Stories from the Underworld
A JOURNEY THROUGH QUEER AND TRANS HISTORIES FOR INTERNATIONAL OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY
On August 30, 2024 (International Overdose Awareness Day), five intimate narratives were shared during "Stories from the Underworld" on Gadigal Country, marking a significant moment in queer and trans harm reduction history.
By preserving these diverse accounts of drug use, dependency, and survival, the collection challenges dominant narratives while ensuring these vital community perspectives endure. Through a mix of personal testimonies, whimsical narratives, and salacious poetry, these stories paint a complex picture of lived experience.
Beyond mere preservation, this collection serves as a living resource for community healing, education, and the ongoing fight for harm reduction, making visible historically overlooked experiences within the intersection of LGBTQ+ and drug-using communities.
CONTENT WARNING
These recordings and transcripts contain discussions of drug use, dependency, overdose, and loss. While these stories are powerful testimonies of survival and community care, we recognise they may be challenging for some. Please engage with these materials in ways that feel safe for you.
CREDITS
Audio recording by Radio Skid Row
Photography by Carlita Sari Photo
In this section…
A Series of Venn Diagrams on using and not using Drugs
NJ A trans femme (she/they) radical punk uses Venn diagrams and dark humour to explore… See more
Tainted Truths of half-forgotten lives
BARBARELLA TJATIANA KARPINSKI Through haunted poetry, a tarnished diva communes with the ghosts of Sydney’s… See more
Gadigal Budyari (beautiful Gadigal)
MATT STEGH A First Nations queer elder weaves a poetic tale of 90s Sydney's underground… See more