If you listened to last week's special episode about A Holiday I Do and found yourself thinking "gee, this is great, but I sure wish I knew Lindsay's coming out story..." then you're in luck, because this week Lindsay Hicks is BACK, and she is TELLING ALL! Lindsay (who uses bi and pan interchangeably) moved around a lot as a kid, so she was far less focused on things like crushes and dating than she was on simply keeping herself safe from bullying. It wasn't until she got to college and met her first ever lesbian that she started to sense that something was "different." Lindsay describes the surprisingly emotional experience of coming out to "some, like random dude...after four Bud Lights," and discusses the tumultuous intensity of her first queer relationship (relatable!). She also talks about meeting her parents with compassion despite their initial negative reaction to her sexuality, and shares the very sweet experience she had watching the original L Word ("I was like, oh my God - they're so safe! They're so safe, and they're so comfortable to be who they are!"). All this, plus a dog named Bagel! Follow Lindsay and Bagel on Instagram at @linzhicks and @candicebergenbagel respectively. Also, watch Lindsay in A Holiday I Do and The List on Tello (https://www.tellofilms.com/), and check out Suicide Kale on Amazon!

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, it's officially holiday movie season, and if you follow Lauren on Twitter, then you know that she is absolutely *obsessed* with made-for-TV Christmas movies. As such, she jumped at the chance to talk to former guest Rivkah Reyes (Episode 136) and upcoming guest Lindsay Hicks, who are the two leads of Tello Films' latest QUEER LADY CHRISTMAS MOVIE! In this special episode, Lindsay and Rivkah dish on what it was like filming A Holiday I Do in the coldest place on earth (aka Michigan in January), and discuss the reactions they've been getting from viewers (Rivkah's future mother-in-law is a huge fan!). They describe the process of shooting their climactic, movie-ending kiss in a 4° barn, and Lindsay reveals how she produced a copious amount of tears for her emotional tour de force with an equine scene partner ("I just trusted the horse"). Plus, Rivkah gushes about her recent real-life enGAYgement! It's the perfect episode to usher in the happiest season; pun *fully* intended. Check out A Holiday I Do and all of Tello's other queer and lesbian content by subscribing to their platform at https://www.tellofilms.com/, or buy/rent A Holiday I Do directly at https://www.tellofilms.com/products/a-holiday-i-do.You can also follow Rivkah on Instagram and TikTok at @rivkah.reyes and on Twitter at @rivkahreyes, and don't forget to follow their full moon/new moon party HOWL on Insta at @howl.party.la! Lindsay can be found on Instagram at @linzhicks, and tune in next week to hear her coming out story!

Lauren has an eye-opening conversation with the VELVET-VOICED Andrew McCaskill, a LinkedIn Career Expert and 2023 brand ambassador for Nike's #BeTrue campaign! When LinkedIn conducted a study of LGBTQ+ professionals for Pride Month of last year, they were surprised to learn that more than half of the respondents polled said they hide their identity in the workplace. Andrew kicks off our in-depth discussion about coming out at work with his own personal story, which begins in a rural Mississippi town that literally had more cows than people. His first big job out of college was in the financial industry, and not only was he not out to his colleagues; he found himself watching hours of SportsCenter every night before he saw clients, "because everybody wants to talk to the 6'3" Black guy about sports." We run the gamut of what it means to be queer in the workplace, including the importance of knowing your "why" if you're planning on coming out, how to find resources if you're transitioning, and the ironic downside of passing privilege. It's an invaluable conversation with somebody who's been on both sides of the out-at-work experience! Follow Andrew on Twitter at @DrewMcCaskill and find him on LinkedIn at "Andrew McCaskill," where you can also subscribe to his newsletter, The Black Guy In Marketing!

