Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Blogs | Writers | My Orble | Login
 
The Rainbow Reporters new show, Freshly Doug, broadcasts live every Thursday 9-noon AEST in Melbourne Australia on 94.9 FM, streaming via the web at joy.org.au.

Melbourne Victoria discrimination - Rainbow Reporter

Rainbow Report Smorgasbord

April 16th 2009 01:58
Danish flag pastry
Danish fruit flag pastry

Copenhagne OutGames
Tonight we have a smorgasbord of items, or maybe I should say “koldt bord”, because with registration closing in a couple of weeks, it’s time to sign up for the World OutGames in Copenhagen in July. Can we take these gay sportsfests seriously, as sporting events, or are they just sex parties in sweatpants? Malcolm Campbell of the Queer Sports Alliance Melbourne has the details.


Comedy Festival
Lot’s of good things come from Tasmania, e.g., Copenhagen’s most famous Australian resident, Princess Mary, salmon, beer, wood pulp and comedian Hannah Gadsby, whose show Kiss Me Quick I’m Full Of Jubes – whatever that means – is currently wowing them at the Comedy Festival.

If you’ve ever wondered what it was like to grow up in Tassie, a little bit lesbian and accident-prone, with a mother who is slightly homophobic, apparently this is the show for you, as Hannah will explain.

Bashing in Ballina
You may think it’s great to be gay in Australia and we’ve won it all with the passage of the Rudd governments equality legislation. But outside the major centres it’s a different story as we found out last week, when a young man in Ballina – on the far north coast of NSW - was attacked by a group of 20 youths and thrown through a plate glass window - because he’s gay.


Ben Cooper from NSW Community Action Against Homophobia explains why there is still much to be done to stop this kind of thing happening.

States Struggle with Registers
Corey Irlam has the latest update on the political front, with the Rudd government struggling to keep its election promise of a nationwide system of relationship registers. State Attorneys-General are under pressure to introduce relationship registers so why are WA and NSW holding out?

Girdling the World
And finally Kaye Sera will take time out from her busy schedule – what with walking tours and public debates our resident diva is much in demand at the moment – to go a little deeper than just rummaging around beneath the bonnet. This week she’s taking a look under the girdle.

In the studio tonight to keep my ego in check, ask the curly questions and generally liven up the proceedings are Cathy Anderson and Ron Thiele.

That’s the Rainbow Report tonight Thursday April 16 7-8pm AEST on Joy 94.9FN, streaming live at www.joy.org.au (where you will also find the podcasts).
Join in with us 61 3 9699 2949, txt 0427 JOY 949, email onair@joy.org.au and have your say.
34
Vote
Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
   


Rainbow Report on Community

April 9th 2009 01:55
Pride Flag Manchester

Our topic on the Rainbow Report tonight is community – what exactly is this thing we call ‘the gay and lesbian community? Does it really exist? And if it does, then what does it want?

Politicians say it’s divided, and doesn’t know what it wants. This is the excuse for the rather weak stance on same-sex relationship recognition in the Labor Partys draft national platform, which says nothing about marriage and is allegedly weak on civil unions.

This issue has given rise to a lot of sniping online, with activists divided over whether this is an issue worth fighting over.

However, rather than argue over what we want, surely it’s better to ask. A couple of researchers have set out to do just that.

Sharon Dane, a psychologist and researcher at the University of Queensland, is asking how we want mainstream society to recognise our relationships , and what different types of relationships we form.

While Dr Warwick Hosking of Victoria University is also interested in gay mens relationships. His survey is looking at the role of monogamy, what the rules or arrangements are set up or established within relationships, and do those arrangements affect safe sex practices?

Taken together these two surveys should shed some light on the workings of the GLBTI community and what we expect from the rest of society.

One of the collision points with the mainstream is where the gay community meets up with God. And one of the most difficult relationships we’ve had in recent years – and it’s not getting any better – is with the Roman Catholic Church.

Except in Brisbane, where Father Peter Kennedy has been welcoming same-sex couples and even the gay and lesbian choir at St Marys, until his archbishop threw him out. He’ll join us tonight to give us the latest.

And finally Kaye Sera will ponder just what community means as she peers beneath the bonnet.

