#shown: mel doyle

[magicalincorrectrobodokiquotes]

"Stuck in the Mud" Clip

“We need a way to get Emily to stop sneezing, then find out whose idea all this motherloving mud is.” Anne, now Doki, said.

Wheeler, now Hino, kept latching onto Doki, tugging on her hair for support. “Who has stupid ideas yet?” he asked.

*crickets*

“None that I know of.” Doki admitted. 

“I wish I had those ribbons like Togo does when she’s out of her wheelchair…” Hino groaned.

He paused.

“Wait a sec- Doki, you got your ribbon tambourine.” Hino realized. 

“Oh, good memory.” Doki shook it to showcase the ribbons, different shades of pinks and blues, with even a few lilac and red ribbons for contrast.

“I thought people with ADHD struggle with memory.” said Theodore.

“Well, sometimes I do. But other times I’m LASER FOCUSED on something. I can fix an engine without getting distracted 9 times out of 11, but if you want me to stay focused during mealtime-”

“Can confirm, Frances is like that too.” Theodore paused.

[qnewsau]

Time to vote for 2025 Queens Ball Awards nominees

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/time-to-vote-for-2025-queens-ball-awards-nominees/

Time to vote for 2025 Queens Ball Awards nominees

The community have had their say, and nominations for the 2025 Queens Ball Awards are officially open. It’s time to cast your votes.

The Queens Ball is the longest-running continuous LGBTQIA+SB event in the world, celebrating 64 years in June.

The Queens Ball was first held on Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast Hinterland to bring the community together.

At the time, being gay was illegal.

Seven years before New York’s Stonewall uprising, the Queens Birthday Ball was born.

Hosted by Brisbane Pride, the evening sees Brisbane’s LGBTQIA+ communities come together in glamorous celebration.

“This year we will come together and celebrate the remarkable achievements of our community,” said Brisbane Pride President James McCarthy.

“On Saturday, June 28th at Brisbane City Hall, join us to celebrate with the theme of ‘Many Voices One Pride’.”

Even though there is plenty of time to get your outfit sorted, there is something you can do today.

Get voting for the nominees for the 2025 Queens Ball Awards.

And the nominees are…

First Nations Leadership and Engagement Award

This award recognises individuals who identify as LGBTIQA+ and the First Nations community who have engaged in advocacy or activism for LGBTIQ+ causes.

The nominees are:

Annaliese McCarthy

Bindi Lavelle

Bizzi Lavelle

Dylan Barrett

Jodie Hall

Katya Lou King

Kelsey Doyle

Kerrie Thomsen

Khwanruethai Ngampromwongse

Mel Saward

Nathan Skinner

Paul Calcott

Raja Clay

Shaun Edwards

Activist of the Year

This award recognises individuals who have engaged in advocacy or activism for LGBTIQA+ causes.

The nominees are:

Alessa Katherine

Archie Arsenic

Billie Bendall

Bonnie Hart

Boo Deja Boo

Diamond Good-Rim

Dustin Lowrey / Cadillac Deville

Evie Ryder

Jack McWilliam

Jo Thomson

Kate Leslie

Lulu LeMans

Neccho Brocchi

Petria Leggo Field

Sev Faust

Ally of the Year

This award recognises individuals who do not identify as LGBTIQA+.

Who have engaged in advocacy or activism for LGBTIQ+ causes and/or have shown exceptional support for the community.

The nominees are:

Hugh Whitehouse

Jan Thwaites

Kate Fuller

Mamma Lou-King/Mel Sutherland

Morgan Collura

Vanessa “Ness” Tate

Young Achievement Award

This award recognises individuals aged 25 years and under who’ve made a significant contribution to the LGBTIQA+ community.

The nominees are:

Emma Stratton

Freya Armani

Jess Stone

Jodie Hall

Kasey Turner

Nikita Nessence

Raymond-Elvis Paice

Community Social Group

This award recognises groups who run, organise and/or host social events for the LGBTIQA+ community.

This excludes sporting or community support groups.

