The tension of the handkerchief - do you feel it too?
CW: This episode contains themes of a sexual nature, including references to kinkWho do you think you are? A universal tension exists in an acute way for trans people, our dependency on other people for recognition, part of how identity works is laid bare in the struggle for trans liberation.Perhaps not better explained by examinig not just any simple piece of cloth, but the very queer and Trans+ history of the handkerchief.There’s the hanky code (or flagging). There are historical examples (some fictional, others not): phallic handkerchiefs, morality judgments intertwined with the hanky, hankies as tokens passed from lover to lover, and handkerchiefs worn around the neck. But they all rely upon the handkerchief to be read – to be perceived in a certain way. They rely upon dependency.In this week's QueerAF podcast with Trans+ History Week, Ted Tinkler explores the ontology of the handkerchief and what it tells us about the power dynamics of dependency and intimacy - and what that tells us about being Trans+.Episode Credits: Produced by Ted Tinkler. Executive production and mastering by Jamie Wareham. A QueerAF Production. Made with support from Publicis Groupe UK.Thanks yous from Ted: A huge thanks to Olivia Warren, Kylo Thomas, Raul Cornier, Del laGrace Volcano, Hal Fischer, and Nat Reeve for their generosity and time during our conversations. The brilliant song used at different points in the show is “Summertime, Free Palestine” by Gay Skeleton Club.Sign up as a QueerAF member to listen along ad-free and support our not-for-profit work, investing in a new generation of queer audio professionals:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/membership/If you like our podcast, you'll love our free weekly newsletter that thousands of readers use to understand the LGBTQIA+ 🏳️🌈 headlines, learn new perspectives and stay on top of the latest queer content. Try it now:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/subscribe/Make sure to sign up for updates about Trans+ History Week, a QueerAF launchpad project:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/transhistoryweek/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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42:17
How to tell better LGBTQIA+ stories
How can we use stories as part of the fight back against anti-LGBTQIA+ narratives?At an acute time for our community, stories are a powerful tool to unpack prejudice and set a better narrative for queer communities.But what can the media industry do differently, and how can we do this in the audio and podcast space? Join us for an insider goss look at what it's like to tackle this question as a media professional. By sharing this to our audience, we hope you can better understand the way the media works. The more we understand how it works, the better we can advocate for its change.In this 30-minute panel, with a short Q&A we ask our expert guests what we can do to ensure the stories we tell about LGBTQIA+ lives do justice to the community in engaging, entertaining and high-impact ways.Episode Credits: Hosted and chaired by QueerAF's Jamie Wareham and joined by Ki Griffin (Hollyoaks actor, producer of a QueerAF podcast for Trans+ History Week), Phil Samba (Host of The Other Blue Pill documentary podcast, Love Tank and PrEPster) and Holly Newson (Executive producer, most recently of the British Podcast Award's 'Gold Podcast Of The Year' Press, Play, Turn On). Recorded at Acast Studios London, and held during Indie News Week.Sign up as a QueerAF member to listen along ad-free and support our not-for-profit work, investing in a new generation of queer audio professionals:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/membership/If you like our podcast, you'll love our free weekly newsletter that thousands of readers use to understand the LGBTQIA+ 🏳️🌈 headlines, learn new perspectives and stay on top of the latest queer content. Try it now:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/subscribe/Make sure to sign up for updates about Trans+ History Week, a QueerAF launchpad project:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/transhistoryweek/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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49:37
Back when boys, played girls, pretending to be boys
There perhaps isn’t a more British way, to say - gender is a construct - than with Shakespeare is there?So put aside your stack of sonnets, go stick on the kettle, brew a cuppa, and let Shevek Imogen Fodor tell you about the gender foolery that took place in Shakespearean England and ignited and already ember burning flame of gender diversity on stage in the UK's most hallowed theatre institutions.If we acknowledge that gender was performed, messed with and expanded on stage then we can find a glimpse of positive non-binary, genderqueer, genderfluid ways of existing in the past. That's what we'll explore in another episode with Trans+ History Week of the QueerAF podcast.Episode Credits: Produced by Shevek Imogen Fodor. Opening monologue performed by Aryn Jae (they/them). Executive production and mastering by Jamie Wareham. A QueerAF Production. Made with support from Publicis Groupe UK.From Shevek:"Additional thanks to: Dr Will Tosh (he/him); Emma (they/them); Sarah Li (she/they); Stan Doubt (he/him); Vick the Prick (say what you see); Veggie Stripper (he/they); Mack (they/he); and Darkwah (they/them).Thanks to all of the lovely members of the DGA Collective who helped me feel so at home rediscovering drag performance in the North East, sharing all of their experiences of queer discovery and self-acceptance to inspire my thinking for this project. Find out more about Edward's Boys here. Find out more about the history of male impersonation and principal boys with the virtual exhibition of Opening the Closet Doors, the project Sarah did with the Darlington Hippodrome. All of my knowledge and fascination with Shakespeare is a direct result of my parents - I'm indebted to them and to my queer extended found family for encouraging, supporting and inspiring me always (and especially while making this)."Music:“Enlightened”; “Pondering”; “It Doesn’t Have to End”; “Timeless Master” - Medieval Lofi - licensed under a CCSA4.0. Vintage Piano - Piano_Music (Pixabay)Sign up as a QueerAF member to listen along ad-free and support our not-for-profit work, investing in a new generation of queer audio professionals:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/membership/If you like our podcast, you'll love our free weekly newsletter that thousands of readers use to understand the LGBTQIA+ 🏳️🌈 headlines, learn new perspectives and stay on top of the latest queer content. Try it now:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/subscribe/Make sure to sign up for updates about Trans+ History Week, a QueerAF launchpad project:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/transhistoryweek/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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29:11
