerstories podcast recorded during the lockdown months of 2020, featuring LGBTQI+ storytellers reflecting on the events of the year.These stories are about connection to culture and community, how that was impacted by the pandemic and lockdowns, and about the very specific connection that comes through desire. Atul Joshi is first up. A former classical musician, Atul lives in NSW's Southern Highlands and works at Bundanon Trust in the Shoalhave
Queerstories 2020 | Haunting | Queenie Bon Bon and Victoria Zerbst
Queerstories 2020 is a special series of the Queerstories podcast recorded during the lockdown months of 2020, featuring LGBTQI+ storytellers reflecting on the events of the year.This week’s stories pertain to a haunting of sorts, from the paranormal to the pathological.Queenie Bon Bon is a writer, performance artist and sex worker living and working in Narrm/melbourne. Their work focuses on labour and the body. They have created four full length shows - which have toured in Australia, Euro
Queerstories 2020 | Purpose | Bronte Noakes and Sarah Langston
Queerstories 2020 is a special series of the Queerstories podcast recorded during the lockdown months of 2020, featuring LGBTQI+ storytellers reflecting on the events of the year.These stories are about the things that can give you purpose and meaning in the face of destabilising change.Bronte Noakes has worked with children and young people since they were a child, wiping tears, noses and bums and chasing kids til the cows come home. They're in their Honours year studying Psychology and were on
Queerstories 2020 | Conspiracy | Michael Sun & Ernest Price
Queerstories 2020 is a special series of the Queerstories podcast recorded during the lockdown months of 2020, featuring LGBTQI+ storytellers reflecting on the events of the year.As if the internet wasn’t already awash with enough flat earthers and people who think they’re aliens, 2020 brought us a whole new onslaught of religious fervour. These next two writers were inspired, this year, to delve into their own cult-ish connections.Michael Sun is the Culture Editor at Netflix ANZ via Junkee. Thi
Queerstories 2020 | Grief | Patrick Lenton & Aurelia St Clair
Queerstories 2020 is a special series of the Queerstories podcast recorded during the lockdown months of 2020, featuring LGBTQI+ storytellers reflecting on the events of the year.Stories about grief, about the way the pandemic impacted our rituals of loss, and the impact of lockdowns on grieving, connection and memory.Patrick Lenton is the Editor of Junkee. He is the author of the short story collection 'A Man Made Entirely of Bats' and the essay collection 'Uncle Hercules and Other Lies'.Aureli
Queerstories 2020 | Home | Giselle Au Nhien Nguyen & Farz Edraki
Queerstories 2020 is a special series of the Queerstories podcast recorded during the lockdown months of 2020, featuring LGBTQI+ storytellers reflecting on the events of the year.The stories of this series were recorded in sharehouse bedrooms and bathrooms, on outback properties and in suburban homes, rather than at the big celebratory Queerstories events of the past five years. These stories are both about home, and about how our perspective on home shifted in 2020.Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen is a
Queerstories 2020 | Family | Enoch Mailangi and Nayuka & Witt Gorrie
Queerstories 2020 is a special series of the Queerstories podcast recorded during the lockdown months of 2020, featuring LGBTQI+ storytellers reflecting on the events of the year.These stories are about queer, blak family, both in the general sense and also in a very specific sense; they’re about one particular queer and blak family.Enoch Mailangi is a TV writer and text-based artist based in Lakemba. They are a 2020 Sydney Theatre Company Emerging Playwright, a 2020 Urban Theatre Project Reside
Queerstories 2020 | Pandemic | Holly Zwalf & Kerry Bashford
Queerstories 2020 is a special series of the Queerstories podcast recorded during the lockdown months of 2020, featuring LGBTQI+ storytellers reflecting on the events of the year.This episode's stories both speak to medical intervention, to fear and to hope, and they’re both about pandemics, in their own way.Holly Zwalf is a queer solo parent by choice who lives in a little log cabin in the bush with her wild child. She’s a filmmaker, freelance writer, performer, and smutty spoken word artist, a
241 Michael Kruger - Whip-Me Houston
Having moved to the Netherlands to meet his gay donor father, a young hetero-ish male - raised by lesbian parents - explores his sexuality and queer identity. Michael Kruger is a published author, screenwriter and probably the most overly-sensitive new-age boy working full-time in sports media. He was raised by his two mums in Melbourne, but as gay luck would have it, he looks almost exactly like his donor dad. Michael is finishing a book about his queer family, and about his experience of
240 Brenna Harding - Queerspawn Siblinghood
Brenna remembers her desperate campaign to convince her mothers to give her a sibling.Brenna Harding is an actor, board member of Wear it Purple, founder of Moonlight Feminist and LGBT rights advocate. She's performed in productions for Melbourne Theatre Company, Sydney Theatre Company, The Old Fitz Theatre, Belvoir St, Malthouse and Griffin Theatre Company. She is best known for her role in Puberty Blues but you might have also seen her in Secret City, The Code, My Place, Packed to the Rafters,
239 Tea Uglow - The Three of Us
An everyday story about the perils of dating while trans while face-blind with Dissociative Identity Disorder.Tea Uglow is a founder member of Google's Creative Lab where she works on a range of projects with cultural organisations and practitioners using digital tools to amplify or augment their artistic practice. She has published 4 books including the recent Loud and Proud anthology of LGBTQ+ speeches, and was awarded a Peabody for digital storytelling in 2018. Tea likes pop-physics, behaviou
238 Marlee Jane Ward - Unruly
Marlee pens a love letter of sorts to her nail technician, the queerest of queer babes who's excellence and creativity makes her feel powerful.Marlee Jane Ward is a writer living on Wurundjeri Land. She is the author of the award-winning Orphancorp trilogy and is currently living her dream of being someone's fabulous goth aunt.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com,
237 Ana Maria Gomides - I Look Pretty Crying
Ana Maria has a panic attack on the 19, and reflects on how dressing up can be a coping mechanism for neurodiverse queers.Ana Maria Gomides is a 28-year-old, 167cm tall, Brown babe living in Narrm; usually a top but will switch for qts who ask nicely; not gay as in happy, but queer as in doesn't give a shit about the junk you're packing; non-monogs, currently in an open relationship with herself; mostly here cos her therapist told her to date more; primarily looking for: compliments and validati
236 Dennis Altman - The Masseur and the Lunch Party
Dennis goes on a walk down memory lane, all the way to the Adelaide Festival 1988.Dennis Altman first came to attention with the publication of his book Homosexual: Oppression & Liberation in 1972. His most recent book Unrequited Love: Diary of an Accidental Activist was published last year. Dennis is Emeritus Professor and Professorial Fellow in the Institute for Human Security at LaTrobe University. He was President of the AIDS Society of Asia and the Pacific and has been a Board member of
235 Tenille Rogers - Granny Pam
Tenille shares the story of their Granny Pam, a fierce woman who was one of the very first air hostesses working for South African Airways and who was instrumental in making Tenille the person they are today.Born in Namibia to a South African and a Brit, Tenille Rogers inherited a love for singing and performing from their musical parents. They have performed around the world in bands, in theatre, in cabaret, doing weird burlesque, drag Kinging and doing a lot of karaoke. They are currently on t
234 Jenna Suffern - A Letter To My Future Ex Girlfriend
Jenna delivers an open apology to everyone she's ever dated, and in the process of writing it learns a little more about why those relationships ended.Jenna Suffern is a Sydney based comedian, writer and actor. She has written for Pedestrian.TV and produces a monthly queer comedy room, ‘Two Queers Walk Into A Bar' at Giant Dwarf, first Friday of the month, now with a live stream. Despite all of this, her biggest achievement was once being introduced as a "prominent Newtown lesbian".Queerst
233 Iz Connell - Aviophobia
On a short but terrifying flight, Iz makes an unexpected connection.Iz Connell is an activist, writer and social worker. She's best known for being "that really tall girl at leather/bear parties", or the first woman to be elected to the committee of the Harbour City Bears. Iz is a ferocious femme lesbian with a long herstory of supporting LGBTI organizations, and has been described, hopefully jokingly, as the reigning Queen of the Sydney bear community. She'd like to think she's a force to be re
232 Ally and Bec - Seducing Bec Shaw
It seemed an impossible task, but with much persistence and a lot of hilarity, Ally finally managed to seduce the internet's favourite lesbian, brocklesnitch aka Rebecca Shaw.Rebecca Shaw (aka @brocklesnitch) is a writer and creator of the parody Twitter account @notofeminism, which was developed into an illustrated book with Affirm Press. She wrote for Tonightly with Tom Ballard and is currently on the writing team for Hard Quiz. She's been published by Junkee, The Guardian, Daily Life and Kill
231 Ally and Stevie - My Favourite Ex
Stevie and Ally remember their relationship and reflect on why they're each other's favourite ex.Ally Garrett has been writing and speaking on body politics and fat activism for the past decade. She also has a corporate day job, working as a CX Director in the media intelligence industry. Her activism comes in many forms; most notably posting horny selfies on the internet. Stevie Jack Wilder is a Theatre and Gender studies graduate, now working in the weird and wonderful world of reality TV
230 Laura and Ernest - Tragic and Sudden
After Laura and Ernest consciously uncouple, they discover that the road to smug queer family is paved in grief.Laura Mitchell is originally from Perth and now lives in the Macedon Ranges on Woiwurrung Country, just outside Melbourne. They're a librarian and a textile artist with the firm and tender hands of a goat-herd. They hope that one day their chronic anxiety will let up enough for them to write something beyond some really touching Instagram captions.After spending his late teens and earl
229 Hayley Katzen - Flowers
After a year of heartbreaking grief, Hayley reflects on the most precious gifts she has received.Hayley Katzen's essays have been published in Australian, American and Asian journals and anthologies including Australian Book Review, Griffith Review, Southerly, Fourth Genre and Kenyon Review. Untethered is her debut memoir.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and f
228 Ellen Van Neervan - Throat
Ellen shares poems from their most recent collection Throat, along with insights as to their creative process and inspiration for the work.Ellen van Neerven is an award-winning writer, editor and educator of Mununjali Yugambeh and Dutch heritage with strong ancestral ties to South East queensland. They write fiction, poetry and non-fiction, and play football on unceded Turrbal and Yuggera land. van Neerven's book, Heat and Light, Comfort Food and most recently Throat have won countless awards. T
227 Sally Rugg - Beans
When Sally fell in love with Kate she knew she'd found something special, but she wasn't ready for the real romance: her relationship with Kate's cat Beans.Sally Rugg is an LGBTIQ rights activist, writer and public speaker. She is Executive Director at political activist group change.org, and was previously Campaign Director at GetUp where she lead the campaign for marriage equality for five years. She wrote to How Powerful We Are, her first book, about that campaign.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ s
226 Johnny Valkyrie - The Magic of Misfortune
Johnny weaves a tale of two cities, and of his queer family history.Johnny Valkyrie is an activist and educator. He was awarded Young Transgender Person of the Year 2019 by the Queensland Council of LGBTI+ Health. Johnny enjoys florals, galleries and retro knickknacks.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories bo
225 Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen - How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bum
After watching a life-changing episode of Broad City, Giselle's life is filled by a new and consuming passion.Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen was a recipient of The Wheeler Centre's inaugural Next Chapter fellowship. Her writing has appeared in BuzzFeed, frankie, Junkee, Kill Your Darlings and Meanjin, and she was a regular columnist for Daily Life throughout 2016. She has appeared at Melbourne Writers Festival, National Young Writers' Festival and Women of Letters. Giselle
224 Claire Christian - Dreams Do Come True
Just before her first book launch, Claire is given an unexpected gift by her friend: the self-published adolescent masterpiece of a rom com she wrote when she was 14.Claire Christian is a playwright, author and theatre maker, who has spent a lot of career working with teenagers. Her first novel, Beautiful Mess won the Text Publishing Text Prize in 2016. Her play Lysa and The Freeborn Dames debuted at La Boite in 2018. She directed Michelle Law's smash hit comedy Single Asian Female. And her next
223 Nina Oyama - Scott Morrison Sucks Dicks For Jesus
Nina becomes famous on twitter for cum jokes and it doesn't wholly end well.Nina Oyama is a stand up comic, writer, actress and worm girl who needs you and loves you and will hold you in her arms, upon request. She has performed all around Australia and has written for radio, stage and TV. She was a writer on Tonightly with Tom Ballard, appeared as Courtney on Utopia on ABC, and is also writer/director of comedy web series The Angus Project which was part of ABC's Fresh Blood 2017 initiative. La
222 Chris Brown - Bad Teenage Poetry
Chris has kept all of his teenage diaries. They are full of stories about high school, his first crummy job, girls that he thought that he liked, family arguments, his mum, his strong religious beliefs and him maybe being gay.Chris Brown grew up in the small coastal suburb of Stockton, in a deeply religious household. Chris works in Community Services as the coordinator of a vibrant and bustling Community Centre. He is a practicing artist and photographer, currently working on a photography proj
221 Sian Gammie - Replacing Your Gorilla Suit
Sian shares a story about friendship, getting massages and arguing about Jesus.Sian Gammie is a writer and an English teacher who loves seating plans, Mrs Doubtfire and her mum. She has written for the Sydney Morning Herald and the ABC, and blogs at thesianshow.comQueerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories book i
220 Will Kostakis - My Father Haunts Me
When Will's career as an author takes off at just 19, he writes many stories about his father's absence, but it would take a few more years before he considered trying to find him.Will Kostakis is a writer of all things, from celebrity news stories that score cease and desist letters, to tweets for professional wrestlers. He's best known for his award-winning Young Adult fiction. His first novel, Loathing Lola, was released when he was just 19. His second, The First Third, won the 2014 Gold Inky
219 Aunty Denise McGuinness - Get That Checked
Aunty Denise yarns about family.Aunty Denise McGuinness is a Gunditjmara, Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri woman based in Melbourne. She's a proud mum to Robert, Chantel and Dawn, as well as a grandmother to Eli Dennis and Nate John. She works in community health at the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service and since her success in the Deadly Funny comedy competition she has been performing locally at conferences and NAIDOC week events.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Mar
