Coming Out Stories

From Nigeria to the UK,  Reverend Jide's Macaulay , otherwise known as the 'happy, holy homosexual,' reveals his life's story. From braving patriarchy and toxic masculinity in Nigeria to enduring conversion therapy in London, Jide's testimony is nothing short of inspiring. His deep-seated faith in God and in himself, and his relentless pursuit of acceptance, not only for h...

What does it take to live authentically in the face of adversity and societal norms? Juno Roche is an iconic figure in the transgender community and a notable author. With a life composed of resilience, identity, and transformation, Juno has a wealth of experiences - from growing up in a tough family to navigating the world of LGBTQ+ culture during the 70s-80s, and discovering her true self amidst...

Get ready for a heart-stirring journey as we welcome you back to a brand-new season of Coming Out Stories. After a (rather long) pause, we're returning with a line-up of extraordinary stories that transcend across the LGBTQ+ spectrum, painting a picture of resilience, hope, and love. Be captivated by the story of a brave gay priest standing against all odds, including his own father, to fight...

Kit: I never understood why all my friends were obsessed with boys.  Then I came out, fell in love with women and lost my mind! In this, the final episode of season four, meet Kit from London. It took Kit a little while to realise she was a lesbian and she didn't come out until she was 30. Follow Kit on twitter for news on where to catch her show 30 and Out. Presented by Emma Goswell Produced...

Valentino: My family simply didn't know how to raise a gay child Valentino grew up as a gay man and now identifies as being gender fluid, and whilst they are currently living in Manchester, England they were born and raised in Bermuda. They have quite the life story and this episode only really begins to scratch the surface. Please be aware:  This story contains descriptions of sexual activit...

Dharma: The teacher told me to play with the other boys, but I knew I wasn't a boy.  It was a secret I kept for a long time. Dharma Kelleher is a pansexual crime writer, based in Phoneix, Arizona who puts lesbians and trans women at the heart of her novels. She grew up in a small town just outside Atlanta.  She knew as a very young child that she was trans. Find out more about Dharma's w...

Clifford:  My dad suggested conversion therapy and I let him sit with that idea, I was literally the first gay person he knew. Clifford is our first sapio sexual storyteller.  A real world citizen, he is of Indian heritage, had a Catholic upbringing in Dubai in now lives in Australia. He speaks about what being sapio sexual means to him and how his family reacted to his coming out as gay. Presente...

In this very special eisode, we're sharing an intervew we did with Brad Shreve on his excellent podcast Queer We Are, a show where Brad talks to  entertainers, activists, politicians, artists, athletes, and more of the most interesting LGBTQ people from diverse backgrounds. We hope you enjoy it! Find out more about Brad and Queer We Are   Presented by Emma Goswell Produced by Sam Walker We&ap...

Brad: For more than 30 years I convinced myself "I can't be gay. I will change someday" In this episode, we're back in the United States, to the Californian desert to meet Brad. Brad didn’t come out until his 30s, by which stage he had married a woman and had had a child. Brad also came out in a way that we've never  spoken about on this podcast before... Find out more abo...

EJ: I’ve had quite the internal war about how I identify. I don’t want to use the labels that society gives us! EJ is a young person who lives in a small  town in Ohio, USA.  They identify as a gender queer masc lesbian. Presented by Emma Goswell Produced by Sam Walker We'd love to hear YOUR story.  Please get in touch www.comingoutstoriespodcast.com or find us on twitter @ComeOutStories and...

Andrew:  I told myself that being bisexual was just a phase.  It was not! Andrew identifies as bisexual.  He hails from Scotland and is behind the LGBTQ+ sports website Pride of the Terraces. Although he is now very  open about his sexuality, it was a big decision for him to come out in a newspaper. Presented by Emma Goswell Produced by Sam Walker We'd love to hear YOUR story.  Please get in...

Grady Grady Throneberry  is the first openly gay police chief in Kentucky. He didn't come out until his sixties and what a story he has to tell! Married to a woman, with grown up daughters, he lived in his words as a "straight, conservative man" until 2018.  Until he was outed, very publicly, which led to him being called into the Mayor's office for a meeting... Find out more a...

Lucy Lou The moment I put that dress on, I thought "I'm here!" Lucy Lou is a trans woman who waited nearly 40 years to become the person she always was. Presented by Emma Goswell Produced by Sam Walker We'd love to hear YOUR story.  Please get in touch www.comingoutstoriespodcast.com or find us on twitter @ComeOutStories and on Instagram @ComingOutStoriesPod We have a book!  Co...

