Two minors from the municipalities of Bergen and Schagen were arrested on Saturday and Sunday in connection with the case According to police, the stabbing followed an argument involving a group of individuals officers stopped several people in the area leading to the arrest of another minor for insulting an officer Police are searching for witnesses and any video footage that could provide more information about the incident Women of Letters challenged contributors to write a letter to something they’d lost DJ and parent Simona Castricum wrote one to herself • Juliet Jacques picks her top 10 transgender books Juliet Jacques picks her top 10 transgender books Where do I start? “To whom it may concern?” I’ve been lost for as long as I can remember. It defines my life: my direction, my relationships and my sense of self. But how can you lose something you’ve never had? Or perhaps something I once had, an innocence or an energy that was very quickly taken from me at birth – upon gender assignment. In 1975 at Dandenong hospital, the midwife would have seen my penis and scrotum and yelled out to my mum: “It’s a boy!” And so I became Simon, a son to a very proud mum and dad. When my own son came diving out of my partner’s womb at the Royal Women’s hospital, Melbourne, in 2008, the first thing I heard the midwife say was also: “It’s a boy!” My first memory in life is of my dad tearfully packing his car with a couple of suitcases and walking out the door of our Knoxfield home. I asked if I could come with him and he said: “No, stay here with your mum.” Eighteen months ago, my wife of almost 10 years asked me to do the same and leave our home. My intention to transition from male to female was the catalyst. As for my boy, I don’t know what he thought; he just helped his mum put up the Christmas tree that night. I met my former wife as a gender queer 25-year-old. Idealistically, I saw our love for each other as unconditional acceptance of each other’s gender and sexual identity – a journey. But it was a vision of our marriage that was not shared. And when the love ran out, I was left with this “activism” and she was left behind. I lost my wife; she lost her husband. This idea that transsexualism is a practice that should be thought out of existence – a curious, exotic kink – and that increasingly validated rights and visibility for its practitioners is an attack on human rights, is a grossly dangerous view of gender, which is still being promoted by radical trans-misogynist feminists disguised as human rights campaigners. Those people who push this agenda cause suicide among the trans community – make no mistake about that. Read moreMy son went to kindergarten with a child who was assigned “male” at birth but who went on to identify as a girl in their final year of kinder. How do you reconcile the instinct of a four-year-old child who identifies as female with the psychological construct of “transvestic fetishism”, or with ghastly social critiques parodying femininity in too much black eye shadow? Well, I’m a transgendered woman, a health goth and an architect so I guess I’m a triple threat. When I was four and my stepmother busted me wearing my stepsister’s tennis skirt in a caravan at Surfers Paradise, I felt shame and ran as far away as I could. All I remember is that she didn’t judge me – I judged myself. My introductions to gender diversity were through music videos. I’m a proud Countdown and MTV kid. Sylvester’s disco anthem You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) would have been my first introduction to gender diversity, closely followed by the New Romantics and their boys in makeup: the Human League, Simple Minds. It just seemed like a very natural thing to me. I was shocked to find out that Boy George was a guy, and that Marilyn was a dude. At the same time, the persecution I saw these musicians receive made me scared of my own ambitions to be a musician, and of my instinct to identify as female. I never wanted to be mistaken as a drag performer in costume for a couple of hours for somebody else’s benefit. This was a life, not a night out. Read moreThis trauma of real and imagined fear of abandonment would later be diagnosed as borderline personality disorder before I went to sleep I would reimagine each day as if I were a lesbian while my first step each morning was to disguise myself among the boys: hiding in their uniform fighting them and being a homophobic bully But everybody knew there was “something” about Simon I would be asked: “Are you sure you’re not gay Then I could explain everything and move on with my life I became a slave to a raging masculine sexual energy that would have seriously negative effects on my self-esteem as my desire to attract and love a partner was more important than loving myself The result was a subconscious desire to live vicariously through the females in my life – a desire that would become the inherent flaw in every single relationship I would ever have with my adult female partners I tried every heteronormative and forced-gay answer from B to Z – knowing from the outset that gender transition was solution A It must become an opportunity to find and discover Music is my lifelong best friend that never judges me; it’s my catharsis that’s always there when I need it motivates me and allows my sadness and delight the sound of my heart and the hope in my triumph each tagged selfie on Instagram seems like a social revolution I have a sense of belonging and self-worth I never believed I would find on my darkest Saturday nights with a terrible sense of failure I thought was worth killing myself over some of whom I have lost: I will always love you This is an edited extract from From the Heart: A Collection from Women of Letters, which is published by Penguin Australia. The next Women of Letters event will be the Regal Ballroom, Northcote, Melbourne on 29 November In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. The Samaritans’ 24-hour UK helpline is 08457 909090. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. Hotlines in other countries can be found here This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Naarm’s underground dance music icon navigates urgent emotional shards In April 2021, Simona Castricum thought she would never be able to write another song A friend’s death had left her in a desperate place I just sat at the drum machine and slowed everything down,” the electro-post-punk stalwart tells NME “I was like: ‘I don’t think I could write a song at 120 or 140 BPM I really want to slow this down and really tune into what my body is trying to tell me’.” So the singer-songwriter located her own heartbeat and channelled its rhythm into ‘Grateful for the Heartache’ – the sinewy swansong to her new album, ‘SINK’. As the first track written after the death of her friend and SaD bandmate, Daphne Campf its lyrics are raw: “Now the ghost of you I’ll always love.” “I just wanted to write something at the speed of my heart rather than the speed of techno or the speed of Belgian new beat Another heartbeat opens and closes the track ‘Whomst?’ this time as a heart rate monitor softly pulsating at 62 beats per minute (BPM) “It’s a base resting heart rate,” says Castricum “A cry from the abyss where everything stops.” is a devastating record that peaks in anthemic techno-goth; and dives into instrumental abysses of silence It’s a gentle flutter of life in a skeleton of calcified techno Life materialises in other parts of the album It comes through with Castricum’s burning lyrical questions: “Can we lean into belonging / How can we stand?” and “So what was my life paired with a steady drum hit or infectious synth riff articulates a turbulent time for Castricum allowed her to explore a “stream of consciousness that is about multiple truths.” Castricum’s presence has rippled throughout inner-city Naarm/Melbourne for years She was a rusted-on broadcaster at the cult community radio station 3RRR and kicked off her DJ career in the ‘90s quickly garnering a reputation for her dexterous mixing at well-loved haunts such as The Gasometer and Hugs & Kisses And she’s a research fellow at University of Melbourne where she explores queer and trans futures in architecture Castricum often takes to the stage wearing her signature dark lipstick black elastic headband and a leather skirt – a suit of armour heralding her war cries In the middle of an unapologetically staunch set at Golden Plains 2022 she told the crowd with defiant rage: “This is a track for all you trans and non-binary people out there who have ever been hassled by a TERF [trans-exclusionary radical feminist].” (Castricum is a trans woman herself) Castricum is speaking to NME over Zoom from her Naarm apartment with a makeup-free face and wearing a faded black Nike hoodie and she’s just ordered a burger while watching “Collingwood beat Fremantle by 100 points.” A cigarette headache is an unfortunate reminder of celebrating ‘SINK’’s release with a live performance at 3RRR the night before “I just wanted to write something at the speed of my heart” ‘SINK’ was originally written as a live performance Castricum and the multi-disciplinary artist Carla Zimbler were commissioned by contemporary performance space Arts House to create a cross-disciplinary show that would “​​construct a percussive and visual exploration of queer spatial production in hostile urban environments,” says the organisation’s website which included an ornate chandelier and beguiling lyricless instrumentals The lyrics came later: “I was able to write the lyrics for ‘SINK’ over the period of a year,” she says “It presented an abstract place to bear witness to two relationships I’d lost all under very different circumstances As the words came it helped me break a cycle When it came to immortalising the work onto a record, the two-piece musical group m8riarchy provided backing vocals. Sound engineer and producer Nao Anzai (who has worked with Mildlife and Missy Higgins) produced it “Through the process of [making] this record when I found music really difficult to write I started to find my relationship with music changing,” she says “I’ve quit DJing and I stopped broadcasting on 3RRR because I just found it really difficult to come up with lists of music I became really exhausted and really fatigued.” But she wanted to double down on her capacity to write she’s a DJ,’ and I’m just like ‘I’m a musician!’,” she stammers “I’ve released four albums and another three albums on top of that under different monikers over 20 years I want to be seen as a songwriter and a musician and a drummer and an average singer.” The first contains solemn tracks that plumb the depths of despair: ‘Lean into Belonging’ Think ‘80s post-punk that crawls with heady basslines and ruinous imagery The record’s second side is suited to the dancefloor: ‘Chaise’ NME mentions to Castricum this side features moments best described by rave-theory writer McKenzie Wark: “After wearing the self down to a bare nub the songs buzz with energy reminiscent of the dopamine rush experienced after a mammoth club stint Castricum says honesty has been the key to crafting the record pointing to the diaristic track ‘Sky’ as an example It lyrically darts between vignettes of lovelorn late-night scenes: “lipstick-love drawn on the mirror” and “drugs that once brought such connection.” “I was able to write the lyrics for ‘SINK’ over the period of a year… as the words came it helped me break a cycle Being this transparent about her innermost thoughts and fears has been “frightening” “It’s a very difficult album to talk about,” Castricum says Just as she’s about to reveal another part of the story she rewinds saying: “I don’t know if I can talk about it.” Asked if she has found the answers to the questions on ‘SINK’ the album’s third track: “‘How do we know of a way to move on / From ways in your life that have hurt you so long?’