Isnt It Queer

Jonny and Danette discuss the LGBT and Trans-inclusive Girls Rock Carbondale summer camp, SIU's cancellation of its search for a Vice Chancellor of Institutional Diversity, Trump's Religious Freedom Executive Order and how it still impacts LGBTQ communities, our many frustrations with the House passing the American Health Care Act, the FCC investigation into Stephen Colbert over alleged obscene and homophobic statements about Trump, our outrage over a Project Pink activist facing a year in jail for laughing at Jeff Sessions, the nomination of Mark Green for Army Secretary withdrawn due to his anti-gay and anti-trans positions, four lesbian couples suing Tennessee over recent legislation limiting definition of gender, and MTV Movie and TV Awards' decision to have gender-neutral acting awards.

Jonny and Danette discuss surviving the ongoing Midwest floods, Lavender Graduation at SIU, the Trump Administration executive order on religious freedom expected to be signed on Thursday, Chechnya attacks on LGBT community that continue to get worse, a walkout of staff at Montreat College in NC over marriage equality discrimination, a Tennessee law that allows discrimination against LGBTQ people, an Alabama law that supports discrimination in adoption agencies, why straight men in Wyoming are wearing tutus to bars, the Equality Bill proposed in the US Senate, the Supreme Court decision to not take up a case objecting to California's ban on conversion therapy, a lawsuit against a HS trans wrestler in Texas dismissed, and a local leter to the editor encouraging reflexivity and engagement in addressing diversity issues on the SIU campus.

Jonny and Danette discuss upcoming local events in April, anti-LGBTQ legislation in North Carolina and Texas, a Minnesota lawsuit against a school districts trans-inclusive bathroom policy that has been dropped, a NYT opinion essay distinguishing "tomboy" from trans, the persecution of gay men in Chechnya, the so-called "trendiness" of trans and gay among contemporary youth, and the outing of a transgender contestant on "Survivor."

Jonny and Danette discuss the Carbondale Town Council's declaration of the city as a "safe and welcoming community," pro-LGBTQ rulings in appeals courts across the country in April, a check in on North Carolina concerning private sector responses to the "repeal" of HB2 and new legislation attempting to nullify marriage equality there, a court opinion released regarding the Gavin Grimm case comparing him to other civil rights leaders, questioning the Trump administration's reversal on military involvement in Syria due to human rights concerns, and a comparison of political sex scandals in Alabama and Seattle.

Danette and Jonny join the rest of WDBX in a weeklong party in the studio for its Spring Friendship Drive. If you are a regular listener to the show, please consider making a donation at http://wdbx.org/.We also discuss results of the April 4 county and municipal elections, the 7th Circuit decision on Title VII that covers LGBTQ in workplace discrimination, recent anti-gay violence in the Netherlands and Russia, the problematic repeal of HB2 in North Carolina, and a discussion of the idea of radical forgiveness drawn from Dr. Amber Johnson's project "The Justice Fleet."

Jonny and Danette discuss upcoming visit by a Civil Right themed art installation "Justice Fleet", events in the 11 Days of Compassion (http://www.nonviolentcarbondale.org/11-days-for-compassion-schedule.html), a local student protest for LGBT visibility, LGBT erasure in recent Trump executive orders, the large number of Trump appointees who are avowedly anti-LGBT,and the demise of AHCA.

Jonny is joined by AB and Alex to discuss their upcoming performance, "Grayscale: Perfoming Across Difference" -- a performance at the intersection of identity, environment, art and activism. We talk about themes and tactics in the show, including the material challenges of drag and reference to proposed cuts to the NEA and the importance of art in mobilizing publics and building community.

Danette and Jonny are joined by YouTuber, Ky McClosky, to discuss his work on YouTube, drag, androgyny, and growing up gay in Chicago and Southern Illinois. We also discuss keeping faith while resisting dogma in both religion and activism. Check out Ky's YouTube feed, K-SmilesXD, at https://www.youtube.com/user/ksmilesxd

Jonny and Danette discuss local events planned for International Women's Day as well as criticism of the proposed "A Day Without a Woman" strike, how the US Travel Ban is affecting LGBTQ refugees, companies that are backing out of public support for LGBTQ rights in order to preserve favorability with the Trump administration, caution about the romance of resistance in celebrating revolution, and how "Gay's for Trump" was centrally involved in planning pro-Trump rallies this past Saturday.

Jonny and Danette are joined briefly by Paulette Curkin to discuss upcoming local events for the March 8th protest event, "A Day without a Woman." https://www.sidaywithoutawoman.com/We also discuss local queer YouTuber, K-SmilesxD, who will be on the show but couldn't make it today due to the storms overnight -- check out his feed at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4ln2pM3qpm6g2s9jaXgBgQWe then discussed the films "Get Out" and "Moonlight," a Federal Court decision in Illinois that our law banning conversion therapy does not apply to pastors and religious leaders. We also discuss President Trump's rollback on the Obama guidance applying Title IX to transgender students.

