Archive for October, 2011

A MEETING OF FILTH ELDERS:

Monday, October 24th, 2011

Once again i got to cross paths with my senior, and most high ranking Filth Elder John Waters during his recent visit to Sydney. What can i say, i was in calm awe, i felt i was amongst my own, and i was.

FACES:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

TAKE US WITH YOU!!:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

FAIR DAY 2011, BETTER LATE THAN NEVER:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

DAPTO LEAGUES CLUB RENOVATIONS 2011:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

JUST BECAUSE:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

SCHOOL WALL:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

TYSON AND NICO’S STRIP:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

IMAGE FROM MY CHILDHOOD:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

DUMMIES:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

NOTHING LIKE FINDING A POPCORN MAKER, AND FOOT SPA STILL IN THE BOX AT THE OP SHOP, I’VE ALWAYS FOUND THESE TWO APPLIANCES INTERCHANGEABLE ANYWAY:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

ALL THIS USELESS BEAUTY:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

BAT STAND OFF:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

MELTY GUYS THROUGH PLASTIC:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

VAN GUARD:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

IT’S A DEAL:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

PEPITO THE ICE CREAM LOVING DONKEY:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

VOTE 1 MAUDE:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

CREEPY AND KOOKY:

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

Once again another sterling evening was had at the Marrickville Polly’s dance this past Saturday, all it takes is a healthy dose of friends, and attitude being checked at the door, and you’re bound to have a ball (or a toasted sandwich) at Polly’s.

Nowhere else in Sydney can you be dancing to Lady Ga Ga where the music drops, the crowd is hushed, in the zone dancing, and then over the PA comes the call ‘Don’t forget, the toasted sangers are off in ten minutes, and tickets for the bus to the Taxi Club are now for sale .. back to Ga Gag’ i love it!!, it’s so Camp, it’s so community, and it’s so without the beige polish that has decended upon many venues, and locations in our community.

I never feel guilty having a big meal before Polly’s, because i know i’m going to dance it all off later on the dance floor, nowhere else do i dance non stop and never leave the floor, all the stars align, and everything in the universe is great when you get a run of song’s like ‘Born this way’, followed by Diana Ross and ‘Chain reaction’ and then best of all, the slam dunk, ‘Amarillo’!!, i must take this opportunity to state to Polly’s, and all who sail her, if there ‘EVER’ comes a dance, and ‘Amarillo’ is NOT played, you can forget about the ‘Occupy Sydney’ protesters, i’ll have a group of smelly ferals come in and squat on the dance floor, Miss Tammy cannot do without her dose of dervish dancing to ‘Amarillo’.

Lastly, big shout out to everyone who helps to run and organise a night like Pollies, many queens swan in without nary a thought to all the work that must go into putting on an event like this, so Miss Tammy would like to take a moment to acknowledge this work, and effort, to say that it is appreciated more than you’ll ever know, so a polite, deep, and pantiless curtsy to Miss Joan, Miss Caroll and everyone from me.

IT’S TRADE JIM, BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT (JIM ISN’T SO SURE):

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

GET A RAT UP YA:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

WE HAVE LIFT OFF:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

MORNING, NOON AND NIGHT:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

WHAT’S THE STORY .. :

Monday, October 17th, 2011

MEANWHILE AFTER THE GUYS SEND THE GIRLS TO GET THE CHOPS THEY FORGOT FOR THE BBQ, AND DOWNING A COUPLE OF HASTILY SCULLED SHERBIES AND GETTING ALL LIQOURED UP, THE GUYS DISCOVER WHAT HAPPENS IN THE PICNIC AREA, STAYS IN THE PICNIC AREA:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

ICE ICE BABY:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

MELBOURNE FRIENDSHIP DRIVE:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

A FAVORITE PHOTO:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

IF I SEE YOU ON THE STREET IN THESE, I WILL SPIT ON THEM, I WILL HACK ON THEM .. NOT EVEN DEXTER FISHPAW WOULD GIVE THESE A STOMP:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

