• Welcome to a very special installment of Queer Thinking – Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras are celebrating our 45th anniversary in 2023 and over this four-part series we’re taking you on a journey through time as we tell the full story of one of the largest pride movements in the world. From the protest of 1978, to over 1 million event attendees at the first WorldPride in the Southern Hemisphere and everything in between – we’re unpacking all the moments that made Sydney Mardi Gras the force for pride, progress and community it is today.  

    For our final episode, host Triana Butler speaks to Sydney WorldPride Festival Co-Creative Director Ben Graetz and Equality Australia’s Legal Director Ghassan Kassisieh. Ben and Ghassan round out the four-part series and speak to the 2010s, early 2020s and the monumental Sydney WorldPride – as well as share their hopes for the next 45 years of our iconic movement.

    Queer Thinking is produced on the sacred lands of the Boon Wurrung people of Kulin Nation and will discuss events that took place on Gadigal, Cammeraygal, Bidigal, Darug and Dharawal lands. We’d like to extend our acknowledgement to all lands on which you, our listeners, are tuning in from and pay our respects to Elders past and present, with a special acknowledgment to the Rainbow Elders – part of the longest-continuous culture in the world. Sovereignty has never been ceded. This Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.

    For our Aboriginal or Torres Strait listeners, please know this podcast may mention the names of the people who are no longer with us.

  • Welcome to a very special installment of Queer Thinking – Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras are celebrating our 45th anniversary in 2023 and over this four-part series we’re taking you on a journey through time as we tell the full story of one of the largest pride movements in the world. From the protest of 1978, to over 1 million event attendees at the first WorldPride in the Southern Hemisphere and everything in between – we’re unpacking all the moments that made Sydney Mardi Gras the force for pride, progress and community it is today.  

    For episode 3 we land in the 90s and the 00s. A tumultuous time filled with some of the most renowned parties in Sydney Mardi Gras history, political and social attacks galore and the horrific peak of the AIDS epidemic. Triana is joined by Sydney DJ Sveta Gilerman, multidisciplinary artist and Sydney Mardi Gras Workshop extraordinaire Jane Becker, and Campion Decent, Festival Director throughout the mid-90s.

    Queer Thinking is produced on the sacred lands of the Boon Wurrung people of Kulin Nation and will discuss events that took place on Gadigal, Cammeraygal, Bidigal, Darug and Dharawal lands. We’d like to extend our acknowledgement to all lands on which you, our listeners, are tuning in from and pay our respects to Elders past and present, with a special acknowledgment to the Rainbow Elders – part of the longest-continuous culture in the world. Sovereignty has never been ceded. This Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.

    For our Aboriginal or Torres Strait listeners, please know this podcast may mention the names of the people who are no longer with us.

  • Welcome to a very special installment of Queer Thinking – Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras are celebrating our 45th anniversary in 2023 and over this four-part series we’re taking you on a journey through time as we tell the full story of one of the largest pride movements in the world. From the protest of 1978, to over 1 million event attendees at the first WorldPride in the Southern Hemisphere and everything in between – we’re unpacking all the moments that made Sydney Mardi Gras the force for pride, progress and community it is today.  

    For this episode we head back to the 80s. Triana is joined by renowned photographer William Yang and our first female President Cath Phillips. They reflect on a decade filled with parties, politics and the frightening early days of the AIDS epidemic.

    Queer Thinking is produced on the sacred lands of the Boon Wurrung people of Kulin Nation and will discuss events that took place on Gadigal, Cammeraygal, Bidigal, Darug and Dharawal lands. We’d like to extend our acknowledgement to all lands on which you, our listeners, are tuning in from and pay our respects to Elders past and present, with a special acknowledgment to the Rainbow Elders – part of the longest-continuous culture in the world. Sovereignty has never been ceded. This Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.

    For our Aboriginal or Torres Strait listeners, please know this podcast may mention the names of the people who are no longer with us.

  • Welcome to a very special installment of Queer Thinking – Sydney Mardi Gras are celebrating our 45th anniversary in 2023 and over this four-part series we’re taking you on a journey through time as we tell the full story of one of the largest pride movements in the world. From the protest of 1978, to over 1 million event attendees at the first WorldPride in the Southern Hemisphere and everything in between – we’re unpacking all the moments that made Sydney Mardi Gras the force for pride, progress and community it is today.  

    First stop: the 70s. Triana is joined by 78er legends Robyn Kennedy and Karl Zlotkowski who share their experiences of being LGBTQIA+ in 1970s Australia. They recall a Sydney on the brink of transformation in the lead-up to the very first Sydney Mardi Gras on 24 June 1978. The events that followed set off a chain of change that still continues today.

    Queer Thinking is produced on the sacred lands of the Boon Wurrung people of Kulin Nation and will discuss events that took place on Gadigal, Cammeraygal, Bidigal, Darug and Dharawal lands. We’d like to extend our acknowledgement to all lands on which you, our listeners, are tuning in from and pay our respects to Elders past and present, with a special acknowledgment to the Rainbow Elders – part of the longest-continuous culture in the world. Sovereignty has never been ceded. This Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.