Poet and professor Erin Hoover self-identifies as "the parent of a donor-conceived child," and if you're wondering how she came to use that specific terminology, the thread of its evolution runs all the way through her recently-released collection, "No Spare People." Erin is currently based in Tennessee, and has lived in a number of places we might not think of as particularly "queer-friendly." Add to that the fact that she's chosen to parent on her own, and...let's just say she encounters a lot of personal questions. Erin shares how being queer is "a mode of existence...that has influenced every part of my life," and reads several poems from "No Spare People" as the events that inspired them come up in her story. Plus: '90s Dyke Drama (TM) at Sarah Lawrence! (TW: discussion of sexual assault, but nothing descriptive) The best way to find all things Erin is to go to her Linktree at https://linktr.ee/erinhoover. From there, you can access her https://erinhooverpoet.com/ for more of her poetry and a list of upcoming events, find out where to purchase "https://blacklawrencepress.com/books/no-spare-people/," and read the https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-a-single-queer-mom-found-community-in-the-deep-south we discussed in this episode! You can also follow Erin on Twitter and Bluesky at @erinhoover, and on Instagram at @theerinhoover.

Lauren aims to do Nicole proud as she hosts Rich and Siobhan of The Poly (Pod)Cast, a British/Australian couple who absolutely charm the PANTS off of her! (Just kidding; Lauren never wears pants when she records the pod.) Siobhan fully believed she was a straight woman when she met Rich in late 2020. Rich, on the other hand, had already had coming out journeys pertaining to both his bi/omnisexuality, as well as his gender identity ("I feel like I'm a collage of gender most of the time"). One thing they both had in common, though: they were sure as heck monogamous!! As their relationship continued, however, Rich's polyamorous orientation became harder and harder to deny, ultimately leading to what they both describe as the hardest conversation they've ever had. Siobhan details how honestly examining her feelings about non-monogamy "popped the cap off the self-discovery train," at which point "the bisexuality came CLAWING out!" Rich shares how terrified he was to "burden" Siobhan with yet another non-mainstream facet of his identity. It's a vulnerable, hilarious, and, dare I say, *enchanting* conversation you won't want to miss! Do yourself a favor and listen to The Poly (Pod)Cast on all the usual platforms! Also follow them on Intagram, Twitter, and Threads at @poly_podcast, and drop them an email at podcastthepoly@gmail.com.

Over the next two months, Hinge's NFAQ (Not-so Frequently Asked Questions) will be highlighting the experiences of bisexual daters, and so we're having a bi-extravaganza this week on the pod with Hinge's new Love and Connection Expert, Moe Ari Brown! But Lauren didn't want to dive into these waters all by her (gay) lonesome, and so she's also joined by guest co-host Kyrsta Morehouse, whose debut collection of (very bisexual) poetry has just been released! Besides being a GODDAMNED DELIGHT, Moe (they/he) is a Black non-binary transgender person from the South Side of Chicago, whose very first coming out was as bisexual. As such, they have the unique experience of having openly identified as both a bisexual woman *and* a bisexual man! We have an absolutely fascinating conversation about alllllllll of the challenges that bisexual people face when dating, including misconceptions across the gender spectrum, and the insidiousness of bi imposter syndrome. Plus, Moe shares their personal coming out journey, and how it led them to their current work! Check out Hinge's Not-so Frequently Asked Questions (and submit some yourself!) at https://hinge.nfaq.co/, and follow Moe on Instagram and TikTok at @loveoutproud! Also, go to https://theemoeari.com/ for all things Moe, and listen to the https://www.lovegoalspodcast.com/ that Moe co-hosts with their wife! Finally, follow Kyrsta on Instagram at @kyrstashae, and hit up https://www.poetrybykyrsta.com/portfolio to find out where you can buy "As Long As This Heart Beats," her BEAUTIFUL debut collection!

