Isnt It Queer

Jonny interviews Sister Unity of the LA Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence about recent interactions with the LA Dodgers and their off-again, on-again recognition by the team as community heroes for 27 years of community service. In the back half of the show, Jonny talks with Alexia Stallon, the director of OUT Mt. Vernon about this weekend's (5/27) "Pride Kick-Off" in Mt. Vernon, IL.

Jonny interviews Cassandra, Mitchell, and Keri of the Carbondale Assembly for Radical Equity, a collection of groups welcoming trans and queer people relocating to Illinois from states that do not recognize or affirm them. In the back half of the show, he reviews how Illinoisans responded to a visit from Florida govvernor Rhonda Santis as well as Missourians' pushback against anti-trans legislation. Sister Mothra Stewart closes the show with a welcome delivered for the Lavender Graduation at Southern Illinois University.

Jonny talks with Tara Bell of Pride In Action Southern Illinois about the upcoming PrideFest in Carbondale (June 9-11). They focus their talk on varois pre-Pride fundraisers and events including the "Southern IL PrideFest Royalty Pageant" this weekend (5/13) at The Varsity Center in Carbondale. In the back half of the show, Jonny interviews Sandy Pensoneau-Conway about the Rainbow Cafe, now fully relocated into its downtown Carbondale space. The Rainbow Cafe is also doing some fundraising to support its myriad programs as the region's preeminant community LGBTQ+ Resource Center

Jonny talks with his former co-host, Caleb McKinley-Portee, and O.J. Duncan about some of the staffing issues for the Student Multicultural Resource Center, including the LGBTQ Resource Center, on the Southern Illinois University campus. Both are officers in the Graduate and Professional Student Council and are involved in working with campus administrators to address student concerns. Both are also out, queer advocates for the community. Together, they work with other students on campus to push for better representation for the LGBTQ community and its inclusion in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. They detail challenges and obstructions they are facing in doing this work. In short, they bring receipts.

Jonny shares highlights from the SIU "Rally for Diversity," a student protest concerning staffing changes at the Student Multicultural Resource Center (SMRC). Students and others expressed a variety of concerns, including the sudden departure of the LGBTQ Resource Center Coordinator, Dr. Angela Towne. The Vice Chancellor of Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Dr. Paul Frazier, attended the rally and addressed student concerns. Jonny then interviews the SMRC's Executive Director, Dr. Renada Greer, and Dr. Frazier about services provided by their programs, the process for restaffing the LGBTQ RC, and how SIU might be poised to be an open and affirming university, recruiting and retainng minority students from surrounding states legislatively enacting bans and restrictions on higher education.

Jonny covers the Rally for Expression, including SOIL Sister Marjorie Arcana's wonderful address to the crowd about the power of joy as resistance (special thanks to Sister Jewnita Hug for the recording!). Jonny marks the distinction between drag and trans while also showing why Anti-Trans legislators target drag, arguing that the anti-trans, anti-drag, anti-CRT, anti-sex eductation, anti-LGBTQ, book banners, and representation deniers are all playing from the same set of anxieties. In the back half of the show, Jonny shows a variety of places where anti-trans folks are contradicting themselves in their rhetoric and policy promotion.

Jonny interviews Clare Killman, the first openly trans person in Illinois to be elected to a city council. They discuss the community and Carbondale's future as a sancuary city for folks in surroundling states fleeing anti-LGBT legislation and bans on reproductive healthcare and bodily autonomy. In the back half of the show, Jonny interviews Nancy Maxwell, andother community leader who won a seat on the Carbondale City Council in last week's election. They discuss Nancy's extensive service to community and advocacy for community-based responses to violence (Cure Violence https://cvg.org/). During their campaigns, both Clare and Nancy participated in local Trans Day of Visibility activities and have been active supporters of the LGBTQ community.

Jonny curates some news stories in the wake of the school shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tenessee last week. He focuses mostly on the aftermath, including Rightwing hysteria over the shooter's reported transgender identity, the student protests on Monday, the ousting of state representatives who joined the protestors, and the general failure to focus in any way on gun reform. In the back half of the show, he provides a taxonomy for the over 600 pieces of legislation currently under discussion in 46 states targeting LGBTQ rights. He then reviews the impacts these discussions are having on public opinion about queer and trans folks.

Jonny talks with visiting artist Dr. Jade C. Huell about two upcoming presentations on the SIU campus about storytelling based on skin. They discuss how performance and storytelling create spaces for conversations about shared and sometimes charged expereicnes related to how we "read" skin. In the back half of the show, Jonny interviews Sarah Dubach, the assistant director of the upcoming Stage Company production of Qui Ngyuen's "She Kills Monsters" at the Varsity Theatre in Carbondale.

Jonny shares the highlights of a town hall scheduled for March 13 in Carbondale with candidates running for local School Boards. Many were invited to attend, three indicated that they would, none showed up. So, the community that did come to listen and ask questions had a conversation about the serious issues facing public education, especially re: LGBTQIA+ youth. The questing and the comments were substantive. The irritation that, even in a progressive state like Illlinois, candidates can so easily shun having such conversations with their constituents was palpable. In the back third of the show, Jonny reviews legislation in Illinois meant to protect public libraries from censorship.

