1 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: From the newsroom and news still come today you gooday there. 2 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: I'm Andrew Buffalow and I've just walked out about daily 3 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:12,239 Speaker 1: editorial meeting at us dot com dot AU. Basically that 4 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: meeting is where we all get together and talk about 5 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:16,479 Speaker 1: the stories that we're working on. And let me tell you, 6 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: there was more variety than a packet of Cadbury favorites. Today, 7 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: we've got some pretty meeting news coming about the economy. 8 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:25,119 Speaker 2: David llewell and Smith is up and he's got a 9 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 2: really good one about how basically the economy is going 10 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 2: to crash once we start boarding gaffs at the. 11 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: End of it. That was our morning editor there, And 12 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: just to highlight what I said about variety, a few 13 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,600 Speaker 1: seconds after pitching that story, they spoke about this other 14 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: story coming about an aborted Brian Adams concert. 15 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:43,480 Speaker 2: We have a great story already live on Brian Adams, 16 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 2: all the fans being locked out because the drains were 17 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 2: clogged and they saw the toilets might back up in 18 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 2: the arena, so they just had to cancel the concert. 19 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: Sounds like that could have stunk, much like most of 20 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: Brian Adams music. Oh forgive me Brian. One of the 21 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: editors also pitched a follow up to a story that 22 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: broke a day or two ago about a teacher Queensland 23 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,680 Speaker 1: who allegedly identifies as a cat. The photos are like 24 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: one of the best things I've ever seen in my life. 25 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 1: It's easily one of the more interesting stories of the 26 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: day in my opinion. So in just a second, I'm 27 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 1: going to get one of the news dot com dot 28 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:15,400 Speaker 1: a YU reporters to fill you in on everything we 29 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: know about this teacher, including what those photos are of. 30 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: And then we're also going to chat to someone who 31 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: identifies as a wolf, Yes, a wolf, Breell Burns. He's 32 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: one of news dot com dot i used reporters and 33 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 1: she's working on this rather bizarre story about a teacher 34 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: from Queensland who allegedly refers to themselves as a cat. 35 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: I say allegedly. I don't want to get in any 36 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 1: legal trouble here. I want to purr on the side 37 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: of caution a little pun from me, Brielle. What do 38 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 1: we know about this story? Where does this teacher work 39 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: and what are they accused of doing? 40 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, so this is a pretty wild story. So what 41 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 3: we have here is a teacher from Mars and State 42 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 3: High School in Logan City, which is south of Brisbane, 43 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 3: and they've been referring to themselves as a cat and 44 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 3: allegedly asking students to call them missp So. Photos and 45 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 3: videos first published by The Courier Mail show the teacher 46 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 3: standing in front of the classroom wearing a cat ear 47 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:09,080 Speaker 3: headband and then Lenyard reading the word. 48 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 1: Per Okay, so, apart from wanting to be called miss perr, 49 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 1: is the teacher allegedly exhibiting any other cat like behavior? 50 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 3: Yeah? So, parents online have made some pretty shocking claims. 51 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 2: Okay. 52 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 3: They've claimed the teacher has hissed at students, lick the 53 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:24,239 Speaker 3: back of their own. 54 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: Hands, their hands, not the student's hands, that's. 55 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 3: Right, their hand, And one parent even claimed the teacher 56 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:30,519 Speaker 3: made her daughter per. 57 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: For a lolli, per for a lolli. I wonder if 58 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: the student did it. I don't even really know how 59 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: you do per. 60 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 3: No, it's a hard noise to move. 61 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, so I can imagine that parents are up 62 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 1: in arms over this. What's some of the reaction online 63 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: or from parents who have kids in that class? 64 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 3: That's right? So we've got a quote from one parent 65 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 3: here and they said it's more frustrating that the mainstream 66 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 3: schooling and education system we're sending our kids to every 67 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:00,080 Speaker 3: day has teachers doing things like this. I want teacher 68 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 3: who I can rely on to teach my kids what 69 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 3: they need in life and be someone they can look 70 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:06,519 Speaker 3: up to, which isn't someone that wears ears. 71 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: Now, when you have stories like this, the comments on 72 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: social media tend to go off. I have seen it 73 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 1: many times here at news dot com dot au. What 74 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 1: is some of the general reaction from the public about 75 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: this story? 