Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community. Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and discover the beauty of their authentic selves. Get ready to laugh, cry, and be inspired – because on Word for...
Apr 27, 2025
Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community. Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and discover the beauty of their authentic selves. Get ready to laugh, cry, and be inspired – because on Word for...
Apr 13, 2025•56 min
Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community. Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and discover the beauty of their authentic selves. Get ready to laugh, cry, and be inspired – because on Word for...
Apr 06, 2025•55 min
Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community. Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and discover the beauty of their authentic selves. Get ready to laugh, cry, and be inspired – because on Word for...
Mar 30, 2025•56 min
Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community. Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and discover the beauty of their authentic selves. Get ready to laugh, cry, and be inspired – because on Word for...
Mar 16, 2025•55 min
Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community. Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and discover the beauty of their authentic selves. Get ready to laugh, cry, and be inspired – because on Word for...
Mar 09, 2025•53 min
Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community. Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and discover the beauty of their authentic selves. Get ready to laugh, cry, and be inspired – because on Word for...
Mar 02, 2025•56 min
Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community. Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and discover the beauty of their authentic selves. Get ready to laugh, cry, and be inspired – because on Word for...
Feb 23, 2025•56 min
Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community. Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and discover the beauty of their authentic selves. Get ready to laugh, cry, and be inspired – because on Word for...
Feb 17, 2025•56 min
Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community. Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and discover the beauty of their authentic selves. Get ready to laugh, cry, and be inspired – because on Word for...
Feb 09, 2025•56 min
Today’s guest is Sally Goldner. Sally has dedicated her life to making the Australian community one of the best places to identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTIQA+). Sally has worked persistently for well over two decades to advocate for the rights and needs of LGBTIQA+ communities in Victoria and around Australia. Since co-founding Transgender Victoria in the late 1990s, Sally has successfully represented the transgender community in public forums, before the Victori...
Jul 14, 2024•50 min
Today’s guest is Sam Elkin. Sam is a writer, event producer, lawyer and co-editor of Nothing to Hide: Voices of Trans and Gender Diverse Australia (Allen & Unwin, 2022). Born in England and raised on Noongar land, Sam now lives on unceded Wurundjeri land. Sam’s essays have been published in the Griffith review, Australian Book Review, Sydney review of books and Kill Your Darlings. He hosts the 3rrr radio show Queer View Mirror and is a Tilde film festival board member. Sam has won a variety ...
May 11, 2024•56 min
Trigger warning: this episode contains discussions around sex and language that may offend, so if you have little kids around it might be best to listen with headphones on. Jordana (Jordi) Ezra is a certified Somatic Sexologist who predominately works in the LGBTIA+ community. As someone who grew up not feeling safe to be queer, Jordi has dedicated their career to learning, understanding and guiding queer bodied humans to feel safe within the intersections of their gender and sexuality so that t...
Apr 06, 2024•56 min
Today’s guest is Justine Dalla Riva. Justine grew up in leafy suburban Melbourne, one of 5 children born to Catholic parents – an Italian immigrant father and an Australian mother. After initially wanted to be a nun, an obstetrician or a Brownlow medalist when she grew up, Justine eventually became the inaugural CEO of the Victorian Pride Centre – a position she still holds. Justine is married to wife Evaline, and together they raise 2 teenagers. Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY Med...
Mar 30, 2024•56 min
Today’s guest is Art Simone. Art is one of Australia’s most popular drag performers, having featured in RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, Highway to Heel, as well as appearing in some of Australia’s most recognisable advertising campaigns. Art has been named Drag Performer of the Year and earned the title Queen of Australia. Art has a podcast called Concealed with Art Simone and is releasing her debut book Life Is Art in the coming weeks, which will be available exclusively via Booktopia. Word for ...
Mar 16, 2024•56 min
This week’s guest is Evan Cooper. Evan grew up in a variety of locations due to the divorce of his parents at a young age, which resulted in a diverse blended family. Despite working in a variety of careers, Evan’s first love has always been photography. His most recent exhibition The Echoes and Whispers featured as part of Midsumma 2024. https://www.midsumma.org.au/whats-on/events/echoes-and-whispers/ Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY Media, produced by Ellen Spalding and Vaughan Mc...
Feb 11, 2024•56 min
Today’s guest is Bryan Cranston. Bryan has spent his work life in education and currently works as a senior academic and manager at one of Australia’s leading online universities. Bryan’s life was changed forever on June 23, 2020 when his sister Karen was brutally murdered by her estranged husband. Within days Bryan had moved from his newly renovated home in Hervey Bay to Rockhampton where he now lives, as he parents his nephew and 2 young nieces. Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY Me...
Feb 03, 2024•56 min
Today’s guest is David Imber. David is a corporate public affairs professional with over 20 years experience in the public, corporate and not for profit sectors. He is passionate about social justice and has combined his professional roles with volunteering in the field and in governance across a range of LGBTIQ+ and mainstream organisations. He currently combines his busy work life with his role as Deputy Chair at the Victorian Pride Centre. Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY Media, ...
Dec 23, 2023•56 min
Lisa Daniel’s guest on this episode of Word for Word is Kathy Mansfield. Today’s guest is Kathy Mansfield. Kathy grew up in a Christian family in suburban Melbourne, Australia in the 1940s. She married and had 4 children and lived the expected masculine life until an epiphany at the age of 62 which resulted in her transition from male to female. Despite high challenges, Kathy has maintained happy family ties as her marriage of over 50 years and has flourished as her true self. Kathy is a tireles...
