Series Podcast: This Way Out

Once upon a time a Drag Queen Story Hour meant family fun, not a potentially violent protest. The U.S. national organization’s Executive Director Jonathan Hamilt tells the heartwarming tale of how it all began and what it’s mission really is (interviewed by KOOP-Austin’s Liz Ross). Radclyffe Hall’s “The Well of Loneliness” is known for being depressing, but another look at the lesbian classic of 1928 discovers new meaning (a 2002 essay by Queer Life and Literature correspondent Janet Mason). And in NewsWrap: Singapore will repeal its ban on male gay sex while maintaining marriage inequality, Hong Kong appeals court refuses to recognize an activist’s U.S. marriage to his husband, Vietnam’s government declares that being LGBTQ is not a “disease,” New Zealand offers formal apologies to conversion therapy survivors, Texas Christian church pays the price for its homophobic “Hamilton,” and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Joe Boehnlein and MR Raquel (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on th

Transgender activist Rikki Nathanson won her discrimination case against the government of Zimbabwe in 2019, but ongoing harassment forced her to leave home. Now she’s Senior advisor of the Global Trans program for OutRight Action International, and our special guest on the final chapter of “Queerly Yours, Profiles in Courage with Roger Q. Mason” (produced by Brian DeShazor and Roger Q. Mason, with music and audio engineering by David Gonzalez). And in NewsWrap: Taiwanese WorldPride 2025 organizers cancel after failing to reach a naming agreement with InterPride, a U.S. federal appeals court rules that the Americans with Disabilities Act covers gender dysphoria, Boston Children’s Hospital faces death threats spurred by accusations that it performs gender-affirming surgeries on under-age patients, lone out NFL player Carl Nassib signs a one-year deal with Florida’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, lesbian WNBA star Brittney Griner appeals her drug possession sentence as Russian prisoner exchange negotiations continue, t

Don’t you wish Gore Vidal were here? The famed — and infamous — gay author, playwright, candidate and essayist who scandalized the literary world and enraged the political world died on July 31, 2012. To honor the anniversary of his passing, and to acknowledge his indelible mark on U.S. history, we have excerpts from a 2008 interview with Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman. Ready and willing to answer all questions, or “It’s not my job to educate you”? OutCasting Overtime queer youth commentator Declan sees both sides of the issue of being the go-to “expert” on LGBTQ+ issues for friends and family, but sometimes would like to just have dinner (produced by Marc Sophos). And in NewsWrap: Sexual Minorities Uganda is shut down despite its pending appeal for NGO status, Florida denies gender-affirming care coverage under Medicaid, an eight-year-old trans girl’s family challenges Tennessee’s “bathroom bill,” hundreds march through Montreal to celebrate Pride after the official parade is abruptly cancelled, a Louisiana

In the high school laboratory of trans science teacher Sam Long, the biology curriculum is undergoing a transition. His conversation with Black Filipinx plus size nonbinary queer artist of color Roger Q. Mason continues This Way Out’s special series, “Queerly Yours, Profiles in Courage” (produced by Brian DeShazor and Roger Q. Mason, original music and sound engineering by David Gonzales). And in NewsWrap: lesbian basketball star Brittney Griner sentenced to nine years in Russian penal colony on questionable drug charges, Hungary’s Christian nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban wows Conservative Political Action Conference, vandalized Chicago-area bakery zoned out of hosting drag brunches and all other events, Michigan’s Supreme Court upholds protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Sarah Montague and Michael LeBeau (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the August 8, 2022 edition of This Way Out! Join

The particular threat of the monkeypox virus outbreak for men who have sex with men is exposed at the Los Angeles Blade Monkeypox Town Hall, co-sponsored by and the City of West Hollywood, California. Journalist John Fenoglio moderates a panel including Dr. Leo Moore of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Marianna Marroquin of the Los Angeles LGBT Center, Dan Wolhfeiler of Building Healthy Online Communities, and actor-writer-producer Matthew Ford (who recently recovered from the disease). And in NewsWrap: tens of thousands march with Pride in Budapest against Orban’s homophobic government, Berlin Pride unites in love against war and hate, Russia rebuffs a prisoner swap offer to free WNBA star Brittney Griner, 22 U.S. states fight the federal policy guaranteeing school meals equality, a neo-Nazi is arrested at a Boston Drag Queen Story Hour protest, Britain’s Aida H Dee faces off against aggressive bigots, an anti-equality Republican U.S. Senator only respects his gay son’s marriage, and mor