218 Tarsha Jago - The Catholic Aboriginal
Tarsha shares a story of faith, family and identity.Tarsha Jago is a law student and Project Officer, Drug Policy and Reform at Department of Health & Human Services, Victoria.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The new Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased on Book
217 Isobel Morphy-Walsh - Bimbadan Ba Doranbu
In the beginning and now, a story of body, country and connection.Isobel Morphy-Walsh, a proud Nirim Baluk Woman from the Taun Wurrung (Taungurung) people. She is a lover of anecdote, an artist, an activist, an educator and weaver. Isobel has spent her life working with her community and culture with a particular emphasis on history and its relevance to today. For the last three years, Isobel has worked inside museums with Victorian First Peoples histories, stories and cultures. Queerstorie
216 Nayuka Gorrie - Therapy
Sometimes imagining a little murder is the only way Nayuka can get through the day.Nayuka Gorrie is a Kurnai/Gunai, Gunditjmara, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta writer who's been published by The Guardian Australia, NITV, Junkee, the Saturday Paper, the Lifted Brow, Kill Your Darlings and Archer Magazine. They were a Wheeler Centre Next Chapter recipient in 2018, and they've written for TV including Black Comedy, Get Krackin! and The Heights.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by
216 Tarneen Onus-Williams - Grief is Weird
After a trip to Wiradjuri country and a chat with Aunty Pat Doolan, Tarneen considers their relationship to grief.Tarneen Onus Williams is a Yigar Gunditjmara, Bindal, Yorta Yorta person. Tarneen is a community organiser for Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance and is passionate about prison abolition and the power of young Aboriginal people. They are a writer and have been published in IndigenousX, The Saturday Paper, NITV and RightNow. They currently work at the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Ser
215 Rosa Campbell - I Really, Queerly Love You
Rosa tells a story of the British general election campaign 2019 as a tale of queer romance and heartbreak.Rosa Campbell is completing her PhD in history at the University of Cambridge. This project sets Australian women's liberation between 1968-1990 in a global context. She has been active in movements for gender justice both in Sydney and London. She writes fiction and non-fiction on a range of platforms for both adults and children. Her star sign is Virgo but her rising - which is what reall
214 Raelee Lancaster - I Love My Stardew Valley Girlfriends
Raelee doesn't need the escapism Stardew Valley provides because of family drama; it is the rest of the world that's the problem.Raelee Lancaster is a Brisbane-based writer, collaborator, and creative producer. She is Co Director of the National Young Writers Festival and a 2019 recipient of the Copyright Agency First Nations Fellowship. Her work has featured in exhibitions around Australia and Berlin as well as in publications such as Cordite Poetry Review, The Saturday Paper, Overland, and mor
213 David Mejia-Canales - The Ilopango
In 1891 the Ilopango Volcano rained catastrophe on the People of Cuzcatlan and forced one woman David will never meet to set off a series of events that created him.David Mejia-Canales is beyond proud to have Mayan blood running through his veins and calls Wurundjeri Country home. He is a community lawyer dedicated to turning our criminal legal system into a system of justice, particularly for queer people of colour. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Ma
212 Tasnim Rahman - Non-Binary Whinery
With language and storytelling not their forte, Tasnim can't quite believe they were asked to appear at Queerstories. They take the opportunity to chronicle their history of identity and communication.Tasnim Rahman is training as a neurobiologist, currently finishing a PhD in psychiatry. They hope to alleviate suffering from mental illness and marginalisation, and increase accessibility to safety and independence via advocacy and science. Tas was a panelist for Sydney Mardi Gras Queer Thinking p
211 Salvin Kumar - How My Brown Family Reacted To My Gay Wedding
Salvin delivers the raw curry drama that is part of every wedding but with the added spice of it being a gay one.Salvin Kumar is a Youth Worker who supports young newly arrived migrants and refugees in St George and Sutherland Shire. He has worked as a teacher in Fiji, Western Sydney, Townsville and Doomadgee before moving back to Sydney to become a social worker. He practices yoga, loves cooking, writes poetry and is currently writing a book. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night p
210 Sam Elkin - I'll Ride With You
Working at a community legal centre, Sam makes an unlikely friend.Sam Elkin is a writer, podcaster and community lawyer living in Melbourne's West. In 2018 Sam set up Victoria's first LGBTIQ legal service at Thorne Harbour Health, and launched a specialist trans and gender diverse legal service in partnership with Transgender Victoria. Sam is also one half of the Joy FM radio show Transgender Warriors. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular e
209 Dmetri Kakmi - How I learned to stop being scared and love the monster
Growing up, Dmetri was obsessed with horror movies. Despite their terrifying content, horror movies saved his life.Dmetri Kakmi was born in Turkey to Greek parents. His fictionalised memoir Mother Land was shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards and is published in England and Turkey. His short stories and essays appear in a number of anthologies, and his latest book is The Door and other Uncanny Tales.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regu
208 Matthew Wade - Unspoken Etiquette
Matthew moves to Melbourne and starts to explore his sexuality at sex-on-premises venues.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia.To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.
207 Lacey Jade Christie - Yes Day
Lacey-Jade Christie has the gayest day of her life, on the day the public votes 'yes' for marriage equality, but it's not for the reasons one might expect.Lacey-Jade Christie is a freelance writer and fiery Melbourne-based plus-size influencer. She combines her life as a nurse with her own experience of mental illness and is a strong advocate for safe spaces for the BoPo and Queer community to come together through her writing and her work as the Deputy State Director of Out For Australia an org
206 Hannah Mouncey - $30,000 later, all I wanted was the Qantas points
Hannah shares a story about a piece of shit who keeps ruining her life.Hannah Mouncey is a member of Australia's Women's Handball team and a writer for The Guardian, The Roar, News.com.au and Players Voice.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased fro
205 David Abello - Demented in the Palace of Dreams
David's life with his mother Patricia is not without challenges - caring for someone with dementia is hard - but he cherishes their Sundays at the Bankstown Sportsclub.David Abello became involved in the lesbian and gay movement in 1975 and in 1980s was a member of the Gay Liberation Quire and the Gaywaves Gay Radio Collective amongst other things. He's been active in the disability movement since the 1980s and in membership-based organisations concerned with employment, multicultural advocacy a
204 Lian Low - The City
Lian grapples with the anxiety of meeting a partner's mother for the first time.Lian Low is a writer of fiction and non-fiction. From 2009-2016, Lian was an editor and a board member of Peril. Lian is a recipient of The Wheeler Centre's inaugural Next Chapter scheme and currently working on a young adult speculative fiction novel. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event
203 Samuel Leighton Dore - I really want to introduce you to my mum
When Samuel was a kid, the fact his mother was a sex therapist embarrassed him. Now that's he's a grown up, he's so proud of her he wants to talk about it on stage.Samuel Leighton-Dore is a multidisciplinary artist and writer based on the Gold Coast. Sam writes for SBS Life and produces work spanning ceramics, LED neon, illustration, animation and painting. His book of illustrations, How To Be A Big Strong Man, was released in August 2019. His first solo exhibition, Fragile Masculinity
202 Sandy O'Sullivan - Museum Queeries
Sandy reflects on their research into museums, the gays and the gaze, and their place in academia as a queer Indigenous person.Associate Professor Sandy O'Sullivan is a Wiradjuri academic, researcher and creative practitioner. Their research and teaching include queer studies, art and design, built environment, music, performance, and cultural representation, with a particular focus on First Nations' agency and aspiration. Sandy was the inaugural director of the Centre for Collaborative First Na
201 Holly Zwalf - Why I Find it Hard to Cum
From home insemination to pregnant dating on Tinder, Holly explores the difficulties of achieving an orgasm as a solo parent by choice.Holly Zwalf lives with her wild toddler in a log cabin in the bush. She's a filmmaker, freelance writer, performer, and smutty spoken word artist, and is the coordinator of Rainbow Families Queensland.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsde
200 Natalie Ironfield - Attending to Ghosts
A story about the haunting nature of settler-colonialism and the importance of attending to the memories of ghosts.Natalie Ironfield belongs to the Dharug Nation and has been living on Wurundjeri land since 2013. Natalie is a Lecturer and Tutor at The University of Melbourne, teaching across disciplines of Indigenous studies, criminology and political science. Natalie is a photographer and wannabe DJ, and her writing has appeared in Un Magazine.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night progr
199 Joan Westenberg - Let Me Pass You A Note
Joan Westenberg talks about her journey to becoming a writer, by overcoming a speech impediment and finding a voice of her own.Joan Westenberg is a Sydney based tech writer. She has been published in Inc.com, the SF Chronicle, Observer, The Saturday Paper, The Big Smoke, Crikey and over 40 other publications. Joan is the author of an open source transgender inclusion policy in use by multiple technology companies. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, wi
198 Anton Enus - My Brief and Glorious Career
Anton remembers his childhood growing up in Durban, South Africa, and reflects on the lessons he learnt from the local drag queens.Anton Enus has been a news broadcaster for three and a half decades. He has worked as a news reporter, producer and presenter on two continents. He has been on assignment to numerous African states, including Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since 1999 he has anchored SBS World News and has occasionally been a guest presenter on SBS Insight. His b
197 Shaun D'Souza - For Bhoorah
Shaun reflects on their history, on the Hijra community and Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, on colonialism, genocide and queer authenticity.Shaun D'Souza is a Brisbane based youth worker and LGBTIQ+ artivist, as well as a firm enthusiast of naps, books and tea. Shaun is often found dabbling in social artivism via visual media and spoken word poetry. Their current projects include tackling transgender-homelessness in Brisbane and advocating for queer people of colour visibility through art
196 Andrew Little - Births, Deaths and Microfiche
Andrew tells the tale of the search for his birth mother while juggling the effects of HIV, the demands of drug trials and the perils of microfiche.Andrew has had a long career in social work and pursuing social justice. For eight years, he headed up the first cross London program to support people living with HIV to go back to work, coordinating the support provided by multiple HIV organisations. Once that program wound down, he moved on to set up a London-wide disabled peoples' peak orga
A Message from Maeve
An update on Queerstories in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.With love, from MaeveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
195 Kristian Reyes - Mummy's Boy
Kristian shares an homage to his mother, his greatest ally as a young boy growing up in Western Sydney.Kristian Reyes is a queer, wog, socialist who grew up south of the Gong. For paid labour, he works in the anti-violence sector and has worked across Sydney in education and youth health for the past 13 years. During this time, he has also volunteered with Twenty10, the Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service as well as most recently, with Camp Out. Outside of these hours, Kristian seems to find him
194 Eloise Brooke - Fighting Nazis With Newsletters
Last year, Eloise rebooted one of the longest running transgender newsletters in Australia - Polare. She reflects on her expectations, what she learnt about her community's history, and whether you really can fight nazis with newsletters.Eloise Brook is a writer, advocate and academic. Her current researchprojects include; trans people in public health and developing models formedia representation of trans in the Media. Ella also works at the GenderCentre.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling
193 Cadance Bell - Small Talk
Three years before she transitioned genders, Cadance was a fat, depressed guy buying weed from bikie gangs and nursing a near killer blood clot. Then came a surprising chat.Cadance Bell is a writer and filmmaker. Her new documentary film The Rainbow Passage, a co-production with Screen Australia, airs next year on Channel Ten. The film, which Cady also directed, follows her and her wiggly bottomed fiance Amanda across a year in their gender transitions. Cady loves Pokemon Go, short walks to the
192 Felicity Nicol - The Fight
Felicity considers the stories from her life she could share, but ultimately decides to make her slam poetry debut at Queerstories.Felicity Nicol is an award-winning director. Since graduating from NIDA, her career highlights include directing at The Sydney Opera House, creating a one-on-one performance for audiences in a moving car, directing a non-verbal performative memorial via clowning, beer and a slide-show, and co-directing Take My Hand, where she married strangers for ten minutes in Cope
191 Hajer - Speakeasies Ain't For Speaking Easy
Hajer grew up with fairytales and fantasies, but adullt life brings its own adventures, with speakeasy bars, class exchanges and one confused baby queer. Hajer is an emerging writer and performer. From short stories to essays to plays, her work flirts with themes of womanhood particularly within Arab diaspora identity formation. She is currently interrogating and experimenting with feminine and masculine archetypal traditions, within folklore, fairy-tale and fable style storytelling. She mo
190 Amy Middleton - Travel Scars
A story of love, loss, and lifelong wounds.Amy Middleton is a Melbourne-based journalist and founder of Archer Magazine. Amy has written and edited for dozens of magazines, produced radio for 3CR and Joy FM, and been nominated for Young Australian of the Year. She also plays AFL footy and collects interesting editions of Alice in Wonderland.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www
189 AJ Lamarque - The 3-Day Gay
A morality tale, or perhaps a fairytale, about Sydney, self-love and manhunt.comAJ Lamarque is a Sydney-based Queer comedian who's performed across Sydney including a solo show, ‘Queerly Beloved', and appearances at a bunch of variety nights. With a mission to increase queer voices in the comedy scene AJ produces popular, queer-storytelling podcast Dungeons & Drag Kweens and the regular comedy night Kweens of Comedy on Oxford Street.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night program
188 Fiona Wright - Disappearing
