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There’s no place like the Qube.
Family, it’s your favorite queer radio personality, Anna Deshawn. And this is Queer News, your favorite weekly news pod where race and sexuality meet politics, culture, and entertainment. First and foremost, family, happy Black History Month. Y’all better be celebrating out there. Okay. Teaching some young people about black history, teaching some coworkers, dropping some messages, uplifting the voices.
And the stories and the history and the herstory of the black community. I love this month. Okay. Yes, I do. Now, as promised, I want to answer some of the questions you left for me in the survey. Y’all took the time and I want to take the time too. Okay. So first question, I am detailed oriented and notice that the podcast description in different podcast players still says that the news is brought daily and has not been updated.
Also, I do not understand what E3 radio is. Is it a physical radio station? All right. So these are great freaking questions. And I just wanted to let y’all know that I too have been frustrated that the description has not been updated. Now my hope is that it is updated now. Turns out. Within Lipsyn. So I use Lipsyn to host the Queer News Podcast.
When I originally put in the description, cool, it goes and it populates across all podcast players. But when I updated the description, it never updated. And I never understood why. Turns out there’s an override and a whole nother place within the Lipsyn platform to update this information. Now I’ve done this and it should be updated now to show that it’s weekly and that we drop every Monday by 7am.
So I’m with you. I was frustrated too. And E3 Radio is an online radio station. We are online. I started it in November of 2009 and we play queer music and we report on queer news. Quite literally, it’s taken on so many forms over the years since I started in November of 2009. It was a passion project the entire time I worked in corporate.
And that was the case until I quit corporate in February of 2021 to pursue E3 Radio and to build The Cube. And so that’s what E3 is. If you’re looking to discover some new queer music and queer artists, tap in E3Radio. fm to listen anytime you want. 24 7, 365. Yes, indeed. So thank you for that question. I really appreciate it.
I also want to share a couple of wonderful updates with y’all. First, Queer News won a Sonic Boom Award. Boom, boom, boom, boom. Yes, we did. At the She Podcasts conference, I won for their News Ninja category, which is pretty dope. I mean, I really love that name, News Ninja. I was nominated alongside Side The Newsworthy, hosted by Erica Mandy, and Diabetes Connections hosted by Stacy Sims.
Two other great pods for you to go and check out. Also big ups to my friend Nicole, who accepted the award on my behalf. I also wanna thank SHE Podcast and Casa Media Productions for starting these awards, celebrating women and non-binary folks in podcasting. That space is definitely needed. Thank y’all.
The next great news is that I have been accepted as a CNP narrative justice fellow. Now, this is a three month program that aims to change public policy regarding HIV and HIV criminalization by changing the narrative. About black, gay, bisexual, and queer men, as well as the larger black LGBTQAIA plus community.
Now, CNP has been doing this good work for 10 years. That’s right. They’re celebrating their 10 year anniversary this year. And so I’m sharing this news with y’all because through the fellowship, I’m actually going to be creating two special edition episodes for the Queer News. Podcast this month, sharing stories of black queer folks whose lives have been impacted by the HIV AIDS epidemic.
Now, I hope y’all tune in for these episodes on the feed. I think y’all are really going to enjoy these highlights. They’re going to drop on Fridays. All right. Friday, February 16th and Friday, February 23rd. So stay close to the feed. I really hope y’all enjoy these stories. It’s that time to talk about the cute crew.
We’ve actually had seven new members join us in January. So let us welcome MJ, Pamela, Tyesha, Crystal, Sanjita, and Reginald. Thank y’all so much for supporting the work of this podcast, this queer news community. Receives weekly emails, sharing top queer news stories and unedited video for me about the top stories.
And now first dibs on our exclusive interviews. The Q Crew helps to supplement the cost of this pod podcast, hosting, editing, marketing, PR, travel, child, all of it. Okay. If you believe in the work we do, if you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, and if you love and respect how I report on the news and tell our stories, join the Q Crew, a link.
Is in the show notes now for the news in politics. I actually got some good news to share. Anti trans legislation was defeated in Iowa while Florida is still up to its same shenanigans now in cultural entertainment. I attended the advocate educators handbook book launch here in Chicago.
And I want to tell y’all all about it. Baylor is retiring Britney Griner’s jersey. Amber Glynn makes history in figure skating. And Victoria Monet makes history in music. There are a couple of the stories in here too. So let’s just jump right in, okay? Let’s go!
