Isn't It Queer

Jonny celebrates Harvey Milk's birthday (May 22) with a tribute to him by Sr Jewnita Hug and a performance of one of his more famous speeches, "The Hope Speech," by Sir Ian McKellen. He offers some reflections on Milk's sense of "hope" and "recruitment," with a heavy emphasis on involvement and visibility in our local communities. In the back half of the show, he reviews information about Monkeypo...

In the wake of evidence the SCOTUS will be overturning Roe v Wade and federal protections for access to abortions, Jonny reviews why reproductive justice and access to safe and affordable medical termination of a pregnancy is an important LGBTQ+ Issue. He then reviews the questionable science behind other legislation that challenges bodily autonomy and LGBTQ rights.

Jonny shares a recent experience moderating an LGBTQ Town Hall meeting with candidates for School Superintendent as an introduction to the challenges of restricting or banning books. He looks at the history of book burning as a strategy of oppressing vulnerable groups. He also reports on efforts of some local school districts to ban "Safe Space" designations as a related phenomenon. In the back ha...

Jonny reviews recent rhetoric from JK Rowling and explains why her actions are transphobic and not merely "pro biological women" (taking exception to that concept, of course!). He outlines how trans affirmation is in support of feminism and Women's Rights while Gender Critical and Biological Essentialist positions ultimately support the basic tenets of oppressive patriarchal systems. In the back h...

Jonny promotes local upcoming Earth Day events and explains Queer Ecology and Intersectional Environmentalism. Along the way, he explores why LGBTQ folks have a set of very specific stakes in sustainability and environmental advocacy. Topics range from social justice concerns to queer theology.

Jonny takes seriously Senator Marsha Blackburn's (R-TN) question to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, "What is a Woman?" noting the failure of GOP Gender Critics in Congress to answer the question very well, and then reviews a more detailed answer to the question than Justice Jackson could or should offer in a Senate Confirmation Hearing. In the back half of the show, Jonny reviews the rapid developm...

Jonny checks in on the ever-escalating kerfuffle in Florida as the state government doubles down on its war with Disney, as law suits against HB 1557 are filed, and as teachers begin to push back in creative ways. He then recaps the weekend's Trans Day of Visibility, noting the increased importance of trans affirming demonstrations in Texas and how meaningful they were in Carbondale and Southern I...

Jonny talks with Benito Goff about the upcoming Trans Day of Visibility Rally (5iish-7:30, Thursday March 31, Carbondale Town Square Pavilion). He then reviews Gov. Desantis's signing of HB 1557, the "Don't Say Gay" law as well as reviewing some of the even more txic variants of the bill progressing through other states' legislatures. In the back half of the show he analyzes what the Judiciary Com...

Jonny reviews the "controversy" over Lia Thomas's historic win in NCAA swim competitions. He points out how proposed NCAA regulations (not yet implemented) monitoring trans competitors would run afoul of Texas-like legislation that refuses trans healthcare to teenagers. He then threads the needle about how the assault on trans rights is related to and a permutation of anti-abortion initiatives on...

Jonny recaps the Disney vs. DeSantis showdown in Florida as the governor's petulant rhetoric helps push the House of Mouse to a stronger and more substantive advocacy for basic human rights. He then takes a look at two polls that confirm DeSantis and Abbott, in addition to being on the wrong side of history, are at odds with public opinion. He briefly reviews a recent election in a Florida city wh...

Jonny covers reporting on Disney's financial backing of the Florida legislator's responsible for the "Don't Say Gay" bill, noting to problematic alibis and explanations offered for the support fro the House of the Mouse. He then turns to the ways Governor Abbott's letter redefining trans youth healthcare as child abuse is so far faring in the courts. In the back half of the show, we rebroadcast a...

Jonny reviews the LGBTQ+ "angle" on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He then examines the implications of Gov. Abbott's directive against trans youth in Texas.

Jonny interviews Angela Towne, the new director of the Southern Illinois University LGBTQ+ Resource Center. Picking up on her love of nature in Carbondale, I reviews an article in Outside Magazine detailing the experiences of a trans through-hiker on the Appalachian Trail. He then check's in on the even more toxic developments in Florida's "Don't Say Gay" legislation.