Fiona Wright ponders the reasons people never seem to know she's queer.Fiona Wright is a writer, editor and critic. Her book of essays Small Acts of Disappearance won the 2016 Kibble Award and the Queensland Literary Award for non-fiction. Her poetry collections are Knuckled, which won the 2012 Dame Mary Gilmore Award, and Domestic Interior, which was shortlisted for the 2018 Prime Minister's Literary Award. Her new essay collection is The World Was Whole.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling
187 Alison Whittaker - Squattocrat Bodybuilder Ex-Wife
Alison Whittaker pens a queer Aboriginal love letter to Barnaby Joyce and long-standing Gunnedah haven, the Chip Inn.Alison Whittaker is a Gomeroi writer and lawyer born and raised in Gunnedah. She is Senior Researcher at the Jumbunna Institute. From 2017-18, she was a Fulbright recipient at Harvard Law, where she was Dean's Scholar in Race, Gender and Criminal Law. Alison's latest book, BLAKWORK (Magabala 2018), was shortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards and the Prime Minister'
186 Mystery Carnage - Logical and Biological
Mystery reflects on her family history, on the power of DNA and on her relationship with her mother.Mystery Carnage has recently made the smelter change and moved to Port Kembla with her partner Nellie and cat Queenie. After working at Apple for 5 years and as a graphic artist for 20 years before that, she now spends a fair amount of time gardening, doing woodwork or at ALDI and Bunnings. She was a singer with the 80s band the Stray Dags, is a 78er and has shown her artwork in shared and solo ex
185 Kirsty Webeck - History Repeating
Comedian Kirsty Webeck remembers the heady days of high school.Kirsty Webeck entered the Australian comedy circuit in 2013 in an unconventional way. After doing a five minute set at the end of a comedy workshop she, having never heard of an open mic room, launched straight into writing and performing a full length show. She's a regular guest on ABC radio and in 2018, she was the featured comedian on an episode of The ABC's “Tonightly With Tom Ballard.” She also toured regional WA in
184 Nina Oyama - Ashlee's Party
A teenage Nina Oyama tries her hand at assimilating into white North Shore culture in Sydney. It doesn't work out.Nina Oyama is a stand up comic, writer, actress and worm girl who needs you and loves you and will hold you in her arms, upon request. She has performed all around Australia and has written for radio, stage and TV. She was a writer on Tonightly with Tom Ballard, appeared as Courtney on Utopia on ABC, and is also writer/director of comedy web series The Angus Project which was part of
183 Patrick Lenton - Nemesis Culture
When you have a nemesis, you seek revenge via whatever means you can - according to Patrick Lenton, that's queer culture.Patrick Lenton is a writer and author based in Sydney. He is the Editor of Junkee, and has published a book of short stories called A Man Made Entirely of Bats and a book of essays called Uncle Hercules and Other Lies.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.mae
182 Roz Bellamy - Problematic Faves
Roz ponders that great modern conundrum: the problematic fave.Roz Bellamy is a freelance writer, researcher, and educator. Their work has appeared in Archer Magazine, The Big Issue, Daily Life, Huffington Post, Junkee, Kill Your Darlings, Meanjin, and SBS. They won the Stonnington Prize for Poetry in 2016 and their memoir writing was shortlisted for the Scribe Nonfiction Prize. You can read their writing at www.rozbellamy.com.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve
181 Bastian Fox Phelan - Stove Photography
Bastian is trying to understand why they keep taking photos of the stove. So, they decide to write about it.Bastian Fox Phelan is a writer, musician and zinemaker who lives in Newcastle on the land of the Awabakal people. They were shortlisted for the 2017 Scribe Nonfiction Prize, their writing has been published in The Lifted Brow, Runway, Scum Magazine and Tincture Journal, and they're currently working on a literary memoir signed to Giramonda Publishing. Bastian works with Museum of Contempor
180 Dr Senthorun Raj - Queer Career Goals
Dr Senthorun Raj discusses how his queer career as a glitter radiatingacademic lawyer began with childhood fantasies of being Xena and SailorMoon.Dr Senthorun Raj is a Lecturer in Law at Keele University and is passionate about glitter, pop culture, politics, and social justice. Sen's academic and activist work takes an intersectional approach to addressing the ways law deals with the lives of queer minorities. He is the chair of Black Gold Arts and serves on the board of Amnesty International U
179 Erin Riley - Daughters
Erin finds a great, great love. Soon after she decides to get married, she has dinner in Lakemba with her parents.By day, Erin Riley's a social worker - having spent most of the last decade working in community aged care. By night, Erin's a skivvy-wearing fanatic, a Scandinavian crime drama aficionado, Americana folk music-listener and a real kitchen top. A dedicated reader, wrestling fan, swimmer of laps and lover of food, in a former life Erin was an aspiring golfer, and once was an editor of
178 Marcus Whale - Love In The Time of MSN Messenger
Musician Marcus Whale shares a prepubescent story of online romance, distance and self-discovery.Marcus Whale is a musician and performer working on Gadigal land. As a performer, he is a member of duo Collarbones and trio BV, as well as work under his own name, releasing an album "Inland Sea" in June 2016. Primarily forming an electronic world around his singing, the songs across these projects play out dramas of desire and projection while disfiguring forms of pop, club and contemporary classic
177 Paul van Reyk - How to Make a Sri Lankan Christmas Cake
A multicultural recipe for multicultural times, this piece was inspired by Paul's interviews for My Mother's Kitchen, a Queerstories collaboration with Google's Creative Labs: mymotherskitchen.com.auPaul van Reyk was born in Sri Lanka in 1952, migrating to Australia with his family in 1962. He came out publicly in 1978, and has spent the subsequent four decades as an activist. He has been a regular media commentator over that time, writing on gay and HIV/AIDS history, racism in the gay community
176 Claire G. Coleman - A Pair of Old Ducks
The epic tale of Gertrude and Mildred.This story was performed at Queerstories in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as at Newcastle Writer's Festival and Ubud Readers and Writers Festival in Bali.Claire G. Coleman is a Noongar woman whose family have belonged to the south coast of Western Australia since long before history started being recorded. She writes fiction, essays and poetry. During an extended circuit of the continent she wrote a novel, influenced by certain experiences gained on the road
175 Brendan Howarth - The Teacher Becomes The Student
Wollongong teacher Brendan shares the story of how a 10-year-old inspired him to live authentically.This story was performed at Queerstories: Wollongong, supported by Wollongong City Libraries.Brendan Howarth is a chef by morning, student teacher by day and father & husband by night. He is a soon to be teacher who wants to inspire the future generations to be their best selves and create a generation that spreads love and kindness.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by
174 Dr Kathleen Williams - Moments in Our Relationship Worthy of Being a Drone Shot in a Netflix Series
The title says it all... Kathleen performed this story at Queerstories: Hobart in 2019.Dr Kathleen Williams is a media studies academic. She publishes work on the social uses of media technologies, particularly in relation to screen cultures, materiality and memory. However she is most qualified at forensically dissecting pop culture.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. For Queerstories event dates, vis
173 Kait Fenwick - Unity
Kait Fenwick dreams of heading out to Newcastle's answer to The Planet, but the night doesn't go quite as planned.Kait Fenwick is the author of Burning Between (Puncher & Wattmann). Their work has appeared in Seen & Heard zine, Butch is Not a Dirty Word, Cordite Poetry Review, Archer magazine and on the walls at China Heights Gallery, Surry Hills. In 2017, Kait completed their honours in English and Writing at the University of Newcastle. Their thesis, Digital Queeries, explores the rela
172 Chloe Black - Ohhh, Bruce Willis was trans all along!
Chloe Black realises that coming out to yourself is a lot like watching The Sixth Sense.Chloe Black began her stand-up career in Adelaide over 18 years ago. She has performed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Adelaide Fringe and the Edinburgh Fringe. She is a broadcaster on Edge Radio in Hobart as co-host of Film Central and in her own show "It's Always Midnight Somewhere", which she describes as a phantasmagorical mix tape of film-scores and punk rock.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ s
171 Gabrielle Journey Jones - Adoption Belonging
Through heartlines and bloodlines, Gabrielle tells a story of belonging, about her history and her family.This story was performed at the first Wollongong Queerstories, supported by Wollongong City Libraries.Gabrielle Journey Jones is a poet, percussionist and event producer living on Yuin Country, Far South Coast NSW. Gabe co-founded Creative Womyn Down Under in 2006 as a way to support other lesbian artists and musicians. In 2018, Gabe established Poetic Percussion to expand her work teaching
170 Robert Dessaix - Collins-Robert
Robert delivers a heartwarming love letter to a French-English dictionary (purportedly).Robert Dessaix is known as a leading broadcaster, for many years the producer and presenter of the ABC's Books and Writing program. He left his twenty year academic career as a lecturer in Russian language and literature at the University of New South Wales, and the Australian National University, to work in theatre and for the ABC. He is a novelist, essayist, critic and translator.Adopted as a baby, in 1994
169 - Anthony Venn Brown - Jason Gave You A Gift
Anthony reflects on an incredibly difficult time in his life, and farewells someone lost to him.In a former life, Anthony Venn-Brown was a high-profile Pentecostal preacher, speaking regularly in Australia's megachurches, as described in his autobiography, A Life of Unlearning. As the first Australian conversion therapy survivor to tell his story this opened a floodgate of responses from readers with similar experiences. Since 2000, Anthony has worked extensively with people experiencing faith/s
168 Sophie Harper - Teeth
Sophie reflects on the ritual of the toothfairy, and on the importance of one's teeth. Sophie features on My Mother's Kitchen, a Queerstories collaboration with Google's Creative Labs: mymotherskitchen.com.auSophie Harper has worked in film as a director, editor and producer, and in government film institutions, the Australian Film Commission and Screen Australia. In 2009 she moved to Denmark to teach at the European Film College where she was Vice Principal and Documentary Teacher. She is the c
167 Corrie Chen - Isle of Wonder
Corrie reflects on the things that can get lost in translation, and on the burdens and responsibilities placed on an immigrant child.Corrie Chen is an award-winning filmmaker and a highly sought-after director of Australian television. Working across comedy and drama, her recent work includes Homecoming Queens, Five Bedrooms, Mustangs FC and Seachange. She is the 2018 Film Victoria's Greg Tepper award recipient for her contributions to the industry.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night
166 Monica Zanetti - Zooey: The rebound cat
A story of 3 heartbreaks and the cat who witnessed them all.Monica Zanetti is an AWGIE nominated screenwriter whose past credits include the film “Skin Deep” and the TV shows “Sisters”, “Tonightly with Tom Ballard” and the upcoming channel 10 series “My life is Murder” staring Lucy Lawless. Most recently she just finished writing and directing the High School, LGBT Rom-Com “Ellie & Abbie (&Ellie Dead Aunt).Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+
166 Jean Tong - Obliterator1519
Jean comes out - as a fanfic writer. A nostalgic throwback to simpler times, when representation was out of reach and a young writer found fame - and critique - online.Jean Tong is a Melbourne-based writer. Her previous work includes Hungry Ghosts (Melbourne Theatre Company), Romeo Is Not The Only Fruit (The Coopers Malthouse, MICF), and Anti Hero (Monash Centre for Theatre and Performance). She has also presented at the Emerging Writers' Festival, and published in Peril Magazine and Meanjin. In
165 Charity Werk - Drama Queen
Stand-up comedian and lifelong thespian Charity Werk reflects on how a very straight high school can lead a group of young boys to explore their sexuality and gender expression - all through the magic of musical theatre.Charity Werk is a part-time comedian and a full time natural beauty. Making her debut as a RAW Comedy State Finalist in 2018, Charity has quickly established herself as a star on the rise. Her debut solo show "Community Service" was given an extended season and a nomination for '
164 Annaliese Constable - Operation Queer Space
Annaliese chronicles the campaign for a Queer Space at the University of Wollongong in 2004, complete with a 48 hour occupation and arrests by riot police.Annaliese Constable is a writer, performer and queer rights activist working across standup, queer performance and theatre. Annaliese is funny for a girl, pretty for a lesbian and when she can afford it very well medicated. You can follow her on Twitter @fistyscent.Annaliese first performed this story at Wollongong Queerstories, supported by W
163 Paul Kidd - How I got laid at my boyfriend’s funeral
In the midst of the AIDS crisis, a love affair starts with two young men meeting on an overnight train and ends, a decade later, in a moment of resolute determination amid overwhelming grief and loss.Paul Kidd is a lawyer, activist, writer and troublemaker. He has been living with HIV for more than 30 years and has been a long-time advocate for people with HIV. His work focuses on LGBTIQ rights, law reform and legal and social issues affecting the LGBTIQ and PLHIV communities. He remains passion
162 Vincent Silk - Drive Away Fear
Vincent is so busy preparing to volunteer at Camp Out that he almost forgets it's his birthday.Vincent Silk is a writer living in Narrm / Melbourne. His fiction and non fiction has been published in journals Archer, Going Down Swinging, and Seizure. He has been a writer in residence at Next Wave Festival and Firstdraft Gallery, and has made text work for exhibitions at ACCA, Alaska Projects, AutoItalia in London, MIX NYC Festival and Firstdraft. In 2018 he published his first novel, Sisters of N
161 Kip Chapman - The Taste of Home
When meat and three veg meets prawn flan, Kip shares a tale of both creative and romantic collaboration.Kip Chapman was a recipient of the New Zealand Arts Foundation New Generation Award for services to theatre in 2013. He was a core cast member of the Emmy Winning TV drama Top of the Lake, and has also appeared in numerous other film & TV productions. In 2017 he was the Creative Director of the World of Wearable Arts, New Zealand's biggest annual theatrical event. He is the founder of The
160 Emma Valente - Michael
Emma Valente contemplates loneliness, online dating and an unlikely friendship.Emma Valente is the Co-Artistic director and Co-CEO of feminist theatre company THE RABBLE. She is also a director, lighting designer, dramaturg, video designer and occasional trouble maker. Emma has directed works for mainstage festivals and venues around the country, and overseas, she teaches Dramaturgy and Performance Making at Monash University, and she mentors for VCA, Melbourne University, the Pinnacle Foundatio
159 Pixie Willo - Hooves and Sweat
In 1995, Pixie was one of the first women to be accepted into the British Racing school in Newmarket in the UK. She reflects on that time, and on the impact she may or may not have had on her industry.Pixie Willo is a writer, reviewer, voice actor and performance poet from the Blue Mountains. For the last three years Pixie has worked as a theatre reviewer and interviewer for the Stages theatre show on 2ser as well as creating audio packages for Gay Panic. She is currently a member of the Playwri
