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 Word, every voice matters, and every story deserves to be heard. 

This week’s guest – Noah Secomb

On today’s show, we are joined by Noah Secomb, a rising star in Australian political journalism and the current Federal Politics Reporter for the Community Radio Network.
Based in Canberra’s Parliament House, Noah has quickly established himself as a trusted voice in community broadcasting, breaking down complex political issues and making them accessible to everyday Australians.
Noah brings a fresh perspective to political reporting, championing the importance of community-focused newsrooms.

Tune into Word for Word every Sunday night at 6pm on JOY 94.9, or across Australia on the Community Radio Network every Monday at 7:04pm

This episode may contains discussions of sensitive personal experiences that may be triggering for some listeners. There is support available. Click here for a list of support services.

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Lisa Daniel is joined on Word for Word by Laurence Billiet. Laurence is a writer, producer and director whose documentary Freeman was the most watched documentary of 2020. 

She has an extensive background in storytelling the world over and has worked for organisations such as Lonely Planet, Elite Models, National Geographic, Discovery Channel – to name just a few.
More recently she staged large-scale fashion and music events across China and Europe for which she experimented with giant screens video.
With her production company General Strike, Laurence combines her experience across narrative content and form to create new kinds of screen-based experiences.  

Her latest feature film, THE GIANTS details the extraordinary life of environmental folk hero and gay icon Bob Brown intertwined with the story of Australia’s giant trees. She is the recipient of the Betty Roland Prize for Scriptwriting at the 2021 NSW Premier Literary Awards. 

Laurence is married to wife Rachel and they are parents to a son. 

Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY Media, produced by Ellen Spalding, and podcasted by Thomas Olejniczak.  This podcast originally aired on May 13th, 2023.

For further information head to the JOY Media webpage, Word for Word podcast page, via Facebook email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Joining Lisa Daniel on Word for Word this week is Fiona Newton. Fiona’s formative years were spent in a fundamentalist religion which significantly controlled her beliefs, sense of self and social life. She began questioning aspects of the belief system at 18 and was eventually asked to leave the church at 28. 

Fiona has since taken the positive aspects of her experiences into her current life as host of award-winning Joy program Chicks Talking Footy. She is also the manager of the famous Fitzroy market and is the manager of the Joy Academy.  

She is the mother to a 5-year-old son with her ex-partner and Fiona’s journey from cult to living her true life is an inspiring story of surviving and thriving.

Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY Media, produced by Ellen Spalding, and podcasted by Jacqueline Shields and Thomas Olejniczak.  This show originally aired February 4th, 2023.

For further information head to the JOY Media webpage, Word for Word podcast page or Facebook or email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Lisa Daniel hosts Word for Word on JOY94.9. Lisa’s guest is Dr. Judy Tang who is a practicing Clinical Neuropsychologist with

Dr Tang is currently a Commissioner at the Victorian Multicultural Commission. She also is a Board Director at the Victorian Pride Centre, a strong advocate for multiculturalism and LGBTIQA+ communities and in 2019, she won GLOBE 2019 LGBTIQ  Person of the Year. 

Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, produced by Ellen Spalding, podcasted by Jacqueline Shields & Thomas Olejniczak.  This show originally aired January 14th, 2023.

For further information head to JOY 94.9  webpage or email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Joining Lisa Daniel on Word for Word is guest Mannie de Saxe. Together with his long term partner Ken Lovett, Mannie has been a busy activist through most of his adult life, and even now, despite the loss of Ken 2 years ago and being in his 95

Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, produced by Ellen Spalding, podcasted by Jacqueline Shields. & Thomas Olejniczak. This show originally aired January 7th, 2023.

For further information head to JOY 94.9 webpage, Word for Word podcast page or on Facebook or email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Joining Lisa Daniel is guest Angela Bailey.

She has consistently participated in promoting and interpreting our rich and diverse histories by creating exhibitions, installations, discourse and public programs of engagement. 

In 2014 Angela curated two exhibitions as part of the International AIDS 2014 Cultural Program in Melbourne and in 2018 curated  WE ARE HERE  at the State Library of Victoria, which presented contemporary artists exploring their queer cultural heritage and engaging with the collections of the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives and State Library Victoria. In 2019 she curated  Dapper as part of the Melbourne Midsumma Festival. 

Angela has lectured and tutored in Photography and has work in numerous significant public collections. She has a Postgraduate degree in Fine Arts, a Masters of Art Curatorship and is Vice President of the Australian Queer Archives.

Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, produced by Ellen Spalding, podcasted by Jacqueline Shields & Thomas Olejniczak. This show originally aired on December 31st 2022.

For further information head to JOY 94.9 webpage, Word for Word podcast page or on Facebook or email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Today’s guest on Word for Word with host Lisa Daniel is Peter Coleman.

Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, produced by Ellen Spalding, podcasted by Jacqueline Shields & Thomas Olejniczak. This show originally aired on December 17th, 2022.

For further information head to JOY 94.9 webpage, Word for Word podcast page or on Facebook or email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Jason Om is an award-winning reporter with the ABC’s 7.30 program. Previously, he’s been a presenter on the ABC News Channel and a reporter for ABC News Breakfast, ABC Life, Lateline and ABC Radio. In 2017, he won widespread praise for his personal story about his dad’s 16-year struggle to accept him as gay. The article and TV piece ran Australia-wide, attracting a million views. Viewers were moved to tears, and the story earned Jason a nomination in the 2018 NSW (LGBTI) Honour Awards. His first book

Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, produced by Ellen Spalding, podcasted by Jacqueline Shields. & Thomas Olejniczak. This show originally aired December 10, 2022.

For further information head to JOY 94.9 webpage, Word for Word podcast page or on Facebook or email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Lisa Daniel hosts Word for Word on JOY94.9. Lisa’s guest is Mike Toole.

Working for eight years in Thailand, two years in Somalia, and ten years at the CDC in Atlanta, Mike also undertook short projects in more than 30 countries in five continents and now speaks a variety of languages. A founding member of Medecins sans Frontieres Australia, Mike is a member of the Global Fund Technical Review Panel, the Board of the Three Diseases Fund for Burma, and the Independent Monitoring Board of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Mike is an AM – The Council for the Order of Australia for his work in public health. 

Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, produced by Ellen Spalding, podcasted by Jacqueline Shields. & Thomas Olejniczak. This podcast originally aired on May 7th, 2022. For further information head to JOY 94.9  webpage or email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Lisa Daniel hosts Word for Word on JOY94.9. Lisa’s guest is Julie Peters. 

Julie has worked at the ABC for over 50 years in over 30 different roles from technology to leadership.

Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, produced by Ellen Spalding, podcasted by Jacqueline Shields. This podcast originally aired on April 30th, 2022. For further information head to JOY 94.9  webpage or email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Lisa Daniel hosts Word for Word on JOY94.9. Lisa’s guest is Peter Quarry. Peter is a multi-award-winning psychologist whose videos and training programs are used by Fortune 500 companies, Universities and organisations in over 20 countries. 

He was resident psychologist on Good Morning Australia for 7 years and a sought-after seminar leader and public speaker. His recent book If I Were You charts his complicated family relationships, struggle with his sexuality and sex and drug addictions – just to name a few themes. It explores his diverse career, and is a kind of therapy session with himself. Peter lives in Melbourne with his husband Paul and dog Pixel. 

Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, and produced by Ellen Spalding and this podcast originally aired on April 9th, 2022. For further information head to JOY 94.9 webpage or email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, and produced by Ellen Spalding and this podcast originally aired on April 2nd, 2022. For further information head to JOY 94.9 webpage or email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, and produced by Ellen Spalding and this podcast originally aired on March 26th, 2022. For further information head to JOY 94.9 webpage or email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, and produced by Ellen Spalding and this podcast originally aired on March 12, 2022. For further information head to JOY 94.9 webpage or email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, and produced by Ellen Spalding and this podcast originally aired on March 5, 2022. For further information head to JOY 94.9 webpage or email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, and produced by Ellen Spalding and this podcast originally aired on February 19, 2022. For further information head to JOY 94.9 webpage or email Lisa Daniel and the team at Word for Word.

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Sally is also a founding member of FIMAC – Funeral Industry Ministerial Advisory Council. Prior to that Sally was President of the Natural Death Advocacy Network, University lecturer, an award winning artist and also involved in a number of boards. A mother of three and married to wife Di, they are building a house on the Bellarine peninsula.

Sally shares her story with Lisa Daniel in this podcast from JOY 94.9

Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, and produced by Ellen Spalding and this podcast originally aired on February 12, 2022.

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Joining Lisa Daniel today on Word for Word on @JOY94.9 is guest Yvonne Sillett. Yvonne grew up in Victoria and followed in her parents’ footsteps by enlisting in the Australian Army directly after high school. Her decade long career was cut short in 1989 when she 

Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, and produced by Ellen Spalding and this podcast originally aired on August 14th, 2021

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Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel and her guest this week is Dan Lake. Dan is an entertainment executive and content producer whose work in development, financing and production extends across feature film, broadcast drama and comedy as well as factual and reality programming. Currently the head of content at Orange Entertainment Co, Dan’s work has encompassed award-winning feature and documentary films, as well as working as a creative producer across some of the world’s biggest television formats – 

During his time at Orange Entertainment Co, Dan has produced the ABC dramedy  Retrograde, as well as executive produced the Network Ten/ Fremantle Media documentary series  Lindy Chamberlain – The True Story. In 2020 Dan’s Orange Entertainment Co bought the screen rights to Shannon Molloy’s autobiographical book  Fourteen, which chronicles one year of his life as a gay teenager in regional Queensland. Dan currently lives in Melbourne with his husband Daniel.  

