Nicholas joins Sam to talk about season 2 of the award winning podcast series 'Rainbow Dads' which was released back in June. The series features stories of LGBTQ Dads and how they have navigated life including coming out in the army and struggling with sex addiction. Nicholas is an award winning script writer and lives in South London with his husband and two daughters, he also volunteers for the LGBT helpline 'Switchboard'. Listen to Rainbow Dads - https://rbd2019.podbean.com/ 

Miami born bisexual author Davida Breier joins Sam to discuss her new book 'Sinkhole' which was released in May 2022. Davida currently works for Johns Hopkins University Press and has received high praise for her debut novel. Sam also chats to Davida about 80's nostalgia and how it can often cover up the truth. Learn more about Davida - http://davidabreier.com 

On this episode Sam is joined by queer electro-pop artist ZAVA who released his new anthem H.O.E (Heaven On Earth) to celebrate Pride Month in June. ZAVA talks about his music, growing up gay and gender fluidity. Also - Sam gives an update on the future of Being LGBTQ and shares the story of a blind, bisexual, polyamorous goose. Find ZAVA on social media - @thisiszava on Twitter and Instagram. 

Loren Ostrow is an LGBTQ activist who has served on the board of directors/trustees of the Los Angeles LGBT Centre for 22 years, he is also a past recipient of the Harvey Milk Award. Most recently Loren became the Lead Developer of 'Living Out Palm Springs', a luxury community for LGBTQ adults aged 55 and over. The ground breaking ceremony came at the end of last year and Loren chats to Sam about the importance of inclusive living for LGBTQ seniors as well as remembering their contributions to the fight for LGBTQ rights over the decades, including his own contributions!  Find out more - http://www.livingout.com 

Georgia Clark is a novelist and performer currently living in Brooklyn, New York with her wife and new-born baby, she also founded and hosts the popular storytelling series 'Generation Women'. Georgia's new LGBTQ rom-com 'Island Time' is a book she describes as being written during lockdown "in order to whisk myself away to the place I couldn't go to - my home country of Australia". In this interview Georgia talks about the new book, the definition of home, how publishing has changed for LGBTQ authors and becoming a parent. More about Georgia - http://www.georgiaclark.com 

'Mark and the Tiger' is the musical name of singer Mark Haberland whose brand new single 'The La La Song' is one in a line of upcoming releases from Mark's next album 'The Hero's Journey' which was recorded with Grammy Award nominated producer Mikal Blue. In this interview Sam chats to mark about his upcoming release, where his musical identity came from and his connection to the North East of England where Being LGBTQ is based. More about mark - https://www.markandthetiger.com

Rosana Cade & Ivor MacAskill are renowned queer live artists based in Glasgow, creating and performing their unique works nationally and internationally in a wide range of contexts. In this interview they chat to Sam about their latest project which takes inspiration from the story of Pinocchio from a queer trans perspective. It shifts between fantasy and authenticity in response to Ivor's gender transition. The performance is part of LIFT (London International Festival of Theatre) 2022 and premieres on June 29th at the Battersea Arts Centre. Find out more about LIFT - http://www.liftfestival.com 

Lil Miss Hot Mess is a founding member of the Drag Queen Story Hour in the United States and has hosted book readings across the country including RuPaul's Drag Con, libraries and schools. She's also a children's book author releasing her first ''The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish' in 2020 and her second 'If You're a Drag Queen and You Know It' in May 2022. Additionally Lil Miss Hot Mess organised the #MyNameIs campaign on Facebook which challenged the platforms 'real name' policy which discriminated against trans and non-binary people as well as drag queens. More info - http://www.lilmisshotmess.com 

Ry Levey has been a professional in the film industry for over 20 years and joins Sam to talk about his feature directorial debut 'Out In The Ring'. The documentary looks at the history of queer identity in professional wrestling using a historical timeline starting in the 1940's and 50's. The film features interviews with performers, fans and writers exploring how identity has been portrayed through the years including representations of masculinity, femininity and homophobia.  Follow 'Out In The Ring' on social media including on Twitter @outinthering and Instagram @outintheringdoc 

LGBTQ ally and Formula 1 racing driver Seb Vettel joins Sam to talk about standing up for human rights specifically the rights of LGBTQ people. Seb is a four time F1 world champion, winning consecutively between 2010 and 2013, he currently drives for Aston Martin and has used his platform to speak out including when visiting countries with anti-gay laws. In 2021 at the Hungarian Grand Prix he wore a t shirt with the words 'same love' on it making a statement against so called 'gay propaganda' law proposals in the country.

Gabe Montesanti is a queer U.S. roller derby player from the midwestern United States and her debut memoir 'Brace For Impact' has been praised as 'heartfelt' and 'powerful' as Gabe navigates life in a conservative setting. Gabe currently lives in Denton, Texas where she teaches creative writing at the University of North Texas and in this interview chats to Sam about the memoir, current threats to LGBTQ rights and more. Further information about Gabe - https://www.gabemontesanti.com/

Lucy Dunne is CEO of the 'Dunnebells' personal training company and has helped thousands of women with health and fitness. Lucy became an online personal trainer in 2016 and chats to Sam about the origins of the company, dealing with an eating disorder, accepting her sexuality and shutting down online trolls.  Find out more about Dunnebells - http://www.dunebells.com 

For our first episode of Pride Month Sam is joined by writer Brian Watson who is currently working on a memoir about his life, including his long journey to being able to marry his partner of 28 years. Brian met his husband Hiro while he was in Japan in the 90's and their relationship blossomed. Also in this episode Brian shares his views on the political situation in the U.S. from mass shootings to anti-LGBTQ legislation.  More about Brian - http://www.iambrianwatson.com 

Transgender Indie Rocker Lenny Zenith joins us to talk about his new single 'Where Is Safe?', an autobiographical track which aims to raise money for organisations fighting anti-trans legislation in the United States. Lenny transitioned as a teenager in the late 1970's and in this interview discusses becoming his true self, what we can do to fight against transphobia and the ongoing problem of gun violence in America. More about Lenny - http://www.lennyzenith.com

Dr Jack Bartel is a transgender behavioural health specialist currently practising in Florida. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Central Florida and a doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the Florida Institute of Technology. He also completed an APA accredited internship at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. In this interview Dr Bartel talks about the challenges facing the trans community in healthcare ad how to address them, being a trans doctor, the rise in transphobic rhetoric in the U.S. and much more! 

Anna and Jen are co-founders of a brand new app for the LGBTQ community centred on friendship rather than dating. Anna is a visionary business leader with a background in mental health advocacy while Jen is experienced in launching and building companies and won the U.S. Fintech Award for Director of the Year. The aim of the app is to be a place 'where people can meet their next best friend in a new city'. Also on this episode - Sam reacts to Blackpool's Jake Daniels becoming the U.K's first openly gay male professional footballer for over 30 years. Find out more about 'Out App' - http://www.outqueerapp.com Other links from this episode - http://www.basedonatruestorypodcast.com / http://www.shamepinata.com 

TJ Alexander is an amateur baker and author originally from Florida with an MA in writing and publishing from Emerson College in Boston. TJ's new book 'Chefs Kiss' was released at the start of May and has been described as a 'fresh and witty queer romcom'. TJ identifies as non-binary and bisexual and in this interview chats to Sam about the book, coming out as non-binary, the challenges faced by LGBTQ people in 2022 and much more! TJ's website - http://tjalexander.com Support Being LGBTQ - http://www.patreon.com/beinglgbtq / http://ko-fi.com/beinglgbtq

Jonathan Alexander is originally from New Orleans and is a widely published cultural journalist and author, he is the Chancellor's Professor of English at the University of California, Irvine and in 2012 a book he co-edited 'Bisexuality and Queer Theory' was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual literature. Jonathan joins Sam to discuss his latest memoir 'Dear Queer Self' which revisits the years 1989, 1993 and 1996 in Jonathan's life at moments of significant political and cultural change.  Find out more about Jonathan - The Blank Page Support Being LGBTQ - Patreon / Ko-fi

Betsy Cerulo is a gay business leader and co-founded the Maryland Chamber of Commerce as well as the Maryland LGBT Foundation. Her new book 'Shake It Off Leadership - Achieving Success Through The Eyes Of Our Labels' provides guidance on how she got to where she is today. Betsy's own management consulting firm has been recognised by the Baltimore Business Journal three time as one of the Top 50 woman owned businesses. In this interview Betsy talks about being gay in the 80's, women's rights and the continuing campaign for equal pay. More about Betsy - Visit her website Support Being LGBTQ - Patreon

Gay music artist Harrison Barnes released his first music in 2020. He was born and raised in South Carolina and currently performs as a professional dancer on the Las Vegas strip. In this interview Harrison chats to Sam about releasing music, being bullied for being gay when he was younger and how Britney Spears has inspired him. Website - http://www.harrisonbarnesmusic.com Socials - Instagram / Facebook Support Being LGBTQ - Become a Patron 

In the second of our episodes about LGBTQ History Months around the world Sam and Rodney speak to the organisers of LGBTQ History Month Cuba and Queer History Month Berlin which both take place in May. Raúl Pérez Monzón is the organiser of the Cuba effort and Giuseppina Lettieri is the coordinator of the Berlin effort. Raúl is a historian at the University of Havana and Giuseppina has been involved with Queer History Month Berlin since 2016. She has been a political educator, community organiser and activist in the field of queer empowerment, intersectionality and anti-discrimination for more than 10 years at the 'Archiv der Jugendkulturen' in Berlin. Berlin: https://www.queerhistory.de Cuba socials: Facebook: facebook.com/lgbtqcubahistoria / Twitter: twitter.com/lgbtqhistcuba / Instagram: instagram.com/lgbtqhistoriacuba

On this episode Sam is joined by Jenee Arthur, co-host and creator of the 'Daughter-Father Dance' podcast which features funny, frank and fraught conversations between Jenee and her Dad. Jenee is the only gay person in her large Catholic family (70 immediate members!) which has had its difficulties to say the least and through her podcast series she hopes to explore different perspectives and tackle difficult issues head on. But when is an opinion just hate and can we truly address division in our society? More about Jenee - http://www.jeneearthur.com  More about 'Daughter-Father Dance' - http://daughterfatherdance.com 

Felix Fern from Trans Activism UK joins Sam to talk about the ongoing situation in the U.K. as transphobic rhetoric from government and media continues to increase. A petition calling for transgender people to be included in any ban on so called conversion therapy on the U.K. Parliament website has hit 100,000 signatures meaning it must be considered for debate in Parliament. It comes after the U.K. government removed trans people from the long awaited ban on LGBTQ conversion therapy. Trans Activism UK - Trans Activism UK

LGBTQ fauthor Mario Dell'Olio talks about his latest book 'Forbidden Rome', a 'complex and timeless journey of beautiful self-discovery. Mario has written a total of five books including 'Letters From Italy' and 'Coming About: Life In The Balance'. He holds a doctorate in sacred music and has a masters in Music in Vocal Performance and Religious Education, he is also a founding member of 'Queer Indie', a writers alliance established to promote queer and ally literature. Mario chats to Sam about his writing, coming out and even getting stuck at sea!

In this episode we look at a turbulent week of transphobia in the UK which has transphobic talking points echoed by top figures in the UK government including Prime Minister Boris Johnson. It follows the removal of trans people from a proposed ban on conversion therapy abuse which subsequently led to hundreds of LGBTQ organisations pulling out of an LGBT conference set to be held by the UK government. Sam is joined by Phoenix, a trans woman who presents on 'Trans Radio UK' and runs the @LGBWithTheT Twitter page and Oscar Hoyle a non-binary voluntary LGBTQ youth worker who is the director of 'Blossom' which provides services aimed at LGBTQ young adults and those who support and live alongside them. Trans Radio UK - https://www.transradiouk.com/members/phoenix/ Blossom - http://www.blossom.lgbt/

Transgender actor and author Alexandra Billings joins Sam to talk about her new memoir ‘This Time For Me’. The memoir has been described as a celebration of endless possibilities. Alexandra is a history making LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS activist and moderated a panel on trans rights at the White House. In 2016 she was awarded the Human Rights Campaign visibility award. Find out more – https://www.schmengieinc.com/alexandra-billings/ 

Author Veronica Gutierrez joins Sam to discuss her new book ‘As You Look’, a detective story following latinx lesbian Yolanda Avila, a former LAPD police officer turned private investigator. Veronica is an LGBTQ author based between LA and San Francisco, as well as writing she is a former community organiser, civil rights attorney, and non-profit leader. In this interview we talk about the book, the demonisation of immigrants, the importance of authenticity and more. Find out more: http://www.veronicagutierrez.com 

April 2022 marks the first ever Italian LGBTQ History Month. In this special episode co-hosted by Being LGBTQ founder Sam Wise and the founder of LGBT History Month in the U.S. Rodney Wilson, we interview three of the organisers of LGBTHM Italy - Alessio Ponzio, Chiara Beccalossi and Oscar-Silvi Bertoliss. The Italian effort comes as an international committee has been setup to celebrate LGBTQ history months around the world.  Find out more: http://www.lgbtplushistorymonth.it 

Marieke Nijamp is a non-binary New York Times bestselling author and joins us to talk about her latest book ‘At The End Of Everything’, a novel which focuses on a group of teenagers exiled at a juvenile treatment centre. The book is bursting with LGBTQ representation. In this interview Marieke gives more details about the book and gives her take on a number of different issues including the treatment of disabled people in society and her previous book ‘This Is Where It Ends’ which focussed on gun violence. Marieke lives and works in the Netherlands.   Find out more about Marieke: http://www.mariekenijamp.com 

