Queer We Are

Can you imagine the profound impact of losing a child, and simultaneously choosing to transform that pain into a global drive for change? Our journey today is a deeply moving and powerful one as Brad sits with Judy Shepard, the courageous mother of Matthew Shepard, whose tragic murder laid the groundwork for a significant advancement for LGBTQ+ rights. Join them in this intimate conversation as th...

Host Brad Shreve takes us on a wild ride as he shares his personal story of love, addiction, abuse, and ultimately finding himself. From a life fueled by drugs,  alcohol, sexual addition, to facing domestic violence, Brad opens up about the challenges he faced and the difficult decisions he had to make. But this episode isn't just about the dark times. Brad reminds us that amidst the negativi...

Caesar Zepeda struggled with his sexuality before coming out in a big and fabulous way in front of millions of people. After rejection from his family, he reached a low part of his life but rebounded by being an activist in his community and being an example for those younger than him. Today he is the first openly gay man on the city council in Richmond, California, located in the San Francisco Ba...

What happens when a fictional character evolves alongside decades of LGBTQ history, reflecting the changes and challenges faced by the community? Join us this week on Queer We Are as we delve into the fascinating world of the Donald Strachey mystery series with its author, Richard Lipez, also known as Richard Stevenson. Together, we'll explore the series' 18 novels and the growth of its...

Can a love revolution truly start on the dance floor? Join us as we explore this possibility with my special guest, Mr. Slade, while discussing his unique blurring of music genres and allow his aggressive fun nature to motivate you. Throughout our conversation, we dive into Mr. Slade's electrifying, sexy blend of metal, techno, and disco. We discuss the power of music and how it can transcend...

Wendy Whitman, former executive and producer of Court TV and the Nancy Grace show on HLN, shares her fascinating journey from comedy to crime. Wendy opens up about her experiences collaborating with comedic geniuses George Carlin and Lily Tomlin and how the OJ trial led her to Court TV. Throughout our conversation, we explore the darker side of true crime, discussing its impact on society and how...

Del Shores, a trailblazing gay filmmaker, playwright, and actor known for his contributions to the genre of LGBTQ+ entertainment is Brad’s guest. The conversation begins with a discussion of his plays and films Sordid Lives and Southern Baptist Sissies and includes a comparison between the two stories. The comparison reflects on how each represents different aspects of Del’s life. Del also opens a...

Two time Grammy Award winners Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer are an American folk music duo who have been performing together for over forty years. Their newly released film All Wigged Out brings lightness, comedy, and hope, while also being honest about the challenges of living with cancer. You may not find cancer funny, but some of the eye-opening day to day rituals patients push through may have y...

Mike Dorsey & Chih Lin are the Dumpling Dudez. They share their inspiring story of leaving their safe and comfortable engineering careers to start a successful small business making dumplings.   " If I can create all this achievement for other people, maybe it's time for me to take a chance on myself and invest in myself instead of investing in other people's passions and dreams...

Philip Bahr shares his moving and uplifting account of perseverance and the power of personal growth. His is an inspiring story of a librarian who faced numerous obstacles, including HIV/AIDS, and how he overcame them to find purpose and meaning in life. His story includes facing the growing AIDS crisis, his involvement in activism with Act Up and Body Positive, leading support groups for both HIV...

Attorney Deb Guston shares her work in marriage equality and adoption laws for the LGBTQ+ community, assisting over 1,000 couples in building their families. The conversation also touches on the importance of inclusion and the conflict between civil society and religious expression when it comes to adoption policies. The discussion includes the history of marriage equality laws as well as their im...

Curtis Chin went from a TV writer to creating award-winning social justice documentaries after his father's death. His career took him to working for the Democratic National Committee and serving on a committee for the Obama administration.  Curtis' upcoming memoir, "Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant," Is a coming-of-age story where he learned to embrace h...