Word for Word is hosted by Lisa Daniel on JOY 94.9, and produced by Ellen Spalding and this podcast originally aired on June 19th, 2021

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Ruth Katerelos

Today’s guest with Lisa Daniel on Word for Word is Ruth Katerelos. Ruth is a registered psychologist with over 20 years experience working in the area of mental health. Combining private practice with her role at Queerspace, my guest also manages to find time to be a regular contributor to Melbourne’s arts scene as a performer and producer. On top of that she is also mum to two teenagers. Over the journey Ruth has dealt with a challenging upbringing and the grief of losing a partner. Despite the challenges Ruth has made it her life work to both entertain, but help others via her performance work and as a respected mental health professional.

This podcast originally aired on April 3, 2021.
Support this podcast, Donate to JOY

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Jude Munro AO

Todays guest on Word for Word with host Lisa Daniel is Jude Munro. Jude Munro grew up in Melbourne – the daughter of Salvation Army parents. Her leadership skills were honed early and then developed through her university years and into her career which has spanned unions, Public Service, Public Policy and as CEO of various local governments in Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. In 2010 she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for her services to local government and Brisbane and was given the keys to the City of Brisbane for her service to the people of Brisbane. After a move into consultancy, Jude Munro has worked in crisis management, lead major reviews of local governments in NSW and Tasmania and has been Director of Uniting Care Queensland. She is currently Chair of the Victorian Pride Centre and joins Lisa Daniel in this episode of Word for Word.

This podcast originally aired on March 27, 2021

Support this podcast, Donate to JOY

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Dennis Altman

My guest has also published 14 books; worked as an academic both in Australia and internationally since the 1960s (including as Visiting Chair of Australian Studies at  Harvard University in 2005); has been involved with government and community responses to HIV/AIDS here in Australia and the Asia Pacific over many decades; and spoken at conferences all over the world on a variety of topics.  

In 2006 he was listed by The Bulletin as one of the 100 most influential Australians ever. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2008, and has been an activist most of his adult life – dedicating himself to the betterment of life for queer communities. 

This podcast originally aired on February 27, 2021 on JOY94.9

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Julie McNamara

Julie McNamara was born in Merseyside in the UK – a child born to rebellious Catholic and Protestant parents, which put her in the role of clown and peacemaker. She hated school, but is a testament to the fact that early academic performance bears little consequence on adult life. As a young adult she was attracted to the theatre and performance and had a life changing experience working and living in an asylum for 2 years. It became an impetus for a lot of her future theatre work. She has written written 15 plays, 4 films – gaining 3 awards in 2018, and is the current Founder and artistic director of Vital Xposure – a disability-led theatre company working in social justice.

This podcast originally aired May 9, 2020 on JOY94.9

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Madeleine Swain

Madeleine Swain was born in the UK and moved here to Australia for love around 28 years ago. She’s had a long career working and volunteering in various areas of the arts including acting and journalism. She was a Board member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival in the early days, has been involved in Bent TV and the queer press, and has recently returned to Board life as an interim Board member of Joy. She has described herself as the world’s worst lesbian – but let us be the judge of that.

Join Host Lisa “Dano” Daniel, as she speaks to Madeleine Swain.

This interview aired on JOY 23rd May 2020.

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Jamie Gardiner

Jamie Gardiner has led an incredibly rich life and has been at the forefront of almost every major legal reform for the LGBTIQ+ community for several decades. His can list titles such as human rights activist, political lobbyist, community lawyer, researcher, teacher and consultant on his resume and has served on a variety of Boards and committees such as the Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission. He is the vice-president of Liberty Victoria and in 2019 received the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for service to the community through LGBTIQ and human rights organisations.

Join Host Lisa “Dano” Daniel, as she speaks to Jamie Gardiner

This interview aired on JOY94.9 on 18th July 2020.

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Author of Beyond Priscilla: one gay man, one gay truck, one big idea… , Beyond ‘That’s So Gay!’: Challenging homophobia in Australian schools and the Pride & Prejudice educational package, Daniel has spent much of the past two decades in schools, rural communities and developing countries to challenge homophobia and transphobia. In 2013 he founded the National Institute for Challenging Homophobia Education (NICHE), which focuses on the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people in regional, rural and remote Australia.

Join Lisa “Dano” Daniel as she discusses with Daniel the life and experiences that led him to look beyond his own backyard to supporting our diverse communities.

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Hang is the CEO of White Lion – an organisation devoted to helping at risk young people, and has a clear dedication to social justice. Having arrived in Australia as a Vietnamese boat person in 1978 , Hang recounts her experiences growing up in Melbourne’s southeast in a family full of love and happiness, but not without struggles. As an adult Hang has worked across a variety of roles over 20 years in the not-for-profit sector, often trailblazing as both a woman and out and proud lesbian in the role.

Join Lisa as she sits down with Hang Vo to hear a heartwarming story of intersecting communities and why she and her family love to call Australia home.

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When he saw that there needed to be more diversity in this sector, he started his own publications, including BrotherSister, Satellite and BNews, in Melbourne and across the country.

Join Host Lisa “Dano” Daniel, as she speaks to Bill Calder.

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He is an accomplished writer, actor and director who is the most recent recipient of the annual Film Victoria internship.

Like many queers people, Davey struggled through dark times and suicidal ideation in his teen years, growing up in remote Queensland. But faced these hardships with humour and hope, to shine through as a leading creative force in the Melbourne queer Indigenous scene.

Join Host Lisa “Dano” Daniel, as she is joined by the effervescent Davey Thompson.

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Jax is a mother, a performer and a voice for intersectionality.

Join Host Lisa “Dano” Daniel as she is joined by Jax Jacki Brown.

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In this revealing and very open interview, Georgie speaks about the organisation she loves so dearly, and what its like to work for Julia Gillard. She also speaks about her coming out as a lesbian, and her own battles with depression.

Join host Lisa “Dano” Daniel as she discovers, that the very public face of Beyond Blue is not 10 foot tall and bullet proof.

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A blogger, an activist an envelope pusher. Michael has been fighting for decades for the rights of the coming generations of LGBTIQ identifying youth. And his fight is no where near over.

Join host Lisa “Dano” Daniel, as she is enlightened by the thoughtful, Michael Barnett.

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Join host Lisa “Dano” Daniel, as she chews the fat with James Lolicato.

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Word For Word airs midday (AEDT) Saturdays on JOY 94.9 in Melbourne, streaming live at JOY.org.au, on the JOY App or iHeartRadio, and available via podcast from iTunes or your favourite podcast provider.

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Word For Word airs midday (AEDT) Saturdays on JOY 94.9 in Melbourne, streaming live at JOY.org.au, on the JOY App or iHeartRadio, and available via podcast from iTunes or your favourite podcast provider.

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Word For Word airs midday (AEDT) Saturdays on JOY 94.9 in Melbourne, streaming live at JOY.org.au, on the JOY App or iHeartRadio, and available via podcast from iTunes or your favourite podcast provider.

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Word For Word airs midday (AEDT) Saturdays on JOY 94.9 in Melbourne, streaming live at JOY.org.au, on the JOY App or iHeartRadio, and available via podcast from iTunes or your favourite podcast provider.

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Word For Word airs midday (AEST) Saturdays on JOY 94.9 in Melbourne, streaming live at JOY.org.au, on the JOY App or iHeartRadio, and available via podcast from iTunes or your favourite podcast provider.

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Word For Word airs midday (AEST) Saturdays on JOY 94.9 in Melbourne, streaming live at JOY.org.au, on the JOY App or iHeartRadio, and available via podcast from iTunes or your favourite podcast provider.

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Word For Word airs midday (AEST) Saturdays on JOY 94.9 in Melbourne, streaming live at JOY.org.au, on the JOY App or iHeartRadio, and available via podcast from iTunes or your favourite podcast provider.

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Word For Word airs midday (AEDT) Saturdays on JOY 94.9 in Melbourne, streaming live at JOY.org.au, on the JOY App or iHeartRadio, and available via podcast from iTunes or your favourite podcast provider.

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Word For Word airs midday (AEDT) Saturdays on JOY 94.9 in Melbourne, streaming live at JOY.org.au, on the JOY App or iHeartRadio, and available via podcast from iTunes or your favourite podcast provider.

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They discuss their championing for marriage equality, their former marriages and children to opposite-sex partners, discovering their sexualities later in life, and what it’s like to sit down to Christmas dinner with Christine’s older brother, former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Word for Word airs on JOY every Saturday at 12 PM. Stream it online at JOY.org.au.

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From left: Dean Beck, Nicole Conner, Nathan Despott. Photo by Betty Sujecki

Produced by Katecia Taylor.  

It took 18 months of negotiations to get Nicole Conner to agree to be interviewed back in 2015. Two and a half years later, the former evangelical mega-church pastor finally breaks her silence regarding the fall-out, controversy and heartache that followed her appearance on this program.