In this episode we speak to a transgender activist who has been fighting for LGBTQ rights for almost 30 years. Tanya Walker is a military veteran, co-founder of the New York Transgender Advocacy Group and facilities the trans women’s group at SAGE which provides services for LGBTQ elders. She lobbied the Assembly and Senate in Albany for 17 years to pass the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act and in 2021 gave testimony on inequality and discrimination to the US House Committee on financial services. New York Trans Advocacy Group – http://www.nytag.org  SAGE – http://www.sageusa.org 

Vico Ortiz is a non-binary actor who has appeared in many top TV shows including ‘Transparent’, ‘Criminal Minds’ and ‘Lucifer’ to name a few. In this interview we chat to them about their latest role as Jim in the HBO Max show ‘Our Flag Means Death’ which is vaguely inspired by the life of 18th century aristocrat turned pirate Stede Bonnet. One of the minds behind the series is Oscar winner Taika Waititi (JoJo Rabbit, 2019). We also ask Vico about non-binary representation and the importance of non-binary actors playing non-binary roles.  Find out more about Vico: http://imdb.me/vico-ortiz 

Akiva joins us for a second podcast appearance to talk about his new book ‘The Magnus and the Fool’ which has been described as a ‘modern, queer and trans-positive retelling of The Great Gatsby’. Akiva’s first book ‘Boy In The Hole’ was released to mark National Coming Out Day in 2019. We also get Akiva’s thoughts on anti-LGBTQ legislation in the United States, and he has a few choice words for some of our elected officials!  More information on Akiva: http://akivahersh.com 

Jill Gutowitz is a lesbian writer from New Jersey (now living in LA) and has been published in the likes of 'The New Yorker' and 'Vanity Fair' and she joins us to talk about her first book 'Girls Can Kiss Now' which is a collection of personal essays which focus on identity, desire and self-worth. In this episode Jill talks about the book, self-worth in the LGBTQ community, the influence of popular culture on how we see ourselves and how 'Orange Is The New Black' changed everything for her. Find out more about Jill: http://www.jillgutowitz.com 

In our second LGBTQ Elders episode Sam interviews Ken Pinkela who is a U.S. military veteran and served as a Lieutenant Colonel. Ken began serving when being gay in the military was illegal as well as during the 'don't ask, don't tell' days. Ken's story is one of a man who wanted to serve only to face discrimination and a grave injustice. Since 'leaving' the military Ken has went on to advocate for people living with HIV and wants to get rid of outdated HIV criminal laws that have not caught up with science. 

Jonathan Larkin is a writer for the British TV soap 'Hollyoaks' writing a number of high impact stories including on LGBTQ storylines. Now he's back with his first stage play in 10 years 'Cherry Jezebel' which follows three drag queens in Liverpool. The play has been described as 'hilarious and heart-breaking' and looks beyond the glitter and the makeup of drag. Sam chats to Jonathan about the play, writing for TV, homophobia in the UK and more.

Transgender author Emme Lund joins us to talk about her new book 'The Boy With A Bird In His Chest', a novel which follows Owen Tanner who literally has a bird in his chest and is forced to flee home and live with his Uncle and Cousin in Washington. Emme currently lives in Portland, Oregon and has an MFA from Mills College. In 2019 Emme was awarded an Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship in Fiction. 

Ukrainian LGBTQ activist Maxim Potapovich joins us to give an LGBTQ perspective on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Maxim is based in the suburbs of Kyiv and represents 'Kyiv Pride' and says the Ukrainian spirit is pulling them through and giving them hope. Maxim shares his story, how he thinks the international community are dealing with the war, LGBTQ rights and more.

Gay underwear model Alex Gede joins us to talk about going from believing he had turned himself straight to embracing his true self. Alex moved to the U.K. from Nigeria to study and then got married and had two children, four years later Alex came out as gay and found himself a boyfriend. Sam chats to Alex about his coming out process, what it's like for LGBTQ people in Nigeria and founding his 'Club Seven Menswear' underwear brand for gay and bisexual men. 

In the first of our 'LGBTQ Elders Series' we talk to the CEO of LGBTQ elder organisation SAGE, Michael Adams about the organisation which was founded in 1978. SAGE is dedicated to improving the lives of older LGBTQ people. Sam chats to Michael about his early life as a gay man, the challenges faced by elders today including ageism and discrimination in care, the importance of remembering the past and much more.

To mark LGBTQ History Month in the U.K. we are joined by Head of Policy and Research at the LGBT Foundation Ibtisam Ahmed to discuss this years theme 'Politics in Art', in particular LGBTQ representation in superhero media from graphic novels to TV and movies. As a big superhero fan Ibtisam felt he never saw himself represented growing up and there was always a set image of what a superhero should look and act like. Also - Ibtisam reflects on the LGBT Foundation's response to recent anti-transgender sentiment from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. 

Rachel Krantz joins Sam to talk about her new deeply personal and honest memoir ‘Open: An Uncensored Memoir of Love, Liberation and Non-Monogamy’. A former senior features editor at Bustle, Rachel’s book explores polyamory and has been praised as a ‘smart original, ambitious, and deeply absorbing memoir’ which focuses on when Rachel met and fell for Adam looking for a committed partnership, but one that did not include exclusivity.

Award winning author and speaker Jenn T Grace joins us to talk about her life experience including founding 'Publish Your Purpose' which is a hybrid publishing company that gives first-time authors the secrets to getting their books out there. Jenn chats to Sam about the importance of LGBTQ stories, being successful despite childhood trauma and facing homophobia in a corporate work environment. 

Filmmaker Kieron Moore talks about his latest project ‘Secrets Of A Wallaby Boy’ which is due to be filmed in Manchester in Spring 2022. The film from ‘Weird Rainbow’ follows Tim who becomes a courier for the delivery app Wallaby. Tim is a gay man, and the film has been described as ‘Black Mirror-esque’ with a satirical twist. Kieron joins us to talk about why people should get behind the film, the need for better transgender representation in film and more. Kieron is currently crowdfunding on ‘Green Lit’ to get the project off the ground.  http://greenlit.com/project/secrets-wallaby-boy

Brian McComak is founder and CEO of Hummingbird Humanity which focuses on helping organisations create ‘human-centred workplace cultures’ through embracing diversity, equity and inclusion. Brian is also an established speaker and author with a master’s degree in human resources and change management from the University of South Florida. Brian joins us to discuss the importance of diversity, living with disability, how we all make mistakes and how to engage everyone in the equality discussion.

Matt Bishop is an established journalist with 20 years in motorsport, he has worked and edited a number of racing publications including GP Racing and Sporting Life as an openly gay man. In recent years Matt has worked for McLaren where he worked with world champion Lewis Hamilton for a number of years and is now chief communications officer for the Aston Martin Formula One team. Matt joins Sam to discuss LGBTQ initiatives within F1, the importance of allyship from drivers including Sebastian Vettel, being a founding ambassador for Racing Pride, as well as his novel, released in 2020 which focusses on the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 80’s and early 90’s.

‘OutLoud’ are the boyband we all needed growing up and they join Sam to discuss their new aptly named EP ‘*NTWINK’. The band, based in Manhattan, New York is made up of Danny, Cameron, Daniel and Sean and describe their sound as ‘gay pop disco’ and ‘One Direction on poppers’. OutLoud talk about why they formed, being an all-queer boyband, allyship and much more.

Tacoma, Washington based author Marcus James joins us to talk about his writing and being a survivor of so called ‘conversion therapy’. Marcus explains knowing he was gay from a young age and being proud but then facing being put through ‘conversion therapy’ based on his family’s religious background mainly by his grandfather. Marcus is concerned that religious freedom legislation may prevent a total ban of the abusive practice being possible. Find out more about Marcus’ work: http://www.marcusjamesbooks.com

Author Celia Laskey talks about her debut novel ‘Under The Rainbow’ set in the fictional town of Big Burr, Kansas which is named the most homophobic town in the U.S. The novel focusses on a national non-profit organisation which sends in a ‘queer task force’ to live in the town for 2 years. Celia has an MFA from the University of New Mexico and was a finalist in the Glimmer Train’s Short Story Award for New Writers.  Find out more about Celia: http://www.celialaskey.com

Welcome to 2022 and another year of Being LGBTQ. Sam is joined by gay author David Eugene Perry whose latest book ‘Upon This Rock’ has been described as a ‘twisty thriller’ and even the ‘gay Da Vinci Code’. Set in Orvieto, Italy David believes the book could be the first gay, holiday, mystery, thriller! So far ‘Upon This Rock’ has won at the San Francisco Book Festival and won the silver medal at the Ben Franklin Awards from the Book Publishers Association. David discusses the book and his previous work as one of the founders of the Rainbow Walk of Fame in San Francisco. Find out more about David and the book: https://www.davidperry.com/

Originally born in Brooklyn and raised in New Milford, Connecticut queer female artist Abby Nissenbaum joins us to discuss her new track ‘Glass Half Full’ and the barriers she has faced being a queer female artist due to queerphobia and sexism. Abby talks about her career so far, the role mental health plays in her music, sexism she has experienced and the need for more LGBTQ representation in mainstream music. Find out more about Abby: http://direct.me/abbynissenbaum 

Bisexual podcaster Hannah Rae Leach chats to us about her many projects and vast CV when it comes to podcasting. Based in Cleveland, Ohio Hannah’s work includes the audible series ‘Wholehearted’ as well as ‘Sleepover Cinema’ a podcast she presents with her sister analysing movies from their childhood in the late 90’s and early 00’s. In this interview Hannah discusses her podcasting career, being part of the band ‘The Prom Queens’ and bisexuality. More information about Hannah: http://www.hannahraeleach.com

Andrea Klassen-Koop is a queer, pansexual podcaster based in British Columbia, Canada. Their latest project ‘Imaginings: Moments of Magic’ invites the listener to leave their own world and imagine being somewhere completely different ‘taking you to places you didn’t know existed but have always wanted to go’. In this interview Andrea talks about being queer, the aim of the podcast series, LGBTQ interest in science fiction and fantasy and much more. Find out more about ‘Imaginings’: http://imaginings.ca 

It’s been a long journey with hundreds of guests but in this episode Being LGBTQ reaches the 200 milestone and it’s time to reminisce and have a look back at an incredible 35 months of podcasts. With highlights from our most poignant episodes and thoughts from Being LGBTQ creator Sam Wise remember the past and set the stage for the future.  Featuring Rosie O’Donnell, Stephanie Davies, Brandon Wolf, Skylar Cote, Andy Brennan, Fred Rosser, Jen Winston, Hazell Dean, Tommy Atkins, Ryan Cassata, Precious Brady-Davis, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, Lucy Clark, Tea Uglow, CB Lee, Dan Glass, and many, many more! 

Blake Allen is an award-winning composer, musician, orchestrator, and educator who had a Mormon upbringing in El Paso, Texas. In this interview Blake talks about his life experiences including coming out as gay to his religious family at the Thanksgiving table, the trauma of losing a friend to suicide and facing sexual assault which are all themes explored in his new album ‘The Shards of an Honour Code Junkie’ which has been 9 years in the making. Among his many accolades Blake’s debut album ‘Sonatas’ went straight to number 1 on iTunes and he’s also music director for Tina Burner from Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Find out more about Blake: http://www.blakeallen.org 

In his second appearance on Being LGBTQ writer David Lord discusses the final book in his fantasy series ‘The Figment Wars’. David also talks about a number of key issues impacting the LGBTQ community in 2021 including rising anti-trans rhetoric in the UK. from groups who want to separate the LGB from the T. David explains why he is a trans ally and the importance of solidarity in the community. Also – David shares his thoughts on the upcoming U.K. government consultation on Conversion ‘Therapy’ abuse which could see a law banning the practice being introduced as early as Spring next year. Find out more about David’s work: http://figmentwars.blog

Ontario, Canada based event host, artist, and entertainer Tyle Boyle who has worked as an entertainer for 10+ years talks about his life experiences and work. Tyler speaks on a range of topics including changing how LGBTQ people are perceived by changing our own mind set and challenging the narrative that LGBTQ people are in some way “not normal”. Tyler has been a public elementary school teacher since 2007 and has a YouTube channel dedicated to guided meditations and relaxations aimed at youth in schools which highlights the importance of talking about mental health at a young age in order to better prepare young people for later life. Find out more about Tyler: http://www.tylercboyle.com

Kieran joins Sam to talk about his master’s degree dissertation exploring bisexuality and how it is often overlooked, misrepresented, and even dismissed as invalid in western popular culture. Kieran identifies as bisexual after what he describes as a ‘long journey’ and wants his work to change perceptions of bisexuality and end the ignorance which has been so damaging to bisexual people.