    For our Aboriginal or Torres Strait listeners, please know this podcast may mention the names of the people who are no longer with us.

  • The conversation around transitioning and the life of a transgender person is still unbelievably being questioned to this day. It’s an area that desperately needs positive change and representation as we fight for safety, awareness and the kind of gender euphoria experienced by cis people every single day.

    In this episode of Queer Thinking we have the rare opportunity to discuss the trans experience without input or moderation by non-trans individuals. The guests and host, Triana Butler (she/them), discuss the nuances of living life as a trans person and the unique challenges and needs the community faces.

    Keeping things uplifting. We look at the powerful and beneficial movements we’ve seen within the world and within the guests own gender journeys. Joining Triana is Erin (they/them), a trans non-binary Sydneysider who founded and runs their own gender expression store called Sock Drawer Heroes. Erin is able to share their journey of gender affirmation and the way they’ve been able to help the trans community and provide a service that is desperately needed.

    We’re also joined by Bambi (she/her), a trans woman from Melbourne who has amassed a following of millions online as a content creator documenting her own transition and life as a trans person. Bambi shares her unique perspective, how she handles all the attention and the way she’s able to positively influence the space through trans advocacy.

  • Bisexuality is a mis and underrepresented part of the LGBTQIA+ community. As more people identify as multi-gender attracted, more conversations are highlighting thenuances of bi identity and the detrimental impacts of bi erasure.

    Today, we’ll be delving into the world of those who are bisexual and multi-gender attracted.Some studies have shown that these communities actually make up the majority of people across the LGBTQIA+ acronym!Never confused, neverjuston-the-way to being gay or being straight, and definitely not just a phase.

    Joining the podcast we haveSteven Spencer,who first came out as gay, and now identifies as pansexual.Steven walks us through that journey of discovery, realising that there are binaries to break even within our own communities.He also shares his stories of navigating the dating world while being HIV positive.

    Anna Kochetkova also joins the conversation, sharing her story of growing up in Russia and what it was like being queer in a country where peopleare prosecutedfor being who they are.She chats about her book,Bi and Prejudice- her story of connecting the dots of identity and sexuality across years, continents and cultures.

    Finally, I’m joined byBree Mountain, the creative director ofBiCONIC, an all-inclusive party and events organisation for the Bi+ community and their allies.

  • The relationship between our LGBTQIA+ communities and religion is a complicated one – many queer people have had adverse experiences with religion, whether it’s being told that their identities are not compatible with their beliefs, that some behaviours are sinful, or they’ll be forced through conversion practices in the hopes they can be changed. But for some people, being queer and religious is at the core of their identities and in this episode of Queer Thinking, we’ll be chatting to LGBTQIA+ people of faith. This episode of Queer Thinking discusses conversion practices and the relationship the queer community has with religion. For a list of LGBTQIA+ support services head to mardigras.org.au/support

  • We enjoyed round one of our Queer Sex chat so much, we thought it would be best to go back for round two – and in this episode of Queer Thinking, we’re going deeper. First up, we’ll chat to Mistress Tokyo – one of Sydney’s premier BDSM Dominatrices. Mistress Tokyo shares their experience on the incredible world of BDSM, her clientele, boundaries, safe words as well as what she loves about being a Dominatrix. This episode does get a bit raunchy, so a little content warning – but we are all about sex positivity and education, so strap in and stay tuned to this episode of Queer Thinking.

  • Sex is a big part of the queer community. Whether it’s attending sex on premise venues or sex parties, identifying as asexual, a commitment to monogamy, or being in a polyamorous or open relationship – there are many layers to queer sex. Many people use it as a chance to explore their sexuality and their identity. However, there are also many issues around queer sex that don’t often get spoken about – such as consent, STIs, stigma around those who are HIV positive, sexual racism – and, for members of the asexual community, sex isn’t on their radar at all. In Queer Sex Part 1, we explore the layers of queer sex, and how to cut through stigma in the modern dating scene.

This podcast was produced in collaboration with JOY 94.9 – Australia’s Rainbow Community Media Organisation. For more information on JOY and their Podcast Services, visit joy.org.au/services

Guests:

  • Mistress Tokyo (Dominatrix, Kink Educator & Perfomer) 
  • Matt Bluf (Member of the leather community) 
  • Phil Evangelous (Lawyer & Sex Positive Advocate) 

Episode description:


We enjoyed round one of our Queer Sex chat so much, we thought it would be best to go back for round two – and in this episode of Queer Thinking, we’re going deeper. First up, we’ll chat to Mistress Tokyo – one of Sydney’s premier BDSM Dominatrices. Mistress Tokyo shares their experience on the incredible world of BDSM, her clientele, boundaries, safe words as well as what she loves about being a Dominatrix.  

We’ll then chat to Matt Bluf – who’s been a part of Sydney’s leather scene for many years now, running one of Sydney’s most well-known leather nights, The Eagle Bar – Matt goes through the changing leather scene, the relationship between BDSM and the leather community, sex-on-premises venues as well as how he found his people in the leather scene. 