From Outback to opera to author. Dive deep into the inspiring life story of Garrick Jones who overcame an abusive childhood and traumatic experiences and thrived as a singer, writer, and academic lecturer.   Garrick Jones' Website See and hear a video of a Garrick Jones on stage. Garrick on social media Instagram Twitter Facebook Amazon Transcripts Transcripts and more on the Queer We Are pod...

The podcast Coming Out Stories will take you to one the most important moments in many people’s lives. It will perch you on sofas in suburban sitting rooms, stand you in front of officials’ desks, put you at the center of a crowd in a noisy classroom, everywhere where these conversations have happened. On this episode of Queer We Are, you'll hear Brad's interview with Emma Goswell, when...

Discussion with Mark McNease and Rick Rose, two Emmy award-winning friends who have maintained a strong bond despite going in different directions in their careers. Rick is still involved in television production, while Mark is now a prolific author. They also co-host a podcast together, In addition, they share the importance of long-lasting friendships.  Mark McNease and Rick Rose have been colla...

Cator Sparks has an amazing background in the fashion industry and as a journalist. He shares his story about the life changing events that led him to become a life coach for men who helps them find their purpose, passion and power. Brad and Cator also discuss what you can expect from a life coach and what you should not expect a life coach to be. Cator's Page on the Queer We Are website Cato...

Kayla Gore's journey is a testament to the power of resilience and determination. Despite facing numerous challenges, she was able to build a life for herself and start an organization that provides critical resources and services to trans individuals in need. The tiny house project is just one of the many ways in which Kayla is making a difference in the lives of others. The project will pro...

 David Allwood earned the title of Mr. Gay England 2022, through winning five out of seven categories. David aims to use this title to combat loneliness in the LGBTQ+ community. He launched a campaign called 'Belong' to try and bring the community closer together. Queer people are more likely to face discrimination which can lead to them disengaging or hiding their true selves from other...

David and John Auten-Schneider talk about how they accumulated $51,000 in credit card debt living a stereotypical gay lifestyle and trying to keep up with the expectations set by the community. They were purchasing acceptance and validation from the people they thought they needed to impress. They had designer clothing, went to all the cocktail parties, and traveled frequently. They share their ex...

Jamie Bruesehoff studied theology, is married a to Lutheran pastor, identifies as queer, and has three children, including her transgender teenage daughter Rebekah. After a social media picture of Rebekah at a rally against Trump's policies went viral, she and Rebekah were thrust in the media spotlight and are now speakers and activists for transgender rights. Jamie discusses her outreach to...

John Berendt captivates readers with the eccentric inhabitants of Savannah, GA in 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil'.  Hear John discuss his love for the unique city and how it inspired him write his Pulitzer Prize nominated novel telling the stories of many of the cities unique characters, leading up to an antiques dealer on trial for the murder of a male prostitute. Since the pu...

Meet Emma Goswell and Sam Walker, the creators of the hit podcast ‘Coming Out Stories’ and the book of the same name. They join Queer We Are to share their journey to defining success in their lives. Their story is inspiring, filled with lessons about happiness, contentment, and understanding. Listen in as Emma and Sam explore their paths to success, from Emma becoming a 51 year old stay-at-home-m...

Cary Alan Johnson is an author, activist, and Africanist. Raised in Brooklyn and currently living in Central Africa, he is the founder of several organizations, including the Black Heart Collective, gay Men of African Descent, and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. He is currently the country director for Population Services International in Burundi. In this episode, you wi...

With a breakthrough cover feature in Men’s Health magazine, multiple appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and the CEO of the Point of Pride nonprofit that’s helped over ten thousand people receive gender affirming garments and surgeries, Aydian Dowling is an admired household name in the transgender community. Aydian faces off against a system that puts trans and nonbinary people as second pri...

Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Vivian Kleiman confronts the underground comic world, unearthing the inspiring stories of five queer comic artists and their daring fight for justice, representation, and personal expression. "People were giving you a gift, and one that doesn't happen very often in our daily lives. So, I thought that documentary filmmaking was just miraculous in that regar...