William is the veteran author of the new novel ‘Here We Go Loop de Loop’ completing his trilogy of books based in his home state. He is an award-winning author and writer from Alice in South Texas and won the Southwest Regional Playwrights Competition for ‘Governor’s Mansion’. William joins us to talk about his latest book, the changing political landscape in Texas and the changes he’s seen in terms of LGBTQ rights over the years. Find out more about William and his work: http://www.williamjacksibley.com 

In the 2nd in our series on ‘COVID Sex Lives’ Professor of Digital Society Ben Light and research assistant Lisa Garwood-Cross from Salford University join us to talk about their second research survey which looks into ‘men who have sex with men’ (MSM) and what that means in the context of the COVID19 pandemic. This episode explores people’s feelings when it comes to getting vaccinated, whether someone being unvaccinated would put them off and the need for more effective health messaging. The study is a joint project between Salford University, Birmingham City University, Newcastle University and Kings College London.  Find out more about the study: http://www.tinyurl.com/covidsexlives

Sindu is a genderqueer Tamil-American author, born in Sri Lanka who moved to the United States aged 7. Sindu joins us to talk about her latest book ‘Blue-Skinned Gods’ which follows the story of a young boy born with blue skin who people believe to be the tenth human incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. Sindu’s family tried to force her into an arranged marriage which became a theme of her debut novel ‘Marriage of a Thousand Lies’ which followed the story of two gay South-Asian Americans who married in order to stay in the closet. The book was selected by the American Library Association as a Stonewall Honour Book.  Find out more about Sindu: http://www.sjsindu.com

Andres is co-executive director of LATV, a national TV network which aims to empower Latino voices. In this episode Andres talks about the digital series ‘My Health Agenda’ which covers Latinx and LGBTQ communities and the unique challenges they face. The series features influencers and activists, most of which are HIV+ and have had substance abuse problems.  More about the series: http://latv.com/series/myhealthagenda 

Former CTO of Huffington Post and founder of ‘Rebel Mouse’ Andrea Breanna joins us about becoming the first transgender person on the board of directors at LGBTQ Loyalty Holdings, which describes itself as a “financial methodology and media company that quantifies corporate equality alignment with the LGBTQ community and its supporters”. Andrea also chats to Sam about being a transgender parent, her coming out experience, what it’s like to be LGBTQ in business, THAT transphobic Netflix ‘comedy special’ and much more. LGBTQ Loyalty Holdings: http://lgbtqloyalty.com

Nicky is a Seattle based gay pop artist who wants to normalise ‘a boy singing about another boy’ in music. His track ‘Thirsty’ was classed as his coming out track. Nicky’s new track ‘Boy Crazy’ is about the initial excitement of falling for someone for the first time and the butterflies it brings about. In this interview Sam chats to Nicky about representation of LGBTQ music, his latest project and more. Find out more about Nicky: http://www.nickybuell.com 

In this episode we speak to Indian author Farhad Dadyburjor about his new book which has been described as the first gay rom com to be set in modern-day Mumbai. Farhad was born, raised, and is based in Mumbai and has been an entertainment and lifestyle journalist for over 20 years. Farhad joins us to discuss the new book, growing up gay in India, progress since India decriminalised same sex relationships in 2017 and more. Find out more about Farhad: http://www.farhadjd.wordpress.com

Sifu has over 15 years of training in Chinese martial arts and is known as the ‘spiritual wellness warrior’. In this interview Sifu talks about spirituality, how he discovered ‘healing kung fu’, the impact it had on his life and how he has now gone on to help others especially those from the LGBTQ and black community. Sifu has an MA in Spiritual Psychology and won a gold medal at the 2018 Gay Olympic Games. Find out more about Sifu: http://www.healingkungfu.com

Gay author and comedian Shawn Hitchins joins us to talk about his latest book ‘The Light Streamed Beneath It’ which is described as a ‘memoir of grief and celebration’. Shawn is based in Toronto, Ontario, and his book details how he has dealt with grief and heartache following the deaths of two great loves 5 months apart. Please note this episode features discussions of suicide and grief. Find out more about Shawn: www.shawnhitchins.com

Drag performer and music artist Victoria Williams joins Sam to talk about her new debut single ‘Lemonade’ which Victoria says, ‘embodies everything I have to tell the world’. Victoria is a star of the NYC drag scene and appeared as a final contestant on season 15 of ‘American Idol. Victoria was crowned Miss Rockbar 2020 and comments on the current state of drag and the impact of Ru Paul’s Drag Race.

Ibtisam is policy and research manager at the LGBT Foundation, a foundation based in Greater Manchester which was established in 1975 to support LGBT people. Ibtisam immigrated to the U.K. from Bangladesh to study in 2010 In Bangladesh same gender relationships are illegal under laws dating back to British colonialism. Ibtisam chats to Sam about the current situation in Bangladesh, his work with the LGBT Foundation and much more!

Social media influencer Nick Metos joins Sam to discuss the latest chapter of his music career with the release of his third single in three years ‘Right Side Of The Bed’. Nick wrote the song about his boyfriend Max and adds to his collection of heartfelt tracks. As well as a singer Nick is also a professional make-up artist and model, originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Nick is now based in Los Angeles and has done makeup for Drag Race alumni including Bianca Del Rio.

Co-creator and star of the new LGBTQ slasher movie ‘Death Drop Gorgeous’ joins us to talk about the film which has been tipped to become a potential cult classic. The plot centres around “A dejected bartender and an aging drag queen who fight to survive the eccentric and hostile nightlife of a corrupt city, as a masked maniac slaughters young gay men and drains them of blood”. The film is streaming on demand now including on Amazon Prime. 

Nic is the co-founder of ‘CanWe’ and was formerly a business development lead in the Global Diversity and Inclusion Department at Cargill. ‘CanWe’ is a new kind of dating app aimed at making dating less complicated. The idea came about in 2018 and has had over 1000 hours of input from therapists, sociologists, and psychologists. But for LGBTQ people what sets this one apart from the others?

Soman Chainani is a New York Times bestselling author known for ‘School for Good & Evil’ which has been adapted into a Netflix film starring Charlize Theron and Kerry Washington which is due out in 2022. Soman joins Sam to talk about the Netflix adaption and Soman’s latest book ‘Beasts and Beauty’, a collection of stories which turns classic fairy tales on their head with creative retellings which include LGBTQ themes.

Transgender actor, writer and poet Reece Lyons joins us to discuss the one woman show ‘Overflow’ running at the Bush Theatre, London until October 9th and the rise of transphobic sentiment in the UK. Reece is represented by ‘The Queer House’ agency which was ‘built by queer people for queer people’ – Char Boden is the lead agent and producer at the agency and also joins us to talk about the agency and working with the Bush Theatre.

Author of the new book ‘Greedy: Notes From A Bisexual Who Wants Too Much’ Jen Winston joins us to discuss bisexuality and her 2019 coming out experience. Jen is also the creator of the ‘Bi Monthly’ newsletter and talks about the misconceptions of bisexuality, bi-erasure, biphobia, feeling ‘queer enough’ and much more!

George Richmond Scott is the director of non-profit production company ‘Both Barrels’ and is set to put on his 2nd play at Omnibus Theatre – a production of Peter Gill’s small change, a play set on the east side of Cardiff in the 1950’s and 70’s. George is also associate director for the critically acclaimed West End show ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’.

Actor Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman joins Sam to talk about his role in the new Disney+ series ‘Doogie Kamealoha MD’ – Jeffrey plays Charles an openly gay character. Jeffrey’s previous credits include being a judge and host on season 1 of Canada’s Drag Race, he also plays Jay in the Emmy nominated series ‘Unreal’. In this interview he talks about the importance of openly gay characters and shares his thoughts on the toxicity of social media.

Author CB Lee joins Sam to discuss her latest book ‘Clash of Steel’ which is a reimagining of the classic story ‘Treasure Island’. The book is a complete retelling with LGBTQ themes including a queer love story and the exploration of ‘found family’. CB is also known for the ‘Sidekick Squad’ series as well as contributing to the Star Wars universe, writing a story for the book ‘A Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back’.

Gay country music artist Tommy Atkins joins us to talk about his newly released album ‘Truth Be Told’. The album is a culmination of tracks written over a period of years based on Tommy’s late teens through to his mid-twenties. Each track has significance in his life, and many contain overtly gay lyrics as Tommy hopes to bring an authentic experience to listeners. We also chat to Tommy about progress in terms of visibility of LGBTQ artists in country music and much more!

Dr Rachel Katz is a digital media sociologist and research assistant at the University of Salford specialising in dating app technologies. Salford Uni in collaboration with a number of other Universities are doing a series of ‘COVID Sex Lives’ surveys. Rachel joins us to talk about the results of the first survey which focussed on men who have sex with men and how they felt about COVID restrictions easing in terms of dating and hooking up during the pandemic. The aim of the survey is to establish better methods of public health messaging as the survey found very few respondents engaged with things like in app ads and some felt there was no messaging aimed at them specifically. 

‘Just Like Us’ is a UK charity which sends recent school leavers called ambassadors into schools to give talks and workshops about being LGBTQ. They aim to champion equality and challenge prejudice and have reached over 2 million young people through ‘Schools Diversity Week’. On this episode Sam is joined by ‘Just Like Us’ CEO Dominic Arnall who has previously worked for the mental health charity ‘Mind’ and LGBTQ charity ‘Stonewall’. Joel Groves is a transgender ambassador for ‘Just Like Us’ and talks about what inspired him to get involved, growing up without any representation, the impact it has had on his life and inspiring future generations by sharing his story.

Candas Jane Dorsey is the author of the new book ‘The Adventures Of Isabel’, part of a new detective series called ‘Epitome Apartments Mysteries’. The book features a diverse range of characters and follows a bisexual social worker recently fired from her job who becomes an amateur detective when the granddaughter of one of her neighbours is murdered. Candas is a former social worker herself as well as a renowned author and community advocate based in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. Candas’ past work has included science fiction novels including ‘Black Wine’ and ‘A Paradigm Of Earth’ and she was awarded the Aurora Award for sci-fi/fantasy in 1988.

The founder of the Miracle Foundation Caroline Boudreaux joins us to talk about her humanitarian work over the past 20 years helping empower orphans and vulnerable children, reuniting them with family and giving them a home instead of placing them in institutions. Caroline is a past winner of the U.N Humanitarian Award. We also chat to Caroline about the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan which many fear will have untold consequences mainly on women, girls and vulnerable groups including LGBTQ Afghans. 

Marcus Tallberg is a Swedish LGBTQ entrepreneur who is an established lecturer and author. He suffered traumatic teenage years which included sexual abuse and violence. Marcus chats to Sam about how he survived abuse and sought help to deal with the mental impact of his early years as well as his journey since then and the importance of inspiring LGBTQ young people.

Robert Ball is a gay singer songwriter based in Toronto Canada whose career has spanned over 18 years and included performing on Royal Caribbean cruises, Pride circuits and more. Robert talks about his latest single ‘I Need A Man’, life performing on a cruise ship and Jamaica Pride. Robert’s family are from Jamaica a country which currently has no protections for LGBTQ people and still has colonial era anti-LGBTQ laws in place, but the country has seen an acceleration in campaigns for equality in recent years. This episode also features discussions on the legacy of the civil rights movement and the black LGBTQ heroes of history.

Alice Mary is an LGBTQ music artist living in East London. Recently discovered by ‘BBC Introducing’ as an artist to watch, Alice has released a batch of 4 tracks this year, her latest single ‘Mystery’ explores trying to move on after a breakup but not really succeeding. Alice’s sound has been described as having an 80’s retro, feel inspired by Blondie and Kate Bush. Sam chats to Alice about her music and mental health, including how issues such as suicide and self-harm disproportionately impact LGBTQ young people.

Gay music artist Rohas based in Bakersfield, California shares his coming out story which involved being outed by a police officer in his teens and his music journey so far which only started in 2018. His new EP ‘Sad Times of Sunshine’ is inspired by Rohas’ fascination with human emotions which he hopes will tell stories that connect people.

Founder and Chairperson of LGBTQ cycling group ‘Pride Out’ Richard Hearne joins Sam to talk about why the group was formed and getting more LGBTQ people out cycling. Rich is calling for a more even distribution of funding from the government and Cycling UK with LGBTQ people feeling at a disadvantage when it comes to getting involved in the sport. Are we missing out on some potential Olympic champions? 

Lesbian couple’s relationship therapist Dr Lynda Spann has over 20 years’ experience helping lesbian couples, in fact she has helped over 600. Dr Spann joins us to discuss her career, the unique challenges and struggles lesbian couples face, the stigma around seeking help and more. Dr Spann is based in Denver, Colorado and founded the Lesbian Couples Institute in 2018.

Breagh Isabel is a Canadian singer songwriter and producer, born and raised on the Eastern Canadian Island of ‘Cape Brenton’. Breagh joins Sam to talk about her debut single ‘Girlfriends’ which chronicles a complex friendship-turned-romance between two teenage girls. Breagh was a member of the band ‘Port Cities’ until 2019 and toured around Canada and Europe, she recently signed a recording contract with Warner Music Canada.

Jack Guinness is a contributing editor at British GQ and founder of the ‘Queer Bible’ website which has now been turned into a book. ‘We stand on the shoulders of giants, it’s time to learn their names’ perfectly describes the purpose of QB which features biographical accounts of LGBTQ people throughout history, in some cases going back centuries. Jack joins Sam to talk about the book which features a collection of essays on queer trailblazers throughout history including words from Elton John, Paris Lees, Munroe Bergdorf, and others.

LGBTQ British tennis player Tara Moore who competed at Wimbledon this year joins us to talk about ‘Set Your Worth’ a new anonymous job-hunting platform which aims to eradicate discrimination. Tara chats about why she chose to endorse the new platform and her efforts to make the game of Tennis more equal in terms of pay and access for female players. ‘Set Your Worth’ is a platform designed to protect potential job candidates from discrimination including unconscious bias.

Germany’s entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 Jendrik Sigwart joins Sam to talk about the contest, growing up gay and raising awareness of LGBTQ issues including educating the younger generation. Unfortunately, Jendrik came second last with just 3 points with ‘I Don’t Feel Hate’ but he hasn’t let that get him down! He’s already recording new stuff which is due out soon.

Steve Taylor from the ‘European Pride Organisers Association’ joins us to talk about rising anti-LGBTQ sentiment in Europe including in Hungary where a new law which bans the so called ‘promotion’ of LGBTQ people reminiscent of Section 28 has recently been passed. Sam chats to Steve about the continuing rise of hate crimes, including physical attacks in the U.K. and the tragic murder of a gay man in Spain. Also – World and Euro Pride in a post pandemic world, solidarity with the trans community and how human rights in the U.K. may be in danger following the country’s exit from the European Union.

Joe White, co-founder of '3 Lions Pride', the LGBTQ fan group of the England national football team joins us to talk about Euro 2020. England competed in the final against Italy in what was the first major final for the men's side since 1966. Joe talks about the group, his response to the England defeat, the racism suffered by players on social media and getting more LGBTQ fans to games when many feel football stadiums aren't safe spaces for them.

