We spoke to the Aussie superstar about her new sapphic dating show for our July issue
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY BBC THREE
Dannii Minogue is a superstar of many things. She’s brought us hits like I Begin To Wonder and Who Do You Love Now. She was an iconic judge on X Factor. Her recent show I Kissed A Boy became a cultural queer phenomenon. But most of all, she has always been a superstar ally to the LGBTQIA community.
After the announcement on 5 June that Dannii would be coming back next year to host the sapphic spin-off I Kissed A Girl, we sat down and spoke with her about her lifelong career as an ally.
But to understand how Dannii came to where she is now, we first have to go back in time to the 90s. Soho. The club is thumping. A special guest is coming on stage – it’s Dannii Minogue making her debut performance at G-A-Y.
“When I did the very first performance at G-A-Y, it was in an environment where artists were being told ‘You can’t be gay’,” Dannii explains. “I was told: You can’t go near anything like a gay club because that’s a career killer.”
Far from a career killer, this performance marked the first of many appearances that Dannii would make at queer events. She has pretty much done it all: sang at Pride in London in 1997, posed naked for World Aids Day in 2004, and most recently performed at Sydney WorldPride this year with her sister, Kylie.
The announcement of I Kissed A Girl is making new waves in an industry which has existed for decades. Dannii excitedly says: “I Kissed A Boy was ground-breaking, but I think I Kissed A Girl will have a different gravitas to it because there has been so little representation. We want to show people from the community that if you’re a girl who likes girls you don’t just look like this, and you don’t just have this job, and you don’t just go to these places. Everyone is different and unique, and we want to get a good cross-section of people who are genuinely looking for love. I’m so excited.”
Since her performance at G-A-Y, Dannii has become a firm ally and queer icon within the community. Her commitment to supporting and listening to the LGBTQIA is unmatched.
So how can people be a better ally this Pride Month? “Listening is the start,” Dannii advises. “Let somebody tell their story and help them arrive at the destination which is good for them. To be an ally you have to listen first, and from those conversations, you can work out how you can help.”
I don’t know about you but we can’t wait to see I Kissed A Girl on our screens next year. Read more from our interview with Dannii by ordering a copy of our July issue.
Casting is now open for I Kissed A Girl. Applicants can apply via the BBC Take Part website or an online application form.
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