Tomorrow is Intersex Awareness Day 2023, and Lauren has a guest whom she's wanted to have on the podcast ever since she saw her do an Insta Live for Intersex Awareness Day 2022! Jahni Leggett has a number of intersecting identities (fat! Black! someone with ADHD!), but describes her intersex identity as the foundation or "fixed point" that informs all of the others. Jahni was raised as a boy by a single father who had very heteronormative, machismo-tinged expectations for her...but in Jahni's own words, "things started to get funky" around fourth or fifth grade, when she suddenly began to develop breasts. This is only the beginning of Jahni's story, which she tells with humor, charisma, and an *incredible* amount of grace and compassion for those involved along the way. From unexpectedly finding radical acceptance and empowerment through sex work to finally receiving a diagnosis that made everything fall into place, Jahni's story is a true celebration of intersex identity! Happy Intersex Awareness Day, y'all! (TW: mentions of underage sex work, but nothing descriptive) Follow Jahni on Instagram at @queen_jahni_, and watch the fantastic video she made with Jubilee at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvKbfegN1g0, where it has over ONE MILLION VIEWS! Also, if *you* are intersex and are looking for community, check out the L.A. LGBT Center's Club Intersex at https://lalgbtcenter.org/programs/community-support-groups/intersex-support/!

This week on the pod: Lauren sits down with L.A. LGBT Center facilitator *and* participant, Elle Forbes (they/them)! Elle identifies as bisexual, transfeminine non-binary, and aroace, so buckle up, everybody: we're talking three coming outs MINIMUM! Elle's journey contains its fair share of darkness, but now that they've fully stepped into their identity, their exuberance is palpable. Elle shares how coming out as bisexual "was a need; not a want," and explains why their gender realization took a good deal longer ("we hide ourselves from ourselves"). Inspired by Nicole's vulnerability in previous episodes, we also have a candid discussion about cheating, and Lauren manages to not-so-subtly sneak in the pod's ten thousandth Rachel Weisz reference. IT'S A GIFT!!! (TW: mention of sexual abuse, but nothing descriptive) Follow Elle on Instagram at @icanseequeerlynowtherainisgone, and check out all of the community groups the L.A. LGBT Center has to offer at https://socialnet.lalgbtcenter.org/social-networking-groups/. Also, as discussed in this episode, sign up for weekly emails from Cuties at https://www.hicuties.com/, and follow them on Insta at @cutiesla!

Today, October 11th, is National Coming Out Day, and the pod is celebrating with a *truly* delightful conversation with mental health therapist and writer, Parisa Akhbari! Parisa had an abstract fear of lesbianism throughout her early adolescence; enough so that she asked her mother at the age of eight if lesbians were "good people." But when her older sister came out a few years later, Parisa felt a huge sense of relief that "oh, it was HER the whole time - it wasn't me!" Parisa continued to repress her feelings for girls throughout high school (despite some same-sex smooching...), and not long after she'd started college, the idea of dating *anyone* went out the window when she was diagnosed with a debilitating disability. Parisa shares the beautiful story of how the Persian new year Nowruz ended up doubling as her own coming out celebration, and describes how her queer YA novel, "Just Another Epic Love Poem," is overflowing with love for her wife. Also: the legend of the Rusty Pelican, and why it gave a young Parisa butterflies! Follow Parisa on Twitter and TikTok at @ParisaWrites, and on Instagram at @authorparisa (where you can also check out The Queer Muslim Project she mentioned at @thequeermuslimproject). And go to Parisa's website, https://www.parisawrites.com/, to sign up for her newsletter and pre-order "Just Another Epic Love Poem," which comes out on March 12th, 2024!

Netflix's Sex Education recently dropped its final season, and with it came a new asexual character who - while groundbreaking - has proven to be quite divisive within the ace community. To that end, it seemed like the perfect time for Lauren to have a conversation with asexual activist Marshall John Blount, known online as the Gentle Giant Ace! Marshall was homeschooled by his mother from third grade onward, so he didn't directly experience the social pressures of high school dating. Even so, he knew that he felt "different" from his peers, and when he finally confided this to a family member, the information that she gave him on asexuality was a revelation. Marshall discusses the specific set of challenges that Black asexual people face, and shares how, even in activist spaces, he is almost always the only person like him in the room. He also explains why he literally wears his identity on his sleeve (or rather on his back, in the form of an ace pride flag), and much more! Find Marshall on Twitter at @AceGentle, on TikTok at @gentlegiantace93, and on YouTube and Facebook as Marshall John Blount!