LGBTQ&A
Episodes
Jasika Nicole: Hollywood's LGBTQ Diversity Issue
29 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Jasika Nicole (Scandal, Underground, Fringe) talks about how being openly queer has affected her acting career, why crafting is an under-appreciated a...
Jeffrey Marsh: Finding LGBTQ Community Online
22 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
For many LGBTQ people, the internet is only place where they can find acceptance. Jeffrey Marsh talks about the pros and cons of that, and how Tumblr ...
Chelsey Johnson: Portland's Queer Mythology
15 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Stray City author, Chelsey Johnson talks about the work that goes into creating and maintaining chosen families, why we self-police other LGBTQ people...
Alexander Chee: On Becoming An American Writer
24 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Alexander Chee talks about the challenges in addressing and writing about sexual assault, how privilege can operate as an intellectual barrier for peo...
Ryan Berg: 40% of Homeless Youth Are LGBTQ...Why Aren't We Mad?
17 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan Berg talks about his work with queer and trans homeless youth and how foster care can often seem like a pipeline to incarceration and homelessnes...
Kathy Tu: What Makes Us A Community?
10 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Kathy Tu (from the podcast, Nancy) talks about the on-going process of self-acceptance: taking ownership of how she looks, growing more comfortable in...
Brooke Sullivan: HIV In the Trans & GNC Community
03 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Brooke Sullivan talks about all of the misconceptions people have about her being trans and living with HIV. We also talk about why the trans communit...
Trixie Mattel: Expanding The Definition of Drag
27 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars Season 3 Winner, Trixie Mattel asks that in an art form where you can truly do anything, what qualifies as drag? She als...
Keiynan Lonsdale: Queer Superhero (On TV and Real Life)
20 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Keiynan Lonsdale talks about how being in the movie, Love, Simon, influenced him to come out, and how coming out cured him of his shyness. He also tal...
Greg Berlanti: Love, Simon Director & Legendary TV Producer
13 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Greg Berlanti talks about directing Love, Simon, the first major studio movie to have a gay teen lead. He also talks about other teen movies with LGBT...
Shangela Laquifa Wadley: Think Before You Tweet
09 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Shangela talks about BenDeLaCreme's decision to go home and explains that #BenDeLaChrist tweet from a few days ago. She also talks about why growing u...
BRB Still Recovering From Drag Race
06 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
This is the briefest announcement in the history of iTunes. This week's episode will air a few days late...because it's with one of the top 3 finalist...
Andrew Gurza: Sex & Disability
27 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A self-proclaimed Queer Cripple, Andrew Gurza talks about why people with disabilities aren't here to be a teachable moment for everyone. He discusses...
Jacob Tobia is back! A Field Guide to Transfemme Desire
20 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Nonbinary icon, Jacob Tobia talks about what they describe as the great unfinished business of their gender exploration: figuring out what it means to...
Food 4 Thot: Love is TBD Real
13 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Well, I asked the hosts of the podcast, Food 4 Thot to be my valentines this year...and they said yes! I'm so excited for our future together. Food 4 ...
Dana Goldberg: In Defense of Scissoring
06 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
...that's a joke. But this isn't: you're going to love Dana Goldberg after this. She talks about identifying with both butch and femme labels, the dif...
Conner Habib: Your Strict Sexual Preferences Are Dangerous
30 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We're talking about all things sex this week with Conner Habib, the Cate Blanchett of porn. Conner talks about chemistry being something that you can ...
Lina Bradford: Magic Is Real
23 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Lina Bradford talks about how labels can pigeonhole people, and says that beauty doesn't have a gender. She talks about her spirituality, her own mix ...
Joseph Osmundson: Love Makes You Grow Up
16 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Joseph Osmundson talks about his new book, Inside/Out, where he grapples with a past relationship that was...maybe abusive? Maybe not? It's hard to sa...
Kim Coco Iwamoto: Candidate for Lieutenant Governor in Hawaii
09 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Kim Coco Iwamoto talks about running for Lieutenant Governor in Hawaii and what inspired her to run for the Hawaii State Board of Education in 2006 (s...
Aaron Carter: Embracing My Bisexuality
19 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Aaron Carter talks about embracing his bisexuality, coming out in the public eye, and returning to music with his first album in 15 years. LGBTQ&A...
Solomon Georgio: What Sitcoms Taught Me About American Culture
12 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Solomon Georgio talks about getting to a place in his career where people he respects seek out his opinion and what it's like to have to adjust to tha...
Isis King: Paris Is Burning Changed My Life
05 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Isis King talks about meeting Octavia St. Laurent from Paris Is Burning, how the movie opened her eyes to her own gender, and why she newly embraces t...
Will Kostakis: A New Wave of LGBTQ Representation in YA
28 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Will Kostakis talks about how losing his best friend as a teenager shaped his life, and served as part of the inspiration for his new book, The Sideki...
Ross Mathews: Gay People Wanted Me Off TV
21 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Ross Mathews talks about the hatemail he receieved when he appeared as "Ross the Intern" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He was accused of setting ...