That’s all on the Rainbow Report Thursday April 9, 7-8pm AEST. Join in on (03) 9699 2949, text 0427 JOY 949 or email onair@joy.org.au.

"When the Pope marries her son to his boyfriend in St Peters, Rome, we'll know we're getting somewhere."
54
Vote
Comments (2)Comments (2) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
   


Diversity Matters

March 1st 2009 21:43
Doug Pollard at BIFB ChillOut Prize
On my soapbox


Text of the speech I gave yesterday at the awarding of the second ChillOut Photography Prize, in association with the Ballarat International Foto Biennale, at the Novotel Forest Resort, Creswick.

First of all, I’d like to thank everyone at Ballarat International Foto Biennale for partnering with ChillOut and organising this second ChillOut Photography Competition. And an especially big thank you to the judges for all their hard work, and to everyone who entered.

Many thanks are also due to the Walsh family, owners of the Novotel Forest Resort for becoming a Major Partner of ChillOut, and for hosting two events – a performance of The Vagina Monologues, and of course this exhibition.

This marks the first time that the town of Creswick has hosted a ChillOut event – hopefully it’s the first of many.

We at ChillOut are especially keen to develop the festival, from its historic base in Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, to spread the benefits to the whole of Hepburn Shire.

Right now the shire has had an especially difficult time due to the bushfires, and before I go on I would just like to pay tribute to all the firefighters and volunteers who have worked so hard, containing the fires and keeping our towns safe.

The Muskvale fire near Daylesford has been successfully managed. Last night it was removed from the CFA website and the staging area at Victoria Park was closed. Fingers crossed that we have no new outbreaks in the extreme fire weather expected Tuesday.

We at ChillOut are working hard to get the message out that the shire is safe to visit, that our visitors are the lifeblood of our local economy, and that so long as we are sure they will be safe, ChillOut will go ahead.

We understand ChillOuts role as a lynchpin of the local economy, and why it is even more important than usual this year that we have a successful festival.

ChillOut is of course, a great celebration of Diversity – the theme of this photography competition.

I love the word “diversity”. Especially the diversity of meanings people ascribe to it. Most often you hear it used to mean ‘different’. Meaning ‘different from the speaker’, that is.

How often have you heard someone say, “We’re such a diverse workplace!”

What they really mean is “A lot of the people here are not like me!”

People often speak of Diversity as if it were somehow the opposite of Normal. Whereas in fact, Diversity IS Normal.

Take a look at any uncultivated field. It contains a diversity of plants and animals. That’s normal. That’s natural.

Then take a look at a wheat field. Nothing there but wheat. That’s not normal. That’s unnatural – and it takes a lot of work to keep it that way.

It’s the same in human communities. Diversity is normal. Men. Women. Old. Young. Married. Single. Black. White. Asian, gay, straight, bisexual and transgender people. Normal people, all of us.

If we try and make different people conform to some imaginary normality, it’s a lot of hard work. And it comes with a high price tag. Sometimes a very high price.

People often ask me, why do ‘you people’ make such a fuss about telling us about your sexuality? We don’t need to know.

Well actually, you do.

All those other differences, you can see. And because you can see them, you understand that they’re all part of the spectrum of humanity.

We’re part of that spectrum too, but you can’t see us. So we have to keep reminding you we’re here. Because otherwise you’re inclined to forget.

Although not, perhaps, in Daylesford.

Especially not during ChillOut.

I said earlier that ChillOut had an important role in the local economy. But it has another, much more important role.

In large parts of rural and regional Australia, unlike Hepburn Shire, diversity is not respected. In particular, same-sex attracted people are still invisible, still left out.

I also said earlier that falling to embrace diversity exacts a high price.

All too often that price is paid by kids growing up gay or lesbian. Or, still, in far too many cases, failing to grow up, because they take their own lives.

Because in their communities, diversity is not understood, not accepted, not respected.

So yes, ChillOut is important to the local economy, but it is far more important as a source of positive role models, as a demonstration of the acceptance of diversity, and as an example of hope to the next generation.

Which is why diversity is, as we see in these photographs, such a powerful and inspiring concept. Thanks to all the photographers who have presented us with the rich diversity of images we see here today.

I look forward, fingers crossed, to seeing you all at a great ChillOut weekend.

Thank you.
60
Vote
Comments (1)Comments (1) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
   


Will a frost follow Nixon?

