Coming Out with Lauren & Nicole

Holy cow! It's the podcast's THREE HUNDREDTH EPISODE, and to celebrate this landmark event, Lauren has brought on the *incomparable* Amber Ruffin (Late Night with Seth Meyers; The Amber Ruffin Show)! Amber is an Emmy and Tony-nominated writer *and* a best-selling author, but most important of all: she and Lauren go back nearly twenty years. Despite being incredibly open to the idea of being queer (not to mention being surrounded by lesbians for most of her career in comedy), Amber only recently realized that she was more than just a *really* good ally. Amber explains how the type of people she's attracted to - androgynous women and non-binary folks - just weren't super visible until recently; also, there was the whole thing where she was married to a man for thirteen years. Amber shares how she accidentally outed herself to her male coworker because phones are hard and discusses how gay butch women have somehow ALWAYS been able to clock her, even before she could clock herself. All this, plus the "gay as hell" leather sweatsuit that Amber owned and wore as a five-year-old child!Amber is at @amberruffin across all social media, but you can also watch her on your TV on Late Night with Seth Meyers and Have I Got News for You. Plus, check out the two books she wrote with her sister Lacey and their hilarious podcast, The Amber & Lacey, Lacey & Amber Show! Lauren was a guest in October!

WHAT A WEEK, AMIRITE?!?!? It's been seven days since we found out the less-than-desirable results of the 2024 presidential election, and it's feeling like we could all use a candid but encouraging conversation about where things stand. But not before we hear a 1987 lesbian meet-cute! Mary Ellen Capek (who will be eighty-three next month) is a writer, an activist, and a self-described "relapsed Methodist." Her first book of poetry ("Love Lessons: Poems 1973-2023") comes out this Friday, and she's been on an impressive number of boards and committees. Mary Ellen's story includes compulsory heterosexuality, marriage and (incredibly amicable!) divorce, being the "token heterosexual" in lesbian spaces, and a ten-day women's hiking trip that forever changed her life. An expert in organizing and community building, she discusses the importance of keeping our energy up in dark times ("I'm not gonna let that sonofabitch steal my joy!"), and shares practical ways to avoid burnout. It's a funny, tender, and inspiring conversation with someone who has been doing the work her entire life.Like Mary Ellen says, she is easily reachable! Find her on Facebook at facebook.com/mecapek and check out her website, maryellencapek.com (the piece she wrote the morning we recorded is posted at https://maryellencapek.com/some-post-election-thoughts/). Last but not least: find "Love Lessons" online and in bookstores starting November 15th!

It's eve of Halloween (or "All Hallows' Eve-Eve"), and so it seemed appropriate to do an episode all about QUEER HORROR! When writer and film analyst BJ Colangelo was first on the pod back in March of 2022, we scratched the surface of the indelible link between queerness and the horror genre. Now, in honor of spooky season, BJ is back with her wife Harmony for an exhaustive deep dive! The Wives Colangelo (TM) discuss how, when it comes to horror, "the absolute building blocks and foundational texts of the genre are either made by queer people, or they are queer stories." It's an episode full of revelations (Chucky has a non-binary kid?! Hellraiser is based on gay S&M clubs?!) and controversial hot takes! Whether you're a horror aficionado or, like Lauren, you only ever watch the smooching scene compilations on YouTube, it's a thoroughly delightful and absolutely fascinating episode about how our community SLAYS the horror genre (#halloweenpuns). Listen...IF YOU DARE!!Check out BJ's writing at /Film (SlashFilm) and follow her everywhere at @bjcolangelo, follow Harmony on Twitter and Instagram at @veloci_trap_tor, and purchase "Sleepaway Camp" through DieDieBooks or digitally at Amazon! Also listen to This Ends at Prom wherever you get your podcasts, and follow @ThisEndsAtProm on all platforms.

It's National Coming Out Day, and Lauren is joined by the hilarious and talented Catherine McCafferty, host of the digital series Pretty Gay! Pretty Gay (which is also how Catherine identifies) is an interview series in which Catherine goes on mock dates with queer comedians and creators, and this season even has her bringing on her ex-girlfriend (#brave). Catherine explains how, throughout high school and college, she genuinely never had an inkling that she might be queer, despite once telling a therapist that she was going to marry a man and "watch him die," after which she would get to have a "second life" where she dated women (classic!). Catherine and Lauren commiserate over how difficult breakups are when your entire queer identity feels tied to your first relationship, and bond over having BOTH done shows that required them to go on fake dates (that sometimes felt real...). Plus, Catherine discusses playing the FMK-inspired "finger, U-Haul, ghost" with her very own mother!Season 2 of Pretty Gay is airing right now on Patreon at patreon.com/PrettyGay. Only $5/month to see alllllll the gayness (and there's even a 7-day free trial)! Also check out Pretty Gay's YouTube channel at youtube.com/@PrettyGayShow, and follow Catherine on Instagram and TikTok at @catherine_mccaff. Happy National Coming Out Day, everybody!

Lauren sits down with artist Boy Jr. (they/them) to talk relationships, gender, and their upcoming album "I Love Getting Dumped." Shortly after graduating, Boy Jr. (who describes their gender identity as "a non-binary unknowable entity who lives in your walls") was very interested in getting top surgery and starting testosterone. However, as they began to embark on their music career, they got the distinct sense that their success as an artist "hinged on being as desirable as possible to as large a pool of people as possible." As a result, they put gender on the backburner and leaned heavily into their femme identity. But if there's one thing we know about queerness, it's that you can't suppress it forever! Boy Jr. shares how much more authentic they feel now that they're "making decisions based on comfort instead of...desire to feel desirable." Plus, we discuss their deep foundational love for Joe Jonas, and the etiquette around giving your exes a li'l heads up when you're releasing breakup songs about them.Follow Boy Jr. on Instagram at @boyjrofficial, on TikTok at @boyjr.69, and on Twitter at @BoyJrMusic. You can also find them as "Boy Jr." on YouTube, Patreon, Fiverr, and alllll the music platforms. Last but not least, check out their Linktree at linktr.ee/boyjr, and look for the release of "I Love Getting Dumped" at the end of October!