76 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 3: That's right, So there's a lot of reaction coming in online. 77 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 3: We've got a lot of people labeling the teacher's behavior 78 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 3: beyond ridiculous and disgusting, and many are actually calling for 79 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 3: them to be fired. Right. One said that they are 80 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:30,799 Speaker 3: not fit to be a teacher and they should get 81 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 3: out of there. Another said they need to be fired immediately. 82 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 3: Another question, how is the teacher allowed to be in 83 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 3: school with children? Others have said the world has gone mad? 84 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 3: What the hell? Time to be dismissed? Another said get 85 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 3: them out of the school system. WTF, this is bloody ridiculous. 86 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: Okay, so quite a few people there calling for this 87 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 1: teacher to be sacked. Have you spoken to the Department 88 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: of Education. Have you spoken to the school and if so, 89 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: what have they had to say? 90 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 3: That's right, So I did go to the Queensland Department 91 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 3: of Education today to ask if the teach will be 92 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 3: fired or face any disciplinary action, but they declined to 93 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 3: provide further comment for privacy reason. 94 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 1: Now. 95 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 3: A spokesperson from the department previously told news dot Com 96 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 3: to you that mars And State High School is aware 97 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 3: of parents concerns and the principle has addressed the issued 98 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 3: directly with the teacher. They said, teachers are held to 99 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 3: the highest standard of professionalism and ethics and this behavior 100 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 3: is not acceptable in Queensland State schools. 101 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 1: And you reached out to the school as well, did 102 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:26,479 Speaker 1: they have anything to say. 103 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:28,560 Speaker 3: I did reach out to the school, but I'm yet 104 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 3: to hear a response from them. 105 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: We also didn't hear a response from this teacher. We 106 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: wanted to get them on this podcast, thought it'd be 107 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 1: a fascinating chat. Couldn't make it happen. But coming up 108 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: after the break, we do have the next best thing. 109 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: Not someone who identifies as a cat, but someone who 110 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: identifies as a wolf. I mean, why wouldn't you gape listening. 111 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: We'll be back in a moment. Welcome back. Well, as 112 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 1: I mentioned before the break, we would have loved to 113 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: have been able to get that teacher on from Queensland 114 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,720 Speaker 1: and who allegedly identifies as a cat. We couldn't make 115 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:04,679 Speaker 1: that happen. But we've got the next best thing, maybe 116 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 1: even something better. We've got someone who identifies as a wolf. 117 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 2: Now. 118 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: Their name is Naya O Kami, and I actually have 119 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 1: interviewed them a few years ago for a different story 120 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 1: I was working on from news dot com dot a 121 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:17,679 Speaker 1: You and I kept the audio all this time because 122 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,280 Speaker 1: it's such a fascinating chat, and what I thought I'd 123 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:23,920 Speaker 1: do is just play you some of the highlights. Now, 124 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 1: you identify as a wolf, is that correct? 125 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:32,479 Speaker 4: Yes and no. So spiritually and psychologically, I sort of 126 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:36,039 Speaker 4: identify as a wolf, but I know I'm human. You know, 127 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 4: I walk on two legs, I've got a job, and 128 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 4: my partner is human. So there's a level of there 129 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 4: is some identification there as a wolf, and then there's 130 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 4: a level of but I also know that I'm in 131 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 4: a human body, I'm physically human, and I'm functioning in 132 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 4: society as a human. 133 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,279 Speaker 1: How old were you when you came to the realization 134 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 1: that spiritually you're a wolf. 135 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 4: I think I was around each ten or eleven. I 136 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 4: didn't really have the language for it, so I just 137 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 4: kind of went around and you know, I would tell 138 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 4: people in quest too, oh hey, I've got the spirit 139 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 4: of the wolf. I hung around in the furry community 140 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 4: for a while because I thought, you have to understand. 141 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 4: I thought that's what I was. I thought, okay, furries, 142 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 4: these are these are people who have animal spirit. That's 143 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 4: why they're you know, dressing up in first suits as animals. 