Family, in politics, we’ve got some good news to share. A big win is coming out of Iowa as house bill two zero eight two was defeated. Yes, it was three to zero. Now let me tell you about this bill. This bill if passed would have removed transgender individuals. From the state’s civil rights act, like from the entire civil rights act.
What? Yeah, that would have happened. And the bill would have classified trans folks as disabled. What? This is the type of legislation the right is pushing in legislatures across the country. But do y’all know what happened in Iowa? Hundreds. Yes, family. Hundreds of people showed up.
So when it came time for this house judiciary subcommittee to actually hear testimony for this bill, do you know there were only four people that stood up in favor of the bill and one of them was the sponsor of the bill? That’s right. Only four people were in support of this. Just complete nonsense.
There were far more people who testified who were against this bill. One testimony that really stood out was from Amy Wickendale. She’s Iowa’s first elected trans member of government. She said, Haven’t you already taken enough? Or do you need to sacrifice another pound of flesh on the altar of the culture war?
You’ve denied us healthcare, banned our books, and harassed and forcibly outed queer kids. If the leadership in this body had any dignity whatsoever, it would immediately adjourn this subcommittee and issue an immediate apology for ever having entertained such an egregious violation of human rights. Amy, you better say it.
And then the committee voted three to zero to defeat the bill altogether. Yes, they did. And when they did, it’s reported that they could hear cheers all across the capital. So we say way to go, Iowa. Okay. Cause we needed a win. And why not out of the Midwest? Oof. I usually don’t get up for things like this.
But I decided to wake up so that I could share a little bit. I just wanted to see if you could kind of imagine what it’s like to be black, lesbian, working class. And a woman in this state, I decided to wake up and come before you and just say, ouch, ouch. I feel like I’m in a playground and bullies are just beating me upside the head.
You’re not want it. You’re not worth it. You’re no good. I feel like I live in a state that if I’m not in mainstream, I should go away altogether. This is the most heartbreaking experience that I’m having. No defense. If it’s list
on the first day of black history, I stand for freedom, freedom of expression for all Floridians. I stand for freedom. LGBTs do not need conversion therapy. We need respect, love, and a return of dignity. Respect, love, and dignity. The voice you just heard was Yolanda and Equality Florida posted her testimony in regards to House Bill 1639, which was heard in the Florida House Insurance and Baking Subcommittee.
I’m telling y’all. They are hitting these bills from every single angle. How in the world is a anti trans bill coming out of the house insurance and banking subcommittee? It just, it’s infuriating, but I digress. And let me tell you about this bill and why Yolanda was so impassioned. Okay. This bill seeks to deny.
The legal existence of trans folks in Florida. It would require trans folks to identify as their sex assigned at birth Instead of their gender identity on their driver’s licenses and their ID cards This bill would also require health plans to cover cover the practice of conversion therapy What? Kara gross the legislative director and senior policy council at ACLU of florida Said this, imagine a police officer pulling someone over for speeding and questioning the driver about whether the male or female designation on their license reflects the officer’s assumption about a person’s gender.
Are we really passing legislation that requires adults to prove their gender at traffic stops? Would the officer be able to confiscate the license if they refused? Family. This is an example of legislation that is looking to erase trans folks from public life. That is what this bill Essentially we’ll do.
So this bill passed 12 to six, so a pretty wide margin and it’s cleared its second of three house committees. So the next steps for this bill, it’s got to pass that third committee and then it has to pass the house and then it has to pass the Senate. And honestly the way things have been going in Florida and I feel like this will be on DeSantis’s desk.
Very soon.
I think now is a great time to take a quick break and we’ll be right back with culture and entertainment news.
If you’re hearing this, it means we didn’t sell this ad space. If you’re hearing this, it means running ads on our podcast actually can work. You see what I did there? You see this real life example. You got an event. Do you have an organization? Do you got something you need to get the word out about? We got rates starting as low as 100.
Check the link in our show notes for more information, family. Welcome back to the pod. I’m kicking off our culture and entertainment section with a story that I covered here in Chicago. It was actually the book launch of the advocate educators handbook. It’s written by Vanessa Ford and Rebecca cling.
This book is all about creating schools where transgender and non binary students thrive. I had the opportunity to talk with Vanessa and Rebecca. And one of my first questions was, how did you all end up writing this together? So, here’s what Vanessa had to say. I knew when we were asked to write this book that I wanted to make sure that I, it wasn’t just us people writing the book.
