Celebrations

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Transmission on 4ZZZ, amplifying the trans and gender diverse community of Meanjin, Brisbane and beyond.

Welcome, welcome, welcome to Transmission on 4ZZZ 102.1. Uh, my name is Elliot, my pronouns are he/him, and I have a couple of friends with me today.

Good morning, my name's Sophie and my pronouns are she/they.

Hi, my name's Ro, I use they/them pronouns.

I'm Ruth and my pronouns are behind a paywall.

Incredible. Incredible. So today we're going to be having a bit more of a casual hangout chat. The vibe is celebrations. How do people like to celebrate things? Do they like to celebrate things? We're going to talk all about that. That's the vibe. So it's a bit more of a casual hangout.

The vibe of the thing, the marbo.

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

The younger listeners wouldn't get that joke.

Yeah, it's gonna be a good time. But first, we're gonna listen to the news, some of the news for this week, news and events related to us trans folks. So enjoy that.

This week in community news and events, September 28th, brought to you by Gender Health Australia. In national news, Sydney appoints first trans Deputy Lord Mayor. Sydney has made history with the appointment of Councillor Ollie Arkins as the city's first trans Deputy Lord Mayor. marking a major milestone for LGBTQI+ representation in public office. Since being elected in 2024, Arkins has championed affordable housing, improved nightlife, modernised council services, and delivered a new LGBTIQA+ services hub in King's Cross. Her peers elected her to the second-highest role on the council, where she will support the Lord Mayor Clover-Moore and step in when required. Community organisations have welcomed the appointment as a powerful sign of progress, recognising Arkins' commitment to building a more inclusive, creative and accessible Sydney for renters, young people, and diverse communities. Roxane Tickle speaks out after landmark High Court win. Roxane Tickle has spoken publicly for the first time since the High Court dismissed Sal Grover's final appeal, cementing her landmark discrimination victory and affirming that trans women are protected under Australia's Sex Discrimination Act. Tickle has described the ruling as a, quote, beacon of light for trans people nationwide, saying the years-long legal battle took a heavy personal toll but was necessary to challenge exclusion and misinformation. She emphasized that the decision sends a clear message that trans women's identities must be respected in digital and public spaces, and hopes that the outcome encourages others facing discrimination to stand up for their rights. Advocacy groups have welcomed the judgment as a historic step forwards for trans equality and legal recognition. In international news, Turkey escalates crackdown on LGBTQIA+ rights. Turkey's government has intensified its crackdown on LGBTQIA+ people, with President Erdoğan's ruling party pushing constitutional amendments that would further restrict queer and trans rights while framing LGBTQIA+ identities as a threat to family values. Activists report rising police raids, pride bans, arrests, and smear campaigns targeting community groups, alongside new laws that would criminalize LGBTQIA+ expression and advocacy. Human rights organizations warn that the crackdown is part of a broader authoritarian shift, leaving queer and trans people increasingly unsafe, censored, and vulnerable to state-sanctioned discrimination. The article urges international attention and solidarity as Turkey's LGBTQIA+ community faces one of its most severe periods of repression in decades. What we know about bones, puberty blockers, and hormones. Gender Health Australia has released new guidance explaining how puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormones affect bone health, cutting through misinformation with clear evidence. The article outlines that puberty blockers can temporarily slow bone density growth, but this is monitored closely and typically improves once gender-affirming hormones are introduced. It emphasises that untreated gender dysphoria dysphoria carries its own serious health risks, and that blockers remain a safe, reversible option recommended by major medical bodies worldwide. The piece also highlights the importance of regular medical supervision, adequate nutrition, exercise, and personalized care plans to support strong bones through transition. Overall, the message is clear: with proper clinical oversight, gender-affirming treatment is safe, effective, and essential for the well-being of trans and gender-diverse young people. And for your events, Leo's Top Surgery Takeover fundraiser at Echo and Bounce in Woolloongabba, Saturday, October 3rd from 3 PM. The price is free, but definitely get some raffle tickets. Running from 3 to 11 at Echo and Bounce, from the courtyard to the basement, there will be a sexy car wash, sausage sizzle, bake sale, jelly and lube wrestling arena, performers, dancing, DJs, and raffle prizes with donations from over 20 local artists and businesses. Join us for a night of queer joy and friendship. If you can't attend, still consider donating by looking up Leo's Top Surgery fundraiser on GoFundMe website or click the link in the show notes. International Non-Binary Day 2026 at the Bowls Club, 212 Ashgrove Ave in Ashgrove, Sunday, October 4th from 2 PM to 10 PM. It's free for non-binary people and a donation amount of your choosing for others. Calling non-binary folk of all ages to experience a non-binary centered space. Let us bask in each other's presence, celebrate, and uplift fellow non-binary pals in a pressure-free environment for all folk whose genders, or lack thereof, fall outside the socially entrenched concepts of the binary. Non-binary supporters and allies are welcome to join us! All expressions or non-expressions, pronouns, names, explorations, and intersections will be held and valued. Come as you are, you are enough, and we love you. Featuring an NB market, NB performance space, workshops and chill crafternoon, Queerioke, NB Finery fashion parade, chill-out space, blowhaj pit, potluck picnic, and heaps more! Follow INBD for updates and tickets at linktree.inbd_meengine. My My name is Hazel, and that's all in this week's community news and events. Links will be available in the show description and in the Spotify show notes.

