LGBTQ&A

Steven Canals talks about how Pose began: from inspiration to the first draft to the first day on set. Pose was originally much darker and Steven describes why Ryan Murphy (his co-creator) pushed him to find the joy in the story in order and make it more accessible to a wider audience. Steven also talks about society's rich history of trans erasure, media not wanting to center the stories of peopl...

Gaby Dunn says there isn't a lot of support in Hollywood for content that centers stories about queer women. She's trying to change that, and talks about the complexities of slowly transitioning away from YouTube, and why there isn't as much money to be made on YouTube as people think. (Her channel, Just Between Us, has over 750,000 subscribers.) Gaby also talks about the fluid nature of queer rel...

Live from the Big Queer Pod Fest in NYC, Shakina Nayfack talks about how subversive it can feel to be a trans woman learning to embrace herself as a sexual being who is worthy of love. She also talks about Manifest Pussy, the musical she wrote about her gender confirmation surgery, having to learn how to have sex again after transitioning, and why watching porn that stars trans women has been so l...

The third dimension of gender is imagination. Legendary writer, actor, and gender theorist, Kate Bornstein talks about the future of gender: where we're at and where we're (hopefully) going. Kate has been writing about being nonbinary for over 30 years and talks about she's evolved to be more forgiving of people that don't agree with her stance on gender. She also talks about her desire for sex di...

Wilson Cruz talks about not knowing if he'd be able to work again after he came out in the 90s doing My So-Called Life, and describes how lonely it was to be one of the few openly gay actors working in Hollywood. Wilson also talks about how AIDS was ever-present in his mind while he growing up, how that's affected his view on sex, and what it's been like to date people when they have such a strong...

Laura Jane Grace talks about internalized transphobia and how grating it's been to have named her memoir, Tranny. She's the founder and front-woman of the punk rock band, Against Me!, and also talks about being a part of the DIY punk movement: when you're a self-proclaimed anti-capitalist band, things can get really complicated when you start making money from your music. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeff...

Jasika Nicole (Scandal, Underground, Fringe) talks about how being openly queer has affected her acting career, why crafting is an under-appreciated art form, and how sewing became her self-care (Jasika makes all her own clothes). Plus, she shares a story about using Myspace as a dating site. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 You can recommend a guest or let us know what you thin...

For many LGBTQ people, the internet is only place where they can find acceptance. Jeffrey Marsh talks about the pros and cons of that, and how Tumblr was the first place that they learned about gender-neutral pronouns. They talk about how their gender has been something that people have had to "deal with" all their life and that while growing up, the only role model they had for any form of gender...

Stray City author, Chelsey Johnson talks about the work that goes into creating and maintaining chosen families, why we self-police other LGBTQ people's behavior, and how social conditioning affects all aspects of a person's life. She also talks about how Portland was an accessible queer haven in the 90s, and similar to San Francisco and New York City, that's quickly changing. LGBTQ&A is hosted by...

Alexander Chee talks about the challenges in addressing and writing about sexual assault, how privilege can operate as an intellectual barrier for people, and navigating his career as a "professional gay" writer. He also talks about reading tarot and why his "witchy side" is such an intimate part of who he is. Alexander is the author of The Queen of The Night, How to Write An Autobiographical Nove...

Ryan Berg talks about his work with queer and trans homeless youth and how foster care can often seem like a pipeline to incarceration and homelessness. We talk why popular narratives tend to focus on LGBTQ youth's placement in foster care due to rejection from their families when really that only accounts for about half of the homeless population who's LGBTQ. Ryan also talks about post-traumatic...

Kathy Tu (from the podcast, Nancy) talks about the on-going process of self-acceptance: taking ownership of how she looks, growing more comfortable in queer spaces, and trusting the people around her when she can't trust her gut. We also discuss what binds LGBTQ people together as a community, how to cope with anxiety, and current dating woes. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters. @jeffmasters1 Th...

Brooke Sullivan talks about all of the misconceptions people have about her being trans and living with HIV. We also talk about why the trans community has been largely underserved in terms of HIV prevention and her work with the research team that's currently studying PrEP usage in the trans community. Brooke also talks about the loss of male privilege after she transitioned, dating while HIV pos...

RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars Season 3 Winner, Trixie Mattel asks that in an art form where you can truly do anything, what qualifies as drag? She also talks about the evolution of Trixie Mattel, why drag is in danger of becoming too self-referential at times, and explains why drag isn't just for gay people anymore. Trixie also talks about women who do drag, growing up poor, and says that if drag...

Keiynan Lonsdale talks about how being in the movie, Love, Simon, influenced him to come out, and how coming out cured him of his shyness. He also talks about slowing growing more comfortable with the labels "bisexual" and "queer", why he looks forward to a future where labels aren't needed, and the pressure of suddenly being seen as a spokesperson for the LGBTQ community. LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jef...

Greg Berlanti talks about directing Love, Simon, the first major studio movie to have a gay teen lead. He also talks about other teen movies with LGBTQ characters, why TV has outpaced film in terms of LGBTQ representation, and how he's "gently guiding" the CW superhero TV shows to have more queer characters. Greg says he's a private person and describes adjusting to being in a relationship (with R...

Shangela talks about BenDeLaCreme's decision to go home and explains that #BenDeLaChrist tweet from a few days ago. She also talks about why growing up poor made her such a hard worker, acting on TV, and working with Lady Gaga on the remake of A Star Is Born. Shangela also talks about her drag mom, Alyssa Edwards, why she doesn't take days off, and advice for the queens on the newest season of RuP...

This is the briefest announcement in the history of iTunes. This week's episode will air a few days late...because it's with one of the top 3 finalists on RuPaul's DragRace All Stars! She's one of my favorite queens. In the meantime, would you rank us five stars and leave a comment on iTunes? It's really a huge help (and the comment can be super short). Thank you! LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Mast...

A self-proclaimed Queer Cripple, Andrew Gurza talks about why people with disabilities aren't here to be a teachable moment for everyone. He discusses the fight to own his sexuality and having to convince people that he's sexually viable. Andrew also talks about the struggles that queer people face connecting and forming community today, hiring a sex worker, learning to compartmentalize human touc...

Nonbinary icon, Jacob Tobia talks about what they describe as the great unfinished business of their gender exploration: figuring out what it means to be desired. They talk about living in a world where people are taught to be ashamed of their desire for transfeminine people like them. Jacob also explains why they want to be sexually objectified, and why the natural complementarity to the world gi...

Well, I asked the hosts of the podcast, Food 4 Thot to be my valentines this year...and they said yes! I'm so excited for our future together. Food 4 Thot is a multicultural mix of queer writers who talk about sex, relationships, race, and identity. In this episode, we discuss what it means to be the "right" or "wrong" kind of gay, and Jeffrey shares a story about how straight up bizarre modern da...

...that's a joke. But this isn't: you're going to love Dana Goldberg after this. She talks about identifying with both butch and femme labels, the different types of sexual harassment that lesbians can face, and getting more comfortable with her body as she's gotten older. Dana also talks about taking mental health days in the Trump era, how she deals with writer's block, and why comedy doesn't on...

We're talking about all things sex this week with Conner Habib, the Cate Blanchett of porn. Conner talks about chemistry being something that you can create with anyone, how to create it and find a way in, and why our sexual preferences can be damaging. He's felt a sense of detachment in his own sexuality from doing porn and talks about why that's a good thing. Conner also discusses monogamy, reli...

Lina Bradford talks about how labels can pigeonhole people, and says that beauty doesn't have a gender. She talks about her spirituality, her own mix of Black Wicca and Judaism, and how fortunate she is to have a grandma who celebrated her gender from an early age. Lina also talks about being a Couture Girl in New York City, the magic of Fire Island, and why she now is so drawn to Los Angeles. LGB...

Joseph Osmundson talks about his new book, Inside/Out, where he grapples with a past relationship that was...maybe abusive? Maybe not? It's hard to say. When does a cruel and manipulative relationship cross the line, qualifying as abusive? Joseph discusses that, as well as why he's gotten away from using "bisexual" to describe himself. Joseph is also a co-host of the podcast, Food 4 Thot, and brin...