Tahitia Timmons' parents were hippies, and so Tahitia had been around queer people since childhood. But when she came out to her mother as a teenager, Tahitia was shocked - and angry - to be met with the response "Why would you choose to be gay when you're already Black and a woman?" Tahitia shares how it wasn't until years later when one of her own children came out to her that she finally gained a real understanding of (and compassion for) her mother's fear-based response. We have a fascinating conversation that runs the gamut from asexuality to the evolution of lesbian stereotypes to that first queer heartbreak that just GUTS you. Plus, Tahitia explains how her company, Conscious By Us, tackles DEI specifically from a health (especially mental health) and wellness perspective.There are a ton of places where you can find Tahitia! Check out her website, consciousbyus.com, connect with her on LinkedIn, and follow her on Instagram at @consciousbyus. Also, check out all the folks she shouts out at the end of the episode!

New episode coming at you next week, but first: it's time for another Lez Hang Out POD SWAP! Countless Coming Out Pod guests have talked about how stumbling upon the now-infamous Lesbian Masterdoc figured into their coming out stories. In this episode, Leigh and Ellie take a deep dive into the doc itself!Welcome back to Lez Hang Out, the podcast that googled “Am I Gay” before it was cool.This week Leigh (@lshfoster) and Ellie (@elliebrigida) hang out to talk about one of the most controversial and widely read pieces of modern lesbian “literature” on the internet, the Lesbian Masterdoc. The 31-page document titled “Am I a lesbian?” first appeared in 2018 and experienced a rather large resurgence during the pandemic shutdowns of 2020 (when people actually had enough time to read a 31-page document).For those of you who somehow managed to avoid reading the Masterdoc, it is essentially every “Am I gay” quiz from 2002 onward condensed into a 31-page pdf. The main issues that we have with the Masterdoc are that it greatly oversimplifies the experience of compulsory heterosexuality, completely ignores all nuance involved with sexuality (to an almost comical degree), and uses exclusionary language when the doc absolutely can apply to anyone who experiences attraction to women. It also somewhat reads like an attempt by the writer to get her straight best friend to sleep with her. However, we still want to give some props for the Masterdoc being very purposefully inclusive of trans and nonbinary lesbians and at the very least not giving off terfy vibes.Even though the Masterdoc should certainly be taken with many grains of salt, some of the experiences listed really hit home (a little too hard if you ask Leigh). We've said it before, but comp het is a doozy! We dive into our own experiences with navigating comp het back in our ‘straight' days and lament about why straight women have to speak so negatively about their male partners all the time (be less confusing, straight women!). If you are looking for a fun activity to bust out at your next shindig, we absolutely recommend pulling out this bad boi (fun for the whole family!) and seeing how many of your straight friends get clocked by the Masterdoc.Follow us on Twitter: Lez Hang Out (@lezhangoutpod) and answer our Q & Gay questions at the end of every episode. You can also join us on Facebook.com/lezhangoutpod and follow on Instagram (@lezhangoutpod). Find us individually on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok at Leigh (@lshfoster) and Ellie (@elliebrigida).

Writer Elliott Maya (they/them, and "a sprinkle of he/him in, like, a fruity Victorian dandy boy way") has a real way with words, in case you couldn't tell from that parenthetical. Raised in the *extremely* strict Jehovah's Witnesses religion, Lio and their brother were also the only Black kids at their school. As if this weren't enough, Lio started going through puberty quite early, which coincided with them realizing that they were "not like the other girls, in many ways." Lio knew that college was their only chance of escape, so they started working at the age of twelve. Along the way, they attempted to hide their queerness in high school by becoming a gay bully...but in an ironic twist, they ended up becoming "horrifically" attracted to their (also queer) victim. Besides being an absolutely HILARIOUS storyteller, Lio also has Long Covid, and started the group Covid Cautious Queers. We spend the latter half of the episode talking about the ways in which Lio's illness has changed their life, and the (easy!) ways you can help not only them, but everyone in your community.First thing's first: follow Lio on Instagram at @bougiebasquiat, and please please please see their bio for links to their GoFundMe, their Health Hub, and their Ko-fi! You can also follow them on TikTok at @transnaruto, and check out their *gorgeous* website at elliottmaya.com. Last but not least, follow @covidcautiousqueers on Instagram, especially if you're in Southern California. It's Pride Month, y'all - let's be there for Lio!!

OH, HELLO, EVERYBODY! The pod is coming out (wink!) of hiatus for Pride Month, and we're kicking things off in a big way with Nashville singer/activist Heather Mae! Heather recently dropped her new single "Kissing Girls," which is not only a "super-queer bisexual Pride mega pop song" but also serves as a reclaiming of her own coming out story. Mercilessly bullied for her weight throughout childhood, Heather's only solace used to be the music videos she would run home to watch every day after school. But when she started attending Sunday school in the fourth grade...the bullying stopped. As a result, Heather became deeply invested in both the Church and the purity movement, and although all of her early kisses and pseudo-relationships were with girls, she truly never believed that they "counted." Heather shares how isolating with her partners during lockdown and re-examining those early experiences (not to mention learning about comp het for the first time!) made her want to write a song that captured "the sonic embodiment of queer joy and liberation." It's a beautiful, celebratory episode and the perfect way to start off Pride!Follow Heather on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter at @heathermaemusic, and check out her website at heathermae.net and her YouTube channel at youtube.com/heathermae, where you can watch the official music video for "Kissing Girls." "Kissing Girls" is streaming everywhere, so go listen and add it to your Pride playlists!