Welcome back to Transmission on 4ZZZ, uh, 102.1. My name is Elliot, my pronouns are he/him, and I have with me Sophie, and my pronouns are she/they.

I'm Ro, and my pronouns are they/them.

Uh, Ludo, and my pronouns are any/all.

Great.

I'm Ruth, and my pronouns are behind a paywall.

Incredible. Today we are talking all things celebrations, celebratory times, you know, being happy and celebrating who we are as people, individuals.

Celebrating.

Yeah, I did consider chucking that on, but I was like, that's a bit cringe, bit cheesy. Yeah, nah. Um, so what prompted that was that we at Transmission have had a lot of birthdays this month, uh, and also Um, on top of that, uh, I've recently just hit my 5 years on testosterone, which I have—

Yay!

Thank you so much. Uh, uh, affectionately termed my manniversary. Um, there are many terms for it, uh, traniversaries. I've heard people call them estroversaries, or, you know, many different things. Have you guys heard of any other terms?

Honestly, no. I've never heard estraversary in my life.

It sounds like a kind of mine almost.

Yeah.

Like a refinery.

Yeah.

Oh, the estrogen mines.

The estraverium.

Right next door to the amyl mines.

Yeah. Same district.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Oh yes, the queer—

the transsexual industrial district.

But yeah, I mean, essentially—

quite a fair name.

Yeah, I was just thinking that.

We've got our anniversaries for Existing and, and celebrating ourselves as we truly are. Uh, my MANNiversary, I've chosen the date of when I first started hormones, um, but people have a bunch of different choices for when they might celebrate.

Yeah, I mean, for instance, my one is the 22nd of the 2nd, 2022. Best date, super easy to remember, so getting it as a tattoo at some point. Um, yeah, that's when I started HRT. Yeah, from— went to Stonewall and next day, yeah, HRT.

That's it.

It's great. That's it.

That's what it is.

Yeah.

Um, I've definitely also heard of people celebrating when they figured out, you know, they had a big moment. They're like, oh my God, that's what it is. I'm trans. That's what it is. And that's the day that they celebrate, uh, or celebrating days where they, uh, get a surgery. that they feel really, you know, cements things in. So there's a lot of different— there's a lot of different days that people like to celebrate. What do you guys— have you folks got any specific sort of day or event that feels like it's been worth celebrating?

I don't, but my favorite thing to do in the whole world is to go to my friends' traniversaries.

Yeah.

A couple of nights ago, At my place, we like hosted a little fire, and I was looking around with all of my beautiful, beautiful trans friends, and we were kind of just celebrating the fact that we could find this community in the first place.

Mm.

Like, we were all so connected to each other and so connected to this beautiful community of trans people, and it was a very celebratory moment even though it wasn't a specific day.

Yeah, that's beautiful. I think that that's something that a lot of people really, really connect with. Just, yeah, finding that community, finding that space to really celebrate who you are as people and, you know, enjoy that within yourself and with others because the greater society sometimes doesn't allow us to do that. So that's really beautiful. I love that.

Have you got any plans for your 5 years on T?

I am a busy, busy man. I did— every year I'm like, I'm going to do something. And every year, September is a hectic month, honestly. There's always something happening. But I did go to Little Bush Doof like the week before and kind of made that my little moment with some of the lovely people there. And that was really fun. But I usually do something more of an internal, you know, internalized sort of a recognize, you know, the year that's gone, what's changed for me, if anything, how I feel. for myself.

A little bit of retrospect.

