5 January 2019 

Content and trigger warning: Please be aware this episode contains descriptions and discussions about mental health, queerphobia, violence, racism, and discrimination against refugees and asylum seekers, that may be distressing to some listeners. If this type of content is a trigger for you, please contact Lifeline (13 11 14), Switchboard Victoria (1800 184 527), or contact your state-based service.

The episode of Queering The Air you are about to listen to is a repeat from Sunday, 23 June 2019.

In this episode Michele Vescio speaks with three queer refugees about the lived experience of queer refugees and asylum seekers in Australia and the hurdles facing people seeking asylum from their country of origin, notions of othering in queer communities and what changes can be made so that queer communities are more inclusive of queer refugees and asylum seekers, with guests Azlan, a queer Asian-Muslim man, refugee, and an advocate for anti-racism and human rights with Democracy in Colour; Tracy Lamaro, a queer woman and colour, Queering The Air radio presenter, and asylum seeker; and Tina Dixson, a queer feminist academic, policy professional, and refugee, who has worked in the areas of LGBTIQ, refugee and women’s rights both in Australia and overseas, and co-founder of the peer support and advocacy group Queer Sisterhood Project.

The episode ends with statements from Behrouz Boochani and Walid Zazai recorded at the #BringThemHere rally held in Narrm on 4 Nov 2017 whilst they were asylum seeker detainees on Manus Island.

For more information on today’s episode on the lived experience of refugees and asylum seekers, and updates on the Queer Displacements conference, you may find the following resources and calls for action helpful:

- The Queer Displacements conference report, view the statement via http://bit.ly/cbr-statement

- Call on organisations and individuals to sign on to the Canberra Statement on the access to safety and justice for LGBTIQ+ asylum seekers and refugees. View and sign the document via https://tinyurl.com/wlke9xe

- Article: ‘Refugees in limbo: Visa uncertainty makes trauma worse’ that explains how insecure visa status for asylum seekers is associated with greater post-traumatic stress, symptoms of depression, and suicidal intent. Read via https://tinyurl.com/tmpcjap

- Democracy in Colour, an independent national organisation that campaigns to tackle structural racism, based in so-called Australia

- 'Nothing for Them', a report produced La Trobe University, on understanding the support needs of LGBT young people from refugee and newly arrived backgrounds, view the document via https://tinyurl.com/yx2fww8k

- Queer Sisterhood Project, a refugee-led and peer-run support and advocacy group aimed to provide a space of community and belonging to queer refugee women.

Tracklisting: Fade 2 Blaq by ABRA, Declare Independence by Björk, Holiday by George, Body Positivity by Kids on TV.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Queering the Air presents critically engaged commentary from a mix of trans, genderqueer, gender diverse, bisexual, pansexual, lesbian, gay, queer, and intersex perspectives.

Each week's show features a fresh feast of ideas, interviews, news, histories, arts, and discussion with an anti-racist, feminist, and anti-capitalist bent. We have a particular interest in the intersection of queerness with other experiences of marginalisation.

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out what's on the menu for the coming weeks.

In 2015, the collective created We Weren't Born Yesterday, a series exploring queer heritage, vocabulary and intergenerational connections in Arab, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Indian communities in Australia. Read more and listen.

CONTACT US

Contact the whole raucous lot of the Queering the Air collective via queeringtheair@gmail.com, Facebook, or Twitter. 

You can also send mail (like demo CDs) to:

Queering the Air
3CR Community Radio
21 Smith Street
Fitzroy VIC 3065