Lauren couldn't put the podcast on hiatus without doing one of her favorite kinds of episodes: namely, a REDUX! When producer and writer Jenn Lee (formerly Jenn Lee Smith) was first on the pod in July of 2022, she was celebrating the publication of a book she had co-edited called "I Spoke to You with Silence: Essays from Queer Mormons of Marginalized Genders." Jenn herself was raised in the Mormon religion, and despite having come out in 2008, she had chosen to remain in a monogamous marriage with her husband of twenty-one years, with whom she shares three children. Suffice to say that a lot has changed for Jenn since the summer of 2022. She explains how the book tour for "I Spoke to You with Silence" kicked off a chain of events, and shares how her love for her children has only deepened now that she is finally living as her whole self ("I have been able to love them so much more since feeling right in my own body and skin"). Plus, Jenn describes her experiences on the dating apps as a "little post-Mormon gayby," and Lauren asks Jenn a question that she's been mulling over ever since the day they first met...Connect with Jenn on Facebook at facebook.com/jennlee.smith2, and follow her on Instagram at @bewilderfilm. Also, check out her upcoming documentary at homecourtfilm.com and on Insta at @homecourtfilm!

Pop-punk/alt-rock artist Chloe Star is so obviously comfortable in her own skin that you would never know she struggled fiercely with her sexuality throughout her adolescence. Chloe's mother is Native American, and so Chloe grew up going back and forth between the radically different worlds of Los Angeles and her family's reservation. Some of Chloe's stories from this time are deeply relatable (such as Googling "am i gay quiz" and secretly having a huge crush on Kristen Stewart while all of her friends were Team Edward/Team Jacob), but she was also grappling with more than her share of darkness. This culminated in Chloe being sent to an incredibly intense three-month wilderness treatment program at the age of sixteen; her mother's last-ditch attempt to free Chloe from addiction. Chloe's upcoming single, "Wasted Youth," is all about that experience, which she finally feels a sense of closure on a full decade later. We have a funny, vulnerable conversation about first loves, coming out at diners, songs about exes, and much more!As of this Friday, March 22nd, you can stream "Wasted Youth" everywhere! Also follow Chloe on Instagram and TikTok at @frenchtoastkiller, and watch the videos for "Fool," "Found My Peace," and "Happy Place" on Chloe's YouTube channel, youtube.com/@frenchtoastkiller!

Lauren gives a transparent, hilarious, and WAY the f@#k too long explanation of why she is putting the podcast on hiatus at the end of March!Info and resources mentioned:- The pod's website is comingoutpod.com. That's where you'll find a link to search episodes by keyword, as well as multiple resources on the "Resources" page (including the virtual queer community Google doc and "Lauren's List of Lighthearted LGBTQ+ Stuff with Positive Queer Portrayals!" media list).- Other queer, female-helmed podcasts that Lauren recommends include Bad Queers, Two Dykes And A Mic, and Lez Hang Out.- Last but not least, the pod's AMAZING engineer/editor Averie Severs can be found on Instagram at @averie_severs!And stay tuned for two more new episodes on March 20th and 27th...

Author and librettist Leah Lax ("Not From Here: The Song of America") shares a series of incredible stories in a truly one-of-a-kind episode of the podcast! Leah grew up as a Jewish genderqueer lesbian in Northern Texas, and struggled with the fact that she didn't understand how to "be a woman" in the intuitive way that all of her (straight) friends seemed to. So when she was approached by members of the ultra-Orthodox Hasidic community at the age of sixteen, Leah felt "like somebody handed me a bulleted list. And all I had to do was follow it, and...I wasn't marginal anymore at all. I was completely accepted." Leah was matched with a man at eighteen; she had seven children in a ten-year period and spent thirty years with the Hasidim. Leah shares what ultimately made her leave the only community she had ever known, and explains the unlikely path that led to her writing down the life stories of over a hundred American immigrants for a new opera! It's a truly beautiful episode, and a reminder of why, to quote Leah, "we all need to be dangerous.""Not From Here: The Song of America" comes out on March 28th! To find out all about it (as well as Leah's memoir "Uncovered: How I Left Hasidic Life and Finally Came Home"), go to leahlaxauthor.com. And don't forget to preorder on Amazon! You can also follow Leah on Instagram at @LeahLax120, and on Facebook at @LeahLaxAuthor. Lastly, check out therefugemusic.com to hear snippets from Leah's opera!

Arohi Kumar has been a HERstories participant for the past several years, and in that time, Lauren has seen her confidence and happiness grow exponentially! Arohi (whose identifiers include transfemme, poly, and "bi enough") is a child of Indian immigrants, and the prevalence of male/female separation when she was growing up led to her feeling ostracized on both ends. When it came to attraction, Arohi knew she was attracted to girls, but describes the experience as wanting to be "attracted to girls in the way lesbians are attracted to girls, which is like a very specific, different thing." We debate gender roles vs. gender, and muse on why so many people (including Arohi!) came to terms with their queerness during lockdown. Plus, we talk anxiety, dissociative identity disorder, and OCD...but in a fun, quirky way, like the fun, quirky girls we are!(TW: discussion of suicidal ideation in childhood, but nothing descriptive)Speaking of fun and quirky, Arohi made a fun, quirky board game! It's called Grad Rush, and you can check it out at grad-rush.com.

Lauren has a genuinely hilarious conversation with comedian and podcaster Carmen Lagala, who spills all the details of her recent coming out story! Carmen grew up in Vermont, which is arguably one of the very best states to be a queer woman (hiking; leftists; liberal arts colleges; you get it). Carmen was so sure that she *wasn't* queer, however, that when a lesbian rumor spread during her freshman year of high school, she actually came out to her family as straight. Carmen, who now identifies as pansexual, describes having "teenage boy levels" of horniness as an adolescent, while simultaneously carrying a deep shame about sex in general, and masturbation in particular. She discusses how being in back-to-back relationships with men led to her feeling like her sexual attraction to women somehow didn't count, and how coming out on stage actually helped her get past that ("it legitimized it to me as soon as people laughed at what I was saying"). Also, Carmen shares her high school obsession with G.I. Jane, and Lauren tells a story about Michelle Rodriguez that she probably shouldn't!Follow Carmen on Instagram at @carmstagrams and on Twitter at @CarmenLagala, and subscribe to her YouTube channel at youtube.com/@carmenlagalacomedy! Also check out her comedy OnlyFans, and listen to In Cahoots w/ Corey & Carmen wherever you get your podcasts!