Queer music artist TKOH (John McClean) joins Sam to discuss his latest EP ‘Fire Island Pining (Season 1)’. The Salt Lake City artist released his debut EP ‘Hollyweird’ in May 2020. His latest tracks were recorded in lockdown and consider the summer we all lost in 2020. TKOH talks about his music, being authentic, how gays going blonde may indicate a mental breakdown, the importance of Pride and more!

Trystan Reese is a transgender man, educator and speaker who has travelled across America educating people both LGBTQ and beyond about the importance of equality and inclusion. Trystan has shared his experiences in the new memoir ‘How We Do Family’ which includes his pregnancy which gained worldwide attention in 2017. In this interview Trystan talks about the book, the negatives of media attention and life as a trans man. Trystan currently lives in Portland, Oregon with his husband Biff and three kids, Hailey, Lucas, and Leo.

Benji Carr joins Sam to discuss Benji’s debut novel ‘Impacted’, an accidental dark comedy which Benji hopes provides ‘true representation’. Benji is a 44-year-old gay man living in Atlanta, Georgia, and shares details about his creative process as well as his experiences growing up and living with cerebral palsy. Disclaimer: if you’ve ever murdered a dentist this one might feel a bit too close to home…

Precious Brady-Davis who is an award-winning activist and speaker joins Sam to talk about her new memoir ‘I Have Always Been Me’. The book has been described as an outreach to the marginalised and in this episode Precious opens up about growing up trans, her inspiring activism and becoming a mother with her husband Myles by her side. Precious also details the challenges her and Myles faced becoming parents as a trans couple which was the subject of a TLC documentary.

Doug Probst (Aka – Shawn Mayotte), known in the 80’s for his modelling and gay porn movies joins us to discuss his life and his new memoir ‘Mayotte: The Musings of a Narcissist: A Survivors Story’. His story is one of trauma as a child, navigating the horrendous AIDS crisis, but also one of finding your way through life, the joy and in Doug’s case becoming a parent.

David and Kevin from LGBTQ clothing brand ‘Bear Wolf Panda’ talk about why they launched the brand and how the pandemic pushed them to make their dream of 8 years a reality. Based in the UK, the brand hopes to cater to all shapes and sizes and make “everyone feel fantastic”.

Lesbian author Amanda Kabak joins us to talk about her new book ‘Upended’ which is due out in July 2021. Amanda’s debut novel ‘The Mathematics of Change’ received excellent reviews with fellow author Tayari Jones saying she is a ‘writer to watch’. Amanda talks about the new book, growing up lesbian in the suburbs of Chicago, coming out in 1992 and more.

Queer, black playwright Barbirye Bukilwa joins Sam to talk about her latest play ‘...cake’ which opens at Theatre Peckham in London from July 13th until August 7th. The play is a prequel to Barbirye’s first play ‘…blackbird hour’ and is said to ‘unapologetically queer the existing complexities of family roots and belonging. Barbirye talks about the themes explored in the play as well as racial and LGBTQ injustice in the U.K.

Bisexual writer Kira Leigh joins Sam to talk about their latest series ‘Constelis Voss’, a sci-fi, anime inspired series in which all the characters are bisexual. The series opens on a dystopian planet sized ship in the far future! Kira talks about the series as well as LGBTQ representation in mainstream media, bisexuality, and Star Trek.

Activist Blake Pruitt from ‘Reclaim Pride NYC’ joins Sam to discuss the Queer Liberation March which has taken place in New York City since the 50th anniversary of Stonewall in 2019. The march which has been attended by tens of thousands in recent years aims to take Pride back to its routes, focussing more on activism and without corporate sponsorship. Blake tells us why he thinks Pride has become a shadow of its former self and shares his views on the debate surrounding police marching in uniform at Pride events.

Bisexual solo artist Sage Suede joins Sam to talk about his new sexually charged and unapologetically gay new album ‘Foolin Around’ which takes risks mainstream artists are scared to take. Sage also shares his thoughts about the commercialisation of Pride and his view that ‘everyone is a bit bisexual’.

For our first episode of Pride Month 2021 black LGBTQ music artist Rebel Will from Toronto, Canada joins Sam to discuss a range of issues including music, racial injustice, the pressures of life and being an unapologetically queer artist. Rebel’s latest album is ‘REBELFUTURISM’, and his influences include Janet Jackson and Prince.

Author Ian and Illustrator James join us to talk about their new LGBTQ inclusive children's book 'Nen and the Lonely Fisherman'. The book features a same sex love story and has been described as the gay version of 'The Little Mermaid'. Ian and James talk about how the book is personal to them and what it would have meant to have seen such representation when they were in school.

Gay poet Randall Mann speaks to Sam about his new poetry collection 'A Better Life'. The collection covers a variety of themes including LGBTQ history, HIV and the impact of apps on modern day dating. Randall is a critically acclaimed, established poet from a multi-racial background and draws on his own personal experience to bring intimacy and authenticity to his writing.

Sam chats to Andrew Sartory, co-founder of 'Gay Man Thriving' which Andrew runs with his husband Zach. Both are professionals who aim to help gay men overcome common obstacles that keep gay men single and attracting toxic relationships. In this interview Andrew discusses mental health, body image and how 'Gay Man Thriving' helps gay and bisexual men embrace who they are.

Sam chats to singer-songwriter and LGBTQ activist Ryan Cassata. Ryan is transgender and hails from Long Island, New York. He’s been described as a ‘transgender singing sensation’ and was listed in Billboard’s list of ‘11 transgender and non-binary musicians you need to know’. Ryan talks about his music, activism, and the rise of hate towards trans people in the United States, what we can do to combat it and be better trans allies.

LGBTQ business coach Kevin Colley joins us to talk about getting back on track after the pandemic, being a cyclist enthusiast and the importance of safe spaces including being part of an LGBTQ cycling group. In the past Kevin has struggled with mental health, including body image issues, we delve into the reasons why and the methods which could help others.

LGBTQ music artist Sev7en Taylor joins us to talk about his new deluxe EP ‘Bless A Bee’, which Sev7en says explores his spiritual side. He also shares his thoughts on recent ‘outrage’ from conservatives levelled at Lil Nas X and if being black and gay has made him more of a target. Keeping with racial discrimination Sev7en shares his thoughts on the recent shootings of unarmed black men, including Daunte Wright, and the continuing problem of systemic racism in the police force and how people have become almost desensitised to these incidents.

Author of the new book ‘Determined To Be Dad’ Steve Disselhorst joins us to talk about his journey to becoming a father. Steve has two adopted children Kaitlyn and Matthew and shares his experience and how he was determined not to let his sexuality impact his dream of becoming a Dad. As well as his book Steve shares his views on the changes, he has seen in terms of same sex parenting over the years.

Derek Frost talks about his new book ‘Living and Loving in the age of AIDS’ an intimate, personal account of living through the AIDS crisis in the 80’s and 90’s. Derek’s husband Jeremy Norman (who created the LGBTQ venues the Embassy Club and Heaven) was diagnosed during the height of the pandemic and faced a fight for his life which thankfully he ultimately won thanks to advancements in medicine. In this interview Derek shares his story and what he hopes people will learn from the book.

Public speaker Rebecca Ashley joins us to talk about her identity being an aromantic asexual lesbian. Rebecca points out the many misconceptions and raising awareness of lesser-known orientations. Rebecca is from Toronto Canada and is the founder of ‘Arts Healing Hearts’.

As we mark the 12th annual Transgender Day of Visibility, Sam is joined by trans woman Sarah Stephenson-Hunter who also lives with a disability - Sarah is blind. Sarah is the founder of ‘Simply Equality’ which aims to amplify the voices of LGBTQ disabled people. She has a lot of experience in the higher education sector currently working at the University of Oxford. Sarah was named Stonewall’s LGBT role model of the year for the East Midlands in 2018. In this interview we talk about being transgender in 2021, the barriers for trans and disabled people and how to be a better trans ally.

Author of the new book ‘The Greatest Superpower’ Alex Sanchez chats to Sam about the release which features a transgender coming out story. Alex’s previous work has included ‘You Brought Me The Ocean’ for DC Comics which depicted a gay origin story of superhero Aqualad. Alex talks about the changing concept of gender and the challenges of writing the book.

Sam previews an upcoming podcast series from ‘Ugly Duckling Films’, which looks into the still unidentified serial killer ‘The Doodler’. The show unravels the case and dives into the archives of the San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Police Department. The Doodler, known for drawing portraits of his victims, committed violent targeted attacks against the LGBTQ community in the San Francisco area between 1974 and 1975. He brutally beat and murdered at least 5 gay men and got away with it due to little evidence and lack of attention from the media and the police at the time.

Jason Kniep the founder and executive director of OUTSpoken Illinois joins Sam to talk about why he founded the LGBTQ non-profit group which is based in Wheaton. OUTSpoken formed in 2019 and offers support services for LGBTQ young people and do community outreach work including getting businesses involved with events including ‘Pride Month’.

Dr Aidan McKearney, Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management at London South Bank Universities Business School shares the findings of his latest research ‘How gay men have overcome the challenges of living in rural communities in England and Ireland’. The new research looks at the challenges of living in these areas and how gay men overcame them.

Sam is joined by Rae McDaniel, a transgender non-binary therapist turned life coach. As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counsellor, they offer services and support to other gender non-conforming people to help them fully embrace their true selves. Rae’s goal is for trans and non-binary people to see transition and embracing their gender identity as a celebration of their uniqueness, not always as a negative barrier.

Sam Wise is joined by Erin Lux and Tristan Gray from ‘End Conversion Therapy Scotland’. Ahead of the 2021 Scottish parliamentary election in May the group are asking MSPs and candidates to pledge their support for banning the abusive practice. Previously the Westminster government in the U.K. has pledged numerous times to ban conversion therapy pending a ‘consultation’ but have continuously dragged their feet. What can be done to end the abuse once and for all?

Bestselling gay author of ‘A Path to Wisdom’ Tony J Selimi talks about his life journey from growing up in the Republic of Northern Macedonia to escaping civil war, and then arriving in London in 1990. Tony talks about his struggles and how he got to where he is today. Tony has given over 12,000 coaching and mentoring sessions and has facilitated over 250 workshops. His aim is to promote global LGBTQ rights and he once spoke at the United Nations.

Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for Proctor and Gamble and lesbian writer Shelly McNamara joins us to talk about her book ‘No Blanks, No Pauses: A Path to Loving Self and Others’. In the book Shelly shares her life experiences including coming out at work in 1997, getting married and bringing up three children with her wife.

John Mercer, Professor of Gender and Sexuality at Birmingham City University talks about the Channel 4 drama 'It's A Sin' , with a focus on sex on screen and representation. In particular John comments on stories published in the tabloid press with homophobic undertones reminiscent of the 80's when the drama is primarily set.

Queer author of the new coming of age verse novel C.G. Moore joins Sam to talk about living with a chronic illness. Chris was diagnosed with 'familial adenomatous polyposis' (FAP) at the age of eleven and talks about the unique challenges of the illness and its impacts on his everyday life.

Neil Basterfield from Pride House Birmingham talks about the project which is being organised for the Commonwealth Games in 2022. A Pride House is a safe space where LGBTQ fans and allies can meet to enjoy the games. Jane Upson from Safeword Theatre in Wimbledon discusses domestic violence. Jane spent many years working for the police supporting victims of abuse and hate crime. The theatre group recently released a play 'When The Birds Stopped Singing' about abuse in a same sex relationship.

Richard Angell from the 'Terrence Higgins Trust' joins us to discuss the new Russel T Davies Channel 4 drama 'It's A Sin' which portrays the AIDS crisis in the gay community in the 1980's. Richard chats to Sam about the response to the show and the progress that has been made in terms of treating those with HIV and the goal to have zero HIV transmissions in the U.K. by 2030.

Sam Wise reviews the 2021 Inauguration of President Biden with two LGBTQ guests – Rodney Wilson, a teacher who came out and made national headlines in the U.S. in the 90’s and Andrea Marius a black woman based in New York who has seen the course of U.S. history change over the past 60 years. What does the Biden/Harris administration mean for LGBTQ people in the U.S. and around the world?

Indian American gay actor and writer Shawn Parikh joins us to talk about his work including his new TV comedy script 'On Brand'. Shawn has been selected as part of NBC Universal’s ‘Writers on the Verge Class’ which is an annual initiative ran by NBC for TV writers of diverse backgrounds. Shawn has been in shows including ‘Cougar Town’ and 'What/If' and his LGBTQ short film Kohl explored coming out.

Music artist Trey Pearson joins Sam Wise to talk about religion, coming out, his music and what’s next. Trey founded the Christian band ‘Everyday Sunday’ which sold hundreds of thousands of records, the band was active between 1997 and 2016. In 2016 Trey came out publicly as gay making headlines around the world. His appearance on ‘The View’ in which he spoke about coming out was also nominated for a 2017 GLAAD award.

Stephanie Davies, author of ‘Other Girls Like Me’ talks about the book which has received high praise since it’s release in September 2020. The book focusses on how Stephanie became an activist including her time as a ‘Greenham Women’, a group of lesbians, punk rockers, mothers, and activists founded in the 1980’s who setup a camp outside a U.S. military base in England protesting against nuclear weapons. Stephanie also delves into her personal life including relationships and embracing her sexuality.

Gay author based in Brighton & Hove, UK, James Withey joins us to talk about his collection of mental health books. James' latest book 'How To Tell Depression To Piss Off' is due for release in January 2021. James has been a mental health counsellor himself with 20 years of public speaking experience, as well as taking on his own battles with mental illness.

LGBTQ poet Rachel Noall joins Sam Wise for the final episode of 2020. Rachel's newest poetry collection 'At War With The Stars' is out now. A native of Cleveland, she penned her college essay on her love affair with words. Since then, writing has permeated her career aspirations and pastimes.

