Well, Well, Well

Jordan and Rachel speak with queer sexologist Kendall Buckley about how to navigate sex and relationships. As this is Women’s Health Week, we also look at  some of the issues that affect LGBTIQ+ women in particular and how we can better advocate for our pleasure. We dive into the myths about polyamory, non-monogamy, or kink in LGBTIQ+ circles, and how Kendall’s work challenges heterono...

Wear It Purple Day is celebrating 15 years of action and support for young LGBTIQA+ people. Founded in 2010 in response to stories of bullying and harassment, it’s a chance for us to show up for our young people, affirming that they are seen, supported, and valued. Rachel and Jordan spoke to Reb Mery, Brand Marketing Manager from Minus 18 about the significance of this day for our diverse communit...

SAMESH, the South Australian Mobilisation and Empowerment for Sexual Health is an HIV/STI Prevention and Health Promotion program which recently celebrated ten years since its foundation. This partnership between Thorne Harbour Health and SHINE SA came about in 2015 after the AIDS Council of South Australia (ACSA) closed a few years prior. Jack spoke with two people who were instrumental in its fo...

Trans and gender diverse (TGD) people face significant barriers when accessing alcohol and other drug (AOD) residential services—barriers that are too often overlooked. In this episode, we explore new research unpacking those challenges, and ask: what does inclusive care actually look like? We’re joined by Nic Robinson Griffith from T horne Harbour Health , and Annette Peart and Blair Hill from Tu...

Emen8.com.au is an Australian sexual health and wellbeing platform for gay, bisexual, and queer men. The site is vital in the HIV prevention space, providing clear information about health, sex, relationships and community. As the HIV and sexual health landscape evolves, so does Emen8, with a renewed focus on multicultural inclusion and newer prevention tools like Doxy-PEP. Joining us this episode...

We’re diving into two iconic events in Melbourne’s queer community: A Week of Leather (AWOL) and the long-awaited return of Northside Bizarre. AWOL and Northside Bizarre have long been cornerstones of Melbourne’s queer scene, creating vital spaces for connection, expression, and celebration within leather, fetish, and kink cultures. We’re joined by Dean Arcuri and Brett Lasham from The Laird Hotel...

This week on Well Well Well , we’re joined by Josh Smith from Lifeblood and Professor John Kaldor from the Kirby Institute to unpack the recent changes to plasma donation rules, now allowing thousands more—including gay, bi+ and trans Australians—to donate without a wait period. We also look ahead to 2026, when gender-neutral rules for blood and platelet donation are set to be introduced.

HIV Futures is the largest and longest-running study of people living with HIV in Australia. Running since 1997, the study undertakes periodic surveys of Australians living with HIV. Dr Thomas Norman joins us to discuss the study, what it aims to accomplish, some of the findings in previous years, and why people living with HIV should consider taking the survey themselves. Learn more about HIV Fut...

We speak with Becky about Birthing Belonging, which offers inclusive and accessible childbirth and early parenting education for LGBTQIA+ families through their Rainbow Kin sessions. These sessions explore Inclusive Childbirth Education covering labour preparation, birth options, navigating the healthcare system, and creating affirming birth plans that reflect your values, as well as Early Parenti...

In this special episode of Well Well Well , we’re coming to you from two corners of queer community celebration and connection. First, we head to the Adelaide Pride Gala to hear from this year’s award winners—recognising trailblazers, community champions, and unsung heroes making a difference across South Australia. Then we sit down with Tom Herbert from Living Positive Victoria for a crossover co...

South Australia this year is celebrating 50 years of gay decriminalisation with a bevy of events from street parties to sport events and nature walks. The flagship Adelaide Pride Gala is also taking place on Friday June 27th to honour the state’s history, celebrate the community and recognise those making a positive impact across South Australia. In this episode of WWW we’ll hear from South Austra...

The City of Yarra is partnering with VicHealth to kick off Dry July with Somewhere Sober – a place for connection and conversation around the relationship between queer social spaces and alcohol. This is a relaxed, welcoming event for LGBTQIA+ folks and allies who are sober, sober-curious, or simply keen to explore social spaces that don’t revolve around drinking. For a primo showcase of sober (an...