Susan SurfTone: Former FBI Agent Talks New Threat to LGBTQ Rights
14 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
FBI agent turned surf-rocker, Susan SurfTone talks about how unstable the rights of LGBTQ people are under this current administration. She says it ha...
Zeke Smith: Life After Survivor
07 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Zeke Smith talks about working with CBS and GLAAD to shape the media response after he was outed on the TV show, Survivor, the importance of the cast'...
Sylvia Rivera: The World Has Made Me Crazy
03 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Eric Marcus (from Making Gay History) joins the podcast to talk about and share an interview he did with Sylvia Rivera in 1989. In the interview, Sylv...
Katya Zamolodchikova: "Piss Queen From the Jump"
29 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Katya Zamolodchikova says it sucks to be doing a Russian character right now, though it was never about being Russian. It was about being confident. S...
Zeke Thomas: Wants You To Slide Into His DMs
24 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Zeke Thomas talks about how prevalent sexual assault is in the gay community. He's also clear when it comes to consensual sex: he wants you to be havi...
Abdi Nazemian: Gay Iranians, Gay Dads, & The Gospel of Madonna
03 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Abdi Nazemian talks about what it was like to come out in a Middle Eastern family and how it differs from the typical Western LGBTQ experience that pe...
Cameron Esposito: To Be Apolitical & an Artist is a Waste of Time
26 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Cameron Esposito talks about making comedy in the Trump era, saying that to be apolitical and an artist right now is a waste of time. She also describ...
Tommy Pico: How Not To Be One With Nature
19 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Tommy Pico talks about growing up on a Native American reservation, trying to tame the English language with his poetry, and why labeling himself as a...
Shadi Petosky: Chosen Families & The Challenge of Gender
10 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Shadi Petosky talks about wanting to create a diverse and inclusive world in her animated series, Danger and Eggs. She also talks about still being co...
Michael Varrati: Horror Movies Are Finalllllly Coming Out of the Closet!
29 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Varrati talks about the queer undertones (both hidden and overt) in horror movies and why the recurring theme of the underdog who has to perse...
Cheryl Dunye: Why We Need to Change the Way Queer Stories Are Told
22 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Cheryl Dunye is a pioneering queer filmmaker. She talks about the enduring legacy of her film, The Watermelon Woman (celebrating its 20th anniversary)...
Our Lady J: The Birth of Transgender Identities in Pop Culture
15 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Our Lady J talks about being a writer for Transparent, the power and responsibility that storytellers have, and shares the “beautiful and excruciati...
Kristin Russo: LGBTQ Sex Ed, A-Camp, Reclaiming Bisexuality
09 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Kristin Russo (author of This is Book for Parents of Gay Kids) talks about Autostraddle’s A-Camp (where she is the co-director), the special importa...
Laith Ashley: Everything is a Spectrum, Nothing is Binary
01 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Laith Ashley talks about why transgender men are less visible than transgender women in society, says people police his gender as much now as they did...
Special Episode! Shane Ortega Reacts to Trump’s Transgender Military Ban
26 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Shane Ortega is the first transgender person to serve openly in the military. He talks about how to interpret President Trump’s tweets banning trans...
Erin Judge: Plus Size Women Can Have Active, Healthy Sex Lives, OK?!
21 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Erin Judge (comedian and author of Vow of Celibacy) talks about how overweight people are able to have active, healthy sex lives, despite how the medi...
Eliel Cruz: The End of Bisexual Erasure (Hopefully)
11 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Eliel Cruz talks about why, despite the violence it’s caused, religion has remained such a large part of so many LGBTQ people’s lives. He talks ab...
Mariana Marroquin: Transgender Immigrants: “I See You As Human Beings”
06 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Mariana Marroquin works as an Anti-Violence Project Manager at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. We talk about her work and the discrimination that her cli...
Nico Tortorella: Biphobia, Polyamory, and Understanding the Cosmos
09 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Nico Tortorella talks about why people are freaked out and fascinated by his bisexuality, saying people equate it with promiscuity. He also talks abou...
Alexandra Billings: Being Transgender is a Gift
24 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Alexandra Billings talks about meeting her wife while in high school, the women who mentored her, and why Larry Kramer asked her not to march in the A...
Shane Ortega: Fighting for Transgender Rights in the Military
09 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Shane Ortega (the first transgender person to serve openly in the military) talks about why his mom was the motivation behind him joining the military...
Matt Baume: Chechnya, Polari, and The Gift of Queerness
01 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Baume talks about the torture of queer men that’s occurring in Chechnya and what you can do if you feel helpless. He also discusses the coding ...
Cleve Jones: LGBTQ Activist Talks Harvey Milk, AIDS, & Marriage Equality
24 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Cleve Jones talks about his life in the LGBTQ movement: working with Harvey Milk, starting the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and marching on Washington. He say...
Amin El Gamal: Prison Break, LGBTQ Muslims, and Judy Garland
17 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Amin El Gamal talks about working with so many out gay actors on Prison Break, emailing Aaron Sorkin while working on The Newsroom, and why he doesn’...
Asia Kate Dillon: TV’s First (And Only) Openly Non-Binary Actor
11 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Asia Kate Dillon talks about the Emmy Award’s message of inclusion towards them as a non-binary actor. They also say that while they’ve always fel...
