Anna is going to San Francisco to cover the 35th anniversary of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, Aunjanue Ellis comes out as bisexual, a school gets creative to celebrate pride – Thursday, June 2, 2022

00:00 – Welcome & Intro

01:41 – Happy Pride

02:02 – Intro Music by Aina Bre’Yon

02:42 – I’m going to San Francisco 

04:13 – Aunjanue Ellis comes out as bisexual

05:10 – A school board bans the pride flag but the students and faculty get creative

06:21 – Anna’s Got A Word

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Transcript

Family, this is your favorite queer radio personality Anna DeShawn with our queer news for today. I’m back. It feels to be back on the mic and with you. It’s been an amazing and intense and whirlwind week. 2 cities, in 4 days. 2 panels & I led 2 presentations. Who’s life is this? Y’all it’s mine and I can see the life I want manifesting itself. The work is no joke and the freedom is worth it. 

Now, if you enjoy what you hear please consider joining the QCrew. The QCrew is our monthly membership program we just started to help us grow the podcast. I want to bring on a producer, an editor, and travel around the country to tell our stories. If you’re down with it check the link in the show notes for more information. Now for the news.

The QCrew came through and I’m going to San Francisco to cover the 35th anniversary of the AIDS Memorial Quilt! WooHoo! Aunjanue Ellis comes out as bisexual and a school board bans the pride flag but the students and faculty get creative.  

I am going to San Francisco. I am going to San Francisco. I am going to San Francisco. Amazing. I put a call out about a month ago and a listener responded. This listener reminded me that y’all are actually listening and that you believe in me. Thank you. A big thank you to the QCrew for coming through on the financial support because without you I would absolutely not be able to make this time. There are a few reasons I want to go to San Francisco and cover this moment in history. First, I’ve never seen the quilt in person and it holds significant meaning for our community. Second, this will be the largest display in over a decade. There will be 350 blocks which represent 3,000 panels. 3,000 stories of people who lost their lives to AIDS.

Third, I have an opportunity to tell the story and bring it back to you. I want you to experience it with me. I know so many people who have HIV and they are thriving today. This didn’t just happen because people cared. Because the government cared. It happened because people fought back. They laid in the streets. They disrupted everyday life. They ignited change. I want to feel that and my best opportunity is there in San Francisco. So thank you again family. 

Now you all know its Pride month and folks are ready to come out. Well first up is Aunjanue Ellis who recently came out in a Variety magazine interview. What’s funny about this is that she’s been telling us for a while and no one picked up on it. She literally wore “Queer” bling’d out on the sleeve of her jacket on the red carpet in March. She thinks people thought it said “Queen”. She’s been out in her personal life and decided to outwardly share with us this year. She said It is important to have more depictions of Black LGBTQ+ figures “because it is the truth of who we are…It is not a blemish on who we are. It is. It is something that I am insisting on in what I bring into the world creatively.” So congrats Aunjanue for sharing your story out loud and for representing our bi fam. Not many people have the courage to do that. 

This last story is coming out of New Jersey where last year a high school raised the pride flag. Well almost immediately the school board realized they didn’t have a policy for this type of thing. This drove them to create a policy where only the American flag, a New Jersey state flag, or a school flag can be flown. Well the Gay-Straight Allince decided to protest the decision this year and gathered 75 supporters but it didn’t push the school board to make any changes so they got creative. Since the policy only spoke about the flag poles they decided to hang rainbow flags in the windows of the school for everyone to see from the outside. Check the show page on E3 Radio’s website to see the picture. It’s pretty cool. A freshman at the school said, ​​ “Some kids feel like they need the support, because they don’t get it at home. The fact that they could come to school to learn in an environment where they feels safe and protected and supported for or something they can’t change, I think it’s a wonderful thing.” I think its wonderful too. 

Let’s close out the podcast with a word from Elliot Page. This world would be a whole lot better if we just made an effort to be less horrible to one another. So let’s try that. Let’s be a little less horrible. Till tomorrow family, peace

Sources

Aunjanue Ellis, Star of King Richard, Comes Out as Bi 

https://www.advocate.com/people/2022/6/01/aunjanue-ellis-star-king-richard-comes-out-bi

A school banned the rainbow flag from being flown. Students & teachers had the best response.

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/06/school-banned-rainbow-flag-flown-students-teachers-best-response/