More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids, Unlearning Fear, Becoming More Human

What if being seen—truly seen—was both the most courageous and most healing thing you could do? In this episode, we dive into the layered journey of visibility for LGBTQ+ individuals and their families. Whether you're navigating your own experience or standing beside someone you love, you'll hear honest reflections on grief, pride, advocacy, and the transformative power of being fully present in w...

What if affirming your child isn’t the final step, but the first in a much deeper journey? In this heartfelt episode, we explore the often unseen difference between accepting your LGBTQ+ child and fully unlearning the beliefs that shaped your understanding of love, identity, and parenting. If you've ever wrestled with reconciling your values with the legacy of what you were taught, this conversati...

Pride Month Series | More Human. More Kind. with Heather Hester What if the words you say in a single moment could shape your child’s inner voice for a lifetime? Whether you're a parent, ally, or someone striving to lead with compassion in a polarized world, understanding how language—spoken and unspoken—impacts our LGBTQ+ loved ones is crucial. This episode explores how your reactions, tone, and...

Pride Month Series | More Human. More Kind. with Heather Hester Are you worried about saying the wrong thing to your LGBTQ child or holding back your support until you “get it right”? In this deeply honest episode, Heather Hester explores one of the biggest blocks parents and allies face: perfectionism. She shares her own journey of fumbling, learning, and ultimately showing up imperfectly but who...

Pride Month Series Are you parenting an LGBTQ child or striving to be a better ally, but worried you’re unintentionally doing more harm than good? In today’s episode, Heather Hester shares the first of five transformative lessons from her own journey of parenting with pride. As she reflects on her son's coming out, she opens up about the surprising power of choosing curiosity over judgment and why...

Have you ever felt like no one talks about what it really means to grieve as a queer person or as someone who loves one? In today’s heartfelt episode, Heather Hester sits down with Josh Nagler and Sam Wasserman, the creative minds behind What About Me , a new series born from the raw, unfiltered experience of sibling grief and queer identity. Whether you're a parent, ally, or part of the LGBTQ com...

Are you feeling the emotional weight of injustice, rising hate, and systemic collapse AND still want to lead with love? In this final reflection of the More Human, More Kind series on mothering, Heather Hester invites listeners to consider what it means to “mother the world.” This powerful episode is for those holding grief and hope at the same time, navigating fear and fatigue in a chaotic world,...

Have you ever worried that you're not doing enough - or doing it all wrong - as the parent of an LGBTQ child? In this honest and empowering conversation, Heather Hester is joined by Ash Beckham to break down what it really means to evolve as a parent and an ally. Together, they unpack the myths of perfection, the paralyzing weight of guilt, and the liberating power of curiosity, compassion, and he...

Do you feel guilty for resting or like your needs are always last on the list? In this deeply personal solo episode, Heather Hester reflects on what it truly means to mother yourself and why so many of us have been conditioned to believe that self- care is self ish . She speaks directly to the exhausted, over-functioning, and emotionally depleted listener who’s ready for a more compassionate way f...

Have you ever questioned your faith or your worth because of what you were taught about being LGBTQ+? In this transformative episode, Heather Hester is joined by therapist and theologian Ann Russo to unpack the rarely discussed but deeply felt wounds of religious trauma , especially among LGBTQ+ individuals. From purity culture and existential fear to parental shame and spiritual disconnection, th...

Ever feel like your project, business, or mission is asking more of your heart than your hustle? In this reflective solo episode, Heather Hester reframes mothering as a creative, courageous act — not just for parenting, but for anything we’re building or nurturing in the world. Whether you're launching a business, leading a classroom, writing a book, or quietly tending to a dream no one else can s...

What if LGBTQ+ youth could see themselves in stories that weren’t defined by fear, shame, or tragedy, but by curiosity, love, and joy ? In this luminous episode, Heather Hester welcomes award-winning author and illustrator Brian Selznick (The Invention of Hugo Cabret) to discuss his latest YA novel, Run Away With Me, a tender, illustrated queer love story that unfolds across a ghostly Rome, blendi...

