Through StoryCorps' LGBTQ+ Outloud initiative, the podcast shares personal stories of LGBTQ individuals, including experiences of being kicked out of the military and coming out as transgender. It discusses the impact of coming out, challenges faced by LGBTQ individuals before and after the Stonewall Movement, and the role of StoryCorps in telling untold stories. MJ Siedy and her granddaughter Jenna Elprin's conversation highlights MJ's life as a gay woman, discrimination she faced, and the joy in finding acceptance. Another conversation explores a grandparent's sexuality and their grandchild's acceptance, as well as a transgender boy's experiences and his mother's unwavering support. Gabe and his dad talk about his coming out experience and the importance of accepting different viewpoints.
StoryCorps aims to create a comprehensive archive of American voices by collecting interviews from diverse voices and ensuring stories and voices traditionally excluded from the historical record are captured.
StoryCorps Out Loud initiative supports LGBTQ voices by sharing their stories, including topics such as coming out, acceptance, and the impact of Stonewall, in order to provide representation and illuminate the LGBTQ experience.
Deep dives
The Importance of Inclusive Storytelling
StoryCorps emphasizes the importance of collecting interviews from diverse voices and ensuring that stories and voices traditionally excluded from the historical record are captured in the StoryCorps archive. This includes initiatives like StoryCorps GRIO, East Storias, Military Voices, 9-11, and interviews with immigrants. By making sure the archive reflects who lives in the US, StoryCorps aims to create a comprehensive archive of American voices.
StoryCorps Out Loud: LGBTQ Voices
StoryCorps has always focused on recording and sharing stories from LGBTQ individuals. It is an issue that is close to the heart of the founder, Dave Isay, who is the proud son of a gay dad. The initiative called StoryCorps Out Loud was launched to collect and preserve LGBTQ voices, discussing topics such as coming out, the struggle for acceptance, and the impact of Stonewall. By sharing these stories, StoryCorps strives to provide representation and illuminate the LGBTQ experience.
Powerful Family Conversations
StoryCorps has captured powerful conversations involving LGBTQ individuals and their families. One conversation shares the story of Patrick Haggard, who recounts the acceptance and support he received from his father, despite societal expectations and norms. Another conversation features MJ Siedy and her granddaughter, Jenna Elprin, discussing MJ's experience as a proud and openly gay grandmother, emphasizing that love and acceptance matter more than the label of being gay. There is also a conversation between Gabe Lopez and his parents, discussing their journey of understanding, acceptance, and unwavering support as Gabe embraces his transgender identity. These conversations highlight the importance of family acceptance and love in an individual's journey of self-discovery and identity.
StoryCorps' initiatives have long helped us gather voices that are usually omitted from the historical record, like our LGBTQ+ Outloud initiative. In our continuing celebration of twenty years of StoryCorps, we're sharing some of our favorite recordings from that collection... and how a story close to our founder Dave Isay's heart helped lead to its creation.