Starting with the fiasco of the Speaker of the House oustng and subsequent fraught selection process, Jonny curates a series of recent news items that demonstrate how hate-based conservatism is self-destructive and unsustainable. The hate these folks foster for LGBTQ folks as a wedge issue pales next to the hate and lies they have for each other. In the back half of the show, Jonny examines the next potential SCOTUS case that might advance religious freedom at the expense of the health and well-...
Oct 20, 2023•59 min
Jonny interviews Heather O'Malley about the realease of ther new book, Hands of the Morri -- a fantasy adventure that includes a saucy raven as one of the narrators. In the process of discussing the work, they talk about what LGBTQ writers bring to fantasy/SF genres, including a brief reference to the Rainbow Space Magic conference for queer sci fi and fantasy writers. You can pick up a copy of the novel at a book release party at the Rainbow Cafe on Thursday 10/12 at 7:00 or at the the Picnic i...
Oct 11, 2023•59 min
Jonny sits down with T Brown, a whistleblower about a local Sufi cult, to discuss recent efforts to share the stories of those who have gotten out of it. In the back half of the show, T discusses his experiences at the Gay Spirit Visions Fall Conference and how that both triggered cult-based traumas and significantly contrasted with them. T's story details some of the lasting damage that can be caused by structured intentional communities with charismatic and dogmatic spiritual leaders.
Oct 04, 2023•59 min
Jonny interviews Tricia Burns, director of the Stage Company 's upcoming production of Dracula at The Varsity (October 6-8 and 12-15). In the back half of the show, Jonny digs into literary and folkloric transformations of the vampire to explore the "queer monstrous." He links peasants with torches and wooden stakes to the activities of Gays agains Groomers, Libs of TikTok, and Moms for Liberty -- organizations that unfortunately are making inroads in Illinois.
Sep 27, 2023•59 min
Jonny talks with Craig Gingrich-Philbrook about his experiences with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and its likely connection to childhood homophobic trauma. Connecting to a study out of Melbourne, they discuss how bullying, disconfirmation, and anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation is potentially giving queer and trans youth develpmental neurological disorders they will have to deal with the rest of their lives. In the back portion of the show, Jonny also reviews how the Christian Right is getting ...
Sep 20, 2023•59 min
Jonny interviews SIU performance studies alum, Elizabeth Whitney, who will be presenting her latest performance, "Finland, Land of Romance," in the Kleinau Theatre on Saturday September 23 at 8 pm as a Fine Arts Activity Fee guest artist. As a queer performance artist, Whitney's latest work chronicles some of her time working in Finland, including coping with the giref of a lost sibling through ice swimming. In the back portion of the show, Jonny reviews how nation-wide anti-trans legislation is...
Sep 13, 2023•58 min
In the front half of the show, Jonny reviews three studies that debunk many of the prevalent assertions of those in support of banning gender-affirming care, including: details about the increase use of gender-affirming surgical therapies from 2016-2020, studies confirming exceptionally low levels of regret for those receiving gender-affirming therapies, and a thorough clinical debunking of the problematically made-up diagnosis "rapid onset gender dysphoria" (ROGD). In the back half of the show,...
Aug 30, 2023•59 min
Jonny interviews a new colleague in SIU's School of Communication Studies, Dr. Christina Ivey, who joins the faculty as the Introductory Course Director and with research interests in gender and queer theory. The interview focuses, in part, on queer faculty getting out of "red states," seeking employment in states that support and affirm LGBTQ citizens and do not intrude in the classroom. They also discuss projects like Rainbow Refuge, that are assisting queer and trans folks in moving to states...
Aug 23, 2023•59 min
Yeah, it's a rebroadcast. Busy week. Intro and Outro updated for more current community events, though. Jonny interviews Alex Socorro about a new 501(c)(3) organization in the area, Southern Illinois Pride Collective (https://www.soilpridecollective.org/), that will cooridinate local LGBTQ+ community events, including local Pride festivities. In the back half of the show, Jonny reviews the details of Internal Revenue Code 501(c) organization designations, what kinds of organizations typically co...
Aug 17, 2023•58 min
Jonny provides information for the Friday 8/11 Trans Resource Fair in Carbondale, IL. He covers recent legal developments that are driving trans and queer folks to relocate to open and affirming states even as there is evidence anti-trans laws are often being overturned in Federal Court. In the back half of the show he demonstrates how the DeSantis administration's anti-LGBTQ policies are being rammed through with an anti-science denialism that is common in other Right Wing policy making and how...