Non-binary, Boston based music artist Jessye DeSilva joins Sam to talk about identity, feelings toward religion, their musical influences and adapting as a music artist during a global pandemic, which included releasing an EP aptly titled 'Quarantine Sessions'.

Gay music artist Conleth Kane joins Sam to discuss his new EP 'Lierty' which includes the track 'Proud' which explores themes of self-acceptance and societal prejudice. Conleth who is from Northern Ireland but based in London also chats about the difficulties of lockdown and the impact it has had on performers.

Brian Falduto – LGBTQ music artist and gay life coach. Brian is known for his role in the major motion picture ‘School of Rock’, in which he became known as the ‘gay kid’ for his flamboyant performance and sassy attitude. But after filming Brian found it hard to embrace that! Brian chats about his experiences, supressing his sexuality and becoming a gay life coach.

Featuring... Marcus Connolly, LGBTQ music artist from Manchester in the U.K., Marcus talks about his latest tracks and how he wants to make a statement with his music - including the impact of social media on society. Are we too obsessed? Paul Bright - LGBTQ filmmaker chats about his newest film 'Crossing Shaky Ground', a doco-drama which focuses on a businessman trying to get back to his family following a massive earthquake. The film explores themes of division in society and how we can all too often make assumptions about people based on economic and other factors. Also - Sam comments on the latest initiatives to try and make football a more inclusive space for LGBTQ people.

Associate Professor of Applied Social Psychology at Birmingham City University Dr Elle Boag joins us to discuss gatherings at Christmas during the time of COVID19 and the pressure and anxiety that can come along with it. Also - Canadian, Non-Binary music artist Burry talks about their latest track '3 Birthdays' and coming out earlier this year.

Featuring LGBTQ music artist based in Boston, MA - Yavin who just released his latest track 'Hot'. The song focuses on liking someone 'way out of your league' and feeling self conscious. Yavin discusses the new song and lots more! Also - Sam talks about some of the latest LGBTQ news including the marking of 'Trans Day of Remembrance' on November 20th and a set back in the fight to ban so called conversion therapy.

We look back at the 2020 Presidential Election in the United States and the unprecedented fall out. We celebrate the Biden/Harris victory along with the 'rainbow wave' which saw many LGBTQ people elected to public office. We also consider what it may mean for LGBTQ rights. Sam is joined by a black voter Andrea Marius from New York who voted for Biden - Andrea shares her perspective on what's next for the United States and the role of black voters in the election process, especially gains in Georgia.

Featuring... LGBTQ music artist Clinton John talks about his new song 'Fresh' and shares his thoughts on the U.S. Election. And Sam is also joined by certified Life Mastery Consultant, author and motivational speaker Dr Laura Cole to discuss her work including creating safe spaces for LGBTQ people.

Featuring... LGBTQ music artist Anthony Hale talking about his music, authenticity and the upcoming U.S. Presidential election and how the political landscape has changed in recent years. Author Mike Curato discusses his new graphic novel 'Flamer' which is set in 1995 and focuses on character Aiden Navarro and explores the struggles of bullying and the dark path it can lead to. 'Flamer' has received excellent reviews, including one reviewer who said the book would 'save lives'.

David Auten and John Schneider talk about finances and getting debt free. Known as ‘The Debt Free Guys’, husbands David and John have 35 years combined experience and host the ‘Queer Money’ podcast. They’ve developed various debt help tools including a programme which has helped people pay off mounting credit card debts. David and John also chat to Sam about LGBTQ specific financial struggles. Also – One week out from the U.S. Presidential Election Sam shares his thoughts and predictions from a U.K. perspective.

Kayla Kaszyca & Sarah Costello - Hosts of the 'Sounds Fake But Okay' podcast 'a podcast where an aromantic asexual girl and a demisexual-straight girl talk about all things to do with love, relationships, sexuality, and pretty much anything else that they just don't understand'. With October 25th marking the start of 'Asexual Awareness Week' Sarah and Kayla join Sam to talk about underrepresentation of asexuality within the LGBTQ community, educating others about it, common misconceptions and lots more.

Featuring... ​ Brandyn Killz - LGBTQ music artist who describes his music as 'dance music for the new romantics'. Brandyn sees music as a multitude of different things from an escape, to joy, therapy, passion and purpose. Brandyn chats to Sam about his music, growing up, election 2020 and the BLM movement. David Ledain - British author talks about his latest book 'Having Gay Sex: A Guide To Male Homosexual Sex'. Part of the books synopsis explains an often asked question by some gay and bi men - "how do I have sex with a man?", the book explores the mystery around these questions in the hope of allowing more men to live as their true selves. David's previous books include 'This Forbidden Fruit: Male Homosexuality: A Culture & History Guide' and 'Gay Dad: Ten True Stories of Divorced Gay Men With Kids, Living in the U.K. Today'. David also contributed to the 'Rainbow Dads' podcast.

Featuring... ​ Gia Woods - LGBTQ Persian music artist Gia Woods just dropped her brand new album 'Cut Season'. An album which at its core is grounded in personal, raw experience. Gia talks about her music, coming out to the world with her first release in 2015, the impact of the pandemic and her Persian background. Tom Hendry - British actor and LGBTQ ally talks about the production of 'The Starving Swans', a feature film currently being developed by 'Baby Dog Films' in the United Kingdom. The film focusses on two gay soldiers returning from the battlegrounds of World War I. Sam chats to Tom about the erasure of LGBTQ people from history and how that can be addressed and Tom shares stories of homophobia in the heterosexual community.

Featuring... ​ David Lester - Money strategist with over two decades of experience. We chat to David about struggling with finances due to the coronavirus pandemic and the impact on vital LGBTQ community services. David has written two books 'I Heart Money' and 'From Middle Class To Millionaire' and is a contributor on CNBC, HuffPost and more. Tommy Atkins - LGBTQ country music artist Tommy joins us for a second time to talk about his newest release 'Kiss Me Cowboy'. Despite lockdown Tommy was determined to carry on releasing new material but yearns to get out performing again! Tommy talks about what he's been up to over the past few months and making explicitly gay country music.

Featuring... ​ Amazin LeThi - Asian Bodybuilder, LGBTQ advocate and fitness author Amazin joins Sam to talk about her career, the discrimination she has faced both in the sporting world and growing up, representation and equality in sports and much more. In 2018 Amazin became the first LGBTQ Asian athlete to appear in Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign and in 2019 was featured in the Australian Pride Power List. Amazin is nothing short of an inspiration within the LGBTQ community and beyond and has long advocated for the rights of minority communities around the World. 

Featuring... ​ Rodney Wilson - Gay history teacher who came out to his students in 1994 and founded October's LGBTQ History Month in the U.S. talks about what it was like to come out at a time when gay people had barely any rights, and the backlash he received as a result. Rodney was teaching in Missouri at the time and is the subject of a documentary short 'Taboo Teaching: A Profile of Missouri Teacher Rodney Wilson' (available on YouTube). 

Featuring... ​ Bri Castellini - Award winning bisexual/Ace filmmaker based in New York. Bri worked on the web series 'Sam and Pat Are Depressed' and produced a short film 'Ace and Anxious', just some of her many credits. Bri is also a podcast and is co-host of the 'Burn, Noticed' podcast alongside her co-host Christine. Christine Cherry - Trans, lesbian writer, actor and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. Christine's credits include co-hosting 'Burned, Notice', 'Bri and Chris Are Depressed' and has appeared on a number of other podcasts as a guest. Bri and Christine chat to Sam about their projects, how they identify, how to improve how society is represented on screen and if the capitalist system needs to finally change for the good of society. 

Featuring... ​ Britt East - Gay author chats about his new book 'A Gay Man's Guide To Life' which Britt says is a book he wishes he had been able to read growing up gay. The book focuses on personal growth and development, acting as a manual which combines memoir with practical and pragmatic advice to challenge and inspire gay and bisexual men. Britt is an inspirational writer and public speaker based in Seattle, United States.

It's the 100th episode of Being LGBTQ! Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil - The first gay member of a Royal Family to come out publicly. Prince Manvendra came out in 2006 and has since become an advocate for LGBTQ people. Manvendra talks about his coming out, changes to the law in India, conversion therapy and supporting LGBTQ youth worldwide. Daniel Molyneaux - U.K. based LGBTQ music artist, Daniel recently released his second album 'Free', his first as an openly gay man. 'Free' traces Daniel's coming out journey and what it has been like since. Daniel also speaks to Sam about improving representation of LGBTQ people on British television and the importance of normalising LGBTQ people. 

Featuring... ​ Sarah Kellysen - Queer music artist from Calgary in Canada, Kellysen who was once part of a long running web series has just released her latest album 'Rainbow Rhythm'. Sarah talks about the album, wanting to raise people's spirits after what has been a difficult year so far and educating others in the community about trans identities. T.F. Wright - Creator of the new Queer witch digital novel 'Wicked Willow', T.F. tells us about storytelling, the inclusion of LGBTQ characters, the uniqueness of digital novel storytelling and their time campaigning for LGBTQ rights which included calling for the overturning of proposition 8 and working on Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.

Featuring... ​ Natasha Hawthornwaite - Lesbian filmmaker from Wigan in the United Kingdom at Northern Heart Films. Natasha talks about coming out in her mid-20's and her journey discovering her identity, including her school life and the impact on her relationships, she hopes that her story will inspire others. Northern Heart are currently working on a number of LGBTQ projects including the story of an Egyptian man who has fled persecution due to his sexuality and sought refuge in Spain. 

Featuring... ​ Angela Chen - Asexual author and journalist talks about her new book 'Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society and the Meaning of Sex' which has been described as an engaging exploration of what it means to be asexual in a world that's obsessed with sexual attraction, and what an ace perspective can teach all of us about desire and identity. Sam chats to Angela about the many myths surrounding what it means to be asexual including Angela's personal journey of discovery.

Featuring... ​ Michael Kaye - Michael helms global communications and public relations for dating platform 'Ok Cupid'. The app has become increasingly popular among the LGBTQ community in recent years. Michael shares his top tips on setting up the perfect dating profile, how the pandemic has changed the way people date and if this could be a 'new normal' in a post-COVID world and how the app is galvanising more support for 'Black Lives Matter', including donating to black civil rights organisations. 

Featuring... ​ Michelle Partington - Founder of Mentis Training and Consultancy which offers mental health training, workshops, coaching and more with the aim of promoting mental fitness and resilience. Michelle served 23 years in the Royal Air Force as a medic and retired after being diagnosed with PTSD after witnessing traumatic scenes while deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Michelle chats to Sam about her mental health journey, the changing attitude of the armed forces towards LGBTQ service people and founding Mentis.

Featuring... ​ Nena Erb - Emmy's 2020 nominated editor. Nena has been working on HBO's comedy drama series 'Insecure' since the shows third season and has been nominated in the editing category at this year Emmy's. Nena has edited a range of TV shows over the course of her 18 year career from drama to documentary and reality TV. She says her goal is to 'advance the stories of others' and for an episode of Apple TV's docu-series 'Little America' she edited an episode which focussed on a gay man fleeing persecution in Sudan. Nena immigrated to the United States from Taipei, Taiwan in the 70's.

Featuring... ​ Bryce Quartz - LGBTQ rapper based in Greensboro, North Carolina talks about his music which up until now has been mostly controversial delving into politics with 'Make America Gay Again' and taking aim at a homophobic religious University. Sam speaks to Bryce about what's coming next, the challenge of homophobia in the United States, his new track 'Game Over!' and more. Also - news about a mural dedicated to George Michael which is due to be unveiled in London next month and we say a big happy Birthday to UK Black Pride on the organisations 15th birthday. 

Featuring... ​ Neil Blackmore - Author of the new book 'The Intoxicating Mr Lavelle' (released in physical form August 13th 2020. Blackmore has created an intriguing character, a fictional story which accurately portrays the attitudes towards gay men in Europe in the 19th century. The book follows brothers Benjamin and Edgar Bowen as they embark on a tour of Europe. Things take a turn when they encounter Horace Lavelle, a fabulous LGBT character who gives Benjamin quite the education, a character you will come to love and hate. Neil chats to Sam about the book and gives us an insight in the mind of Mr Lavelle.

Featuring... ​ Jonathan Welford - One half of the 'Antique Dust' podcast joins Sam to talk about old TV shows and how the face of TV has changed over the years. Debates around offensive representations of LGBTQ people and the BAME communities have gained traction lately, with many calling for harmful and offensive representations to be censored from TV. Should past shows be censored or kept as a reminder of the difficulties of the past? Also - Sam reflects on recent events in Poland, which have resulted in LGBTQ activists being arrested for protesting anti-LGBTQ sentiment and the homophobic administration of newly elected President Duda.

Featuring... ​ Isabel Muller - Queer entrepreneur and founder of Swtch, the first-ever Womxn's Athletic tear-away underwear, which aims to be inclusive of LGBTQ women. Isabel speaks to Sam about the product, the need for more inclusive underwear and other clothing, representation in product advertising and the impact of eating disorders and body dysmorphia on society and the disproportionate number of LGBTQ people who are living with such conditions. 

Featuring... ​ Fab The Duo - LGBTQ band and real life gay couple made up of Greg Driscoll and Brendan Eprile who want to help people embrace their personalities and true identities. Their song 'Our Love Is Resistance' was filmed at Stonewall and they want 'Fab' not just to be about music, but about creating a movement. Brendan and Greg join Sam to talk about their music, how they met, racism on dating apps and more! 

Featuring... ​ Ori - Up and coming LGBTQ music artist originally from New England, now living in Nashville, USA. Ori launched his solo career in 2019 with his heartfelt track 'Fire In The Water', he wants to use his platform to spread love and equality and sees that as his responsibility as an openly gay artist. Ori chats to Sam about his coming out experience, keeping mentally well and more!