The nominees are:

Brisbane Lesbian Run Club

Brisbane LGBT Socials

Brisbane Pride Choir

BrisBears

Dungeons and Flagons

Dykes on Bikes QLD

Gay Skate

Gay On The Gold Coast

Living Room Catch Ups

Open Doors Youth Service

OUTexploring

Queensland Camping Bears

Queensland Pups & Handlers (Q-pah)

Rainbow Gympie

The BootCo Brisbane

The Late Blooming Lounge

We Skate

Wrapped n Ready Program

Community Support Group

This award recognises groups that provide support services to members of the LGBTIQA+ community.

This excludes sporting or social groups.

The nominees are:

2Spirits

Diverse Voices

Free Mum Hugs

Open Doors Youth Service

Living Communities

LGBTI Legal Service

Many Genders One Voice

The Courageous Space

Yarns Heal

Event of the Year

This award recognises events for the benefit of the LGBTIQA+ community held either once or at regular intervals throughout the year.

The nominees are:

altimate.SHOWDOWN

Black Pride Ball

Bombshell Ball

Come to Daddy Daddy Pageant

Femme Follies Burlesque

Gay Skate

Girl on Girl

Haus of E Worlds Greatest Shave

Heelfire club

Hombre

Kinky Land

LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation Gala

Loud & Proud Logan

Lushhh Drag Events

Open Stage Baby Drag

PAW’D

POPPERZ

Purr

Queer and Here

Queer Here Art Exhibition

Queer Sister Smackdown

Shanty Club with The Salty Sirens

So Bae Party Mix

SOLD OUT: Sexy Gay Art

TIP @ VIP

Venue of the Year

This award recognises venues that provide a safe space and/or a space for the provision of goods and services to those who identify as LGBTIQA+.

The nominees are:

Banshees Bar and Art Space

Come to Daddy

Dirty Harry’s Toowoomba

Hairy Mary’s

Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct

The Sportsman Hotel

The Wickham

DJ of the Year

This award recognises individuals who DJ regularly at LGBTIQA+ events and venues.

The nominees are:

Adam Cox

DJ Beksis

DJ Mikey

Galleon

LUKELABEAT

Richie LeStrange

Neesha Alexander

Shaun Edwards

Artist of the Year

This award recognises Individual artists who identify as LGBTIQA+.

This includes but is not limited to photographers, painters, poets, and fiction writers.

The nominees are:

Alex Michaels (Tosk)

Asphyxia

Chad St. James

Cassius Owczarek

Dustin Lowrey

Harry Sabulis

Jill Kerswill

Lanah Ebert

Marshall Hilferty

Martin Kincade

Micah Rustichelli

Nordacious, aka James Hillier

Ophelia Novak

Sacha Faddoul

Savannah Fry

Shani Finch

Shaun Edwards

Steven May

Tina Eastley

Drag Performer of the Year

This award recognises the contribution to the LGBTIQA+ community of individual drag performers

This includes Drag Queens, Drag Kings, and Non-Binary drag performers.

The nominees are:

Anita Box

Archie Arsenic

Bella Belle

Boo deja Boo

Cady DeVille

Chocolate Boxx

Dame Martini Fernando Ice

Dixie Wrecked

Eva Mendoza

Freya Armani

Gia Von She

Gina Vanderpump

Heather Daze

Henny Spaghetti

Iona Toyboy

Ja’mie Displays

Justine Deeva

Kora Kurvacious

Ladybird

Lady Sasscrotch

Lulu Lemans

Luna Thicc

Mandy Moobs

MaxiBon

Mya Crafone

Natasha St James

Nikita Nessence

Olly Spirit

Oxy Kodeine

Skye Blue

Tall Jan

Terry Daktyl

Willow Amari

Will Turn-Her

Vollie Lavont

Zelphia Mann

Yana Michelle

Volunteer of the Year

This award recognises individuals who have volunteered their time, skills, and passion to LGBTIQA+ community organisations and/or causes.

