In this episode I’m talking to Dominic Arnall, CEO of Open for Business, an international coalition dedicated to working with the business community to advance LGBT+ rights globally. Open for Business advances LGBT+ inclusion and creates change in three ways – by constructing and promoting the economic business case, by catalyzing a global business voice on LGBT+ inclusion, and by mobilizing local business leaders to advance LGBT+ inclusion. We talk about some of their initiatives, their research, the practice of corporate pinkwashing, some of the best and worst places to do business, how companies support the LGBT+ community in ways that aren’t necessarily visible, how the US right-wing attacks on LGBT+ supportive business could impact the community, as well as business practices around the world, Ron DeSantis' war against Disney, The right-wing war against Dylan Mulvaney and Bud Light,if we could be experiencing an emerging paradigm that pits an LGBT+ positive economic model against an anti-LGBT+ model, and more. Recommended:Open for Business-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:InstagramYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

In this episode, I talk to  Dr. Javier Corrales, professor of Political Science at Amherst College. Dr. Corrales' research focuses on democratization, democratic backsliding, populism, foreign policies, and sexuality. He has also published extensively on Latin America and the Caribbean.We talk about all of these things – advancement of queer rights in Latin America, why these countries seem to be liberalizing in this area when other regions of the world are experiencing significant contractions on queer rights, which characteristics of Latin American societies and politics influence liberalization on queer rights, what makes Cuba unique on this issue and in this region, the role that religion plays in queer rights advancement and contraction, what signs indicate democratic backsliding, and if we in the United States are still vulnerable to the rise of authoritarianism. And, I also discuss the profound influence that Sinead O'Connor had on my social and political development. RIP. Recommended: Telltale Signs of Democratic Backsliding - Javier CorralesThe Politics of LGBTQ Rights Expansion in Latin America and the Caribbean – Javier Corrales-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:InstagramYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

Increasingly, Russian citizens opposed to the war are fleeing their country, taking asylum in other places – around the world. A significant number of these folks are queer – leaving not just because of their opposition to the war, but fleeing severe persecution in Russia, as the country cracks down on the LGBTQ community. And, they’re landing in places that are skeptical of them because of the war in Ukraine. In this episode I’m talking to Maxim Eye-BAD-off, coordinator with Rusa LGBTQ+ - a network for Russian-speaking LGBTQ+ individuals in the United States, their friends, supporters and loved ones. They provide informational support to asylum seekers and organize social events to increase acceptance and inclusion of LGBTQ+ people within the Russian-speaking public.  We talk about the queer climate in Russia today, how it has evolved, the feedback loop of LGBTQ oppression – how the anti-LGBT policies instituted in Russia are being mirrored in red-states here in the US, that then inform further oppressive policies in Russia, the war in Ukraine, how it has created a global diaspora of Ukrainian and Russian refugees, and how you can support the community. Recommended:Rusa LGBTQWelcome to ChechnyaWhat is War to a Grieving Child?Mentioned:The Idol-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:InstagramYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

**This episode was recorded on July 7, 2023, one week after the Supreme Court issued its ruling in 303 Creative allowing some private businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ people.If you’ve been listening to the podcast over the past few months, you know that I’ve been worried about the safety and mental health of the queer community, especially queer kids, as they sustain broadside after broadside from the far-right, the Republican Party, which has firmly set the queer community in its sights. Hundreds of pieces of anti-LGBTQ legislation have passed in Republican-led states – banning books with LGBT content, banning drag, banning trans treatment, and banning LGBTQ discussion in certain places. All of this stigmatizes and marginalizes an already vulnerable community. This, in turn, heightens not just the perception of hostility, but actual hostility and violence against LGBTQ-identified individuals. As you might know from my conversation a couple of weeks ago with Beverly Tillery of the Anti-Violence Project, this rhetoric and legislation has led to an increase in anxiety and fear within the queer community, but also actual, tangible incidents of violence against the community.On today’s episode I want to dig further into the toll this is taking on queer people, queer families, and queer youth. So, I’m talking to Dr. Abbie Goldberg – Professor in the Department of Psychology at Clark University, and the Director of Women and Gender Studies. A leading scholar on LGBTQ families and queer youth, Dr. Goldberg has published over 140 articles, 25 books chapters, and 4 books – including, most recently, LGBTQ Family Building – A Guide for Prospective Parents. She’s also written for the New York Times, The Atlantic, Boston Globe, and New York Magazine.  We talk about some of her research, the challenges that LGBTQ families face irrespective of anti-LGBT legislation, but also the impact that this legislation is having on LGBTQ families and youth, the choices people face to stay or leave increasingly hostile environments, and how we can all, and should all, help LGBTQ families and youth in need. And, then after the interview, an AI assistant comes through in its support for LGBT youth.Recommended:LGBTQ Family Building: A Guide for Prospective Parents - Abbie GoldbergMentioned:Equality FloridaClaude 2-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:InstagramYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