Jonny is joined by Anna Wilcoxen to discuss her upcoming performance "In Service of Venus," which deals with her various experiences in the service industry. We talk about the show but also about its central theme and the intersection of queer identity with labor issues. "In Service of Venus" will be presented at 8 pm on Thursday 2/23 through Saturday 2/25 in the Kleinau Theatre on the second floor of the Communications Building on the SIU campus. Call 618-453-5618 for reservations.

Jonny and Danette are joined by Candice Sewell to discuss Black History Month and the intersection of Black and LGBTQ issues and concerns. A schedule of SIU Black History Month events can be found here: http://smrc.siu.edu/_common/images/brc/2017-black-history-month-calendar.pdf

Jonyy is joined by Lauran, Mic and Emily to discuss the Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies program on the Southern Illinois Campus, with particular emphasis on this weekend's upcoming annual WGSS Conference and a rally next week to show student and community support for WGSS. Keeping a focus on gender, we also discuss #dresslikeawoman, Sen. Elizabeth Warren being silenced on the Senate floor, the appointment of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education, and Melissa McCarthy's performance on Saturday Night Live of Sean Spicer. For more information about the WGSS conference, a program is available here: http://cola.siu.edu/wgss/conference/The WGSS support rally is at 1 pm on Wednesday Feb 15 at the fountains outside Faner Hall on the SIU campus.A schedule for Women's History Month events will soon be available here: http://smrc.siu.edu/wrc/

Jonny and Danette discuss effectiveness of business boycotts as activist protest, the Boy Scouts of America allowing trans children, the Trump Administrations decision not to use and executive order to rescind Obama's LGBTQ protection orders, news of trans rights struggles in Texas, and the already looming threat of march- and protest-fatigue.

Jonny and Danette are joined by Paulette Curkin and Cade Bursell to unpack the weekends events, focusing particularly on DC protest events during the inaugeration, the National Women's March in D.C., and the sister march in Carbondale.Please note: the event Danette mentioned at the end of the show, the QPOC Panel discussion, takes place tomorrow (Thursday 1/26) from 5-8 pm in the upper level of Grinnell Hall (not today!).

Jonny is joined by O.J. Duncan, manager of the Rainbow Cafe, to discuss programming at the RC, the Women's March in DC and sister marches locally, artists not performing at the inauguration, Chelsea Manning's sentence commuted by President Obama, anti-trans* legislation in NC TX and IN, the resurgent threat of conversion therapy with VP Pence, and a reminder that there are progressive and radical queers in red states being visible and doing important work. Please remember that the RC has suffered some water damage due to busted frozen pipes; to help them recover consider supporting this campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/rainbowcafewaterdamage

Jonny an Danette kick off the new year with requests for your support in WDBX's kickoff fund raising campaign (www.WDBX.org), an interview with Teddy and David Jones about their healing ceremony "An Endless Song" (http://anendlesssong.com/angelwalk/), and our New Year's resolutions including a re-commitment to our community focus.

Jonny and Danette discuss recent celebrity deaths (particularly George Michael and Carrie Fisher), water damage at the local Rainbow Cafe and a call to community to help replace their LGBTQ youth lending library, HB2 shenanigans in NC and similar legislation across the country, and the importance of art as a mode of political activism and self-care. If you would like to help Rainbow Cafe in its time of need, here is a link to the Go Fund Me campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/rainbowcafewaterdamage.Here is a link to the Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/ls/ref=cm_wl_list_o_0?ie=UTF8&lid=1FX3ZDTNYVIAB&ref_=cm_wl_list_o_0&ty=wishlistAnd here is the email address to contact if you have materials you would like to donate: fundraising@rainbowcafe.org

Jonny and Danette are joined by Danette's son, John, to discuss fake news and how to recognize it, a check-in on North Carolina and the impending repeal of HB2, the unlikelihood of abolishing the Electoral College or states seceding from the Union, Pulse nightclub victim families suing social media sites for promoting Islamic extremism, Thomas Robert's newshour being cancelled on MSNBC, and embedded queer messages in Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer...and STAR WARS!!!!

Jonny and Danette discuss holiday potlucks, a recent Rainbow Cafe dinner for local Gay Straight Alliance student groups, a study that shows the number of self-identified trans people has soubled in the last five years, the impending growth of anti-LGBTQ legislation and organizations, state-level push-back against that by elected officials and businesses, and a check-in on recent LGBTQ representations in popular culture.Don't Forget: The SI Pride holiday potluck and gift exchange is tomorrow night (Thursday, 12/15) from 7-9 at the Gaia House (913 S. Illinois Ave, Carbondale).