Jonny contemplates representation of LGBTQ folks in media, with a big initial nod to representing queers in the Star Trek franchise. He checks in on China's efforts to erase LGBTQ people from media, lately including the US sitcom Friends. He reviews what LGBTQ actors, portrayals, topics and directors got an Oscar nomination nod. He ends the show with a commentary about the paucity of asexual repre...

Jonny reviews a story of Nevada indigenous protestors of a lithium mine on sacred land rejecting representation by the organization, Deep Green Resistance, because of their anti-trans positions. He reviews why and how Two-Spirit identity is necessary in environmental advocacy and other social movements. He then reviews how legislative assaults on LGBTQ+ and Trans rights are colonialism at its wors...

Jonny puts into dialogue examples of state sanctioned censorship and examples of so-called "Cancel Culture." He reviews a School Board banning the teaching of Art Spiegelman's Maus, Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, a Mississippi mayor withholding library funds until the public library removes LGBTQ content, and a Georgia elementary school where the principal removed rainbow-themed art created by a...

Jonny talks with O.J. Duncan about the Rainbow Cafe's accomplishments in 2021 and what is on their horizon in 2022. He then provides a "highlight reel" of some stories covered and people interviewed on IIQ in 2021.

Jonny interviews Wally Paynter of the Tri-State Alliance and the Southern Illinois AIDS Coalition about how to donate to efforts to provide holiday cheer for underprivileged families living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Illinois. He then does the IIQ annual review of queer themed and created holiday music.

Jonny talks with Benito Goff of the Rainbow Cafe about an upcoming Queermas extravaganza (12/18). He then reviews new survey data on the prevalence of LGBTQIA+ identifying people in the U.S. He spends time unpacking the verdict in the Jussie Smollett case and what it should really tell us about hate crime legislation. He ends out the show with a collection of brief stories that put a clearer face...

Jonny talks with Mackie Obando (a.k.a. Luna Farfalla) of Atlanta and Gay Spirit Visions. Their conversation includes discussions of dancing and queer identity, immigrating from Peru to the United States, and the challenges of being a flight attendant during a pandemic. Jonny closes out the show with information about upcoming LGBTQ+ holiday opportunities. Note: In addition to the venues mention, R...

Jonny interviews Sister Mothra Stewart of the SOIL Sisters as that organization applies to move from Aspirant House to Mission House in its bid to become a part of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Information about where you can next see the SOIL Sisters and how to get involved is also provided. Correction/Clarification: The SOIL Sisters will not be an official chapter of the Sisters of Perpet...

Jonny talks with his husband, Craig, about being on a reality TV show about finding long lost relatives. Craig weaves connections between finding family and the challenges many queer folks deal with in facing family for the holidays. Jonny ends the show by interviewing local artist AB of www.abperformanceart.com about their two collaborative blog projects: "Euphoria" and "Living with a Dead Name."...

Jonny admits to being overwhelmed this week and pulls from the archive. In this episode, we revisit Jonny's interview with Pete Cossaboon of the YouTube channel "Thank God I'm Queer." He also revisit his meditation on the benefits of organizations like Gay Spirit Visions. Originally aired 2021-09-29.

Jonny Interviews Kean O'Brien who is a visiting visual artist the SIU campus and giving a talk on "Tracing Trans Trauma through the Landscape of Trans Bodies" at 6:30pm in Guyon Auditorium in Morris Library on Wednesday, November 10. He also interviews KJ Fitz, the vice president of Saluki Rainbow Network, about their experience of the Saluki Pride rally on the SIU campus last Wednesday.

Jonny Interviews T. Brown about his upcoming one man show, "Naked Stories: Tales of Queer Adolescence in the 0s and 80s," at 8 pm in the Kleinau Theatre this Thurs-Sat (Nov 4-6). Juno Blue offers a review of the podcast, The Penumbra, which features queer and non-binary characters rupturing tired tropes in genre fiction. Reservations and accessibility arrangements for "Naked Stories" an by arrange...