Yeah, yeah, a bit of reflection. Um, 5 years was obviously a big one. So 5 years, I looked at the 5 years that have passed and my gosh, I'm a completely different person from back then.

Like, you've eaten your Weet-Bix.

I've eaten my Weet-Bix.

Um, eating your veggies, eating your Weet-Bix.

Yeah, I'm a real boy. Um, I was always a real boy. Uh, you know, you ask my mum, not, not a feminine bone in this body, I swear.

Yeah, I know, I know. For my, um, my— sorry to interrupt. No, no, please. For my 3 years, I went to Bluey's world. Oh, that was so cool. That was so much fun because, um, Bandit's my dad. Like, he hugged me once, so he's my dad. Um, and yeah, just like, as, as a teenager, early 20s, I didn't really celebrate birthdays because I didn't really have a lot of money or like We couldn't really do anything. But now that I'm in a more capable position as an almost 35-year-old, 35 at the end of the month, talking about celebrations. Yeah, I'm getting old. Yeah, it was nice to go to Bluey's World and just let that inner child sort of. Yeah, I didn't cry or anything at Bluey's World. No, no, you're crying.

I would have cried at Bluey's World.

That sounds incredible. It's not like I have a Bluey tattoo or anything.

No, no.

I'm not obsessed with Bluey or anything.

No.

How many times have I said Bluey?

Who knows? Um, oh my gosh, that's so super cute. We just got a text. 15th of September was what I call my girlified anniversary. That's really cute. I love that.

Yeah. Yeah, I haven't had any, uh, formal events to celebrate my little anniversaries, but 1st of June is my testosterone traniversary, and 1st of March is my top surgery traniversary. So those are the 2 dates that matter to me.

Yeah, nice.

I might have like a party one day for maybe like a 10-year thing.

Yeah, party at Ludo's house.

Good to— in our tiny unit. Yeah, no.

Yeah, cute. I mean, it's hard to It's hard to find time, and it's also honestly, frankly hard to organize things. So I completely, completely understand not having done anything thus far. But also sometimes you just don't want to. Sometimes you just want to exist and not have to think about it. So that makes sense.

I take photos so that just to keep track of the changes and the healing.

I love that.

Just do that for me.

Yeah, yeah, that's wonderful. I love that. What about you?

I celebrate all of them. I have a day where, when I was 12, I think it was— it's the 12th of September 2014 when I came out as gay.

And then there's— I have no idea when I came out as trans, but when I started socially transitioning was the 13th of February, but also the 1st of February was when I decided to, so I celebrate both. I also celebrate when I went on HRT and the day before, because that's when I got the prescription, because I fucking love a party. Content warning. But, um, incredible. I love, I love a bacchanal. I usually have the big one is when I went on HRT, um, which is 22nd of November. Um, and I didn't do that for the first year, but I did for the second, the third, and I'm going to on the fourth. So in about 2 months. Um, and I also celebrate my birthday. Um, so I've basically got an anniversary every single month.

I love that. Heck yeah. I'd love an excuse for a party.

Yeah.

What do you normally like to do? for your celebrations? Like, do you just—

I just drink a lot. Whether there's other people there is really everyone else's business. I let my address get leaked and I just hope someone shows up.

Oh, the whole Corey Worthington kind of vibe.

Huh? Oh, no.

Me and my dated references. I'm not taking my son.

He's only 2006 or something.

Yeah. Oh, the Corey Worthington, the one that like posted the party on MySpace. Wow.

MySpace. MySpace.

Remember that?

And yeah, heaps of people showed up and he had those real bad like those sunnies that had lines in them.

Yeah, I mean, if you saw a picture of Corey Worthington, you'd go, ah, that guy.

Yeah, I think it was—

He was on Big Brother as well?

Yeah, I think it actually made international news. It was such a wild experience.

There was a movie based off it.

Put my address in like geocaches and just like let people find it.

Well, I mean, it doesn't matter when they find it because you're always gonna have a party.

Exactly. Every day's an anniversary.

Yeah, yeah. Every day is a day to celebrate being alive.

Yeah.

Yeah. Incredible. What a great time.

I mean, for me, it's also the little, little celebrations of like looking in the mirror and going, oh, that's new. Oh, that, that jiggles now.

