On an intellectual level, feminists and other activists may champion diversity and critique oppression and marginalisation with passion and conviction. But what do we do when our personal desires and what we find attractive fall outside our politically correct beliefs? 

In 1989 I got a phone… Read full post »

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the bearded lady was a staple attraction of travelling human freak shows. But while these sideshows may have declined in popularity, a bearded woman - or any woman who exhibits masculine traits - is still a social aberration.… Read full post »

Gandhi once said that the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. If that's the case, Australia's report card in the past would say: could do better.

Fortunately, it seems we have taken note. During the past few years the… Read full post »

Are you male or female? For most of us, answering that question is no problem, although whether we want to is another matter. But for some people, these categories simply don't fit. They consider themselves neither male nor female - essentially, genderless.

Take Norrie May-Welby, an activist and perf… Read full post »

My name is Katrina Fox and I am a homosexual.

As is the case with Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous, that admission is apparently the first step in my journey to become straight - according to Living Waters, an international ministry that offers courses to help people who suffer from a range/… Read full post »

It’s almost a lesbian rite of passage to undergo some kind of therapy. If you see a workshop advertised that promises to put you in touch with your feminine mysteries, you can be certain that a) it’s run by lesbians or b) at least one dyke will show up to it.… Read full post »

Where does the line between freedom of expression and self-censorship lie? It’s a question I’ve been pondering since Sunday evening when, basking in the cosy warmth of post-coital bonding with the girlfriend, I asked her to list the things I do that annoy her. Apparently it’s not th… Read full post »

As we gear up for the huge extravaganza that is the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade and Party next month, inevitable discussions of the events' relevance will no doubt rear up. This is a time when queer folk either throw their lot in with the GLBTIQ ‘community’, proudly em… Read full post »

At the weekend my girlfriend presented me with a cardboard tube containing a large-print photo of myself taken in 1991 in London by a photographer called Nigel. The picture had become damaged over the years and Tracie had, unbeknownst to me, whisked it off to a photographic shop to have it… Read full post »

‘Do you mind if I eat meat?’ This is the stock standard response I’ve received countless times from friends or acquaintances who have proposed meeting up for lunch or dinner. It’s a bit like asking the non-smoker ‘do you mind if I smoke?’ The non-smoker will invari… Read full post »

After trying to resist the lure of social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook, I've caved in and acquired several 'friends' on both, but quite what we're supposed to do now, I don't know. I've never liked that initial polite conversation stuff you have to do with new people: 'Nice… Read full post »

I’m dying. I don’t know when or how I’ll finally kick it, but it’s one of the only guarantees in life; one of the few certainties that you can rely on. Each day, each hour, each second, our bodies decay and we edge another step closer to death. For some it… Read full post »

A couple of gay men from Melbourne, Australia travelled to the US and allegedly spent around $130,000 to buy “designer twin boys”, according to various reports from News Limited publications. Apparently the couple are one of several gay couples taking advantage of California’s… Read full post »

According to a survey by internet portal Lycos, most British men aren’t bothered if their female partners indulge in lesbian affairs. While 30 per cent found it “a bit odd”, 61 per cent said it is “not a problem”. It would be nice to think that the 21st century has given… Read full post »