Jonny and Dr. Shannon Green, both Beloved Puppetistas, discuss the beginning of public puppet making workshops in anticipation of the All Species Puppet Parade on Earth Day (April 22) in Carbondale, IL. Along the way, they discuss the challenges of public pedagogy, especially for queers. They note smilarites in resistance to environmental reform and LGBTQ rights advancement. But mostly, they celebrate their joy of art, education, and environmental advocacy.

Jonny interviews Ky Chameleon (a.k.a. Jelly Lizard) about the myriad local queer and flow arts projects they are involved in. From fire work to clowning to drag to Dancing Bear Tribe to publishing to music festivals to summer camps, Ky is involved in A LOT. As a long time friend of the show, Ky catches Jonny up about their journey through addiction and in and out of Southern Illinois. Throughout the conversation they address the need for visibility, representation, and vigilance against those trying to erase us. Of particular note, they discuss how trans- and drag-bans impact myriad performance practices beyond what the laws are set to target.

Jonny interviews ChatGPT about trans rights and the logic and accuracy of legislative assaults on trans rights. He then digs into an explanation of what Large Language Model AI Chatbots really are and what conclusions we can and cannot draw from what they say. In the back portion of the show, he examines the good and the bad of what the Internet has done for LGBTQ+ community, equity, and acceptance as a lens into understanding what we might expect from AI technology.

Jonny leans into the holiday spirit and turns to what Valentines Day can teach us about diversity of love. He begins with the often violent history of the holiday. He notes how St. Valentine is held up by some as a hero of marriage equality. He then turns to what the animal kingdom can teach us about love. In the back half of the show, he reviews two stories about the charge of "grooming" that reveals how probematic that term is, especially when applied as a blanket critique to LGBTQ people.

Jonny currates some recent stories about LGBTQ-affirming education and the lie of "parental choice" and "freedom." In the back half of the show, he tries to counter the news of evergrowing amounts of proposed legislation limitiing LGBTQ rights with some stories about places where equity and acceptance are being advanced. He concludes with a rundown of upcoming LGBTQ commnity events in Southern Illinois.

Jonny interviews David W. Jones, author of _I Say Yes to Life: The Affirmation Project._ David speaks about transforming his recovery from trauma and addiction into a collection of meaningful affirmations and meditations for everyone, especially those on similar paths of recovery. The interview takes up most of the episode, but in the final portion Jonny share facts and figures about why substance additction and trauma-strain are higher in the LGBTQ community than in the cis/het majority. If you would like to contact David for an autographed copy of his book, you can reach him at dwjdreaming@aol.com or at his FaceBook page "David W Jones Yoga" https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063471825290. The book is also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major online retailers.

Jonny interviews Carrie Vine, executive director of Rainbow Cafe, about the organizations considerable commtiments to community health outreach and education. Theya also discuss the move into new facilities and recent and upcoming fundraising events. In the back half of the show, Jonny reviews recently passed legislation in IL protecting healthcare providers of gender affriming care and pregnancy termination. He notes how important this is in light of anti-LGBTQ legislation being considered in surrounding states, with Missouri leading the nation in most anti-LGBTQ legislation under consideration in the current session. Finally, Jonny checks back in with local LGBTQ youth advocate, DTreveous Graham, about the Tea party Extravaganza planned for February 11 at the Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship as a benefit for the carbondale Warming Ceter and a way to celebrate D's 21st birthday!

Jonny reviews some local preparations for Queer advocacy, reporting on the amazing turnout for the first Rainbow Cafe work day, as they prepare for their new residence in downtown Carbondale. He then covers the excting planning meeting for Southern Illinpois Pride Fest, scheduled for June 9-11 with the main event on June 10 occuring in Turley Park. He also shares a call to action from Tri-State Aliannce about toxic anti-LGBTQ legislation underconsideration in the IN legislature. In the back half of the show, he rebroadcasts a June 2022 interview with Taylor Brorby, author of _Boys and Oil_, a memoir of growing up queer in North Dakota while also being an anti-fracking advocate.

Jonny reviews the renewed attacks on LGBTQ rights as state legilatures and US House open fr business in the spring legislative sessions. He reviews some of the recent impacts of the Don't Say Gay law in Florida as the state extends its purview (despite arguments in court that it would not). In the back half of the show, he turns to more positive stories of positive legislative and judicial acts supporting the LGBTQ community around the country. He also celebrates the American Dialect Society's selection of "-ussy" as the word of the year. He closes out the show with several community announcements of LGBTQ activites in the Carbondale area.

Jonny kicks off 2023 with local legend and superstar, STreveous Graham (a.k.a. Sister Toggaf Tuls Reeuq) about their plans for the new year and the role local activism plays in their lives. In the back half of the show, Jonny reviews evidence that groups like "Libs of Tik Tok" and "Gays Against Groomers" are front groups for other organizations, and where the dark money that supports them likely comes from. He ends the show with some podcast recommendations and announcements for local events comong up, including a planning meeting for Southern Illinois Pride on Wednesday, January 11.