Your Queer Story: An LGBTQ+ Podcast

In this month's politisode Evan dives into the differences between the Queer Revolution and the Gay Rights Movement. These sometimes parallel, yet very different movements, have collided to spark the backlash impacting Pride organizations across the country right now.

This week we are discussing the many symbols, language, and colors that have made up queer culture in America.

Our second segment of date night with guest Samantha Taylor disucess Demi Lovato coming out as non-binary, the Aces 2020 album Under My Influence, and queer parenting life.

Evan interviews Joel Barrett, a former fundamentalist pastor who underwent 3 years of conversion therapy before coming out as a proud gay man. Today, Joel is an author, motivational speaker, and happily married husband to his partner of 15 years. He shares his story in his new book, "Godly...But Gay", which is available for pre-order today! Get a glimpse of his amazing story in this week's episode.

On our monthly politisode Evan discusses the New Jersey Principal who threw beer on a group of folks filming his wife in a transphobic rant. We also, spotlight New York Representative Ritchie Torres before delving into the main topic, Caitlyn Jenner's bid for California governor. 

This Sunday marks the 56th anniversary of the Dewey Lunch Counter Sit-Ins. An infamous moment in queer history when gender-diverse youth challenged their exclusion from an American Diner. Four years before Stonewall and the formal Gay Rights Movement broke into mainstream consciousness, queer revolutionaries were already preparing for battle. From the formation of the Janus Society to the distribution of Drum Magazine, queer culture thrived in Philadelphia. Today we’re heading to the “City of Brotherly Love'', to discuss a place rich in all history, but especially LGBTQ+ history.

Samantha Taylor joins the YQS podcast for a new segment titled 'Date Night with Sam & Evan'. Together the couple discusses queer news and reviews, amid other casual conversations. On their first segment together they tackle the coming out of former Bachelor star Colton Underwood, review the Lesbian period drama "The World to Come", and give a sneak peek into their lives as queer, foster parents.  

Today we interview Jim Obergefell. In 2015, Jim, an openly gay man from Ohio, had his name attached to the most significant case in queer American history. Obergefell v. Hodges was the landmark Supreme Court ruling that finally legalized same-sex marriage in the United States. Mr. Obergefell joins us on the podcast to tell his story and encourage others to continue the fight for queer equality

We are continuing our March series on movements and groups that changed Women’s History. Today we’re finally moving into the 20th century and covering the overlapping work of women’s suffragette and labor rights activism. It is essential to include the labor movement when discussing women’s rights. Like the abolitionists of the 19th century, the laborers of the 20th century were driven by people of color, often joined by poor and queer white women. This differed sharply from the suffragettes that had transformed into upper and middle-class, white-dominated organizations. Of course, that does not mean there was no crossing of this divide. There were certainly many women of color who fought for a woman’s right to vote and there were a few middle-class white women who backed the labor movement. But even in this overlap the poor and BIPOC populations usually approached the right to vote as a universal fight for all people’s rights.

Hey #Queerstians, this episode was our first attempt at recording virtually. Sorry in advance! Today we are continuing our topic for March, which is covering various groups and movements that contributed to women’s rights in America. While it is not necessary to listen or review the previous episodes in our series, we do encourage that you follow along in order. Our March episodes are built on a loose, chronological order of events beginning in 1826 and running through the movements of today. In order to best understand how we have arrived at today’s so-called radicalism, it is important to understand how each movement has built on those of the past. But with that in mind, wherever you are in our series, we welcome you to this year’s celebration of Women’s History Month.

This year, to honor women’s history month, we are going to cover a few of the major movements in the past that have focused on full equality. We say full equality because the fight for women’s rights has never been based solely on women. True feminism has always allowed room for any person oppressed and shunned to join its ranks. However, this certainly has not been an easy ideal to maintain, and time and time again leaders within the movement have been held accountable and called out for their bigotry, racism, and exclusion. Yet we are encouraged by the fact that it is often their own siblings in the fight for equality who hold one another to the high standards of feminist pursuits.

Today we conclude our Black History Month tribute by covering one of the most well-beloved books in queer, Black literature. The Color Purple has held a place of reverence among modern literature for nearly 40 years. In fact, next year will mark the 40th anniversary of this iconic book that broke down barriers for both Black and queer women. Its author, Alice Walker, did the same through her work and her activism. Today we’ll tell the story of both Walker and her protagonist Celie and the effects these women made on feminism and LGBTQ civil rights.

Today we continue recognizing and honoring Black writers, their work, and their other contributions to American society. This week we will be covering a man whose words were incredibly influential throughout the 20th century and whose legacy continues to inspire fans and draw ire from critics. 

Today we continue celebrating Black History Month and this year we are covering Black literary giants, their works, and how they inspired the movements of yesterday and today. This week we get current as we discuss a woman living in the heart of today’s civil rights protests, Andrea Jenkins. She is the first Black, transgender woman elected to public office and serves on the seat of the Minneapolis City Council in Minnesota. But before Andrea was a politician, she was - and is - a poet and queer oral historian.

Today we launch the annual observance of Black History Month. And this year we will be focusing on some of the literary works that have inspired different movements towards Black equality. One of the most timely and well-known books written in the last century was the Black manifesto, The Fire Next Time. Written by the queer, civil rights activist James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time stirred the nation and fanned the flames of a Black revolution well in progress. And while there were dozens of writers who contributed to the amazing works that encouraged and motivated Black Americans during this time, Baldwin was by far one of the most poignant and influential.

For nearly a quarter of a century, Ellen has been an open advocate for LGBTQ rights and lived her own queer life openly even when it cost her dearly. Her humor and desire to spread good in the world has allowed her to enter the homes of even the most staunch anti-LGBTQ critics.

Born in Pennsylvania in April of 1791, James enjoyed life as the wealthiest boy in town. His father was an immigrant who came to America just a few years earlier and soon made his wealth in agriculture and real estate. The young heir went off to Dickinson College and, perhaps due to his arrogance or mere young mischief, was nearly expelled twice.

In this episode Evan & Paul discuss all of the changes that are coming to the podcast & our growing queer network next year.