Surface Level

Damon, Jordan & Tony are curious – where do we stand on toxic masculinity? In season one, we discussed the obsession with masculinity in the queer community—chasing "trade," butching it up around straight people, and learning to embrace our femininity. Today, let’s examine where we stand on toxic masculinity. We are excited to welcome Sailey Williams, creative director, photographer, and publisher...

Damon, Jordan & Tony are curious – how varied are our views on non-monogamy? We are excited to welcome you to Season 10 of Surface Level: Gurl, Grow Up, where each week we will revisit a different episode from Season 1 through the lens of growth. In this first episode, we explore the topic of romantic relationships and how our experiences with non-monogamy have evolved since recording our first se...

Damon is curious – how do anti-LGBTQ+ laws impact the Black Queer community, and what’s being done to fight back? In this final episode of our 3-part mini-series, Damon is joined by Dr. David Johns, CEO & Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition, Tabytha Gonzalez, Human Rights Specialist for the NYC Commission on Human Rights, and Olivia Lux, drag artist, actor, singer, and music...

Jordan is curious – how is politics shaping the daily lives of young Queer Americans? In this episode, we continue our 3-part mini-series with a focus on the youth vote and political engagement. Jordan is joined by Jay Jones, first Trans President of the Howard University Student Association, Kevin Ortega-Rojas, host of Here’s Why News and co-host of ByLatinMen Podcast, and Herby Revolous, culture...

Tony is curious – how will this election effect Queer healthcare? We welcome you to part one of our three-part miniseries, “The Personal Is Political,” in partnership with GLAAD. This series is centered around the current political landscape and will explore issues with a focus on Black and Queer communities. Tony is happy to welcome Lala B. Zannell, Senior Campaign Strategist at the ACLU; Kris Ch...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – when will folx learn to trust Black women? This week, we're thrilled to welcome director, producer, and screenwriter Lee Daniels to our Surface Level family. We’ll dissect the theme of trusting Black women in his new film, The Deliverance. We’ll also highlight some of the Black women who have helped shape our perspectives, address the unique challenges faced by...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – are you ready to go beyond the surface level with us? With this episode, we close another chapter in the journey of Surface Level. For the ninth time, we open the floor to questions from you, our Surface Level Insiders. We explore a range of topics, including dating, sex, work life, parenthood, and more. It’s a fun way to wrap up this season. We’re excited to ta...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – what role does porn play in our understanding of sex? We round out Throb, our season on sex, with an exploration of our past and present relationship with pornography. We discuss our initial introduction to porn and the positive and negative impacts it had on us as young adults. We then explore its role today, both privately and with a partner. We close by discu...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – how important is sexual compatibility? This week, we explore the value placed on sexual compatibility when considering romantic partners. We discuss our role in fulfilling our partners' various desires, how honest we have been about our own desires in new relationships, and methods of fulfillment that do not rely solely on our partners. Long-term partnerships ar...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – are we ready for Queer men to sing about sex? This week, we're thrilled to welcome music artist serpentwithfeet to our Surface Level Family. We'll dive into the overtly sexual themes of his latest album, Grip, and examine how these themes have been received by the community at large. Are there differences in how we perceive romance versus sexual intimacy in musi...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – do HIV criminalization laws increase stigma? This week, we are excited to welcome Robert Suttle, a social justice advocate, to our Surface Level Family. We'll be discussing his personal experiences and advocacy work concerning the impact of HIV criminalization laws on Queer communities. Many of these laws, enacted in the 80s and 90s, do not align with current sc...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – are you sexual on social media? We're thrilled to announce a two-part crossover episode with special guests, Busy Boys Uncensored. In part two, we welcome Jah and Sekani into our Surface Level family. Together, we delve into how sex and dating have permeated everyday social media apps. Is there shame associated with expressing sexuality or stepping outside of ge...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – are hookup apps in their flop era? We're excited to announce a two-part crossover episode featuring special guests, Busy Boys Uncensored. In part one, we welcome Mayce and Damontae into our Surface Level family. Together, we delve into the culture of "the apps" and their profound impact on our sexual interactions. We explore generational differences, questioning...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – what language should we use to discuss STIs? Part of maintaining a healthy sex life involves regular screenings for STIs. Over time, the way we discuss this topic has taken a negative turn. The question "are you clean?" has become synonymous with STI disclosure, adding public shame to the personal stigma people feel if they test positive. We discuss how to appro...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – what is medical fact vs fiction when it comes to Queer male sex? This week, class is in session, and we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Leo Moorei, the Medical Director for Clinic Services at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, to our Surface Level Family. We're diving deep into aspects of sexual hygiene, pleasure, and health with an individual who t...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – how can casual sex be used as a tool for exploration and empowerment? During this dynamic episode, we welcome storyteller and activist Tarek Ali to our Surface Level Family. Tarek contributes to a conversation centered on the complex relationship that queer men have with casual sex. Casual sex is often viewed simply as a coping mechanism, but we'd like to interr...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – what impact does hookup culture have on Queer male intimacy? For our ninth season titled “Throb,” we are embarking on a journey to explore all aspects of sex and sexuality. We kick off this journey with a topic familiar to queer men: hookup culture. Where have we found the most joy in hooking up, and what memories do we hope to bury? How does instant physical gr...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – are you ready to go beyond the surface level with us? We made it through another cycle of the Surface Level journey. Through this season of reflection, we hope that we were able to introduce you some new figures or expand your knowledge of familiar faces. We believe truly that there is much to learn from our Queer ancestors and elders and are proud that we did o...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – with time can Queer love exist without shame? In this episode, we are excited to welcome actor Noah J. Ricketts to our Surface Level family. Exploring the themes of his incredible character Frankie from the miniseries Fellow Travelers we delve into the expanse of how Queer people express love. We close our season of reflection exploring how the themes of shame a...

Jordan, Damon & Tony are curious – does cash rule everything around you? This week we talk about the ever-looming presence of capitalism. What experiences have shaped our relationship with money, have we ever felt looked down upon because of material things we lacked, how have we navigated mainly White professional spaces as Black Queer professionals. An often-quoted scripture says that the love o...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – where is the line between funny and offensive? In this episode, we are joined by comedian, actor * writer Jay Jurdan. The artform of comedy has been in the spotlight in recent years as we all try and define the line between jokes and insensitivity. We explore the artform and the need for specificity in discussing its subjects. Is the concept of punching down a h...

Jordan, Damon & Tony are curious – is fear of femininity the thief of joy? This week we revisit our relationship with the expression of femininity in what we wear. Are we uncomfortable with expressing ourselves outside of the confines of the gender binary? Is that fear greater for men within our community than for women? We challenge what we’ve been taught but also interrogate who has the right to...

Jordan, Damon & Tony are curious – what place does AI have in the creation of art? This week we bring a fresh topic to our listeners debating the benefits and concerns around artificial intelligence. We focus in on generative AI and its effect on the world of art. Should we look for ways to make the creation of art more efficient and democratize its various forms for more people? Should we view ar...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – why are conservatives so scared of drag queens? In this episode, we are joined by drag phenom Olivia Lux. With her first-hand account from her time on Drag Race, we use the life and lessons of RuPaul in this week’s reflection. We explore our first impressions of the art form filled with surprise and delight. Olivia gives us insight into the people and experience...

Jordan, Damon, & Tony are curious – if your humanity is conditional is it humanity at all? Surface Level began as a show reflecting the lives, experiences, and conversation of its three host. To have a season live during the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict and not share our experience processing, learning, and developing our views towards the situation felt inauthentic. We do not believe we are ex...