Bearded Fruit: An LGBT / Gay Podcast

Things are going down at Twitter, and folks are jumping ship. Neil and Cody are back at the microphones, talking about what's good about Twitter, what's lousy about it, and what might come next for queer community if Twitter disappears.

Tyger Songbird is one of the most vulnerable, approachable aroace voices on Twitter, so I was very excited to chat with him. Our conversation covers his experiences as a Black aroace man writing to create space for others like him. This is a thoughtful, uplifting conversation. Tyger Songbird is an aroace writer & asexual advocate who's been published in multiple online publications. He's currently working on a book titled Ace of Spades, about his experiences being an aromantic asexual in the culture. He is also head moderator of an asexual subreddit as well. You can find Tyger on Medium and Twitter @TygerSongbird. You can find me on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and twitter @acedadadvice. And on the web at acedadadvice.com. If you want more of our conversation, as well as some other bonus asexuality content including live hangouts, access to our Discord, and other cool stuff, become a patron at patreon.com/acedadadvice.

To celebrate Ace Week 2022 and the return of Bearded Fruit, I had a wonderful, warm, and insightful conversation with the creator of Ace in Grace, Ashabi Owagboriaye. Ashabi talks about why she created her highly successful Instagram space for ace folks, what it means to live life "out loud," and why she loves anime. Plus a whole lot more. Ashabi Owagboriaye [She/They] is a Nigerian-American Multidisciplinary Artist, Advocate & Organizer in the city of Chicago. As an out-loud Black Androgynous Queer Asexual Person, she uses her platforms and voice to shed light on & normalize the experiences of Asexuality & the intersections within their identities. They are the creator and curator of Ace In Grace, a space used to educate on the topic of asexuality while also uplifting Black, Indigenous other people of colour within this community. Ashabi is currently studying at Roosevelt University and will be graduating in May 2023 with her master's degree in Clinical & Mental Health Counseling. She is also a NBCC 2021 Minority Fellow and has committed to continuing their education, bringing with her an emphasis on providing the most culturally competent care to her clients possible. You can find Ashabi and her Ace in Grace project on Instagram at @_aceingrace_ and her other work at www.ashabio.com Find more Ace Dad Advice content on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube @acedadadvice. And learn more at www.acedadadvice.com. You can support Ace Dad Advice -- and get the unedited version of our conversation -- through Patreon at www.patreon.com/acedadadvice.

Because we're recording on Father's Day, we're talking about daddies! On this episode, we dig into the idea of "daddy," how it relates to our lives and what "daddy" means culturally. We also talk about some of the research on intergenerational relationships and see if they stack up to what we see in the community.

This episode from 2017 is one of my favorites, and it's an important episode to bring back. This week, Bearded Fruit turns over the reigns of the podcast to Cleveland-based hip hop artist Jesse Paradice. He discusses his powerful EP "Don't Call Me Ethnic." the turbulent forces that shaped his musical voice, and the urgent need for us to listen -- and listen closely -- to queer black artists and other people (and artists)of color. Find Jesse online at:https://spark.adobe.com/page/vKoZR7dKwHaDC/ Find Jesse on Twitter @BlvckCeltic

To kick off Pride Month 2020, we're talking about protest and queer identity. We give a little history lesson in queer disruptive protest, we talk about Jack Halberstam's theory of queer violence, and we talk about why queer people should support disruptive protest against police brutality... because it's part of our queer DNA.

On this episode, we're celebrating our birthdays with a discussion about time: how our queerness has evolved over time, and how cultural expectations distort our experiences of time. And we discuss the idea of "queer time," a way of walking through the world on our own time clock. If you've ever felt like you were out of step with everyone else - this episode is for you.

Joe Bob Briggs was the main character on Twitter for the horror community this week, for a homophobic article from last summer. In this episode, we talk about the Briggs discourse. some of the smart rebuttals to it. What's the usefulness of Twitter outrage? And if we can't expect more from our heroes... when is it okay to kill them? "Queer Mutants Deserve Better" from @GaylyDreadful https://www.gaylydreadful.com/blog/queer-mutants-deserve-better Books from this week's episode: How To Be an Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino "Imagined Violence / Queer Violence" by Jack Halberstam

With Pride Month on the horizon and no end of the pandemic in sight, many Pride events are going digital. So we talk about what going digital means for Pride and the messiness of being queer today.

In this episode, we discuss Drag Race's superfan makeover challenge and some of the Internet discourse around it. We also dig into what makes a queer space, the value of assimilation, and how to balance the complexity of where we are in queer culture.

A bonus episode, with more stories about our queer first times. In this episode, we talk about hiding our queerness, accepting it, and the first time we found real queer joy.

On this episode of Bearded Fruit, we're talking about our first times. First queer friend, first gay bar, first time getting laid, and more.

The Queer Read returns during these Very Weird Times. Our May book is "All Boys Aren't Blue" by George M. Johnson.

