The Adventures of QueerPenguin

Blog Is All Around

So this is my back-slapping, I-love-youse-all SX column on bloggers. I'm genuinely sad I couldn't list everybody in my blogroll but I thought for the sake of SX it was best to keep it to NSW gay bois. Perhaps I'll be allowed a sequel column where I can rave about all the others who fill my blog heart with blog joy.


Recently, a certain community newspaper – I’m of course not at liberty to say which one, but use your imaginations, dammit! – identified some of Australia’s best or most interesting queer blog sites.

As someone who entered the “blogsphere” only this year – and whose site design skills still leave much to be desired – I appreciate the value and goodwill generated by a kind word or two about one’s site and what that can do for one’s ego.

So, for my good deed for the week, I’d like to identify some additional queer blogsites that I visit daily for alternative information or to derive laughs, tears and often inspiration.

Gayety (gayety.net)

Ask Harley, this site’s creator, and he’ll proudly tell you he’s a grand-daddy in the world of blogging – he’s been doing it for years, long before the cool kids heard about it, when “web logs” were firmly in the realm of geek. When not re-counting his porn star-esque sexual exploits, Harley offers incisive and unbiased social and political commentary. Cynical, to be sure, but crafting his language so skillfully as he does he makes cynicism feel almost poetic and oddly lyrical.

Gay Erasmus (gayerasmus.blogspot.com)

I am conflicted about recommending GE’s site – as a person of similar age, location and political persuasion to myself, his fine writing and profound insights into important social issues are so good that he could conceivably put me out of a job. Unlike me, GE is Christian and I can only lament that more Christians don’t share his perspective on life.

Culture Strain (culturestrain.blogspot.com)

To keep my head exploding from political blogging fury, Sam’s site is camp as Christmas and a lot of fun, with regular updates on the exciting, Logie-nominated glam of Australian pop culture. When a site features images of, among others, Ozzy Ostrich, Larry Emdur and Benita from Play School, you just know there’s chuckles to be had here.

In Another Life, I was a Platypus v2.0 (munchymunchymoocow.blogspot.com)

Mikey journals his daily exploits – many of which involve lusting after unattainably straight boys at Sydney University – with some solid lefty propaganda and particular biases in favour of public education, transport and broadcasters and against the increasingly undemocratic federal government. Any man who “can’t take the Young Liberals or Daily Telegraph seriously” is my kind of blogger.

These bloggers are NSW-based and there are plenty more beyond the borders, even beyond the oceans, who would be worth identifying in a longer column. But check these out as a starting point. Who knows, it may even inspire you to start your own blog site. As web log pioneers will sadly attest to, these days anyone can give good blog.

posted by Sam @ Tuesday, November 15, 2005