Yeah, 100%. Every day looking in the mirror, seeing a change, seeing, seeing the person that you— I don't know, for me, seeing the person that I feel I was meant to be. or see that person that I want to be in the world. That's always nice. That's a fun time. I love that. That's such a diverse range of celebrations or not celebrations. Oh, that's cute. Cute. We got an SMS from Haz. Haz Danks. We once made little blue cupcakes for a trans anniversary celebration.

Aww!

That's really cute.

Aww.

That's adorable.

I love that.

Yeah, we honestly just celebrating, taking the time to celebrate yourself, taking the time to really think, think, think about it and love yourself. I think it's all about what it's all about. Yeah, and love the community.

Yeah, I've also had to like learn to celebrate the little wins. Yeah, because it's not like, oh, I've— I'm really late into my transition, that's something worth celebrating. I mean, yeah, it is worth celebrating, but it's like, ah, Okay, I've got a little bit of top growth. I've got like, my hair's a bit longer this time. My skin's a bit softer. Like, I'm loving this outfit that just, that I just bought online. Um, I'll sell it. So yeah, I think celebrating the little tiny things are as, as, as important as celebrating the, the big massive milestones.

Absolutely. Because it's also like, sometimes the big massive milestones aren't accessible for everyone, you know? Or maybe you don't want to do those big, big deal things. Like, maybe that's just not the way that you present or want to present in the world. So it's really important to acknowledge like those, those little celebrations of yourself and those little, little things. Maybe you find yourself like a really rockin' outfit and you think you look hot as hell. That's great. That's awesome. That's something worth celebrating. I love that. Um, we're chatting about celebrations. We're chatting about fun kitty times.

I've been celebrating recently.

Yeah.

In my brain. Um, it's been a very long process for me as a trans person who started their journey as a socially transitioned trans man, then went on a little non-binary adventure. Um, I'm starting T!

Ooh!

I'm so excited. Um, I've got a bottle of gel and I'm gonna go to Stonewall and I'm gonna get all of my stuff sorted. Um, and I'm really excited to have my first Traniversary in a year.

Yeah.

About now. Yeah, it's gonna be really cool.

That's gonna be really cute.

I'm gonna make a charcuterie board. Oh, a gender-diverse charcuterie board.

Little baby cheeses.

Little baby cheeses. I thought you said little baby Jesus. Um, But I'm genuinely stoked, and I've had the privilege of being kind of mentored by a lot of the more like elder trans people in my life to get to this point.

That's beautiful. Yeah, see, that's the, that's the wonder of community, right? Having these people around you that can help guide you and talk things through as, as you need and want. That's awesome. Are you gonna do anything to celebrate You're to start?

I probably should.

I think that'd be fun.

Everyone's gonna hang out with me at a picnic in Musgrave Park. I'm gonna put up posters all around the city.

All right, it's locked in.

Sounds big.

It's locked in.

It's happening.

Do you remember when that guy—

what did he peel an orange or something and he got 1,000 people to watch him? You get people to Musgrave Park.

Oh, the guy that ate a— what was it, like a bucket of Cheetos?

And there was a guy who stepped on an egg. He got a couple hundred people to come and watch him step on an egg.

Come watch me rub gel into my arm at Musgrave Park at—

Well, give us a date and we'll—

Uh, nah, I'm not gonna give you a date. Maybe Saturday.

Maybe Saturday.

Ro's gonna tell everyone else. She's gonna make sure I don't know.

Yeah, you've heard it here first. Maybe Saturday you can maybe go to Musgrave Park and see somebody rub gel into their arm, you know.

If I can give you any advice, wait until September's over. Because everyone's birthday's in September. Yeah, I mean, if you want to make an anniversary out of it, Billy Joe Armstrong from Green Day has to be awake for it. That one, I don't know. I'm sorry.

That was clever.

That was clever. That was a good one.

I was thinking that.

Was that clever?

Yeah.

No, that's a genuine question. I don't know any. I've never heard a song before in my life.

Right. Yeah.

I have no idea.

Yeah.

We can invite Green Day to your to your anniversary next year.

They might come.

They might come.

But please, October 1st. Okay, I'm begging for you. It's going to be for you in 3 years. If your anniversary's on September 29th every year, no one's going to go because it's going to have been a bender from September 1st to September 30th.

The Bender from September. That sounds great.

That could be a band.

They could be a band. Yeah, we've got some good band names happening.

But yeah, October sounds very masculine.

October.

Right.

If you say it in German, it's like Oktoberfest.

Yeah. Well, I mean, you've got Oktoberfest at the end. You could do it. You could.

October is a good time.

It's a good time.