Day It took me all night to garner the courage but at sunrise, I came out to her Day is an artist and writer from California. He identifies as a gay man and is passionate about the power of rituals. You can find out more about Day here and more about his book Hello, goodbye. 75 rituals for times of loss, celebration and change. Presented by Emma Goswell Produced by Sam Walker We'd love to hea...

Mark Because I only heard the term in the playground,  I used to think "gay" meant someone who was bad at sports. Mark Chesnut is an award-winning travel writer based in New York City. He is also the author of the memoir Prepare for Departure: Notes on a Single Mother, a Misfit Son, Inevitable Mortality and the Enduring Allure of Frequent Flyer Miles Presented by Emma Goswell Produced by...

Yo Yo I grew up where it was illegal to be gay.  I had to write love letters to my girlfriend in code Meet Yo Yo,  a lesbian from Malaysia, where it's illegal to be gay.  She nearly got caught when a love letter she wrote to her girlfriend was opened. Presented by Emma Goswell Produced by Sam Walker We'd love to hear YOUR story.  Please get in touch www.comingoutstoriespodcast.com or fin...

Andrew I don't want to be hemmed into a box.  I've done that for so many years. Meet Andrew from Brighton, who once considered himself a "gay man" and now identifies as a "queer person".     Presented by Emma Goswell Produced by Sam Walker We'd love to hear YOUR story.  Please get in touch www.comingoutstoriespodcast.com or find us on twitter @ComeOutStories and...

Jennie "So many people knew they were gay from a young age, but that's just not my story"" Jennie Guay is an author who had only ever dated men when she moved from Canada to England in her late 20s. After deciding to explore her sexuality, she set her dating profile to "seeking women" and changed her life. Jennie's book "Howie Blend: Playdate Adventures with...

Jaxon  My Dad joked "What's wrong?  Are you pregnant? Are you getting a puppy?  You're not trans are you...?" Happy Trans Awareness Week!  To celebrate, we'd love you to meet Prison Officer Jaxon, a trans man from Wigan in the north of England, and hear his uplifting story. Please note:  Jaxon is very honest about his mental health and this episode contains discussions of...

Rob  “I tried so hard to change who I was.  I changed the way I dressed, the way I spoke and even the way I walked.  I didn’t feel safe being myself.” Rob is a travel expert, who you may well have seen on TV in the UK, on shows like Rip Off Britain and Morning Live.   He identifies as gay and despite choosing to wear dresses and asking to be called “Sally” for much of his childhood, his mum still...

Serena When I came out to my 9 year old son, he said “Mammy, that’s very brave of you” Meet Serena, from Ireland, who came out as a lesbian later in life, just before she was due to marry the father of her two children. Serena’s story comes with a pretty big twist at the end… Presented by Emma Goswell Produced by Sam Walker We'd love to hear YOUR story.  Please get in touch www.comingoutstori...

Happy National Coming Out Day! October 11 is National Coming Out Day in the UK and to celebrate, we've put together a very special episode just for you! In this instalment hear from three of our previous guests talk about how their lives have changed and moved on since we last spoke and we also discuss questions like; Why do we still need to come out?  (Straight people don't do it!) Is t...

“From the time I was a young kid, I always felt really connected to being both male and female”  The first episode of our brand-new season belongs to a non-binary icon!  Broadcaster Paris Munro actually has a couple of coming out stories, firstly as a lesbian, then as non-binary. Presented by Emma Goswell Produced by Sam Walker We'd love to hear YOUR story.  Please get in touch www.comingouts...

It's been a long busy summer, but we're back with a brand new season of Coming Out Stories!   We can't wait to share new stories with you, from fabulous folk from all over the world. We've spoken to  people from England, Ireland, Malaysia, India, Australia, America and more! Do follow now, to make sure you don't miss an episode and we'd love to hear from you! Get in t...

Ahead of a brand new season, we’re celebrating some of our favourite episodes! Oskar “I take the view with my trans identity, that unless you’re going to get into my pants, I’m not really interested in coming out to you”   Oskar grew up in Trinidad and identifies as trans masculine, but non binary.  In terms of their sexuality, they identify as pansexual.  Suppressing the urge to transition for 20...