Queerstories

Ali reflects on being a shy kid and on his work as a photographer. Ali Choudhry is a collector of slashes. He is a gay / person of color / Asian / refugee / photographer / activist. And those are just the ones he can think of off the top of his head. Ali is a Brisbane photographer whose work explores the dichotomous aspects of identity: differences about our true selves we often balance daily with what we present to the world. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuff and insomnia rants follow me - Maeve Marsden - on Twitter and Instagram.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information

Eddie Ayres shares two stories from the 1960s to remind us how to be brave. Eddie Ayres learnt the viola as a child in England, studying in Berlin and London before eight years with the Hong Kong Philharmonic. He presented a long-running and extremely popular breakfast radio program on ABC Classic FM, while teaching music privately and professionally. In 2016, he accepted a teaching position at the world-renowned Afghanistan National Institute of Music but returned to Australia to begin transitioning. He’s written two books - Danger Music and Cadence: Travels with Music, as well as a children’s picture book, Sonam and the Silence, published this year. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia.

James looks back on the queer flavours of childhood in 1980s suburbia, and an early taste of the definitive bonds and disruptions of adulthood. James Beach works in theatre and has directed and produced several independent productions in Sydney since he graduated from NIDA in 2007. The list of credits is long so I won’t list it all – look him up and go to his stuff. His recollections of growing up to the songs of George Michael - gathered at the time of his death - are well worth a look. Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The new Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuff, insomnia rant and photos of my dog Frank follow me - Maeve Marsden - on Twitter and Instagram.

Shaun sheds a spicy light on their experiences as a queer person of colour living so far away from home. Shaun D’Souza is a Brisbane based youth worker and LGBTIQ+ artivist, and a firm enthusiast of naps, books and tea. Their current projects include tackling transgender-homelessness in Brisbane and advocating for queer people of colour visibility through art and community building. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuff and insomnia rants follow me - Maeve Marsden - on Twitter and Instagram.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.  See acast.com/privacy for

Geraldine Hickey terrifies the listener with a slow burning tale about how she managed to manifest her own arachnophobia. Geraldine Hickey is revered in the industry as a comedian’s comedian and has been shortlisted for the ‘Piece of Wood’ award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival multiple times. A veteran of many seasons of The Melbourne International Comedy Festival, she is also a regular on the club and pub circuit around the country. Geraldine is a co-host on Breakfasters on Triple R which is where you can now hear her every morning. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuf

Tara Suamba shares a story about her constant conflict between her queer and Balinese identities. Tara Suamba studies, practices and teaches law with a human rights focus. She enjoys time with her greyhound Sonny, taking down institutions from the inside and crosswords. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuff and insomnia rants follow me - Maeve Marsden - on Twitter and Instagram.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Transgender singer Mama Alto recounts her experiences of traveling through the USA to attend an Aretha Franklin concert. Mama Alto is a gender transcendent diva, cabaret artiste, jazz singer and community activist. Her cabaret performances and collaborations have garnered critical praise at the Melbourne Recital Centre, Malthouse Theatre Company, Melbourne Festival, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Darwin Festival, and so many more. Mama Alto was the 2017 Artist of the Year at the GLOBE LGBTI Awards. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuff and insomnia rants follow me - Maeve Marsden - on Twitter and 

Crusader reflects on his relationship to sex and his body, on the punk scene and on his long relationship with partner (and business partner) Roland. Crusader Hillis is a writer, editor, curator and producer. He co-founded (with Rowland Thomson) the queer bookshop Hares & Hyenas in 1991. In its 23-year history, Hares & Hyenas has presented over 700 literary and performance events, both here and interstate. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuff and insomnia rants follow me - Maeve Marsden - on Twitter and Instagram.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.  

Ginger Valentine takes what they were given at birth, and makes it better. Ginger Valentine is a writer, a podcaster and a pop-culture commentator, pastimes that feel as natural to them as breathing. And, like breathing, they'll keep doing it even when no one's listening. You can buck the trend, and listen to their podcast, Common Sense with Burt Franklap. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuff and insomnia rants follow me - Maeve Marsden - on Twitter and Instagram.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pola remembers her childhood in Tonga, and shares her often heartbreaking journey becoming the woman she is now. Epipola Taulafo is an an entertainer, singer, dancer, and a member of the LGBTIQ group in the Asylum Seeker Centre. She is currently studying business management, and is a former Miss Galaxy Queen 2008-09. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuff and insomnia rants follow me - Maeve Marsden - on Twitter and Instagram.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Faced with the chance to change herself, Liz Duck-Chong had to ask herself if the act of changing would involve a bigger shift than expected. Liz Duck-Chong is a writer, sexual health advocate, filmmaker and transgender bon vivant who is a true renaissance figure in the sense that most of them were really gay. She can be found on Twitter at @lizduckchong, in your ears on the podcast Let’s Do It, or lying in the sun eating dolmades and thinking about sex. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuff and insomnia rants follow me - Maeve Marsden - on Twitter and Instagram.  See omnystudio.co