When 23-year-old grad student Maddy Kling asked if she could interview Lauren for her project on coming out stories, Lauren jumped at the chance to sit on the other side of the mic! But not only that; the work Maddy was doing sounded so fascinating that Lauren asked if she would come on the podcast to discuss it! Maddy is getting her master's in Dance/Movement Therapy, and her project explores how DMT can help the queer community "by allowing them to tell their coming out stories through dance and movement." Maddy identifies as both bisexual and demisexual, and regarding her own journey, she says that "the most comfortable space I felt being out was dance." Maddy describes the relief she experienced when she finally discovered the demisexual label, and also shares how she lived the bi dream of coming out in a Vans store! Now THAT'S how you embrace a stereotype!Learn more about Dance/Movement Therapy at adta.memberclicks.net/what-is-dancemovement-therapy.

It's Valentine's Day, and the pod is serving up a hot 'n spicy episode with educatrix, writer, and former AVN-nominated director, Tina Horn! Regarding her sexuality, Tina says "as soon as I knew that I had a crush on Fox Mulder, I knew I had a crush on Dana Scully." Unfortunately, she was growing up in a small, homophobic town in Northern California, and so the majority of her early sexual partners were restricted to cis men. Tina categorizes those early experiences as "all right," but even as an adolescent, she was already aware of a fundamental truth: "I knew that I really liked sex, and I wanted to do it all the time, and I wanted more variety and, like, different kinds of sex." Tina discusses becoming a sex worker at a time when the Bay Area had a thriving queer and feminist porn scene, and explains why it is so important for her to be out as such, even though her time in the sex industry has "waxed and waned over the years." We also talk about Tina's comic series, "Deprog" (which features a hardboiled leatherdyke detective and a genderqueer femme fatale!), and her upcoming book of fetish cultural criticism, "Why Are People Into That?" based on her long-running podcast of the same name. All this, plus Lauren gives a special Queer Root Shout-Out (TM) to the most sapphic music video of ALL TIME!Go to tinahorn.net to find out where you can pre-order both "Deprog" and "Why Are People Into That?: A Cultural Investigation of Kink" (and while you're there, sign up for Tina's newsletter as well!). Also follow Tina on Twitter and Instagram at @tinahornsass, and check out her podcast "Why Are People Into That?!" on all the usual platforms!

LGBTQ-affirming therapist Chris Tompkins clearly remembers knowing by the age of six that he was gay. So when he was told that his six-year-old nephew was "not old enough" to understand that he had a gay uncle, it started Chris down a path that ultimately led to him a writing a book titled "Raising LGBTQ Allies: A Parent's Guide to Changing the Messages from the Playground." Chris describes how his religious upbringing made him genuinely believe that if he put all his energy into becoming "the best Christian," he could eventually make himself straight (spoiler alert: he couldn't). A natural storyteller, Chris details several close calls he had during his study abroad in Italy ("I feel like I was trying to come out"), and shares the beautiful story of how he eventually met his first boyfriend through a series of random-but-fateful events. Plus, Chris's record-breaking tour where he came out to a whopping seven family members during a single visit home!Follow Chris on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at @aroadtriptolove, and check out his website, aroadtriptolove.com, for info on his book, his work, and much more!

The pod welcomes its first ever Singaporean guest, Tania De Rozario, whose memoir "Dinner on Monster Island" comes out next week! At the time that Tania was growing up in Singapore, positive representations of queer people were literally illegal on public television. Since this was long before streaming platforms and the prevalence of the internet, this meant that all of Tania's childhood teachings about "homosexuality" came from her Evangelical-convert mother. Things culminated in Tania being subjected to a gay exorcism (or as it was called at the time, a "casting out") when she was just twelve years old. Tania, who now lives in Vancouver, shares this and other stories from her past with a good deal of perspective, and an admirable amount of levity. Plus, we discuss how the horror genre is intrinsically linked with queerness, which is a real bummer if you hypothetically can't watch scary movies because they give you nightmares HYPOTHETICALLY.Follow Tania on Instagram at @_tania.de.rozario_ (make note of all the underscores and periods!) and at @TaniaDeRozario on Twitter. "Dinner on Monster Island" comes out February 6th; find out where to pre-order/purchase it at linktr.ee/TaniaDeRozario, but also check your local bookstores!

Lauren gets into it with comedian Andie Main, who just released her aptly titled comedy album, "Rocky Mountain Bi!" Andie grew up in Portland's artsy district, and identifies as "classic '90s bi." She reveals the various cartoon characters who helped her realize her sexuality, discusses her adolescent passions ("I was a horse girl, and then I was a boob girl"), and details the path that led her to who she is today ("a divorced, 43-year-old bisexual woman who had dreams of Alanis Morissette as an early child"). Andie also describes the challenges of dating couples, and - brace yourself - because we talk a little bit of smack about astrology SORRY!!! Also, a word of warning to the person who left the podcast a three-star review on iTunes titled "Would love this if it weren't for the foul language": you should probably skip this episode.Follow Andie on Instagram at @andiemain, and listen to "Rocky Mountain Bi" (as well as Andie's first album, "Magpie") on all streaming platforms. Also, check out Andie's new podcast, "Recovering with Andie Main," wherever you get your pods!