Back then Conner revealed her personal values did not align with the homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and ex-gay practices that she witnessed throughout evangelical churches.  It sent shockwaves throughout Australia’s evangelical community that reverberated globally. What followed was a flood of conservative Christian commentators ridiculing Conner and condemning her views.

Amidst the unholy diatribe were numerous articles  published by the now-defunct extreme-right-fundamentalist group, The Saltshakers, which quoted scripture, suggesting Nicole should “submit to her husband”, Pastor Mark Conner, the former Senior Minister of Citylife Church in Melbourne.

Undeterred by her critics, it’s a more resilient Conner who now draws strength from the hundreds of individuals she has touched through speaking out.

The 2015 interview has been downloaded over 10,000 times by listeners around the globe and while Conner admits it’s impact is difficult to quantify, she has been overwhelmed by the correspondence and love that she continues to receive from individuals struggling to reconcile their sexuality and faith.

“I now know that lives have been saved because of that interview,” she said.

Joining the conversation is ex-gay survivor and co-executive producer of the Inside Ex-gay series, Nathan Despott.  Since starting this GLOBE-Award nominated project, Despott has gone on to became the policy leader for the Australian Equality Party, founded the Brave Network – a group for ex-gay survivors and LGBTIQ people of faith, and continues to advocate strongly for life-saving research, regulation and legislation to eradicate ex-gay ideology and promote inclusiveness for all.

Crisis Lines:

• LifeLine                13 11 14
• QLife                     1800 184 527
• beyondblue          1300 22 4636

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Operation Safe Night sees Victoria Police taking to the streets of Prahran and St Kilda with sniffer dogs, leaving some to wonder if the gay community is again being targeted.

In the first two weeks of Operation Safe Night, Police have charged 30 people with drug offenses.

Word For Word speaks to Dr. Peta Malins, Lecturer in Justice and Legal Studies at RMIT University, political strategist Nevena Spirovska and harm reduction advocate Nick Wallis, about the actions of the Police, its impact on civil liberties and harm reduction implications.

Together they have formed High Alert – a web site and foot patrol informing clubbers of their civil rights and the whereabouts of the police sniffer dogs.  High Alert’s Info Hotline is 0402 739 808

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Will Kostakis with his latest book The Sidekicks.

In high school he won the Sydney Morning Herald’s Young Writer Of The Year award.

He signed his first book deal while completing Year 12.

At 27yo, Will Kostakis‘s third book The Sidekicks, now has a distribution deal in the USA.

Will specialises in Young Adult Fiction but as we discover, the lines between fact and fiction continue to blur as he travels around the country inspiring our youth to read and write.

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It was a by-election in 2012 that saw Alex Greenwich take over from Clover Moore as the independent member for Sydney in the NSW Legislative Assembly.

Prior to running for office, Greenwich was the national convener of Australian Marriage Equality (AME).  Although relinquishing that role when he entered NSW Parliament, it was the Federal Government’s proposed plebiscite on marriage equality that saw him return to AME.

Alex flew to Argentina to marry his partner Victor Hoeld in 2012, but his determination to see marriage equality for all Australians remains steadfast.

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Ross Muray and Ray Bradford from GLAAD

Changing the hearts and minds of Americans is what GLAAD has been doing in the USA for 30 years.

As we continue to wait for marriage equality in Australia, GLAAD is accelerating LGBTIQ acceptance globally.

In today’s Mardi Gras edition of Word For Word, Dean Beck speaks to Ross Murray, GLAAD’s Global Director of Programs and Ray Bradford, their Entertainment Media Director of Programs.

Working with community organisations and expert not-for-profits, GLAAD utilises its media management expertise to communicate the individual stories of LGBTIQ people.

GLAAD works with all of the major TV networks in the USA and Hollywood production studios.  This collaboration ensures LGBTIQ stories be respectfully depicted on screen, helping to shatter stereotypes and promote diversity.

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From left: Duncan Spender (Liberal Democrats), Dean Beck (Emcee), Dr Meredith Doig (Australian Sex Party), Jason Tuazon-McCheyne (Australian Equality Party), Vickie Janson (Australian Christians), Jason Ball (Australian Greens). Picture by: Michael Barnett

Recorded live at the Kelvin Club in Melbourne on 16^th June 2016.    MC – Dean Beck.  

The panellists are:

Duncan Spender – Liberal Democrats

Duncan studied politics and economics, going on to work for the Federal Treasury.  In 2001 he foundered Australia’s first libertarian party – the Liberal Democrats – developing many of their policies and philosophies.  Today he is the party Treasurer and Lead Senate Candidate in Victoria at the forthcoming election.

Jason Ball – Australian Greens

Jason is the youngest person in the debate but do not that fool you.  Few people would actually have audacity to consider taking on one of Victoria’s safest Blue ribbon Liberal seats and expect to win.  No stranger to David verses Goliath battles, in 2012 he came out as this nations first gay aussie rules player – then systematically went about addressing the entrenched homophobia in footy.  The inspiration for the AFL’s first Pride Round to played later this year, an ambassador for Beyond Blue and a true champion of our LGBTI communities.

Vickie Janson – Australian Christians

Born in Dunedin, New Zealand, Vicki Janson became an Australian Citizen in 2004. In 2009 she authored a book titled Ideological Jihad – written as an open letter to Waleed Aly and in response to his book People Like Us; How arrogance is dividing Islam and the West. Appointed as the first Victorian State Director for Australian Christians, she is the lead Victorian Senate candidate for Australian Christians.

Jason Tuazon-McCheyne – Australian Equality Party

In 2004 Jason married his husband in Canada and upon returning to Australia, challenged our Federal marriage laws by seeking legal recognition of their commitment.  Clearly the inspiration for John Howard to legislate marriage as between a man and a women.  He is one of the founding members of the Australian Marriage Equality movement. A leading voice in the LGBTIQ community for over a decade, he is the Leader and Victorian Senate Candidate for the Australian Equality Party.

Dr Meredith Doig – Australian Sex Party

Meredith started out as a high school maths teacher before taking the plunge into the private sector as a corporate executive in manufacturing, mining and banking. For the last 15 years she’s been a professional company director on commercial, government and education boards. In 2004, she completed a PhD on The Nature of Organisational Sustainability, focusing on corporate responsibility and ‘triple bottom line’ accountability.  For the past five years, she has been President of the Rationalist Society of Australia.  As one of Australia’s first Equal Opportunity officers, she is the lead Victorian Senate Candidate for the Australian Sex Party.

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Recorded live at the Imperial Hotel, Chapel Street, South Yarra on Thursday 2^nd June 2016.

Featuring:

• Dean Beck – Facilitator
• The Hon. Kelly O’Dwyer – Liberal Party
• Carl Katter – Labor Party
• Jason Ball – Greens
• Nancy Bassett – Nick Xenpohon Party
• Rebecca O’Brien – Australian Equality Party

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Since then he has written 13 books and today is called upon to comment on just about anything and everything.

Ahead of the Federal Election, Dennis Altman joins Word For Word, to assess the current state of play politically, both in Australian and the USA.

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The roll out of the safe schools program was to provide an equal playing field for all students, potentially creating transformational change across all of society.

On Word For Word we speak to Chris Bush, one of the architects of the program the government recently scrutinized, and Jacqui Tomlins, a former teacher, mother and co-founder of the Australian Equality Party.

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These questions and many more form the content of Dr Zareh Ghazarian book titled The Making of a Party System: Minor Parties in the Australian Senate.

Dr Zareh Ghazarian is a Lecturer in Politics in the School of Social Sciences at Monash University and recently he was awarded the Australian Prime Minister’s Centre Fellowship for 2015-16.

Dr Ghazarian joins Dean for some timely insights ahead of the 2016 Federal Election.

The post The Rise of Minor Parties – Dr Zareh Ghazarian appeared first on Word for Word.

On Word For Word today we put the spotlight on two of Australia’s greatest Scientists and focus on the work conducted at the Doherty Institute which will be hosting the World AIDS Day 2015 activities and events in Melbourne on December 1. 

University of Melbourne Laureate Professor Peter Doherty has been involved in research on infection and immunity for 50 years.

He shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1996 and remains the first person with a veterinary qualification to win a Nobel Prize.

In 1997 he was named Australian of the Year and has been called a National Living Treasure.

Still active in science and involved in large, grant-funded programs at both institutions, he commutes between St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis and the Doherty Institute (named after him) where he now spends most of his time.  His current focus is increasingly on the public communication of science and on defending an evidence-based view of the world.

Professor Sharon Lewin is the inaugural Director of the Doherty Institute. She leads a large multi-disciplinary research team that focuses on understanding why HIV persists on treatment and developing clinical trials aimed at ultimately finding a cure for HIV infection and understanding how HIV interacts with other common co-infections, including hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Sharon was previously Head, Department of Infectious Diseases, the Alfred Hospital and Monash University (2003 – 2014) and Co-head, Centre for Biomedical Research, Burnet Institute (2010-2014).

Sharon was the local co-chair of the XX International AIDS Conference (AIDS2014) held in Melbourne in July 2014, which was the largest health and development conference ever hosted in Australia.