Bearded Fruit... quarantine edition! This episode is all about finding love (and sex) in a hopeless place: online during a global pandemic.

Happy Pride Month! On this episode, The fight is everywhere. We talk about homophobia in unlikely places, why it's not ok to just be not-homophobic, and the challenges of making change.

This week, we're inspired by John Paul Brammer's "¡Hola Papi!" column for Out.com. We dig into why we all gotta love the LGBTQIA+ acronym, and why our individual liberation is all about the liberation of the queer folks (and others!) around us. This one's all about what we owe each other. Article Link: https://www.out.com/lifestyle/2019/5/07/apparently-there-are-too-many-letters-lgbtq-acronym John Paul Brammer: http://www.johnpaulbrammer.com Twitter: @jpbrammer

This one's pretty personal. We talk about what it means when one half of our dynamic duo comes out as gray-asexual.

This week, my (straight) best friend Alex Giannini guests on the podcast. We talk about friendship and leaving "the gay space." And we make each other laugh. Neil will think this episode is pretty gay.

This episode is all about the closet, and how we, as a community, can make some sense of it.

We're back! Pride Month is here, and we're talking about our experiences with Pride, who belongs at Pride (spoilers: every queer of every stripe!), and what Pride could and should be. Plus, Cody challenges the listeners to a fight. Let us know what you think of the show on Twitter: @abeardedfruit

This week, we discuss heteronormativity: what it means, how it affects us, and why it's something queer people work against. Plus, we invite our trans male listeners to submit their stories and ideas for a series on the trans male experience.

This week, David Easaw officially joins Bearded Fruit! In the first episode of the Easaw Era, we dig into all the ways guys are "problemathicc" online -- particularly in ways surrounding our bodies.

This week, we dig into the how and why of sexual connection in gay male culture. How central is hooking up to being gay? Can you de-center sexual connection in gay culture without being sex-negative? Is it just "guys being guys?" or are we just doing "gay" wrong?

This week, we talk about preferences with a Bearded Fruit favorite, David Easaw! We dig into why it's not okay to find Nazis hot, we talk about unusual fetishes we've encountered on the internet, and we remind listeners that with our sexual "preferences" come some serious responsibilities.

This week we're talking about Charlottesville and the violence surrounding the white supremacist rally "Unite the Right." This week, we're talking directly to the white folks about why racial justice is an LGBTQ issue. To act: * Join Safety Pin Box (https://www.safetypinbox.com/),a monthly subscription box for white people striving to be allies in the fight for Black Liberation. Box memberships are a way to not only financially support Black femme freedom fighters, but also complete measurable tasks in the fight against white supremacy. * Donate to the Southern Poverty Law Center (https://www.splcenter.org/) * To directly impact Charlottesville, donate to the C-Ville Anti-Racist Legal Fund (https://fundly.com/solidarity-c-ville-7-8-anti-racist-legal-fund) or support the Black Student Alliance at the University of Virginia (https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1535/16-uva/index.aspx?sid=1535&gid=16&pgid=1199&cid=2383&dids=409&BLEDIT=1)

We kick off this week with a shoutout to Superfruit and their new EP "Future Friends, Part 1." Then we dive into 45's trans ban tweets and its cultural message. We also talk about the necessity of outrage and the importance of representation. Go check out Superfruit on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/sup3rfruit

This week, we talk about our trip back to the “Fun Home,” the Tony-winning musical by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron, some trans-inclusive headcanon in the world of Harry Potter, and the critical importance of representation – why seeing yourself in the world matters deeply. This new Harry Potter theory is that Snape is trans: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/06/29/this-new-harry-potter-theory-is-that-severus-snape-is-trans/

I may regret this later. An "open letter" of an episode to my white gays with thoughts of Pride, the Philly flag, and fucking solidarity.

To mark the first anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting, we're sharing the episode we did last year in the wake of the news.

For everyone wondering where we've been... and what we're going to do about it.

On this supersized episode of Bearded Fruit, we talk with LGBTQ writer, activist and icon Jeffrey Marsh. We talk about growing up in a small farming town in Pennsylvania. We wonder what Saturn thinks of us. And we get a healthy dose of the incredible kindness, love and generosity that makes Jeffrey Marsh an indelible icon for the queer community. Find Jeffrey Marsh on the web at www.jeffreymarsh.com, on Twitter at thejeffreymarsh, on Instagram at thejeffreymarsh, and on Tumblr at jeffreymarsh.tumblr.com. You can also find Jeffrey on Vine, on Facebook and on their successful YouTube channel. Find their book "How to be You" here: http://www.jeffreymarsh.com/howtobeyou. Visit My Website: http://www.jeffreymarsh.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/thejeffreymarsh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejeffreymarsh Vine: https://vine.co/jeffreymarsh

This week, we talk to disability awareness consultant and cripple content creator Andrew Gurza. Andrew's podcast "Disability After Dark" is an essential listen for anyone interested in queer podcasts, and we're thrilled to have him on Bearded Fruit to talk about his work. You can find Andrew at www.andrewgurza.com.