158 Joy Ng - Boomers and Facebook
At 71, Joy's Dad gets a Facebook account, and it changes their family forever.Joy Ng opened The Bearded Tit 4 years ago with two friends as a place for the Redfern, artistic and queer community to congregate, experiment and dance together. Her investment in diversifying and creating space for Sydney's alternative nightlife sees her also sit on the City of Sydney's new Nightlife and Culture Advisory Panel.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular even
157 Kelly Azizi - The Break Up
Kelly Azizi reflects on the undramatic but bewildering process of breaking up with her once-best-friend.Kelly Azizi is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Gender and Cultural Studies at the University of Sydney. Her research interests include the politics of ethno-cultural and diasporic identities, and institutional critique. Kelly plays an active role in Sydney's art community, and is an advocate of its self-criticality. She was the gallery administrator at 55 Sydenham Rd, an indepen
156 Teddy Dunn - A History Of Suits
Teddy Dunn recalls suits from his life, and explores what hindsight (and coming out as trans) does to those memories. Teddy performed this story in Sydney at Giant Dwarf, in Melbourne at Howler and at Adelaide Writer's Week in 2019.Teddy Dunn is an independent director, theatre maker and dramaturg who graduated from Flinders Drama Centre in 2015 with First Class Honours and a University Medal. Since his graduation, Teddy has directed four debuts of new Australian plays, he has directed students
155 Elaine Castillo - Bi People Are From Earth, or Steven Yeun is Hot
Everyone knows bisexual people aren't real and don't exist, so for someone who isn't real and whose existence is a myth, Elaine has nevertheless seen some bullshit.Elaine Castillo was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Comparative Literature. She is a Voices of Our Nation Arts Foundation Fellow, and her writing can be found in Freeman's, Lit Hub, The Rumpus, Taste Magazine, Bon Appetit, Electric Literature and
154 Clementine Ford - The Great Crash of 2012
Clementine reflects on flying, pregnancy and ways to trick one's brain into managing anxiety.Clementine Ford is a freelance writer, broadcaster and public speaker based in Melbourne. She is the bestselling author of the feminist manifesto Fight Like A Girl. Her most recent book is Boys Will Be Boys.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories
153 Rick Morton - Mum, A Queer Icon
Via possums, renos and Bridget Jones' Baby, Rick outlines his these for why his mother, Deb Morton, is a queer icon. Rick performed this piece at Sydney Writer's Festival and Adelaide Writer's Week.Rick Morton is an award-winning journalist with The Australian and is the author of One Hundred Years of Dirt. It explores intergenerational trauma, poverty, addiction and mental health and the role of a mother who tried to love enough for the failures of everyone else around her. Originally from Quee
152 Teresa Avila - Queer Futch Vulnerability
Teresa shares her story, spanning decades, of life, love, family and climbing the ladder in a male dominated industry.Teresa Avila is cofounder of the Red Rattler Theatre and was founding chair and treasurer for 10 years before stepping down last year. She has worked in engineering and heavy construction for over 20 years and is one of the industry's few operational facing senior women. She is a recreational pilot and served on the board of directors of Recreational Aviation Australia and, in 20
151 Yen Eriksen - Seeking ‘Real’ Lesbians
Yen tells a story of moving to Canberra as a bright eyed undergraduate, seeking love, identity and shoes.Yen Eriksen is an advocate, writer and digital storyteller based in Canberra, interested in exploring the intersections between identity, race, gender and queerness.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories b
150 Kate Duffy - Two Mooncups
Kate shares a story about having a very gay year in 2009 - living in queer share houses, discovering mooncups and enjoying lesbian blogs.Kate Duffy is a community lawyer and educator. She established the Safe Relationships Project a domestic violence court assistance scheme for the LGBTIQ community whilst working at the Inner City Legal Centre, and the domestic violence resource Ask LOIS whilst working at the Women's Legal Service NSW. More recently Kate has been working at the Marrickville Lega
149 Jonny Hawkins - Red Flags
Jonny reflects on his history, on family, and on how he grew up to be exactly who he is.Jonny Hawkins is an actor, writer and big time DJ. He was the recipient of the 2016 Sydney Theatre Critic's Best Newcomer Award and you may have seen him in the TV Mini series PETER ALLEN: NOT THE BOY NEXT DOOR or the ABC film RIOT. In 2017 he made a short film called Joy Boy, which won best film at the Melbourne Queer Film Awards. Jonny is also one half of disco DJing duo The Dollar Bin Darlings, who you may
148 DeAnne Smith - Super Lesbo FunTime
For years, Maeve and DeAnne have planned to host an event called Super Lesbo FunTime. This story has nothing to do with that, I am just trying to manifest the event by including it in this description. Enjoy!DeAnne Smith, a Canadian Comedy Award winner, has performed at Just for Laughs, JFL42, the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and the Iceland Comedy Festival to name a few. She's also be
147 Jess McGuire - Queerforce
From Ani DiFranco to the Spice Girls, via Sophie B. Hawkins and Gia, Jess McGuire celebrates the inexplicable magnificence that is your QUEERFORCE.Jess McGuire is a DJ, writer, broadcaster, MC, and trivia host based in Melbourne. She appears regularly on ABC Local Radio and Double J as a reviewer and cultural commentator, and for many years she was the editor of pop culture website Defamer Australia. She was a former co-host on Triple R's Breakfasters where, amongst other things, she had to read
146 - Julian Dahne Molony - Becoming Whole
An excerpt from a piece written for Archer Magazine, Julian Dahne Molony shares their journey to wholly embodying their gender.Julian Dahne Molony is an interdisciplinary artist who works with painting, video, performance and fibre art. They also operate an Artist Run Initiative named ‘Intersect Space' based in Marrickville. This piece is adapted from a story they wrote for Archer Magazine, and was performed at the Archer Magazine launch in Sydney in March 2019.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ s
145 Ro Allen - The Accidental Commissioner
A collection of tales from Ro's journey to becoming the Victorian Commissioner for Gender and Sexuality.Ro Allen is the Victorian Commissioner for Gender and Sexuality, has been a member of three Victorian Government LGBTI ministerial advisory groups. As founding CEO of UnitingCare Cutting Edge, Ro established Victoria's first rural support group for young LGBTI people. In 2003 Ro received a Centenary Medal and in 2009 was inducted into the Victorian Government Honour Roll.Queerstories is an LGB
143 Tilly Lawless - Four Bookings and a Break Up
Tilly Lawless describes four momentous bookings that either taught her something about herself or allowed her to process the personal through the professional.Tilly Lawless is a queer, Sydney-based sex worker who uses her Instagram to analyse her relationships, romances and motivations. Growing up in rural NSW her writing is often a bucolic love letter to the countryside she grew up in, whilst also being an intimate look into her work and emotions.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night pr
144 Gala Vanting - Playboy (Step)Mommy
Four scenes from a journey to parenthood: the terrors, tensions and tenderness of falling into parenthood from the margins.Gala Vanting works to create nuanced, compassionate, justice driven dialogue about sexual culture, sex education, gender and power, and access to embodiment and wellbeing for our gendered and sexual selves. They have spent 15 years working in this field – which has manifested through writing, speaking, filmmaking, performance, facilitating discussions and experien
142 Susie Anderson - Passing Shades
Susie explores the ways that Aboriginal people, especially women, continue to be Othered by white-colonial ways of seeing.Susie Anderson is a Koori writer from western Victoria who lives and works in Sydney. Her writing typically focuses on erasure of Indigenous narratives throughout Victoria and Australia, and attempts to reconnect within this fragmentation. She has been published in publications like The Lifted Brow, Rabbit Poetry, un magazine and was part of the anthology Growing Up Aborigina
141 Scout Boxall - Everyday Armour
How going into battle in live action role-play battle unlocked Scout's hidden gender quest.Scout Boxall is a non-binary comedian, clown and low-fi misandrist based in Naarm (Melbourne). After bursting onto the comedy scene in 2018 and making it to the Raw Comedy National Finals, they trained at the Philippe Gaulier clown school and performed in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival under the Tessa Waters Mentorship Program. When Scout isn't transcribing court documents for their day job or writing and p
140 Declan Greene - The Hessians and I
Declan shares an un-inspirational coming of age story.Declan Greene is an award winning theatre-maker and Resident Artist at Malthouse Theatre. As a playwright, his work includes Moth, Pompeii, L.A., Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography, I Am a Miracle, and The Homosexuals, or ‘Faggots', which have been produced across Australia, Europe, the US, and the UK. Alongside Ash Flanders, Declan co-runs queer independent theatre company Sisters Grimm. In 2019 he is directing and adapting Kennet
139 Dibs Barisic Sprem - Hello again for the first time
Dibs speaks about unexpected challenges they encountered after starting hormone replacement therapy.Dibs Barisic Sprem is an energetic and avid queer rights enthusiast who identifies as non binary. Since their early teens Dibs has advocated solidly for the sex and gender diverse community. They have volunteered for LGBTIQA not for profits Wear It Purple, ACON and the Pinnacle Foundation, where Dibs is alumni. In 2017 Dibs co developed a transgender and gender non conforming language guide for th
138 Brandon Bear - A Terrible Joke About Musical Theatre
Brandon reflects on his changing relationship with his father - influenced by webcams, men in uniform and bad jokes about Les Mis.Brandon Bear was born in Penang, Malaysia but moved to Western Sydney as a nine-month-old baby. After growing up and spreading his wings he began a career working with marginalised community members including managing a sexual health project for homeless and at-risk young people and managing a mental health storytelling program. He also began volunteering with Sydney
137 Charles O'Grady - Just Charles!
Charles O'Grady broke his ankle doing something very masculine.Charles O'Grady is a queer transgender theatremaker, poet, and journalist, who lives between Sydney and Melbourne. As a playwright he has written multiple works focused on intersectional queer and trans storytelling, including Kaleidoscope, Telescope, and Are We Awake? He has worked on productions with such mainstage companies as Griffin, Malthouse, Belvoir, and STC. Charles is a fierce advocate for nuanced trans representation and t
136 Raveena Grover - Frizz Witch
A coming-of-age story about struggling with frizzy hair and a frenemy.Raveena Grover is a multidisciplinary creative who has written for Sweatshop Western Sydney, UTS Vertigo and Hijacked. She has also performed poetry with Bankstown Poetry Slam and Between Two Worlds. She is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of how South Asian culture and queerness intersect as a diasporic Punjabi.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia.
135 Laura Hart - Clammy Hands & Deal Breakers
A reflection on growing older and the perils of dating - when you've tried chicken pecking and playing dead is it time to just give up?Laura Hart has been performing for over ten years, focusing on improvisation, comedy & drag. She performs regularly around Sydney, and has trained at Impro Australia, Improv Theatre Sydney & UCB. She has worked creatively with not for profit organisations such as Camp Quality, The Starlight Children's Foundation, Ted Noffs & Milkcrate Theatre. Laura w
134 Steven Ross - Country Speaks to Us: A Meandering Fishing Yarn
A story of ongoing connection to Country of Indigenous LGBTIQ peoples through the eyes of a terrible fisherman.Steven Ross is Wamba Wamba man from Deniliquin in southern NSW and has cultural and familial connections to the Wiradjuri, Mutthi Mutthi and Gunditjmara peoples. Throughout his life, Steven has been a dancer, singer, actor and storyteller, and has designed and delivered cultural events and cultural education projects. Steven has worked in the public service in Indigenous policy, environ
133 Krishna Istha - Beast
Krishna is trying their hand at stand up comedy. At Queerstories, they performed an excerpt from their first hour long comedy show, Beast.Krishna Istha is a performer, live artist and theatre maker. They have performed across the UK, Australia, USA and Germany. Currently, they are working on their new show 'Beast', an Arts House (Melbourne) commission, supported by public funding from Arts Council England, for Midsumma Festival 2019.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Mae
132 Nath Valvo - The Gay Tattoo
Nath meets one of his heroes.Nath Valvo tours Australia and the world as a comedian, and has an impressive list of TV appearances under his belt having hosted ABC's Comedy Up Late and recorded an hour long stand up special as part of ABC's Comedy Next Gen. He's also been on The Project, Dirty Laundry Live and Just For Laughs Sydney.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemar
131 Bobuq Sayed - The Pipe Masters
Tropical island getaways are not for the faint hearted, and travelling alone can awaken some of the ugliest spiritual epiphanies, as Bobuq learnt on an Eat, Pray, Love inspired trip to Hawaii at the age of 20.Bobuq Sayed is a writer, multi-disciplinary artist, queer youth worker and community organiser of the Afghan diaspora. They have co-edited Archer Magazine in the past, and they are the co-editor of un Magazine's forthcoming issues 13.1 and 13.2. Their work has appeared in Kill Your Darlings
130 Racheal Oak Butler - My Calling
When nothing is black and white, but actually a whole lot of grey and the world is turned upside down from one sentence. A family secret is revealed, changing everything.Rachael Oak Butler was born and raised in Albury/Wodonga and has worn many professional hats in her time, such as Professional musician, working in shearing sheds, becoming a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and then an Instructor for a time. She currently works as a personal trainer and teaches self defence to young people in high sch
129 Peter de Waal - Bittersweet
Peter reflects on his decades of activism.Peter de Waal is a foundation member of CAMP Inc (Campaign Against Moral Persecution) known for his 1972 appearance on the national ABC National TV program Chequerboard, with his late partner Peter Bonsall-Boone. His decades of activism encompass gay rights, the establishment of Phone-A-Friend, the precursor of the Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service, early Sydney Mardi Gras organising, health promotions, immigration rights and campaigning for marriage e
128 Roz Ward - Pretended Family
On living through Thatcher, creating family meaning, and pushing to create Safe Schools.Roz Ward co-founded and directed Safe Schools Coalition Victoria. She sustained ongoing personal attacks through the public debates about Safe Schools and as a result became one of the most well knownQueerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.