Featuring... ​ Mike Power - Program Director and LGBTQ Affirming Counsellor at 'The Cabin Group' a leading behavioural health and addiction treatment centre in Thailand which offers the first LGBTQ specialist addiction treatment outside the United States. Mike discusses what 'The Cabin' does, his passion for helping those who are struggling and the need for more services tailored specifically to LGBTQ people. ​ Mark Hamillton - Bisexual music artist based in London, Ontario, Canada who's debut 'Haters' in 2010 racked up hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. Mark talks about now being the right time to release new music, the path to living a healthier life, his approach to facing down the bullies, being bisexual and more.

Featuring... ​ Liam T Papworth - The first openly transgender recruit to enlist in the U.S. military in 2018, Liam was discharged due to an injury and was then impacted by the trans military ban. Liam talks about his transition journey, and says he has faced discrimination from a hospital in Chicago when trying to arrange his phalloplasty treatment. ​ Sev7en Taylor - Black LGBTQ music artists joins us for the 2nd time to talk about his latest projects, calls for a reboot of gay TV show Noah Arc, the 'Black Lives Matter' movement and more.

Featuring... ​ Frederick Keeve - Director and star of LGBTQ feature film 'The Accompanist' which is a gay love story with supernatural elements exploring the healing power of music, gay love, grief, domestic violence and other themes. The film is available to stream now on Amazon and other streaming services and has received high critical acclaim. Frederick is also an accomplished pianist and has over 90 other acting credits. Sam chats to Frederick about the films themes and the sequel 'The Accompanist Awakening' which he hopes to release in 2021. 

Featuring... ​ Teraj Allen - Miami-born singer songwriter, model, social media influencer, LGBTQ+ advocate and host of Amazon Alexa's 'Gay Travel Today'. Sam speaks to Teraj about a range of issues including the future of LGBTQ travel in the world after COVID19 lockdown, the unique 2020 Pride season with events moving online, his music career and much more.

Featuring... ​ Steven Smith - Columnist for 'Out News Global' where he writes about his experiences as a single, middle aged gay man living in the U.K. Steven also interviews celebrities including his friend Denise Welsh and Matt Evers from 'Dancing On Ice'. Sam Wise chats to Steven about body image, mental health in the LGBTQ community, dating apps and much more.

Featuring... Skylar Cote - Transgender teenager living on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada. At 13, Skylar was featured in the documentary 'I Am Skylar' which looked at her coming out and the start of her transition journey. Skylar is a trans activist and has aspirations of being an actor in the future. Rachel Bower - Documentary filmmaker behind 'I Am Skylar'. Rachel talks about the project, how it came about, how inspiring Skylar's story is for other transgender youth, and her hopes for the documentary to educate others.

Featuring... ​ Reviewing and discussing the Apple TV+ series 'Visible: Out on Television' which explores the history of LGBTQ representation on TV. Ryan White - Director of the series which features well known LGBTQ faces including Wilson Cruz, Wanda Sykes and Anderson Cooper. Ryan's other directing and producing credits include the hit Netflix series 'The Keepers', HBO movie 'The Case Against 8' and the EPIX documentary 'Serena' which followed tennis star Serena Williams. Blake Neely - Composer of the documentary soundtrack, the soundtrack is out now and Blake will be donating all proceeds to the non-profit 'It Gets Better Project', an LGBTQ anti-bullying charity. Blake's past credits include composing for TV series' including 'Riverdale', 'You' and 'Arrow'.

Featuring... Dale Geist - Publisher of 'Country Queer' an online magazine and website dedicated to amplifying the voices of LGBTQ country music artists around the world. 'Country Queer' also promotes the visibility of LGBTQ fans of country and want the genre to be more accepting of the community.

Featuring... Dan Glass - Prominent U.K. LGBTQ activist and author of the new book 'United Queerdom', an in depth look at LGBTQ history starting with the Gay Liberation Front, formed in 1970, a campaign which changed the face of Britain and was inspired by the Stonewall uprising in the United States. Dan chats with Sam about the book, how far we've come, what still needs to be done and discuss whether Pride has lost its roots.

Featuring.. Nick Stonestreet - LGBTQ music artist from Georgia talks about his latest track 'Hate to Love', the issues faced by the LGBTQ community and wanting to normalise gay culture. ​ Kieron Moore - Producer of the new LGBTQ anthology film 'Spectrum' which follows the lives of an array of people on a night out in Manchester's Gay Village. The village is one of the most iconic gay scenes in the U.K. if not the world and forms a central part of the community.

Featuring... Leona Storey - Bisexual author from the U.K. talks about her new book 'Pride' which is about a lesbian who comes out to her friends and family, attends a Pride event, but becomes a survivor of a hate fuelled terror attack and must navigate her coming out experience as well as PTSD as a result.

Featuring.. Daniel Jacob - Also known as Vinegar Strokes from Drag Race U.K. talks about being black and gay and the experience of black people in the UK and worldwide. Daniel recently launched a campaign 'It Could Be' in the wake of anti-racism protests which have taken place around the world since the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in the United States.

Featuring.. Gretchen Wylder - Creator of the LGBTQ web series 'These Thems'. The series has had rave reviews and has received a number of awards at recent LGBTQ film festivals. 'These Thems' tells the story of four friends and aims to combine comedy with education. The series is authentically cast with LGBTQ talent and representation featuring a diverse range of identities. The series has been compared to Netflix show 'Sex Education'.

Featuring.. James Mayhew - Gay writer and illustrator talks about his work which dates back to the late 1980's. James has a body of work which includes illustrating 'Gaspard The Fox' and writing and illustrating 'Katie'. James speaks with Sam about the need for more LGBTQ representation in children's books, working with the BBC and more!

Featuring.. Alex Sanchez - Writer of the new DC Comics graphic novel 'You Brought Me The Ocean' talks about the new novel which is a gay love story as well as a superhero story. The novel is a new take on the 'Aqualad' origin story. It's out on June 9th. Sam also chats with Alex about his 2001 book 'Rainbow Boys' and the changes that have occurred since.

Featuring... Michael Langan - Gay writer originally from the U.K. now living in Lisbon with his partner chats to us about representation of LGBTQ themes in literature. Michael is part of a scheme by TLC (The Literary Council) which offers free reading and feedback of works by LGBTQ authors during Pride month, an initiative which is back for Pride Month 2020. LGBTQ works are selected and reviewed by established LGBTQ writers like Michael.

Featuring.. Tommy Atkins - U.K. country music singer from North East, England. Tommy is an openly gay artist and recently released a cover of 'Freedom' originally by Wham! putting his own unique spin on a classic. ​ Tommy has had success in charts around the World including the iTunes Country music chart and the LGBTQ music chart. In this interview he talks about his upcoming debut album, visiting Nashville and his goal to be a proud representative of the community.

Featuring.. Kadie Satterfield - Host of the 'Queer Minds' podcast, a brand new LGBTQ podcast talks about the project and being a transgender woman. Kadie recently came out as trans after living as cisgender and straight for much of her life and later came out as gay. She talks about her journey and how she got to this stage in her life including her changed relationship with religion.

Featuring... Branden James - Former America's Got Talent contestant who inspired audiences back in 2013 chats to us about life after the show and what he's been up to since. Branden is an opera tenner with an incredible voice and a story to tell. His autobiography 'Lyrics of my Life' is out in Summer 2020 in which he describes growing up gay in a heavily religious household, being diagnosed with HIV and his singing career. Following AGT he teamed up with his husband James to form the duo 'Branden & James' and have gone on to tour the world together.

Featuring.. Kirsty Baird - Lesbian singer from the Scottish band 'Hanley and the Baird' talks about the bands new single 'Follow the Rainbow', a charity single released to raise money for a Scottish mental health charity - SAMH. The song is about the current lockdown due to COVID19. ​ April Jackson-Hunter - Public speaker and domestic violence survivor discusses what it's like to be in an abusive relationship, the barriers LGBTQ survivors face to access support and starting 'Mercedes Closet' an online support resource for LGBTQ victims and survivors.

Featuring... Veronika Electronika - Drag artist based in Nashville discusses a variety of issues including how drag has evolved since Drag Race became main stream, PrEP and HIV stigma, as well as the current COVID19 pandemic. ​ Jeremy Leroux - Canadian filmmaker talks about his LGBTQ short film 'Dominant Chord' which is due for release on digital streaming platforms from May 20th 2020.

Featuring.. Tea Uglow - Author of the new book 'Loud and Proud' which is out on May 5th 2020 and contains 'LGBTQ+ Speeches that Empower and Inspire' with a foreword by veteran human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell. Leader of Google's Creative Lab in Sydney, Australia since 2012 Tea has worked at the organisations since 2012. Tea came out as transgender in 2015 and helmed a campaign to get a transgender flag emoji added to all platforms. Also - Sam reviews the new Ryan Murphy Netflix series 'Hollywood'.

Featuring... Fernando Marron - On a very different episode of Being LGBTQ gay psychic, medium and spiritual teacher Ferny joins Sam to talk about what it means to be a psychic medium. Ferny explains when he found out he had such abilities, his belief that everyone has such abilities and Ferny does a reading on Sam. Open your mind and see if you believe.

Featuring.. Matt Young - Australian actor and gay Dad who's son Graham appeared in the Netflix documentary 'Gayby Baby' which was about the kids of LGBTQ parents in Australia. As of April 2018 same sex adoption was legal across Australia but LGBTQ parents and their children still face hurdles and discrimination. The creators of 'Gayby Baby' now provide educational resources to schools to help with LGBTQ inclusion.

Featuring.. Scott Turner Schofield - Transgender actor who has been out publicly since 2001. Scott was the first transgender actor to land a role in a daytime U.S. TV show 'The Bold and the Beautiful'. Since then Scott has been a vocal LGBTQ advocate and has changed perceptions of transgender people with his one man show 'Becoming a Man in 127 Easy Steps'. His latest role is in 'Studio City' an Amazon Prime TV series which features a transgender storyline.

Lucy Clark - Football's first openly transgender referee talks about her experience of coming out and continuing to referee games. Lucy came out ahead of the 2018-19 season with support from family, friends, players and fans and says the reaction to her coming out has been mostly positive. Lucy also runs a U.K. based trans radio station 'Trans Radio U.K.'

Featuring.. Rachael Webster - A gay music artist from South Yorkshire, U.K talks about her music, growing up LGBTQ and adapting to virtual Pride performing. ​ Natasha Walker - Co-Chair of Switchboard LGBT, a U.K. helpline for LGBTQ people which has been running since the 1970's. Switchboard has seen an increase in calls since the COVID19 pandemic took hold. ​ Sean Kanan - U.S. actor and LGBTQ ally talks about his new Amazon Prime series 'Studio City' which features an LGBTQ storyline and a cast including openly transgender actor Scott Turner Schofield. ​ ​

Joseph Amenta - Documentary film-maker based in Toronto, Canada. Joseph is currently casting for his first LGBTQ feature film 'Tribe' which follows the story of three LGBTQ youth navigating life and the struggles they face. Actual youth from the community, rather than trained actors are being scouted for the project which has ran into delays due to the COID19 outbreak. Joseph talks about 'Tribe', his past work and where we are at in terms of representation in film and how LGBTQ lives are presented on screen.

Featuring.. Rosie O'Donnell - American television personality, author, comedian, producer and actress who CNN once called President Donald Trump's arch nemesis. Rosie has a career spanning decades and has been a key voice speaking out against Trump and other political figures. Rosie had a highly popular TV show 'The Rosie O'Donnell Show' which won several Daytime Emmy Awards between 1996 and 2002. Rosie advocates for LGBTQ rights and fought for the right of same sex couples to adopt and foster. Sam Wise interviews Rosie about her feud with Trump, the current situation regarding COVID19 in the U.S. and looking ahead to November's Presidential election.

Cheryl Allison - Lesbian actress, director and documentary film-maker who's latest documentary 'Shatter The Silence' explores the rise of the 'Me Too' movement with a focus on her home state of Texas. The film was recently shown at the Texas Thin Line Fest which moved online due to the coronavirus pandemic. 'Hiding In Daylight' is her directorial debut, a chilling short film set in the future, in which being LGBTQ is outlawed in the United States.

Cameron Kroetsch - On the board of Hamilton Pride in Ontario, Canada Cameron gives an update on the 2020 event in light of COVID19 and discusses the disruption by white supremacists at the 2019 event and criticisms of the police force as a result. ​ Rebecca Moran - Detective Constable and the new LGBTQ Liaison for Hamilton Police talks about her new role and what the force can do to heal relations between LGBTQ people and the police.

Heidi is running for the Democratic nomination to run for Congress to represent Oregon District-1. If successful Heidi would be the first openly LGBTQ person to represent the district in Washington. We chat to Heidi about why she decided to run, being part of the 'Yang Gang' and the importance of having LGBTQ running for and being in public office.

Featuring... John Volturo - Los Angeles based LGBTQ executive, business and leadership coach talks about navigating times of crisis including what you can do to ease your anxiety. John has worked in companies both big and small for over 20 years and reveals why there is a pay gap between LGBTQ and straight workers. ​ Jenny & Liz (Taunton Pride) - As Pride festivals announce cancellations and postponements due to the Coronavirus Jenny and Liz explain why they are hopeful Taunton's first Pride might still be able to go ahead in July.

Featuring... Geoff Coleman - CEO of Mildmay Hospital in East London which specialises in HIV/AIDS care and was made famous by Princess Diana in the 1980's. The hospital is facing closure and a petition has been launched calling on the government to save it. ​ Drew Dalton - Founder of 'Report OUT' a charitable organisation which takes reports and raises awareness of the persecution of LGBTQ people around the World. This year the organisation will be visiting to Uganda to get a comprehensive understanding of what it's like to be LGBTQ in the country and the problems faced.