The nominees are:

Alessa Katherine

Ali Strachan

Bevan Cooper

Dylan Barrett

Em Randall

Ez Santos

Graeme Kerr

Kerrie Thomsen

Kyla Hunter

Matthew Clifford Jones

Natee Cooper

Ray Moore

Rebecca Bateman

Ren Shike

Shane Stevens

Tony Tranter

Zee Parks

Community Sporting Group

This award recognises groups who run, organise and/or host sporting events for the LGBTIQA+ community (excludes social or community support groups)

The nominees are:

Brisbane Frontrunners

Brisbane Hiking Dykes

Brisbane Hustlers

Brisbane Inferno

Gay Skate

Performer of the Year

This award recognises individual performers who identify as LGBTIQA+, including (but not limited to) musicians, dancers, comedians, and burlesque performers. (Not DJs or drag performers)

The nominees are:

Bizzi Body

Ella Ganza

Clara Cupcakes

Frenchie Darling

Lord Sev (Sev Faust)

Mara Maraschino

Megan Barnes

Phoenix Knight

Rubenesque

Salem Moon

You can vote for as many or as few award categories as you’d like.

Voting closes Sunday, 25th May, but why wait till the last minute?

Pick your favourite nominees today.

The 64th Queens Ball takes place on 28th June at Brisbane City Hall.

Get your tickets here.

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[tak4hir0]