The Supreme Court ended its most recent term on June 30th and it was another blockbuster term. The Court made some surprising and some not-so surprising decisions. It upheld precedent in some places and smashed it in others. While this new Court is still trying to figure out its  character, the past two terms have made it pretty clear that this is a conservative majority that intends to reinterpret our long-held understanding of some important constitutional principles and in doing so, reshape the legal, social, and political landscape in the United States.In this episode, we welcome back friend of the pod, and resident Deep Dive Supreme Court scholar,  Dr. Sara Benesh, the chair of and associate professor in the Political Science Department at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. We talk about some of this term’s cases, the implications, the tenor of this empowered conservative court, and also the rise of the dissenters. And more ethics crap.And, also a teaser about a new Deep Dive project in the works. If you're queer and thinking about leaving the United States due to the spike in anti-queer legislation and violence, we've got something coming for you.Mentioned:A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. MaasHarry Potter SeriesDaisy Jones and the SixTed LassoThe AmericansThe DiplomatNashville-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:InstagramYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

2022 marked the fourth year in a row that hate crimes – offenses against a person or property motivated by bias - had increased in the United States. According to the FBI’s annual hate crime report, most of these crimes have targeted Black folks, jewish folks, sexual minorities and latinos. According to the Human Rights Campaign, 42% of queer youth say the community in which they live is not accepting of queer people. And, this might for why 73% of queer youth say they are more honest about themselves online than they are in the real world.  And, according to New York City Anti-Violence Project 2017 report of LGBT homicides, anti-LGBT homicides grew each year from 2013 through 2017. And, in fact, the number spiked, almost doubling from 2016 to 2017.  In this episode, I’m talking to Beverly Tillery – the Executive Director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project about violence against the queer community, intimate partner violence, the influence that political rhetoric and hate speech has on incidents of violence committed against the queer community and queer people, and how you can help – both in your own communities, but also specifically with the Anti-Violence Project. Then, I'll tell you how white supremacists, organized religion, and the Republican Party converged, and why they want to dismantle American democracy.Mentioned:National Coalition of Anti-Violence ProgramsDrag Story HourNYC Against Hate-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:InstagramYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

According to SAGE USA, a national LGBTQ advocacy and services organization for older adults, LGBTQ elders are 2 times as likely to be single and live alone than straight elders. 59% of LGBTQ elders report feeling a lack of companionship and 53% report being isolated. 23% of trans folks have reported avoiding going to a doctor when they needed to, because they were fearful of mistreatment. These numbers are a drop in the bucket. When it comes to healthcare and healthcare for LGBTQ elders, the numbers are far worse than they are for straight elders. There are a number of reasons for this, but none is because we can’t fix it. Rather, we choose not to. In this episode, I’m talking to Dr. Carey Candrian, an associate professor of medicine at University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine. She has studied and is a leading voice on LGBTQ elder healthcare and healthcare outcomes. We talk about discrimination in healthcare and the healthcare system, disparities in health outcomes between LGBTQ elders and straight elders, how to respectfully and effectively collect personal LGBTQ data, the limits to healthcare policy in righting past wrongs, the impact that hiding your identity has on your health and health outcomes, and what we might expect on the long term health of queer people, particularly trans folks, as a result of the sustained attack on the LGBTQ community.Mentioned:GLMA-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:InstagramYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