For episode 52 we are joined by Bisexual author Chris Bedell, who's new novel 'Ill See You Again' features two bisexual characters. We chat about the new book and the representation of bisexual people inside and outside of the LGBTQ community. Also - Jason Kattenhorn from 'Sassify Zine' a not-for-profit LGBTQ magazine chats about the project, coming out as pansexual and LGBTQ rights around the World.

Featuring.. Pritpal Bhullar - bisexual Sikh living in the U.K. who came out as bisexual after many years of being in an opposite sex marriage and fathering children. He's recently been talking about his experiences as part of the 'Rainbow Dads' Podcast and goes into schools to talk about sexuality and gender identity in the hopes of teaching acceptance of diersity to future generations. ​ AJ Thompson - nonbiary writer who is currently working on a new video game which includes a nonbinary protagonist. AJ is trying to crowd fund to get the project off the ground and believes better representation of nonbinary people is vital.

Episode 50 features an interview with Mariah Hanson the creator of 'The Dinah Shore Weekend', an annual festival held in Palm Springs. The event was started over 30 years ago and brings lesbians from around the world together for a long weekend of music and more. It's thought over 10,000 people from across the globe attend every year. More info - http://www.thedinah.com

Featuring an interview with Australian LGBTQ music artist Peter Wilson who talks about advances in rights in Australia and what it was like as a gay man in the music industry in the 90's. Also - Erin Cobby and Hannah Robathan from Shado Mag join Sam to chat about a recent exhibition they put on over a 2 week period in London to raise funds for a group which helps LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers in the UK.

A special episode about the UK's first and only openly gay male professional footballer Justin Fashanu as he is inducted into the National Football Museum's 'Hall of Fame'. Guests include Di Cunningham from 'Proud Canaries', Tim Desmond from the National Football Museum and Ian Pearson from 'United with Pride'.

An episode exploring some LGBT history - including Emma Coulter who recently Directed the play 'Bent', originally written by Martin Sherman in 1979, which explores the treatment of gay men during the holocaust. Australian composer Jye Bryant talks about his upcoming musical about gay Bushranger Andrew George Scott (Aka - Captain Moonlight) who died 140 years ago and had quite a fascinating life! Also - Sam reflects on recent discussion around social media abuse and statistics which show many LGBTQ people feel forced off platforms due to their sexuality or gender identity.

Being LGBTQ has finally arrived in 2020 and it's UK LGBT History Month. Amanita Nomi who is originally from Germany and is a councillor helping those who identify as transgender joins us to talk about trans rights and her transgender partner. Also - Anthony Paradiso from 'All Thingz AP' talks about being your authentic self and what employers can do to make the workplace more diverse and inclusive.

It’s Christmas 2019 on Being LGBTQ! Vinegar Strokes from Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK chats about her time on the show and life after Drag Race including performing in ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ in London. Our relationship and life advice guru the Gay Agony Uncle visits our Grotto to talk about Christmas excess, how much is too much and whether to avoid political discussions during festive family gatherings. Also – Sam weights in on the debate about whether Die Hard is really a Christmas movie!

Featuring Dr Jonathan Mathias Lassiter (PhD) talking about mental health in the black LGBTQ community and Pete Buttigieg's record on race, as well as if Pete's sexuality as an openly gay man in a same sex marriage could impact on his chances. Also - Sam reflects on the U.K. general election and what it could mean for the LGBTQ community.

In the final few days of the U.K. General Election campaign we speak to Lewis Addlington-Lee from LGBTQ+ Labour who has a message for LGBTQ voters on why he believes they should give their vote to Jeremy Corbyn's Labour party. Also - Sam looks back on the last decade of LGBTQ activism.

Benali Hamdache Co-Chair of the LGBTIQA Greens talks about why he believes LGBTQ people should vote for The Green Party at the upcoming general election in the U.K. Adrianus Van Spreeuwel joins us to discuss the new LGBTQ gambling website ‘Bet 4 Pride’ which will donate part of its profits to LGBTQ charities. Adrianus also addresses concerns over gambling addiction. Also – Sam shares his general election predictions and announces the guests for our special Christmas 2019 episode!

This week Sam is joined by Ejel Khan who founded the Muslim LGBT+ network in the UK. Topics include - immigration in the UK, anti-immigrant sentiment since the vote to leave the EU, worries over the rise in hate crime, LGBTQ education protests, Muslim Pride and lots more! Visit the Muslim LGBT+ network online - https://muslimlgbtnetwork.wordpress.com/

On the run up to the UK General Election in December we are interviewing each of the main political parties on where they stand on LGBTQ rights. This week we speak to Christine Jardine, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for women and equalities. David Ledain, author of the book 'Gay Dads' tells us about a new podcast series he's involved with called 'Rainbow Dads', which features stories of gay and bisexual men who have been married to women and then came out to live as their true selves. Also - Sam tells the story of the gay Penguin parents!

Josh Owens who is running to be the Democratic nominee for Governor of Indiana talks about being openly gay in politics and why he wants to be the first openly gay Governor of the state. LGBTQ music artist Sadeeq Ali talks about moving to LA and trying to make it as an openly gay black rapper in the industry and the challenges he's faced. Also - We play the brand new track from Sonia 'A Night That's Never Ending'.

Raymond Bryan from the 'Nature Network', an organisation in Kenya which supports LGBTQ people facing persecution, joins us to discuss the work he's been doing in the country to support the community. 'Onikage' from the Au-tish podcast which explores Autism and the LGBTQ community chats about recently coming out as Bisexual. John Sovec, a life coach and therapist from Los Angeles, California talks about his expertise supporting LGBTQ youth and their families during the coming out process on the 30th annual 'Coming Out Day'. Also - Sam shares details on a new LGBTQ breakfast cereal raising money for GLAAD!

Akiva Hersh talks about his new novel 'Boy In The Hole' which is the story of Jacob a young gay teen growing up in 1970's America who faces persecution and abuse for his sexuality. The novel has been released to coincide with the 30th Annual Coming Out Day on October 11th. John from Parralox an Australian band is our LGBTQ Music artist of the week. John talks about the bands 11 year history, and the incorporation of a Panda in their latest music video! Also - Sam reviews the Judy Garland biopic 'Judy'. Akiva Hersh online - https://akivahersh.com/ Parralox website - https://www.parralox.com/

This week we hear the story of Mujja, a gay man living in Sudan where being gay is illegal and punishable by death in some cases. Amir and Aamir a South Asian couple living in the U.K. talk about their podcast 'You Don't Love Me' and empowering LGBTQ youth to be who they are. Haywoode, who had hits in the 1980's, including a U.K. top 20 with 'Roses' is our artist of the week and chats about her career and the changes she has seen having performed in LGBTQ spaces for a number of decades. Also - Sam reviews Sunderland Pride 2019.

Manu Intiraymi who played Icheb on Star Trek Voyager talks about his time on the show and why it took so long for Star Trek to get meaningful LGBTQ representation due to how progressive the shows themes have been over the decades. Our LGBTQ Music Artist of the Week James Leon chats about his latest song 'I Thought You Were My Friend'. And - Sam reflects on former Welsh Rugby Captain Gareth Thomas who recently revealed he is HIV+ and wants to fight to end the stigma.

This week our LGBTQ music artist of the week is T Thomason from Nova Scotia in Canada who recently won an episode of reality TV show 'The Launch' with his track 'Hope'. Also - We chat to the founders of the first dating AND social media app Taimi, about the platform, why its different from similar apps and its enhanced safety features to protect users from abuse. Find out more about T: http://www.t-thomason.com/ Check out the Taimi app: https://taimi.com/

LGBTQ music artist 'Lostchild' talks about his music journey so far, his catchy new song 'Like, Like' and the deep meanings behind his music. Stephen Ireland from 'Pride In Surrey' discusses the first ever Surrey Pride event and the controversy surrounding the decision to allow arms company BAE Systems, which sells weapons to anti-gay countries be the main sponsor of the event. 'Lostchild - Like, Like' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYDeuoo59bs&list=RDjYDeuoo59bs&start_radio=1 'Pride In Surrey' - http://prideinsurrey.org/

For this special episode Sam is joined by veteran LGBTQ human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who has been an activist since 1969. We discuss Peter's five decades of campaigning, global LGBTQ rights, whether Pride events have become too commercialised, the lack of openly gay footballers and much more! Donate to the Peter Tatchell Foundation: https://www.petertatchellfoundation.org/ Follow Peter on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeterTatchell

This week it's all about LGBTQ inclusive education teaching tolerance to young people in school. Andrew Moffat, the man behind 'No Outsiders' a programme which teaches about equality and tolerance of different families and relationships joins us. Andrew is the Assistant Head Teacher at Parkfield School in Birmingham, UK which has experienced anti-LGBTQ demonstrations outside the school gates against the education. We also replay our interview with Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson, Head Teacher at Anderton Park Primary School which has also experienced protests because of equality lessons and had to get a High Court injunction to stop the protests happening directly outside the school. Also - Sam talks about a U.S. state which has made LGBTQ+ history lessons mandatory and the Wizard of Oz 80th anniversary - Sam has a few words for the Scarecrow!

For episode 30 Fred Rosser, former WWE Superstar who went by the name Darren Young talks about being the first wrestler to come out as gay while signed to a major wrestling brand. Fred also reveals what the reaction of his fellow wrestlers was including WWE CEO Vince McMahon and gives his opinion on WWE holding major events in Saudi Arabia considering the countries record on human rights. Naomi Bennett from 'LesFlicks' chats about lesbian representation in film and running film clubs across the UK specifically for lesbian women. Also - Sam talks about Police dancing at Pride and Furry fandom.

On another packed episode LGBTQ artist Adam Lyons talks about his new album 'Sweet Chilli', his career so far and performing at Pride In Liverpool. Peter Lewis, a gay British national living in Hong Kong chats about the lack of protections for LGBTQ people in the country and the ongoing protests against the current administration. Social media influencer Brandon Boyd comments on reality TV show 'Love Island' and if the show needs to add LGBTQ representation and a range of body types. Also - Sam reveals the expansion of Being LGBTQ to include a news website.

LGBTQ music artist of the week Ben Davidson joins us to talk about his latest single 'Anything'. Ben was part of the boy band 'Most Wanted' in the 1990's and toured with S Club 7 at one point. Drag queen wrestler Rick Cataldo (Aka: The Boy Diva) chats about his LGBTQ wrestling brand 'A Matter Of Pride' and inclusion in professional wrestling. Jennifer Cerys from Lemon House Theatre in South London tells us about her show 'Willow', being performed in September, the show follows a lesbian story of break up. Also - Sam talks about the heatwave, Boris Johnson and reveals which LGBTQ icon has been honoured at San Francisco Airport.

This week we chat to Christopher Sharp, Co-Founder of Racing Pride, a newly setup group aiming to encourage LGBTQ inclusion in motor sport. The group which is a collaboration with Stonewall has been endorsed by Formula 1 champion Damon Hill. Christopher talks about the history of LGBTQ motor racers and why so few have come out. And theatre Director Jamie Armitage joins us to talk about Southern Belles, the uniting of two one-act plays by Tennessee Williams, which is headlining the King's Head Theatre's 2019 Queer Season in London, running from 24 July to 24 August. Also - Sam pays tribute to Alan Turing and gives an update on anti-LGBTQ protests against LGBTQ inclusive education which have been taking place in the U.K.

Tom Evans from Non-Binary fashion brand 'Area Eighteen' joins us to talk about why he decided to set up the gender neutral label and what he hopes to achieve. In our monthly segment with the Gay Agony Uncle, we discuss Pride Month and if Pride has become too commercialised, following many retailers cashing in with Pride themed products from T-shirts and shoes to vodka bottles and sandwiches! Has it all gone too far or is the added visibility a good thing? Also - We play Davis Mallory's new singles 'Shirtless' and 'Grown Up' and Sam talks about Area 51 and the latest LGBTQ news! 'Area Eighteen' website: https://areaeighteen.co.uk/ Gay Agony Uncle Online: https://gayagonyuncle.com/ Davis Mallory: https://davismallory.com/

On episode 25 Canadian actor Joanne Vannicola joins us to talk about being LGBTQ in the film and television industry and the barriers that she has faced during her career. Jo was in the 2015 film Stonewall about the riots, we talk about the film and Jo's brand new memoir 'All We Knew But Couldn't Say'. Edafa Okporo, a Nigerian who sought asylum and now lives in the United States speaks about his experiences of being persecuted in his home country where you can face up to 14 years in prison for being in a same sex relationship. Edafa talks about his time in Nigeria and his work as an LGBTQ activist and author. Also - Louis Molnar talks about going to Pride in New York and meeting a very special guest at the Stonewall Inn! Get 'All We Knew But Couldn't Say' on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/y5ndo3lw Visit Edafa Okporo online: https://www.edafeokporo.com/

On the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, we look back to the early morning hours of June 28th 1969 and the implications the actions of LGBTQ people had, on the LGBTQ rights movement. Ankit Shukla a registered nurse who is also an author talks about his book which about the lives of LGBTQ people. Ankit has been a lifelong ally of the community and feels his time as a nurse has given him more empathy and compassion with those who have suffered discrimination. Also - Author of 'The Figment Realm' David Lord talks about teen suicide and its prevalence in the LGBTQ community, his coming out experience and how fantasy works can often act as escapism for those who are struggling.