Dozens of U.S. House Republicans join Democratic representatives to pass the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill that would finally get the Defense of Marriage Act off the books — and codify same-gender and interracial marriage equality! Our coverage includes highlights from the floor debate, analysis from GayUSA TV and a dash of obligatory Cruz-y venom. And in NewsWrap: the European Commission takes Hungary to the Court of Justice over its “no promo homo” law, Andorra approves marriage equality, a Taipei court bends the rules to approve the marriage of a gay Taiwanese-Japanese couple, a U.S. federal court blocks President Biden's trans protection orders, a Greek gay activist's killer goes free after serving two months of a 10-year prison term, No. 1 Russian female tennis player Daria Kasatkina comes out, Christian zealots zap Seoul's Queer Culture Festival, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Elena Botkin-Levy and Joe Boehnlein (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the July 25, 2022 ed

Queerly Yours, Dorian Wood Our “Queerly Yours, Profiles in Courage with Roger Q. Mason” series continues as our award-winning Black Flilpinx plus size nonbinary queer playwright of color chats with genderfluid Los Angeles multi-disciplinary artist Dorian Wood about professional and personal creativity. And in NewsWrap: Russian lawmakers propose extending the homosexual “propaganda” ban to include adults, a Russian court rules that LGBTQ activist Yulia Tsvetkova’s “Vagina Monologues” blog isn’t porn, Bucharest Pride defies a Romanian “no promo homo” bill, Iraqi lawmakers plan to officially criminalize consensual adult same-gender sex, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton would gladly defend a reinstated state sodomy ban, Pennsylvania’s Governor Tom Wolf vetoes a trans school sports ban, Houston Sunday Drag Queen Brunch patrons repel a misguided invasion, a hearing on the impact of overturning Roe v. Wade becomes a lesson in trans existence for hard-right U.S. Senator Josh Hawley, and more international LGBTQ ne

A queer teen reveals the importance of their bond with a transgender friend whose family is oppressively unsupportive (an OutCasting Overtime commentary by Carys, produced by Marc Sophos). Brittney Griner reaches U.S. President Joe Biden on a personal level when her wife Cherelle’s efforts fail to get a response from the administration about the WNBA star’s imprisonment in Russia. And in NewsWrap: Slovenia’s Constitutional Court grants immediate marriage equality and adoption rights to same-gender couples, the High Court of Antigua and Barbuda overturns laws banning male-to-male and other sexual activities, Iran executes another gay man, Nigerian activists try to intervene in the stoning sentence levied against three gay men, Singapore’s law against sex between men is not being enforced, Turkish riot police break up Ankara’s Pride effort, Ireland’s Panti Bliss schools a rightwing protester at Drag Queen Story Hour, and Berlin mosque unfurls the rainbow flag, and more international LGBTQ news reported this w

Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Admiral Rachel L. Levine is our guest for the first part of “Queerly Yours, Profiles in Courage with Roger Q. Mason.” Join the Black, Filipinx, plus-size, gender non-conforming, queer artist of color for this series of conversations with transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming thought leaders from around the world. And in NewsWrap: Riot police nab hundreds in Istanbul and make more arrests at Pride events across Turkey, five Dublin Pride party-goers are attacked by thugs, thousands pay tribute to the victims of a shooting rampage on queer venues in Oslo, anti-queer religious counter-protesters drowned out in Glasgow, Pride celebrated across South America, Kyiv Pride organizers march with Polish queers and their allies, armed U.S. white supremacist Proud Boys menace story time, Florida teachers and queer students take cover as “Don’t Say Gay” goes into effect, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by

The Texas Republican Convention builds a bunker of hate, but Strands for Trans launches a cutting, clandestine counter-attack led by Billy Porter and Lynae Vanee! Sounds before, during and after the world-changing LGBTQ rebellion at New York City’s Stonewall Inn that initiated an era of Pride. And in NewsWrap: Admiral Rachel Levine comments on how the overthrow of Roe v. Wade threatens U.S. queer rights, Japanese plaintiffs Machi Sakata and Yuki Kawata face the rejection of their marriage equality case with other activists at the Osaka District Court, the global governing bodies for water sports and rugby effectively ban trans females from competition, Sao Paulo Pride parades before millions to an anti-Bolsonaro tune, RuPaul reads the riot act to anti-drag queen lawmakers, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Joe Boehnlein and David Hunt (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the June 27, 2022 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at http://thiswayout.org