Aug 09, 2023•58 min
Jonny interviews Alex Socorro about a new 501(c)(3) organization in the area, Southern Illinois Pride Collective (https://www.soilpridecollective.org/), that will cooridinate local LGBTQ+ community events, including local Pride festivities. In the back half of the show, Jonny reviews the details of Internal Revenue Code 501(c) organization designations, what kinds of organizations typically coordinate Pride festivities, and how Southern Illinois benefits from having different types of 501(c) adv...
Aug 02, 2023•59 min
Jonny interviews Carrie Vine, Executive Director of The Rainbow Cafe, noting both the many upcoming events and services for the community and how RC is part of a local and statewide network of advocacy orgaonizations. In the back half of the show, he looks at two recent and local vollies in efforts to ban books or resist book bans in public libraries. Finally, Sister Mothra Stewart of the SOIL Sisters stops by to offer some reflections on National Moth Week and recommend a movie.
Jul 26, 2023•59 min
Jonny interviews Christina Garnette, a local drag performer and trans activist, about her work in the community. In the back half of the show, Jonny and Christina discuss the importance of solidarity in the queer community, leaving room for diversity but not allowing differences and interpersonal conflict to derail the important work of promoting and protecting a vulnerable community.
Jul 19, 2023•59 min
Jonny interviews Alex Waller of Golden Rainbows Illinois South (GRIS) about the new program, "Get Up, Get Out" -- providing social interaction and physical activity for older members of the LGBTQ community in Southern Illinois. In the back half of the show, he reviews how most legislative bans on gender affirming care for trans youth have been failing in Federal appeals court until this past weekend. He reviews why judges were finding significant Constitutional challenges to the legislation and ...
Jul 12, 2023•58 min
Fresh off a 10 day silent meditation retreat, Jonny sits down with Craig Gingrich-Philbrook to talk about US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decisions that landed while he was away, particularly the Creative LLC decision. Craig is a queer theorist and scholar of Performance and Communication Studies at Southern Illinois University. He is also Jonny's husband. In the back half of the show, they frame further discussion of the court decisions through the interpretive lens of a recent episode of Star Trek: ...
Jul 05, 2023•59 min
Jonny interviews Priscilla Pimentel, an SIU employee currently doing community outreach for the just-forming LGBTQ Constituency Group on campus. They discuss what constituency groups are, why they are important, and what goes into forming one. In the back half of the show, Jonny rebroadcasts his interview with Keri, Cassandra, and Mitchell of the Carbondale Assembly for Radical Equity (CARE) about their upcoming Art Auction and Music Fundraiser. Jonny closes with updated and current information ...
Jun 28, 2023•58 min
In the front half of the show, Jonny curates several stories about the threats facing public gatherings for Pride and Juneteenth. He leads with a tragic story about a Juneteenth mass shooting in Willowbrook, IL. He then reviews the impacts of enhanced security and sponsor caution on Pride. In the back half of the show, he updates the LA saga about the Dodgers honoring the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. He notes the success of the event despite the over 2000 Catholic/Christian protestors outsid...
Jun 21, 2023•59 min
Jonny interviews Heather O'Malley about the release of her new novel, Transitioning Home . They spend the bulk of the show talking about the novel, which chronicles the gender transition of an Iraq War veteran after transitioning out of the Army due to battle injuries. Heather and Jonny also discuss the recent SI PrideFest, how Heather and her wife Kaye come to live in Carbondale, her own experiences as an Army veteran, and her future novels about to hit the shelves.
Jun 14, 2023•59 min
Jonny talkes with Tara Bell about the weekend lineup of PrideFest events in Carbondale, IL. In the back half of the show, he reviews why the activism in Pride is even more important this year as the LGBTQ community faces challenges and pushback across the country. We remember that Prid is a riot, in origin. We honor that legacy even as we plan for a weekend of festive events.
Jun 07, 2023•58 min
Jonny talks with Tara Bell of Pride in Action, Southern Illinois about the pre-Pride festivities this coming weekend (6/2-6/3). Events include a gallery showing of art titled "Seen" at The Varsity Center on Friday at 5:00, the County-to-County Pride Run starting at 8 am Saturday at the Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion, and the Pride Kickoff Fundraiser trio of bands at Hangar 9 at 9 pm on Saturday (doors open at 8). In the back half of the show, Jonny reviews likely Supreme Court decis...