Multidisciplinary author and artist Julie Delporte (they/she) was born in a village in the French countryside, and describes herself as "someone who is late in life." One of the ways in which this manifested was that Julie did not realize she was a lesbian until the age of thirty-five, which, as she says, "is not so old, but it felt so old." In her newly released graphic novel, "Portrait of a Body," Julie traces the arc of her coming out story through both text and illustrations, and the result is beautiful and moving. Julie speaks candidly about the conflict she felt between her need to explore her sexuality and her fear of potentially hurting someone in the process, and we have a vulnerable conversation about why we sometimes feel like we're "not sexual enough" as lesbians. Also, Julie tells an incredibly relatable story about how sometimes the slightest glimpse of a friend's shoulder can clarify everything...Follow Julie on Instagram at @juliedelporte_, and buy her GORGEOUS book "Portrait of a Body" at https://drawnandquarterly.com/books/portrait-of-a-body/, or wherever gorgeous books are sold!

Writer and filmmaker Sara Mossman grew up in Baltimore in the midst of a family dynamic that consisted of "a lot of dysfunction, a lot of chaos, a lot of people in the mix" (Sara is one of SIX children!). All of this led to her becoming emancipated from her family just before she turned fourteen...riiiiiight on the heels of also figuring out that she was gay. Suffice to say that Sara did not have an easy adolescence, but the saving grace came when she was accepted into a predominantly-female, VERY queer arts school for her high school years! Sara shares how generational trauma has shaped her journey, but hasn't prevented her from having a great deal of empathy for her mother (whose own mother was a child bride from the Philippines). Also, the wild tale of how Sara was assisted in her hardest coming out by none other than Mister Rogers! Talk about "It's a beautiful day in the GAYborhood!!!" (Sorry; I had to.) Check out Sara's website (saramossman.com) and YouTube channel (youtube.com/c/underaneonsky), and follow her on Twitter at @SMossman. You can also purchase her novel, "The Tree of Life," at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGX5HGPL, and check out her BFF's charity that she mentioned at unmatchedathlete.org!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! The pod is kicking off 2024 in a big way with its first ever furry-identified guest! Comedian Adario Mercadante has been doing standup since the age of eighteen, and is truly one of the *sweetest* men alive. Like many '90s kids, Adario first discovered furry content on sites like LimeWire and Kazaa, and his fascination/titillation led him to further resources like Furcadia and Yiffstar. Adario not only details his full journey from pre-puberty to adulthood, but also answers several FAQs, such as "Is being a furry just a sexual kink, or is there more to it?" Plus, Adario discusses his decision to come out to the *entire world* via his appearance on ABC's The Prank Panel, and shares the incredibly moving story of how doing so literally changed his life. Forget everything you think you know about furries, and learn about the community from one of its proudest (and, since his appearance on TV, most prominent) members!First and foremost, watch Adario's episode of The Prank Panel for free at https://abc.com/shows/the-prank-panel/episode-guide/season-01/09-bride-swap-furry-double-cross (his segment starts just before the twenty-five minute mark)! Then give him a follow on TikTok at @adariomercadante, on Instagram at @adario1, and on Twitter at @YammoYeen. Lastly, if you want to check out the furry YouTuber who Adario shouted out, go to https://www.youtube.com/@BetaEtaDelota. Awoo!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

It's POD SWAP day! Leigh and Ellie of Lez Hang Out thought Coming Out Pod's listeners might especially enjoy this episode of theirs from February 2023.Lez Hang Out Episode 613: Missed Queer-nections with Elle MillsYour eyes meet across the aisle in Trader Joe's. Then, your fingers brush as you reach for the same container of oat milk. The moment passes, but you can't help wondering, could she have been the one? This week Leigh (@lshfoster) and Ellie (@elliebrigida) hang out with writer and director Elle Mills (@elle.mills) to talk about her journey from longtime Youtube creator to filmmaker with her directorial debut of short film Reply available to rent now on CreatorPlus.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

Lauren and Nicole are reunited for the pod's *FIFTH* ANNUAL LISTENER MAILBAG!!! In this double-stuffed episode, we're taking on allllll of your burning questions with our usual #workwife candor! Hear our thoughts on if gaydar is real! Listen as we debate whether or not straight people should have to come out! Delight in our very different (BUT EQUALLY VALID) answers to "what's on your queer bucket list?" Nicole also gives her take on several poly-specific questions, including what she's learned from being the hinge partner in a V relationship! It's a warm, funny, and insightful way to say goodbye to 2023. Happy holidays, y'all, and thanks so much for listening this past year!Follow Nicole at @nicolepacent on Instagram, and be sure to check out her upcoming episode of The Poly (Pod)Cast when it drops! You can find the info for Zig Zag Pride (and all of the L.A. LGBT Center's other community groups) at https://socialnet.lalgbtcenter.org/social-networking-groups/. Also mentioned as a resource in this episode was the Cuties mailing list, which you can subscribe to at hicuties.com. Last but not least, there's no time like the present to give the *podcast* a present by leaving a 5-star rating and/or a li'l review on either iTunes or Spotify!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

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 (tellofilms.com), and check out Suicide Kale on Amazon!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

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 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!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

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!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

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 linktr.ee/erinhoover. From there, you can access her website for more of her poetry and a list of upcoming events, find out where to purchase "No Spare People," and read the Daily Beast article we discussed in this episode! You can also follow Erin on Twitter and Bluesky at @erinhoover, and on Instagram at @theerinhoover.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

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.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

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 hinge.nfaq.co, and follow Moe on Instagram and TikTok at @loveoutproud! Also, go to theemoeari.com for all things Moe, and listen to the Be Your Own Love Goals Podcast that Moe co-hosts with their wife! Finally, follow Kyrsta on Instagram at @kyrstashae, and hit up poetrybykyrsta.com to find out where you can buy "As Long As This Heart Beats," her BEAUTIFUL debut collection!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

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 show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

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 aro-ace, 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 hicuties.com, and follow them on Insta at @cutiesla!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

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, parisawrites.com, to sign up for her newsletter and pre-order "Just Another Epic Love Poem," which comes out on March 12th, 2024!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

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!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