Want to succeed on social media in 2020? Then you need to know what trends will matter most this year. While the technology we have access to has never been greater, the competition has also never been higher Plus, there is no shortage of platforms where you could be investing your time. But in the end, it all comes back to your audience. Are you getting in front of them where they’re spending their time? Are you giving them what they want or need, at the right time? What matters to them? These are the questions we all need answers to – and these answers seemingly change every year. So I asked some really smart people for their thoughts on social media marketing in 2020. Here are 10 social media trends that will matter most to marketers, brands, and businesses in 2020, according to 34 experts. Want all the social media trends now? Download our ebook: The Biggest Social Media Trends of 2020, According to 34 Experts Trend #1: Connection + Community + ExperienceIn 2020, the big trend will actually be a return to the basics. Lisa Buyer, CEO, and Social PR Consultant, The Buyer Group, said that it is no longer enough to provide a service your customer needs. Self-serving social messages won’t cut it in 2020, either. “The new mindset is this: The relationship we build with our customers is more important than the products and services we sell them,” Buyer said. Part of the “back-to-basics” approach to social media means you should step back and think about two things, according to Michael Williams, Senior Social Media Manager, Jellyfish: Who is your audience?What are their interests and challenges?“When it comes to creating content, brands need to counteract the social media noise, think ‘less is more,’ and create messaging that actually resonates with their key audience(s),” Williams said. That all starts with the connection. “People are looking for connections on a personal level with businesses and brands that feel like part of their community,” said Mary Davies, President, Beanstalk Internet Marketing. “Businesses will need to put more effort than ever into being more of a helpful, understanding ‘friend’ in a community than simply a service/product provider.” Elena Salazar, Digital Marketing Manager, VMware, said smart brands should aim to make their social media social. It may seem obvious, but there are still a lot of brands that don’t respond to comments on their posts, she said. “It is important to listen to your audience and provide value to them as opposed to solely using your social media channels to promote your products/services,” Salazar said. “With more and more competition on social media, truly connecting with people will help humanize your brand and gain the trust of your audience (which will help your sales!).” Part of that means spending more time building engaging content and being more engaged, said Amanda Webb, Digital Marketing Strategy Specialist, Spiderworking. “This is one area where SMBs can still win,” according to Webb. “Social networks will also recognize engaging pages and give them a lift in reach. This engagement will help when you create ads, too.” Erin Jones, Founder, RepBright, expects to see an increase in the value of authentic engagement in 2020. After all, social media was never meant to be a platform for push marketing, and users have shown that they value engagement and interactions with brands. “People want to feel like they know who they’re spending money with, as a result, brands will need to step up and provide an environment for their customers to do so quickly and easily,” Jones said. “Making them feel like they’re part of a group that they want to be in will ensure brand loyalty and great social media engagement.” That means community will also be key. That’s why brands should create their own groups on Facebook (and specialized LinkedIn groups), rather than just having a company page to get likes or follows, said Krystian Szastok, SEM Consultant, KrystianSzastok.co.uk, tells. You have the power to build a strong community around your brand and create movements that have an impact beyond increasing sales, said Lenka Koppova, Freelance Social Media Strategist & Founder, Cambridge Social Media. “The reason why I call it community, is the ability of brands online not only to educate and entertain their audiences but also to engage and facilitate meaningful interactions among their followers, users, and fans,” Koppova said. Davies believes that, in 2020, we will see the group and like-minded community spaces dominating more and more, which means a much heavier workload for marketers and brands. “Groups and communities require a lot of time to manage, as they really are all about the personal communication, not just posting and waiting for the comments to roll in or paying for an ad and waiting for a click,” Davies said. “Leaning on influencers and experts will continue to be a major factor in social media, especially in these community-minded groups.” And don’t forget to focus on creating experience, said Brie Anderson, Program Director of Digital Marketing, WSU Tech. “Brands should focus on their groups, direct messages, and comments as the conversation is key to community and experience,” Anderson said. “Giveaways and automated shoutouts don’t cut it anymore, brands are going to have to have a vested interest in their customer base and engage with them online.” Companies that adhere to the principle of “people not just pixels” will reap rewards in 2020, said Mel Carson, Founder, CEO & Principal Strategist, Delightful Communications. Trend #2: Authentic InfluencersInfluencer marketing isn’t going anywhere; in fact, it’s maturing, said Erin Fredregill, Founder & CEO, Robe + Signet. “The key is in creating a crystal clear influencer strategy that thoughtfully integrates with your overall marketing strategy, establishing a thorough influencer vetting process and providing a brief that clearly outlines your brand’s goals and content guidelines while still allowing micro-influencers to direct the narrative in a way that feels authentic to their audience,” Fredregill said. Kendall Bird, Social Media Manager, DKY, believes influencers who are authentic will be more powerful than “power influencers” (e.g., Kim Kardashian), as these authentic