So I knew I needed to find a trans coauthor and without question, it was going to be Rebecca. And she said, yes, it was like a big proposal. Yep. That makes total sense to me. And I asked Rebecca why this book is so important right now. Here what she had to say. Absolutely. Right now. There are, there is such a range of experiences that trans and non binary students have and we want to make sure that all of them, no matter where in the country they are and what resources are available, all of them have the opportunity to really thrive at school and that the book provides tools that we’re hoping anyone in any school district at any school age level can put into place to, to really, um, help trans and non binary students and help, uh, help create a space where, um, everyone can receive an amazing education.
And I think we can all agree that all people deserve the opportunity to receive an amazing education. And right now, a lot of educators don’t have the tools. And so they put together this book and let me tell you about the book. It’s broken up into two parts. Okay. The first part is setting the. Stage. And the second part is about the four core principles.
Okay. So setting the stage is giving background information is giving folks terms and definitions, Chile, because the queers got lots of terms. Okay. We got lots of definitions and they are forever changing. Okay. Now, part two is about four core principles, educate, affirm, include, and disrupt. Now they also provide additional resources, professional development provider options.
I mean, this book is a guide for educators and I think it’s done in such a beautiful way. Based on the conversation that I had with Vanessa and Rebecca and being there for the launch, I think this is hard work. Yeah. And I think it’s a wonderful resource. So if you’re a teacher, go get the book. If you know some teachers, go buy 10 books.
Okay. Because I think this is really going to help a lot of people. And to that end, we bought a book for my sister. Congratulations, Vanessa and Rebecca. The world needs this book. And now for a little sports news, Brittany Griner’s jersey will finally be retired in the rafters. Of the Baylor Bears. Now, this has been a saga for a very long time, and let me give y’all a little bit of the tea.
Kim Mokey, who’s currently the coach of LSU, was the coach at Baylor for 21 years, and she coached Brittany Griner. One of her rules was no one can be retired if they don’t actually graduate from Baylor. Well, Brittany left as the number one pick in 2013. And she didn’t graduate, but here’s the deal. She went back and graduated in 2019 and they still hadn’t retired her jersey.
But for even more context, Brittany Griner talks about how Kim Moky told her to stay in the closet while she was going to school and playing ball at Baylor. When BG was wrongfully detained, when asked about it, Kim Moky refused to comment. I mean. Y’all, I just don’t think they got along.
And when you have retired Odyssey Sims jersey, Nina Davis’s jersey, how could you not retire Brittany Griner’s jersey when she was a four time Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, a three time Big 12 Player of the Year? 2012 NCAA national champion has a record of 135 and 15. Like she literally only lost 15 games, her whole college career.
Okay. Six big 12 championships led the team to a 40 and O record. When they won said championship. Mm hmm. And then was the number one overall pick in the 2013 draft has been one of the most decorated players in all of the WNBA? And y’all still ain’t retired her jersey? Child. Britney said, I’m honored to return home to Baylor and celebrate where so much of my journey started.
I’m grateful to coach Nikki Collin and And the entire Baylor community. And I’m looking forward to the opportunity to be back on campus, spend time with the team and have my family beside me to share in this incredible moment. Sick em bears. I love this moment for BG. I mean BG and her wife, Sherelle met at Baylor, like Baylor.
to her really is home, but she couldn’t make it one while Kim Mulkey was still leading the basketball program. So congratulations to BG. I hope you enjoyed the entire moment. Okay. And we’ll be watching February 18 when her Jersey goes up in the rafters and a little bit more sports news. I wanted to make sure I sent out some love to Amber Glenn.
Now I had never heard of Amber Glenn before reading this. story. But let me tell y’all what caught my attention. I see this figure skater holding the progress flag out wide and smiling ear to ear. And I said, what is this story all about? Well, family, Amber Glenn became the first out queer woman to win the U S figure skating title.
Yes, she did. At 24 years old, She stood there proudly with this medal and the progress flag representing. Okay. She said the fear of not being accepted is a huge struggle for me. Now she told this to the Dallas voice, being perceived as going through just a phase or being indecisive is a common thing for bisexual slash pansexual women.
I don’t want to shove my sexuality in people’s face, but I also don’t want to hide who I am. And Amber, you weren’t hiding. Okay. I see you. I see you. And it is so beautiful. And Amber has been through a lot. She’s suffered concussions. You had to withdraw from the 2022 Olympic trials after testing positive for COVID.