Lauren has a beautiful conversation with singer-songwriter Irina Rivkin, who identifies as "a lesbian queer femme dyke with disabilities" as well as ambiamorous, which for her means "my heart is capable of loving more than one person...but also doesn't mean that I *must* be in multiple relationships." Irina's family had to flee Russia in the '70s, and subsequently settled in the U.S. as refugees when Irina and her twin sister were just five years old. But despite being in a safer country, Irina didn't feel safe within her strict, conservative family, where there were "a lot of consequences to non-conformity." As a result, Irina's same-sex attraction didn't really register for her until she went off to UC Berkeley...and suddenly found herself in a progressive environment teeming with eminently-crushable butch women! Irina's coming out story involves *literally* bursting through a closet door, not to mention a queer kissing booth! She also discusses accidentally outing herself to her parents, and graces us with a GORGEOUS live performance of "Ya Eyo Lublu," her self-described "Russian-Jewish-lesbian-émigré-coming-out-love-song," which won the 2003 Outmusic Award for Outsong of the Year!You can listen to more of Irina's beautiful music (and find out about her virtual performances!) on YouTube at youtube.com/irinarivkin, and on Facebook at facebook.com/IrinaRivkin.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

Tera Wozniak Stortz, founder of the Queer Divorce Club, remembers one fleeting moment in high school when it ever-so-briefly crossed her mind that she might be a lesbian. For the most part, though, Tera thought that her lack of attraction to men simply meant that she was "broken." Like many in her position, Tera ended up in a long-term heteronormative marriage, and kept herself moving at such a breakneck pace that she never had time to truly examine her identity. But when Tera and her husband became polyamorous and Tera started having experiences with women...the truth that she'd been repressing for decades became impossible to ignore. Tera shares how opening her marriage led to her meeting her current partner, and describes how she and her now ex-husband explained their divorce to their two young children in a transparent but age-appropriate way. We also discuss the unique difficulties (not to mention stigmas) that come with getting "queer divorced," and Tera shares how she created the Queer Divorce Club around the central idea that "we can all get divorced in our own way."Interested in the Queer Divorce Club?? You can check out their website at queerdivorceclub.com, and request to join their private Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/queerdivorceclub. You can also learn more about Tera at terawozniakstortz.com, and follow her on Instagram at @tera.queerdivorceclub and on TikTok at @teraqueerdivorceclub!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

"Long-time listener, first-time guest" Amanda Slawinski's coming out journey began with a covert kiss behind a purposefully-closed door at the tender age of five...but then didn't pick up again until eighteen years later. Amanda identifies as queer, demisexual, and a "recovering Catholic," so it's no surprise that sex of any kind was NOT discussed in her family home (even the Gilmore Girls were frowned upon). Ironically, though, an unscripted moment during Catholic Mass the Sunday after marriage equality passed in New York ended up becoming a huge turning point in her life. Amanda describes having her first ever queer experience one week before the pandemic hit (timing is everything!), and shares how finding THIS VERY PODCAST during lockdown assisted her on her coming out journey! Lauren and Amanda also discuss what demisexuality means to them, and we relive the adolescent Gay Panic (TM) of worrying that your family will discover you made all your Sims gay!Follow Amanda on Instagram at @yogawithmoo, and hit her up if you're in the NYC area and are interested in yoga or meditation classes! You can also request to follow her private Insta account at @amanda.slawinski.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

Musician Jupiter Zirkua (she/they) describes her story as "a lot of bleak stuff," but with "a bookend to it that's really sweet," and she delivers on both promises. Raised in rural Florida by a single mother, Jupiter's first introduction to the idea of gender nonconformity was a kindergarten teacher at a Tampa Catholic school. But while Jupiter was aware of the pansexual aspect of her identity from a fairly early age, it would take years before she felt secure enough to truly begin engaging with her transness. From coming out in a sewer (yup!) to leaving home at the age of sixteen, Jupiter tells her story with a degree of levity and heart that is deeply impressive in the face of all she's had to overcome. We talk about She Who Must Not Be Named, Elliot Page, and Jupiter's most personal album yet; plus, Jupiter discusses the freedom and emotional-shorthand of being in a relationship with another trans person!(TW: grooming and child abuse, both physical and sexual)You can listen to Jupiter's back catalog by searching "Stuffy Doll" wherever you get your music, and check out MxDmG exclusively on Bandcamp! You can also follow Jupiter at @stuffydollband on Insta and Tumblr, and @stuffydoll on Bluesky. Lastly, the queer content creators who Jupiter shouted out are Teddy Hold On (@teddyholdon on Insta) and Zhalarina (@zhalarina on Insta), both of whom have music available wherever you do your streaming!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

If you're an old school listener of the pod, then over the years you've probably heard Lauren and Nicole mention their SINGLE GREATEST SUCCESS STORY* as podcasters, which is the marriage of Episode 25 guest Vanessa Ravenscroft. Well, get ready for a lovey-dovey episode, because today Lauren and her guest co-host Vanessa are talking to the woman who made it all possible: baker, artist, and Vanessa's wife, Sarah Ravenscroft! Sarah hit the ground running by living every lesbian's dream (i.e., dating her best friend at an all-girls Catholic high school). But when that relationship had run its course, she found herself grappling with an all-too-relatable queer conundrum: how do you find potential partners; *especially* if you're considered "straight-presenting?" Sarah discusses the queer platonic relationship she entered into with an ace male friend (they had a dog *and* a house!), and the fateful night that Vanessa slid into her DMs. Squeal along with Lauren as Sarah and Vanessa share their love story, from that very first message on Twitter to the day Nicole officiated their wedding at Disneyland!Follow Sarah and all of her fuzzy/feathered kids on Twitter at @Squatchycat, and on Insta and Threads at @fuzziesoflakeview! Follow Vanessa on Twitter at @LochNessy7891, and on Insta and TikTok at @vanessalynn25!*(besides finding Ricky)This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