127 Ellen van Neerven - Team Ellen
Writer and poet Ellen van Neerven reflects on team sport friendships, new cities and personal geographies.Ellen van Neerven is a writer of Mununjali Yugambeh and Dutch heritage.Her first book, Heat and Light (UQP, 2014), was the recipient of the David Unaipon Award, the Dobbie Literary Award and the NSW Premier's Literary Awards Indigenous Writers Prize. Heat and Light was also shortlisted for The Stella Prize, the Queensland Literary Award for State Significance, and the Readings Prize. El
126 Hayley Katzen - Come Make Hay
Hayley Katzen shares a vivid and colourful account of her experience of moving to a remote cattle farm in Northern NSW to live with her farmer girlfriend, Jen.Hayley is a writer who lives on a small cattle farm west of Lismore. Her play ‘Pressure Point' was performed at the Byron Community Theatre and her short stories and essays have won awards and been published in Australian and American journals and anthologies. The first publication she worked on was The Bride Wore Pink, a community d
125 Virginia Seymour - Survivor turns Macgyver
Virginia Seymour, born rugged, queer, alcoholic, tells how niche skills acquired through survival of an average dysfunctional family of origin are embraced and repurposed as "Super Powers" to escape probable disaster in the outback.Virginia Seymour aka Virg and Fur Mir is an ecologist and is a well-known legend in the local area for her environmental advocacy and restoration efforts. An ex chef, gender non-conformist, recovered alcoholic and all round handy hero, Virginia is lovingly referred to
124 Fiona McGregor - The Christmas Handicap
Fiona McGregor reflects on a long held family tradition.Fiona McGregor is a Sydney novelist, essayist, art critic and performance artist. She has published five books including Strange Museums, a travel memoir of a performance art tour through Poland. Her latest novel Indelible Ink won Age Book of the Year. She writes for The Monthly, The Saturday Paper, Overland, RealTime, Runway and Running Dog. Fiona's performance, prioritising endurance and durational forms, has been presented internationall
123 Miranda Sparks - An Unsent Letter
After turning 36, Miranda imparts a little advice she's learnt along the way.Miranda Sparks is a wearer of many hats. She is a writer, public speaker, superhero fetishist, and presenter on Joy FM's radio show The Gender Agenda. In what spare time she has left, she expands the prose universe of her personal superhero Glimmer Girl.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com
122 Krissy Kneen - Catastrophist with a K
A trip to the 'homeland' of Slovenia teaches Krissy Kneen a thing or two about how cultures, individual families and individuals deal with trauma in such very different ways.Krissy Kneen is an award-winning writer and a beloved member of the Australian literary community. She has written memoir, poetry and fiction, and her latest novel, An Uncertain Grace, was shortlisted for the 2018 Stella Prize. Her other work includes Affection, Steeplechase, Triptych and The Adventures of Holly White and th
121 Vanessa Lee - Another Queer Story
Vanessa remembers a trip she took to Cairns more than 20 years ago.Dr. Vanessa Lee, from the Yupungathiand Meriam people, is a social epidemiologist, educator and public health/ health sciences researcher in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Sydney. Dr. Lee is a director for Suicide Prevention Australia and she chairs the National Public Health Indigenous Leadership in Education Network, and she also holds a number of current expert advisory positions, including the National Ad
#120 Charles O'Grady - Human
For the first time in Charles' very talkative life, he has nothing to say.Charles O'Grady is a queer transgender theatremaker, poet, and journalist. As a playwright he has written multiple works focused on intersectional queer and trans storytelling, including Kaleidoscope, Telescope, and Are We Awake? He has worked on productions with such mainstage companies as Griffin, Malthouse, Belvoir, and STC.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events ar
119 Simon Copland - Rugger Bugger
Gay rugby, a missed flight and finding new confidence in performance.Simon Copland is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the Australian National University. He is a freelance writer who has been published in the Guardian, SBS Online Australia, BBC Online, and co-produces and presents the podcast Queers, not to be confused with the podcast you're currently on, which you should all subscribe to. Simon is the co-editor of the online publishing site Green Agenda.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling
118 Ally Garrett - It’s In The Bag
Ally shares a cautionary tale about the dangers of meeting up with a drug dealer.Ally Garrett has been writing and speaking on body politics and fat activism for the past decade, with her writing featured in The Guardian, Daily Life and ABC Life.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories book is published by Hach
117 Ali Choudhry - The Origin of the Modern Man
Ali reflects on being a shy kid and on his work as a photographer.Ali Choudhry is a collector of slashes. He is a gay / person of color / Asian / refugee / photographer / activist. And those are just the ones he can think of off the top of his head. Ali is a Brisbane photographer whose work explores the dichotomous aspects of identity: differences about our true selves we often balance daily with what we present to the world.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsd
116 Eddie Ayres - A Tale of Two Women
Eddie Ayres shares two stories from the 1960s to remind us how to be brave.Eddie Ayres learnt the viola as a child in England, studying in Berlin and London before eight years with the Hong Kong Philharmonic. He presented a long-running and extremely popular breakfast radio program on ABC Classic FM, while teaching music privately and professionally. In 2016, he accepted a teaching position at the world-renowned Afghanistan National Institute of Music but returned to Australia to begin transitio
115 James Beach - Salt and Vinegay
James looks back on the queer flavours of childhood in 1980s suburbia, and an early taste of the definitive bonds and disruptions of adulthood.James Beach works in theatre and has directed and produced several independent productions in Sydney since he graduated from NIDA in 2007. The list of credits is long so I won't list it all – look him up and go to his stuff. His recollections of growing up to the songs of George Michael - gathered at the time of his death - are well worth a look.Que
114 Shaun D'souza - Assigned Indian At Birth
Shaun sheds a spicy light on their experiences as a queer person of colour living so far away from home.Shaun D'Souza is a Brisbane based youth worker and LGBTIQ+ artivist, and a firm enthusiast of naps, books and tea. Their current projects include tackling transgender-homelessness in Brisbane and advocating for queer people of colour visibility through art and community building.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For
113 Geraldine Hickey - Spiders
Geraldine Hickey terrifies the listener with a slow burning tale about how she managed to manifest her own arachnophobia.Geraldine Hickey is revered in the industry as a comedian's comedian and has been shortlisted for the ‘Piece of Wood' award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival multiple times. A veteran of many seasons of The Melbourne International Comedy Festival, she is also a regular on the club and pub circuit around the country. Geraldine is a co-host on Breakfasters on
112 Tara Suamba - There are absolutely no gay Balinese People
Tara Suamba shares a story about her constant conflict between her queer and Balinese identities.Tara Suamba studies, practices and teaches law with a human rights focus. She enjoys time with her greyhound Sonny, taking down institutions from the inside and crosswords.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories bo
111 Mama Alto - The Last Time I Saw Aretha
Transgender singer Mama Alto recounts her experiences of traveling through the USA to attend an Aretha Franklin concert.Mama Alto is a gender transcendent diva, cabaret artiste, jazz singer and community activist. Her cabaret performances and collaborations have garnered critical praise at the Melbourne Recital Centre, Malthouse Theatre Company, Melbourne Festival, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Darwin Festival, and so many more. Mama Alto was the 2017 Artist of the Year at the GLOBE LGBTI Awards.Qu
109 Nayuka Gorrie - On Loving Black Women
Nayuka Gorrie has moved back to Melbourne. They share a little of their vulnerability and reflect on the strong black women who help them deal with it.Nayuka Gorrie is a Kurnai/Gunai, Gunditjmara, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta freelance writer who has written for The Guardian, Junkee, Vice, SBS and others. They also write for TV, most notably for ABC TV's Black Comedy.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Fo
110 Crusader Hillis - And So Forth…
Crusader reflects on his relationship to sex and his body, on the punk scene and on his long relationship with partner (and business partner) Roland.Crusader Hillis is a writer, editor, curator and producer. He co-founded (with Rowland Thomson) the queer bookshop Hares & Hyenas in 1991. In its 23-year history, Hares & Hyenas has presented over 700 literary and performance events, both here and interstate.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regu
108 Ginger Valentine - What a Difference a Name Makes
Ginger Valentine takes what they were given at birth, and makes it better.Ginger Valentine is a writer, a podcaster and a pop-culture commentator, pastimes that feel as natural to them as breathing. And, like breathing, they'll keep doing it even when no one's listening. You can buck the trend, and listen to their podcast, Common Sense with Burt Franklap.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates,
107 Epipola Taulafo - This is Me
Pola remembers her childhood in Tonga, and shares her often heartbreaking journey becoming the woman she is now.Epipola Taulafo is an an entertainer, singer, dancer, and a member of the LGBTIQ group in the Asylum Seeker Centre. She is currently studying business management, and is a former Miss Galaxy Queen 2008-09.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow&n
106 Liz Duck-Chong - Left Wanting
Faced with the chance to change herself, Liz Duck-Chong had to ask herself if the act of changing would involve a bigger shift than expected.Liz Duck-Chong is a writer, sexual health advocate, filmmaker and transgender bon vivant who is a true renaissance figure in the sense that most of them were really gay. She can be found on Twitter at @lizduckchong, in your ears on the podcast Let's Do It, or lying in the sun eating dolmades and thinking about sex.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling nig
105 Chantell Martin - The Awakening
Chantell Martin reflects on her experiences of transition and some of the major emotional turning points in her life.Originally from New Zealand, Chantell Martin has worked predominantly in the community sector. She worked for ACON as their housing officer, then went onto work for the Gender Centre as a case worker and housing officer within their residential project. Chantell is an active trans sex worker who works as the Transgender Outreach Officer at SWOP. And she is one of the founding memb
104 Wil Roach - Forgive and Forget
Wil shares stories about family and relationships, about how lives intersect messily but, in the end love helps us heal.Wil Roach is a writer of poetry, short stories and essays, and he has completed a memoir manuscript currently being edited for publication later this year. As a performance poet and creative producer, he has had work performed at the Sydney Writers Festival, Sydney Fringe Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival and Unspoken Word Festival, among others.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ stor
103 Groovii Biscuit - Life-skills Training through a Queer Lens
Groovii Biscuit recalls a series of queer life lessons learnt while living at the Twenty10 LGBTQI youth refuge in the late 80s.In the 90s, Groovii Biscuit contributed to many a queer gathering, Club Bent and the Alternative Mardi Gras parties to name a few. Groovii was one of the original trio that birthed Club Kooky and is committed to sprinkling the Kooky ethos wherever life takes her, trailing behind her like a fine mist. For fun nowadays she likes to move furniture out of the way as blindfol
102 Rebecca Shaw - The Sky is Gay
Originally performed at Nailed It (another excellent Giant Dwarf event), Rebecca Shaw's thesis that the sky is gay is watertight, and bloody hilarious.Rebecca Shaw AKA brocklesnitch, is a writer and creator of the parody Twitter account @notofeminism, which was developed into an illustrated book with Affirm Press. She was on the writing team at Tonightly, and has written for Junkee, The Guardian, Daily Life, Kill Your Darlings and heaps of other outlets.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling ni
101 Mitch Hibbens - The Ditch
Mitch Hibbens speaks frankly and openly about his relationship to alcohol.Mitch Hibbens is a failed athlete, emerging academic, Aboriginal activist and part-time Drag Queen. He has been a performer all his life but has only recently stepped onto the stage. A Wiradjuri man and country boy to his core, Mitch currently volunteers his time as an Indigenous Rights Campaigner for Democracy in Colour. He is a Board Member at the local Aboriginal Health Service and is employed in the tertiary education
100 Dr Rachel Richardson - On Being Seen: Stories from a trans childhood
Rachel Richardson talks about growing up trans in a cisgender world and the devious play strategies she used as a kid to help her cisgender playmates see her. Rachel is a writer, academic, and advocate for transgender health services – especially those cutting edge medical technologies available nowadays for children and others who know their bodies don't reflect the truth of their gender.Dr Rachel Richardson is currently Sub-Dean, Learning and Teaching, with the Faculty of Arts & Educ
99 Steven Oliver - Because of Her
Steven shares his memories of his mother, and reflects on how she impacted his life as a gay, black man.Steven Oliver is a descendant of the Kuku-Yalanji, Waanyi, Gangalidda, Woppaburra, Bundjalung and Biripi peoples. He has worked with numerous theatre companies and arts organisations across Australia but became notorious with ABC's hit sketch show Black Comedy. He flies about the country working as an actor, writer, MC, keynote speaker, poet, wannabe cabaret performer or as he simply likes to
98 Faustina Agolley - How I Beat Anxiety
Faustina Agolley reflects on her anxiety issues and on the strategies she used to kick it to the curb!Faustina Agolley is a TV Host, Actor, DJ, Producer and writer. She's hosted Video Hits, The Voice and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Last year she made her stage debut with a Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company's co-production and she's toured Australia and New Zealand as Oprah's resident DJ.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with
97 Liz Jackson - The Sleeper