Chantell Martin reflects on her experiences of transition and some of the major emotional turning points in her life. Originally from New Zealand, Chantell Martin has worked predominantly in the community sector. She worked for ACON as their housing officer, then went onto work for the Gender Centre as a case worker and housing officer within their residential project. Chantell is an active trans sex worker who works as the Transgender Outreach Officer at SWOP. And she is one of the founding members of the only Transgender Housing Co-operative in NSW which was established in 2011 and has been operating as a legal entity since 2016. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become

Wil shares stories about family and relationships, about how lives intersect messily but, in the end love helps us heal. Wil Roach is a writer of poetry, short stories and essays, and he has completed a memoir manuscript currently being edited for publication later this year. As a performance poet and creative producer, he has had work performed at the Sydney Writers Festival, Sydney Fringe Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival and Unspoken Word Festival, among others. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuff and insomnia rants follow me - Maeve Marsden - on Twitter and Instagram.  See omnystu

Groovii Biscuit recalls a series of queer life lessons learnt while living at the Twenty10 LGBTQI youth refuge in the late 80s. In the 90s, Groovii Biscuit contributed to many a queer gathering, Club Bent and the Alternative Mardi Gras parties to name a few. Groovii was one of the original trio that birthed Club Kooky and is committed to sprinkling the Kooky ethos wherever life takes her, trailing behind her like a fine mist. For fun nowadays she likes to move furniture out of the way as blindfolded people dance around at the Trance Dance events she semi-regularly hosts with a bunch of queer mates. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/l

Originally performed at Nailed It (another excellent Giant Dwarf event), Rebecca Shaw's thesis that the sky is gay is watertight, and bloody hilarious. Rebecca Shaw AKA brocklesnitch, is a writer and creator of the parody Twitter account @notofeminism, which was developed into an illustrated book with Affirm Press. She was on the writing team at Tonightly, and has written for Junkee, The Guardian, Daily Life, Kill Your Darlings and heaps of other outlets. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuff and insomnia rants follow me - Maeve Marsden - on Twitter and Instagram.  See omnystudio.com/lis

Mitch Hibbens speaks frankly and openly about his relationship to alcohol. Mitch Hibbens is a failed athlete, emerging academic, Aboriginal activist and part-time Drag Queen. He has been a performer all his life but has only recently stepped onto the stage. A Wiradjuri man and country boy to his core, Mitch currently volunteers his time as an Indigenous Rights Campaigner for Democracy in Colour. He is a Board Member at the local Aboriginal Health Service and is employed in the tertiary education sector working in Indigenous student support. As an emerging “Blackademic”, Mitch uses his writing to highlight unequal power differentials & racialized discourses to build collective momentum toward change. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from yo

Rachel Richardson talks about growing up trans in a cisgender world and the devious play strategies she used as a kid to help her cisgender playmates see her. Rachel is a writer, academic, and advocate for transgender health services – especially those cutting edge medical technologies available nowadays for children and others who know their bodies don’t reflect the truth of their gender. Dr Rachel Richardson is currently Sub-Dean, Learning and Teaching, with the Faculty of Arts & Education, Charles Sturt University. Rachel is a passionate advocate for the rights of Transgender people and engages in advisory work across Victoria. She is devoted to developing regional initiatives and is a foundation member of the Gateway Health Gender Service Community Reference Group. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstorie

Steven shares his memories of his mother, and reflects on how she impacted his life as a gay, black man. Steven Oliver is a descendant of the Kuku-Yalanji, Waanyi, Gangalidda, Woppaburra, Bundjalung and Biripi peoples. He has worked with numerous theatre companies and arts organisations across Australia but became notorious with ABC’s hit sketch show Black Comedy. He flies about the country working as an actor, writer, MC, keynote speaker, poet, wannabe cabaret performer or as he simply likes to refer to himself, a black of all trades. Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The new Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be pre-ordered on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuff, insomnia rants

Faustina Agolley reflects on her anxiety issues and on the strategies she used to kick it to the curb! Faustina Agolley is a TV Host, Actor, DJ, Producer and writer. She’s hosted Video Hits, The Voice and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Last year she made her stage debut with a Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company’s co-production and she’s toured Australia and New Zealand as Oprah’s resident DJ. Queerstories is an LGBTQI+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events around Australia. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be purchased from your favourite independent bookseller or on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuff and insomnia rants follow me - Maeve Marsden - on Twitter and Instagram.  See omnystudio.com/listener for priv

Liz Jackson reflects on her nickname, on relationships and on moments of connection. Liz Jackson looks at disability through the lens of fashion and design. She is the founder and president of The Disabled List, a disability design self-advocacy organisation, and WITH, a fellowship that helps match creative disabled people with design studios and other organizations. Queerstories is an LGBTQIA+ storytelling night programmed by Maeve Marsden, with regular events in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. For Queerstories event dates, visit www.maevemarsden.com, and follow Queerstories on Facebook. The new Queerstories book is published by Hachette Australia, and can be pre-ordered on Booktopia. To support Queerstories, become a patron at www.patreon.com/ladysingsitbetter And for gay stuff, insomnia rants and photos of my dog Frank follow me - Maeve Marsden - on Twitter and Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.  See ac