In 2014, she was named Melburnian of the Year – an annual award from the City of Melbourne to an inspirational role model who has made an outstanding contribution to the city in their chosen field.

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Victoria’s Gender and Sexuality Commissioner Rowena Allen in conversation with VGLRL co-convener Sean Mulcahy.

Are Victoria’s LGBTI communities currently experiencing the “Golden Age”?

The days of Commercial Road being the centre of Melbourne’s Gay community are long gone, replaced by a new paradigm illustrated in part by the general acceptance and understanding of LGBTI people throughout society. However we have a long way to go before true equality for all LGBTI people has been achieved.

Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews recognised this in the lead up to the last state election promising that if elected he would appoint a Minister for Equality and Australia’s first Gender and Sexuality Commissioner.

Embedded in the Department of Premier and Cabinet and answerable to the Equality Minister Martin Foley, that Commissioner is Rowena Allen.

It’s fair to say that since being appointed in July, Commissioner Allen – preferably known as Ro – has hit the ground running.  With a signature style that is approachable, available, collaborative and warm, Ro has managed to connect with stakeholders and communicate with mainstream in ways many would have thought impossible.

Word For Word was given exclusive access to record Ro’s presentation recently, following the AGM of Victoria’s Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby.

First up Rowena Allen’s presentation reports on the first few months as Commissioner.  That is followed by Ro in conversation with VGLRL co-convener Sean Mulcahy and then Dean Beck speaks to the out-going co-convener Anna Brown who explains why it is that Victoria needs a Gender and Sexuality Commissioner.

The post Meet Victoria’s Gender and Sexuality Commissioner appeared first on Word for Word.

It’s fair to say Australian politics over the last 5 years has been irrational at best.  Policy led by social media.  Leadership continuously up-ended.  Parties preoccupied by internal bickering.  Promises continuously broken.  The population totally disenchanted.  Ineffectual governing.  The list could go on and on.

Dr Meredith Doig is the President of The Rationalist Society of Australia.  The organisation has been pivotal is getting SRI in Victoria’s Public Schools changed from parents having to opt-out, to opting-in if parents want their children taught religion at school.

A secular approach to politics, ensuring the separation of “Church and State”, is what has driven Dr Doig to join the Australian Sex Party.  Her ultimate goal is to win a Senate seat in the 2016 Federal Election.

In February 2015 Dr Doig wrote an excellent secular alternative to the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ which is currently read out at the start of each day in our parliaments nationally.

The post The Rational Politician – Dr Meredith Doig appeared first on Word for Word.

Greg Fisher lived the high life surrounded by celebrities, seen at every A-list party, perched high above Sydney in his penthouse with expensive cars below.  He sailed Sydney Harbour in his flash yacht surrounded by a bevy of buffed men at his play things.

Six months later in 2000, the property and media organisation collapsed leaving hundreds of gay and lesbian employees out of a job and a community without its life-blood, the weekly print publications everyone relied on in the pre-internet era.

The devastation and mistrust it caused nationally to the LGBTI community was unprecedented.

In the months and years that followed, Greg Fisher would descend into the underworld of drug dealing.  Ultimately he would go on to spend nearly 8 years in jail for corporate corruption and importation of a large quantity of cocaine.

“Inside Out” is Greg Fisher’s memoir of the heady times past and his long road to redemption.

Astoundingly, only two sentences in this memoir are devoted to the Satellite Media group and never has he attempted to apologies for the impact it had on his employees, or the LGBTI community nationally – until today.

The post EXCLUSIVE: Greg Fisher Apologises appeared first on Word for Word.

It wasn’t until he found himself as the ultimate imposter – serving as a ‘straight’ officer on President Clinton’s commission to overturn the ban on gays being able to serve in the U.S. military – that he realised his entire life was a lie and he was no longer happy.

Since coming to terms that he could be black and gay and no longer have to strive to meet the standards of being white and straight, Hillman has been a lot happier being himself, rather than pretending to be some perfect ideal. He now spends his time focusing on others, more specifically, on coaching businessmen and women in the boardroom.

Drawing on his own experiences as a black, gay man fitting into a society which is predominantly white and straight, Harold Hillman’s new book Fitting In, Standing Out explains how you fit in with a team, and how you stand out from the team, are inherently tied together.

The post Fitting In & Standing Out – Dr Harold Hillman appeared first on Word for Word.

Author Robin Bowles

It is a tragedy and a love story as well as a murder – the story of how celebrated interior designer Stuart Rattle met his untimely death, killed by his beloved and loving partner of 16 years, Michael O’Neill.

The bizarre circumstances were the talk of Melbourne’s gay scene, society elite, design circles, media offices, country clubs and lawyers’ chambers.

But what REALLY happened?

Robin Bowles goes behind the scenes and the headlines to tell the true and tragic story of how in one defining moment, Michael O’Neill changed dozens of lives, especially Stuart’s and his own, forever.

Robin Bowles was recently awarded a Lifetime Sisters in Crime membership, her latest true crime book, Smoke And Mirrors is her 11^th book and is published by Echo Publishing. Available now in paperback.

The post Smoke And Mirrors – The Murder of Stuart Rattle appeared first on Word for Word.

Co-founder of the Australian Sex Party – Fiona Patten MLC

Since being elected to Victoria’s Upper House in November 2014, The Australian Sex Party’s Fiona Patten MLC has undergone a huge learning curve – and she’s loving it!

ASP Co-Founders Robbie Swan and Fiona Patten MLC

Its more than 5 years since Fiona Patten and Robbie Swan, her partner in business, life and politics, founded the Australian Sex Party.  Initially written off as a fringe lobby group from the Adult Industry, the party has grown dramatically, now boasting over 6000 members despite being deregistered recently by the Australian Electoral Commission.  An issue that they assure us, will soon be rectified.

In this rare interview together, Fiona and Robbie review the acceptance, understanding and impact the party has had whilst gaining mainstream respectability for its libertarian policies, practical humanity and genuine desire to see the major parties embrace equality.

On the day when Victoria’s Legislative Council repealed Section 19A of the crimes act, Fiona was sitting in the President’s Chair.  For someone who has been at the forefront of Australia’s response to HIV and sex workers since the early 1990’s, seeing this stigmatising HIV-specific law repealed was a cherished moment.

Fiona PAtten MLC with Dean Beck – Photo: @BettySujecki

At the last Federal Election, Robbie Swan missed out on being elected to represent Tasmania in the Senate by 250 votes.  Since then the party continues to attract a growing number of potential candidates with quality credentials, all primed to ensure a win next time around.

Whilst Fiona moved to Melbourne a couple of years ago, Robbie’s heart and home remains in the country’s porn capital, Canberra.  Their decades of working closely with the adult industry nationally have amassed a vast collection of documentary evidence detailing Australia’s relationship to pornography, classification and censorship, politics, power and profits.   Some of this extraordinary archive is currently on show alongside prized adult paraphernalia, artwork, instruments and titillating titbits at the Canberra Museum and Gallery.

X-Rated: the sex industry in the ACT is on display until September 20 – visitors must be over 18 years of age to view the exhibition.  Check out the exhibition brochure – it makes very interesting reading!!!

The post An Enduring Relationship – Politics, Porn, Fiona and Robbie appeared first on Word for Word.

Two inspirational young Melbourne men have chosen to make a difference in one of the most troubled regions on earth.

Echo International Inc. was founded by five friends from Melbourne who’s travels through South East Asia bought them to the Sangkhlaburi District in Northern Thailand. Over half of the population is made up of ethnic groups displaced from nearby Burma, with little or no rights in Thailand and no support services.

Despite widespread poverty, lack of child education, social and political issues, the people were caring and possessed such a generosity of spirit that founders Jeremi Wallace and Ryan Stevens were inspired to give something back and ultimately make a difference to the lives of people in similar situations around the world.

Check out the work the crew at Echo International are doing and make a donation towards this important, life changing organisation.

The post Burma’s Forgotten People – Echo International appeared first on Word for Word.

Who in their right mind would start a new political party?

Today’s guest has done just that and plans to be a serious contender for a Senate seat in the 2016 Federal Election.

The Australian Equality Party has managed to get enough members to register as a political party and form a 35 page policy manifesto in record time.

In consultation with LGBTI community leaders and individuals, the Party’s core beliefs of equality, fairness and human rights have shaped all of its policies and the document has already created waves within the major political parties at both a federal and state level.

Dean speaks with the founder and visionary leader of the Australian Equality Party, Jason Tuazon-McCheyne – a gentle man of integrity who’s own challenges have shaped his authentic desire to be the much needed LGBTI voice in federal parliament.

The post Australian Equality Party – meet Jason Tuazon-McCheyne appeared first on Word for Word.

30 years ago the ABC’s satirical comedy show “The Gillies Report” brought the leaders of the day to life.  The man behind the characters was Max Gillies – a mild mannered man out of make-up, clearly more comfortable when disguised.

His new show pays homage to the geniuses behind his characters – the script writers.

Once were Leaders is a cutting edge satire with the best of Gillies’ incredible caricatures.  It is Max Gilles in his purest form where you get to peer behind the mask – no make-up, no prosthetics – and relish the skills of an Australian comic legend.

Once were Leaders is playing at the Arts Centre Melbourne from 13-28 March.

