The world-famous Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras celebrates its 47th year with a blockbuster event full of parties, performances, art and education, all leading up to its iconic parade on Saturday 1 March. Inspired by the theme for this year’s event, “free to be,” we've gathered a selection of 10 of our favourite queer listens—from Australian authors and beyond—that celebrate equality, inclusivity and exuberant self-expression. Check out our Pride collection for even more picks, and happy Sydney Mardi Gras!
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Growing Up Queer in Australia is a powerful anthology that brings together diverse voices from across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Compiled by Benjamin Law, this collection features contributions from renowned figures like David Marr, Fiona Wright and Kerryn Phelps, exploring the complexities of identity, coming out and self-discovery. With a tapestry of personal stories that span different eras, places, genders and ethnicities, this audiobook is perfect for those seeking to understand the Australian LGBTQIA+ experience, gain new perspectives on diversity or find comfort and solidarity in shared journeys of self-realisation.
This sweet coming-of-age story, a gay romance set in a rural Australian community, is the perfect blend of story and performance. Written by Yuin author Gary Lonesborough and narrated by Aboriginal Australian actor Meyne Wyatt, The Boy from the Mish follows 17-year-old Jackson on a journey of first love, identity and acceptance. With a unique lens on the gay experience from a First Nations perspective, this beautiful and compelling novel is a gorgeous expression of this year’s “free to be” theme.
This complex sapphic love story, the debut novel from journalist Kate Fagan, has become our new obsession. Annie and Amanda have a transcendent friendship—everyone in their orbit can see the deep love and connection that flows between them. But then tragedy strikes, and their carefully planned future fractures. Performed by a full cast, the multiple-timelines narrative will have you rooting for Amanda and Annie/Cass/Cate until the very last (listen and you’ll appreciate the genius of this pun!).
Sean Szeps’s frank, funny memoir charts the author’s journey from a little American boy who dreamed of becoming a mum to falling in love with a handsome Australian, better known as the podcast host and media personality Josh Szeps. In Not Like Other Dads, Sean Szeps offers his quirky, refreshing and startlingly honest takes on everything from battling outdated marriage laws, depression and his own internalised homophobia to moving across the world and parenting twins. This heartwarming memoir is an inspiring choice for parents and prospective parents, regardless of orientation, and anyone interested in family dynamics.
To fully appreciate how “free to be” was anything but a given for previous generations, this award-winning Audible Original podcast is essential listening. Shining a spotlight on one of Australia’s darkest secrets, journalist Patrick Abboud explores the hidden history of a former “gay prison” deep within Cooma’s remote, frost-capped mountains, uncovering the real-world horrors wreaked by homophobia and the cover-up that concealed the prison for far too long. The Greatest Menace breaks the silence on the incarceration of gay men, an unthinkable act of cruelty and discrimination driven by a covert government op set to extinguish queer expression and eradicate homosexuality.
Sarah Krasnostein’s The Trauma Cleaner, which won the Australian Prize for Literature in 2018, shares Sandra Pankhurst’s story in tender, heartbreaking detail. Narrator Rachel Tidd brings to life the story of a woman tormented by hostility and transphobic abuse, who managed to remain full of warmth and compassion towards society’s most vulnerable. At turns moving, enthralling and deeply upsetting, this fundamentally human story underscores Pankhurst’s remarkable strength and humour in the face of tragedy and adversity.
Hannah Gadsby’s boundary-shattering, genre-shifting show Nanette broke open the comedy world with its candour and critique. In this memoir, the award-winning comedian goes even deeper, sharing the story of their childhood in Tasmania, their experiences with sexual violence as a young adult, their start in comedy and their ongoing journey of self-discovery as a queer person. Read in Gadsby's own voice, Ten Steps to Nanette is a frequently hilarious and always insightful journey of identity, creative expression and self-actualisation, one life-defining event at a time.
Melissa Lucashenko’s Miles Franklin-winning novel centres a slice of Aboriginal life in a rare, compelling and darkly humourous voice, beautifully read by performer Tamala Shelton. Main character Kerry Salter is an Aboriginal lesbian who has spent a lifetime avoiding two things: her hometown and prison. But now her grandfather is dying, and she’s an inch away from the lockup, so she heads south on a stolen Harley to see him before he passes. She soon discovers that, like complicated families, Bundjalung country has a hard time letting people go.
This new release from American trans activist and Mutual Aid author Dean Spade is an inspiring tactical manual for queer couples who want to push for change together. Visionary thinker and organiser Spade delivers an effective call to action with a deep understanding of queer issues and challenges in this motivational, self-narrated audiobook. We all know it takes guts and creativity to fight for justice. But how often do we put those same qualities to work in our most intimate relationships? This is an energizing, practical listen for sharing with partners and allies as we celebrate Pride while continuing to do the work out in the world and within ourselves.
Mark your calendars for this delightfully charming novel that celebrates romance and football in equal measure. At just 19, footballer Samson Kabarebe is on the verge of stardom. Joining a struggling Premier League team, he steps into the spotlight, taking over for a rising homegrown talent who is wrestling with his own dreams and desires. What begins as resentment between the two young athletes quickly evolves into a deep connection. With humour, heart and a touch of rebellion, this tender novel explores queer love and the trials of growing up in the hyper-masculine world of sport.
