Word for Word

Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community.   Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and d...

Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community.   Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and d...

Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community.   Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and d...

Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community.   Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and d...

Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community.   Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and d...

Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community.   Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and d...

Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community.   Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and d...

Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community.   Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and d...

Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community.   Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and d...

Every week Word for Word explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of extraordinary LGBTQIA+ individuals. From artists to advocates, quiet heroes to loud trailblazers, we’re shining a light on the lives and lessons of those who are making a difference in our community.   Join host Jason Heath each week as he delves into the triumphs, struggles, and achievements of our guests, and d...

Today’s guest is Sally Goldner. Sally has dedicated her life to making the Australian community one of the best places to identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTIQA+). Sally has worked persistently for well over two decades to advocate for the rights and needs of LGBTIQA+ communities in Victoria and around Australia. Since co-founding Transgender Victoria in the late 1990...

Today’s guest is Sam Elkin. Sam is a writer, event producer, lawyer and co-editor of Nothing to Hide: Voices of Trans and Gender Diverse Australia (Allen & Unwin, 2022). Born in England and raised on Noongar land, Sam now lives on unceded Wurundjeri land. Sam’s essays have been published in the Griffith review, Australian Book Review, Sydney review of books and Kill Your Darlings. He hosts the...

Trigger warning: this episode contains discussions around sex and language that may offend, so if you have little kids around it might be best to listen with headphones on. Jordana (Jordi) Ezra is a certified Somatic Sexologist who predominately works in the LGBTIA+ community. As someone who grew up not feeling safe to be queer, Jordi has dedicated their career to learning, understanding and guidi...

Today’s guest is Justine Dalla Riva. Justine grew up in leafy suburban Melbourne, one of 5 children born to Catholic parents – an Italian immigrant father and an Australian mother. After initially wanted to be a nun, an obstetrician or a Brownlow medalist when she grew up, Justine eventually became the inaugural CEO of the Victorian Pride Centre – a position she still holds. Justine is married to...

Today’s guest is Art Simone. Art is one of Australia’s most popular drag performers, having featured in RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, Highway to Heel, as well as appearing in some of Australia’s most recognisable advertising campaigns. Art has been named Drag Performer of the Year and earned the title Queen of Australia. Art has a podcast called Concealed with Art Simone and is releasing he...

This week’s guest is Evan Cooper. Evan grew up in a variety of locations due to the divorce of his parents at a young age, which resulted in a diverse blended family. Despite working in a variety of careers, Evan’s first love has always been photography. His most recent exhibition The Echoes and Whispers featured as part of Midsumma 2024. https://www.midsumma.org.au/whats-on/events/echoes-and-whis...

Today’s guest is Bryan Cranston. Bryan has spent his work life in education and currently works as a senior academic and manager at one of Australia’s leading online universities. Bryan’s life was changed forever on June 23, 2020 when his sister Karen was brutally murdered by her estranged husband. Within days Bryan had moved from his newly renovated home in Hervey Bay to Rockhampton where he now...

Today’s guest is David Imber. David is a corporate public affairs professional with over 20 years experience in the public, corporate and not for profit sectors. He is passionate about social justice and has combined his professional roles with volunteering in the field and in governance across a range of LGBTIQ+ and mainstream organisations. He currently combines his busy work life with his role...

Lisa Daniel’s guest on this episode of Word for Word is Kathy Mansfield. Today’s guest is Kathy Mansfield. Kathy grew up in a Christian family in suburban Melbourne, Australia in the 1940s. She married and had 4 children and lived the expected masculine life until an epiphany at the age of 62 which resulted in her transition from male to female. Despite high challenges, Kathy has maintained...

Lisa Daniel’s guest on this episode of Word for Word is Stephanie Teh. Stephanie emigrated to Australia from Singapore at the age of 5 with her family. Stephanie is the Musical Director of Melbourne Gay & Lesbian Choir which holds the mantle as the first LGBTQIA+ choir in the Southern Hemisphere. Her journey with this beloved community commenced 30 years ago when she joined as a singer....

Lisa Daniel’s guest on this episode of Word for Word is Sonny Jane Wise. Sonny Jane Wise is a non-binary, multiply neurodivergent & disabled public speaker, advocate, content creator and author. Sonny was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD as a child and grew up only hearing a deficit narrative about their neurodivergence. Since then, they have gone on to build an audience of over 100,000 pe...

Lisa Daniel’s guest on this episode of Word for Word is Anthony Severino. Anthony grew up in a conservative catholic family in Sydney and was diagnoses with Tourette Syndrome at the age of 11. Anthony found his tribe and his safe space in the theatre and musical theatre and is well known around Sydney via his drag persona, Peach Fuzz. Anthony works as a somatic sex coach helping people find...

Lisa Daniel’s guest on this episode of Word for Word is Ben Mitchell. Ben grew up on a small farm in New Zealand, but as a young kid his life was less than idyllic. Being different wasn’t welcomed by his father or step father, and school proved to be a lonely and isolating experience. Fast forward a couple of decades and Ben has overcome the challenges of his past to see only the positives l...

Lisa Daniel’s guest on this episode of Word for Word is Evana De Lune. Evana is a Melbourne-based performer with over 20 years of dance experience covering jazz, tap, ballet, contemporary and commercial dance styles. She fell in love with the glitz and glamour of burlesque at a young age, but it was only after visiting   Maison Burlesque   as an adult that she finally took her first steps to...

Lisa Daniel’s guest on this episode of Word for Word is Bert Murphy. Bert grew up in small town Victoria where he discovered movies on TV as a young kid. This began a lifelong love affair with both film and photography. After graduating from Swinburne Film and Television School, Bert worked as an editor and director on a variety of projects such as ‘Voyage of the Southern Sun’ (2...