.” ‘SINK’ is a body of work not only about survival but about the resilience required to live alongside life’s unknowable mysteries But it is also about self-reflection and introspection going places within yourself that are very frightening Sometimes it’s difficult to get through that If this story raises issues for you, you can reach LifeLine 24 hours a day seven days a week by dialling 13 11 14. Beyond Blue and headspace offer comprehensive mental health support services nationwide Simona Castricum’s ‘SINK’ is out now via Dinosaur City and Trans-Brunswick Express. She plays Howler on Friday, August 11. Tickets here The world’s defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking what’s new and what’s next since 1952 Simona Castricum in the music video for ‘No Allegiance’ (Screen capture via YouTube/Simona Castricum) Trans musician Simona Castricum was left humiliated after a nightclub guard stopped her from using the women’s bathroom saying she should use the men’s facilities Castricum, a pioneering Australian musician and DJ, was stopped from using the bathroom in a club in Melbourne a popular rock n’ roll venue in the Fitzroy neighbourhood “You’re a man, go to the men’s bathroom now,” he said, Castricum recalled to the newspaper The Age Owners of the venue have admitted to the “very embarrassing” incident and vowed to better train security guards on trans-inclusive policies Local queer advocates responded with alarm to the news noting that the bar is in a beloved LGBT+ nightlife district long regarded as a safe space for residents also known by her stage name Fluorescent and as a member of the band Ana Nicole explained that a “male security guard stood in the doorway of the women’s bathroom and pointed at me and yelled at me quite aggressively ‘out of the bathroom'” But the security staff continued to misgender her “It really is such an indignity to have your gender questioned in front of an entire bathroom full of people,” Castricum said “It’s incumbent on the management to make sure that the message gets down to security.” She called on queer Victorians not to boycott the bar but instead for Yah’s Yah’s management to take action I’m looking at Yah Yah’s to lead by example commit to education and accountability and change their culture so that any trans and gender diverse person on any night will feel safe as the venue moves forward,” she said Every night is queer and trans night in Smith Street.” Yah Yah’s co-owner James Young sought to highlight the venue’s gender-neutral bathroom policy on Thursdays during its LGBT+ club night “It’s embarrassing for us,” Young acknowledge “Yah Yah’s and Thursgay is one of the best practice venues in Melbourne and in Australia “The guard was reprimanded and he apologised to the guest Young also pledged to have his staff trained with Transgender Victoria one of the state’s top trans rights advocacy groups and a torchbearer in employment diversity guidelines and not just at workplaces that happen to be running a gay night “This is a very embarrassing incident for me and the bar and we have to welcome it as a learning experience with something very positive to come out of it.” Victorian Pride Lobby, a grassroots LGBT+ campaign group, told The Age that it was disappointed the incident occurred, and only days after Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras “Smith Street is one of Melbourne’s treasured LGBT+ nightlife precincts and it is up to the entire community to take responsibility for creating venues inclusive and responsive to trans and gender-diverse people and all members of the LGBTIQA+ community,” it said About us Contact us Advertise Work for us Terms and conditions Privacy policy Dutch city uses algorithm to assess home value, but has no idea how it works by Nicolas Kayser-Bril In a seemingly routine case at the Amsterdam court of appeal a judge ruled that it was acceptable for a municipality to use a black-box algorithm set the home value of an unnamed claimant at 320,000€ (in the Netherlands property tax is paid based on a house’s estimated resale value) The interesting part of the trial lies in the assessed value of 320,000€. Dutch municipalities have to estimate the value of properties every year, by law. The law in question is abbreviated to WOZ leading the Dutch to speak of “WOZ value” for the estimate The valuation chamber oversees the processes that take place at the municipality level According to an official from the valuation chamber almost all municipalities rely on tools from five companies to assess the WOZ value While some municipalities experiment with Artificial Intelligence he was not aware that any such model was used to compute the actual WOZ values The valuation chamber instructs municipalities to ensure that their models are explainable and does not allow the use of black-box models But in front of the Amsterdam court of appeal when the claimant demanded to be told how the valuation of 320,000€ came to be Under Dutch case law and GDPR a public body must be able to provide the details and mechanisms that led to an automated decision The court took note of the municipality’s breach of the law the court proceeded to explain why the 320,000€ valuation was correct the judge looked at properties that were sold around 2016 in the vicinity and found the price per square meter to match with the algorithmically-generated value for the house of the claimant The latter riposted that his house was in much worse shape and thus less expensive; the municipality answered that this information was already included in the computations (the main bone of contention was the extent of the earthquake damage) an assistant professor at Radboud University who specializes in the legal aspects of AI use the Dutch supreme court set a principle that automated decisions should be explainable the assessment of the municipality should have been annulled “We now learned that if the principle is not met which will not go to the Dutch supreme court could set a precedent whereby judges accept results from black-box algorithms as long as they seem reasonable While the ruling is unlikely to have serious consequences now (the complainant even belatedly invited the municipality to visit his house) it could hint at a dramatic turn in Dutch administrative law Black-box algorithms that have legal consequences are but the approach of the Amsterdam court of appeal would make them acceptable Every two weeks, our newsletter Automated Society delves into the unreported ways automated systems affect society and the world around you Subscribe now to receive the next issue in your inbox The Dutch province of Noord-Holland combines two invaluable assets to ensure safe drinking water: the fresh water of Lake IJssel on the east side and the natural filtering capacity of the dunes on the west about 25 billion liters of water are pumped across the province all the way from Lake IJssel to the injection point in the dunes of Castricum The shape of the water flowing out of this injection point Water injected here stays in the dunes for about three weeks it creeps slowly through the filtering sands after which it is pumped up again in one of the almost 700 wells in these dunes Pathogens such as viruses and bacteria do not survive this stay and are effectively killed off Only a last filtration step is required to remove excess calcium and iron from the water before it is pumped to the end user as safe and reliable drinking water The dunes near Castricum are covered with extensive oak forests and the undergrowth is filled with honeysuckle, hawthorn This area is excellent for a good hike, but requires a Duinkaart if you wish to visit These cards cost a few euros and can be purchased on one of the ticket machines located at the entrances to the area One of London's lost rivers runs through a pipe over the tracks of this subway station The largest Spanish artifact built in the Philippines and one of the oldest underground reservoirs in the world These paved rills bring freshwater into Altstadt and could spell wedding bells for whoever stumbles into the waters One of the U.K's earliest public water supplies is within the "plague village." This impressive system of tanks was used to store drinking water as long as 2,000 years ago These abandoned waterworks are crumbling into the Potomac River An Industrial Revolution-era public work that purified water using nothing but sand A portal into the bricked up canal that runs through the heart of Washington D.C Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker is remembered as the first woman in Quincy “She was a groundbreaker for women clergy,” said the Rev the current minister at Houghs Neck Congregational Church but she continued and is a real inspiration.” Corea served with her husband as co-pastor of Houghs Neck Congregational Church for 54 years where she was active in All Souls Congregational Church She graduated from Bangor High School in 1939 and from the University of Maine in Orono in 1943 she enrolled at Andover Newton Theological School in Newton and he was hired as pastor of the Houghs Neck church Following her graduation from Andover Newton in 1949 Alicia Corea was ordained and joined her husband at the Quincy church as co-pastor out in the community doing things and building relationships,” the Rev She was the heart and soul of Houghs Neck.” As her husband spent more time teaching psychology at Emerson College Corea took on more responsibility at the church prepared the church newsletter and church bulletins and worked closely with the diaconate Corea was an engaging person who was very focused on connecting the congregation members “All of the young people came for her; it was not just a religious group in that sense,” said Harrington Corea joined the church and babysat the Coreas’ children Corea continued at the church after the death of her husband in 2001 the