This week on Well Well Well , we’re joined by Alex Lopez and Derryn Pert from Pelvic Health Melbourne to talk about all things pelvic health — what it is, why it matters, and how it shows up differently for different people. We’ll explore the unique concerns across our LGBTIQA+ communities, including for gay and bi men, lesbian and bi women, and trans and gender diverse people.  

This week on Well Well Well, we explore the power of play and life-saving health interventions. Dr Phoebe Toups Dugas from Monash University joins us to discuss how games can be more than just entertainment—they can be spaces for identity exploration, community building, and inclusion for trans and queer players. We dive into what makes a game truly inclusive, how queer and trans gamers are shapin...

In this episode of Well Well Well, we shine a spotlight on the power of community-led solutions in HIV prevention, care, and support. We’re joined by representatives from ViiV Healthcare, WAAC, Watipa, NAPWHA, Thorne Harbour Health, and the HIV/AIDS Legal Centre to discuss the 2024 Positive Action Community Grants. Together, we explore how these grants are funding innovative projects that make a r...

We speak with volunteers about their experiences with Thorne Harbour Health in Melbourne and SAMESH in South Australia in light of National Volunteer Week. Since the founding of Thorne Harbour Health in 1983, volunteers have been at the heart of the organisation’s work delivering vital health services. National Volunteer Week, as well as the LGBTIQ+ Organisations Volunteer Event (LOVE) at th...

The team indulge in some LGBTIQA+ sexual health trivia in light of JOY Radiothon. Check out our other JOY Podcasts for more on LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing at  joy.org.au/wellwellwell . If there’s something you’d like us to explore on the show, send through ideas or questions at  wellwellwell@joy.org.au Find out more about LGBTIQ+ services and events in Victoria and South Australia at thorneharbou...

In this episode of Well Well Well , we sit down with Dr Jillian Lau from the Doherty Institute to unpack the science—and the hope—behind HIV cure research. From breakthrough findings in the FRESH and RIO studies to local trials right here in Melbourne, we explore what a cure could look like, why community input is crucial, and how people living with HIV can get involved. Whether you’re cure-...

Silver Rainbow Training helps aged care sector staff and management understand that diversity brings strength to their organisation. The training in South Australia provides guidance on how aged care practices can be more inclusive, incorporating aspects of person centred and trauma informed care. Jack speaks with Monty Khizam, Thorne Harbour SA’s Silver Rainbow Training Officer about how th...

The Abortion Project is a peer support network for people of all genders and sexualities who have had abortions. It aims to create a safe space where people with lived experiences of abortion can sit down, have a chat, and not feel constrained by pigeonholing their experiences into any binary. In their own words “We are here for the grey area, the uncomfortable and the diverse”. While abortion is...

This episode we’re celebrating Lesbian Visibility Day by speaking with two iconic lesbian women about how things have changed for our communities over the decades. First up, we’ll hear from curator, photographic artist, and Vice President of the Australian Queer Archives, Angela Bailey. For those who don’t know, the Australian Queer Archives house the world’s largest and most significant archives...

In this episode of Well Well Well , we’re joined by Chris Williams and Oli McAuslan from Emen8 —the national digital platform supporting the sexual health and wellbeing of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. Chris, the Project Lead, and Oli, a content writer, take us behind the scenes of some of their recent articles exploring sexual health, pleasure, trans inclusivity, and queer li...

Jack is in studio this week with new host Jordan from Thorne Harbour Health’s LGBTIQ+ Women’s Project. We speak with Jerome from DonateLife about organ and tissue donation for our LGBTIQ+ communities and people living with HIV. Chris and Maya from Switchboard also join us to discuss the Changing the Landscape campaign which aims to centre LGBTQIA+ lived experience stories and change the narrative...

Australia has new guidelines for anal cancer screening in people living with HIV—but what does that actually mean right now? We’re joined by Professor Andrew Grulich from the Kirby Institute to unpack who should be screened, what’s available today (like DARE exams), and why swab-based screening is still a few years away. We also explore the latest in treatment and where to find accurate, community...

In this Trans Day of Visibility special, we hear from two heroes of the trans and gender diverse community. Joe Ball, Victorian LGBTIQA+ Commissioner, and Son Vivienne, CEO of Transgender Victoria, discuss the double-edged sword of visibility, anti-trans rhetoric from the US, and how trans people can be effective leaders. Check out our other JOY Podcasts for more on LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing at...