The post Max Gillies – the man behind many masks. appeared first on Word for Word.

Dunstan worked as a member of parliament for more than twenty-five years, and then throughout the remainder of his life, to realise his vision of full equality for same-sex attracted citizens. He focused on both legislative and cultural reforms, and introduced changes to the Police Force that were unprecedented and strongly resisted.

In this, the first biography ever written about Don Dunstan, author Dino Hodge records the change in public discourse over issues of homosexuality – from morality to state security and then civil liberties.  Hodge documents the efforts and the backlash Dunstan suffered whilst finally giving due recognition to one of the country’s most remarkable champions of human rights.

About the Author: Dino Hodge is a man of many talents. From 1983 – 2000, he lived in the Northern Territory of Australia and worked extensively with ethnic, gay and lesbian, and HIV-affected groups and communities. During this time, he wrote the Northern Territory’s first historical account of the gay community in the Northern Territory titled: Did You Meet Any Malagas? The book was also made into a play and performed in New York during the 1994 Gay Olympics.

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By the time this hour of radio finishes, four African Elephants will have brutally murdered by high powered rifles, grenades, poisoned spears or overdoes of deadly chemicals.  Their faces hacked away to maximise the length of their tusks for sale to china.  There ivory will be carved into religious figurines, ornate statues, jewelry and trinkets for tourists.

Whilst such poaching is reprehensible, the money really isn’t in elephant ivory.

Damien Mander
IAPF CEO Damien Mander training rangers. PHOTGRAPHER:DAVINA JOGI

Rhino horn currently fetches US$70,000 per kilo – and as the average horn weights 3 kg – that’s one hell of a motivating factor but at the rate they are being poached, the end of the Rhino’s time on this planet is fast approaching.

In 2010, 333 Rhinos died at the hands of poachers.  This year that figure is an astonishing 1020 and the year is not over yet.  In South Africa alone, 165 arrests were made in 2010 – this year it has risen to 344.

A Melbourne man is at the forefront of conservation and preservation in the battle to save the rhino.

The Australian Armed Forces trained him well.  We asked things of him that no man should ever be asked to do and he did it with honour and pride, for our freedom and the freedom of others.  He got paid well and invested wisely.

At 29 years of age, having served 12 tours of Iraq – he retired.

War does strange things to young men.  Even stranger things happen to those coming home from war without a purpose.  Fortunately this 34 year old man has found his.

Today on Word For Word, meet Damien Mander, CEO and Founder of the International Anti-Poaching Foundation.  Support the work of the IAPF and donate to keep Rhinos horny.

The post Keeping Rhinos Horny – Damien Mander, CEO and Founder of IAPF appeared first on Word for Word.

Manu O. Platt, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Georgia Tech and Emory University

Dr Manu Platt is an internationally renowned bio-medical engineer and he was recently invited by the Australian Society for Medical Research to speak at their 2014 National Scientific Conference.

Globally, antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has transformed HIV-infection from a terminal diagnosis to a manageable chronic disease.

However people living with HIV have shown elevated incidence of heart attacks and strokes. This has even been reported in adolescents who were born with HIV and on ART from birth!

Dr Platt and his team have been studying human cardiovascular events due to HIV infection and any connection this may have to antiretroviral medication.

His work is particularly important if informed consent is to be truly realised within the Treatment as Prevention (TasP) community discourse.  TasP is the over-arching catch cry for the visionary end to HIV transference.  Its at the core of the widely publicised political commitment to dramatically reduce deaths due to AIDS and it is the technology behind PrEP and PEP, both proven to stop HIV taking hold in a new host.

The post What’s at the Heart of HIV Treatment as Prevention (TasP)? – Dr Manu Platt ponders the benefits. appeared first on Word for Word.

It was the ‘eBay of drugs’, a billion dollar empire. Behind it was the FBI’s Most Wanted Man, a mysterious crime czar dubbed ‘Dread Pirate Roberts’. SILK ROAD lay at the heart of the ‘Dark Web’ – a parallel internet of porn, guns, assassins and drugs. Lots of drugs.

With the click of a button LSD, heroin, meth, coke, any illegal drug imaginable, would wing its way by regular post from any dealer to any user in the world.

How was this online drug cartel even possible? And who was the mastermind all its low roads led to?

On Word For Word today Dean speaks with investigative journalist Eileen Ormsby about her new book “SILK ROAD” – a stunning true-crime story in the present day with a truth that explodes off the page.

Keep up to date with All Things VICE and visit Eileen’s blog.

SILK ROAD is published by Pan MacMillian and is available in paperback now.

Author Eileen Ormsby Photo by Philip Gao Photography

The post Silk Road – Eileen Ormsby appeared first on Word for Word.

Fiona Patten MLC (Leader of the Australian Sex Party) with Dean Beck

Having previously battled two Federal Elections and a Victorian State Election, Fiona Patten, leader of the Australian Sex Party,  is determined to win a seat in the Victorian State Parliament’s Upper House on the 29th of November.

Fiona is no new-comer to politics having been a lobbyist for the adult retail industry for over 20 years.  At the forefront of the HIV response in the 1990’s, Fiona engaged the sex workers of Australia as they universally adopted condom use to protect their bodies and their livelihood.

Joining us to share the Sex Party’s policies and platforms ahead of Victoria going to the polls, its clear Fiona has not lost the determination to ensure practical libertarian policies are part of our nation’s way forward.

POSTSCRIPT:  Following the Victorian Election on November 29, 2014, Fiona Patten was elected to Victoria’s Legislative Council in the Northern Metropolitan Region.

The post One More Go! Australian Sex Party Leader, Fiona Patten. appeared first on Word for Word.

The Liberal Party’s Clem Newton-Brown won the seat of Prahran in the last State Election.  On the 29th of November 2014, Victoria goes to the polls again and today’s guests are determined to ensure the incumbent has just one term in Spring Street.

Neil Pharaoh has a long history with the Labor Party and is currently the National Convenor of Rainbow Labor.  Sam Hibbins is the Greens Candidate and currently a councillor for the City of Stonnington.

The post Prahran Votes – Labor’s Neil Pharaoh and Sam Hibbins from the Greens appeared first on Word for Word.

From left: Clem Newton-Brown MLA (Liberal), Greg Barber MLC (Greens), Martin Foley MLA (Labor) .

With Victorian’s preparing for a state election on the 29th of November 2014, Melbourne’s Gay and Lesbian Organisation for Business and Enterprise, GLOBE, arranged an evening to connect politicians from the three major parties to the LGBTI communities they serve.

As the sun began setting over Port Phillip Bay, 60 guests enjoyed canapés and the priceless view from 28 floors above Melbourne at Crown Metropol’s spectacular sky deck.  Master of Ceremonies for the evening was JOY 94.9’s Dean Beck and after a pitch from each of the pollies, the questions from the floor began to fly.

In order of appearance:  Greg Barber MLC (Greens)  –  Clem Newton-Brown MLA (Liberal)  –  Martin Foley MLA (Labor)

Recorded LIVE on 11th of September 2014 at Crown Metropol with thanks to the event sponsors Lander & Rogers.

Some elements were edited from the original recording for continuity and quality purposes to produce the podcast below.

The post GLOBE Melbourne’s Meet The Politicians appeared first on Word for Word.

From being outed to being the Prime Minister’s sister, Ms Forster plays politics with a straight bat and quite a swing.

She leaves no doubt as to what her ambitions are, believing she has what it takes to defrock the enormously popular Clover Moore from her Mayoral robes.

The post Sydney’s Lord Mayor In Waiting – Christine Forster appeared first on Word for Word.

Mark S. King with JOY 94.9’s Dean Beck (Photo by: Betty Sujecki)

As Australia’s only Gay & Lesbian radio station JOY 94.9 prepares to cross live to 20^th International AIDS Conference AIDS 2014, we are joined in the studio by international HIV agitator, AIDS activist and award winning columnist Mark S. King.

His blog “My Fabulous Disease” provides up-to-date commentary on the global HIV response.  Diagnosed HIV positive in 1985, Mark’s openness about his battle with Crystal Meth use and frankness about the sex gay men have continues to challenge many.  At a time when Victoria has just reported a 300% increase in gay men who inject drugs becoming HIV positive, Mark’s insights need to be heard.

His essay in HIV stigma titled “The Sound of Stigma” is essential reading.  Mark S. King is in Australia and attending AIDS 2014 thanks to thebody.com and posting video blogs of the conference.

The post The Agitator – Mark S. King appeared first on Word for Word.

Paul Kidd – Chair of the Legal Working Group aiming for a repeal of Section 19A

Victoria is the only State in Australia to have a specific law criminalising the transference of HIV. Section 19A of the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic) establishes the criminal offence of ‘intentionally causing a very serious disease’ – with ‘very serious disease’ defined exclusively to mean HIV infection.

The offence carries a maximum penalty of up to 25 years imprisonment and is equivalent to that prescribes for very serious crimes including rape, armed robbery and aggravated burglary.

Originally established in 1993 to deter the use of blood filled syringes as weapons, Section 19A has rarely been successful in prosecutions with the only conviction under 19A being that of Michael John Neal in 2009.