church named its fellowship hall in her honor she’s remembered as one of the best pastors we’ve ever had,” the Rev Corea also served as a supervisor at the Woodward School for Girls and president of the Quincy Assembly A memorial service is planned for early June in Quincy Legislating for gender-diverse Victorians to self-nominate would be a major leap forward in life chances When the Victorian Andrews Labor government introduced a bill to parliament on Tuesday that would give transgender, intersex and non-binary people the right to self-nominate the sex and gender identification on their birth certificate, I greeted this news with equal parts excitement and caution. As a transgender Victorian, our community have been here before: in 2016 a bill to reform legislation around gender identity on birth certificates was introduced by Labor but denied by the Liberal National Coalition. the proposed legislation presents a major leap forward in life chances for gender diverse Victorians It brings Victoria up to speed with Western Australia all of which have removed the prerequisite for gender affirmation surgery to change the sex indicator on birth certificates progressively since 2011 In 2013 the Gillard government changed the federal guidelines on recognition of sex and gender to allow people to change gender markers on passports and Medicare by providing medical and psychologist statements As much as the rights of trans and gender diverse people didn’t start with marriage equality in 2018 they will not end with self-identification on birth certificates Changing the legislation presents a critical step in ensuring the life chances of trans and gender diverse people are realised to their full potential It also removes gender affirming surgery as inextricably linked politically and lawfully to birth certificates This often forces people into considerations about their bodies they might otherwise not have to make intersex and non-binary people require surgery Let’s relieve trans people of that burden and that cost Being outed at Centrelink or to an employer through a superannuation provider shouldn’t happen to anyoneIn real terms getting top and/or bottom surgery comes at a huge price and gender affirmation surgeries are inaccessible for many trans and gender diverse people costs for surgeries that qualify as a prerequisite for birth certificate changes vary from $15,000 tomore than $100,000 these procedures are lifesaving medical treatments – most or all of which is not covered by Medicare rebates They are financed out of the pockets of individuals a deposit on a house or a superannuation investment That kind of money is a start in life or a retirement fund Don’t get me started on the non-refundable fee of $74.90 to get the registrar of births meaning sex or gender indicators on our birth certificates adversely affect basic rights to education by Marie Hicks from Illinois Institute of Technology found administrative violence extends to transphobic algorithmic biases in new technologies used in computerised methods for identification definitions and surveillance of UK citizens through government-issued ID cards said on ABC radio that the Catholic church did not “approve or appreciate” the proposed reform: “When it comes to gender we stick with the science; we count chromosomes.” Simona Castricum is a musician, a PhD candidate in architecture at the University of Melbourne, a broadcaster on Melbourne’s 3PBS FM, and a member of Music Victoria’s women’s advisory panel Comments on this article have been pre-moderated to ensure the discussion is on the topics that have been written about in the article 2022 Regional water company PWN is going to stock the coastal dunes at Castricum in Noord-Holland province with wild rabbits to boost the natural environment and restore traditional habitats Rabbits are important because they keep pests like the American black cherry from proliferating while their fondness for digging holes also provides birds with a place to breed However, the population has been all but wiped out following outbreaks of viruses, such as myxomatosis. Rabbits were added to the red list of endangered mammals in 2020 ‘The area where they will be released is poor in nutrition and vegetation but rabbits can deal with that. Their presence will create new habitats for other plants and animals,’ warden Véronique Meurs told NH Nieuws wild animals that were brought to shelters earlier are being kept in enclosures in the dunes to acclimatise prior to their release and have been checked for diseases and vaccinated against the most common ones The vaccines protects the rabbit for a year during which it is hoped they will be proliferating into a more resilient population The idea to release wild rabbits into areas where there are none comes from France where 60% of the rabbits survive We could not provide the Dutch News service without the generous support of our readers Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days We could not provide this service without you Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey I'm a builder and designer based in Harrietville specialising in traditional and contemporary Alpine builds in Harrietville fixing everything that is broken (mostly courtesy of my five kids) restoring and maintaining cars and motorcycles volunteering for the Harrietville CFA and other local projects and committees collecting firewood and spending time with my family There’s lots of space to explore and plenty to do but is still peaceful with a small-town community feel Where would you take visitors to showcase the area I’d start with a tour of Harrietville (including Joop's Jetty built and named after my dad) and head over the hill to Wandiligong Add some 4wding and local goldrush history Is there anything you would change about the area It would be great to see more local people employed and working on local projects and making decisions within our shire local people that have a greater interest in our past and want to be involved in what happens in our future This will ensure that the area holds on to its charm My football club is one of many across the country that are making safer spaces for trans and non-binary players As St Kilda and Sydney Swans prepare for the AFL’s Pride Match on Saturday evening so are a few transgender and non-binary players in Australian Rules leagues across the country AFL Pride Week brings with it an opportunity to celebrate the diverse contributions at grassroots level that are made by openly queer Regardless of the AFL’s gender policy that protects the rights of transgender players to participate at all levels of competition, there is still confusion at some clubs about what is required for trans players to register; namely what constitutes the gender affirmation process. Read moreDespite the AFL declaring publicly that surgery is not a prerequisite for transgender players to participate, this is not universally understood and accepted. This leads to incidents of vilification, players being turned away and accusations of clubs fielding trans players having an unfair advantage. In my case, it’s been accusations that I’m a man – and that’s been too hurtful to ignore – triggering my trauma and dysphoria to the extent that some weeks I cannot train or play. It’s not the same experience for all trans players, but talking about the unique issues gender diverse players face leads to better community education, and enables us to enjoy the game with the respect and integrity we deserve. Read moreThe AFL can also act with more conviction when the media falls into transphobia Respectful journalism is a good start; seeing ourselves reflected in the discussion remains the best force of change – more pictures of transmisogynists and their noise does not paired with editorialised clickbait on “the first trans player is coming” narrative feed a perverse theatre of coming out that only benefits onlookers This fascination furthers an elite view of the male/female gender binary with normative body and beauty expectations causing harmful stereotypes of what trans people “should” look like That doesn’t help trans players step up each week in our local competitions we come in all shapes and sizes – and coming out is about welcoming and making space for people to thrive I’m surviving transphobia when I’d rather just play footy If we’re really serious about creating safer football clubs and crowds we’d give every trans player the respectful communities they deserve: communities that simply allow them to rise through the ranks like anyone else (and minus the salacious inquiries about our bodies) and take it one week at a time Is using the toilet really about binary ideas of male and female Signing bathrooms by the amenity they provide – rather than the gender they are deemed to be used by – is one great leap towards removing the gender binary from public spaces While this idea remains a challenge to people invested in maintaining traditional gender roles the positive reinforcement of gender-neutral language and pronouns works with designs for lived experiences of gender that exist outside the male and female binary The familiar signage silhouettes of male and female that mark our public bathrooms reduce gender identity down to our bodies and clothing Not only do they reinforce outdated gender stereotypes these symbols present trans and gender-diverse people within a climate of violence interrogation and surveillance based upon their bodies The Trans Pathways project – a 2016 survey by Telethon Kids Institute of gender nonconforming people aged 14-25 years – revealed 48% of those surveyed were non-binary This data indicates a critical mass of non-binary people among our gender demographics and serves as a catalyst to hold more respectful conversations outside the male and female binary regarding rights access and visibility in our public spaces Even the Australian Defence Force Academy is on board – publishing its LGBTI guide advising more respectful recognition for “they/them/their” pronouns But how are we backing up this shift in language with the way we occupy space Surely there is an obligation to do so with more rigour For the recent Workaround Exhibition at RMIT University Design Hub in Melbourne I drew up an alternative to the existing male female and accessible bathroom pictograms to replace the permanent signage for toilets that sat adjacent to the gallery In a deliberate DIY yet well-designed and subversive intervention into the austere interior of the RMIT school of design a colleague climbed a ladder and stuck them over the top of the existing signs We then had bathrooms with no reference to gender just one marked “toilet” and another marked “urinal” And while we did have one leaking toilet during the day My exhibition program presented the opportunity to make an existing space as non-binary as I could: there would be no