Last month, communities all over the world celebrated and honored Pride month. On the surface, this month serves as a celebration for sexual and gender diversity. Though, June also represents the complexities and struggles the LGBTQIA+ community has, and continues to, face.
For us at The Drag, that meant showcasing real stories of the Queer community through a four-part series on Forsaken. As we continue sharing these narratives through the summer, we hope our series can reveal various challenges these minority groups face. However, we aren’t the only one’s sharing incredible perspectives on the Queer community. We have compiled some informative podcasts for you to learn more about LGBTQIA+ individuals and the challenges they endure.
Made It Out
This series hosts insightful conversations surrounding queer-identity and various subjects within the LGBTQIA+ realm. Host Mal Glowenke — a “Texas-raised lesbian” as she puts it — fosters in-depth conversations with industry professionals and women of the lesbian community to seek answers. I encourage you to listen to “Episode 28: LGBTQ Mental Health & Borderline Personality Disorder with Jordan Werner, AMFT” to learn more about queer mental health.
Gender Reveal
What is gender? This is the question Gender Reveal, hosted by Tuck Woodstock, looks to explore. Through fun and informative conversations with trans and non-binary individuals, this podcast is a great listen for those interested in learning more about the complexities of gender. I recommend “Episode 90: Gender 603” to hear more about complicated legal and social transitioning elements.
Making Gay History
This series, and non-profit organization, strives to highlight, share and uncover historical accounts of LGBTQIA+ history. Host Eric Marcus compiles archival interviews and recordings to encapsulate the once hidden stories of queer-community members and allies from throughout history. “Season 6: Episode 3: Barbara Smith” is an insightful listen about a powerful Black, female and queer voice in the gay rights movement.
Forsaken: Queer Texas
Finally, our very own student-led podcast series, Forsaken, explores institutional systems through their advantages and harmful faults. The podcast showcases a 4-part series titled “Forsaken: Queer Texas”, hosted by Heather Stewart, that outlines the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community within the mostly conservative state. “‘She was left for dead’ | Queer Texas Ep. 1” shares the story of Aliah Hernandez, a trans woman, who told police she was assaulted after revealing her gender identity to a man whom she met up with at a hotel in New Braunfels, Texas. The next two episodes, which The Drag will release in July, explore how different members of the LGBTQ+ community experience religion and local politics, as well as the future of the queer community in smaller Texas towns. While the series does tackle the difficulties that the LGBTQ+ community faces, it also highlights queer pride and joy. You can listen to the first two episodes of the series now wherever you get your podcasts.
Though Pride month has officially ended, it’s important to continue these conversations and share various stories of Queer individuals. We hope everyone had a safe and memorable Pride month, and that you continue to embrace who you are!