The Directors of HIV/AIDs documentary 'After 82' Steve Keeble and Ben Lord join us to talk about the project which has been many years in the making, and features the untold stories of the AIDs pandemic in the United Kingdom. Steve and Ben recount some of the most hard hitting stories from the documentary. Also - 'The Gay Leadership Dude' Dr Steve Yacovelli talks about his new book 'Pride Leadership: Strategies for the LGBTQ+ Leader To Be The King Or Queen Of Their Jungle', which aims to empower LGBTQ people and details what LGBTQ individuals can perhaps offer to leadership roles that others can't. Watch 'After 82' - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/movie/after-82/id1465957585?mt=6&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 Visit Steve Yacovelli online - https://www.thegayleadershipdude.com

This week we chat to the patron of LGBT Labour and Member of European Parliament Seb Dance about the Brexit situation and what the European Union has done in terms of progressing rights for LGBTQ people. Sierra Amador, founder of #BaeWolvesFitness, chats about her fitness programme and her experience coming out as lesbian, which resulted in a bad reaction from her family. And! YouTubers Owen and Darren chat to Sam about their channel and being able to show affection to one another in public as a same sex couple. Also - Sam chats about World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) supporting Pride Month.

Australia's first openly gay male professional footballer Andy Brennan shares his story and why he decided to come out. Andy chats about trying to ignore his sexuality for so many years and then deciding that in order to live life to the full he had to come out to be happy. Our LGBTQ Music Artist of the Week is Sam Dickinson from Newcastle, UK. Sam talks about his music career, taking 5 years out, his new music and living with mental health. Sam decided to take a break after he experienced mental health difficulties as a result of all the pressure he was under. Also - Sam Wise explains why he's fired the countdown guy!

A special episode of Being LGBTQ to remember those who died in the early hours of June 12th at LGBTQ nightclub 'Pulse' in Orlando, Florida. 49 innocent people died when a gunman entered the club and opened fire with an automatic weapon, the deadliest attack on the LGBTQ community in U.S. history. Sam is joined by Pulse survivor and LGBTQ advocate Brandon Wolf, who sadly lost two of his closest friends in the attack. Brandon talks about the night itself, the continuing impact three years on and the projects he has been involved in since the tragic incident, including calling for better gun controls. Joey Lopez who was in the Orlando area at the time chats about his experience on the night, when he thought friends had been at Pulse, but was unable to get in touch with them to make sure they were okay. Music credits: 'Feel My Pulse' (Eli Lieb/ Brandon Skeie) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrIvIEa2K48 'Hope' (T. Thomason) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB2M78h-q2o

This week Sam is joined by Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson the head teacher of Anderton Park Primary School in Birmingham, U.K. which has been the scene of anti-LGBTQ protests against the schools teaching of LGBTQ relationships. The protests have been going on for over 2 months now and the school has now got an injunction to prevent protests directly outside the school gates. Sarah tells us about the emotional distress the protests have caused to staff, pupils and parents and what the next steps are. Our LGBTQ artist of the week is Kai Mata from Indonesia, we chat about what LGBTQ rights are like in the country and Kai's latest single 'So Hard'.

This week we celebrate icon and lifelong ally of the LGBTQ community - music artist Hazell Dean who is considered to be the 'Queen of Hi-NRG' and had a number of top 10 hits in the U.K. and internationally back in the 1980's. Her extensive catalogue of music includes iconic tracks such as 'Searchin', 'Love Pains', 'Turn It Into Love' and 'They Say It's Gonna Rain'. Hazell chats about her career and special relationship with the LGBTQ community. Louis Molnar joins us to talk about being the first out autistic LGBTQ person elected to public office globally, and discusses living with Autism, the Netflix series 'Atypical' and even Terminator! And - Sam reviews the Elton John biopic 'Rocketman' and looks ahead to celebrations for Pride Month 2019!

This week we chat to gay Primary School teacher Ian Eagleton from Essex (UK) about bullying in schools and the impact it can have in later life. Ian also discusses LGBTQ inclusive education, recent protests against it and his new iPad app 'The Reading Realm' which aims to get more children reading again. Will Lanting from Australia joins us to talk about his podcast series the GLLO Show on LGBT radio station Joy 94.9 which Will does in partnership with the Victoria Police. The show looks at the relationship between the police and the LGBTQ community, the history, how things have changed and what more needs to be done. Also - Sam discusses Harvey Milk, his own experiences with bullying in school and Pride Month.

On a packed episode of Being LGBTQ we chat to our LGBTQ music artist of the week Furillostar from Flint in Michigan about his music and the Flint water crisis, which still impacts local people to this day. Raymond Woolford author of 'The Last Queen of Scotland' joins us to talk about his book detailing the life of Kath Duncan in the early 1900's, Raymond believes Kath has been erased from history and is the greatest UK civil rights activist of the last 100 years. In light of protests against LGBTQ education panto dame Mama G stops by to chat about her story book roadshow! Mama G is visiting library's and theatres across Britain reading stories about inclusion and equality to children. Also - Sam reviews Detective Pikachu and discusses the latest LGBTQ news from the past week!

This week Sam is joined by Robert Greene from PinkNews to talk about eating disorders, with a lot of gay and bisexual men in particular being diagnosed with them. Robert himself was diagnosed at the age of 19 and is producing a documentary about it, looking at the misconceptions surrounding them and his personal experience. Our LGBTQ Music Artist of the Week is Kaius from Atlanta, Georgia, who joins us to discuss staying authentic in the music industry and finding your passion. Also - Sam talks about the new Royal Baby, How gun control IS an LGBTQ issue and much more!

This week Stan Lucas, Founder of the 'Trans Entertainment Network'(TEN) an Artist Management/Label dedicated solely to Trans Artists and Talent joins us. Stan along with Krystal Beverly, who is an artist with TEN tell us what they are all about, as well as the worrying trend of hate crime attacks on Trans women of colour. Also, Curtis Campion creator of 'New Found Courage', a video game whith an LGBTQ driven story line tells us about the work that has gone into the game and wider representation of LGBTQ characters in mainstream video games. And - Sam talks about the incredible surge in popularity of openly gay Mayor, Pete Buttigieg who is running for the Democratic nomination for President, news of London's first Trans Pride event and the UK retailer which has launched an LGBT sandwich!

This week we are joined by the Gay Agony Uncle for our monthly life and relationship advice segment. We chat to him about app addiction and when to realise if we are perhaps using our mobile devices and apps such as Grindr too much and what we can do if we feel like we need to change our behaviours. Also - Toni Priore joins is. When Tony was in her 40's, after having relationships with men and having children, she realised that she had feelings for a female co-worker. Toni explains how she always has been a lesbian but did not follow that true path until later in life. Also - Sam reviews a few recent releases on Netflix including the emotive drama 'Quicksand' and the utterly hilarious comedy 'Bonding'.

This week we are joined by Serita Blake, who is a black lesbian police officer from the UK, Serita talks about the lack of black lesbian representation in society and in the media. Author and Lawyer Josh Scheinert from Toronto, Canada joins us to talk about his book 'The Order of Nature', set in Gambia the novel follows an American and a Gambian, navigating an environment where their love is illegal, which is made even more topical by the fact that Brunei recently introduced new anti-LGBTQ laws. And finally we speak to David Ledain, author of 'Gay Dad' - Ten true stories of divorced gay men with kids, living in the UK today.

This week author and speaker Anthony Carter joins us to talk about mental health among gay black men, and the challenges they face in terms of homophobia and racism. Our LGBTQ Artist of the Week is Martel Star who joins Sam to chat about his latest projects, and the meanings behind his lyrics, including his latest EP Emerald City. Also - Sam opens up about his experiences with Twitter trolls and trying to hold elected officials to account with regards to homophobic protests against LGBTQ inclusive education.

On the 10th episode of Being LGBTQ we are joined by Author and Huff Post blogger Suzanne DeWitt Hall who has wrote a series of LGBTQ inclusive picture books 'Rumplepimple' about a naughty terrier with two Mom's. We chat about the book and talk about recent protests over LGBTQ inclusive education in the UK. Our LGBTQ music artist of the week is Sev7en Taylor, who joins us to talk about staying authentic in the music industry. Gage Oxley from Oxygen Films joins us to talk about LGBTQ film 'Wretched Things' which covers topics including mental health, body image and HIV stigma. Also - Sam talks about anti-LGBTQ laws which have come into force this week in Brunei, and chats about some recent film release he's been to see including 'Dumbo' and 'Us' directed by Jordan Peele. Resources related to this episode: Sev7en Taylor on iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/spaceships-single/1455868857 Suzanne DeWitt website - https://www.wheretrueloveis.com/ Oxygen Films - https://www.oxygenfilms.co.uk/ Brunei petition - https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/251142

This week, host Sam Wise addresses the continued protests over LGBTQ inclusive education in the U.K. and taking the decision to cancel a planned counter protest and the harassment faced by LGBTQ advocates online. Our LGBTQ music artist of the week is Cameron Hawthorn, who has released a music video 'Dancing in the Living Room' with an LGBTQ theme. We also speak with Pastor Bailey Brawner from the United Methodist Church about asexuality and how the church still has a long way to go in terms of equality. And Bryan Kvitek joins us to discuss his coming out journey and the challenges he faced growing up in a religious community. Plus: Sam talks about some worrying develops in Brunei for the LGBTQ community there, an award that Being LGBTQ has been nominated for and how Democratic 2020 Presidential hopeful, and openly gay Mayor, Pete Buttigieg has been making waves again continuing to call out Vice President Mike Pence's terrible record of LGBTQ rights.

On Being LGBTQ episode 8 we speak to Melissa Georges a transgender woman from Chicago Illinois who joins us the talk about her journey from first realising she was transgender at an early age. Elizabeth Graham from Aces NYC, a group based in New York City for those who identify as asexual gives us a master class in asexuality and talks about what the group has planned for World Pride in June. And - our LGBTQ Artist of the Week this week is John Flanagan, who talks about his latest projects and allergies to Dinosaurs and Popsicle's. Also: Sam gives an update on the debate around LGBTQ inclusive education in the UK.

This week we debate Pride festivals, how they’ve changed and if they’re overly sexualised with LGBTQ writer Ben Thompson, as the debate over what Pride means in the modern era continues. Also – we start our road to the 2020 US Presidential election coverage, we’re joined by Emma Ramos from Eudaimonia to discuss all the latest news, including who has decided to run for the Democratic nomination, including Mayor Pete Buttigieg the openly gay Mayor of South Bend, Indiana. Later on we are joined by the Gay Agony Uncle, our life and relationships guru and very own Mary Poppins to discuss body image and how we can be happier within ourselves. And Sam gives an update on protests against LGBTQ inclusive education outside a Birmingham (England) school and reveals the results of a poll which asked if Extra-terrestrials visited Earth and gave you the chance to relocate to a different planet, would you go?

This week on Being LGBTQ Sam talks about recent protests at Parkfield School, a local school in his area which has faced protests from parents, who are against LGBTQ inclusive education. Karen from Karen and the Sorrows is our LGBTQ music artist of the week and Rafaella Gunz from Gay Star News joins us to talk about STI stigma. Sam talks about launching SAFC LGBTQ, a supporters club for LGBTQ people and allies who support Sunderland Football Club in the United Kingdom. Sam talks about the number of LGBTQ supporters clubs now operating, why they are important, and then chats to former professional footballer for Sunderland AFC (and equality campaigner) Kieron Brady. We also have a review of 'Captain Marvel' and its message of female empowerment on International Women's Day!

On this weeks episode our LGBTQ Artist of the week is a 7 piece band mainly made up of transgender members - Sarah and the Safe Word! Sarah joins us to talk about the band, appearing on the last season of 'The Originals' and how they make sure their concerts are a safe space for LGBTQ people. Author N.S.S Jacobs joins us to talk about 'Ever I Saw Your Face', a book which originates in the afterlife and involves a love story between Harvey Milk and Alan Turing which involves a robot baby and World War 2 - it's an interview not to be missed! Darryl Telles Co-Founder of LGBTQ Football Supporters group 'The Proud Lillywhites', speaks to us about the lack of LGBTQ representation in the game and his book 'We're Here And We Are Meant To Be Here'. And Chris Tomson, who is a disabled gay man joins the podcast to break down some barriers about what it's like to be disabled in 2019! Also - Sam tries to speak Spanish and Sam's Dad accidentally makes and appearance.

This week on Being LGBTQ we speak to Danielle Johnson who's 7 year-old daughter Rylee is transgender. We discuss Rylee's journey and peoples reaction to her transition which has sometimes resulted in discrimination particularly online. Welsh author Jack S. Strange chats to us about his new book and why he chose to make the book centred on a gay detective and how important more LGBTQ. Meanwhile LGBTQ Artist of the Week Smashby joins us to talk about confidence, music and performing at Pride events. Finally Hafsa Quereshi discusses being a bisexual Muslim in the LGBTQ community and wider society, Hafsa was recently named Stonewall's Bi Role Model of the Year 2019. Also: Sam talks about writing a social media policy for himself, applying logic to the Scream movie franchise and whether Disney have given Elsa a girlfriend in Frozen 2.

This week the podcast is themed around LGBTQ youth and coming out. Emma Ramos from the 'Love is Love' project joins us to tell us about the campaign which is raising money for LGBTQ charity 'The Trevor Project' in the United States. We're also joined by two teenagers who are currently struggling to tell their families about their sexuality, David Torres from Mexico and Madison Bisek from Minnesota, United States. Also: Sam reviews 'gay conversion therapy' movie Boy Erased and we chat with Jerason Dean, our LGBTQ Music Artist of the Week. Are you LGBTQ and need some support? Here are some support organisations in the U.K., United States and Australia. LGBTQ Foundation (United Kingdom): https://lgbt.foundation/helpline The Trevor Project (United States): https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ Reach Out (Australia): https://au.reachout.com/articles/lgbtqi-support-services

In another packed episode of Being LGBTQ we speak to our LGBTQ 'Music Artist of the Week' Davis Mallory about his upcoming projects and time on MTV's 'The Real World Denver'. Queer author and teacher Alex Harrow joins us to discuss their pronouns and how their students respond to gender neutrality. Also: The editor of a new gay news website 'Queer News', Ryan Houston talks about why he started the project and journalistic standards in the LGBTQ community. And finally: the Gay Agony Uncle stops by to give us some pre-Valentines Day relationship advice.