Jonny and Heather check in on getting through some intense midwest weather, complete with flooding and tornadoes. Despite these challenges, the “Queer Stories, Queer Spaces” oral history installation had a great opening reception in the Sharp Museum on the SIU campus. Also, despite the cancellation of protests in our area due to the weather, great numbers showed up to join the “Hands Off” event in Carbomdale. They discuss the incredible turnout for this protest around the country and in Europe, noting especially the involvement and recent protests held by LGBTQ+ and other veterans. In the back half of the show, Jonny interviews photographer Nick Blair, whose exhibit “Castro to Christopher: Gay Streets of America 1979-1986” opens in the Sharp Museum this Friday. They discuss the art of photography and the incredible power of visibility and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in their neighborhood streets and in public. 

Jonny and Heather start off the show by listening to a public statement made by local Carbondale City Councilwoman, Clare Killman, who has a proposal for Illinois to defend itself from federal assaults on bodily autonomy. They then compare the clarity and firmness of her response to Congressional Democrats who seem to lack a spine and are throwing LGB but particularly T under the bus. In the back half of the show they discuss access to healthcare and a revitalized interest in discussing predatory insurance companies. The lesson there is that the assalut on gender-affirming healthcare is really an assault on all of our healthcare.

Jonny interviews Carrie Vine of Rainbow Cafe and the Southern Illinois Pride Collective about the incredibly full weekend of SI PrideFest activities in Carbondale this coming weekend (June 15). In the back half of the show, he and Heather discuss some recent “historical moments” impacting the LGBTQ community. 

Jonny talks with Morgan Robertson of the Gender Affirming Voice Clinic at the SIU Clinical Center about transgender vocal therapy. They also recap the Rainbow Cafe’s Transgender Resource fair this last weekend and weigh in on the the Rightwing outrage over the Biden acknowledgement of both TDOV and Easter happening on the same day. 

If you are interested in the Gender Affirming Voice Clinic, you can reach the clinic at 618-453-2361 or contact Morgan at morgan.robertson@siu.edu

Jonny recaps last week’s LGBTQ Town Hall sponsored by Equality Illinois and Rainbow Cafe and held in the Carbondale Civic Center.

Jonny is joined by Heather O'Malley to debrief the Trans Day of Remembrance and Resilience, discuss some good polling data about gender-affirming care for trans youth, share what they are thankful for, and geek out over the first of three very queer Doctor Who episodes celebrating the 60th anniversary (!!) of the British S/F show.

Yeah, it’s a rebroadcast. Busy week. Intro and Outro updated for more current community events, though.

Jonny interviews Alex Socorro about a new 501©(3) organization in the area, Southern Illinois Pride Collective (https://www.soilpridecollective.org/), that will cooridinate local LGBTQ+ community events, including local Pride festivities. In the back half of the show, Jonny reviews the details of Internal Revenue Code 501© organization designations, what kinds of organizations typically coordinate Pride festivities, and how Southern Illinois benefits from having different types of 501© advocacy organizations.

Jonny interviews Carrie Vine, Executive Director of The Rainbow Cafe, noting both the many upcoming events and services for the community and how RC is part of a local and statewide network of advocacy orgaonizations. In the back half of the show, he looks at two recent and local vollies in efforts to ban books or resist book bans in public libraries. Finally, Sister Mothra Stewart of the SOIL Sisters stops by to offer some reflections on National Moth Week and recommend a movie.

Jonny interviews Christina Garnette, a local drag performer and trans activist, about her work in the community. In the back half of the show, Jonny and Christina discuss the importance of solidarity in the queer community, leaving room for diversity but not allowing differences and interpersonal conflict to derail the important work of promoting and protecting a vulnerable community.

Jonny interviews Alex Waller of Golden Rainbows Illinois South (GRIS) about the new program, “Get Up, Get Out” – providing social interaction and physical activity for older members of the LGBTQ community in Southern Illinois. In the back half of the show, he reviews how most legislative bans on gender affirming care for trans youth have been failing in Federal appeals court until this past weekend. He reviews why judges were finding significant Constitutional challenges to the legislation and why the 6th District Court of Appeals found differently (at least temporarily) about Tennessee’s bans.