As OUTinPerth celebrates it’s 150th issue this month we asked former editors of the publication to reflect back on their time at the helm.
Founding editor Paul Bluett recalls the big political stories of the first few years of OUTinPerth’s life and the controversial columns of Ruth Wykes and Gillette.
Politically, our most important early series of articles were about ‘gay’ law reform in Western Australia. Thanks to the efforts of many members and supporters of our GLBTIQ community we saw a series of amendments to WA law following the equalisation of age of consent in 2001. These included legislative changes to equal opportunity law, to include sexual orientation, and improved rights with regard to personal and ‘de facto’ partnership decisions about health, children, property, wills, and more.
Personally, I always felt that the paper’s contributor’s provided many of the best ‘stories’ in the paper. To name only two of many great columns, Ruth Wykes’ column Ruthless often caused a ruckus amongst readers, who didn’t appreciate the incisive commentary Ruth offered (or understand the whole point of the column). And of course Gillette’s scene/gossip column, Media Slut, was always outrageous.
Being based in Highgate certainly provided many memorable events. It was terribly sad to see so many instances of violence and abuse faced by the sex workers who were on the streets outside the office, with the pimps and ‘johns’ being the biggest problem. On the (slightly) funny side, I sometimes had to use the garden hose, or threaten it, to force ‘couples’ to move their business elsewhere. It’s very hard to write an editorial with the fence creaking, and other noises, coming from right outside your window!
Paul Bluett is a Director at Anglestan Pty Ltd, the company that owns OUTinPerth. Paul edited over 50 edition of OUTinPerth starting with it’s launch in 2002. He was previously involved in previous LGBT publications in Western Australia.