Delaying my transition just to line it up with Oktoberfest.

Let's go. Yeah.

When does that start?

Oh, it's the 4th.

Starts on the 4th. Yeah.

Oh, I'm being silly. I'm thinking of Halloween.

Bender is also a good outfit. That could work.

Right?

September Bender?

September Bender.

We can say that.

Yeah.

I mean, I feel like I could say that.

Why not?

Why not?

I mean, honestly, any day is a good day. Any day is a good day to celebrate, uh, which I think is the theme of, of today really, is all the little celebrations, all the little things every single day that we are existing and loving ourselves and loving each other in that community. It's a good day.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Every day is a good day.

Yeah, I honestly— whatever, whatever day works for you, you should just do it. Just lock it in. And honestly, you know, you can pick whatever day you want.

It's true.

It's, it's all socially constructed. You could just fake a day and be like, actually, no, I want this day better.

October 32nd.

The 20th of April. For me, it's going to be the one.

It's 420. You don't have to say. I'm sorry, I'm slow today.

Today we have been chatting about celebrations. Uh, I will say we did also get a text in. Um, let me find it because I lost it, but somebody, uh, said that they had a, uh, clone. Cleon. Sorry, I've just real— I've just realized I was reading it completely I'm dyslexic. Uh, Cleon, Cleon, thank you. Today is mine and my partner's 2-year engagement anniversary. That's really sweet. Oh, that's really cute.

Congrats, you two.

Congratulations.

Yeah, those are 2 of my favorite gay people.

Adorable, adorable. I hope that you have a fun little event or a thing, something that you do together to celebrate that. Um, that's really sweet.

Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, I am— I personally, like I said earlier, I have not made the time to celebrate anything, uh, individually. I suck at planning. I really suck at planning, and I also suck at celebrating myself. I feel embarrassed to ask other people to come and celebrate me, uh, because I'm like, I am not worth celebrating. You are worth celebrating.

I'll celebrate you.

I know, I know, but this is the— I want to speak truth to the little feelings that some of us may have, you know.

You can always— you can just imagine you're inviting them over to eat food and stuff. Like, you could do it for their benefit.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's a great tip. Do it for them. Do it for them because they— people love you and people want to celebrate you and people want to spend time with you. It's the truth. It's the truth of the matter.

I've, I've had to learn that. It's— yeah, yeah, it's— it doesn't always come naturally. No, that people love you and people, people actually want to be with you and they don't just tolerate you. Yeah, sorry, that got a bit dark, but I mean, it's— yeah, like, learning to be loved is as important as learning to love.

Yeah, and, and that helps you to celebrate yourself. Yeah, you know. Learning to, learning to be loved, loved, yeah, really, really helps you to celebrate yourself and create an environment to do that.

If you did want to celebrate, it wouldn't have to be a big thing for your 5 years. You could like go on a really lovely walk or ride a new bus or like go get a Slurpee from 7-Eleven. Yeah, just take a second.

Little celebration.

Yeah. Really acknowledge it in yourself, the 5 years is huge.

Well, I, yeah, I do a lot of little internal bits for myself. I, uh, my wonderful partner has really helped me to engage with that and engage in that introspection. And, and yeah, um, so I, I write, uh, a little recap in my journal. I listen to some of my favorite tunes. I take my dog for a big walk and we go to the park.

Aww.

And that's my, that's my little, that's my little thing that I do for myself. And I think that that, you know, is sometimes just as nice as doing a big party. It's different. It's nice. It's different. It's unusual.

Nice, different, unusual. With the little baby cheeses.

I think Rowan, the break was, you were talking about, because you're about to celebrate the start of, of the whole, you know, work of art being made.

Let's just say that.

You're gonna start eating your Weet-Bix?

Yeah, just gonna start eating your Weet-Bix, getting your protein in.

Um, and you suggested that you might get a plant to celebrate because like watching that grow is very like poetic. Yeah, I think that's much more low-key than a doof or a Bacchanal or a party.

I want a lemon tree so bad. I want a mandarin lime tree. If anyone has a mandarin lime tree they want to give me—

I mean, you could also like progressively graft more citrus onto the same— like every year you could graft a new citrus. Yes, so true, that's the one. Yeah, then by the time that you're many years in, you'll have a multi-citrus tree.

Graft a new citrus every year or something, or every 6 months.

That's speaking my language.

That sounds lit.

That's very good.

Yeah, I like that.

