All posts tagged: gay

How Can I Help Safe Schools Coalition Australia?

Published by thequeerav

As news today hit of the changes to be made to the Safe Schools anti-bullying program, people were enraged, and rightly so. Today is National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence, ironic really, considering the Australian government just hit LGBTI youth with a major form of bullying themselves. Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham announced changes to the program which include amending some lesson plans, restricting all program produced resources to secondary students, and resources such as “OMG I’m Queer”, “OMG My Friend’s Queer” and “Stand Out” to one-on-one counselling sessions between students and  “qualified staff” (Buzzfeed). It was also indicated that Safe Schools would not continue to receive funding after 2017. In light of this information, a lot of people are probably asking themselves, “What can I do?” I know I found myself asking the same question. To put it simply, the best form of support in this kind of situation is being vocal! Talk to your communities, educate yourself on LGBTI issues, participate in rallies and protests, and most importantly, let the government …

FRINGE REVIEW: Tom Ballard’s New Show ‘The World Keeps Happening’

Published by thequeerav

Former Triple J radio presenter and all round funny guy Tom Ballard has been gracing the stage at The Gold Digger in this year’s Perth Fringe with his brand new show; ‘The World Keeps Happening’. In his show, Ballard explores the idea that everything in this world is sinister and confusing and on the verge of collapse, all whilst providing ideas on how he could potentially solve these worldly issues. He talks about feminism, terrorism, online dating and more, all topics that hold great interest and controversy to people all over the world. However, I most enjoyed when Ballard asked the audience of their excitement about Australia Day approaching. The audience replied how any audience member should at a stand up comedy show (with little enthusiasm so as not to draw attention to themselves), at which point Ballard replied “Well you shouldn’t be,” and talked about what Australia Day (ie Invasion Day/Survival Day) really represents. Preach! Ballard’s stand up performance, though controversial at times, captivated the audience from start to finish. His jokes about his …

Interviewing Hannah Hart: The #NOFILTER Show, Being a YouTuber, Working with Whoopi and More!

Published by thequeerav

Hannah Hart is a lot of things. She’s an award winning comedian, a professional YouTuber and Internet personality. She’s an actress, producer, philanthropist and New York Times best-selling author. All of this and she hasn’t even reached 30 yet! Most would probably know her best from her My Drunk Kitchen series on YouTube (for which she’s won multiple awards). She’s currently touring Australia as part of the #NOFILTER Live show with friends Grace Helbig and Mamrie Hart. I had the awesome opportunity to talk to the very talented, funny and hardworking Hannah Hart about the show and more! Take a look below. TheQA: So is this going to be your first time in Perth? I remember the first time you announced you were coming to Australia a few years ago and there was no Perth visit. I was so devastated! HH: Yeah well last time we were in Australia it was just me and Mamrie and we were traveling with a group called Contiki, and I was doing it just making videos about each place …

Gayby Baby Review: Families Leading Lives of Diversity and Acceptance

Published by thequeerav

I’m not sure what I expected as the lights came down at Cinema Paradiso on Sunday night for Perth’s Q&A screening of Gayby Baby. A documentary of course, but what kind of documentary? It seems anyone with a camera and something to say can make one these days, but it takes talent, determination and a lot of hard work to make something that has the ability to really inspire and make a difference in peoples lives. So, what kind of documentary is Gayby Baby? Gayby Baby follows the lives of four kids being raised by same sex parents; Gus, Ebony, Matt and Graham. Produced by Charlotte Mars and directed by Maya Newell, someone who also grew up with same sex parents, the film goes into great depth about the struggles, triumphs and day to day experiences of these kids, who’s parents just happen to be gay. Sounds great doesn’t it! The New South Wales government doesn’t think so. Just last week they banned the screening of Gayby Baby during school hours where it was scheduled …

23 BuzzFeed Videos, Lists and Articles That Will Rock Your Queer Socks

Published by thequeerav

BuzzFeed has really grown in popularity over the past few years, largely because of their diverse range of news and entertainment presented in new and fun ways. The queer community is most certainly included in this diversity and so I thought it was time to compile a list, in true BuzzFeed style, of queer BuzzFeed videos, lists and articles that will rock your queer socks. Enjoy! 1.  9 Queer Women in Tech Tell Us What They’ve Learned  2.  Smashing Gender Binaries with the Queer Kids of Today 3.  59 Thoughts Every LGBT Student has Before Mardi Gras 4.  11 Things Everyone Always Assumes About Lesbians 5.  LGBT TV Characters are Whiter, Male-er, And Richer than Real Queer People 6.  Toms: The Complex World of Female Love, a short documentary by Coconuts TV, explores a sexual identity that is unique to Thailand. 7.  17 Times Queer Tumblr Totally Owned 2014 8.   Margaret Cho is Here, Queer, And Taking Questions About Anything 9.  Why Pronouns Matter for Trans People  10.  17 of the Sweetest Ways to Come …

Queers on the Lawn [PHOTOS]

Published by thequeerav

Last weekend the Curtin Student Guild Queer Department hosted Queers on the Lawn at Curtin University, in celebration of diversity. The event was open to everyone, queer or not, and had market stalls, face painting, Park’d food trucks, a bar area,  a magician, EMAS DJ’s and an amazing performance from Abbe May to top the night off! Take a look at the photos below from what was a very well organised, and fun event!

Gay Marriage Vs. Marriage Equality: Not the same thing

Published by thequeerav

As the world comes closer to reaching marriage equality (baby steps people), I thought it might be an appropriate time to point out what the term ‘marriage equality’ ACTUALLY means. Too often I see the terms same sex marriage, gay marriage and marriage equality used interchangeably and I have to point out that it is incorrect to do so. I know this issue has been written about a lot in the past but it’s still something that happens frequently, so I thought it might be time to revisit. Some people might think this is me being too picky and/or too concerned  with being politically and linguistically correct though I would have to disagree. If there’s anything I’ve learnt from being a part of the queer community, it’s that language IS VERY IMPORTANT and something that can’t just be ignored or generalised by the wider community for the sake of ease. Same sex marriage and gay marriage are terms frequently used by the wider community to refer to a marriage between two people of the same sex; 2 …

Top Queer Picks – Fringe World Festival Perth 2015

Published by thequeerav

Perth Fringe is Finally here and in all my excitement I’ve compiled a list of of Top Queer Picks for 2015! I haven’t seen any of these shows before so this list is based purely off what I think looks and sounds a) entertaining b) super queer. Get excited! HEX – “Award-winning young choreographer James Welsby presents HEX, an hour-long, three person dance work reflecting on AIDS, activism, sex, and disco through the eyes and bodies of Generation Y. HEX depicts the arc of the AIDS epidemic and its impact on the queer community through allegorical vignettes using popular club dance vocabularies.” Le Gateau Chocolat – I Heart Chocolat – “This is an exclusive party featuring a delectable hand-picked selection of musical arrangements, as random as a box of chocolates…you never know what you’re going to get! But you can guarantee Le Gateau’s infectious energy and gargantuan voice will satisfy your festival taste-buds. From Glyndebourne Opera to singing for the Queen as part of the Jubilee Flotilla and touring the globe with La Soiree; to performing at the …