At sixteen years old, Jenn Levine sat in a room with her mother and was told by two doctors that she had an extra chromosome, and that because of that extra chromosome, she would never be able to have children. But that wasn't all: they also said that she shouldn't tell anyone about her "birth defect" because people wouldn't understand, and then closed out the conversation by saying "you'll probably never meet anybody else like you." What Jenn *wasn't* told that day was that she was intersex; that was something she wouldn't find out til over a decade later, when she herself undertook a years-long process of obtaining her hard copy medical records from that very appointment. Jenn describes the truly serpentine journey she went through to finally arrive at the point where she now definitively knows "I am not my diagnosis...I am an intersex woman." All this, plus Jenn kvells over the fact that she is living every Jewish woman's dream by being a bagel ambassador for Brooklyn's BagelFest!Follow Jenn everywhere at @jennlevine! Also, follow InterConnect on Instagram at @interconnect_support, and check out their website at interconnect.support to see all that they do! Lastly, if you'd like to join the L.A. LGBT Center's Club Intersex group, you can register at https://socialnet.lalgbtcenter.org/member-registration/. (Intersex-identified folks only, though - allies, check out InterConnect!)This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

Lauren sits down with voice actor and romantic/erotic audio narrator Dianna Conley, who identifies as bi/pansexual ("I saw The Mummy, and my answer was 'yes'"), agender, and neurospicy! Dianna's first kiss with a girl was in high school, but since she knew she was definitely attracted to boys, she was left more confused by the experience than anything else. That is, until she learned the word "bisexual" from a formative character on The O.C.! Dianna shares how, for her, "all clothes are a costume," and explains why "being ADHD is more important to my identity than having a gender." Plus, Lauren and Dianna - who met in a COVID-conscious Zoom group - discuss how the ongoing pandemic is very much a queer issue, and have a personal and candid conversation about why they are still taking the level of precaution they are.Whole lotta stuff here, so buckle up! First off, follow Dianna on Instagram at @diannaconley and on Twitter at @DiannaConleyVO, and get in touch with her via her website at diannaconley.com. Also mentioned in this episode, former guest Jessica Ellis (Episode 144) is tweeting very openly about her journey with Long COVID at @baddestmamajama (you can search her profile page for "Long COVID" to turn up tweets).In terms of all the COVID-related information we discussed, here's an easy to digest, super-thorough primer full of resources and links: https://www.patreon.com/posts/86871700?utm_campaign=postshare_fan. If you're interested in meeting other folks who are #stillcoviding, the "Still Coviding Weekly Hangout" (@covidisntover on Twitter and Instagram) is a virtual, international, and very queer-leaning group, and you can also check out covidmeetups.com. Last but not least, if you'd like to personally ask Lauren about any of the things discussed in this episode, please don't hesitate to reach out at comingoutpod@gmail.com!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

Lauren is joined by her friend and co-facilitator, Maggie Tielker (Episode 165), for an in-depth conversation with Lane Willis, whom Lauren and Maggie both know from the L.A. LGBT Center's HERstories group! Lane (they/them) is a *phenomenal* kindergarten teacher, who hopes their students will always remember them as "that one that wore the rainbow shoes." Lane knew that they "adored girls" as early as five years old, and also strongly identified with both Twiggy and Elton John. But a rushed marriage to a man at only nineteen years old quashed any chance of Lane exploring either their sexuality or their gender identity for many years. Lane shares how their involvement in an underground swinging community confirmed their long-suppressed attraction to women, and discusses how non-binary YouTubers guided them to their eventual gender epiphany at the age of fifty-two. Plus, Lane tells a story about running into a former student at Pride that will pull on even the sturdiest of heartstrings!If you're interested in any of the groups or workshops discussed during this episode, check out the L.A. LGBT Center's website at https://socialnet.lalgbtcenter.org/social-networking-groups/, and follow them everywhere at @lalgbtcenter. Also, follow Maggie at @maggietielker, and check out some of her designs at @worldofwonder!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

For her first episode all by her lonesome, Lauren wanted to bring on "a guest who felt like home." Enter Brooke Berry, Lauren's BFF from college, whose incredible life experiences run the gamut from starting an AIDS coalition with a nun at the age of twelve, to living in South Africa, to working with Angelina Jolie (DON'T FREAK OUT, NICOLE!). Even *more* impressive than these achievements, however, is the fact that Brooke was literally in the room for Lauren's first ever girl-girl kiss, which Lauren finally dishes on in detail! Brooke reveals how she knew Lauren was gay even before *Lauren* knew Lauren was gay, and shares why she thinks so many theatre boys picked her as a queer-adjacent safe haven to come out to. She also discusses the unbridled joy of her brother's nascent journey with gender fluidity; plus, Lauren owns up to being "devoured" by her first ever queer relationship, which saw her largely peacing out on her entire friend group. Learn from her mistakes, lesbians!!!If you'd like to reach out to Brooke, feel free to do so via @comingoutpod on Twitter or Instagram, or at comingoutpod@gmail.com!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

So, okay; here's the deal: we talked SO much when we recorded Nicole's farewell episode that we ended up cutting almost half an hour from the version that we released last week (classic #workwives!). We ultimately decided that this particular twenty-four minute chunk didn't serve the true purpose of that ep - which was celebrating Nicole, our partnership, and the version of the pod that is "Coming Out with Lauren & Nicole" - but we also felt that the tangential discussion we'd had was important enough to release on its own as this bonus mini-episode. Plus, Nicole wouldn't be Nicole if she didn't leave without a dash of CONTROVERSY! Please enjoy the following completely unedited, *heated* conversation, and remember: it's okay if we disagree!The Out Magazine article we discuss (that we keep mistakenly referring to as an "interview;" oops!) can be found here: https://www.out.com/gay-news/jasmin-savoy-brown-lesbian. At least Lauren got the author right!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