Finally, we’ll be joined by Phil Evangelous – Phil is a lawyer and sex positive advocate. We chat about the legalities behind sex on premises venues as well what the community can do to encourage sex positivity. 

This episode does get a bit raunchy, so a little content warning – but we are all about sex positivity and education, so strap in and stay tuned to this episode of Queer Thinking. 

Guests:

  • Joel Murray (HIV+ positive trainer/educator) 
  • Elyse McKenzie (member of the asexual community) 
  • Karl Johnson (Sexual Health Program Officer, ACON) 

Episode description:

Sex is a big part of the queer community. Whether it’s attending sex on premise venues or sex parties, identifying as asexual, a commitment to monogamy, or being in a polyamorous or open relationship – there are many layers to queer sex. Many people use it as a chance to explore their sexuality and their identity. However, there are also many issues around queer sex that don’t often get spoken about – such as consent, STIs, stigma around those who are HIV positive, sexual racism – and, for members of the asexual community, sex isn’t on their radar at all. In Queer Sex Part 1, we explore the layers of queer sex, and how to cut through stigma in the modern dating scene.

Guests:

  • Roman Deauna (Legal advisor who specialises in visa applications, immigration, and helping LGBTQIA+ people adopt)
  • Emily Ninnes (had a baby with her HIV+ gay best friend during lockdown, grew up in rural Solomon Islands, poly relationship, neurodiverse)
  • David Seale (he and his partner had a baby through surrogate)

Episode description:

Queer families come in all shapes and sizes. For some it’s a straightforward process, for others it can take years of trying, hope and strength. In this episode of Queer Thinking, we’ll be chatting to those who are a part of the rainbow community and had children through adoption, sperm donation or surrogacy.

In this episode, we chat chat to our guests about the process from the very beginning: the highs, the lows, the setbacks, and the rewarding moments that made it all worth it, all the way through to the incredible moment their family grew. We will also be chatting to a legal professional about the ever-changing legal landscape for LGBTQIA+ people to have children via surrogacy, adoption and sperm donation and what’s on the horizon for queer families.


Guests:

  • Sallie Colchin (78er)
  • Carol Muller (member of the transgender community)
  • Sarah Levett (member of the First Nations community)

Episode description:

Everyone remembers their first Mardi Gras. Whether you went to the Parade with your parents when you were young, when you first came out, watched it on TV or maybe you marched at the first Mardi Gras in 1978. However you were introduced to the Parade, it’s a pretty special moment. On this episode of Queer Thinking, we’re chatting to three different people with very different experiences of their first Mardi Gras.

Guests:

  • Dominic Clarke (Gay, Australian Trampoline Gymnast also on The Voice Australia)
  • Rudy Jean Rigg (From Rainbow History Class and about to launch TransAthletica in collaboration with TikTok – a docuseries exploring the unique barriers trans people face in sport)
  • Alex Blackwell (First out Lesbian in Aus Cricket)

Episode description:

Sport has often excluded LGBTQIA+ participants, with many sporting codes having homophobia and transphobia deeply embedded in their players, teams, and fans. Because of this, many LGBTQIA+ identifying sportspeople don’t come out. However, there are a growing number of sports people who are taking a stand, and publicly coming out.  

From Gold Medalist Diver, Matthew Mitcham, to New Zealand’s Laurel Hubbard, a transgender weightlifter, who competed at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games, these people are helping to change the landscape of sports in Australia and Around the World. 

In this episode, we’ll chat to Australian Athletes who have come out as their true selves. Joining the panel are guests Dominic Clarke – a trampoline gymnast who represented Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Alex Blackwell – a former Professional Cricketer who celebrated her 250th international appearance for the Australian Women’s Cricket Team in 2017 and the first player to come out as a Lesbian in Professional Cricket. And Rudy Jean Rigg – Rudy is a content creator and host of TikTok account, Rainbow History Class. Rudy is also about to launch TransAthletica – a docuseries exploring the unique barriers faced by trans people in sport.

Born as an in-person talks series as part of the Mardi Gras Festival, Queer Thinking is hosted by trans non-binary JOY 94.9 Presenter Triana Butler (she/them). This season we’ll unpack queer identity and explore all the things that make the LGBTQIA+ community unique, connected and creative.

The podcast is a key pillar of Mardi Gras’ Always On vision; a commitment to year-round events, activism, connection and sharing of stories with people all over the world.

Dropping fortnightly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and the Mardi Gras website, expect heart-warming, hilarious and heart wrenching discussions as our guests discuss starting a family, queer subcultures, queer sex and more.

Hosted by trans non-binary JOY94.9 Presenter Triana Butler (she/them), the Queer Thinking podcast unpacks queer identity and explores all the things that make the LGBTQIA+ community unique, connected and creative.

Triana Butler (she/they) is a broadcaster, streamer, and digital creative from Narrm/Melbourne. Their unique combination of skills and experience gives Triana the ability to lead conversations with just about anybody with confidence, warmth, and good humour. As a bisexual, non-binary trans woman, Triana tries to ensure those who aren’t familiar with the LGBTQIA+ communities are afforded the same grace and kindness she was offered when she first came out and sought queer community.

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