space or building function that forced a person to feel as if their gender identity was contested against the normative ideas of male and female a question that interrogates the othering of gender nonconforming people in architectural space and practice My intervention into the gallery bathroom amenity was an act of creating inclusive space yet it was also a provocation to hold our buildings – indeed architecture – to a higher standard This tactic subconsciously provoked a reconsideration of otherwise familiar signage – asking the question: is using the bathroom really about gender and how we are programmed to think about it Why does it need to be connected to our body or gender Why is it that gender neutrality even needs to be stated or explained Perhaps public bathrooms would look something like this The public restroom is not only a place to empty one’s bladder or bowel, change a tampon or clothes, wash hands or reapply lippy; it’s an arbiter of gender, with its mostly cisnormative inhabitants to police it. Is it time to rethink, redesign the bathroom for the 21st century? Read moreFor designers and their clients who value the diverse experiences of gender signing our bathrooms by the amenity they provide rather than by gender is a simple design strategy that alleviates a range of issues around bathroom access and availability It works alongside our wider understanding of how we can break down the gender binary to include trans and non-binary identities who experience othering Because it’s not just bathrooms where gender is violently contested a PhD candidate in architecture at the University of Melbourne a broadcaster on Melbourne’s 3PBS FM and member of Music Victoria’s women’s advisory panel Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" The rapturing event is all thanks to the Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio – better known as MESS – who’ve curated a dazzling lineup of homegrown electronic music goodness In addition to Mat Watson and the 16-piece MESS Synthesiser Orchestra the event will feature performances from Wiradjuri woman and interdisciplinary artist Naretha Williams and the fizzy electronic collaging of B(if)tek’s Nicole Skeltys Simona Castricum will close the show with a set of synth-pop and new rave belters taken from her three solo albums which have placed her firmly at the vanguard of Melbourne’s electronic underground so we’re really just going to hit the stage and play the hits,” says Simona “The Music Bowl experience is really about celebrating We haven’t had festivals and those opportunities so I really want to bring that big festival stadium-pop vibe to the Bowl for everybody.” Never miss a story. Sign up to Beat’s newsletter and you’ll be served fresh music food and culture stories five times a week Simona and her onstage companions – vocalist m8triarchy and guitarist Em Gayfer – have form in this regard Their last pre-pandemic show was a Saturday afternoon set in the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre for Golden Plains 2020 They also took part in a number of virtual events during the second half of 2020 including the Leaps and Bounds and ISOL-AID festivals and a one-song dash at the Recital Centre for the Music Victoria Awards “I feel like 2020 was still pretty active considering we were in lockdown,” she says “It was unfortunate to release an album into an abyss but I feel like it took on its own life online and it took on its own life as a listener.” if I couldn’t launch that record until February In the meantime I had these amazing opportunities to perform virtually I grew up in the ‘80s with Countdown and MTV so the idea of me performing on set or through a live broadcast they were also really big dreams for me as well.” Four years elapsed between Simona’s second LP TriggerWarning was a much darker release that centred on new rave and techno sounds Panic/Desire is informed by Simona’s move into academia which allowed her to bring a deeper philosophical context to her songwriting the record is loaded with synth-pop epics and gay and trans club music “By the time I got into a recording studio and for production [the songs] had been fleshed out in a live sense,” Simona says “But I think the main thing that changes for me after I’ve released something is that I just get used to singing things in more familiar ways – the muscle memory gets better between playing the drums and using the mouth to sing.” Simona spends the majority of her live sets with drum sticks in hand bestride a percussion stand while simultaneously singing into a headset microphone But as anyone present at Golden Plains would attest Simona’s limited mobility isn’t a drawback A lot of this is down to the contributions of m8triarchy and Gayfer “The connections that they bring and the energy that they bring to the stage that’s why Golden Plains just went so well,” says Simona “That’s why I’m so excited about the show at the Bowl because I think people just see it in a completely different context and it’ll just energise what I do to such a different level.” A post shared by Simona Castricum (@simonacastricum) Simona Castricum is performing at MESS at the Bowl on Saturday March 27. Find out more here. by Thomas Ricker FacebookThreadsVanMoof S3 with PowerBank arriving at Castricum aan Zee from Amsterdam. | Photo by Thomas Ricker / The VergeTranspoVanMoof’s PowerBank is a range extender and problem solverWe put a new 2021 S3 model to the test on a three-hour ride Not only does the emotional-support battery promise to ease range anxiety by extending VanMoof e-bike commutes by a claimed 45 to 100 km (28 to 62 miles) it also addresses VanMoof’s biggest limitation: non-removable batteries that enable a sleek look but could necessitate hauling the 19-kg (42-pound) bikes indoors to be charged After 3 hours in the saddle on two 90-minute rides I can attest to the extended range and more convenient charging It’s not cheap and it’s not perfect and I didn’t go quite as far as VanMoof claims but the PowerBank makes a compelling case for purchase when the PowerBank starts shipping in June (preorders start today) The PowerBank sits in a permanent mount you must first attach to the S3 or X3 e-bikes The PowerBank battery then wedges into the frame and locks in place with a supplied key and is further secured with two velcro straps A third velcro strap is used to keep the charging cable from flopping around as it snakes up to the underside of the top tube and into the bike’s charging port I rode on some rather bumpy brick roads and didn’t hear a single rattle from the assembly But the straps and bulky battery are visually jarring on the smaller The PowerBank is not compatible with earlier VanMoof e-bikes like the S2 or X2 While a first for VanMoof, range extenders are not uncommon amongst e-bike makers, especially for electric mountain bikes. Last month Specialized announced the Como SL commuter e-bike with an optional $449.99 range extender that it says adds about 31 miles (55 km) of range Over the weekend I tested a PowerBank fitted to a brand new VanMoof S3 on a 76.7 km (47.7 miles) round trip from Amsterdam to the coastal hamlet of Castricum aan Zee That’s beyond the 60 km stated range of a VanMoof ridden at max power and far beyond the 47 km I managed during my S3 range test in April of 2020 VanMoof claims that a fully charged S3 battery coupled to a PowerBank has a range of between 105-250 km (65-155 miles) depending upon the level of powered assist you’re using I rode at full power (level 4) on exceedingly flat Dutch terrain making liberal use of the Turbo Boost button A bit more than half of my testing was directly into a fairly strong 14-knot headwind I’d estimate that I could have ridden about 80 km (50 miles) before both the S3 and PowerBank batteries were empty the VanMoof PowerBank coupled to the new S3 extended my range by about 70 percent compared to 47 km (29.2 miles) I managed last year I noticed that the S3 battery emptied faster than the PowerBank could recharge it while riding at max power with lots of Turbo Boost button presses (VanMoof confirmed this behavior after my testing was complete.) So rather than risk having to stop and recharge on the way home (or ride in a less fun economy mode) I took advantage of a 20-minute ferry wait to top off the S3 battery when it was showing just 15 percent remaining I likely would have made it the final 7.9 km home even without the top-up but the whole point of having a PowerBank is to avoid range anxiety and I was in a hurry to get back I should give the VanMoof’s custom saddle honorable mention and the first time I’ve ridden it — my S3 review bike was fitted with a different saddle last year While I did notice a bit of discomfort down there when climbing onto the bike for my return journey Despite my test coming in below the lowest range estimate for the PowerBank “It should give most riders an additional 45-100km range depending on conditions and an individual’s use-level,” said the company in an email response to my findings and ambient conditions at testing make me an outlier VanMoof e-bikes don’t provide a USB charging port for phones mounted on the handlebar and the arrival of the PowerBank doesn’t change that A range extender enables riders to travel longer distances which often requires GPS navigation on a phone operating at peak brightness and paired with Bluetooth headphones for turn-by-turn directions and maybe some music playing over your 4G / 5G connection My three-year old iPhone wasn’t up to the task which meant tethering it to yet another battery I had to carry in my jacket I forgot about the cable when I stopped off at a ferry crossing VanMoof says a USB port was considered but was ultimately left off for “waterproofing reasons.” Shame the e-shifter seems much improved over the S3 variation that I reviewed at launch in April of 2020 At the time I said it glitched on 2 out of 100 shifts but the automatic four-speed on my new S3 glitched about 1 out of 100+ shifts over my three hours of riding I characterize a glitch as an unexpected mechanical “clink” sound a surprise free-wheel of the pedals when you expect to feel resistance or an obvious feeling of being in the wrong gear VanMoof says it also improved the internal wiring of its bikes for better resistance to weather, added new pedals for better grip, and new fender flaps to reduce excess splash on wet roads. It also made the shipping boxes more environmentally friendly — important when you consider that VanMoof ships around 12,000 of those giant boxes a month, as of September 2020. All this is to say that the 2021 S3 and X3 models, the ones with the “Locate with Apple Find My” label printed under the top tube, are the best VanMoof e-bikes yet, which really is saying something. The new PowerBank option is just icing on the cake. All photos by Thomas Ricker / The Verge unless otherwise stated A weekly