The moment is here, y'all: it's our final episode as Lauren & Nicole. So grab a glass of red wine and/or bottle of sparkling mineral water, and strap in as we take an equally hilarious and tearful stroll down memory lane; from the original tiny closet that we crammed Stephanie Beatriz into, to our posh podcasting studio, to our respective hot, sweaty closets that we've been recording in since we went virtual! Nicole shares what she's learned, what she's grateful for, and even a few things she wishes she'd done differently. We reminisce about some of our favorite moments, and talk about our ONLY fight as #workwives! Nicole sobs! Lauren actually CRIES! It's a beautiful, funny, and fitting goodbye for a truly irreplaceable co-host.Keep up with Nicole on Instagram at @nicolepacent. Our hashtags are #comingoutpod and, in ethereal perpetuity, #foundricky.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

This is Nicole's penultimate episode of the podcast, so we knew our guest had to be someone extra-special! For over a decade, this incredible human being has been extremely close to Nicole and her family; so much so that he performed Nicole and Gustav's wedding in Scotland, and Nicole's sister's Memorial Service. Now, after *countless* mentions on the pod over the years, we finally sit down with the man, the myth, the legend, the REVEREND: Mark Montgomery! Mark discusses his small town South Carolina conservative Christian upbringing, and tells the "gayer than gay" story of how he came out to his mother at her hospital bedside (let's just say Steel Magnolias was involved). We talk faith vs. religion, Mark shares some "practical theology" you can use when confronted by intolerant Bible thumpers, and we take a deep dive into the misinterpretation of the oft-cited Sodom and Gomorrah story! This is an episode that you won't want to miss (and that you *will* want to send to your conservative family members)...Mark gives an incorrect handle at the end of this ep, so make sure you *actually* follow him on Instagram at @markdmontgomery (and feel free to reach out)! Some of the people and resources he mentions during this episode include the United Church of Christ's website (ucc.org), Janie Spahr (https://lgbtqreligiousarchives.org/profiles/jane-adams-spahr), and More Light Presbyterians (mlp.org).This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

We laugh our goddamned asses off with standup, writer, and biomedical engineer (yes, really!), Pallavi Gunalan, who wins Lauren over in the first sixty seconds by stating that she "would die for Pierro." Pallavi grew up in an Indian family in Utah, and only started coming to terms with her queerness in her late 20's ("I had just started wearing crop tops; I didn't know you could do that without a sari"). Pallavi made the bold choice to incorporate her newfound identity into her comedy almost immediately, and shares the exhilarating story of coming out live on stage to her cousins. (She also discusses the much less effusive reaction she got when she later told her parents...) Not only that; Pallavi provides us with a *phenomenal* pudding cup analogy, and we talk shame, adult goths, and the Tootsie Pops owl!Follow Pallavi everywhere and on all the things at @PallaviGunalan. Share her stuff, come to her shows, and don't forget to keep an eye out for her in the comments under Pierro's pictures!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

When Tembe Denton-Hurst's fiancée gifted her a writing class, Tembe had no idea that the short story she turned in would eventually become "Homebodies," her debut novel that was published in May! A consummate writer, Tembe shares a hilarious rollercoaster of a coming out story that includes an "earth-shifting" look she exchanged with a friend's younger sister, and a highly-relatable series of "deeply one-sided, ill-fated crushes." Tembe also discusses how, at just twenty years old, she and her now-fiancée made the incredibly mature decision to prioritize their relationship over their unaccepting parents, and explains how, with "Homebodies," she wanted to tell a more nuanced coming out story about "women who are very settled in their identities, but still constantly navigating...being queer in Black families." All this, plus Nicole has sexy chest-cold-voice!Follow Tembe on Instagram and Twitter at @tembae, and check out her website at tembedentonhurst.com!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

We're closing out Pride Month in a big way with Emmy-nominated actress, writer, and producer, Rain Valdez (Razor Tongue; Transparent)! Rain, who describes herself as a heterosexual transgender woman, was born in the Philippines, and initially raised by her incredibly affirming grandparents. Things only changed when she moved with her mother and stepfather to Guam, and discovered that the people there were considerably less accepting than those in her home country. At the age of nineteen, Rain moved on her own to Los Angeles to pursue the arts, and was advised not to disclose to anyone that she was transgender. Believing this was her only path forward, Rain did exactly that for many years. But in June of 2016, bolstered by the beautiful community she'd met working on Transparent, Rain came out publicly in a VICE article. We have a candid conversation about what it's like trying to forge a career in the entertainment industry once it has decided that your particular marginalization is no longer trendy. Also, we discuss the many and varied ways that we as queer people can often feel "in between worlds," and what it means to try to align with your purpose within a system that was not built for you in the first place.Follow Rain on Instagram at @rainvaldez, and check out her website at rainvaldez.com and her company at rainbowrated.com! Also, you can watch Rain's Emmy-nominated turn in Razor Tongue at https://rainbowrated.com/razortongue, and you can see her short film Ryans at https://www.rainvaldez.com/videos!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement

Holy hell, do we have a PIPING HOT EPISODE for you! When previous guest Avgi Saketopoulou and her partner Ann Pellegrini (both practicing psychoanalysts and faculty members at NYU) received an award for an academic article they co-authored, they were thrilled to find out that their paper would be published in a prestigious journal. They spent the following year working closely with the editors to revise their article for publication...only to be told at the last minute that they would be required to remove parts that the journal deemed "too political." Instead of bowing to pressure, Avgi and Ann decided to expand upon their thesis and publish it as a book, thereby making their work accessible to laypeople as well as academics. In this riveting conversation, Avgi and Ann discuss their controversial argument: that queer and trans people are not, to quote Lady Gaga, "born this way," but rather that any number of outside factors (including trauma) *can* affect and inform our sexuality/gender. It's a truly liberating, paradigm-shifting discussion about how we as queer people police ourselves as a result of (justified) fear that our words will be weaponized against us. And most importantly, we finally get to the bottom of the eternal question: *did* seeing the movie Mannequin as a child make Lauren gay??Follow Avgi and Ann on Instagram at @avgolis98 and @apell168 respectively. And give Jeff Bezos the finger by ordering their incredible book at uitbooks.com instead of at the other place!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5207650/advertisement