After your 10 years, you could make a, like, a big old bottle of wine out of it or something. You could ferment it and then drink that 10 years from then.

Citrus wine is becoming a thing, hey? Like lemon wine? Yeah.

I mean, there's also cider, so just cider is pretty easy to make.

Um, a nice punch perhaps. Yeah, nice little— nice lemons for my water.

You could make a fruitcake out of the—

A fruitcake?

You could just make a big old fruitcake.

Fruitcake, because I'm becoming a fruitcake.

I mean, I feel like that shit was lemon key lemon pie.

But if you make a fruit—

anyone knows that reference? Yeah, you've got a dirty mind.

If you, if you make a fruitcake, then like, because those last forever, especially if you freeze them, you know, like a wedding cake. People eat that every anniversary. You could make a big old fruitcake and then have that for like a That sounds lovely.

Make a big old fruitcake like me.

Yippee!

Yeah, there's so many different ways you can do things. I reckon that— I reckon that'd be awesome. Um, I wish that I could write yourself—

sorry, I've got more ideas. Sorry.

No, please write yourself little letters for every year.

That's sweet.

I think it's really cool how, um, there's so many more people who've been on HRT for like 3, 5, 10, 15 years now than there were 10 years ago. Like when I came out initially, there was very few people who'd been on HRT for more than 3 or 4 years that I knew. And I think it's partly because there are more people, more trans people who are able to get on HRT, who are able to come out and socially transition.

Yeah.

And there's a hell of a lot less people who are stealth, and because they don't feel like they have to be because they don't as much anymore. And it is just awesome to be able to hear about, you know, every year it's like there's so many more people who are like, oh, this is my 5 years, this is my 7 years, this is my 10 years. Because we didn't have that a decade ago.

Yeah, I— yeah, when I first started T, which was again only 5 years ago, I didn't really know anybody. Like, I knew a couple, like when I went to like the little support groups and stuff, there was a few people that had been on T for a hot minute. But like, just generally in my day-to-day life, I didn't really know anybody that had been on for a long time. And it was a little bit intimidating, a little bit scary. But like now, like you said, yeah, there's so many people that are able to be themselves and be out and proud. And I think just having the, having the understanding that it is possible as well is huge.

Yeah.

And like, what, another, another, the wordy words. Another thing I've had to learn was like, HRT won't just flick a switch and you'll be at the end of your transition. It's It's a marathon, not a race.

Like, yes, 100%.

Absolutely.

I'm loving this journey I'm on at the moment. Like, like as I said earlier in the show, I'm like, oh, that, that jiggles a bit more. That's, you know, my skin's a bit softer. My, like, I'm, I have a bit more emotional capacity. I mean, I'm crying at thoughts of 5, but, um, you know, like little, little tiny celebrations of, and Yeah. Like every day looking in the mirror is a celebration.

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I mean, like even me, 5 years, I still see things that pop up every now and then that I go, huh, interesting, that wasn't there before, or I don't recall that being a thing. Um, and that's fun, that's fun. I think a lot of people get caught up in the it should be real quick, it should happen super fast, there should be changes immediately.

Yeah, and tip: if you're like at if you are just beginning your transition or like you haven't started HRT yet or socially transitioning, you're not going to look like a a porn star overnight. Like that was one thing I also had to learn was like you know you're you're gonna look the best version of you. You're not gonna look this. like this idealized version that you see on the internet, because like those, those models or like those adult entertainers are cherry-picked and they're like—

This is, yeah.

Yeah.

Cream of the crop and they've been doing it for a hot minute.

Yeah.

You're gonna look like your sister or you're a younger version of your mother or a younger version of your father.

I— but that also takes time. Like when I first started T, I started T at 26. And I just looked 15. I just looked 15 and it was a little bit embarrassing. And yeah, now in 5 years, now I look like a much shorter version of my dad because my dad is unfortunately 6 foot 5.

It was funny the other day, I took a photo of myself while I was wearing, like, I bought this massive Lolita dress from Lifeline. Well, I say the other day, it was a couple of years ago. But, um, and I went, I look like my mum. Wow. Okay. Like, yeah. Did a side by side with a, um, an old photo of her. And I'm like, I look like my mum. That's super affirming. And like, yeah, I also took a selfie next to my sister and went, well, I look like my sister as well. That's something I never thought would happen.

