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 ...
Sep 08, 2020•10 min•Ep 235•Transcript available on Metacast 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". Queer...
Sep 03, 2020•9 min•Ep 234•Transcript available on Metacast 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 r...
Sep 01, 2020•10 min•Ep 233•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Kil...
Aug 27, 2020•18 min•Ep 232•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Aug 25, 2020•17 min•Ep 231•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ea...
Aug 20, 2020•18 min•Ep 230•Transcript available on Metacast 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 , an...
Aug 18, 2020•12 min•Ep 229•Transcript available on Metacast 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. ...
Aug 13, 2020•14 min•Ep 228•Transcript available on Metacast 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+...
Aug 11, 2020•14 min•Ep 227•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Queerstori...
Jul 23, 2020•12 min•Ep 226•Transcript available on Metacast 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....
Jul 21, 2020•9 min•Ep 225•Transcript available on Metacast 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 nex...
Jul 16, 2020•20 min•Ep 224•Transcript available on Metacast 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. L...
Jul 14, 2020•17 min•Ep 223•Transcript available on Metacast 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 pro...
Jul 09, 2020•14 min•Ep 222•Transcript available on Metacast 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.com 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...
Jul 07, 2020•11 min•Ep 221•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Ink...
Jul 02, 2020•10 min•Ep 220•Transcript available on Metacast 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 M...
Jun 30, 2020•14 min•Ep 219•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Jun 25, 2020•9 min•Ep 218•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Queerstor...
Jun 23, 2020•15 min•Ep 217•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Se...
Jun 09, 2020•13 min•Ep 216•Transcript available on Metacast 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 real...
Jun 04, 2020•14 min•Ep 215•Transcript available on Metacast 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 mo...
Jun 02, 2020•9 min•Ep 214•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
May 28, 2020•13 min•Ep 213•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
May 26, 2020•10 min•Ep 212•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
May 21, 2020•10 min•Ep 211•Transcript available on Metacast 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 regula...
May 19, 2020•12 min•Ep 210•Transcript available on Metacast 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 r...
May 14, 2020•13 min•Ep 209•Transcript available on Metacast 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.pa...
May 12, 2020•9 min•Ep 208•Transcript available on Metacast 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 or...
May 07, 2020•8 min•Ep 207•Transcript available on Metacast 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 purchase...
May 05, 2020•9 min•Ep 206•Transcript available on Metacast 
