Oh Hey, Gays!

Vollie LaVont by Oh Hey Gays

Happy Mardi Gras, everybody!!!! ​ If you didn't know, we celebrated Mardi Gras this weekend in Sydney. It's the annual LGBTQ+ event that runs for weeks and finishes with a parade down Oxford Street. ​ There's so much history involved in the event and this week Sarah and I unpack all of that and more!

So this week Sarah and I take a look at Martina Navratilova's recent comments about trans people in sport. She says that “Letting men compete as women simply if they change their name and take hormones is unfair — no matter how those athletes may throw their weight around,” Navratilova wrote. ​ So Sarah and I take a look at that. Is she out of her mind? Is she telling the truth? Can men pretend to be trans in order to win sporting scholarships? We examine the evidence.

Hey so this episode my friend Brooke and I went to talk to the incredibly talented, Handsome. We are both huge fans of her music and it was a match made in heaven when she agreed to come on the podcast.  ​ We spoke to her for over an hour about everything you can think of. She gave her time and her thoughts on life to us so freely that when we left we did cartwheels in the hotel hallway we were so excited.  ​

This week Sarah and I talk about gay slang. Well, derogatory words I guess. Is it appropriate for LGBTQI people to use derogatory terms with each other? Or should we not use them at all? And how do you feel when straight people use them? ​ I think we can and should use them, but maybe you don't? Ya'll know Sarah probably doesn't think we should. ​ It's an interesting topic. I also discuss my week of drag race. #TeamManila

With the recent news about the attack on Jussie Smollett, Sarah and I talk homophobia. Why in 2019 are we still unable to walk down a street without the far of being beaten up or have something yelled at us? It drives me crazy, as you'll see in this ep.

My chat with Robin Hammond was one of those moments in your life where you realise you're not doing enough. Of anything, for anyone. ​ You might know the really popular Instagram account, Witness Change. It's visual storytelling platform that documents human rights abuses A project of that organisation is Where Love is Illegal. It shares LGBTQI stories of survival from around the world. And that's why I wanted to talk to Robin. ​ I hope you enjoy the chat. He's a really great guy and the work he does is so important.

Horoscopes by Oh Hey Gays

We are at the end of Season 3! I can't believe it and I want to thank you all for listening and supporting us. We're finishing Season 3 with just the two of us, discussing a situation I was part of on the weekend. It really left me thinking hard for a few days about expectations - our own and everyone else's. Again, thanks for listening and see you in the new year!

So I'm guessing ya'll remember our episode last season with Brandi Love and how incredible she is? Right? Well guess what - she's on again!  ​ I feel like Brandi Love is now a best friend of Oh Hey, Gays! & you know what, we like it! She's so smart and funny and articulate and honestly remains one of our favourite guests.  I had some questions this time for Brandi that I knew only she could answer and I'm so grateful she let me ask them. We talk staying healthy in the industry, squirting, anal sex and more! Hope you enjoy!

So anyone that knows me, knows how much I love drag queens. I follow a few on Instagram and am an absolute devotee of RuPaul's Drag Race.  ​ One of the Queens I follow is Kari Kerning and I've been busting to speak to her for so long. She's a New York Queen, a Concept Queen and just a gorgeous human being.  ​ We chat literally about everything and I wish I could have stayed talking for hours.  ​ Thanks again, Kari. I'm forever grateful I got to be part of your world for an hour.

Hey guys, first up I'd like to say how lucky I feel to do this podcast. I've met some of the best people doing it and Eleanor is one of them. ​ She's one of those kinds of people who dream really big and actually set out to do what they dream about. She also inspires a serious amount of people along the way. She recently competed in the Great Pacific Race that took 62 days to complete in a 7.6m ocean rowing boat. Like, holy shit guys! That's intense! ​ But I guess it's not about the race - it's about pushing mental limits and putting trust in yourself. She's a super cool lady and it was an amazing chat.

Guess what, everyone?! Even if you're part of the LGBTQI community, you still have rights! Astonishing isn't it? ​ Having recently experienced my own very special kind of discrimination, and discrimination in the past, I was keen to shine a light on what rights we actually have in Australia. Turns out, there are a few. From workplace situations to family matters, LGBTQI people can access services (and often free) if they need them. I sat down with Matilda Alexander from the LGBTQI Legal Service in Brisbane, Australia to talk about the law and where we actually stand when we come across a situation that we don't think is right.

Hey so I interviewed YouTube legend and LGBT sex educator, Stevie Boebi this week. ​ I harassed her manager A LOT to get this interview and I'm glad I did. Thanks Dan! ​ We talk YouTube, LGBT sex education and illness. It's super fun and Stevie is great as per usual.

So I saw this Ted Talk a few months ago and was incredibly moved by Morgana's story. So much so that I immediately had to contact her and ask her to come on my podcast. ​ Her talk is called "The Danger of Hiding Who You Are" and in it, she comes out to an audience full of her colleagues. ​ As moving as that is, it's the story of why she decided to come out that really gets you thinking. ​ I'm not going to say anymore - watch the video and then listen to the podcast. We'd love to hear what you think.

So you want to be a straight ally? Good news! You can be! ​ With so much going on around the world lately in regard to LGBTQI rights, we need all the support we can get. ​ On this episode, Sarah and I discuss the logistics of being a straight ally, how you can do it and how you can do it well. I also get a bit worked up about how it feels to always be fighting for our rights. It's a fun ep.

This week I sat down with two of my favourite homosexuals, my pals Nicole and Jarrad to talk about rainbow families. We are all parents but have all taken VERY different paths to form our families and it's interesting to learn about our differences. ​ I think we often hear a lot of critical talk about LGBT families but I'm here to tell you - there's a lot of thought and planning that goes into making a rainbow family and they come in all shapes and colours. Hope you enjoy this episode - it was fun to record.

Shea Diamond. It’s hard to even know where to start but to say she’s completely blown me away would be an understatement. As soon as I saw the video clip for her acoustic version of ‘American Pie’ I knew I had to move mountains to speak to her. And mountains I moved. She shares stories about growing up, being trans, going to prison and what it means to live your truth. I’m not going to say anymore - Shea speaks for herself. She's thought-provoking, articulate and it’s worth every second of your time. The best hour I’ve spent with someone in a long time. Trust me when I say this amazing lady is gonna change the world and I'm gonna be right there cheering her on.

So in between season 2 & 3, I wanted to put up a few mini eps each week so you don't miss us too much. This one - Sarah and I talk about stress. What stresses you? How do you deal with your stress? Should I really have to put down my device in order to stop my stress? We find out!

So in between season 2 & 3, I wanted to put up a few mini eps each week so you don't miss us too much. This one - Sarah and I talk about casual sex. We cover how to do it, what kind of fetishes you might come across and how some of us are just way better at it than others. Hint: not me.