May 31, 2023•58 min
Jonny interviews Sister Unity of the LA Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence about recent interactions with the LA Dodgers and their off-again, on-again recognition by the team as community heroes for 27 years of community service. In the back half of the show, Jonny talks with Alexia Stallon, the director of OUT Mt. Vernon about this weekend's (5/27) "Pride Kick-Off" in Mt. Vernon, IL.
May 24, 2023•58 min
Jonny interviews Cassandra, Mitchell, and Keri of the Carbondale Assembly for Radical Equity, a collection of groups welcoming trans and queer people relocating to Illinois from states that do not recognize or affirm them. In the back half of the show, he reviews how Illinoisans responded to a visit from Florida govvernor Rhonda Santis as well as Missourians' pushback against anti-trans legislation. Sister Mothra Stewart closes the show with a welcome delivered for the Lavender Graduation at Sou...
May 18, 2023•58 min
Jonny talks with Tara Bell of Pride In Action Southern Illinois about the upcoming PrideFest in Carbondale (June 9-11). They focus their talk on varois pre-Pride fundraisers and events including the "Southern IL PrideFest Royalty Pageant" this weekend (5/13) at The Varsity Center in Carbondale. In the back half of the show, Jonny interviews Sandy Pensoneau-Conway about the Rainbow Cafe, now fully relocated into its downtown Carbondale space. The Rainbow Cafe is also doing some fundraising to sup...
May 10, 2023•58 min
Jonny talks with his former co-host, Caleb McKinley-Portee, and O.J. Duncan about some of the staffing issues for the Student Multicultural Resource Center, including the LGBTQ Resource Center, on the Southern Illinois University campus. Both are officers in the Graduate and Professional Student Council and are involved in working with campus administrators to address student concerns. Both are also out, queer advocates for the community. Together, they work with other students on campus to push...
May 03, 2023•59 min
Jonny shares highlights from the SIU "Rally for Diversity," a student protest concerning staffing changes at the Student Multicultural Resource Center (SMRC). Students and others expressed a variety of concerns, including the sudden departure of the LGBTQ Resource Center Coordinator, Dr. Angela Towne. The Vice Chancellor of Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Dr. Paul Frazier, attended the rally and addressed student concerns. Jonny then interviews the SMRC's Executive Director, Dr. R...
Apr 26, 2023•58 min
Jonny covers the Rally for Expression, including SOIL Sister Marjorie Arcana's wonderful address to the crowd about the power of joy as resistance (special thanks to Sister Jewnita Hug for the recording!). Jonny marks the distinction between drag and trans while also showing why Anti-Trans legislators target drag, arguing that the anti-trans, anti-drag, anti-CRT, anti-sex eductation, anti-LGBTQ, book banners, and representation deniers are all playing from the same set of anxieties. In the back ...
Apr 19, 2023•58 min
Jonny interviews Clare Killman, the first openly trans person in Illinois to be elected to a city council. They discuss the community and Carbondale's future as a sancuary city for folks in surroundling states fleeing anti-LGBT legislation and bans on reproductive healthcare and bodily autonomy. In the back half of the show, Jonny interviews Nancy Maxwell, andother community leader who won a seat on the Carbondale City Council in last week's election. They discuss Nancy's extensive service to co...
Apr 12, 2023•59 min
Jonny curates some news stories in the wake of the school shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tenessee last week. He focuses mostly on the aftermath, including Rightwing hysteria over the shooter's reported transgender identity, the student protests on Monday, the ousting of state representatives who joined the protestors, and the general failure to focus in any way on gun reform. In the back half of the show, he provides a taxonomy for the over 600 pieces of legislation currently unde...
Apr 05, 2023•59 min
Jonny talks with visiting artist Dr. Jade C. Huell about two upcoming presentations on the SIU campus about storytelling based on skin. They discuss how performance and storytelling create spaces for conversations about shared and sometimes charged expereicnes related to how we "read" skin. In the back half of the show, Jonny interviews Sarah Dubach, the assistant director of the upcoming Stage Company production of Qui Ngyuen's "She Kills Monsters" at the Varsity Theatre in Carbondale.
Mar 22, 2023•59 min
Jonny shares the highlights of a town hall scheduled for March 13 in Carbondale with candidates running for local School Boards. Many were invited to attend, three indicated that they would, none showed up. So, the community that did come to listen and ask questions had a conversation about the serious issues facing public education, especially re: LGBTQIA+ youth. The questing and the comments were substantive. The irritation that, even in a progressive state like Illlinois, candidates can so ea...
Mar 15, 2023•58 min