Liz Jackson reflects on her nickname, on relationships and on moments of connection.Liz Jackson looks at disability through the lens of fashion and design. She is the founder and president of The Disabled List, a disability design self-advocacy organisation, and WITH, a fellowship that helps match creative disabled people with design studios and other organizations.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisba
96 Simon Hunt - Passing Time in West Berlin
Simon Hunt reflects on his time in West Berlin, and a night spent hunting for a gay bar.Simon Hunt is a composer, performer, activist and writer who lectures in Media at the UNSW Faculty of Art & Design. He has won awards internationally as a filmmaker and composer, but is best known for his character ‘Pauline Pantsdown' - a drag simulacrum of politician Pauline Hanson - who enjoyed a top ten hit in the 1990s made from Hanson voice samples, and has more recently operated online as a vi
95 Kait Fenwick - Tracking Butch
From dagger dykes to dapper daddies - butch history from the perspective of a masculine of centre millennial.Kait Fenwick is a queer poet living in Newcastle. In 2017, they completed their Honours thesis titled ‘Digital Queeries', a series of poems that explored the relationship between millennial queers and the internet. Their work has been published in the Contemporary Australian Feminist Poetry anthology, Butch Is Not a Dirty Word magazine, Archer and Cordite Poetry Review.Queerstories
94 William Yang - GAY B C
William Yang shares his experiences being gay and Australian Born Chinese.William Yang moved to Sydney from North Queensland in 1969 and worked as a freelance photographer documenting Sydney's social life which included the glamorous, celebrity set and the hedonistic, sub-cultural, gay community. In 1989 he integrated his skills as a writer and a visual artist and began to perform monologues with slide projection in theatres. He has done eleven full-length works and toured the world. “Sadn
93 Kaya Wilson - Power Pose
Kaya Wilson reflects on his photoshoot in an abandoned gay sauna with Patrick Boland.This story was shared at Queerstories x Archer Magazine launch in Sydney. You can see the images Kaya refers to in his story by ordering a copy of Archer Magazine's 10th issue.Kaya Wilson is a writer and scientist based in Sydney. He writes lyrical non-fiction essays with a focus on queer identity and his work has been published widely.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, wi
92 Razia Zakarya - Rebel With a Cause
Roused rebel Razia Zakaria experiences seemingly different cultures only to find they have more in common than first expected.This story was shared at Queerstories x Archer Magazine, launching the magazine's 10th issue in Sydney.Razia Zakarya is a PhD candidate in Science at UTS. Her secret superpowers are mondegreens and malapropisms.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsd
91 Sara Knox - In the Garden of Unearthly Delights
Sara reflects on her time spent in Orlando, Florida in 1998, on a man she met there, and on memory itself.Sara Knox was born in Wellington, New Zealand, in the year that country got television. She was raised in a family addicted to BBC dramas and books, where humour counted as the seventh sense. Her first novel, The Orphan Gunner, was short-listed for the regional Commonwealth Writer's Prize and won the Asher prize for the best novel by a woman about war. Sara has been a poet, and an essayist,
90 Bali Padda - The Big Snip
Bali shares a story about an intimate and life-changing experience: his first haircut.Bali is the ultimate slashie - Actor, Producer, Director, Development Executive and Diversity Advisor for Australia's theatre and screen industry. He is the Chair of MEAA's Equity Diversity Committee and represents Australia's professional actor community as an elected representative on MEAA's National Performers Committee. He's performed in theatres around the world, as well as on TV, he's even been on Home &a
89 Jen Peden - Moustaches
Facial hair, family advice, and how not to use a razor.Jen Peden is a committee member for queer soccer club, the Flying Bats FC, falling over on the field for them during games on Sundays and pfaffing around on their social media through the week. And she recently received an Inner West Council Volunteer Recognition Award.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and
87 Elizabeth Humphreys - My Tabloid Life
Not exactly a story about queer activism...Elizabeth Humphrys is an academic at UTS. She researches work, trade unions and social movements. She grew up in a working class family in Werribee, Melbourne, and has been temporarily living in Sydney for the past twenty years. She is an AFL obsessive and Stupendous Bisexual.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follo
85 Gary Paramanathan: The Skin We Live In
Gary takes us back to the early naughts when, as a teenager, he learns about the paradoxes of desire, identity politics and meeting people online.Gary Paramanathan works at the intersection of arts, culture and community. Born in Sri Lanka and raised in Australia, Gary has written and directed a number of short films, including for ABC iView. He has written feature essays and recounted personal narratives. This is his first attempt at telling a story to a live audience.Queerstories is an LG
84 Jacob Thomas: An Ode to Keith
A story of floral duvets, survival, and being set free by an old mate.Jacob Thomas works and volunteers in numerous fields including aide and development, LGBTQIA+ advocacy, gender equality, start-up consultancy, higher education, human rights, youth development, and international policy. Jacob sits as the SOGI executive member of the Commonwealth Youth Gender and Equality Network (CYGEN), and sits on the UN Women's Taskforce for Youth and Gender Equality. In 2016 they were one of two Australian
83 Nevo Zisin: Baby-dar
Why kids are in fact the greatest, far better than adults, potentially better than you.Nevo Zisin is a Jewish, Queer, non-binary activist, public speaker and author of Finding Nevo, a memoir on gender transition. They run workshops and professional development in schools and workplaces around gender inclusivity. They have appeared on SBS Insight, Hack Live, One Plus One, The Morning Show and other media. Nevo is a contact point in the Jewish community for other children and families confronting
82 Lisa-Skye: Femme Daddy
Melbourne comedian and storyteller Lisa-Skye explores labels and desire when things are less 'black and white' and more 'unicorn sneezecough'.Lisa-Skye is Melbourne's favourite sparklepuppy muppet dominatrix comedian. Her uniquely positive and inclusive humour and her glitter-bomb high-energy delivery have made her a favourite on the international arts festival circuit. She really is a treasure, we often find ourselves at Fringe festivals at the same time and you can count on her to a) be really
81 Peter Waples-Crowe: Me and My Ghost Stories
Peter shares stories about his spirituality and otherworldly happenings.Peter Waples-Crowe is an award winning Ngarigo queer visual and performing artist whose work has featured in many spaces throughout Victoria. His art practice plays at the intersection of his experiences as an Aboriginal queer man and his work with community health and community arts organisations such as The Torch, the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and his current role at the Victorian A
80 Jordan Raskopoulos: If I Could Turn Back Time
Jordan Raskopoulos takes a trip down memory lane, recalling some of her more frustrating encounters with the entertainment industry.Jordan Raskopoulos is a writer, comedian and singer. She's been on tele, she's toured the world with her band The Axis of Awesome, had a few viral hits and then had a supporting role in a telemovie about Julian Assange. Since coming out and transitioning she's also taken on a lot of speaking and advocacy work, hosting the ABC podcast This is About and creating
79 Annaliese Constable: Relax Massage
Annaliese Constable is massaged within an inch of her life.Annaliese Constable is a writer, performer and queer rights activist working across standup, queer performance and theatre. Renowned for self deprecating and tragic comedic works Annaliese has been a regular contributor to Erotic Fan Fiction, Confession Booth, Story Club and FBi's Versus with Eddie Sharp. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories
78 Nina Oyama: In a Haze of Bong Smoke
Consistently baked and severely depressed, Nina Oyama moves to Melbourne to work on a fancy TV show.Nina is a stand up comedian and writer. She has performed at various festivals across Australia, as well as on TV on SBS2's Stand Up @ Bella Union, C31's About Tonight, In The Zone 2015 and Tonightly with Tom Ballard. Nina also has writing credits for You're Skitting, The Chaser's Election Deskand Squinters. In 2017, Nina was a recurring cast membe
77 Tim Bishop: My Man and Me
A road trip and love story about going back to country.Tim Bishop is from Albury on the mighty Murray River, known as ‘Indi” to the upper river First Peoples. Raised around open fires and kitchen tables, he is a singer-songwriter, storyteller and radio broadcaster, among other skills. Tim has worked professionally as an actor and voice artist, an arts administrator, a theatre and costume designer, stage manager, tour manager and lighting designer and technician. He was Co-producer, Y
76 Garry Wotherspoon: Max's Party
A party is usually defined as “a joyous affair, typically involving eating, drinking, and entertainment,” but at this one the entertainment was, well, not what was expected.Garry is a historian, writer, and activist, a former academic at the University of Sydney and a former NSW History Fellow. He has written several books and has been published internationally. A 78er, he was awarded Australia's Centenary of Federation medal for his work as an academic, researcher, and human rights
75 ZahraStardust: Stripper Fails 101
Zahra Stardust shares her worst - and most hilarious - stripper fails.Zahra has travelled the world as an award winning striptease artist, pole instructor, porn star and Penthouse Pet. Since realising corporate law was not the best fit for her, she has worked in sexual health and human rights with the United Nations, in policy and leadership positions at ACON, the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby and Scarlet Alliance, and as a Teaching Fellow in criminology at UNSW. Currently Zahra is finishing her
74 Robyn Kennedy: The Pursuit of Particular Friendships
Robyn Kennedy tells her tale of victory over the Sisters of Malevolence.Robyn has worked at senior levels in both the public and not for profit sector working across social and affordable housing, homelessness, Aboriginal housing, disability and health. Robyn is a proud 78er with a long history of involvement in LGBTIQ activism commencing in 1975 when she joined the Executive Committee of CAMP NSW. She was an active member of the Gay Task Force and is currently the Secretary/Treasurer of First M
73 PatrickLenton: A Robust Game Of Man-Ball
Patrick Lenton tells us a story in which he tries to throw a cool party for his friends and instead ends up interrogating the concept of masculinity.Patrick is a writer and author living in Sydney, Australia. He is a staff writer at pop-culture and entertainment publication Junkee. He has a book of short stories called A Man Made Entirely of Bats, which the critics have called ‘odd', and was shortlisted for the Most Underrated Book Award 2016. His book of comedic essays Uncle Hercule
72 Peter Mitchell: Nunsense in the City of Desires
Peter Mitchell AKA Sister Mary Sit-On-My-Face reveals her adventures with the San Francisco Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence during the 1983 gay and Lesbian Freedom Parade.Peter came into this world in 1957 in metropolitan Sydney and spent his formative years between rural Maitland and industrial Newcastle. Now residing in Lismore in Bundajalung Country, he is the author of the poetry chapbook, The Scarlet Moment and crafts poetry, short fiction, memoir, literary criticism and a range of journali
71 Alex Ward: Remote
Alex Ward has a taste of what it would be like to be an only child. Turns out it tastes like revenge with more than a hint of defeat. Alex is a Melbourne based stand-up comedian who has performed around the country, including at Brisbane and Melbourne International Comedy Festivals. Following a successful debut with sold out shows in 2017, Alex is excited to return to Melbourne International Comedy Festival with her 2018 show ‘Good, great'. When not performing stand-up, Alex is writin
70 Kate Rowe: Same Sex Marriage 90s Style
Kate Rowe reflects on her marriage to a dear friend.Kate worked in medical administration and is a fitness and health fanatic who went to her first Gay Games as a cyclist in New York in 1994. She went on to participate as an athlete, a volunteer and board member for 20 years. She is still is a triathlete hoping to qualify or the World Triathlon Championships in September.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstor
69 Kelly Azizi: A Shit Queer
Kelly Azizi talks about the shittier side of what makes up 'community'.Kelly is a writer whose field of interest includes the politics of ethno-cultural identity, the diaspora, and non-white feminism. In 2016, she completed her Master of Cultural Studies degree at the University of Sydney.Kelly plays an active role in Sydney's art community, and is an advocate for its cultural diversity and inclusiveness. She was the Gallery Administrator at 55 Sydenham Rd - an independent art space in Marrickvi
68 Emily Wilkinson: The Invisible Girl
Emily Wilkinson contemplates the consequences of getting what you wished for.Emily is someone you typically find behind the scenes. An IT sysadmin by day and a theatrical audio tech by night, both careers in which success is defined as no one noticing when she screws up. She writes short stories that she shows to no one, and has a blog with all its posts set to private. She has a fondness for non-gestational-lesbian-Mum jokes, despite not yet being a non-gestational-lesbian-Mum.Queerstories is a
67 Nayuka Gorrie: Going The Distance
Nayuka's in love...but then her worst nightmare comes true.Nayuka Gorrie is a Kurnai/Gunai, Gunditjmara, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta freelance writer.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia.To supp
66 Peter Taggart: A Country Practice
Peter Taggart attempts to satisfy his curiosities in a rural heterosexual wasteland.Peter is a writer and podcaster from Brisbane. He was born on the glittering Gold Coast and raised in St George – a small farming township in southern Queensland. Peter has written for Junkee, The Guardian, Meanjin and SBS, has hosted shows on 2SER/Star Observer Digital and 4ZzZ and has contributed to various programs on triple j and ABC Radio Brisbane. His podcasts include the popular Bring A Plate an
65 David Abello: Paul
David Abello shares stories about his dear friend, Paul Young.David was born in the inner-west of Sydney where he still lives. He became involved in the lesbian and gay movement in 1975 and in 1980s was a member of the Gay Liberation Quire and the Gaywaves Gay Radio Collective amongst other things. He's been active in the disability movement since the 1980s and in membership-based organisations concerned with employment, advocacy, multicultural advocacy and housing. In the late 1990s he was a fo
64 Ben McLeay: Kerouacking Off
In which Ben McLeay contemplates the worst thing that could possibly happen to him: rudeness.Ben is a Brisbane-based writer at Pedestrian.tv and co-host of political comedy podcast Boonta Vista Socialist Club.Ben is featured in the Queerstories book which can be ordered on Booktopia.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The
