Neither Simple Nor Binary

Queer loss, queer Classics

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 15:17:32 -0500

This is a recording of the lecture from the 2019 OutStories Bristol AGM. The speaker is Professor Jennifer Ingleheart, Professor of Latin at Durham University. The title of the talk is, "Queer loss, queer Classics: A. E. Housman’s ‘lost country’". For more information about the talk see the OutStories Bristol website. A copy of the handout that accompanied the talk can be donloaded here.

In addition to being part of the AGM, the lecture was given to celebrate the birth in 1840 of John Addington Symonds, Bristol-born writer, art historian and pioneer of homosexual rights. Mr. Symonds birthday is celebrated annually by the Institute of Greece, Rome, and the Classical Tradition at the University of Bristol who also provided the venue and refreshments. Our thanks to both Professor Ingleheart for a fascinating lecture, and to the Institute for the arrangements.

EP Warren's Classical Erotica

Tue, 07 Nov 2017 16:49:20 -0500

This is a recording of the keynote lecture from the 2017 OutStories Bristol Annual General Meeting. The lecture is titled “EP Warren's Classical Erotica: LGBT+ activism and objects from the past” and is given by Dr. Jen Grove of Exeter University. A copy of the slides can be downloaded here.

In addition to being part of our AGM, the lecture was given to celebrate the birthday in 1840 of John Addington Symonds, Bristol-born writer, art historian and pioneer of homosexual rights. Mr. Symonds birthday is celebrated annually by the Institute of Greece, Rome, and the Classical Tradition at the University of Bristol who also provided the venue and refreshments. Our thanks to both Dr. Grove for a fascinating lecture, and to the Institute for the arrangements.

Beyond the Well of Loneliness - Jana Funke

Mon, 10 Oct 2016 04:46:40 -0500

This is a recording of the keynote lecture from the 2016 OutStories Bristol Annual General Meeting. The lecture is titled “Beyond The Well of Loneliness: Reassessing Radclyffe Hall’s Place in LGBTQ History” and is given by Dr. Jana Funke of Exeter University. Unfortunately we can't make the slides available as some of the images are subject to copyright.

In addition to being part of our AGM, the lecture was given to celebrate the birthday in 1840 of John Addington Symonds, Bristol-born writer, art historian and pioneer of homosexual rights. Mr. Symonds birthday is celebrated annually by the Institute of Greece, Rome, and the Classical Tradition at the University of Bristol who also provided the venue and refreshments. Our thanks to both Dr. Funke for a fascinating lecture, and to Dr. Nico Momigliano for the arrangements.

Sarah Savage Interview

Thu, 23 Jul 2015 10:48:56 -0500

This is an interview that I did with Sarah Savage for the Women's Outlook show on Ujima Radio. Sarah talks about her time on My Transsexual Summer, the creation of Brighton's Trans Pride, and about the children's book that she wrote with Fox Fisher: Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl?

Kizzy Morrell Interview

Tue, 18 Nov 2014 08:16:43 -0500

This is an extract from Kizzy Morrell's show on Ujima Radio. Kizzy kindly asked me into the studio to explain trans issues to her. We were starting from a position of very little knowledge, so my apologies if some of it is a bit basic, but the chances are that much of Kizzy's audience knew no more than she did so these things are worth doing.

Of course this is also live radio and I wasn't in control of the discussion, so I didn't cover everything I might have liked to. In particular there was nothing on trans guys or non-binary people. I'm not happy about that. I'm also a bit concerned about the word "transvestite" as I've had conflicting input as to whether that is acceptable these days.

Caveats aside, I hope I did a decent job of pleading our case. My thanks to Kizzy and her team for giving me space o the show, and for being so supportive.

Alice Denny - Normal/Questions

Wed, 20 Aug 2014 12:15:31 -0500

Because it deserves a podcast all of its own, here is my recording of the poem Alice Denny wrote for Trans Pride. It is called "Normal/Questions". Alice only got one take, as is a little emotional towards the end. Also we got heckled by seagulls. However, there's no mistaking the raw power of the words.

Trans Pride 2014

Wed, 20 Aug 2014 11:37:10 -0500

This podcast contains the full edit of most of the material I collected at Trans Pride in Brighton this year. Some of it has already been broadcast in abridged form on Ujima and Shout Out. This has the full interviews with Fox & Lewis, with Nicole Gibson, and with Bethany Black. It also has several more interviews, the whole of the opening address by Caroline Lucas, MP, and lots of vox pops. The magazine article mentioned by Sam towards the end of the show can be found at WHM Magazine.

The Unstraight Conference

Fri, 20 Jun 2014 09:06:41 -0500

The Unstraight Conference was an event about queering museums that took place at the Museum of Liverpool on June 13th and 14th, 2014. I attended partly because of my involvement in Out Stories Bristol, and partly because I wanted to see the April Ashley exhibition that Liverpool was staging at the time. This podcast is a collection of short interviews with people I met at the event. They are:

Janet Dugdale - Director of the Museum of Liverpool
Gary Everett - Director of Homotopia
Bev Ayre - Project Director for the April Ashley exhibition
Jenny-Ann Bishop - a local trans activist
Sara Davidmann - a photographic artist who works with trans people
Surat Knan - Project Manager for Rainbow Jews
Sarah Blackstock - Heritage Project Manager for LGBT Birmingham
Michael Fürst - Schwules Museum*, Berlin
Durk Dehner - Tom of Finland Foundation, Los Angeles

My thanks to all of them for their time.

CN Lester Interview

Thu, 27 Mar 2014 15:38:38 -0500

This is a podcast of an interview I did with CN Lester for the Women's Outlook show on Ujima Radio as part of our LGBT History Month material in February 2014. The interview looks at the history of opera, in particular the use of castrati singers and singers en travesti to play with gender roles in the story. We also talk about CN's own music, and about their career in trans activism. Sadly I don't have the rights to include the music by Noah Stewart that we used, but both tracks are available on his album, Noah. CN has kindly given permission for me to include the two tracks from their album, Ashes, that we played during the interview. Further information about CN, including how to buy their music, is available from their website.

LGBT Radio History

Mon, 17 Feb 2014 07:02:30 -0500

This isn't strictly a gender issue. It is an interview about the history of LGBT radio in Bristol that I did on Ujima last week. The guests are Terry Starr, one of the co-founders of Shout Out, and Steve Shepherd who is a regular contributor to the show. Along the way we mention quite a few other people on the UK's LGBT radio scene.

This interview as originally broadcast on the Women's Outlook show on Ujima Radio.

Raising a Trans Child

Sat, 21 Sep 2013 05:56:13 -0500

This is an edit of an interview that I did for the Women's Outlook Show on Ujima Radio on September 11th, 2013. It features a lady I name only as Jools. She is the mother of a trans child, and she kindly came into the studio to tell me about her experiences in that very difficult role.

Being a personal story, the interview only reflects one of many possible and equally valid trans identities.

A trigger warning: the interview contains mention of two separate suicide attempts.