Dec 16, 2023•56 min
Lisa Daniel’s guest on this episode of Word for Word is Stephanie Teh. Stephanie emigrated to Australia from Singapore at the age of 5 with her family. Stephanie is the Musical Director of Melbourne Gay & Lesbian Choir which holds the mantle as the first LGBTQIA+ choir in the Southern Hemisphere. Her journey with this beloved community commenced 30 years ago when she joined as a singer. She became Assistant Musical Director in 2012, a Life Member in 2017, and was appointed Musical Director i...
Nov 25, 2023•56 min
Lisa Daniel’s guest on this episode of Word for Word is Sonny Jane Wise. Sonny Jane Wise is a non-binary, multiply neurodivergent & disabled public speaker, advocate, content creator and author. Sonny was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD as a child and grew up only hearing a deficit narrative about their neurodivergence. Since then, they have gone on to build an audience of over 100,000 people online, have written The Neurodivergent Friendly Workbook of DBT Skills and the new book We’re All Ne...
Nov 18, 2023•53 min
Lisa Daniel’s guest on this episode of Word for Word is Anthony Severino. Anthony grew up in a conservative catholic family in Sydney and was diagnoses with Tourette Syndrome at the age of 11. Anthony found his tribe and his safe space in the theatre and musical theatre and is well known around Sydney via his drag persona, Peach Fuzz. Anthony works as a somatic sex coach helping people find and enjoy their true sexual selves. Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY Media, produced by Ellen...
Oct 28, 2023•56 min
Lisa Daniel’s guest on this episode of Word for Word is Ben Mitchell. Ben grew up on a small farm in New Zealand, but as a young kid his life was less than idyllic. Being different wasn’t welcomed by his father or step father, and school proved to be a lonely and isolating experience. Fast forward a couple of decades and Ben has overcome the challenges of his past to see only the positives life has to offer. Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY Media, produced by Ellen Spalding, Dave Sa...
Oct 21, 2023•50 min
Lisa Daniel’s guest on this episode of Word for Word is Evana De Lune. Evana is a Melbourne-based performer with over 20 years of dance experience covering jazz, tap, ballet, contemporary and commercial dance styles. She fell in love with the glitz and glamour of burlesque at a young age, but it was only after visiting Maison Burlesque as an adult that she finally took her first steps towards becoming a full-time showgirl. As well as performing, Evana is a burlesque teacher and mentor, sharing h...
Oct 14, 2023•56 min
Lisa Daniel’s guest on this episode of Word for Word is Bert Murphy. Bert grew up in small town Victoria where he discovered movies on TV as a young kid. This began a lifelong love affair with both film and photography. After graduating from Swinburne Film and Television School, Bert worked as an editor and director on a variety of projects such as ‘Voyage of the Southern Sun’ (2017) and ‘Defiant Lives’ (2017). He has also directing and edited corporate, broadcast TV, music video, short films, a...
Oct 07, 2023•56 min
Lisa Daniel hosts Word for Word and is joined by her guest Ryan Abramowitz. Ryan is a Melbourne based artist, writer and storyteller who draws inspiration from the natural world. He has worked in marketing, brand experience and communications across corporate, freelance and not-for-profit settings. He also runs a business ‘Today Tomorrow Forever’ in which he paints Jewish Wedding Certificates and artwork celebrating significant life milestones as well as a website narrativesofnature.com . Ryan’s...
Sep 30, 2023•56 min
Lisa Daniel is joined on Word for Word by her guest Rowland Thomson. Most of queer Melbourne would know Rowland as the long-time co-owner of legendary bookstore Hares and Hyenas that he began with his now ex-partner Crusader Hillis back in 1991 in what was then the gay mecca of Commercial Road, Prahran. The pair opened a second shop in Brunswick Street in 1995 and then moved to Smith Street, Collingwood in 1998. There was another move to Johnston Street, Fitzroy in 2006 and, now, Hares and Hyena...
Sep 23, 2023•56 min
Lisa Daniel is joined by her guest Dr. Yves Rees. Dr. Rees uses they/them pronouns and is a writer, historian and podcaster based in Naarm, also known as Melbourne. Dr. Rees is a Lecturer in History at La Trobe University, co-host of Archive Fever history podcast, and author of the 2021 memoir All About Yves: Notes from a Transition . They are also co-editor of Nothing to Hide: Voices of Trans and Gender Diverse Australia and Transnationalism, Nationalism and Australian History . Their next book...
Aug 12, 2023•56 min
Lisa Daniel hosts Word for Word on JOY 94.9 and her guest is Anastasia Le. Anastasia was born in Saigon where she suffered bullying and abuse at the hands of her family until she loved to Australia as a teenager in 2005. A lack of support from family saw her given refugee status and then a protection visa. Since coming out as trans, Anastasia has been an advocate on a mission to uplift others who have suffered due to the mere facts of their sexuality, gender, disability or financial status. Word...
Aug 05, 2023•56 min
Lisa Daniel hosts Word for Word on JOY 94.9 and her guest is Sean Szeps. Sean is a host of several podcasts and a writer and content creator. Sean is most well-known for his accidental advocacy, which arose from sharing his journey as a gay husband raising boy-girl twins. Originally from America, Sean moved to Australia and began hosting hugely popular parenting podcasts such Spotify’s The Dad Kit and Mamamia’s The Baby Bubble. This opened doors, allowing him to write about the queer parenting e...
Jul 22, 2023•56 min