62 Dee Fidge: More people should be afraid of moths
Deirdre Fidge tells us a story about fluttering and fear.Dee is a writer and social worker whose work has been featured in Archer magazine, Daily Life, SBS, ABC, Crikey and Junkee. Her writings on LGTBQ issues saw her shortlisted for Out for Australia's Role Model of the Year in 2017. She also authored a chapter in Doing It, an anthology of sex-positive stories written by women available through UQP. Dee's career highlight to date is being retweeted by John Stamos.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ stor
61 Davey Thompson: '07 Bonnie & Clyde
Davey Thompson shares his story of how an awkward, flamboyant gay Aboriginal met his ride-or-die-best-friend.Davey is an Inningai, Bidjara, Wakka Wakka and Gubbi Gubbi man from a small town named Barcaldine in Queensland. As a child, he wished to grow up and become Princess Leia, who taught him to strangle his oppressors with the very chains they put you in. He moved to Brisbane via Bundaberg to study at the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts, and has since worked behind the scenes f
60 Quinn Eades: Making home (to all the lesbians I’ve loved before)
Quinn Eades grew up in the Sydney lesbian community during the 70s and 80s, was assigned female at birth. He lived as a dyke for 25 years before becoming a transmasc person at the age of 41. This story is a tracery of his lesbian heritage, and a letter to all the lesbians he's loved before.Quinn Eades is a researcher, writer, and award-winning poet whose work lies at the nexus of feminist, queer and trans theories of the body, autobiography, poetry, and philosophy.Eades has been published nation
59 Tarneen Onus Williams: Four Times I Was A Scammer
Tarneen Onus-Williams has always been a scammer, but in 2018 she managed to scam the whole country.Tarneen is a Yigar Gunditjmara, Yorta Yorta, Bindal and Torres Strait Islander woman, passionate about decolonisation, resistance and young black people.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories book is published b
57 Karen Therese: Sleeplessness
Karen Therese tells us a story about women. Part mystery, part documentary, part forensic investigation, Sleeplessness maps a remarkable Australian story.Karen is an interdisciplinary artist, creative producer and cultural leader. In 2010 Karen was awarded the inaugural Cultural Leadership Grant by The Australia Council to investigate innovative curatorial practices across diverse cultures and art forms, with a vision to embed her practice within Western Sydney.Since then Karen has cre
56 Peter Polites: One Metre Squared
Author Peter Polites remembers his visits to the Greek and Gay Group - GAGG.Peter Polites is a writer of Greek descent from Western Sydney. As part of the SWEATSHOP writers collective, Peter has written and performed his work all over Australia. Alongside SMH Best Young Novelists Luke Carman and Michael Mohammed Ahmad, Polites wrote and performed THREE JERKS - a spoken word piece about the Cronulla riots - to sellout crowds in Sydney and Melbourne.His novels Down the Hume and The Pillars are pub
55 Vonne Patiag: The In-Between
Vonne Patiag takes a strange look at the behind the scenes drama during a short film production, involving voodoo shamans and a hate-criming pineapple.Vonne is a Writer and Director working in theatre and film. His most recent short film ‘Window' had its World Premiere at St. Kilda Film Festival 2016 where it won Best Short Film in its category. It's gone on to screen at festivals around the country. In 2015, his short film ‘Yang' had its World Premiere at A Night Of Horror, Aus
54 Courtney Thompson: Portrait of a High-To-Moderate Functioning Alcoholic
Courtnery Thompson tells us a fictional tale of good wine and cheap life choices.Courtney won the ‘Queerstories' prize as part of the Outstanding Short Story Competition. If you haven't heard of Outstanding before, it's an LGBTQI writing competition run by Robert Tait, Gail Hewison of Feminist Bookshop fame, and Teresa Savage, who among many accomplishments, is one of my mothers. So, I selected Courtney's piece to be performed from loads of entries to the competition and here she is.Courtn
53 Candy Bowers: Dear Audre
Candy Bowers writes a love letter to her black lesbian hero, Audre Lorde.Candy is an award-winning writer, actor, social activist, comedian and producer. The co-artistic director of Black Honey Company, Candy has pioneered a fierce sub-genre of hip hop theatre that delves into the heart of radical feminist dreaming. Born of multi-racial South African parents and raised in the Western Suburbs of Sydney, Candy studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). Since then she has gone on per
52 David Cunningham: No orifice is a window to the soul
David Cunningham shines a light on the complicated relationship of having a fuckbuddy and the illusion of intimacy it creates.David is a writer/researcher on ABC TV's The Checkout, who occasionally plays large men in top hats, togas and so on when no one else is available. He was the runner up in the Raw National Stand-up Comedy Competition in 2008, and occasionally can be found doing stand-up around Sydney until it gets too much for his knees.For leisure, he is in his ninth year of not-quite-fa
51 Zoe Coombs Marr: You Should Use That
Zoe Coombs Marr gets advice. From her parents, her audience, her peers and her dentist. Some of it is good. Some is unusable stories about wafflecones.Zoe is a performer, writer, artist and comedian. She grew up in Grafton, where she and her best friend staged a musical instead of going to schoolies week. Zoe has performed stand up comedy extensively in Australia, the UK and New York. Her latest solo show, Trigger Warning, won the 2016 Melbourne International Comedy Barry Award as well as the Go
50 David Marr: Clearlight on a Bad Day
David Marr tells us how the inescapable truth finally dawned on him one day late in 1975. David has won four Walkley awards for journalism in his 45 year career. He's now at Guardian Australia and is widely regarded as one of Australia's most influential commentators.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstorie
49 Candy Royalle: Here, Queer and Arabic
Poet Candy Royalle on the road to belonging.Candy was an award winning writer, performance artist, poet, storyteller, activist, educator and vulnerability advocate. Candy's album “Birthing the Sky Birthing theSea,” a collaboration with the band The Freed Radicals, explored a fusion of rock and roll, funk, experimental soundscapes, hip hop, poetry with song. She published two solocollections, “Love Spectacular” and “Heartbeats,” and toured extensively in Austra
48 Allison Gallagher: On Binaries and Button-Down Shirts
Allison Gallagher explores the re-negotiation of their relationship to masculinity after coming out as trans.Allison is a writer and poet from Sydney. Their chapbook 'Parenthetical Bodies' was released in 2017 by Subbed In. Their poems have appeared in places like Overland, Potluck, Scum Mag and Moonsick, while other writing has appeared on i-D, The Sydney Morning Herald and Junkee. They also sing and play bass in the indie-punk band Sports Bra. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night
47 Nell
Nell gives us a Blessing For One Who Is Exhausted, Hard On For Love, Artist's Prayer, Yellow Glove and banter.Nell's practice traverses performance, sculpture, music, and painting. Small, intimate objects are just as probable as immersive installations. In creating her dramatic, idiosyncratic works Nell draws on an eclectic selection of material, ranging from the sacred to the popular. Her great love of Rock ‘n' Roll and small joys manifest in artworks that are everyday meditations on what
46 George Tillianakis: We’re not allowed to talk to George
George Tillianakis tells us a true story from 1999.George is a Sydney based video performance artist, composer, and musician. George has been active in the arts for over 15 years, exhibiting and performing in galleries internationally, most notably in New York City. George has written, produced, and released music, under the name Melodiqa, a solo electronic project that saw two albums released in 2016, Donuts, and Cry, Fuck, or Fight, and with indie band Chainsaw Melody. All music under the
45 Lisa Freshwater & AJ Brown: Renovating a Relationship
AJ Brown and Lisa Freshwater talk about healing the past through renovating a house and affirming gender.AJ is a landscape designer as well as an admin for a number of online groups including Trans Sydney Pride and Transgender International. Lisa is a co-founder of The Theatre Division. Currently her production of Miracle City is playing at the Sydney Opera House. Together, Lisa and AJ have a fifteen year old son and a boarder collie called Fergus.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling nig
44 Tilly Lawless: Stifling
Tilly Lawless talks about her experiences at a massage parlour she worked at and the fling she had with another working girl there.Tilly is a queer, Sydney-based sex worker who is passionate about horses, sex worker rights and feminism. She utilises her online platform to speak about her personal experiences within the sex industry, in an attempt to shine a light on the every day stigma that sex workers come up against. Growing up in rural NSW, her writing is often a bucolic love letter to the c
43 Jordan Raskopolous: Critically Ashamed
Jordan Raskopoulos tells the sordid tale of her battle with the Logies.Jordan is a writer, comedian and singer. She's been on tele, she's toured the world with her band The Axis of Awesome, had a few viral hits and then had a supporting role in a telemovie about Julian Assange. Since coming out and transitioning she's also taken on a lot of speaking and advocacy work, hosting the ABC podcast This is About and creating content around issues such as Australia Day and Marriage Equali
42 Ben Neutze & Cassie Tongue: A platonic partnership in pop
Theatre critics Cassie Tongue and Ben Neutze tell a story of musical theatre legends, glitter emerald eye-shadow, and pants-wetting in the presence of a Minogue.Cassie and Ben are two of Sydney's leading theatre critics and are among the most influential performing arts commentators in the country. Cassie writes regularly for Time Out Sydney and Guardian Australia, and Ben is Deputy Editor of Daily Review. Ben and Cassie bring intelligence, politics, feminism and a queer eye to the fine art of t
39 Amy Coopes: Confession
Amy Coopes muses on sacraments, sacrificial siblings, and the mindblowing power of the Catholic confessional.Amy is a writer, journalist, and editor at Croakey News.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller o
41 Christina Radburn and Bhenji Ra: Queer Sister Hooding
Bhenji Ra and Christina Radburn tell their story of being two sisters growing up and growing together.Christina is an award-winning independent film producer based in Melbourne. Bhenji is an interdisciplinary artist. She belongs to the collective Club Ate and she is the overall mother of the house of Slé, a western Sydney based community performance group. They grew up in Moruya, a small coastal town in NSW. They are sisters, carrying the long bloodlines of their Filipino matriarchs who h
40 johnny seymour: Chosen Family
Jonny Seymour shares his reflections on a lifetime of creating chosen family, logical rather than biological.DJ and composer Jonny is one half of Stereogamous, the Sydney-based duo he formed with Paul Mac. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook.The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchase
38 Ginger Turner: The A is Not for Ally
Ginger Turner reflects on their realisation that they identify as asexual. Ginger is a writer, a podcaster and a pop-culture commentator, pastimes that feel as natural to them as breathing. And, like breathing, they'll keep doing it even when no one's listening. You can buck the trend, and listen to their podcast, Common Sense with Burt Franklap. Ginger is featured in the Queerstories book which can be ordered on Booktopia.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programme
37 Teddy Cook and Jones Jones: Twins
Jones Jones and Teddy Cook tell us the story of a pair of twins, some snow and slamming it down fast, the perfect analogy for Teddy and Jones' beautiful queer life. Jones Jones launched The Vegan Teahouse in 2012, the Vegan Collective night market in 2014, and established MAKER, a queer feminist run shared commercial kitchen, education space and coffee bar in Petersham. Their identical twin, Ted works at ACON, is an affiliate member of the Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis
36 Vicki Melson: Gotta Make Way for the Homo Superior
Vicki Melson tells us a short tale of heroes, cock and cancer. Vicki is a Sydney based aromatherapist with a background in graphic design. She has recently completed an Arts degree majoring in English and Film which she hopes will encourage her to write more. She escaped from the UK in 1987 and has since been trapped in Australia due to her love of its flora and fauna. Vicki Melson is featured in the Queerstories book which can be ordered on Booktopia.Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ stor
35 Nic Holas: That Guy
Nic Holas opens up for the first time about something very personal that happened to him, his sisters, and his Dad. Nic Holas is an activist, writer, and co-founder of The Institute of Many (TIM), Australia's largest grassroots movement for People Living with HIV. Nic's writing on HIV/AIDS, LGBTIQA issues, human rights, and pop culture has appeared in Archer, The Guardian, Sydney Morning Herald, SBS, Hello Mr., The Lifted Brow, and Junkee, as well as in international and local queer
34 Francis Voon & James Adcock: Marriage Equali-tee
Francis Voon and James Adcock know the lead up to marriage equality may not be easy, but they are saying YES to love, even if that means wearing matching merchandise. Francis and James have been together for 5 years. James is an architect and Francis works on the marriage equality campaign. Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follo
33 Kirsty Webeck: A Life Lesson In Peru
Kirsty Webeck tells us how a trip to Peru changed the way she sees the world.Kirsty is a Melbourne-based stand up comedian. She has notably performed in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival, hosted The GLORIAs at NSW Parliament House and performed at Mardi Gras. Kirsty is currently touring her 2018 festival show, 'I Get It Now!,'Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events in Sydney, Melbourne
32 Julie Low: My Names
Julie Low talks about the wide variety of names she's collected throughout her life, along with what they mean to her and why she loves them all.Julie is an artist, writer, photographer, and podcast host. She is a graduate of the National Art School with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and is currently in the first year of her Masters of Teaching (Secondary) at the University of New South Wales. Her recent work includes co-hosting Trans-Mission Radio, an amateur anecdotal advice show by trans women, fo
31 Leona Beasley: Backyard Follies
Leona Beasley tells us the story of Onnie Armstrong who kisses her first girl inside a shabby doghouse in the backyard, but the sheer joy of lips locking doesn't last when her hotheaded Southern father discovers his daughter isn't like the other girls.Writer Leona Beasley was born and raised in in Atlanta, Georgia. Her debut novel Something Better than Home is a 2018 Lambda Literary Award finalist in Lesbian Fiction. She studied Interior Design at the University of Georgia, Education a