Since 1993 the HIV landscape has changed dramatically, with the introduction of antiretroviral medications transforming HIV from a certain death sentence, to a manageable chronic condition. The existence of Section 19A in 2014 falsely characterises people living with HIV as a threat to public safety, contributing significantly to HIV stigma. This discourages people from getting tested, seeking treatment and disclosing their status to sexual partners.

HIV-specific laws like Section 19A have been criticised globally as counterproductive to the epidemic’s response, with organisations such as UNAIDS and the Global Commission on HIV condemning the criminalisation of HIV.

Ahead of the 20^th International AIDS conference, AIDS 2014, being held in Melbourne next week, Victoria’s two peak HIV organisations, Living Positive Victoria and the Victorian AIDS Council have joined forces, working together to see an end to Section 19A.

Today on Word For Word, Dean Beck speaks with the Chair of the Legal Working group Paul Kidd and Heath Paynter, Senior Policy Analyst for the VAC.  You can find out more about the campagin to repeal Section 19A here.

The post Victoria’s HIV Law: Section 19A and the necessity for its abolition appeared first on Word for Word.

Karen Bolinger, CEO of the Melboune Convention Bureau

AIDS 2014 is the largest conference ever to be staged in Australia and it’s coming to Melbourne, July 20-25.  Today on Word For Word, Dean Beck speaks to the CEO of the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) Karen Bolinger and the Chief Executive of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), Peter King.

Seventeen years ago the team at MCB identified the International AIDS Conference as an event that they would like to host.  Since securing AIDS 2014 two years ago, they have been working towards lining up the world’s best scientists, medical researchers, community and political leaders so that the best of the best are in town for this event.

Now it’s up to Peter and his team at MCEC to execute the event.  From staff and food to satellite links and live web streaming, the logistics and technology required to deliver a conference event of this size will push them to their limits.  With over 2000 presentations to be made over the five days of the conference, it only takes one thing to go wrong and it could upset the rest of the daily proceedings.

In addition to the conference itself, the delegates will experience an expo that will take up two thirds of Jeff’s shed.  The other one third will feature the Global Village, highlighting the cultural response to HIV and AIDS from 200 countries globally.  Everyone is invited to experience AIDS 2014 and entry to the Global Village is FREE.

Over 160 independent events have been scheduled to coincide with AIDS 2014 throughout Melbourne.  From an AFL footy match to 45 of Melbourne’s iconic buildings glowing red for the week, AIDS 2014 will deliver an opportunity for Australia to re-engage with the global HIV epidemic at a time when locally, new infections of HIV are continuing to rise.

The post The BIGGEST one EVER! Bringing AIDS 2014 to Melbourne. appeared first on Word for Word.

WARNING: This podcast contains coarse language, sexual references and discussions about drug use. Listener discretion is advised.

Today’s guest is a leading expert on the sexual transmission of HIV associated with non-injecting crack cocaine use and HIV in the Caribbean.

Dr Marcus Day is the Director of the Caribbean Drug & Alcohol Research Institute based in Castries, Saint Lucia. The Institute studies the overlap between drug use and HIV infection on vulnerable populations.

He lives in the ghettos amongst the communities he serves and is renowned for being a straight shooter – telling it like it is!!

He has served as principal investigator on two ongoing research projects:

• Crack cocaine and HIV Risk Street Drug Users in Saint Lucia and
• Drug use and HIV Risk Behaviours among Caribbean MSM community.

Marcus Day spoke with Dean Beck recently when he was in town as part of the organising committee finalising the program for AIDS 2014.

The post The Perfect Storm – Drug use and HIV with Dr Marcus Day appeared first on Word for Word.

From Left: Roz Ward from Safe Schools Coalition Victoria, Imogene (Best Friend), Justin (Father), Kiana (Daughter), Clem Newton-Brown MLA for Prahran and Parliamentary Secretary for Education.

The mere thought of a Debutant Ball would send many flag waving feminists into a taffeta incinerating frenzy.  Whilst steeped in tradition, even the staunchest traditionalists would struggle with the idea of parading ones daughter before the social elite with the primary objective of marrying her off at the earliest opportunity.

So when Mount Clear College in Ballarat chose to use “tradition” as the excuse to exclude Year 11 student Kiana from attending the school’s Deb Ball with her best friend Imogene, Kiana’s Father Justin, was not happy!

Since August 2013, the Federal Discrimination Act has included all aspects of LGBTI discrimination, including relationships, within legislation. Anything that goes against this (excluding religious institutions or exemption holders) is not adhering to this policy.

This is not new! Victorian State Schools have an obligation to ensure all students are provided with the greatest opportunity to learn in a safe, understanding and supportive environment.

Victorian State Schools cannot discriminate on the grounds of sex, gender, sexuality, disability, race and so on…this applies to staff and students alike. You can find out more about LGBTI protections under the law here.

So how is it possible that Principals, teachers, support staff, parents and students have no idea of these obligations and their rights?

Victoria’s Safe Schools Coalition lists 129 schools as being “Safe Schools”. Mount Clear is one of those schools and yet the overwhelming culture of the school allowed “tradition” to be the prevailing force and not “diversity and inclusion”.

During the show we looked in to how parents and students are expected to know their school is a “Safe School” and hold them to account accordingly, if there is no obligation on behalf of the school to indicate publicly they are signatories to the coalition.

Mount Clear lists “Care, Commitment, Respect and Responsibility” as its core values which under the Federal Discrimination Act should have been enough to ensure Kiana and Imogene were welcomed to attend the Debutant Ball. Based on this, Word for Word endeavours to find out why the school went against Departmental Guidelines and counter to the framework of the Safe Schools Coalition of which it’s a signatory and ultimately broke the law.

POSTSCRIPT:

The original postscript stating this issue has been resolved has been removed.  The issue with Mount Clear College has not been resolved at all and the father has been informed that it will take up to 3 weeks before the school council can meet to discuss the matter further.

Until then Mount Clear College continues to break Federal and State anti-discrimination laws.  Repeated attempts to contact the school principal for comment have gone unanswered.

Read more about this issue in The Guardian.

POST-POSTSCRIPT:

From the Principal of Mount Clear College, Ms Lynita Taylor:

“As a college we acknowledge that the traditional Deb Ball does not align to our values of inclusivity for all of our students. This combined with the fact that we only have 9 girls who have committed to the Deb Ball means that we will be altering our Deb Ball for 2014. The ball will be modified to ensure all of our students can attend regardless of who they wish to partner, or their financial situation. Students have been voting their feet for a number of years. Last year’s ball was cancelled due to a lack of numbers. We look forward to the opportunity to make our 2014 Presentation Ball a fantastic event where all our students feel comfortable to attend.”

The Ballarat Courier has also reported on the latest developments.

The post Dirty Dancing – Poofs, Protests, Politics, Policies, Parents and Principals! appeared first on Word for Word.

Chris Beyrer is Professor of Epidemiology, International Health, and Health, Behaviour, and Society at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is considered to be one of the world’s leading experts in the transference of HIV among gay men or men who have sex with men and is President Elect of the International AIDS Society (IAS).

Elected by his international peers, Chris is the first Gay man to become President of IAS, a position that begins here in Melbourne at AIDS 2014. With new infections of HIV rapidly escalating amongst gay men in the United Kingdom, USA and Australia, his appointment is timely.

Chris Beyrer MD, MPH, is the founder and director of the University’s Centre for Public Health and Human Rights, which focuses on the health and rights of communities facing stigma, discrimination, and violence, including sexual and gender minorities, people who use drugs, migrants, refugees, and civilians in conflict.

An infectious disease epidemiologist, he is also associate director of the Johns Hopkins Centre for AIDS Research and of the JHU Centre for Global Health.  He is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and Co-Chairs the U.S. National Institutes of Health Office of AIDS Research Planning Committee on Epidemiology and Natural History.  In 2012, he became President- Elect of the International AIDS Society, and will serve as President of the IAS, the world’s largest body of HIV professionals, from 2014-16.   Dr. Beyrer is the author of more than 185 scientific papers, and author or editor of six books, including War in the Blood: Sex, Politics and AIDS in Southeast Asia, and Public Health and Human Rights: Evidence-Based Approaches.

He serves on the MSM Working Group of the HIV Prevention Trials Network, and in 2012, guest-edited a special issue of The Lancet on HIV among MSM.  From 1992-1997 he was based at Chiang Mai University in northern Thailand, where he served as Field Director for the U.S.-Thai collaborative PAVE and HIVNET studies.  He has served as a consultant and adviser to numerous national and international institutions, including the National Institutes of Health, the World Bank, the Open Society Foundations, The Walter Reed Army Institute for Research, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, Physicians for Human Rights, The Institute for Asian Democracy and Human Rights Watch.

Dr. Beyrer received a BA in History from Hobart and Wm. Smith Colleges, his MD from the State University of New York in Brooklyn, NY, and completed his residency in Preventive Medicine, public health training, an MPH and a Infectious Diseases Fellowship at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.  He received an honorary Doctorate (PhD) in Health Sciences from Chiang Mai University in Thailand, in 2012, in recognition of his 20 years of HIV research in Thailand.

The post Meet the International AIDS Society’s First Gay President – Professor Chris Beyrer. appeared first on Word for Word.

