Out in Australia’s armed forces

While the United States only recently ended its Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy on gays in the military, Australia has allowed gay men and lesbians to serve openly since 1992.

Over the years, the Australian Armed Forces are becoming more and more socially accepting of those who are part of the queer community, active service people tell us. A tough battle for acknowledgment and equal treatment has finally resulted in a happier and healthier working environment.

Three service people of the armed forces who are members of DEFGLIS, the Australian Defence Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex information service, were kind enough to open up to Same Same about their time serving the sunburnt country thus far.

Born in Brisbane, Flight Lieutenant Nathan White (pictured above) has been in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) for just under a decade and hasn’t yet reached his highest potential. He tells us he has big plans for the coming years on the job.

White has wanted to fly since childhood, he explains. “I have since I flew the first time when I was seven years old and then I found out about Defence at about age 13 or 14, so I knuckled down, studied hard and got in.

“I did three years at university and then two years of flight training to get my wings. From there, operational conversion is six months. So, total that up and 5 ½ years later and you’re a qualified pilot,” he explains.

“I would like to be a flight commander. I think that would be really rewarding. I guess that’s my goal for the next five years with the next promotion.”

Queer Vertigo 2012 Preview

Silly Billy

Those moments when you decide to throw yourself in the deep end for a better outcome in the long run…. Well, Ah McCain, I’ve done it again.

This time however will definitely be advantageous to my future welfare though. I’ve taken on three different editorial positions on top of regular paid work and my university studies, so I’ll be a busy bee this coming semester. I am awfully excited about one of the publications though. It’s titled Querelle and is an annual magazine that coincides with a university-based conference for queer-identifying people called Queer Collaborations. This year at the conference James Wilson and I put in a bid for UTS (my university; University of Technology, Sydney) to run the editing and creative process. Thankfully we won the bid and have now got an opportunity to let our ideas flourish in the public eye!

So, with a fleeting request, I’d love for people to contribute in any way they possibly can. It would be best if you were living in Australia to understand the bulk of content we wish to produce, but we’re looking for international talent as well to provide a voice of what’s happening around the world. 

We’re looking specifically for journalists, writers, artists and photographers to send in their work that is based around queer-identifying people, or illustrates an insight into queer issues. The magazine launch won’t be till July 2013, but we’re hoping to receive timeless submissions within the coming months so the editing process can get underway! If you’re keen and would love to ask any further questions or send in a submission, simply email querellemag@gmail.com

Can’t wait to read some bold and beautiful work focussing on the LGBTIQ community of Australia.

Regards,

Ryan

Those hateful homophobes

Honestly, are there any other words to describe a homophobe?
Yes, there are. But we’ll refrain from using foul language here for fear of which lovely kids may be reading this….

Now let me tell you something ‘revolutionary’:

I’m honestly not too impressed that within todays modern society so many homophobes are still living out there in hatred. What they say isn’t right, even if they claim it’s word from the Lord Almighty.
I’m no religious man,  and that’s why I feel I can safely say, they’re talking bullcrap.

Anyone who reads the Bible or any religious text would [and should] comprehend that such texts are full of messages of love and compassion. Whoever looks past that’s an idiot. And it seems that every conservative religious person I’ve seen in the media’s seriously daft.

You’re reading way into those sentences where it mentions “A man shall not lie with another man. God hates that”…. because he clearly doesn’t say, ‘don’t allow homosexuals to marry’ or ‘condemn all homosexuals to hell’….
So people, what’re you all complaining about? Why on earth would such nut-job groups as the Westboro Baptist Church despise homosexual people when they themselves are just trying to live a life of love, fairness and compassion.

Equality, people, is the message that all those holy texts are trying to get across.
And if you’re not getting the message, have another look.

Perhaps you’re not such a noob after all.

Here‘s the reason for my rant.

It certainly fueled my fire. ;]

Coming out should be a deadly sin.

And before you misunderstand what I wish to say… have a bit of a read. :}
Please. ;]

Oh yeah, and if you’re homophobic… this song‘s about you.

I mean that it should be a sin… and that it’s a horrible thing and shouldn’t exist, simply because I feel people shouldn’t have to come out. Why can’t the people in this world, look towards each other with feelings of admiration, respect and down to earth love? Why so much hate and disrespect that a simple thing such as sexuality (that shouldn’t really be a public issue) becomes a ridiculous problem and people feel as if they have to hide it?

People come in all shapes, sizes, colours, races, speak different languages and have different sexual orientations… it’s what makes human-kind such a beautiful and complex thing. It’s what makes the world truly interesting…. and the evolution of humanity has a long way to go… that I can say. If we were all to be truly human, there wouldn’t be so much hatred in the world. Sure, people would say that man’s basic instinct is survival, and I agree wholeheartedly. But how on earth do you expect particular groups who are discriminated against to survive? How do you think someone would feel if they were being called anything but ‘human’. Words hurt people. They dig incredibly deep, and are horribly difficult to take back.

Time to get out the tissues…

Dear World,

Listen Up!

aNoteToMyKid.com is perhaps the sweetest and most care-filled way that a parent can explain to their child/dren how much they love them despite their ‘differences’ from the rest of the kids in the neighbourhood. Aimed at providing a little hope and love between families with “LGBT and questioning youth, or any parent for that matter, with a platform for expressing unconditional love.”

I came across the link by stalking someone else’s blog on here and got all teary just reading two extracts from the website’s page. This is something I know my very own mother would have done. :]
For life without love is no life at all.

It also parallels the It Gets Better Project which “was created to show young LGBT people the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will reach — if they can just get through their teen years.”

Both links are well worth visiting, in support of LGBT youth worldwide. I hope you have the time to check them out. :]

To see my surprisingly ever so popular LGBT themed blog post about Glee and Grey’s Anatomy, click here. :]
And don’t forget to lend a hand to my dear friends at twenty10 by clicking the banner in my right-hand side bar.

With love and peace.
Ryan :]

BOOMPOW. TV has a punch these days.

Once again, I feel as if I’m delaying those dreaded posts on the Deutschland Tour. For which I guess I am. I still have yet to select my favourite photo’s from the reel of 1,000 or so images I took with my handy little camera (must rethank Aunty Kara for that).

But there’s been so many odd little things happening to me recently that I worry I’ll forget their significance if I don’t write it all down. So one thing strange is that my two favourite TV shows (both amazing and incredibly different) Glee and Grey’s Anatomy have raised issues of Homophobia. And they’ve done it in such unexpected ways, that it was truly a kick-ass classy act. It certainly parallels with the status of the NOH8 campaign.

Grey’s features a lesbian wedding and Glee features a queen (in the derogatory sense) being coronated as Prom Queen as a sick prank. Both events have seriously hit home and I wish to let everyone know I wish to be fighting for justice on my return to Oz. I think it’s totally and utterly unacceptable that there be such hatred existing in the world.