30 Heather Grace Jones: Love is Love
Heather Grace Jones tell us three short pieces. They are a small reminder that 'love is love' has many meanings, and while this moment in history feels unbearable in many ways, together we continue to celebrate our communities, our unconditional affections and our lives.Heather is a journalist, community worker and writer. For the past decade Heather Grace has worked in Australia, Afghanistan and Pakistan on social justice issues with a focus on media development, technology and women's rig
29 Maxine Kauter: How to make your bed
Maxine Kauter tells us the story of her amazing adventure right into the heart of Evangelical Christianity and advice that you should be careful how well you make your bed because you may be asleep in it for longer than you think. Maxine is a singer, songwriter and storyteller. She is best known for her role as the titular character in the long-running soap opera, 'The Maxine Kauter Band'. In that role she has self-released three records of critically acclaimed music for sad sacks. She is a
28 Tina Dixson: Home and Exile
Tina Dixson tells us a story about queer search for safety. When home and exile become one, how does one belong? Tina is a queer woman and an advocate for human rights both here and overseas, specialising on the issues faced by LGBTIQ communities, people from refugee backgrounds and women who've experienced violence. In Australia she has worked for the Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS), Australia's preeminent legal service of people seeking asylum. She is currently collab
27 Kaya: My brain, my bones and my hormones
Kaya shares a tale of transitioning after a near fatal accident and discovering the joys of google incognito. Kaya is a scientist researching the tsunami threat to NSW, working closely with the SES to develop emergency management policies. In their career as an ocean mapping scientist they spent several years at sea working for the government and private industry. Kaya also writes and publishes creative non fiction for the queerest publications they can find. Queerstories is an L
26 Guy James Whitworth: Shy bairns get nowt
A heartfelt account of how artist Guy James Whitworth's troubled childhood in the North East of England fuels and fires him on to negotiating the straight art scene in Sydney.Guy is one of those intense and creative types. Originally hailing from Northumberland in the North East of England he has for the past decade called Australia home and resides in Surry Hills wandering the streets shouting about form, colour and the importance of studying anatomy to anyone who will listen.Whi
25 Simon Copland: Poly love and great sex
Simon Copland's polyamorous relationships seem to concern many gay people. But accepting diversity means accepting all of it, even when it comes to sex. Simon is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the Australian National University. He is a freelance writer who has been published in the Guardian, SBS Online Australia, BBC Online, and co-produces and presents the podcast Queers.Simon is the co-editor of the online publishing site Green Agenda. In his free time he likes to powerlift, he loves ru
24 Mama Alto: Rise Up Singing
Mama Alto is a cabaret artiste, jazz singer and trans non-binary femme who tells two interwoven stories about gender and generations.Mama Alto is a gender transcendent diva, cabaret artiste, jazz singer and community activist based in Melbourne. She is a non-binary trans femme person of colour who works with the radical potential of storytelling, strength in softness and power in vulnerability. Mama Alto was the delighted recipient of the 2014 Weekly Award for Best Cabaret at Adelaide Fring
23 Eloise Brook: Between the Coloured Girls and the Sax Solo
Eloise Brook tells us the safest space growing up Trans in the 80s in Australia was music - a place to listen, a place to imagine and a place to dream.Eloise is a researcher at the Sexualities and Gender Research network, Western Sydney University as well as the secretary of the board of Directors at the Gender Centre.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemars
22 Helen Razer: Acceptable Homosexuals
Helen Razer impales herself on the white picket fence of diminished queer ambition.Helen is an opinion and arts writer perhaps best known for her years spent hosting breakfast on triple j, quite possibly the first female breakfast announcer on Australian FM radio and certainly the crankiest. Helen has published a bunch of books and writes a bunch o' publications about politics, the arts and pop culture.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular event
21 Rhys Nicholson: Rhys Courts a Man
Rhys Nicholson tells tales from his youth in Newcastle.Rhys has performed all over the world, garnering audience and critical praise for being both funny and a snappy dresser. In 2016, he was nominated for best show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Zoe Coombs Marr won and in the meantime Zoe and Rhys wed at the Festival Club with their very gay partners acting as Best Man and Maid of Honour.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular ev
20 Allan Clarke: Queer Eye For the Aboriginal Guy
Allan Clarke tells us a coming of age story with a twist. An eye opening tale of what it's really like to grow up gay and Koori in the outback.Allan is the presenter of The Point on NITV. He is also their investigative reporter and was formerly the Indigenous Affairs reporter for BuzzFeed News and ABC News' Western Sydney reporter and a senior reporter for SBS television's Living Black.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regul
19 Jen Cloher: John
Jen Cloher tells us about Adelaide in the 1980's. This was not a place where you discovered gender as "a journey rather than a destination". It was a place you survived.Jen is an ARIA nominated artist and spent almost a decade as one of the country's best folk leaning singer-songwriters. In 2013, the release of In Blood Memory marked a new era; backed by an all time trio of Courtney Barnett, Bones Sloane and Jen Sholakis, post 2013 Cloher is grittier, groovier and more devastatingly honest than
18 Geraldine Hickey: Munch the Motor
Stand up Comedian Geraldine Hickey shares a tale from one of her less welcoming gigs. Geraldine has been described as a ‘deceptively cheery dame who'll quietly take out your innards.' I can't decide if that is terrifying or hot. Geraldine is a regular on the club and pub circuit around the country and she can be heard each morning on Melbourne Community radio station RRR.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events in Sydney
17 Brendan Maclean: Gay For Pay
Brendan Maclean reflects on earlier career choices in where he "camped it up" for a pink dollar or two, and the repercussions of an ego based on a false identity.Brendan is a singer/song writer and actor whose credits include Velvet, Tracks & The Great Gatsby. Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on
16 Bish Marzook: My Father's English
Bish Marzook shares stories about her father, his love of language, and what happens when she has to come up with her own definitions.Bish is a writer, comedian, and scientist for good measure. She writes for SBS Comedy, regularly appears on Triple J and FBi radio, and co-runs Wolf Comedy, a Sydney comedy room committed to promoting diversity in comedy. You should definitely check it out. She also recently completed a PhD in cell biology because of course she did what an over-achiever. She has p
15 Annaliese Constable: That's Love
Annaliese Constable invites you into the dysfunctional hotbed of mental illness that is her relationship with her partner Emily.Annaliese is a writer, performer and queer rights activist working across standup, queer performance and theatre. Renowned for self deprecating and tragic comedic works Annaliese has been a regular contributor to Erotic Fan Fiction, Confession Booth, Story Club and FBi's Versus with Eddie Sharp. Annaliese is funny for a girl, pretty for a lesbian and when she can a
14 Bastian Fox Phelan: Black Pearls
Bastian Fox Phelan explores being diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, the medicalisation of female facial hair, and how a disorder can be turned into a distinction. This story was published in The Lifted Brow (TLB #34) in June 2017.Bastian is a writer, musician and zinemaker living in Newcastle, Australia. Bastian is an MA (Research) candidate at The University of Sydney and is currently writing a memoir about female facial hair. They are part of dream pop duo Moonsign.Queerstories is an
13 Jessie Lloyd: Mission Songs
Jessie Lloyd speaks about her Mission Songs Project, and her research into her history as an Indigenous musician.Originally from the tropics of North Queensland, Jessie Lloyd is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musician who performs a broad collection of Australian Indigenous songs. As an independent solo artist, Jessie released her debut EP ‘Other Side of the Room' in 2014. Dedicated to the continuation of cultural practice through the production of both traditional and
12 Alice Williamson: Lab Notes
Dr Alice E Williamson looks back at the months she spent back in her home town in the North West of England just before moving to Sydney. Alice is a Lecturer in Chemical Education and Outreach at The University of Sydney. Originally from the North West of England, Alice completed her PhD at The University of Cambridge, where she worked with colleagues to develop two new chemical reactions. In addition to her research, Alice specialises in science communication and outreach. In Feb
11 David Cunningham: The Mayor of Biggercity or R U Chub?
Too fat for Grindr, David Cunningham shares his odyssey for online acceptance. David is a writer/researcher on ABC TV's The Checkout, who occasionally plays large men in top hats, togas and so on when no one else is available. He was the runner up in the Raw National Stand-up Comedy Competition in 2008, and occasionally can be found doing stand-up around Sydney until it gets too much for his knees.For leisure, he is in his ninth year of not-quite-failing a history PhD about tensions in cult
10 Rebecca Shaw: Ex-Straight Therapy aka A Clockwork Lemon
Comedian Rebecca Shaw expresses her pity for the straight women of the world, and devises a plan to help them live better lives.Rebecca (aka @brocklesnitch) is a writer and creator of popular parody Twitter account @notofeminism, which was developed into an illustrated book with Affirm Press.She is on the writing team at Tonightly with Tom Ballard, and has written for Junkee, The Guardian, Daily Life, Kill Your Darlings, SBS Comedy and more. She is in constant competition with Ruby Rose to becom
09 Paul Van Reyk: The Everlasting Open Family
Paul Van Reyk was told to ‘Go forth and multiply' ...but he did it his way.Paul was born in Sri Lanka in 1952, migrating to Australia with his family in 1962. He came out publicly in 1978, and has spent the subsequent four decades as an activist. He has been a regular media commentator over that time, writing on gay and HIV/AIDS history, racism in the gay community and LGBTQI families, and he has performed monologues on his life as an activist and gay donor dad.A social worker by professio
08 Patrick Abboud: Whiskey and Rain
Patrick Abboud shares an intimate family story he has never told before, exploring what it means to come out in Arab Culture.The son of Palestinian / Lebanese parents, Patrick is an award-winning storyteller, documentary filmmaker and broadcaster. Currently the senior investigative reporter/ presenter on SBS VICELAND's nightly program The Feed, Pat is passionate about uncovering stories you never knew existed.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regula
07 Demi Lardner: Look What You Made Me Do
Demi Lardner shares stories about the fine art of parenting yourself.Beginning stand-up at just 15, Demi has exploded around the country and abroad. Last year she was the breakout star of the 2017 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala that saw her sell out her tour, win the Director's Choice Award and Underbelly Edinburgh Fringe Award and record her show as part of ABC TV's Comedy Next Gen stand-up series. This year sheis touring her brand new show
06 Kerry Bashford: Father Figure
Kerry Bashford reflects on his life as a Daddy Bear.Kerry Bashford was a frequent contributor to the Sydney Star Observer in the '80s and '90s, went on to edit Campaign Magazine, Pink Ink: an anthology of lesbian and gay writers and Kink, a collection of queer fetish writers. Prominent in the bear and leather communities, Kerry has frequently chronicled their activities and now does LGBTQI+ oral histories for Newcastle Museum and Newcastle University.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling nigh
05 Nayuka Gorrie: Low Points
Nayuka Gorrie asks the audience to help her decide what was her lowest moment of 2016.Nayuka is a Kurnai/Gunai, Gunditjmara, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta freelance writer who has written for The Guardian, Junkee, Vice, SBS and others. She also writes for TV, most notably for ABC TV's Black Comedy.Nayuka will be featured in the new Queerstories book which can be pre-ordered on Booktopia.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events in Sydney, Melbour
04 Hannah Gadsby: How Siften Soften Became Friendly With The Dragon
Hannah Gadsby discovers a story she wrote when she was young. This story was recorded in March 2017, just as Hannah started touring her critically acclaimed show, Nanette. Winner, Best Comedy Show, Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2017, Helpmann Award for Best Comedy Performer, 2017 and Best Comedy Show, Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017, Nanette is now a Netflix special that has taken the world by storm.Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with re
03 Liz Duck-Chong: Knowing and Unknowing
Liz Duck-Chong recounts memories of her life and her story is a real story, but it isn't the whole story. Not yet.Liz Duck-Chong is a writer, sexual health nerd, photographer and musician who almost exclusively wears odd socks. She has had her work featured in the Sydney Morning Herald, Crikey, Meanjin, Kill Your Darlings, ABC Online, SBS Online, Archer Magazine, Junkee, and Overland. A proud trans and non binary woman, Liz is a true renaissance figure in the sense that most of them were re
01 Benjamin Law: Coming Out (Again)
Writer Benjamin Law comes out to his grandmother – half a lifetime after he originally came out.Benjamin Law writes books, TV screenplays, columns, essays and feature journalism. He's the author of The Family Law (2010), Gaysia: Adventures in the Queer East (2012) and the Quarterly Essay on Safe Schools, Moral Panic 101 (2017). The Family Law is now also an award-winning TV series for SBS, which Benjamin created and co-writes. He also co-ho
02 Jax Jacki Brown: Baby Butch
Writer, disability educator and activist Jax Jacki Brown speaks to blowjobs, butchness and disability. Some of this story appeared in the second issue of Butch is not a Dirty Word and an extended version will be featured in the new Queerstories book which can be pre-ordered on Booktopia.Jax Jacki Brown a co-producer of Quippings: Disability Unleashed a disability performance troupe in Melbourne. She has written for Junkee, Daily Life, The Feminist Observer, Writers Victoria, ABC's Ramp