144 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 4: Oh cool, this is like me. And then they were like, 145 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 4: you're something completely different entirely, and I'm like, gotcha, So 146 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:36,839 Speaker 4: what is that exactly? And that's sort of how I 147 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:40,479 Speaker 4: found the term theory in and other ken, which is 148 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:42,839 Speaker 4: kind of what I used to describe myself. 149 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: What's the definition of atherorian. 150 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 4: Etherian is somebody who identifies as one or more non 151 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 4: human animals that have either once walked the earth or 152 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,720 Speaker 4: currently walked the earth. So the term other kin just 153 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 4: refers to non human. So if you have some one 154 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 4: who whatever reason, they identify with mythical elves, for example, 155 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 4: just to throw an example out there, they would use 156 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 4: the term other can, whereas if you identify it with 157 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 4: an earthly animal, you would use the term theory. 158 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: In from what I've read, there are three main species 159 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: of wolves and about forty subspecies. Do you identify as 160 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 1: a particular subspecies? 161 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 4: Yes, Sami, British Columbia wolf. 162 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: What are their traits? 163 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 4: British Columbia wolves, I believe are a subspecies of gray wolves. 164 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 4: They of course are native sort of to the northern 165 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 4: areas British Columbia. They're coastal wolves. And I kind of identify, 166 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 4: you know, just just going through and how I see 167 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 4: myself and kind of looking through the different types of 168 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 4: wolves there are, it just feels like the best fit. 169 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 1: Do you exhibit any wolf behaviors that you said that? 170 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 1: You obviously walk on two legs, But do you ever 171 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: howl or anything like that? 172 00:07:57,160 --> 00:07:59,559 Speaker 4: I've been told I can howl very well. Yes. 173 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 1: Could you give me a demo? 174 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 2: Oh? 175 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 4: Of course? 176 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: Okay, that's impressive. How did your friends and family react 177 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: when you told them that you were identifying as a wolf. 178 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 4: Some people obviously raise their eyebrows, but it's not really 179 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 4: that different if you really think about it. What does 180 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 4: it change about your interaction with me. If I'm at work, 181 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 4: the fact that I identify as a wolf doesn't change 182 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 4: my professional performance. It doesn't change how I interact with coworkers, etc. 183 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 4: It's an interpersonal, spiritual thing. And the people who are 184 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 4: overreacting to it, It's like, Okay, it doesn't affect you any. 185 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 1: And have you copped any flack or you know, abuse 186 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 1: for being so open about that? 187 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 4: Yes? Really, yes, people can be very hateful to things 188 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 4: they don't understand on top of being a theory. And 189 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 4: I'm transgender, which is completely different, not even in the 190 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 4: same league. So I've gotten a lot of heat for 191 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 4: being trans a lot of heat for being Etherian, But 192 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 4: I don't really care. 193 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 1: Some people listening might be going, gee, that's a bit weird. 194 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 1: You know, I can't quite understand that. Perhaps NIA has 195 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: you know, issues or mental health issues. What would you 196 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 1: say to those people? 197 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 4: You know, mental health issues are judged by how they're 198 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 4: affecting your performance in society. Are they affecting your daily 199 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 4: living skills? Are they affecting your ability to have a career? 200 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 4: Are they affecting interpersonal relationships? And being Etherian does on 201 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 4: its own none of these things. Are there People who 202 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 4: have taken it way too far to the point where, yeah, 203 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 4: if you go to work and you're barking at your coworkers, 204 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 4: you know clearly that that's in the realm of causing 205 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 4: some sort of problem. But most theorians don't do that. 206 00:09:57,840 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 4: I don't do that. 207 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: Now. That was a pretty interesting final comment from Naya 208 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: there about some people taking it too far and barking 209 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 1: at co workers, because you know, that's kind of what 210 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 1: this teacher from Queensland is accused of doing, hissing and 211 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 1: growling at students and colleagues. So we will keep you 212 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 1: up to date on this story at news dot com 213 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:18,959 Speaker 1: dot a you in the meantime. Thank you so much 214 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 1: for listening to it from the newsroom. 215 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, follow or subscribe to from the newsroom 216 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 1: Wherever you get your podcasts.