Queer in Alberta

Lethbridge local Kels Delamarter sits down with Alissa Takahashi from Edmonton. Alissa asks Kels about what it was like growing up in rural Alberta, coming out, and the pair share in their experience of being mixed and queer on the Canadian prairies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TELUS STORYHIVE supports compelling, original stories told by creators from British Columbia and Alberta through production funding, training and distribution to new audiences. Find out more: https://www.storyhive.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Connect with us: STORYHIVE Twitter - https://twitter.com/storyhive STORYHIVE Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/storyhive STORYHIVE Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyhive/ STORYHIVE TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@storyhive

To have a conversation with me and to protect his identity, this week's guest will remain unnamed. In this episode, we speak with a dear friend of mine who is trans and stealth in Edmonton, Alberta. We talk about the factors that motivated his decision to keep his transition private, how he still feels proud despite not being out, and we establish ground rules on what to avoid asking your trans friends. FOLLOW KELS/QUEER IN ALBERTA: TIKTOK: @_kelsifer INSTA: @__kelsifer

Meet Makaylah Rogers (they/them), a business owner who serves up community, mental health, and queer representation over donuts at Frankie D's in Canmore, Alberta. Makaylah is an advocate in their community for reducing the stigma around talking about mental health, queerness, and gender diversity. Together, we also reflect on the aftermath of the Valbella incident that sent waves through the queer community not just in Alberta, but nationally across Canada. NOTE: The interview was recorded in fall 2022 and it is important to recognize that this is the time frame that Makaylah is speaking from. FOLLOW MAKAYLAH: INSTA: @frankiedsdonuts @inthemesswithmak FOLLOW KELS/QUEER IN ALBERTA: TIKTOK: @_kelsifer INSTA: @__kelsifer

Have you ever felt alone or like you were the only person from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community living out on the Canadian prairies? Trick question. We've all felt this way at one point or another and my hope is to show you how simply untrue that stereotype is. Through this series, you'll hear me talk to everyday Albertans who are living their lives proudly and vibrantly, whether they're from Calgary or Edmonton or the smaller towns that lay between. This series is about building community and sharing the stories of those of us who just so happen to be Queer in Alberta.