February 1st 2009 22:48
Christine Nixon Lucy Loosebox
Christine Nixon enjoys a joke with Lucy Loosebox - pic by Daniel Sutton


When Christine Nixon marched in Pride 2002, she got the biggest cheer of the day. Criticism in the tabloid press and talkback radio, fanned by Saltshaker zealots and other extremist “Christians”, did not deter her


[ Click here to read more ]
48
Vote
Read MoreRead More Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
   


Rainbow Report tonight 11/12

December 10th 2008 22:57
Another hour of news and current affairs for the Rainbow Crew.

Jayne Crawley - team leader for Arts & Culture with the City of Melbourne – talking about OutCities, a program of Melbourne queer arts and events being staged at Copenhagen OutGames next summer


[ Click here to read more ]
38
Vote
Read MoreRead More Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
   


Sham 'conscience vote' on Assisted Reproduction Bill

October 24th 2008 09:43
Hostage
How Stuff Works - A Liberal/National 'Conscience' Vote


Q: When is a conscience vote not a conscience vote


[ Click here to read more ]
47
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (1)Comments (1) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
   


New gay papers, Taxpayer fund Mardi Gras

October 2nd 2008 04:05
Rainbow Report

It’s been a dramatic week in gay and lesbian publishing, with the collapse of bnews and the sudden emergence of two new gay media – Canvas, an arts and entertainment magazine from Evolution Publishing, and Southern Star, from Sydney Star Observer.

[ Click here to read more ]
67
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (3)Comments (3) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
   


Heartless Archbishop threatens to close hospitals

September 23rd 2008 01:59
General hospital
The arrogance of the Catholic Church is quite breathtaking. Once again the Vatican is using blackmail to try to get its own way.

In the US, Catholic politicians who won’t vote as they are told have been threatened with excommunication


[ Click here to read more ]
39
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (2)Comments (2) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
   


Back to the Future in country Australia

September 7th 2008 23:35
.
Disco Stampede
Disco Stampede

I'm really excited: it's that time of year again and we're starting the runup to the annual ChillOut Festival in March.

[ Click here to read more ]
63
Vote
Read MoreRead More Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
   


Footy IS homophobic - but could soon change

September 3rd 2008 10:22
Eddie McGuire
Eddie McGuire congratulates Paul Medhurst - pic: Collingwood FC

Despite the head-in-the-sand attitude of the AFL, football insiders acknowledge there is a problem with attitudes towards sexual diversity in football.

[ Click here to read more ]
74
Vote
Read MoreRead More Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
   


Akermanis on gays in the AFL

August 20th 2008 08:22
Jason Akermanis
Jason Akermanis


'Aka' is always outspoken, and often in trouble for it, and he's the one who has broken the AFL players silence on the issue of gays in Australian Rules Football


[ Click here to read more ]
95
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (5)Comments (5) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
   


Careless talk costs lives

August 5th 2008 00:08
Hangman's Noose

The old WW2 slogan is especially true when major public figures like politicians, churchmen and celebrities make ill-considered untrue statements about homosexuality. Such statements can quite literally kill.

[ Click here to read more ]
56
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (2)Comments (2) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
   


Pigs worth more than Queers

August 4th 2008 03:22
Piglet
Neil Mitchell's priority
On 3AW talkback shock-jock Neil Mitchell heavily downplayed the seriousness of Jeff Kennetts remarks comparing bisexuals to paedophiles, making it sound as though the gay community had overreacted.

And took no calls on the issue, preferring nice safe chats with piglovers and pigfarmers about animal welfare and cruelty


[ Click here to read more ]
77
Vote
Read MoreRead More Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
   


Education Minister Backs Gay Marriage

August 4th 2008 00:25
Bronwyn Pike
Bronwyn didn't pike it


The numbers may have been down – only about 300 turned out for this year’s Melbourne Equal Love Rally, well down on previous years – but two facts made it a memorable occasion


[ Click here to read more ]
45
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (2)Comments (2) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
   


Next Page (15-28)



[ Rainbow Reporter Home ] [ Create A New Post ]

Doug Pollard's Blogs

5779 Vote(s)
103 Comment(s)
89 Post(s)
Moderated by Doug Pollard
Copyright © 2006 2007 2008 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]