In this episode, Deep Dive is partnering with National Queer Theater to bring you a conversation with the three playwrights whose projects are being showcased at this year's Criminal Queerness Festival at the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts in New York City beginning Wednesday, June 21st, and running through Friday, June 23rd.  Acclaimed by the New York Times, the Advocate, and Thrillist – the Criminal Queerness Festival, founded in 2018 by the co-founder and artistic director of National Queer Theater Adam Odsess-Rubin and Egyptian playwright Adam Ashraf Al-sayeeg, has become an annual internationally focused theater festival aimed at lifting up queer and trans stories from around the world – with an emphasis on places and regions that might pose challenges for queer people and queer artists, for a number of reasons.  This year’s focus is on Ukraine and Ukrainian playwrights and stories.  Joining me today are the writers of this year’s highlighted works.  Danielle Levsky has written and is starring in her play War and Play: A Clown Odyssey of Survival, which follows two clowns - Vira and Nadiya - as they navigate the horrors of Russia’s war on Ukraine. This will feature at the festival on opening night, June 21st. Wotjek Rodak is the writer of the play The Chimera. A staged reading of this play, inspired by the memoir of Herculine Barbin, describes the reality of today’s Poland through metaphor - telling the story of an intersex person living in 19th century France. This will feature at the festival on Thursday night, June 22nd. And, Andrew Kushnir is the writer of the play The Division – which tells the story of the gay grandson of a famous Ukrainian watchmaker, who, in the face of Russia’s ongoing invasion, and in pursuit of answering big questions, confronts a contentious family history. This will feature at the festival on Friday night, June 23rd.Recommended: Spotlight on LGBTQIA+ Pride at Lincoln Center for Performing ArtsNational Queer TheaterCriminal Queerness FestivalMentioned:Critic Turned ClownWe Support LGBT Ukraine Fund-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:InstagramYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

Sex and sex education is an exciting, and sometimes controversial topic. LGBTQ sex and sex education is, unfortunately, more controversial, especially in today’s political environment. But, for me – it’s also more exciting. And, having this conversation, and talking about sex can bring us joy; it can make us happier and more fulfilled people; it can enhance our relationships and our mental health; and it can literally save lives. My guest today – Dr. Joshua Rosenberger – is an expert on this subject. He is an associate professor of Biobehavioral Health at Penn State and the Director of the Survey Research Center. He’s also a very prolific researcher and author – focusing on the sexual development and health of gay and bisexual men, HIV /STI prevention, health disparities, and sexual marginalization.We talk about all of these things, as well as the concept of gay age, the FDA’s recent reversal of their decades-old ban on men who have sex with men donating blood, Tennessee’s decision to deny accepting federal HIV funds, and the potential impact of that, and the idea of redemption in our contemporary politics.Mentioned:Vanderpump RulesWhite Tears, Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color – Ruby Hamad-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:InstagramYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock

Welcome to Pride Month! This is the 53rd annual pride in the United States. The first, in 1970, happened in New York City to mark the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots – popularly considered to be a seminal moment in gay rights in the United States, when the queer community – trans folks, gay folks, drag queens, queers of all colors and races – protested the brutal tactics employed by the New York City Police Department to harass and intimidate the queer community. And, it was this protest that sent a shot across the bow of law enforcement, as well as the government generally and society as a whole, that the gay community was no longer going to be a silent victim to abuse and repression. Since then, Pride events in June each year have grown and proliferated in the United States – and also outside of our borders -  culminating in a month of visibility and celebration.As I will discuss with my guest today, and also in my closing thoughts, these events take on special significance and meaning this year – as the queer community is under a uniquely direct and targeted campaign of hatred and derision, largely driven by the Republican Party and the far-right Christian community in the United States.  Today’s guest confronts this environment by providing creative outlets for queer artists, creators, performers, and youth to express themselves and showcase their talent in a safe space, but also on the world stage. Adam Odsess-Rubin is the Founding Artistic Director of National Queer Theater and co-founder of the annual, New York Times acclaimed, Criminal Queerness Festival. We talk about these projects, how and why they’ve developed, what it’s like working in this medium in these challenging times, how National Queer Theater designs programming to provide an outlet for queer people and queer youth, how you can engage, especially as the 2023 Criminal Queerness Festival is just around the corner, corporate pinkwashing, and what the future of the queer community might look like (oh...and Padma Lakshmi). Recommended:National Queer TheaterCriminal Queerness FestivalMentioned:Gay Bar: Why We Went Out - Jeremy Atherton LinTop Chef-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:InstagramYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com Music: Majestic Earth - Joystock