lgbtiq history
“She liked her own sex — and they liked her.”
In September 1906, Constable Donnelly of Brisbane arrested William Edwards on a warrant from Victoria for burglary. The policeman already knew Edwards, a popular and personable barman at a city pub. Donnelly made the acquaintance of the short, slightly built Bill Edwards 14 months before. However, in all that time, he never suspected, until informed …
No hurry to claim Alan Jones as our own
Alan Jones is, many people believe, a misogynist. Yet the most common word used for him by online detractors is arguably the most misogynist in the English language. Similarly, people usually scathing of homophobia don’t hesitate to call Jones a ‘bitter old queen’. What do we do about a man who brings out the worst …
Rev’d Chris Tyack: the Anglican Church & Father Trevor Bulled
The Reverend Chris Tyack writes of his experience of and in the Anglican Church and in particular of his memories of Father Trevor Bulled, openly gay priest for many years at Fortitude Valley’s Holy Trinity Church. For many LGBT+ people over 40, the Church represents an ancien regime of unhappy memory. My own relationship to …
Queensland man charged over 1976 murder
Police today charged a Bundaberg man with the 1976 murder of Rex Kable Keen in Brisbane. Hotel staff discovered his body in room 1205 at Lennon’s Plaza Hotel on the morning of 14 August 1976. The 46-year-old motel manager regularly stayed at Lennon’s on his visits to Brisbane. In August 2014, he came to town …
Commemorating Stonewall Riot 50th Anniversary in Hobart
Equality Tasmania plan a commemoration marking the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City for Hobart Friday evening. The Stonewall Riots saw patrons of the Stonewall gay bar fight back against repeated police raids on the LGBTI venue. Many now recognise the riots as the beginning of the modern LGBTI rights movement. …
Anne Lister: the amazing true story of Gentleman Jack
Gentleman Jack starring Suranne Jones, tells the true story of a lifetime of lesbian relationships. The story comes straight from the pages of the secret diary of 19th century intellectual and industrialist Anne Lister. The cast: WOW! The acting: WOW! The period settings: WOW! The production values: WOW! WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE? Gentleman Jack is …
Gay Erasure: F***, Fight or Fluke: Gayme of Thrones Pt 2
The history of monarchs often reveals stark evidence of gay erasure. In Part One of this series we looked at earlier English kings. In this instalment of Gayme of Thrones we hark back to the Greek poet Sappho and then examine Edward II of England. Despite the earnest propaganda of monarchists, divine right has SFA …
F***, fight or fluke: The British Gayme of Thrones
Despite the earnest propaganda of monarchists, divine right has SFA to do with who gets to plonk their entitled arse on a throne. The ascension of a British monarch usually results from one of the three Fs. Some get there by virtue of a F***, many have to Fight for it and others are mere …
Living Treasures of Queensland: Toye de Wilde
A number of extraordinary people blessed Queensland’s rainbow communities with their presence and efforts over the years. They worked to build a sense of community, to combat unjust laws and to protect us from a plague of biblical proportion. Over the coming months, Bill Rutkin OAM will profile the remarkable individuals whose efforts benefitted us …
Intersex soldiers and cross-dressing women at war
By Olivia Murphy, University of Sydney A documentary from the Smithsonian Institute, examining new DNA and physical anthropology evidence, suggests the famous cavalry officer Casimir Pulaski (1745-1779) might have been a woman, or intersex. Casimir Pulaski is a hero of the struggles for Polish and American independence. He is credited with saving George Washington’s life …