That’s a Thing?! Live: The Internet is my GSA

Recorded live at the SkirtsAfire Festival, Elizabeth explains how she has felt more comfortable exploring her queerness online rather than in person (though we’re happy those in-real-life places exist). Then we discuss such issues with our eloquent guests.

Show Notes

Here’s more information on some of the things we mention:

• N.B. The excerpt from Poly Queer Love Ballad (18:05 to 22:15) is amazing, but also quite explicit, so be forewarned. Special thanks to Sara Vickruck and Anais West for performing the song and letting us include it in this recording. 
• SkirtsAfire Festival — fill out the survey if you were there!
• GSA = gay-straight alliance. QSA = queer-straight alliance. 
  • Definition 
  • Alberta’s law supporting gay-straight alliances in schools
• The ridiculous “I identify as an attack helicopter” meme
• Gender neutral third-person pronouns
• Some better examples of healthy relationship and world-building that include queerness:
  • Monster Pop by Maya Kern 
  • The Young Protectors by Alex Woolfson
  • Questionable Content by Jeph Jacques
• Definition of cancel culture
• The current GSA discussion in Alberta’s provincial election 
  • Edmonton Journal: UCP would roll back school protections for LGBTQ students, add new provincial exams
  • Edmonton Journal: Explainer: What the School Act and the Education Act say about LGBTQ student and employee rights
• CBC: St. Paul school principal refused to let students form GSA, report says
• A picture of our panel (thanks to Kate)
• Our panelists (from left to right in this picture, on either side of Elizabeth and Karen):
  • Sara Vickruck
  • Anais West
  • Marni Panas
  • Harley Morison
• Things mentioned by our panelists:
  • Nexopia
  • Yahoo! Groups
  • Is This Bi Culture? 
  • The Fosters
• Our panelists’ projects:
  • Harley: Alberta Queer Calendar Project
  • Anais:  Diaspora from the Frank Theatre Company, Killjoy Play Series at rEvolver Festival
  • Sara: Sound design for The Candidate/The Party at the Citadel, Bard on the Beach
  • Marni:  #marniandkate2019
  • Elizabeth: The Drowsy Chaperone at Ross Sheppard from May 1 to 4
• Also, this episode is being published on International Transgender Day of Visibility. Much love to Marni for all of her work, and salute to SkirtsAfire for naming her this year's Honorary Skirt. 

Many thanks to our sponsors: 

• The Edmonton Public Library’s Overdue Finds podcast
• The Let’s Do Coffee podcast from NAIT’s Mawji Centre for New Venture and Student Entrepreneurship

That's a Thing?! is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB.  

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Questions? Comments? Email us at [e-mail] or tweet at us: @thatsathingyeg.

Many thanks to Unit B Coworking for the recording space and to our podcast host, Transistor. Our theme music is Ragtime Dance by Scott Joplin.

What is That's a Thing?!?

A sometimes belated, already outdated guide to your teens, tweens and everything under 20. In each episode, Elizabeth, a teenager, explains a thing to Karen, her mother. And Karen tells Elizabeth how that thing relates to something she knows. Maybe.