What if mothering had nothing to do with being a mom and everything to do with how we show up for others with love, empathy, and presence ? In this tender solo reflection, Heather Hester shares the emotional layers behind her daughter’s college graduation not just as a parent but as a human navigating grief, transition, and healing . This milestone becomes a mirror for a deeper truth: that motheri...

What if grief wasn’t something to fix or silence but a truth to live through, honor, and let change you? In this vulnerable, deeply human episode, Heather Hester reflects on the one-year anniversary of her sister Corinne’s death and the emotional unraveling that followed from the collapse of her book launch to the heaviness of a nation in crisis. With honesty, grace, and fierce love, she invites y...

Is your right to protest quietly disappearing while most people don’t even notice? In the final episode of the Foundations of Freedom series, Heather Hester shines a light on one of the most misunderstood rights in the U.S. Constitution: the right to peaceably assemble . From the Boston Tea Party and the Civil Rights Movement to Stonewall, Standing Rock, and modern LGBTQ+ activism , peaceful prote...

What if the most powerful act of love you can offer, to yourself, your child, or your community, is a boundary? In this episode of More Human, More Kind , Heather Hester dismantles the cultural myth that boundaries are selfish, cold, or unkind . Instead, she invites us to see them as sacred, necessary acts of inclusion, empathy, and healing, especially for parents of LGBTQ+ kids , overwhelmed alli...

What if the antidote to burnout, division, and fear isn’t more perfection, but more humanity and more kindness? In this inaugural episode of More Human, More Kind , Heather Hester opens her heart and shares the deeply personal journey from her first podcast, Just Breathe , a lifeline for parents of LGBTQ+ teens , to this wider, more expansive space for healing, allyship, identity, and inclusion ....

This is the beginning of a new season! Welcome! More Human. More Kind. is a podcast offering compassionate guidance for LGBTQ+ parenting, allyship, and inclusive living in a complicated world. Hosted by Heather Hester—coach, speaker, author, and LGBTQ+ advocate—this show creates space for honest conversations about identity, love, boundaries, and what it truly means to show up with courage and car...

What happens when the line between church and state begins to blur, and most people don't even notice? In this urgent episode of More Human, More Kind , Heather Hester continues the Foundations of Freedom series by unpacking the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, the often-overlooked protection against government-imposed religion. From Thomas Jefferson's letter on the “wall of separation...

Can you really say anything you want under the First Amendment, and what happens when you do? In this eye-opening episode of More Human, More Kind , Heather Hester continues the Foundations of Freedom series by breaking down one of the most misunderstood rights in American life: freedom of speech . From symbolic protest (like kneeling during the national anthem) to book bans , social media censors...

Can democracy survive if journalism disappears? In this powerful first episode of the Foundations of Freedom series, Heather Hester dives into one of the most critical and most under threat freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment: freedom of the press . From local reporters to national watchdogs , a free and independent press has always been a cornerstone of democracy, social justice, and LGBTQ...

Are you constantly scrolling but still feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck? In this vulnerable and practical episode, Heather Hester sits down with wellness coach Tracy Whitmore to explore how social media is impacting our mental health, nervous systems, and sense of identity, especially for parents , LGBTQ allies , and anyone striving to show up with love in an exhausting, always-on world. Whe...

Do you consider yourself an ally but wonder if you’re actually showing up in the ways that matter most? In this honest and empowering solo episode, Heather Hester challenges the comfort zone of “good intentions” and invites you into the deeper, messier, and more impactful work of true allyship. The difference between performative allyship and real, lasting support How to use your voice, presence,...

Exhausted by the headlines but still want to keep fighting for what’s right? You’re not alone. In this honest and grounding solo episode, Heather Hester recaps some of the most alarming actions from the Trump administration and then offers a lifeline to anyone feeling emotionally, physically, or mentally depleted by it all. 10 simple yet powerful ways to protect your peace while staying engaged Ho...

Is it possible to be trans, a person of deep faith, and still feel whole in a world that constantly attempts fragmentation? In this deeply moving and expansive episode of More Human, More Kind , Heather Hester is joined by Celia Daniels, a trans femme, Christian, South Asian DEI leader, and one of LinkedIn’s Top LGBTQ+ Voices, for a conversation that is as honest as it is healing. How Celia naviga...