LGBTQ&A

Darcelle XV, the world's oldest drag queen, and Poison Waters discuss the history and resilience of Darcelle's drag venue in Portland, its success and evolution, and the unique creative partnership between Darcelle and Roxie. They also talk about the future of the club and the sense of community it fosters.

Dr. Charles Silverstein, author of The Joy of Gay Sex, discusses his involvement in removing homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses. They also explore the challenges faced in writing the book and the influence of fathers on sexual development in gay culture. The podcast touches on changes in sexuality, legal barriers to gay parenting, and progress made by younger generations.

Shatzi Weisberger, lifelong activist and affectionately known as The People's Bubbie, shares her experiences as a political lesbian, her activism, and her perspective on dying. She reflects on her journey as a death educator and discusses societal expectations, friendship, and her career evolution.

Angela Davis, feminist author and activist, discusses sustaining and evolving movements, focusing on the importance of political struggles over individual identities. She reflects on her support for the gay liberation movement and campaigns against gender violence. The podcast explores the framing of conversations about abolition, recent wins and setbacks in the movement, and the historical significance of the women's house of detention in queer history.

Broadway veteran and long-term survivor of HIV, André De Shields, discusses his career, typecasting, and his Tony Award-winning role in Hadestown. He reflects on his journey towards self-acceptance, confronts mortality and the Methuselah Code, explores the concept of breaching the impossible, delves into the desire for romantic relationships, and discusses intimacy, aging, and representing black man majesty.

Colton Haynes, Actor, discusses barriers faced by queer actors in Hollywood and going back into the closet while acting on hit shows like Teen Wolf and Arrow. The podcast also explores topics such as the challenges of being closeted in Hollywood, the speaker's early sexual experiences, struggles with alcohol addiction and appearance, and the strength of the queer community.

Gloria Allen, the legendary figure in Chicago's trans community, shares her journey of coming out in the 1960s, the transformative support of her family, and the impact of her charm school on LGBTQ+ youth in Chicago. Mama Gloria, a documentary about her, is now streaming on PBS.

The history-making politician shares every inspiring, heartbreaking, and drunken moment that led her to become the first openly trans person to serve in a state legislature in the United States. Danica Roem's new memoir, Burn The Page, is out now.  Kate Kelly (who you also hear from in the episode) and Danica co-authored this recent piece in Teen Vogue about why the Equal Rights Amendment is a gender-inclusive document, one that won't be defeated by anti-trans scare tactics. Kate Kelly is the author of the new book, Ordinary Equality. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters and produced by The Advocate magazine, in partnership with GLAAD. A condensed transcript of each week's interview is posted on The Advocate's website. Follow us on Twitter: @lgbtqpod

Janelle Monáe (!!!) joins us to talk about her journey to becoming a queer icon, new music, and her debut book, The Memory Librarian. “One of the main points that’s super important is about the threat of censorship, memory censorship. Because as we know, memories are essentially our stories that we tell ourselves to survive.” LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters and produced by The Advocate magazine, in partnership with GLAAD. An edited transcript of each week's interview is posted on The Advocate's website. Follow us on Twitter: @lgbtqpod

Grab your best friend and give them the tightest possible hug: this episode is a celebration of platonic queer intimacy. R. Eric Thomas joins us to talk about being married to a pastor (it's fun!), the importance of queer community (also fun!), and his new YA novel, Kings of B'more.  LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters and produced by The Advocate magazine, in partnership with GLAAD. A condensed transcript of each week's interview is posted on The Advocate's website. Follow us on Twitter: @lgbtqpod [A portion of this interview was originally recorded in January 2020.]