She’s been through a lot. And so this moment is a mountaintop moment for her and we are here for it all. Congratulations, Amber. Now in entertainment news, Victoria Monet has been killing the game, okay? She’s been on the scene for a minute, but this was a breakout year for her, okay? You know her song, On My Mama, don’t you?
I put that on my own mama, on my hood, I look Yep, that’s the one. We can’t play too much, okay? No copyright infringement here. Not here, okay? But it’s got 33 million views on YouTube. Totally blew up the charts and she has now made history. She is out as bi and has been for quite some time. All right. And now she holds the most Grammy nominations in a year for an openly black queer artist.
She’s been nominated seven times this year, and I am so excited for her. I hope she wins one. She deserves it, okay? Because there is no such thing as overnight success, and she is not an overnight success. Congratulations, Victoria Monet. And for our last entertainment story for today, I want to talk about Will Ferrell.
Have you heard about the movie that he created with his best friend who just happens to be of trans experience? Have you heard about it? It’s very possible that you haven’t because it just premiered at Sundance. It’s called Will and Harper. And it’s an intimate portrayal of friendship, transition, and America.
And so when Will’s best friend of 30 years, Harper Still, came to him and said, Hey, I’m trans, Will, their circle of friends, they were excited, but they also didn’t know how to support her. They didn’t know what to do and so they decided to go on a road trip and document this exploration of coming to understand how to support Harper during their transition.
Will says it’s a chance for all of us in the cis community to be able to ask questions and also just to listen and be there as a friend to discuss this journey. Well, it was such a big hit at Sundance, Netflix has already picked it up. So be on the lookout for when the film drops. I’ll give you an update here, but it’s going to be worth the watch.
Family. Y’all know it’s that time of the show where we do Anna’s got a word because Anna’s always got a word and this week I want to uplift. The Voice of Daphne Ward. She’s the Executive Director of the Southern AIDS Coalition. And on Wednesday, February 7th, is Black HIV AIDS Awareness Day. And so with that in mind, I just want to remind you all that HIV is still very real.
We have yet to get to zero and black and brown communities are being affected at alarming rates. And if we want to know why, Daphne breaks it down so beautifully. And I want to leave y’all with this word. As it is a reminder to us just how systemic all of it really is. Here’s to us getting to zero, okay, in this lifetime.
Till next week, family. Peace. Yeah, I think the South 1 National AIDS Memorial recognized it had not done. A lot of programming in the South, while you had the call my name program, which is the program, shout out Jada Harris, the program that Jada leads based in Atlanta, outside of that, there had not been a strong investment or engagement in black and brown communities.
And when you look at the rates of HIV in our communities, as you mentioned, definitely, we still have a national epidemic to end, but in the South, it’s just a whole other level. of disparity. We know that most people living with HIV in the U. S. That are black and brown live in the south. We know that the majority of new HIV diagnoses happens in the south.
We know that most southern states have not expanded Medicaid. Most southern states do not have comprehensive sexual health education in our schools. Most southern states are on the list of the states with the highest rates of poverty and lowest rates of employment and lowest rates of the How the, there’s just all of these things.
And so when I talk about HIV in the context of the South, whenever I present, I always start with this map from 1908 and back in 1908, the NAACP, um, hired cartographers, map makers to show us the rates of lynching in every state in the country. So it’s a really remarkable map of those lightest to darkness and the darker States have the highest rates of lynching in those, you know, that century leading up to 1908.
And if you layer that map with the HIV map, as far as rates of HIV, it’s the same map. So it’s like, we can’t have these conversations about why HIV in the South wasn’t so bad. Until we talk about systemic racism. Until we talk about the fact that this was the plan from the beginning. You know, we want, you know, this is what you were supposed to feel like.
You would have been better off enslaved than living in this region free. Right? This was the system. And I think that’s why I’m so passionate about this work, because HIV is just a perfect storm that shows us what it looks like when communities do not have effective and equitable access to health resources, to educational resources, and are made to feel ashamed when they suffer as a result of a lack of resources.
If you’ve enjoyed what you heard, rate and review us inside your favorite podcasting app. This podcast is written and produced by me, Anna Deshawn. Podcast editing by Ryan Woodhull. And brought to you by E3 Radio and distributed on the Cube. We are Queer News Done Right.