Deck the halls with pink champagne, it’s Gay Christmas! Whether it be Halloween, Mardi Gras or just a regular Saturday night, members of the LGBT+ seek moments they can come together with their chosen family in the same way Christmas promotes, without all that heteronormative s**t. Leni and Brendy chat about what’s like for LGBT+ people to celebrate a religious holiday, Mariah Carey’s Christmas anthem, and their favourite Christmas carols and films.  Word of the Gay will be back on Sunday...

PrEP is an acronym for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, a HIV prevention strategy where HIV negative people take a little blue pill to reduce their risk of becoming infected. Leni and Brendy discuss PrEP as one means of preventing HIV infection, HIV stigma and discrimination, a perceived rise in STI's as a result of reduced condom use when on PrEP and it's rate of effectiveness so far. Subscribe (for free!), rate and review Word of the Gay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and...

A beard describes a person who is used to conceal another person's sexual orientation, a common practise in the golden age of Hollywood for celebrities considered 'a little bit queer'. Leni and Brendy discuss famous cases of bearding among high-profile members of the LGBT+ community, how internalised homophobia and the effects of a heteronormative society played a role in bearding and what beard arrangements look like today.  This episode of Word of the Gay is sponsored by Koala. Visit...

Right now drag is enjoying an unprecidented level of mainstream success, and is still largely performed by gay men. But bio(logical) women are knocking at the door asking to be included; aren't they born naked just like the rest of us? Leni and Brendy discuss how bio queens aren't offen accepted in traditional drag environments, how they're subverting and telling new stories about gender, and how RuPaul feels about women competing in Drag Race. This episode of Word of the Gay is sponsored by...

A 'kiki' is a term used to describe when LGBT+ people get together to socialise, gossip and giggle. It's also long been connected to queers of colour that take part in Kiki Balls, celebrating gender non-conformity, racial diversity and sexual openness. So lock the doors, lower the blinds, and let Leni and Brendy guide you from its ball-origins through to its mainstream use by the Scissor Sisters. This episode of Word of the Gay is sponsored by Koala. Visit koala.com for $150 off purchases...

Camp is usually used to describe an effeminate gay man, but can also be used to describe art and entertainment that is lively, cheesy or theatrical. Leni and Brendy deconstruct camp as a way of looking at the world through a love of the exaggerated and anything over-the-top.  This episode of Word of the Gay is sponsored by Koala. Visit koala.com for $150 off purchases over $1000 using code 'wordofthegay' at checkout.  This episode of Word of the Gay is also sponsored by the Wine Gallery....

Dyke originated as a derogatory label for masculine or butch lesbians, but has come to apply to any lesbian that is easily identifiable. The word has been reclaimed by many groups, including the Dykes on Bikes who open most pride parades around the world. Leni and Brendy dissect the word's journey from the demise of dyke bars, dyke separatist groups and Zoe Leonard's 'I want a dyke for president' poem. This episode of Word of the Gay is sponsored by Koala. Visit koala.com for $150 off...

Homosexual panic is a legal defence used when a non-violent advance from a homosexual person can cause a heterosexual person to panic and respond with fatal violence. Leni and Brendy talk about it's use in trials throughout the 20th century up until last year in Australia, how it's used to downgrade murder to manslaughter and why we should replace the word 'homophobia'. This episode of Word of the Gay is sponsored by Koala. Visit koala.com for $150 off purchases over $1000 using code...

A fetish is a sexual fixation on a non-living (or living in some cases) object, with over 500 different known fetishes. From the arousal of body parts to the weird and wacky, like outdoor crevises or house furniture, Leni and Brendy discuss it's proposed relation to childhood trauma, the difference between male and female fetishes and how fetishes are often celebrated in the LGBTIQ+ community. Subscribe (for free!), rate and review Word of the Gay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts...

Originally an old British term for strange or odd, the word queer became a slur for people that didn't subscribe to standard heterosexual norms. It's now reclaimed by many in the LGBT+ community, Leni and Brendy discuss how the word is used in modern day times, both as an umbrella term for diverse sexual and gender expression, and how it's been used in pop culture, from Queer as Folk to Queer Eye.  Subscribe (for free!), rate and review Word of the Gay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google...

Pink Dollar is what economists use to describe LGBT+ buying power. Leni and Brendy discuss the profits that can be made from the communities by targeting them through rainbows, representation in advertisements and sponsoring and appearing in their pride parades, from Absolut Vodka (and the moral issues associated with alcohol sponsorship), GAYTM's and even pop stars. Is it ethical marketing or exploitation? This is Word of the Gay.

The dance style of Vogue was born out of the Harlem ball scene of the 70's and 80's in New York City. Performed to house and disco music, the style is made up of sharp, angular moves imitating the models seen lining the pages of Vogue magazine. Leni and Brendy pay tribute to the art form, from Madonna's mainstreaming with her hit song, to it's cultural influence on the margainisited communities of black, latin, gay and trans people competing in their many drag houses.

One of the more confusing letters on the LGBTQIA+ acronym is intersex, an umbrella term for people born with variation sex characteristics. Leni and Brendy get clinical as they discuss non-binary notions of human bodies, the stigma of the word 'hermaphrodite', non-consensual corrective surgeries and the rumour that Rachel on Friends was intersex.

Queen is a term used to refer to a flamboyant, femme, or camp gay male, though now it's come to refer to any homosexual, mostly as a pajoritve between friends. From drag queens, to scene queens to opera queens, Leni and Brendy dissect it's use as an identifier for varied types of people in the community, and specifically celebrities and people of note as an expression of idolisation (yas queen!).

Though not used as much today, asking someone if they were a "friend of Dorothy" was a secret code for queer people beginning in the 1940's. Said to be spawned by two iconic Dorothy's of the first half of the 20th century - poet and writer Dorothy Parker and Dorothy Gale from the classic The Wizard of Oz - refering to Dorothy was a way to stay safe when announcing one's homosexuality was dangerous and illegal. Leni and Brendy dissect the queer themes of The Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland's impact...

A common stereotype for the way lesbians begin relationships involves an actual moving vehical. Born out of a one-off joke by Orange Is The New Black's Lea DeLaria, the notion of lesbian couples 'U-hauling' has well and truly stuck, but is it just a stereotype? Or is there a scientific explaination for this kind of intense attachment? Leni and Brendy explore the urge to merge, discount claims the stereotype is a result of stunted sexual development as a teenager and compare it to a higher...

Celebrated for their stark differences to their hair-less contemporaries, a 'bear' is generally considered a hairy gay man with a cuddly body. But bears have emotional attributes that support more masculine behaviours, and they're more likely to pick up the cheque! Leni and Brendy explore the deep culture of the gay animal kindgom (from pandas, to ewoks, to female bears), and dissect the sense of exclusion bears tend to feel in mainstream gay culture.

Beats have been a not-so-safe space for gay people to meet others and explore their sexual desires, especially back when homosexuality was literally in the shadows. Leni and Brendy explore the horrific way cruisers were teated in Australia on the beaches of Sydney, how beats have evolved to include sex-on-premises clubs and virtual apps, and the late George Michael as our unashamed poster boy for beats.

A 'gold star' is traditionally used to recognise outstanding merit, but for some queer people its a self-identifying term for exclusively having sex with people of the same gender. Leni (bronze baby) and Brendy (confirmed bachelor) break down it's origin by way of Tila Tequila, Andy Cohen and try to work out how common it is for gaybies to be 'pure'.