influencers will share content they care about and actually use on a regular basis. “Social media users know what a forced relationship with a brand looks like, and they’re tired of seeing these interactions,” Bird said. “I encourage brands and companies to look for influencers who will authentically use their product or service and share it with their audiences.” For smaller organizations or those in the B2B industry that may be struggling to see how influencer marketing can be implemented to reach their goals, there are a few places to start, said Anastasia Warren, Senior Social Media Manager, KoMarketing Associates. “Look into industry event speakers or ambassadors to see who your target audience is paying attention to on social media and on the floor at industry events,” Warren said. “Additionally, look internally at how employees can step into thought leadership roles and become the voice of an organization through engagement and amplification of messaging.” In 2020, our concept of influencer tiers – major influencers with millions of followers all the way to micro-influencers in the 1,000s – will expand even further because it’s becoming easier for everyone to be an influencer, as Kevan Lee, VP of Marketing, Buffer, points out. He said businesses can take advantage of this by doubling down on employee advocacy (more on this in Trend #5) and user-generated content (see Trend #10). Trend #3: Diversify with TikTok, Reddit & MoreEmma Franks, Sr. Paid Social Account Manager, Hanapin Marketing, expects diversification to be a primary trend in social media, especially on the advertising side. Diversification is also beneficial for risk mitigation by reducing dependency on Facebook and/or LinkedIn. “Facebook is no longer the one-stop-shop it used to be. Younger demographics are favoring the sister platform of Instagram, as well as TikTok and Snapchat,” Franks said. “Every ‘early-mover’ advertiser who embraces smaller networks now (e.g., Twitter, Quora, Reddit, Snapchat) will enjoy an environment of relatively low cost due to lower levels of competition.” Speaking of TikTok – Brandon Doyle, CEO & Founder, Wallaroo Media, said getting onto that platform now is key. “Organic reach on TikTok is like nothing we’ve ever seen. It’s better than even the early days of Facebook,” Doyle said. “Create content that will resonate with your target audience, but be willing to test and iterate over time to see what works best. We’ve seen incredible results for our clients. The ad platform is early-stage but the ROI there is great, too.” Debbie Miller, President, Social Hospitality, expects more marketers to start exploring ways to take advantage of TikTok’s advertising platform to reach engaged Gen Z consumers. “It could also be worthwhile to locate the platform’s top users to endorse your brand if they’re a fit,” Miller said. “This younger demographic is highly engaged and trusting of the opinions of their peers.” Another platform companies need to put on the radar in 2020: Reddit, according to Brent Csutoras, Adviser, Search Engine Journal. Many companies have found marketing on Reddit difficult and intimidating. But consumers’ use of Reddit is growing rapidly and view brands on Reddit as more authoritative (likely due to the difficulty and commitment required to be successful on Reddit), he said. “It has never been a better time for brands to establish themselves on a platform that is largely responsible for creating much of the internet culture we have come to enjoy today,” Csutoras said. “With over 430 million monthly active users and about 32% of all Americans on Reddit each month, brands need to take a serious look at making Reddit a part of their 2020 plans.” Trend #4: Reimagine Social AnalyticsThe era of reporting on vanity metrics seems to be nearing its end, especially on Facebook-owned platforms. Anna Bredava, Marketing Manager, Awario, noted that this should make social analytics tools even more useful to marketers, as we analyze and report on our social media successes and failures. Sam Ruchlewicz, VP of Digital Strategy & Data Analytics, Warschawski, agreed. He said as the amount of money being spent on social media (ads, influencer programs, organic programs, etc.) increases, so will the scrutiny of those investments by both marketing leaders and the C-suite. “Smart marketers will continue investing in measurement and analytics programs that go beyond the standard vanity metrics and toward meaningful metrics that more accurately align with larger organizational/business goals,” Ruchlewicz said. “On the analytics side, it has never been more important for marketers to create their own source of truth and do their own math in terms of quantifying outcomes, especially when it comes to measuring incrementality. As machine learning continues to evolve, the brands with the best data will rise to the top – so make sure you have the infrastructure in place to do that.” So that leaves us with an important question to answer: how will analytics measure reach in a like-less world and correlate activities of potential customer to marketer objectives? “Deeper, inferential metrics will be needed to describe how social media influence consumer behavior and local commerce,” Pierre DeBois, Founder and CEO, Zimana Analytics. “Social media platforms must refresh their analytic dashboards to provide more transparency behind the measurements.” Trend #5: Use Employee Advocacy to Your AdvantageYour employees are more important to the success of your company than you think, said Ted Rubin, CMO, Photofy. “Brands that are winning this new journey are providing large quantities of fresh and relevant content for shoppers to use when they actually need it,” Rubin said. “Empower your employees and they will power your brand.” Employee generated content helps build brand trust and reinforce relationships, as Kendall Bird points out. “I encourage all companies to think about employee advocacy, even if it is starting on a smaller scale with employees sharing blog content to their social media networks,” she said. Trend #6: Get Creative: Stop Being Boring!Boring brands are everywhere, with their boring social media content. In B2B tech, for instance, Mel Carson is always looking for more creative ways to stand out in a sea of blah, blah, blah. For instance, showcasing what it all means with dynamic examples, which may be: Short (but effective) videos shot at events where tech partners talk about their solutions, how the idea came about, how it was built, etc.Short-form animated GIFs and videos that are designed to inspire the viewer, not just to understand, but to take action.Who wants to go to a brand page and just see a bunch of ‘buy my stuff!’ posts or boring posts that don’t apply to their life or solve their problems? Nobody, that’s who, said Chris Sciulli, Digital Marketing Lead, The International Society of Automation / Owner & Author, SmokehouseSEO.com. So, in 2020, start being interesting and stop using your social media as a place where you stand on a box and shout ads at people. “Nobody cares about your ads unless you have shown your worth by providing quality consumable content,” Sciulli said. “Nobody cares that you just got a new drinking fountain in the break room. Put yourself in the place of their visitors and think about what they would want to see and interact with.” Trend #7: Stories 2.0Smart brands/businesses would do well to ensure they have a solid Stories strategy for 2020 with daily images, micro-videos, and content that audiences value, said Mari Smith, Social Media Thought Leader & CEO, Mari Smith International, Inc. “Follow those accounts leading the way,” Smith said. “Get creative. Be sure to always tie to the bottom line and add your CTAs.” Sarah Clarke, Media Strategist & Founder, Dufferin Media, believes the consumption of ephemeral content (social media content that is only available for a limited amount of time and then disappears) will continue increasing in 2020. “Stories are a perfect way to get the attention, for a few valuable seconds, of an audience that loves authentic creative content,” Clarke said. “Stories are a great way to add a touch of humanity to your social media using emojis, videos, and stickers.” Smart brands and businesses will make this a greater focus in their 2020 marketing strategy if they want to have a higher level of success reaching their audiences, and increasing engagement, Clarke said. Trend #8: Use Social Media as a Discovery EngineAre you using social media to drive direct traffic and branded search? If not, you should be in 2020, said Mark Traphagen, VP of Content Strategy, Aimclear “Ahead-of-the-game brands will add paid and organic social posts using arresting creative, emblazoned with a brand name along with ‘money’ terms and phrases prominently displayed,” Traphagen said. “The objective is driving top-of-funnel seekers to brand-specific search – low cost on the social end; incredible potential value on the search traffic end.” But that’s just one way to use social media as a discovery engine. You can also use social media to point to private messaging and text message clubs to stay in touch, said Virginia Nussey, Director of Marketing, Mobile Monkey. She expects more brands to develop high-value, high-transparency, highly personalized VIP access programs. “Check out Gary Vaynerchuk for a first look at how this is working,” Nussey said. “He uses the opening of his YouTube videos to share an opt-in text message phone number. The text message club starts with an automated welcome message. After that, Vaynerchuk personally sends motivation and lifestyle messages to the community with a text message blast tool. The strategy is part automation, part personalization, and a 100% scalable brand connection.” Trend #9: YouTube & VideoVideo may not be a hot new trend, but it remains an important trend in social media. As Joe Youngblood, Founder, Winner Winner Chicken Dinner, put it: 2020 is the year that video content on social media is no longer a nice-to-have, but a must-have. “Data has suggested for some time that consumers who view online videos are more likely than their counterparts to make a purchase,” Youngblood said. “Consumers now appear to expect video content from a brand they are going to do business with. If you haven’t started experimenting with video, now is the time to get going or you’ll risk falling behind the competition.” Oh, and don’t forget: YouTube is a social media platform. And it’s bigger than Facebook. “In 2020, the biggest trend that smart brands and businesses should focus on for greater success is the emergence of YouTube as the leading social media platform,” said Greg Jarboe, President & Co-founder, SEO-PR. Why YouTube in 2020? In the full ebook (download to see it all), Jarboe lays out all the latest juicy data and stats, which include this important fact: YouTube is the #2 site on the web (behind only Google), while Facebook ranks fourth, according to Alexa. Trend #10: Leverage UGCThe content your audience creates is invaluable to your brand, according to Kristi Kellogg, CEO, and Founder, Dazzling Digital. “Your customers (and potential customers) find content posted by their peers far more influential, trustworthy, and compelling than the content a brand creates itself,” Kellogg said. She said every brand can take three steps in 2020 to get more user-generated content (UGC) and earn more social proof: Encourage your audience to tag your brand in social posts by always reposting and/or featuring that UGC.Comment and interact with your audience regularly.Run contests that drive UGC.Want More Social Media Trends & Insights for 2020?This only scratches the surface of what you’ll find in our new ebook, The Biggest Social Media Trends of 2020, According to 34 Experts. Ready for more? Click here to download The Biggest Social Media Trends of 2020, According to 34 Experts You’ll get more uncensored and unfiltered insights and tips straight from these marketing experts on how to succeed on social media in 2020: Brie E AndersonKendall BirdAnna BredavaLisa BuyerMel CarsonSarah ClarkeBrent CsutorasMary DaviesPierre DeBoisBrandon DoyleVictoria EdwardsEmma FranksErin FredregillGreg JarboeErin JonesKristi KelloggLenka KoppovaKevan LeeDebbie MillerVirginia NusseyTed RubinSam RuchlewiczElena SalazarMark SchaeferChris SciulliMari SmithAshley SeguraKrystian SzastokMark TraphagenAnastasia WarrenAmanda WebbMichael WilliamsJoe YoungbloodDennis Yu Past Editions of Social Media Trends: Image Credits Featured Image: Paulo Bobita