PhD Candidate – Queering Australian Screens
Peppa Pig has introduced a pair of lesbian polar bears, but Aussie kids’ TV has been leading the way in queer representation Channel 5 Damien O'Meara, Swinburne University of Technology and Liam Burke, Swinburne University of Technology Peppa Pig’s first same-sex couple, a pair of lesbian polar bears, were recently introduced after a petition to …
Continue reading "The Conversation: Queer representation in Aussie kids’ TV"
Would Carlotta, Australia’s most celebrated drag queen, have made it on RuPaul’s Drag Race? Joanna McIntyre, Swinburne University of Technology and Damien O'Meara, Swinburne University of Technology After the first season last year wobbled on its heels, the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under began last weekend. In becoming the global beacon of drag, …
The loss of Neighbours is a loss of career pathways for Australia’s emerging screen professionals Neighbours Damien O'Meara, Swinburne University of Technology; Jessica Balanzategui, Swinburne University of Technology, and Joanna McIntyre, Swinburne University of Technology Australia’s longest-running television drama, Neighbours, is the latest casualty in the global flux of television cultures. The death of this …
Continue reading "The Conversation: career pathways in Aussie TV"
Exciting news! It's one year since I commenced my PhD research: Queering Australian Screens, exploring how LGBTIQ+ characters end up in Australian scripted television programs. There have been ups-and-downs; great moments of realisation, and moments of self-pitying despair. But, I made it to my one year anniversary and have achieved a lot! Here's just a …
Continue reading "What I learnt in the first year of my PhD"
Listen to Lowbrow Lowdown's latest episode reviewing Michael Koglin's Coronavirus Murderous Attack. Natasha and Damien dive into the crime(?)/thriller(?) and honestly become a bit delirious. Michael Koglin's Coronavirus Murderous Attack moves so fast you can barely follow, punctuated with painfully detailed Wikipedia entries on the history and architecture of Barcelona and Hamburg. I know I …
Andrea Waling's recent book White masculinity in contemporary Australia: the good ol' Aussie bloke explores the historic development and contemporary understanding of hegemonic ideals of Australian masculinity. There is an experience in my own PhD (so far) of finding a book or a journal article right when you need it - and Waling's book came …
Continue reading "Reading: White masculinity in contemporary Australia"
Well, a content warning for our review of a super racist and somewhat sexist book. You know that sense that you are being punished, but you don't know exactly why, that's what it feels like reading The COVID Killer. We feel bad, but the author who uses the Twitter handle @SuspenseWriter7 (at the time of …
Hi, I'm Damien and I hold two arts degrees - and apparently this means I'm unemployable. Despite this, I have found myself a highly-sought-after employee throughout my career.
Completing a first year unit at university can be an overwhelming experience. Our first year of university builds our understanding of the history and foundations of our field, and introduces the contemporary discussions that are relevant today. Perhaps most important, our first year of university is when we begin our journey towards competence in information …
In what is some wonderful personal news, today I passed my Confirmation of Candidature, which is the first major milestone of my PhD. Confirmation determines that there is a strong likelihood that this research will be significant and high quality enough to warrant moving forward. Confirmation is also the point that I transition from being …
Continue reading "I’ve passed the first milestone: officially a PhD Candidate"
Damien J O'Meara 