newsletter by David Pierce designed to tell you everything you need to download, watch, read, listen to, and explore that fits in The Verge’s universe. Despite only a couple of hours sleep before the journey to Golden Plains 2020 I only felt gratitude and exhilaration to be back again The 5am bus ride up to Meredith felt extreme Rumour has it that a few members of our 30-person posse cracked the odd tinny on the way up We joined the procession of overstuffed cars and caravans loaded with op shop couches heading slowly into the paddocks and found a lovely green patch of grass under tall gums to call home and set up our ramshackle collection of tents add sparkle and reset over what can feel a little like a two-day endurance marathon The Supernatural Amphitheatre was lush and pristine as crowds gathered for a powerful welcome speech and smoking ceremony led by a local indigenous elder and his family Five thousand generations of connection to the land gives a welcome perspective to a festival which is a tiny blip in time but feels huge in the moment 'Must remember to help pick up rubbish,' I thought It wasn’t long before young Melbourne band Pinch Points kicked off the festival “We can't believe we are here," they shouted in delight before nailing a set of spritely punk pop with a ton of bounce I enjoyed Parsnip's sunshiney harmonies from the vantage point of Eric’s Bar on the hill The pace ramped up for veteran Melbourne DJ/producer Simona Castricum who took to the stage with a minimal set up of electronic drums and guitar There were serious 80s vibes in the air as they danced on stage in skin-tight fluoro green latex outfits and their big banging techno meets synth pop sound brought the crowd to its feet It was the first time I had seen Simona Castricum play and it was a delight These are the discoveries which the simplicity of a single stage has to offer Three bands in and I headed back through the tall gums to camp for a power nap I awoke to a reminder that we were interlopers in the bush as an army of bull ants swarmed over the outside of my tent Happily our crew had a cocktail party in full swing under the fairy light covered pergola Props to my husband who whipped me up a pretty decent margarita in a blender powered by a drill the crowd was fully going off for Ezra Collective The acclaimed UK group had the whole crowd in a frenzy with their high-powered jazz meets fierce afrobeat grooves and squalling horns A truly global cross pollination of styles built for festival madness and a reminder that jazz has found a fresh rebirth for a younger generation raised in clubs Golden Plains is celebrated for the diversity of its musical choices as punk techno and everything in between happily rubs shoulders But sometimes the gear shifts can be jarring As the sun peaked through storm clouds and sank revered songwriter Bill Callahan took to the stage He's not really a party guy and brought a seriousness to the afternoon which felt like the brakes had been hit hard So made my way to the front to bathe in Bill’s universe as he settled in to a slow groove on his battered acoustic and the band wove a tapestry of rhythm embellished by richly atmospheric lead guitar A stunning version of Leonard Cohen’s 'So Long Marianne' was perfectly suited to Callahan’s rich baritone and plenty in the audience sang happily along As Golden Plains and its sister festival Meredith have grown over the years new camp grounds on the perimeter have arrived I wandered for what felt like an eternity to find friends dancing in the dust amongst newly planted eucalypts and a sea of tents in the farthest paddock A hen’s party was in full swing and the joyous attendees were resplendent in white costumes I was psyched for Stereolab who last visited Australia 20 years ago an array of brightly coloured totems rose in the crowd Bright stage lights reflected off an audience frocked up for evening playtime crazy wigs and quite a lot of people confusingly in mechanics overalls was carried through the crowd on a long pole by a proud woman who found plenty of bemused attention for the writing on the back As Stereolab powered through the joyful vintage pop of singles 'Cybelle’s Reverie' and 'Lo Boob Oscillator' it was clear the band were in good form and ready to cut loose Tight drums and hypnotic keyboards pulsed underneath noisy guitars in frenzied Above it all rose the unmistakably clear vocals of French singer Lætitia Sadier whose voice floats about the chugga-chugga rhythms with a flute like quality She seemed chuffed to feel the love from the crowd UK duo Sleaford Mods arrived on stage to a roar from the crowd and a surge to the front It was another musical gear shift as we all adjusted to the onslaught amidst a barrage of beats from Andrew Fearn and the pissed off rapid fire poetic rants of brilliantly talented Jason Williamson as Fearn stands stock still behind his laptop and Williamson stalks the stage spitting vitriol like a man possessed Who knew it would be so much fun to be shouted at for 40 minutes It was impossible to resist the euphoria of South Australian electronic duo Electric Fields who were wholeheartedly embraced in a frenzied late-night dance off I'm convinced singer Zaachariaha Fielding has magical healing powers with a heart stoppingly beautiful multi octave voice that feels like it could reach the stars Fielding and keyboardist/composer Michael Ross gave their all in a set of deeply positive and uplifting tunes sung in English and Pitjantjatjara pop and house was completely their own as Electric Fields enveloped us in a message of love I wandered back through a very messy crowd I found myself next to an overexcited man in a fluffy bunny suit on one side and a couple having a massive barney on the other until the sound of Weyes Blood singer Natalie Mering came floating over the campground like a siren and drew me to the stage The sun shone and a happy crowd flopped on the grass on picnic blankets with an array of rapidly warming cheese boards The prospect of blue cheese was a bit much, so I opted for a humble steak sanger from the good folks at the Community Tucker Tent and a triple-strength coffee Weyes Blood was a vision in a white suit and bathed the audience with a beautiful set of ethereal sophisticated pop. 'Was she beamed in from a parallel universe?' I wondered as I lifted my shoe into the air with many others in appreciation A well-placed cover of Procol Harem’s ‘Whiter Shade Of Pale’ dedicated to "any boomers in the audience" beautifully updated the original But it was in no way greater than her own spellbinding '70s-inspired torch songs which felt like an intensely nourishing way to begin day two Melbourne's Civic brought a blast of hardcore punk to punters hungry for abrasive guitars before I was beckoned for cocktails back at camp Joe Camilleri and the Black Sorrows entertained a chilled mid-afternoon crowd the glory belonged to charismatic MC General Levy A legend in the jungle-meets-ragga UK scene his rapid fire toasting across crisp drum and bass was intoxicating and vital "It’s massive!" he proclaimed proudly from the stage as he engaged the crowd in an enthusiastic call and response We could have done without the invitation to shout Aussie Aussie Aussie to his Oi Oi Oi but his energy was infectious and brought many running to a ‘Sup with happy faces Have you ever had sore toes from a festival I became painfully aware of mine – likely from balancing on the downward slope of the amphitheatre while disco queen Evelyn Champagne King and the Mondo Freaks laid down rich '60s soul vibes A fella walked through the crowd with a toilet roll perched on a stick a brief reminder of the madness of the world we would soon find ourselves back in Sampa The Great's long-awaited set had been going all too briefly before a generator blew and cut the sound to the stage But not even the 30 minute delay could dampen our enthusiasm for her appearance As a full moon rose she arrived back on stage resplendent with her large band and backing singers in arresting red attire and flanked by two massive African headdresses each side of the stage with songs like 'Energy' resetting the hyped up crowd with neo-soul vibes 'Black Girl Magik' saw her call out to her fellow black queens – challenging at a festival as white as Golden Plains Sampa spoke from stage about the universal power of music to bind us together and she whipped into 'OMG' before finishing her set with one of 2019's best tracks all players in a bigger picture celebrating her search for identity and her rich cultural background Two days after she became the first person in the history of the Australian Music Prize to win it twice Her ownership of this and every stage she plays is unparalleled The prospect of the Pixies and Hot Chip to come brought a messy reorganisation of the crowd and a tidal wave of punters jostling for space at the front I'm old enough to remember the surge of excitement I felt back in 1987 when I first dropped the needle on Come On Pilgrim and Pixies changed my world it was always going to be a major moment to see them again in the ‘Sup I was joined in the second row by fellow rusted on fans dispensing with any on stage banter in preference for a set that slammed through their greatest hits 'Where Is My Mind' and 'Monkey Gone To Heaven' all reminded us of the legacy of a band that continues to inspire A tightly-wound bass groove from Paz Lenchantin played off perfectly against powerhouse drumming from David Lovering and Joey Santiago's jagged guitar The mosh was seething as Black Francis let out his unhinged screams and I wondered if it was possible to be any happier than in that moment It was 2019's Golden Plains that saw an adored appearance from Scottish noise makers Jesus and Mary Chain and it felt completely right when Pixies dropped their cover of 'Head On' seamlessly into the set While any Pixies fan will always miss the charm of Kim Deal within the band it was hard to fault this incredible performance from indie rock royalty The thrill of Pixies was equalled by a majorly fun set from Hot Chip but hell it was hard making my way up the hill through a sea of cans and eskies at the end of the day Fortunately there were plenty of helping hands to lift me up every time I tripped over Gotta love the kindness of a Golden Plains crowd Back-to-back electro pop bangers rolled in as the six-piece seamlessly transitioned through the hits rendered widescreen through the huge sound system 'Boy from School' brought sweetness and 'Huarache Lights' nailed the groove There was momentary confusion as Hot Chip launched into a raucous rendition of Beastie Boys' 'Sabotage': it sounded so much like the original that I thought they had finished early only to poke my head over the crowd and find them still on stage I lost my mates but made new ones in the hotchpotch of slightly soggy couches up the hill and wandered back to camp