MRS C:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

IN THE BEST PAAAAAAAAAHSIBLE TASTE!:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

CREEPY TRIP RABBIT:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

RED LOFT:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

(NOT SO) SMALL GOODS IN MELBOURNE:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

REAL HAIR:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

WALK TO CAFE:

Monday, October 17th, 2011

BORN THIS WAY:

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

The other week I woke up, rolled over, and reached for my iPhone, as I do. I finger pinched and swiped my way to Facebook – to see who had had trouble sleeping during the night, who was awake early, and who was having what for breakfast. As I scrolled down, a newsfeed made my stomach drop. I read the news of another gay teen’s suicide in America, caused by bullying. On Sunday 18th of September 2011, Jamey Rodemeyer took his own life. He was only 14. I’m reproducing the article below from cbsnews.com

September 21, 2011 6:53 PM
The real, deadly toll of bullying gay kids
(CBS News)

In Washington Wednesday, the Department of Education hosted its second annual summit to combat bullying.

It’s a nationwide problem, that CBS News correspondent Elaine Quijano reports was painfully highlighted this week by the death of a high school freshman from Buffalo.
Tracy Rodemeyer, mother of 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer, struggles with the aftermath.

“It hurts me so, to think my son felt like he was not worthy of anything,” Tracy says.
Jamey had been bullied relentlessly since 5th grade. His parents, Tim and Tracy, found his body on Sunday.

“It really just started with all the boys, cause all the girls just loved him and they always defended him, but all the boys would say, “Geez you’re such a girl. Why are you hanging out with all those girls? What are you, a girl? Oh, you must be gay,” Tracy remembers.

“The bullies now are still walking around. They get to wake up tomorrow and go to school and see all their friends, but my son will not be given a second chance no matter how much I have prayed. I would have given my own life to turn back the minute we seen him,” Tracy says.

Jamey was harassed by online insults. He saw counselors to try to deal with the pain. He even took part in the “It Gets Better Project,” in which people have posted a video as part of an online support group for gay teens.

“We were born this way,” Jamey said in his video. “Now all you have to do is put your head up — put your head up and you’ll go far. Because that’s all you have to do, just love yourself and you’re set.”

Still, just weeks ago he posted this plea for help: “I always say how bullied I am, but no one listened. What do I have to do so people will listen to me?”
The Rodemeyers refuse to grieve in silence.

“They have to somehow get the power away from the bully, and I don’t know how you do that, and that’s the biggest question in my mind. Because, if the bully doesn’t have power, he’s nobody,” Tim Rodemeyer says. “For a young kid of 14 1/2, he had a big message, a huge message that shouldn’t even have to be a message. It should just be common decency to not make people feel worthless and useless on this planet, that they don’t deserve to be with other people,” Tracy Rodemeyer says.

Tracy Rodemeyer will bury her son in a t-shirt with a message of acceptance and defiance. It reads simply: “Born this way.”

By the time I had finished reading the article, I was so filled with rage, defeat, sadness, horror, and a real sense of being very ill at ease. This wasn’t something that had fired me up for one of my usual Facebook rants. This is far more serious and real and tragic. The story of Jamey Rodmeyer’s suicide is so incredibly sad, so unnecessary, and it would be so avoidable, if only the world could work harder towards changing from fear, dislike, judgment, and (sadly in some cases) hatred of others, to acceptance, compassion, inclusion and love.

This poor little kid – I’m stung that he took part in the ‘It get’s better’ campaign. It is a great campaign but someone his age shouldn’t have to be doing that. They shouldn’t be confronted with homophobia, either by direct bullying, or by subtle or subliminal means. The world should have been better to him, more kind, less cruel, less horrible.

I have a theory, and that is (just like the song in “Avenue Q” says) everyone is a little bit racist, homophobic, or any number of “Ist’s, Ic’s, Obes, Ism’s etc”. In my opinion, we all have these feelings within us somewhere – even just a small bit deep down. We must after thousands of years of programming and brainwashing by those with vested interests in judgment, and control of humanity.

