LGBTQ&A

Alexandra Billings talks about meeting her wife while in high school, the women who mentored her, and why Larry Kramer asked her not to march in the AIDS marches. She also talks about her connection to her great-great-grandmother who was assigned male at birth, the changing of labels within the trans movement, why she used to refer to herself as a female impersonator, and why being trans is a gift...

Shane Ortega (the first transgender person to serve openly in the military) talks about why his mom was the motivation behind him joining the military, specifically to fight the bans that kept LGBTQ people from serving openly. He also discusses building queer and trans communities in the armed forces and the privilege he experiences due to the high value culture places on masculinity. LGBTQ&A is h...

Matt Baume talks about the torture of queer men that’s occurring in Chechnya and what you can do if you feel helpless. He also discusses the coding of LGBTQ content in the media, the evolution of queer language, and how our concept of marriage has changed over the years. We also talk about being at DragCon this year and why queer people have magic powers. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jef...

Cleve Jones talks about his life in the LGBTQ movement: working with Harvey Milk, starting the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and marching on Washington. He says marriage equality was never part of their mission, only stemming out the AIDS pandemic when they saw how important and life-saving it could be. Cleve also discusses the importance of building community amongst LGBTQ people, and says he is in now in...

Amin El Gamal talks about working with so many out gay actors on Prison Break, emailing Aaron Sorkin while working on The Newsroom, and why he doesn’t want to play any more terrorists in TV or film. He also talks about running a support group for LGBTQ Muslims, how homophobic interpretations of the Quran began, and why he fell in love with Judy Garland as a kid. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Master...

Asia Kate Dillon talks about the Emmy Award’s message of inclusion towards them as a non-binary actor. They also say that while they’ve always felt a degree of ambiguity towards their gender, they didn’t discover the word “non-binary” until they read the casting breakdown for their role on Billions. Asia also explains the tattoo on their neck (einfühlung, the German word for empathy), and how bein...

Dr. Michelle Stevens talks about surviving a childhood of sexual abuse, the mental illness that resulted, and how common abuse is (up to 40% of women and 14% of men have been sexually abused during their childhood). She also discusses why her brain developed multiple personalities, why we cannot expect victims to come forward after abuse, and what’s it like to finally reveal this to the people in...

Angelica Ross talks about creating TransTech Social Enterprises, why she didn’t take a salary for the first two years that she was working there, and how her life has changed since becoming a Buddhist. Angelica also discusses recent acting work on Transparent and Claws, being impeccable with her words, and why she has a problem with anyone who doesn’t like the 1997 Cinderella with Brandy. LGBTQ&A...

Melissa Febos talks about how the conditions of our childhoods inform our adult relationships, dealing with daddy issues (yay!!!), and her new book, Abandon Me. Melissa also discusses the freedom in the lack of societal scripts around queer sex, why her life as a dominatrix helped prepare her for teaching higher ed, and why she chose to be celibate for six months. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Mast...

NiK Kacy talks about feeling ignored by the fashion industry and why they created their gender equal footwear company. Nik Kacy discusses the difference between “gender equal” and “gender neutral”, immigrating from Hong Kong, pineapple leather as a vegan leather alternative, and why they chose to embrace their masculine and feminine sides. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You ca...

Ira Madison III talks about his writing and the work of placing pop culture into a historical context. Ira also discusses why he was so affected by the film, Moonlight, growing up in Milwaukee near Jeffrey Dahmer, and his secret identity as a playwright. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You can recommend a guest or let us know what you think about the show on Twitter or by email...

Jen Richards talks about the creation of Her Story, why she credits Janet Mock with creating a sisterhood of trans women, and adjusting to life without male privilege. She also talks about going days without thinking about being trans, life in aporia, and actionable tips to creating self-love. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You can recommend a guest or let us know what you thi...

Trixie Mattel talks about getting into drag in the back of an uber, not wanting to look like a woman or a man, and throwing up because his wig was too heavy. He also talks about dating apps, lying about his career while on dates, and why his family is unimpressed by his career. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You can recommend a guest or let us know what you think about the sho...

Alexandra Grey talks about her role on Transparent, acting with Phylicia Rashad on When We Rise, and does celebrity impressions of Viola Davis and Wendy Williams. She also discusses spending her last $87 on a bus ride to Los Angeles, staying at the LA LGBT Center, and how seeing a trans person on America’s Next Top Model changed her life. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You can...

Ashby Dodge is the Clinical Director at The Trevor Project and talks about the increase in calls since the 2016 presidential election, why LGBTQ youth are at a greater risk, and says that one supportive person reaching out can reduce a young person’s risk of suicide by 30%. The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth...

D’Lo talks about his Sri Lankan heritage, being raised Hindu while attending Baptist and Catholic schools, and offers evidence to support the claim that he’s a demigod. D’Lo also talks about wanting to kiss girls as a 3-year-old and how his partner has positively transformed his relationship with his family. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You can recommend a guest or let us kn...

Laura Jane Grace talks about naming her memoir the “t” word, when it’s a word she despises. She also talks about what it’s like to be on the road with the punk rock band, Against Me! (she’s been the lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist for the band since she created it in 1997), her tattoos, and why she’ll always love wearing black. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You can rec...

Cheryl Dunye talks about why she’s not interested in being a commercial filmmaker and the enduring legacy of her film, The Watermelon Woman (celebrating its 20th anniversary). She also talks about supporting more films by and about queer people of color and the significance of undocumented queer history.  LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You can recommend a guest or let us know...

Peter Paige talks about the legacy of Queer As Folk, representing all LGBTQ identities in The Fosters, and the power of television to shape our identities. Peter Paige also talks about how being gay has affected his career and the social activism he inherited from his mother. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You can recommend a guest or let us know what you think about the show...

Bamby Salcedo talks about her work as an activist and the struggles that trans people face, especially those in immigrant and latin communities. Bamby created the TransLatin@ Coalition and shares about being invited to speak with Joe Biden at the White House. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You can recommend a guest or let us know what you think about the show on Twitter or by...

Conner Habib talks about why he got into porn and the detachment he’s experienced in terms of his own sexuality. He describes how our sexual preferences are unproductive, and talks about monogamy, Prop60, and the link between Christianity and the Occult. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You can recommend a guest or let us know what you think about the show on Twitter or by email...

Shane Ortega talks about joining the military to fight the bans on LGBTQ people after seeing how hard it was for his mom (who is a lesbian) to serve during Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. He talks about building a queer and trans community in the military, the privileges he’s experienced due to the high value we place on masculinity, and his plans for the future. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeff...

iO Tillett Wight talks about what it was like growing up with parents and a community who never questioned his gender. iO Tillett Wright talks about his memoir (Darling Days) and celebrating the diversity of our community with Self Evident Truths, a photography project for “anyone who isn’t 100% straight”.  LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You can recommend a guest or let us kno...

Jacob Tobia talks about not having to prove their gender to anyone and why describing themself as an activist is redundant. Jacob also discusses their evolving views on their own sexuality, how the bible supports queer identities, and playing handbells in church. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You can recommend a guest or let us know what you think about the show on Twitter or...

Michelle Tea talks about her new hybrid-memoir (Black Wave), early literary tours with Sister Spit, and romanticizing suffering for her art. She also talks about “living outside the margins” and the role of witchcraft in her life. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You can recommend a guest or let us know what you think about the show on Twitter or by emailing lgbtqashow@gmail.com...