Professor Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, AIDS 2014 International Chair and International AIDS Society (IAS) President

Professor Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, PhD, is the Director of the “Regulation of Retroviral Infections” Unit, at the Institut Pasteur in Paris. She has been involved in retrovirology research, since the early 1970s.

She is recognized for her contributions to HIV/AIDS research, in particular as the first author of the publication that reported in 1983 the discovery of a retrovirus, later named HIV, in a patient at risk for AIDS. In 1988, she became responsible of her own laboratory at the Institute Pasteur and initiated research programmes on viral and host determinants of HIV/AIDS pathogenesis.

Between 1988 and 1998, she was also implicated in collaborative programmes on HIV vaccine research, using primate models. Today, the research programmes of her team are focused on mechanisms required to induce a protection against HIV/SIV infection and/or against AIDS in human and non human primates.

Along with her research activities, Françoise Barré-Sinoussi has been strongly implicated in promoting integration between HIV/AIDS research and actions in resource limited countries, in particular through the Institute Pasteur International Network and the coordination of the ANRS research programmes in Cambodia and Vietnam, according to her strong commitment in building capacity, training and technology transfers on site in Africa and Asia.

Through her career, she received more than 10 national or international awards, including the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2008 for her contributions to HIV/AIDS. She was also awarded Doctor Honoris Causa of a number of universities. In February 2009 she was elected a member of the French Academy of Science and in November 2009 she was confirmed as the next President-Elect of the IAS, and took office in July 2012.

The post Meet the Woman who discovered HIV – Nobel Laureate Professor Françoise Barré-Sinoussi appeared first on Word for Word.

It’s fair to say that two and a half years ago, the relationship between its chairman, former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett, and the gay and lesbian community were at an all-time low.  Following some explosive commentary in the daily newspapers, beyondblue’s CEO resigned and the Federal Government threatened to pull millions of dollars’ worth of funding from the organisation.

That’s when the former Chief Minister of the ACT and deputy chair of beyondblue’s board, The Hon. Kate Carnell, AO stepped up and took the reigns as CEO.

Under her leadership the organisation has delivered extensive research into the mental health needs of the LGBTI community, initiated targeted campaigns to raise awareness of homophobia and its impacts and fostered an ongoing relationship between beyondblue and LGBTI community leaders.

Perhaps one outcome that no-one would have initially predicted, was the transformational shift in Mr Kennett’s understanding and acceptance of the LGBTI community. Today he remains a staunch anti-homophobia and marriage equality advocate, regularly sharing his reasons for this change.

The legacy of her brief time at the helm of beyondblue will have life-changing ramifications for thousands of LGBTI Australian’s today…and for decades to come.

The post Thanks Kate! – we say farewell to beyondblue’s CEO, The Hon. Kate Carnell, AO appeared first on Word for Word.

EXCLUSIVE: 

Inside Ex-Gay: the naked truth, consists of four radio documentary episodes and a web site full of resources and information to assist members of the LGBTI community who are struggling to reconcile their sexuality and faith.

EPISODE FOUR:

Over the last three weeks, Word for Word has gone Inside the Ex-gay program to discover the naked truth behind the deeply harmful Australian ex-gay movement with ex-gay survivors, counsellors and evangelical leaders. We’ve heard horror stories and messages of hope and we’ve witnessed the beginnings of a shift in the evangelical attitude towards LGBTI people.

In this final episode we step back in time with Reverend Matt Glover and Latrobe University’s Dr Timothy Jones. Matt is an experienced counsellor of ex-gay survivors and has an insider’s view of ex-gay programs and the counselling industry that has often allowed them to exist without scrutiny. Tim is a cultural historian with a lot to say about the journey of homophobia and ex-gay in our society, including how old it is – and also how recent.

Episode four explores the history of the ex-gay movement and what our community can do to guarantee a future free from it.

For more information about this episode, podcasts of all four Inside Ex-gay shows, videos, contacts and more, check out the Inside Ex-gay: The Naked Truth website.

The post Inside Ex-Gay: the naked truth – Reparative History (Part 4 of 4) appeared first on Word for Word.

EXCLUSIVE: 

Inside Ex-Gay: the naked truth, consists of four radio documentary episodes and a web site full of resources and information to assist members of the LGBTI community who are struggling to reconcile their sexuality and faith.

EPISODE THREE:

This third episode of Inside Ex-Gay: the naked truth, features a very special interview with Pastor Cath McKinney and the Convenor of the recently launched Australian Equality Party, Jason Tuazon-McCheyne.

Jason tells his story – from growing up in an evangelical church, studying theology in the US, working as a minister in Melbourne and having to leave the church behind.

Though Jason is now a prominent LGBTI activist, he was once a theology student and evangelical church minister. Many of his gay friends chose to suppress their homosexuality, however Jason chose to leave ministry behind and embrace a committed long term relationship with his now husband of 14 years and together they have a son.

Describing the Church as his “enemy”, Jason feels his many gifts of Christian leadership are not wanted in the church.

Cath McKinney is a church minister who has experienced the suffering and rejection known by Jason in her interaction with many of Melbourne’s ex-gay survivors and LGBTI Christian leaders.

Despite the differing stories, both Cath and Jason have experienced a profound common truth – that being stuck in a place of confusion about sexuality in the midst of an exclusive Christian world can be a deadly thing.

It’s a raw and honest look at life as a gay person of faith in Australia. For more information about this third episode of Inside Ex-gay: the naked truth, or for extra resources about the ex-gay movement in Australia and abroad, please visit the accompanying web site. 

GET HELP NOW: 

In an emergency always call ’000′

LifeLine – 24/7 counselling and referral service   T: 13 11 14

Q-Life – counselling / referral service for people from diverse sexuality and gender backgrounds.  T: 1800 184 527 between (5.30pm – 10:30pm)

The post Inside Ex-Gay: the naked truth – Breaking Free (Part 3 of 4) appeared first on Word for Word.

EXCLUSIVE: 

Inside Ex-Gay: the naked truth, consists of four radio documentary episodes and a web site full of resources and information to assist members of the LGBTI community who are struggling to reconcile their sexuality and faith.

EPISODE TWO:

In this episode of Inside Ex-gay: The Naked Truth, Dean Beck continues to explore the naked truth behind the evangelical ex-gay movement.

Most of Australia’s evangelical leaders still preach that homosexuality is an abomination and a sign of depravity. There is a culture of fear surrounding the many secretly pro-gay leaders working in Australian evangelical churches. Standing up and speaking out against homophobia can cost people their livelihood, their community and family.

Quotes from Leviticus continue to emanate from the pulpit, but many of the theologians who teach these mega-church pastors, are themselves shifting their stance and renouncing homophobia.

Our guests today are two such leaders.  They have come forward to offer a new perspective and to reach out to their fellow evangelical leaders.

Bishop John McIntyre, the Anglican bishop of Gippsland and Reverend Doctor John Capper, are two of Victoria’s most respected Theological educators and what they have to say leaves no doubt as to why a painful divide still remains within the Church.

Both have worked in disadvantaged communities; studied widely, and educated evangelical church leaders. Both have embraced LGBTI-affirming theological positions and both have engaged pastorally and biblically with Christians who are gay.

Further biographical information about the two Johns, a podcast of this show and a collection of other information and resources for ex-gay survivors are avilable via the Inside Ex Gay web site.

The post Inside Ex-Gay: the naked truth – The Johns, Control and Authenticity (Part 2 of 4) appeared first on Word for Word.

EXCLUSIVE: 

Inside Ex-Gay: the naked truth, consists of four radio documentary episodes and a web site full of resources and information to assist members of the LGBTI community who are struggling to reconcile their sexuality and faith.

EPISODE ONE:

With the recent shutdown of large ex-gay organisations like Exodus International and Living Waters Australia, you’d think the evangelical gay-to-straight movement was on its last legs.

However, apart from celibacy or inclusion, ex-gay therapy is still the only response to same-sex attraction that evangelical churches have. Motivated by out-dated interpretations of theology and psychology – and often funded by its participants – the ex-gay movement is based on the seductive but toxic idea that same-sex attraction can be removed.  Ex-gay has produced double lives, false success stories, broken families and a trail of suicides.

The movement has attracted increased media attention from Sydney to San Fran to Saint Petersburg through documentaries, radio shows, social media and news media. And when a former ex-gay participant – Melbourne man Damien Christie – took his life in 2013, members of Melbourne’s growing gay Christian community decided to shine the light on the ex-gay movement in Melbourne.

David Lograsso is an ex-gay survivor – and one Damien’s closest friends – who has had enough of the lies and double standards of the ex-gay movement. He is joined by Rachel Goff, a researcher and counsellor who has helped many ex-gay survivors journey towards self-acceptance and wholeness.

Join Dean Beck as he takes us Inside Ex-gay, to discover the naked truth behind the controversies, the carnage and the homophobia that engulfs the ex-gay movement throughout the world and in our own back yard.

PLEASE VISIT:

www.insideexgay.org for regular updates, information, events, resources and services, designed to assist individuals who are, or have been impacted by the Ex-Gay movement.

GET HELP NOW: 

In an emergency always call ‘000’

LifeLine – 24/7 counselling and referral service   T: 13 11 14

Q-Life – counselling / referral service for people from diverse sexuality and gender backgrounds.  T: 1800 184 527 between (5.30pm – 10:30pm)

The post Inside Ex-Gay: the naked truth – The Emperor has no Clothes (Part 1 of 4) appeared first on Word for Word.

