
The Optimist Being Gay Doesn’t Make You Less of a Man, with Michael C Bryan
Nov 5, 2025
01:39:30
Michael C Bryan grew up in the 70s and 80s, queer, flamboyant, and full of light, in a world that told him he was too much, too different, and not a “real man.”
In this raw, emotional, and often hilarious conversation, Michael shares the truth about growing up gay in a violently homophobic time, surviving sexual trauma, reclaiming his identity after being kicked out by his family, and what it really means to be a man today.
We talk about:
- How gay men internalize shame around masculinity
- The forgotten trauma of queer boyhood
- Reparenting your inner child
- Why rage can be a creative force
- And how emotional freedom is spiritual freedom
Michael also leads a powerful guided visualization at the end of the episode that left me almost in tears.
If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t belong in the “rules of manhood” you were handed, this episode will meet you exactly where you are. Full episode is now live.