only to get lost in another camping area entirely That's just the way things roll at 2am After tripping over numerous guy ropes in the blackness rehydrated and saw out the night in a frenzy of brilliant Detroit techno from Floorplan Thanks to Zan Rowe and Ryan Egan for their memories and assistance with this article The musician was a beloved member of Melbourne's underground music community Musician Daphne Camf — known for her work in a slew of beloved underground Melbourne bands such as NO ZU — has passed away The vocalist and synthesist’s death over the weekend was confirmed by her collaborator Simona Castricum, with whom she performed in the group SaD. “It’s with great sadness we announce the death of our dear friend Daphne Camf over the Easter Weekend. We are all devastated and processing heartbreak and grief. We send our love and support to all of Daphne’s family, friends and community,” reads a statement via Castricum’s Trans-Brunswick Express label. “To so many in Melbourne’s underground community Daphne was a true and loving friend. Kind, wise, spiritual, poetic and inspiring, Daphne reflected upon the wry and dark ironies between life and death, of love and pain: ‘dream of Land’s End, my soul in flight, the clay that forms you, is filled with light,'” Castricum added, referencing Camf’s lyrics in SaD’s debut single, ‘The Poets of Antiquity’. A post shared by SIMONASPRGRFKA (@transbrunswickexpress) Camf’s early Melbourne’s underground music projects included her first band GAY and the experimental pop outfit Rat Vs Possum performing on the latter’s albums ‘Daughter of Sunshine’ and ‘Let Music & Bodies Unite’ Camf was perhaps best known for her work in the sprawling legendary “heat beat” collective NO ZU received acclaim for its eclectic composition —combining a range of funk house and global percussion influences to create its movement-oriented body music Camf was also an internet TV presenter and radio broadcaster Radio and regularly appearing as a guest on 3RRR’s No Pants program In 2018, Camf united with Castricum to form the dark, minimal synth-wave group SaD. Last year, the duo released the excellent debut album ‘Saturn Rules the Material World’ Drawing heavily on both artists’ love of goth and romantic artistry and aesthetics the hugely collaborative LP paired Camf’s poetic lyricism haunting vocals and synth melodies with Castricum’s electric guitar leads and beat programming “Making music with Daphne was the most incredible connection I am so immensely proud of Daphne: her wisdom I was super fortunate to become part of her world,” Castricum reflected in a post on SaD’s social media earlier today (April 6) ‘Saturn Rules The Material World’ remains an enigma our rehearsals I will treasure and be forever grateful Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time A prominent Melbourne trans woman who wrote the rules on transgender and gender diverse inclusion at live music venues has been ordered out of a women’s bathroom at a popular Fitzroy nightclub Musican and academic Simona Castricum said a guard at Yah Yah’s told her “You’re a man go to the men’s bathroom now” as she attempted to use the bathroom at the Smith Street venue early on Monday morning Simona Castricum performs at Golden Plains in 2020.Credit: Suzanne Phoenix Yah Yah’s co-owner James Young confirmed the incident took place describing it as a “very embarrassing” mistake that should never have happened Ms Castricum said a “male security guard stood in the doorway of the women’s bathroom and pointed at me and yelled at me quite aggressively ‘out of the bathroom’.” Ms Castricum said the guard continued to tell her that she was a man and that she needed to leave before another woman came to her aid “It really is such an indignity to have your gender questioned in front of an entire bathroom full of people,” she said Ms Castricum, who wrote live music venue inclusion guidelines for Music Victoria said the bar’s management and staff had apologised to her and agreed to do better “Yah Yah’s has obviously got a problem,” she said “It’s incumbent on the management to make sure that the message gets down to security.” Mr Young said the incident should never have happened “Yah Yah’s and Thursgay is one of the best practice venues in Melbourne and in Australia.“ Mr Young said Ms Castricum had been denied access by an inexperienced guard despite the fact the club has a gender-neutral bathroom policy on Thursday nights “The guard was reprimanded and he apologised to the guest,” Mr Young said Ms Castricum said she didn’t believe Yah Yah’s should be boycotted or Smith Street avoided I’m looking at Yah Yah’s to lead by example commit to education and accountability and change their culture so that any trans and gender diverse person on any night will feel safe as the venue moves forward,” she said Every night is queer and trans night in Smith Street.” Ms Castricum said it wasn’t the first time she had experienced transphobia at the venue, which was the location of a sexual assault in 2015 Mr Young said the entire staff will now receive further training from Transgender Victoria the state’s leading body for trans and gender diverse advocacy He said it was important for all workplaces to regularly review their LGBTQIA+ policies and training “This is a very embarrassing incident for me and the bar and we have to welcome it as a learning experience with something very positive to come out of it.” The guard in question will return to work after training Yah Yah’s managing director Nicholas Jones said he was “not satisfied” with the incident and “would like to prevent similar incidents from occurring again” Victorian Pride Lobby said in a statement it was deeply disappointed to hear of the incident which occurred on International Women’s Day and just after pride events including Mardi Gras and ChillOut Festival “Smith Street is one of Melbourne’s treasured LGBTIQA+ nightlife precincts and it is up to the entire community to take responsibility for creating venues inclusive and responsive to trans and gender-diverse people and all members of the LGBTIQA+ community,” it said businesses and spaces to expand their efforts on LGBTIQA+ inclusion on Smith Street in the City of Yarra and across the state.” changes to bathrooms and displaying transgender posters and flags Yarra mayor Gabrielle de Vietri said the council would work with its newly established LGBTIQ+ advisory group to engage local businesses and venues to ensure trans and gender diverse people were safe “We are dismayed and disappointed to hear of a transphobic incident having taken place in the City of Yarra,” she said Our Morning Edition newsletter is a curated guide to the most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here A prominent Melbourne trans woman who wrote the rules on transgender and gender diverse inclusion at live music venues has been ordered out of a women\\u2019s bathroom at a popular Fitzroy nightclub said a guard at Yah Yah\\u2019s told her \\u201CYou\\u2019re a man go to the men\\u2019s bathroom now\\u201D as she attempted to use the bathroom at the Smith Street venue early on Monday morning Yah Yah\\u2019s co-owner James Young confirmed the incident took place describing it as a \\u201Cvery embarrassing\\u201D mistake that should never have happened Ms Castricum said a \\u201Cmale security guard stood in the doorway of the women\\u2019s bathroom and pointed at me and yelled at me quite aggressively \\u2018out of the bathroom\\u2019.\\u201D \\u201CIt really is such an indignity to have your gender questioned in front of an entire bathroom full of people,\\u201D she said \\u201CIt\\u2019s also really frightening.\\u201D said the bar\\u2019s management and staff had apologised to her and agreed to do better \\u201CYah Yah\\u2019s has obviously got a problem,\\u201D she said \\u201CIt\\u2019s incumbent on the management to make sure that the message gets down to security.\\u201D \\u201CIt\\u2019s embarrassing for us,\\u201D he said \\u201CYah Yah\\u2019s and Thursgay is one of the best practice venues in Melbourne and in Australia.\\u201C \\u201CThe guard was reprimanded and he apologised to the guest,\\u201D Mr Young said \\u201CSimona is a very welcome guest.\\u201D Ms Castricum said she didn\\u2019t believe Yah Yah\\u2019s should be boycotted or Smith Street avoided I\\u2019m looking at Yah Yah\\u2019s to lead by example commit to education and accountability and change their culture so that any trans and gender diverse person on any night will feel safe as the venue moves forward,\\u201D she said Every night is queer and trans night in Smith Street.\\u201D Ms Castricum said it wasn\\u2019t the first time she had experienced transphobia at the venue the state\\u2019s leading body for trans and gender diverse advocacy it\\u2019s universal training,\\u201D he said \\u201CThis is a very embarrassing incident for me and the bar and we have to welcome it as a learning experience with something very positive to come out of it.\\u201D Yah Yah\\u2019s managing director Nicholas Jones said he was \\u201Cnot satisfied\\u201D with the incident and \\u201Cwould like to prevent similar incidents from occurring again\\u201D which occurred on International Women\\u2019s Day and just after pride events \\u201CSmith Street is one of Melbourne\\u2019s treasured LGBTIQA+ nightlife precincts and it is up to the entire community to take responsibility for creating venues inclusive and responsive to trans and gender-diverse people and all members of the LGBTIQA+ community,\\u201D it said in the City of Yarra and across the state.\\u201D which was sent to Yarra\\u2019s councillors \\u201CWe are dismayed and disappointed to hear of a transphobic incident having taken place in the City of Yarra,\\u201D she said Our Morning Edition newsletter is a curated guide to the most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up\\u00A0here Interviews with Lujayn Hourani and Simona Castricum   Lujayn Hourani is a member of a group of Queer Palestinian activists from Naarm and Meanjin who have demanded the Melbourne Queer Film Festival remove Israel-made film The Swimmer from its programme and implement a boycott of Israel-made films Lujayn discusses their reasons and their contexts Our interview with Lujayn was recorded Tuesday   MEDIA STATEMENT: RESPONSE TO THE SCREENING OF AN ISRAELI FILM - Melbourne Queer Film Festival (mqff.com.au)   Musician Simona Castricum discusses Sink, her co-production with Carla Zimbler at Arts House in North Melbourne from December 1 to 4.  