Yeah, I recently got the shortest haircut that I've had since I was about 15, and I had a similar moment where I looked in the mirror and I was like, oh my God, that's my aunt. I look exactly— because she's had a really, really short haircut the entire time I've been alive. But I just looked at it and I was like, that's, that's Auntie Rachel. That's Auntie Rachel at 25.

Oh my gosh, I love that. It's, yeah, it's, it's pretty wild how the body works and how, how the changes happen. What a fun time. We've talked a lot about individual celebrations, celebrating ourselves through just nice, chill, introspective times, going out for walks, going to the beach even. I actually don't know if we said that, but I—

Go to the beach.

Have gone to the beach. I like taking my dog to the off-leash dog park. Oh, dog beach. Off-leash beach. Yes. And that's cute and that's fun.

Um, if, if anyone has any dogs that they'd let me pat for my, um, birthday, I'd really love to pat some dogs.

Yeah, so we've talked about sort of solo times. We've also talked about parties, going to bush doofs, gonna have big celebratory parties with lots of people.

Um, there is one celebration in our community that's coming up soon where we can all celebrate together. For all of my non-binary people out there, we have, uh, it happens every year, it's International Non-Binary Day, um, and that is on the 4th of October. It's free for non-binary people and pretty cheap for allies. Um, beautiful day, there's live music, there's poetry, there's arts and crafts, there's market stalls, um, and it's gonna be sweet, and I hope I see everybody there.

Where is that?

I think it's in Ashgrove this year.

Yeah, it's not where it normally is, so I'm unsure. You can find them though, you can find them though on Facebook at International Non-Binary Day Celebration Meanjin/Brisbane.

It's at Newmarket Hall this year, 212 Ashgrove Avenue.

There you go.

Is the, uh, is the Blow High Pit coming back?

Yes, always.

Oh, that's, that's great. I love, I love the Blow High Pit.

That's awesome. Yeah, I love— and, and we've also got the celebration of just like Pride Month and the Melt Festival to celebrate all of our diverse range of queerness and queer artists and wonderful fun times. I think they're bringing in the— for Melt, they're bringing in that giant inflatable rubber ducky. And I think it sounds great. I think it's pink this year, which is cute and fun.

It is.

It's like a 3-story duck. And if you want to be in the river swimming with the duck, well, there's a bunch of like boat parties that are like $30. You can get a ticket to go on the gay boat on the Brisbane River.

Speaking of boat parties, you might spot a few Transmission presenters on some of the boats.

That is true. I think that there has been an invite extended to some of our transmission hosts, so you might be able to talk to us, hang out, depending on what boat you're on, you know.

And I think the Pride March is on the 24th, Saturday the 24th, and, um, there's the regular Pride Market at— I think they've moved it from Musgrave Park to, um, New Farm Park. And I think Pride Outside is also at New Farm Park, and Pride Outside is free.

Yes, McAndrew People's Pride, little free alternative event that we do, so you don't have to buy food from the expensive food trucks. You can go have some veggie sausages with us.

Yes!

And yeah, we'll have open mics and we'll be posting online about such things soon.

Yeah, please keep an eye out. We're gonna have a bunch of stuff happening this month. Uh, upcoming is, yeah, when all the cool things happen, when we see some beautiful performers and entertainers and artists out in the world. Um, I'm really excited. I think it's gonna be really fun. There's a bunch of really cool things. You can have a look at the websites, just, you know, Googling, um, Brisbane Pride and the Melt Festival, and you can see all the cool acts and stuff that are happening. It's definitely worth checking out. There's a bunch of really cool options. I think there's something for everything— something for everyone, sorry.

Yeah, Melt Festival is amazing every single year.

Oh yeah, they do a wonderful job.

Yeah, um, a few years ago did the, um, Spencer tunic photoshoot, which was amazing. The large-scale nude photoshoot on the Story Bridge.

I was there too!

Oh yay, that was such an amazing experience. It was— yeah.

A friend of ours was as well, wasn't Toby? Was there? I would say if Toby's listening, please text in, but Toby is not listening.

Toby is asleep. I love you, Toby.

But he's immortalized forever in that picture.

If you're next to Toby, bully bully Toby into texting in?

Poke him with a stick.

Yeah, that's a great idea. Please poke your friends with sticks and get them to text in. Maybe don't do that. I don't want to get implicated in anything.

Stick poking. Stick poking.

Yes, the stick poking of 2026. That incident.

Yeah, the incident sparked by—

Tomfoolery was the word I was looking for.