Without this trans woman, you couldn't to listen to podcasts
Lynn Conway pioneered the technology that makes it possible to use the device you're about to listen to this podcast on now.She even coined a term for why her story has been forgotten, ignored and erased. With a contribution to computer science in almost parallel importance to Alan Turing, producer Chuck Copenspire explains the Connway Effect of why her story is only just beginning to be celebrated as well as the legacy that should be.In this episode of the QueerAF podcast, producer Chuck Copenspire digs through precious archive material of Lynn, telling her story in her own words, mixed with interviews with her contemporaries and historians to ask: what is her legacy, and why has it so rare for people to know her work? Like Alan Turing, her work in computer science was pivotal to how the world works today.Dig deeper into Lynn's work on the Successful Trans Men's Archive in the Trans+ History Week 2025 workbook:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/trans-computing-pioneer-lynn-conway-knew-that-were-stronger-together/Episode Credits: Produced by Chuck Copenspire. Executive production and mastering by Jamie Wareham. A QueerAF Production. Made with support from Publicis Groupe UK. With thanks to all of our guest's valuable time and archive material from: LGBTQ Digital Collaboratory, Trans Activism Oral History Project, Michigan Engineering, University of Victoria, PBS Origins and the Greater Victoria Public Library. Sign up as a QueerAF member to listen along ad-free and support our not-for-profit work, investing in a new generation of queer audio professionals:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/membership/If you like our podcast, you'll love our free weekly newsletter that thousands of readers use to understand the LGBTQIA+ 🏳️🌈 headlines, learn new perspectives and stay on top of the latest queer content. Try it now:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/subscribe/Make sure to sign up for updates about Trans+ History Week, a QueerAF launchpad project:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/transhistoryweek/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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35:37
Live Episode: Star War's Abigail Thorn and Sex Education's Anthony Lexa
Abigail Thorn is currently filming a new role as a trans femme action star, she revealed at the Trans+ History Week community event on a live recording of the QueerAF podcast. The actor, who is known for her roles in the Game Of Thrones (House Of The Dragon, Sharako Lohar) and Star Wars (The Acolyte, Ensign Eurus) universes, said: “I can't say what it is, but I am about to start filming a big action thing this summer. I'm having boxing lessons and sword fighting lessons like three times a week and like learning to dive across things.” Although there has been a transgender superhero before, notably Dreamer, played by Nicole Maines in the CW series Supergirl - Thorn says this is the first time a trans femme person has been cast as an action star in a production of this kind. “I said to the producers when I got it, was like, thank you for giving me this. Because they didn't write it with a trans woman in mind, they just wrote it. And I said to the producers, thank you for giving me this because the idea that a trans woman can be an action star has not yet occurred to anyone outside of this project. And when it does, it's going to blow their minds.”Check out the full interview with special guest Abigail Thorn and guest host Anthony Lexa out now.And if you missed last year's interview with Anthony LExa and co-star Felix Mufti, listen back here. Sign up as a QueerAF member to listen along ad-free and support our not-for-profit work, investing in a new generation of queer audio professionals:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/membership/If you like our podcast, you'll love our free weekly newsletter that thousands of readers use to understand the LGBTQIA+ 🏳️🌈 headlines, learn new perspectives and stay on top of the latest queer content. Try it now:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/subscribe/Make sure to sign up for updates about Trans+ History Week, a QueerAF launchpad project:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/transhistoryweek/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
About QueerAF | Inspiring LGBTQIA+ stories told by emerging queer creatives
QueerAF is the award-winning (more than a) podcast with beyond-the-binary stories about queerness, history, sexuality, gender and identity from the UK's only press-regulated not-for-profit LGBTQIA+ publisher with a new episode out every Monday this Pride season. QueerAF helps you understand the LGBTQIA+ world and support queer creatives to change the media. All our shows are created by a different budding LGBTQIA+ audio producer who we mentor and support to create an inspiring queer story. As well as a mix of mini-documentaries and limited series, look out for our live podcast specials, with celebrities, activists and inspiring speakers.The podcast, with its roots and first four seasons in collaboration with National Student Pride, and later seasons with Trans+ History Week gives young queer creatives a crucial leg up on the career ladder. For many, it is their first paid audio commission. Our alumni have gone on to work at some of the UK's biggest media outlets including the BBC, PinkNews and Gaydio.British Podcast Awards 'Moment Of The Year' winner (Bronze)Four British Podcast Awards nominationsARIAS 2021 'Impact Award' shortlistedDownload and take the UK's best LGBTQIA+ inspiring stories podcast with you. Get the show in all the places podcasts exist.https://www.wearequeeraf.com/podcast/Or sign up as a QueerAF member to listen along ad-free:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/membership/If you like our podcast, you'll love our free weekly newsletter that thousands of readers use to understand the LGBTQIA+ 🏳️🌈 headlines, learn new perspectives and stay on top of the latest queer content. Try it now:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/subscribe/Make sure to sign up for updates about Trans+ History Week, a QueerAF launchpad project:https://www.wearequeeraf.com/transhistoryweek/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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