SINK - Arts House   3CR broadcasts from the stolen lands of the Kulin Nation   In Ya Face is currently pre-recorded and produced remotely   QLife 3CR is proud to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, traditional owners of the land from which we transmit people powered radio. The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) will house people who have been granted refugee status in hotels close to the asylum center where they are housed before receiving residency. They are planning to do this without the permission of the municipalities involved. The COA announced on Thursday that they are starting a nationwide action to relieve the pressure from asylum centers. The COA reported that the people granted refugee status, who have a residence permit and therefore have a right to a home, will be placed in hotels in small numbers. This is already happening in some municipalities. The COA said they are working "under assignment from the government and after approval from the King's commissioners.” There is one King’s commissioner appointed per province. A formal permit from the relevant municipality is not necessary when placing refugees with a residence permit in a hotel, because they are already in the Netherlands legally. The rules are different for asylum seekers who have not yet been granted residency. The Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) has said that they are aware of the plans for people granted refugee status. The organization noted that informing the municipalities beforehand is a more proper approach. The COA has said that they will do so. Around 10,000 places at the asylum centers are currently occupied by people with refugee status whom the municipalities should have already arranged a home for. However, partly due to the housing shortage, the municipalities have not been able to achieve this goal. On Thursday, the Zuid-Holland municipality Krimpenerwaard reported that the COA would "unexpectedly" give 20 refugees accommodation at a hotel in Lekkerkerk. "The municipality has no influence on the COA's decision," said Mayor Hans Beenakker. Castricum reported last week that they were surprised by the placing of people with refugee status in a hotel in the Noord-Holland municipality. Whether all 10,000 people will be transported to hotels and on what terms that will happen has not been announced. The COA reported that the shelter places freed will be taken up by asylum seekers who are now in asylum centers set to close. Outgoing Asylum State Secretary Eric van der Brug made an urgent plea to municipalities to make hotels available earlier this month. Hotels are already being used to help asylum centers with urgent needs. They are used as emergency shelters, and some already have refugees. © 2012-2025, NL Times, All rights reserved. yet remain blessed with the lasting memory of her music and fragrances." "It’s with great sadness we announce the death of our dear friend Daphne Camf over the Easter Weekend," a statement released by SaD bandmate Simona Castricum and booking agent Press Play reads "We are all devastated and processing heartbreak and grief We send our love and support to all of Daphne’s family In a 2019 interview with LNWY Camf reflected on the importance of keeping music in her life "I really couldn’t give up music though," she said "It’s my biggest source of happiness in my life and you really can’t give up the thing that gives you the most meaning." Read the rest of Simona Castricum and Press Play's statement below: keyboardist and songwriter with Melbourne acts NO ZU Daphne presented 'Desperanto' on Hope St Radio and also regularly featured as co-host of 'No Pants' on 3RRR amplifying the music of women and non-binary artists Her hilarious takes on pop culture featured through the webcast talk show ‘Trash Slags’ for Poncho TV "As a true artist of the sensual world Daphne was also a creator of bespoke perfumes and a makeup artist "To so many in Melbourne’s underground community Daphne was a true and loving friend Daphne reflected upon the wry and dark ironies between life and death of love and pain: 'dream of Land’s End yet remain blessed with the lasting memory of her music and fragrances "Please look after and love each other during this time and reach out for help and support services •             Support Act: Crisis relief services for artists crew and music workers - 1300 731 303 (9am-5pm) or at supportact.org.au •             Switchboard Victoria: LGBTIQ+ Support - 1800 729 367 (10am-6pm) •             Lifeline: Crisis support and suicide prevention services - 13 11 14 (24 Hour)" Seven former pupils walk around every day at the Bonhoeffer College in Castricum Not because they are homesick or because they still have friends there how do you know there is secret kissing going on there?” The students had looked a little shocked when their economics teacher Iwan de Wit (28) had said that there was kissing behind the lockers - and that he certainly knew it We used to meet there when we were in love.” Iwan is one of the seven teachers who returned to high school at the time “Especially when you consider that Castricum is not a small village Iwan was in the fourth year of teacher training when he was looking for a job I heard that a few teachers were leaving the Bonhoeffer and that I might be able to apply,” says Iwan now “I still had to write my thesis and there wasn't even a vacancy yet but I thought it would be fun to teach at my old school you feel welcome and the atmosphere has something artistic and unique there are an above-average number of pupils with their own clothing style who are not afraid to express themselves And so he got his first real job in his own high school “It took some getting used to in the beginning I mainly knew many brothers and sisters of former classmates and friends Once I had a close friend's brother in class Iwan now knows: that is a matter of just making a statement in class - "are there any questions?" - and getting back to the order of the day His colleague and mathematics teacher Eva Goede (28) is one of those former pupils who now teaches I live in Uitgeest and I always had in mind: if a vacancy becomes available at Bonhoeffer Eva did not want to come back as 'that former student' “I really wanted to start as a full-fledged teacher I first worked at a nice mavo school for five years When I felt I had enough experience and had obtained my master's degree She knew exactly what to tell when she had to welcome her seventh grade to the introductory day “The rules were of course different - not stricter I then told the freshmen that I also started here I teach in the classrooms where I was taught myself it was also one trip down memory lane when he first entered the Bonhoeffer — his old school and his new workplace “The first thing I noticed were the large standing tables in our 2005 meter long atrium We had a break there - and the students of today still have confiscate your own place as soon as possible to stand there with your group What is different from the past: digitization the students are given less space and there is a little more discipline at school Take the card that students have to pick up if they are late And it is now quieter in the media library than it was then “I remember that I especially liked school,” says Iwan Whether the students of today have to work harder The format of the lessons is also different and some subjects have changed Loran teaches Design & Research for the Technasium ” There are also teachers of the old school there are many young teachers who are experimenting with working methods and new ways of teaching But you still have teachers who have been working here for years There are colleagues of whom I already thought as a student: I do not like you as a teacher I see where it comes from and why a teacher does certain things the way he does them And then I think: I don't agree with your teaching method it gives him fun discussions about the profession with his colleagues “And a school simply needs different types of teachers But what always remains the same: the atmosphere there are all kinds of things mixed up here and everyone has their own place." Loran: “I also think that the school board consciously prefers people who have attended school here Because they know how things are going here at school This page was translated automatically, if you see strange translations please let us know all thanks to Yarra Valley Water & Choose Tap By: Daniel Cencic INCOMING Wantirna South senior coach Steve Cochrane believes improved fitness is the key in the club’s bid to return to finals in 2019 An inconsistent 2018 saw the Devils finish 11th on the Division 2 ladder ending their campaign with three defeats by a combined total of just 12 points The club last played finals in 2016 and was unable to string more than three wins together in a row last year – which it did from rounds 2-4 – and will compete in Division 1 this season under the EFL’s competition restructure Consistency has been Cochrane’s main focus in his first pre-season at the helm “Consistency is everything in footy and to be consistent you’ve got to be fit and you’ve got to put the work in,” Cochrane said “That’s what will be our main focus this year is putting the work in and getting the miles in the legs over the last few months – I’ve been driving the guys pretty hard.” Headlining the recruits at Walker Reserve this off-season is South Croydon premiership midfielder David Del Papa ex-Vermont defender Jacob Castricum and 2014 premiership key defender Jackson Freeman who returns to the Devils after a season at Donvale Midfielder David Del Papa in his new colours Del Papa played just six senior games for the Dogs last season after playing in the 2017 Division 1 premiership while Castricum was a regular feature in Emerald’s senior team in 2018 Freeman is expected to miss a significant chunk of the season through injury “He (Freeman) has had some injuries and hasn’t been able to train he’s got some knee problems so I don’t think we’ll see much of him in the first half of the year but certainly Del Papa and Castricum have hit the ground running and going really well,” Cochrane said The Devils have also added to their younger playing stocks Matt Brown and Fergus Ward crossing over from Vermont after featuring in Division 1 reserve-grade and under-19 flags at the Eagles in recent seasons Dual premiership player Andrew Teakel has departed and will play at Seaford this season 2018 best and fairest Will Edwards has signed at Caulfield Grammarians in the VAFA Ben Carboni has retired while Jack Hare has transferred to Boronia who was announced as the Devils’ coach in October had his desire for senior coaching re-ignited last year when he led the EFL’s senior representative side to the number-one state ranking in the WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships The former Vermont and Blackburn mentor grew up in the Wantirna South area and is looking forward to giving back to his local club “It (coaching senior interleague) certainly gave me the taste again to get back involved in coaching and then when the opportunity came up with (Wantirna) South I’ve got a bit of a history with them,” he said “We always ask a lot of