Michelle Stevens: From Childhood Abuse to the Perfect Lesbian Love Story
03 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Michelle Stevens talks about surviving a childhood of sexual abuse, the mental illness that resulted, and how common abuse is (up to 40% of women ...
Angelica Ross: Spending Time in Silence
28 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Angelica Ross talks about creating TransTech Social Enterprises, why she didn’t take a salary for the first two years that she was working there, an...
Melissa Febos: Hickeys, Daddy Issues, and Celibacy
21 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Melissa Febos talks about how the conditions of our childhoods inform our adult relationships, dealing with daddy issues (yay!!!), and her new book, A...
NiK Kacy: Embracing the Absence of Gender…Beginning with Shoes
17 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
NiK Kacy talks about feeling ignored by the fashion industry and why they created their gender equal footwear company. Nik Kacy discusses the differen...
Ira Madison III: Why Pop Culture Matters
21 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Ira Madison III talks about his writing and the work of placing pop culture into a historical context. Ira also discusses why he was so affected by th...
Jen Richards: Adjusting to Life Without Male Privilege
09 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Jen Richards talks about the creation of Her Story, why she credits Janet Mock with creating a sisterhood of trans women, and adjusting to life withou...
Trixie Mattel: Aging, Dating, & Wanting to Look Like a Wind-Up Toy
25 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Trixie Mattel talks about getting into drag in the back of an uber, not wanting to look like a woman or a man, and throwing up because his wig was too...
Alexandra Grey: Transparent Breakout Star
16 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Alexandra Grey talks about her role on Transparent, acting with Phylicia Rashad on When We Rise, and does celebrity impressions of Viola Davis and Wen...
Ashby Dodge: Caring For LGBTQ Youth With The Trevor Project
13 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Ashby Dodge is the Clinical Director at The Trevor Project and talks about the increase in calls since the 2016 presidential election, why LGBTQ youth...
D’Lo: Will the Real Queer Transgender Tamil Sri Lankan Please Stand Up?
07 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
D’Lo talks about his Sri Lankan heritage, being raised Hindu while attending Baptist and Catholic schools, and offers evidence to support the claim ...
Laura Jane Grace: Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout
30 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Laura Jane Grace talks about naming her memoir the “t” word, when it’s a word she despises. She also talks about what it’s like to be on the r...
Cheryl Dunye: The Groundbreaking Queer Filmmaker
22 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Cheryl Dunye talks about why she’s not interested in being a commercial filmmaker and the enduring legacy of her film, The Watermelon Woman (celebra...
Peter Paige: Queer As Folk's Legacy Today
15 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Paige talks about the legacy of Queer As Folk, representing all LGBTQ identities in The Fosters, and the power of television to shape our identi...
Bamby Salcedo: Making the World a Safer Place for Trans People
07 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Bamby Salcedo talks about her work as an activist and the struggles that trans people face, especially those in immigrant and latin communities. Bamby...
Conner Habib: Why Are We Afraid to Talk About Sex?
01 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Conner Habib talks about why he got into porn and the detachment he’s experienced in terms of his own sexuality. He describes how our sexual prefere...
Shane Ortega: The First Trans Person to Serve Openly in the Military
25 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Shane Ortega talks about joining the military to fight the bans on LGBTQ people after seeing how hard it was for his mom (who is a lesbian) to serve d...
iO Tillett Wright: My Parents Never Questioned My Gender
17 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
iO Tillett Wight talks about what it was like growing up with parents and a community who never questioned his gender. iO Tillett Wright talks about h...
Jacob Tobia: The Sisterhood of the Traveling 1950s Grandma Dress
10 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Jacob Tobia talks about not having to prove their gender to anyone and why describing themself as an activist is redundant. Jacob also discusses their...
Michelle Tea: Suffering For Your Art is Like So Sexy
03 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Michelle Tea talks about her new hybrid-memoir (Black Wave), early literary tours with Sister Spit, and romanticizing suffering for her art. She also ...
Arisce Wanzer: The Fashion Industry Needs To Embrace Diverse Women
18 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Arisce Wanzer talks about the unique stigmas and opportunities of being transgender and a supermodel. Arisce also discusses getting paid more than mal...
Ross Mathews: Sounding Gay and Loving Football
13 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Ross Mathews talks about “the gay voice”, getting hate mail while working on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and why he will always love football....
Josh Allen: LGBTQ Characters on Empire & Growing Up in Chicago
06 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Josh Allen talks about the LGBTQ characters on Empire (on Fox), gun violence while growing up in the South Side of Chicago, and having to explain to p...
Ali Liebegott: Transparent Writer and Gender Turducken
01 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Ali Liebegott talks about writing for Transparent, inhabiting a butch identity, knowing where the gender neutral bathrooms are at Disneyland, and conf...
What We’re All About — LGBTQ&A with Jeffrey Masters
01 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Hi! Welcome to LGBTQ&A. You're gonna love it here. Since 2016, we've been bringing you interviews with the most interesting LGBTQ+ people in the w...