An intergenerational discussion about queerness with five queer elders.

“My queerness is safe now.”

For the final episode of season 1, we hear from five powerful queer elders. Hannah, Chey, and Shania from the YPN interview Jim Morrison and his partner Keith, David Gibson, Carl Freedman, and Gillie Anderson for a powerful, intergenerational discussion about queerness.

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David (he/him) is a graduate of the Royal Military College Duntroon, and served as an Army officer back when it was illegal to be a homosexual in the military. Professionally he has been a CEO of a disability organisation, General Manager of a newspaper, the Executive Director of a Country Music Festival, and was elected as a State Member of Parliament. Additionally, he has held various board positions and currently serves on the Board of GRAI (GLBTI Rights in Ageing Inc).

David is many things, a Coda (child of deaf adults), a pansexual, a father to 5 adult children, a grandfather and is married to his husband – they did that twice once in Rome and in Perth.

David is a highly accomplished public speaker and is frequently invited to address audiences on a range of topics, including Deafness, civic participation, mental health, and LGBTI issues. He has been a speaker at prestigious events such as the World Federation of the Deaf conference and the Australasian Study of Parliament Group conference. Furthermore, David has authored and published papers on the Freedom of Speech from an LGBTI perspective and the engagement of people with disabilities in the democratic process, with articles published in the Australasian Parliamentary Review.

Carl Freedman (he/him) is a gay man living in Perth with his partner of 43 years. A retired hairdresser, he and his partner ran three successful businesses in Perth throughout his career. Carl fondly remembers attending the opening of Connections Nightclub in Perth and is a proud member of the queer community, actively involved in supporting and uplifting others through mentoring and support. 

Jim Morrison is a senior Nyungar man, a Traditional Custodian from WA’s southern coast. His mother, father, and their 21 siblings were all stolen and separated as children. Jim is a long-term supporter of Bringing Them Home WA, and served as Aboriginal Co-Chair 2007-2017. He resigned that role to take up the appointment as our inaugural Executive Director.

Jim has been an uncompromising activist, advocate and leader in pivotal Aboriginal advancement roles for over four decades, working passionately to address the tragic mental health and suicide issues that are a legacy of Stolen Generations policy; equity in access to culturally safe services in State and Commonwealth Governments; overdue prison reforms; Aboriginal employment; education and training; equity in universities; the protection of young street people and the formation and management of non-government agencies providing services to Aboriginal families and their broader communities.

In 2017, Jim was awarded the John Curtin Medal in recognition of his vision and leadership, and the significant contribution he has made to the community.

Gillie (she/her) has many identities, including mother, sister, partner, aunt/great aunt, step-nanna and friend. Gillie spent her earliest years in country WA, before moving to Boorloo/Perth when she was nine. Gillie came out as lesbian at the age of 22, shortly before moving to Tasmania with her then partner and her partner’s young son. Tasmania was very conservative in the early 1990s and it felt unsafe to be out at work or to hold hands with her partner in public. Prior to the birth of her daughter in 1995, Gillie became a member of the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group advocating for the decriminalisation of homosexuality. She also helped publish Lilac magazine – a monthly lesbian newsletter connecting the Tasmanian community. It was nearly 25 years before Gillie moved back to WA to be closer to family.

There have been many different chapters to Gillie’s life, and her work life includes various careers including being a non- executive board member, a commercial lawyer, and being the owner and ‘faerie guardian’ of The Faerie Shop in Salamanca Place, Hobart – all at the same time! Since returning to Perth, Gillie has worked in a range of roles primarily across housing and health, and in board governance roles.

Gillie is now transitioning into a new chapter, where she and her sisters are the oldest members of their families.  Gillie has lived with disability for many years, and after a lifetime of feeling different, she was diagnosed with ADHD in 2022. In April 2023, Gillie found out that she is autistic, and this has made a profound and positive difference to her life. Gillie was able to share that news with her mum, just before she passed. While Gillie is not usually one for being in the limelight, she took part in this podcast in the hope that by sharing her story, it might make the someone else’s journey a little bit easier.An intergenerational discussion about queerness with five queer elders.