Australia’s Comedy Scene Keeps Getting Better — Just Look At These 17 Emerging Female & Gender-Diverse Comics

On every other straight Australian man's dating app profile (next to their fish pic), you'll find the declaration: "Must have a sense of humour". In the same breath, they'll whinge, "Women aren't funny" or "Queer people are too politically correct".

It's a terribly silly and unfounded stereotype that having a gender identity other than cis male makes you unfunny. But our comedy scene begs to differ. Australia is brimming with incredibly intelligent comics who also happen to diversify the traditional male-dominated space.

With Adelaide Fringe just passing us by and Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Sydney Comedy Festival around the corner, we're celebrating our incredibly hilarious homegrown talent. So take that, fish-bearing chauvinists.

Scout Boxall has quietly collected a number of awards in their five years of comedy. The non-binary and queer performer also spends their time writing and running a monthly comedy room. Their new show Buck Wild is what they dub "an immersive narrative work about living with bipolar disorder".

You've heard of a multi-hyphenate before, but have you heard of Natali Caro? The 27-year-old Colombian and Chilean comedian, actor, DJ, drag king, impressionist, singer, dancer, writer and presenter (who's also bisexual and bilingual!) gives the word a whole new meaning. Their new show is a smorgasbord of stand-up, drag, impressions, sketch, audiovisuals, music and more.

Since their inaugural show in 2014, Victoria Zerbst (she/they) and Jenna Owen (she/her) have injected a whole new level of cool into comedy. As the founders of the Sydney-based, all-women sketch comedy group that appears weekly on SBS's The Feed, the duo is loved for their whip-smart skits.

At just 21, Gumbaynggirr woman Aretha Brown has made her name known when it comes to political activism and art. The former Prime Minister of the National Indigenous Youth Parliament has stretched her wings and is currently based in London, pursuing comedy and screenwriting alongside her art.

Aurelia St Clair is a German-Cameroonian comedian, writer and podcaster with a knack for pop culture and hyper-specific Melbourne suburb takedowns. They're returning to the Melbourne Comedy Festival for the fourth time with their show I said what I said — where girlbosses and queer-favoured drinks are up for discussion.

As a stand-up comedian, writer, actor and cook, Lizzy Hoo is no stranger to the stage, even though she only first tried her hand at comedy in 2017 to improve her self-confidence. Find her over on her podcast or at her new show, Hoo Cares?

Brisbane-based comic Rhi Down has been in the comedy circuit for just over a decade now and her quick, sharp takes make her an easy favourite. In her spare time, she slings art prints and homewares too.

Vidya Rajan takes what you know about alt comedy and flips it on its head. With a background in screenwriting, theatre and performing, her comedy prowess evolves around identity, culture and the internet. Her new show incorporates sketch comedy, stand-up and a PowerPoint presentation.

For over 10 years, Anna Piper Scott has been refining her performing and comedy craft. The Perth-born, Melbourne-based trans lesbian is known for her witty social commentary and hard-hitting humour. Her new show, Such An Inspiration, will dive into mental health discourse all while pushing back on labels of being “uplifting” and “authentic”.

Beloved TikToker Samantha Andrew has wowed her fans over the past couple of years with her nostalgic throwback videos and sketch comedy. Along with her creative partner Mel O'Brien, Sam nails musical comedy, infusing their tight and energy-packed shows with unique Aussie humour.

Annie Louey has made herself known on stage, on television and on radio. The quadruple threat (comedian, presenter, speaker and celebrant!) is honest and observant in her comedy practice. Her new show is all about death — and as a child who attended more funerals than birthday parties, she has much to say on the matter.

Frank sincerity and dark humour collide when Melbourne-based comedian Jordan Barr gets on stage. She's also a podcast veteran and is the co-host of not one, but three, different shows covering Sex And The City, pop culture and graffiti. Her new show Dreams is an hour of stand-up and musical comedy about the future.

In her own words, Bianka Ismailovski is Australia’s number one ethically non-monogamous, sober, bisexual, divorcée comedian. As a sex-positive influencer, Bianka brings candid and raunchy content into the mainstream.

Chido Mwat is showcasing her debut comedy-cabaret show this year. As a Black woman and doctor who moved to Australia from Zimbabwe, her upcoming show She-Nanigans promises to deliver on quirky humour, drag and music.

With an infectious energy that will hit you instantly, Concetta Caristo is an exciting voice in the comedy sphere, and can be found on stages and on television. This festival season, she's pairing up with Ben Kochan for their show, Funny As Sin.

Lauren Bonner is a freelance comedian, writer, performer and is the editor of Birdbrain Quarterly. Last year she made her Melbourne International Comedy Festival debut, and this year's show, Elephant, is also set in her signature dry and cheeky style of comedy. Alongside Concetta, Lauren Bonner is a co-host of the podcast, Big Natural Talents.

Hailing originally from Pakistan and Canada and now living in Melbourne, Amna Bee's narrative-style comedy takes audiences on a whirlwind tour of her live. Off the back of her solo debut show last year, Don't Tell My Family is an honest look at marriage, divorce, dating, political activism and
culture clashes.