Tomfoolery. Alien Over Transmission. Great, loving it. We've been having a great time today chatting about all things celebrations, and we were talking about upcoming Orphan Christmas.

Yeah, it's not a specific event, but I think a lot of us have had complicated relationships with our families or have complicated relationships with our families because of being queer and being trans. And so Yeah, we're lucky enough, many of us are lucky enough to be in communities of people and have close connections with found family, and we're able to spend Christmas with those that we love even if they're not related to us. And that's not unique to trans people, but I know that I have spent some years at Orphan Christmas when I haven't been able to see my blood family. And yeah, it's— it was one of my favorite traditions of, um, you know, since, since coming out and transitioning. But unfortunately, I've repaired my relationship with my family and I'm no longer able to do that, so...

Aw.

Anyone who's still so blessed, I recommend getting a big old turkey or a big old turkey-shaped lump of vegan alternative.

Big old ham.

Big old— what's a vegan alternative of a turkey? You could probably carve turkey stuffing into that. A giant carrot. Roast a giant basted carrot.

I love Orphan Christmas. It's one of my favorite days of the year that I can host. It's not just for my queer and trans friends, also a lot of my friends that like religiously don't celebrate Christmas that feel kind of a bit FOMO on the day that they can't have a good time with their mates. So I've had mates come over, we play a little bit of backyard cricket, have a little bit of a feed, and it's a really good reminder that there are people that really care about you and you can keep doing the same traditions you've always done. Even if after you've come out maybe your relationship with your family isn't as good, there's still always time to celebrate holidays.

Yeah, that's really sweet. I, I really love that. I definitely have had like Friendmas and stuff in the past, um, when I haven't been in contact with family and stuff. Um, I mean, even now I am in contact with family, but I don't really see them for Christmas that frequently, so Friendmas is always sort of the go-to for me and It's so nice. It's so good, and it really helps promote that community spirit that we're always talking about, right? I love it.

Yeah, it's nice that there's just, you know, just a little Christmassy thing that— yeah.

Yeah, supporting each other, it's important, you know. Get out there, chat to your friends. If there's— if people don't have plans, I mean, obviously Christmas is a little while away, but 2 months, 3 months. Um, yeah, plan something.

Be here before you know it.

Yeah. Oh, things— time, and time is the thing.

And as much as I personally like Are You Okay Day, great concept but poor execution in my opinion. But just ask people, you know, are you okay? Are you doing anything on Christmas?

Are you—

do you want to hang out? It's sense of community is important. And I know through my transition and stuff, the sense of community's just kept me going.

It's nice.

It's different. It's not unusual.

No, I think we also—

It's not unusual to be loved by anyone.

I think we should also mention the, like, traditional gay Christmas that is Halloween. I think for a lot of us, that was like the first time that we could present the way that we've always wanted to, or like it was a place There's always been a time where it's a lot like easier to, you know, dress interestingly. And I think I know a lot of, a lot of queer people who still prefer Halloween to Christmas. I am not one of them. I personally hate bats, but I know a lot of people are on that boat.

So yeah, and rock on. Actually, a coming out story for me was, um, like I went to a party and I bought like a really nice dress from a shop that doesn't exist anymore, Trash Monkey. Like a really nice, um, Hell Bunny dress. It was like $160, and I've got the stockings, I got the— like, I was still a quote-unquote dude, and like, like, it was, it was an awesome time to just express that side of me. I'm like, oh, hang on, maybe I'm not a crossdresser. Maybe there's something more to this.

It's—

yeah, Halloween's great for that.

Yeah.

What a cool time. Um, I think that we've talked all things Celebration, to be honest. I don't know if there's anything else that we want to, uh, go over.

Let's stop celebrating. Let's let the dread set in, you know. No, no, no. Keep celebrating.

Keep celebrating.

Wallow.

Next episode, wallowing.

Next episode's wallowing. Yeah, that's what we're— no, no, absolutely not.

Um, celebrating trans despair.

No offense.

Let's not go down that hole. We want to keep, keep just hanging out and supporting each other and having a great time. Uh, that's, that's my, that's my take. That's my hot take. Um, so let's do that. Um, and we'll see you next week on Transmission starting at 10 AM on Mondays. Um, our wonderful executive producer Ez will be back on track and And yeah, we'll see you then. Thank you so much. Bye.

Bye, lovelies.

Goodbye.

Thanks for listening to Transmission. Catch us every Monday live on 4ZZZ from 10 AM, or listen to our podcast on the Community Radio Plus app.