players to come back to their local club and I really admire what (Upper Ferntree Gully senior coach) Joel Perry did going back to his local club and I’m sure there’s a few other guys that have done that and come back as coach so I thought it would be a good opportunity to go back to my club as well.” Cochrane will be aided by senior assistant coach Sam Bates – who will also take charge of the midfield – Michael Jamieson (forwards) Paul Rees (defence) and new reserves coach who returns to the Devils after last playing at the club in 2016 PHOTO: Wantirna South Senior Football Club Facebook page “He (Andrew) is great with the boys and has a great relationship with those guys he’s a young coach who’s coming in and learning the ropes and he’s keen and committed,” Cochrane said the club recently completed a pre-season camp to Portsea with its captain set to be named shortly “We’ve got a leadership group that was nominated by the boys over camp and we’re working with them through a cultural program,” Cochrane said “Our captain and our on-field leaders will come out of that over the coming weeks.” Wantirna South hosts Knox at Walker Reserve in Round 1 on Saturday Match Footage EFNL Board Staff Junior Committee Senior Clubs Junior Clubs Safeguarding Children & Young People Annual Reports (VIEW MAP) Email: enquiries@efnl.org.au Terms of Service  |  Privacy Policy  were selling their Heathmont home with plans to get back into the market when demand cools Melbourne buyers should expect to face a supercharged property market for the remainder of 2021 as experts predict an “explosion” of activity after lockdown The red-hot conditions are unlikely to ease with the city set for an unusually busy summer that could continue right through to Christmas and into the new year It comes as auctions return to the streets giving both buyers and sellers a much-needed confidence boost to transact RELATED: Every Victorian suburb’s house and unit price gains: REIV medians Melbourne’s 15 new million-dollar suburbs revealed: REIV Infolio managing director Lauren Staley said the easing of restrictions would help free house hunters who had “been stuck in a holding pattern” of waiting to buy before they put their house on the market “There’s already been a lot of pent-up demand but we think the market is likely to explode with activity,” Ms Staley said “Buyers will be more comfortable inspecting (property) with the higher vaccination rates “They’ll also be able to travel further distances including from interstate and remote areas soon so people who had trepidation buying sight unseen will be back in the market.” Auction volumes have been steadily rising in recent weeks as restrictions eased with about 1173 Melbourne homes going under the hammer last week and a massive 1734 set for this week Auctions returned to Melbourne streets as the city’s sixth lockdown ended And pricing was tipped to remain “extremely competitive” due to the consistent demand and a lack of listings The Herald Sun recently revealed Melbourne had achieved its fourth consecutive record quarter, with houses notching a median sale price of a whopping $1.072m according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria “Waiting (for prices to drop) is a waste of time,” Ms Staley added Infolio Property Advisors managing director Lauren Staley Stockdale & Leggo chief executive Charlotte Pascoe noted the rising prices were “a bit scary” for buyers struggling to get into the market and tipped in-person auctions would only add to the momentum people will often say ‘bugger it’ and bid that extra $5000 $10,000 or $15,000 because of the emotion that you don’t really get online,” Ms Pascoe said She noted the “initial flood of properties” had likely already hit the market when private inspections were able to resume in September — but there was still “a huge amount of unsatisfied buyers” was among the auctions in Melbourne’s first week out of lockdown “They are really frustrated and they just want to find something and if that means they are looking at homes on December 23 While Melbourne had recorded a mass exodus of city dwellers who had flocked to sea or tree-change locations to escape lockdown since the start of the pandemic the peak of the trend could already be over “Metro buyers definitely want bigger spaces a better lifestyle but for the people who had considered moving out of the city they’ve probably already done it by now,” Ms Pascoe said She said there would “always be some who will make those lifestyle choices” but the road map out of lockdown offered residents more certainty about their future in the city Stockdale & Leggo chief executive Charlotte Pascoe Sea and tree change markets might show signs of cooling off in the new year Ray White Ringwood director Chris Watson also expected more movement from buyers who were selling up to buy within the same suburb a lot of people in lockdown have been fed up with their houses,” Mr Watson said “We are seeing a lot of people selling and buying similar homes sometimes it’s not even to upsize or downsize.” was listed with $700,000-$770,000 price hopes It’s a short walk away from the Heathmont Village Shop – Revisit your pre-approval and financing to ensure it hasn’t lapsed and run the numbers again because some serviceability percentages have changed – Be really clear with the agent on the process of buying the home and any deadlines for offers – Ask agents what you need to do in order to successfully secure the property Do the vendors want a long or short settlement What would it take for them to sell to you before auction and be willing to settle for seven out of 10 – Don’t get caught up in the craziness and make a bad decision that’s not right for you – Be well researched on recent prices of comparable properties – Ensure you are in the loop if a campaign is cut short or bought to an early auction – Consider using a buyer’s advocate who can help streamline the house hunting and negotiation process for you – Get yourself in a position to bid unconditionally – Don’t neglect auctions despite how competitive they are because you are missing out on a big section of the market – Ask agents about any off-market opportunities Week ending – scheduled auctions – clearance rate A lot of would-be vendors who held off until inspections resumed are bringing their properties to the market and new listings in Melbourne climbed almost 75 per cent month-on-month in September And the volume of new properties for sale in Melbourne is now almost three times the level recorded in September last year This continued return of vendor confidence is a welcome development for buyers as we know demand remained elevated on realestate.com.au even as lockdowns affected activity with less stock and fewer transactions We’re starting to see the uptick in listings translating into an even larger uptick in sales after months of long large-scale lockdowns there is far less uncertainty on the horizon providing vaccines continue to be successful in containing Covid-19 This should give sellers a long-awaited opportunity to bring their properties to market unhindered Given the return of private inspections only occurred mid September with an incremental unwinding of restrictions we will likely continue to see auction numbers remain elevated with listings and transaction volumes climbing again through October and into November Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox READ MORE: Melbourne suburbs where it’s hardest for first-home buyers to save a deposit Master Builders analysis shows 360 Victorian building businesses insolvent in a year Hellas Cakes: Richmond cake shop serves up $4m after decades of sweet treats christina.karras@news.com.au third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Netherlands • Hotels Located among the dunes of North Holland’s Castricum beach Beach Hotel Zoomers is a stunning creative collaboration between Dutch interior brand HKliving and the property; the design-led concept born this year to offer guests a slow pace of life amid nature and the bracing coast Simple and pure with beautiful nuances in colours that draw guests closer to the nature that surrounds them, the outside of the building reflects the inside; its interiors a mixture of natural and raw materials. Boasting either dune or sea views, and within walking distance of the beach, rooms have been styled by The Other Season and feature elegant linens alongside bespoke items that can be bought in the hotel’s beach shop the HKliving Suites and Apartment (the latter available in the basement and featuring its own garden) providing Zoomers guests with an unexpected slice of style to lap up from a stunning location Strandhotel Zoomers HKliving Suites Photography Ruben Snitslaar / OneTwoStudio / The Other Season , , , , Formerly known as Boat & Co and Twenty Eight in Amsterdam these two concept hotels have united to create The July brand which has also set its sights on ambitious expansion plans across London Situated in Amsterdam's Eastern Docklands neighbourhood in a building originally commissioned by the Royal Holland Lloyd Shipping Company in 1921 The Hoxton's second Dutch hotel is home to 136 bedrooms Nautical heritage meets lakeside nature at new hideaway De Durgerdam three-suite hotel situated by the IJmeer lake that occupies a 17th century building typical of those found in the villages in this maritime part of the.. a city in the Friesland province of the Netherlands Notiz Hotel combines luxury and sustainability the property——formerly known as Stenden Hotel——having undergone a recent transformation led by Studio Oak Zorra Zapopan is the second outpost of Cervecería Zorra a stunning project brought to fruition by esteemed studios Taller Dinamita and Taller Binario that combines a.. Barcelona’s Grand Hotel Central has emerged as a triumph of contemporary luxury; a homage to its own weighty history and grandeur yet breathing the fresh air of modern Catalunya... Opening just last month on Barcelona's Via Laietana the road that separates the city's El Born and El Gòtic neighbourhoods restaurant Can Bo completes the reimagined Grand Hotel Central; the street-level gastronomic concept focussing on tapas and.. From first stepping into the kitchen aged 10 to creating supper club 'Eureka' in the family home Flynn McGarry went on to open his first permanent fine dining restaurant in New York City's Lower East Side at 19 years old © 2025 About Us Advertising Privacy Policy Write for We Heart Get in Touch We Heart is an online magazine founded in 2007 the platform evolved over time to feature inspiring places and spaces Over the years we have been committed to producing content that inspires and informs our readers; having broadened our content policy to mature into a more general lifestyle magazine that has kept itself rooted in our beginnings whilst covering a multitude of subjects that reflect our growth.