What was once considered an education in moral guidance has become a recruitment exercise in converting and making disciples of 5-12 year old public school children.  In Victoria, it is almost exclusively the domain of ACCESS Ministries, an organisation consisting of all major denominations of Christianity.

ACCESS volunteers go into schools and deliver “Religious Instruction” outside of the state sanctioned syllabus and with no ability for teachers, principals or parents to address any concerns.  This is the same organisation who provides the majority of the State school chaplains as sanctioned by the then Howard Federal Government.

Scott Hedges is a father who has had enough of the State paying for and endorsing the recruitment drive of ACCESS Ministries.  He is joined by Naja Voorhoeve, the mother of a young boy who came home from school with a Biblezine from ACCESS Ministries and its contents made headlines.

Lend your voice to the campaign to stamp out Religious Instruction in the State School system.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZbCHrP1_nY&w=560&h=315]

The post Religion is State Schools – Education or the Right Instructing? appeared first on Word for Word.

This November it starts all over again and the politicking has begun in earnest.  In a recent op ed, Clem Newton Brown highlighted Senator Penny Wong’s party struggles around marriage equality suggesting your elected representatives don’t have to be gay or lesbian to serve the community’s interests in parliament.

Clem Newton Brown was recently appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Education and host Dean Beck asks why it is that LGBTI students in the state run education system still have to struggle with bullying and discrimination on a daily basis.

The post Swings and Roundabouts – Clem Newton Brown appeared first on Word for Word.

Often the most difficult of cases are done pro bono – the motivation not financial but driven by the possibility of delivering social change.  The social change that can only be shaped by altering the laws of the land.

Sally Nicholes is one such lawyer.  With over 17 years of extensive family law experience, Sally has a particular interest in issues concerning the LGBTI community.

From same sex surrogacy and IVF issues to children struggling with their gender identity, Sally’s service to her clients and our community is breaking down the framework that stands in the way of society’s full understanding and acceptance.

The post The Good Side Of The Law – Family Lawyer Sally Nicholes appeared first on Word for Word.

Dan Savage is a Seattle-based sex advice columnist and the host of the Savage Lovecast. With thousands of readers and listeners, and more than a few detractors, he’s built a national profile with his frank advice on sex and relationships, his fearless liberal political activism, his status as a champion for the rights of the LGBTI community – not to mention his characteristic profane charm.

Even if you think you haven’t heard of him, chances are you’ve heard of the It Gets Better Project.

In 2010 after a spate of suicides by bullied gay youth, he founded the campaign to reach out to isolated LGBTI teenagers. The project struck a nerve, kicking off a truly global movement with thousands of videos pouring in with messages of hope and support.

Dan’s the author of a handful of books including The Kid, which documented the adoption of his son with his husband Terry in 1998, and The Commitment.

His latest is American Savage – it’s a series of provocative and uncompromising essays on everything from gay marriage to gun control and the healthcare debate.

Dan Savage was invited out to Australia to speak at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas about monogamy (or monogamish-amy) and visited the studios of JOY 94.9, where he talked sex, relationships, gay marriage and Julia Gillard and everything in between with Jacob Holman and Christian Vega.

The post The incomparable Dan Savage appeared first on Word for Word.

Sarah Kilalea shares her thoughts on the country she so dearly loves and was forced to leave.

Her story is far more complex than just that.  Find out why this ‘straight’ woman is today the program director for Australia’s only GLBTI Radio Station, JOY 94.9

The post Sarah (SJ) Kilalea – Zimbabwe and GLBTI Radio appeared first on Word for Word.

The post Bad Habits – Nuns in love – Suzanne & Jacinta appeared first on Word for Word.

Female To Male (FTM) Transgender people are a growing sector and a new support group is starting up to help these individuals transition.  Andrew and Aaron tell their story.

You can reach FTM Shed by email.

Dude Magazine and FTM Australia also have great resourses for people qho wish to find out more information.

The post Making Men – Andrew & Aaron discuss transitioning. appeared first on Word for Word.

Over the last couple of centuries, there have been many Gay Bishops across various Christian denominations – but none of them out, loud and proud!

Almost 10 years ago – to the day – on the 7^th of June 2003, the Diocese of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, elected the first “Out Gay” Bishop within the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The announcement sent shock waves through every major religion globally.  The impact would change the Church establishment for ever and the resistance resulted in Bishop Robinson having to wear a bullet proof vest under is robes during his concretion.

He describes himself as “just a little gay guy”– but in 2009, OUT Magazine named him number 7 in their 50 most influential Gays and Lesbians in the USA.

It’s difficult to imagine how someone with such genuine warmth and compassion has needed FBI protection from credible death threats.

On the eve of his 66^th birthday, he spoke ‘Word For Word’ with Dean Beck.

Bishop Gene Robinson was in Melbourne on the invitation of the Centre for Faith, Life and Learning and we thank them for arranging the interview. His latest book is titled “God Believes in Love: Straight Talk About Gay Marriage”.

Photo by Betty Sujecki

The post Saved For A Purpose – Bishop Gene Robinson appeared first on Word for Word.

At nearly 80yo he truly is a National Living Treasure, and whilst Father Bob Maguire no longer has a parish, his foundation is working harder than ever to be there for and support the most vulnerable.

Author Sue Williams has penned Father Bob’s biography sub-titled, “The Larrikin Priest”. 

The post The People’s Priest – Father Bob Maguire appeared first on Word for Word.

With the The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse now underway, it is fair to say the eyes of the World are upon us.

The systematic sexual and emotional abuse of children by Catholic Priests over decades and across nations the world over is ghastly.

Perhaps the repugnant nature of those crimes is only out done, by the unfathomable reluctance of the Church itself to acknowledge the hundreds of thousands of individuals and families lives that have been destroyed in the process.

A darker cloud has never been cast over the Holy Sea.

Many believe Australia’s Royal Commission will help guide a way forward for the Church and its flock – but along the way, thousands of lives will again be forced to re-live the vile reality of their abuse – events that often transpired decades ago.

Sadly lifting the lid on these dark truths is a necessary evil – left unchecked it is clear that the Catholic Church would allow the rape of children and its cover up to continue – parish by parish – country by country.

Today’s guest knows all too well, the Church’s ability to duck and weave the issue.  At just 13 years of age she was preyed upon by a handsome, charismatic young priest who for two and a half years violated her innocence, betraying her trust and betraying the cross around his neck.

As we’ll discover today, that incident is just a blip in a lifetime of physical and emotional abuse that today’s guest has endured.

Somehow, through it all Jane Leigh has not only managed to survive, but has dedicated her life’s work as a clinical psychotherapist to helping those who have also been through similar events.

To report Child Abuse call Crime Stoppers on T:  1800 333 000

For 24 hour crisis support & suicide prevention call Life Line on T:  13 11 14

The post My Nine Lives – Jane Leigh’s amazing story of survival. appeared first on Word for Word.

St Martin’s Community Church in Collingwood provides stability and love to many with disturbed and destructive backgrounds.  Inescapably social in its commitment, St Martin’s models is a vision of service which is born of respect for all people irrespective of their circumstance, race or creed.

Run on the smell of the proverbial ‘oily rag’, every cent donated to St Martin’s goes towards helping those in need.  Consider your donation to assist them with their work.

To find out more about the Australian tour of Bishop Gene Robinson click here.

The post Keeping The Faith in 2013 appeared first on Word for Word.

His book I Will Survive: Personal LGBT stories in Singapore, brings together real-life experiences of love, grace, faith, dignity and courage from 21 ordinary people who have survived extraordinary circumstances.

The web site is full of resources and information for LGBTI individuals needing support in Singapore.

The post I Will Survive: Personal LGBT stories in Singapore – Leow Yangfa appeared first on Word for Word.

Panellists:  Fiona Patten, Leader of the Australian Sex Party.  Executive Officer of Living Positive Victoria, Brent Allan.  General Manager of Minus 18, Micah Scott.  Beyond Blue and NoToHomophobia Ambassador and ‘out’ footballer, Jason Ball.  President of JOY 94.9, David McCarthy.

The post THE EQUALITY FORUM – No.3 appeared first on Word for Word.

Panellists: The President of Living Positive Victoria, Sam Venning.   Award winning film maker, blogger and writer, Christopher Banks.   Equal Marriage Campaigner Carl Katter.  The founder of Victoria’s only Gay Rugby Club, The Melbourne Chargers, Ben Lancken.  Senior Lecturer at Melbourne University’s School of Social & Political Science, Dr Lauren Rosewarne.

The post THE EQUALITY FORUM – No.2 appeared first on Word for Word.

Panellists:  Comedian Scott Brennan.  Former Mayor of Hobson’s Bay and Intersex advocate Tony Briffa.  Human Rights Campaigner and NoToHomophobia campaigner Jamie Gardiner.  General Practitioner and International Bear of The Year 2013 Dr George Forgan-Smith.  Political agitator and Monash University criminology student David Vakalis.

The post THE EQUALITY FORUM – No.1 appeared first on Word for Word.

The post Out In Front – AFL Star Brock McLean Smashes Homophobia with Pride appeared first on Word for Word.