WHAT’S ON: Priscilla documentary and Q&A’s “Q&Gay” special

WHAT’S ON: Priscilla documentary and Q&A’s “Q&Gay” special

THIS Thursday night the ABC will broadcast a live debate on LGBTI issues after a special screening of a documentary that celebrates 21 years of seminal Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

The Q&A special, which has been dubbed “Q&Gay”, will be moderated and hosted by comedian Tom Ballard. Panelists include gay rights activist and author Dennis Altman, entertainer Paul Capsis, broadcaster and journalist Julie McCrossin, NSW upper house Christian Democrat MP Fred Nile, trans woman Julia Doulman, and activist Katherine Hudson.

Nile’s addition the panel cause uproar on social media last week, with many on Twitter questioning why Q&A invited him to take part due to his ongoing public comments against the LGBTI community. There has even been an online petition urging the show’s producers to remove him from the panel.

The documentary before the debate weaves the history of Stephan Elliott’s film into the modern history of the gay rights movement in Australia, looking at the change in social attitudes and laws around homosexuality, masculinity and gender over the last 40 years.

Viewers are encouraged to join the debate by submitting questions for the panel via abc.net.au/qanda and can tweet live using the #qanda hashtag.

Star Observer will also live tweet the debate as it happens. To join the conversation follow Star Observer on Twitter @star_observer

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35 responses to “WHAT’S ON: Priscilla documentary and Q&A’s “Q&Gay” special”

  1. Tom Ballard……..really??

    Gay comedians for q and a…pretty shallow

    Alex Greenwich should have been on this panel.

    Very disappointed in the selection of guests

  2. Homophobic cunt Fred Nile that senile old demented bigoted fool – should be rotting within a nursing home getting euthanised!

  3. Why is Facist Fred on the panel? or maybe…

    What, is Fred Nile gay? – who would of thought all these years! The one protesting against LGBTI rights the loudest, is always the one who eventually comes out of the LGBTI woodwork hey!

    Does he now suddenly support marriage equality? If so in that case, the Christian Democratic Party Fred Nile Group are way way more progressive, than both the Labor and Liberal/National parties of Australia in still BLOCKING marriage equality!

  4. Why oh why do they always have to ask Fred Nile! His pathetic whining is not representative of the vast majority of Christians. I’m sure they only keep him in the loop as an excuse to keep denying marriage equality. :-(

  5. Wouldn’t worry too much about ol Fred – if you haven’t noticed he’s become so irrelevant over the years – particularly since decriminalisation, no one takes any notice of him nowadays. He’s become the silly old uncle that’s even amusing to those that basically agree with him and in this Q and A programme, he’ll fit their format nicely as the panel comedian of the night.

  6. Having Nile on is lamentably the price we have to pay to have such a debate on the public broadcaster, lest the usual conservative keyboard warriors complain about supposed editorial bias and lack of balanced content. But it could be a blessing in disguise. Instead of hiding behind nasty press releases and election flyers like he and he ilk usually do he will need to think on his feet, not to mention the sheer experience of hearing his words rather than just reading them will probably be even more negative and cringeworthy for most people. He could quite easily embarrass himself greatly and score plenty of own goals for his “side” of the debate.

    • My letter read:

      Good morning,

      My name is Keith Gerrard, I live in Petersham in Sydney’s Inner West. I am a member of the LGBTIQ community and am involved with Uniting Network (the support group and forum for LGBTIQ members and friends in the Uniting Church) and the Metropolitan Community Church Sydney.

      I am extremely disappointed that the ABC has chosen to include Rev. Fred Nile on the panel to be discussing LGBTIQ rights and issues. With only five chairs, none should be reserved for Rev. Fred Nile.

      It is already difficult to achieve a diverse representation of the queer community; giving one to Fred Nile is just intended to fuel an argument rather than an intelligent discussion.

      Nile is already a frequent panelist on the show, makes media appearances, and holds a seat in the NSW Legislative Council. He has tremendous opportunity and privelege to espouse his beliefs – completely apart from the fact that his views are destructive, bigoted, and so ‘humorous’ to the public that they allow homophobia and transphobia to enter the airwaves in a banal and unchecked manner.

      If anything, a more moderate dissenting opinion should be included on the panel from a person who is actually a member of the LGBTI community. Otherwise, I would suggest replacements such as:
      Fr Rod Bower of the Anglican Parish of Gosford;
      Rev Dr Margaret Mayman of Pitt Street Uniting Church Sydney;
      Dr. Cornel West (I am aware he has already been on Q&A one week ago);
      Dameyon Bonson, founder of Black Rainbow (a charity/activist group to highlight the particular plight of LGBTI indigenous Australians, especially their higher suicide rate);
      or a representative of Trikone Australasia (a community organisation for LGBTIQ South Asians living in Australia).

      The ABC ought to rescind its decision to include Rev. Fred Nile on the Q&A episode focusing on LGBTIQ rights and issues.

      Your response to my letter will be greatly appreciated.

      Thanks and Regards,

      • Fred Nile has the balance of power in the NSW upper house! How very dangerous and deadly indeed!

  7. Fred Nile is on there to remind us all to make allowances for those is society who suffer from the mental illness we know as homophobia. This disease causes people to act with hostility, anger and fear towards others who have no effect on their lives whatsoever. In extreme cases, it includes abuse and violence.
    In the past, Australia wrongly believed that homosexuality was a mental illness and locked up people who “suffered” from it or tried to “cure” them, despite them never doing anything to harm to anyone else in the community. Whilst no one can “catch” homosexuality, homophobia can be spread, much like a virus or disease and requires radical treatment to prevent this from happening. Another side affect is that homophobia also affects GLBTI people in that it causes vastly increased rates of anxiety, depression and suicide. On that basis alone, homophobia should be treated as soon as it is suspected to be present and affecting the way a person speaks or behaves.
    I believe that people suffering from homophobia are a danger to themselves and others in the community and should be locked away until they are cured. Fred Nile exhibits extreme homophobia and should not be free to roam around and spread his homophobia to others and harm to GLBTI people. He should be detained and locked up at the earliest possibility, for his own sake, as much as that for the sake of the rest of us.

  8. We don’t need fireworks! We need people who are going to bring a reasonable voice to a very important GLBT issue. Haven’t our people suffered long enough from the wounds inflicted over the years from countless homo/transphobic voices already. Shame on Q&A allowing Fred Nile to be part of something so important and special to GLBT people… If you’re not going to be part of the healing Q&A, then stop being part of the pain.

  9. I dont understand why the ABC gives broken old record homophobes like Fred Nile air time? I can get more intelligent conversation & enjoyment out of a pile of dog shit than sitting in my home listening to Nile spew out his hate.

  10. Fred is so past it. If they wanted a real homophobic voice, why not choose someone who can respond intelligently to current issues and present the homophobic case with a semblance of dignity? Then we would have something worth watching. Whoops, my bad. There aren’t any intelligent homophobes!

    • Actually, I agree with your statement.
      I’d much rather see someone like Cory Bernadi on the panel .
      There would still be the same result of ridiculous homophobic rantings being easily defeated by sensible arguments and propositions, but in the public’s eye, Fred Nile has long been considered to be past it and part of the ‘old school’.
      I think that it would be much more effective (for our side of course) if someone like Bernadi was there, as he is still seen as relevant to the debate

      • Bernardi used to be our p.m’s right hand man…

        Don’t forget that very important fact

        He was tony abbott ten years ago!