This week, we use Barry Manilow's coming out announcement as a launching pad for a conversation about the politics and urgency of being out and visible. This week's episode kicks off with an excerpt from a speech by Harvey Milk.

This week, we use Chimamanda Adichie's controversial comments on trans women in a Channel 4 interview as a jumping-off point to explore the dangers of a single story about trans lives and the ways we can be more critical of the single stories we tell around gender for everyone.

In this first "The Queer Read" episode, we explore two of the themes from the book with recordings from Judith Butler and Kimberle Crenshaw, plus a reading of a text by Audre Lorde. Join us on March 1 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time for a "Queer Read" Google Hangout -- details on the website: www.beardedfruit.com

The first "Bearded fruit: Live!" was recorded live at the Charter Oak Cultural Center in Downtown Hartford, Connecticut on February 17, 2017. For our first live show, we invited three really special people to join us: Mark Richards, the reigning Mr CT Bear; Shona Curtis, a queer photographer who’s stunning portrait exhibit “To Be Real” is running through March 10, 2017 at Charter Oak Cultural Center; and Teo Escada, the father of the fabulous House of Escada. Our three guests joined us to discuss identity as activism: how their queer communities engage in queer activism, how they connect their queerness to their other identities, and how being out is, in itself, a form of activism.

This week, new Bearded Fruit David Easaw returns! David and I share our story of visiting The Leather Man in NYC (and getting our first tastes of BDSM). And we talk about the intersections of kink and queerness. (This is a re-upload. The original upload chopped off the ending of the episode. Sorry for the trouble, listening family!)

This week, we welcome Kira Hayes to the podcast for a conversation about polyamory from a queer female perspective. We also discuss the challenges of shifting identities, the annoyance of waiters not knowing who to give the check to, and how to take your first steps into the world of polyamory -- if you think it's for you. You can find Kira on Instagram @justmeandmyart, and you can find her on Etsy at www.etsy.com/shop/LolitasArt

This week we welcome a new Bearded Fruit -- David Easaw! David's visiting from Portland, OR, and we introduce him to the Bearded Fruit family with a conversation about sexual racism, the challenge of being black and queer, and what his queer bears of color group is doing in Portland to spice up white spaces.

For the first "Queer 10" interview, we talk to Jordan Black, the openly queer lead singer of the band Like Pacific. Jordan talks about his life and shares some hard-won wisdom about being a queer badass.

This week, we're having #DeepTHOTS, feeling unmoored by the first week of the Trump administration, and considering the challenges of finding your way into activism.

This week, we discuss Trump's inaugural speech, the big gay dance party protest in front of Mike Pence's house, and what the queer resistance in the Age of Trump might look like.

This week, we rewind to a terrific conversation we had with Emilio Herrera of the Social Justice Education Network about straight allyship. Find out more about SJEN at www.sjenetwork.com.

This week, Bearded Fruit turns over the reigns of the podcast to Cleveland-based hip hop artist Jesse Paradice. He discusses his powerful EP "Don't Call Me Ethnic." the turbulent forces that shaped his musical voice, and the urgent need for us to listen -- and listen closely -- to queer black artists and other people (and artists)of color. The music in this week's episode is from "Don't Call Me Ethnic." by Jesse Paradice: https://jesseparadice.bandcamp.com/album/dont-call-me-ethnic

Hello 2017! This week, we're inspired by a listener email to talk about queer mentors. We talk about the people that shaped us, the need for good strong mentorship for LGBT youth, and the challenges our mentors face as they age. Plus, a call-in story from Robert in Louisiana!

Wishing everyone in the Bearded Fruit family a Happy New Year! "Auld Lang Syne" by The Sneaks (http://thesneaks.co.uk/downloads/auld-lang-syne-free-download/)

This week, we discuss a study about "dude sex," the phenomenon of rural straight dudes who have sex with other men. Cody shares his sordid dude sex past, and we discuss how normalizing this practice could be harmful to queer people.

This week, we talk about some disturbing developments around the Trump presidency, and we discuss some ways we can hold on to our anger and affect change.

This week, we go through The Advocate's "15 Signs You're A Gay Misogynist" and chat about the problem of misogyny among gay men.

This week, we rewind to an episode we did during the North Carolina "bathroom bills" fiasco, which featured a terrific discussion about the politics of fear. The episode featured Dr. Patrick McGrady, and it's worth a look back as we look ahead to an administration that leans on the politics of fear.

Post-election, we've seen a lot of rhetoric bashing identity politics, blaming it for Clinton's loss. This week, we discuss those arguments and make a case for the necessity of identity politics.