Encore: The story of a wild, radical feminist socialist lesbian mum, and her son

Oct 31, 2025

Ianto Ware, a writer and author of 'Mother and I', shares his extraordinary childhood in Adelaide with his radical feminist lesbian mother, Dimity. He recounts their adventurous family trips in a quirky camper van, detailing the lessons learned from camping mishaps and the beauty of their wild garden sanctuary. Ianto discusses the challenges of single motherhood in the 70s, the stigma they faced, and the deep emotional bond they forged as an only child. His moving reflections on loss, resilience, and his mother's vibrant spirit provide a poignant tribute to her legacy.

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ANECDOTE

The Van Dyke Camper

Dimity converted a battered Toyota Hi-Ace surveillance van into a camper she called the Van Dyke with a yellow canoe on top.
It became a roaming, cluttered 'nest' that Ianto and his mother used for driving trips and learning to drive.

INSIGHT

Illness Shaped Her Defiant Strength

Dimity's childhood kidney failure shaped a fierce self-image of strength despite being treated as fragile.
That contradiction fuelled a lifelong resolve and activism in her adult life.

ANECDOTE

Finding Feminism And A New Life

After studying in college, Dimity discovered second-wave feminism and queer communities that opened new ways of living.
She left her marriage, explored lesbian relationships, and embraced political activism.

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Writer, Ianto Ware on growing up in the suburbs of Adelaide in a single-parent, single-child family, when such an experience was rare. (R)

Ianto Ware was raised in the suburbs of Adelaide in a house surrounded by a tangled garden of oak trees and vegetables, and furniture foraged from hard rubbish.

Aside from the family pets, it was just Ianto and Dimity at home.

His family was different to most in his street, as his mother Dimity described herself as a 'radical feminist socialist lesbian'.

Dimity wore dungarees, and for some of Ianto's childhood, she drove a campervan with a yellow kayak on the roof, with a rainbow cat sticker on the bonnet of the van.

As she was raising Ianto alone, Dimity knew that it was very likely she would not live to old age, because of a health condition she was born with.

Ianto has written down the story his mother's remarkable life, and her legacy.

Further information

Originally broadcast June 2021. This episode was recorded remotely, during COVID.

Mother and I: The fable of a wilful family was published by Hunter Publishing.

Read more about Ianto on his website.

https://iantoware.com.au/about/

This episode of Conversations was produced by Nicola Harrison. The Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.

This episode explores single mothers, queer mothers, lesbian, gardening, rainbow families, unusual families, being different, how it feels to be different, when you don't fit in, is it ok to be different, Adelaide, Dunstan, mother and son, single parent family, single parent, single child family, kidney disease, kidney transplant, death of a mother, death of a parent, orphan, strong mothers, only child, one and done, amicable separation, amicable divorce, good divorce, adult son and chronic illness.

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