It’s how we choose to deal with these feelings, and acknowledgement of these traits within us, that set us apart. We can choose to ignore, excuse and dismiss them, or we can recognize, try to rectify and change them, and move towards enlightenment and growth.

I wouldn’t dare to hold myself up as a paragon of virtue, not even close, but I feel the right path to take is to see these deep seeded feelings and thoughts for what they are – outdated, antiquated and not in step with, or healthy for society today.

For me, I feel the real damage is done by those with a public platform – the business leaders, politicians, Church leaders, those who have the public’s ear, and who choose to spew uninformed, uneducated, inaccurate, dangerous, harmful and mean spirited views, opinions and information.

That is why you will never see me supporting or voting for the Politician’s who choose to spew rhetoric from their lofty positions of misused power and influence, i don’t need to name names here, we all know them. Likewise you will never find me accepting, or attending the Churches of bigots who do not understand, or support total equality and acceptance for the GLBTIQ community.

Leaders, including buisness, political, Spiritual and community, should be leading and setting the example of compassion, inclusion and equality for all others to follow, instead, these are the very people who have blood on their hands.

I was recently asked about my support of ‘Movember’, a charity initiative who support “beyondblue” (an Australian Anti depression organization). The Director and Chairperson of beyondblue is Jeff Kennett, a man not known for his understanding or supportive statements of those in the GLBTIQ community. Under his leadership, beyondblue has been perceived by many in the GLBTIQ community until very recently, to lag behind in leadership of, and the targeting of GLBTIQ mental health issues, which statistically do not hold up well against those in the heterosexual community.

The Australian Bureau of statistics figures show that those in the GLBTIQ community suffer more than triple the rate of depression and related disorders than those in the heterosexual community, but still beyondblue are happy to have this person as their figurehead, their public face, even after he has made statements that at best can only be seen to be mean spirited, and counter productive to the emotional health and well being of those in the GLBTIQ community, many of whom would be amongst the most vulnerable in society to mental and emotional health issues. How can beyondblue justify his tenure as director when Mr Kennett refuses to appologise for, or rescind his harmful comments, when even as recently as last week he stated in his “Herald Sun” column …

“There is no substitute for parents of both genders,”

“Happy heterosexual marriages are the best environment for the mental health of children.”

Mr Kennett went on to say that during his 11-year leadership of beyondblue, he had become increasingly concerned that children starting out in primary school are already stressed and anxious as a direct result of learning patterns they observe from home.

“Clearly the best environment in which to bring a child into the world is a stable, loving environment in which a male and female are married to each other.”

There is no way in all good conscience I can ever support “beyondblue” as long as Jeff Kennett maintains any kind of role there of influence. These are the kinds of destructive, inaccurate and disempowering statements from people in positions of power, that cause all sorts of damage to those struggling in the GLBTIQ community. This is why I won’t be supporting beyondblue, or the “Movember” fundraising initiative.

Homophobes, like Racist’s cling to, and are empowered by one sliver of supposed justification from someone of authority, one thing, one statement, one word on which to hang their white cloaked hood.

As someone who has suffered at the hands of bullies and homophobes, and the most merciless bouts of depression, I’m sure some will say I’m cutting my nose off to spite my face. I don’t care. Sometimes the ends do not justify the means. It will be my small way – my chance – to have my voice heard and explain why I do not support this organization when I’m asked for support and donations.

Bullies and bullying are empowered by the irresponsible, inaccurate and harmful thoughts and words of people who should know better, and who should exercise their positions of power more responsibly (this I feel also stands for parents as well). For me it’s time to stop being complacent, to draw a line in the sand and state that voices, words and actions not supportive, encouraging and accepting of the GLBTIQ community are harmful, and must be challenged – because the world does not deserve to lose one more person – one more innocent child – to something so wrong as homophobia and bullying.

This article was written with the greatest respect to Jamey Rodemeyer’s life and memory.