U.S. President Joe Biden greets his White House Pride Party by signing an Executive Order touching a broad range of hot-button LGBTQ+ issues. Bonnie J. Morris carries the ball for generations of female athletes in “What’s The Score: 25 Years of Teaching Women’s Sports History” (interviewed by Brian DeShazor). And in NewsWrap: Tel Aviv hosts Israel’s happiest Pride, German thugs beat Karlsruhe Pride-goers in a fiery assault, Maryland homes are consumed by rainbow flag-burners, white supremacists target Pride picnic in northern Idaho, the U.S. rightwing expands its war on Drag Queen Story Hour, rainbow erasure sweeps the Middle East, Disney kisses off "Lightyear" censors, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Wendy Natividad and Michael LeBeau (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the June 20, 2022 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at http://thiswayout.org/donate/

The story of Pride as heard through the LGBTQ+ music that made a movement’s soundtrack, put into perspective by Steve Sims in this edition of Queer Music Focus (including The Tom Robinson Band, Sandy Rapp, Jon Gilbert Leavitt, Tundo Olaniran, The Deisel Tykes and more). And in NewsWrap: Thailand’s Cabinet sends a civil partnership proposal to Parliament, the Czech president vows to veto marriage equality, Istanbul’s peaceful Pride is attacked by riot police, Ohio’s House votes to verify student athletes’ genitals, drag queen readings rile rightwing hate “groomers,” U.S. Rep. Lieu tells Christian congressional homophobes to come to Jesus, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by John Dyer V and Melanie Keller (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the June 13, 2022 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at http://thiswayout.org/donate/

As the festival season hits full gear in the US, OutCasting Overtime queer youth broadcaster Shoshana is heading for New York City with a couple of parades and some helpful lessons already under her belt (produced by Marc Sophos). Mattachine Society and Radical Faerie founder Harry Hay and International Gay and Lesbian Archives founder Jim Kepner explore the beginnings queer theory looking through what they call “the gay window” in a classic 1975 conversation. And in NewsWrap: Jerusalem Pride organizers and supportive government officials parade despite credible death threats, Florida Senator Marco Rubio burns an army base library’s Pride Month plan for Drag Queen Story Time, South Africa’s Robben Island puts Pride where the infamous political prison was, Australia’s new Labor-majority government boasts a record number of female Cabinet members and eight out MPs, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Lucia Chappelle and David Hunt (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the June 6, 2022

Gay researcher, author and historian Gert Hekma passed into history himself on April 19th. His groundbreaking 2004 book, “Homosexuality in The Netherlands from 1730 to Modern Times,” is still only available in Dutch, but soon after its publication correspondent Barry McKay sat down with Hekma for an extended English discussion of his work. And in NewsWrap: Australian P.M. Scott Morrison’s anti-queer coalition government is defeated by Labor’s Anthony Albanese, the Church of Scotland will allow same-gender marriage ceremonies, Austria lifts its sexual orientation and gender identity-based blood donor ban, Indiana’s legislature overrides the veto of an anti-trans school “bathroom bill,” Oklahoma doubles down against trans youth and choice, Montana’s Health Department invents “emergency” rules to block birth certificate gender changes, a Dallas judge keeps a pediatric trans clinic open to new patients pending trial, Ellen DeGeneres bids farewell to her talk show, and more international LGBTQ news reported this

Straight teen Tomás was called gay when he was five, leading him to learn and help teach others how to be a queer ally (an OutCasting Overtime youth commentary produced by Marc Sophos). We honor the passing of famed lesbian activist Urvashi Vaid with excerpts from a 2012 conversation about her book, “Irresistible Revolution: Confronting Race, Class and the Assumptions of LGBT Politics” (interviewed by Chris Thomas “Out FM,” WBAI-New York). And in NewsWrap: a Lublin court overturns resolutions establishing two Polish “LGBT-Free Zones,” Lithuanian lawmakers settle for a disappointing civil unions law, a federal court clogs Tennessee's warnings on trans-welcoming toilets, IDAHOBIT and respect win in West Wimmera Shire, Blackpool forward Jake Daniels comes out, Britain mints Pride, Morrison falls Down Under, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Wenzel Jones and John Dyer V (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the May 23, 2022 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors

Reports from May of 2012 recall the watershed moment when President Barack Obama (with a push from then-Vice President Joe Biden) announced that he had finally come around to support marriage equality, featuring Freedom to Marry attorney Evan Wolfson, Congressmember Barney Frank, Mayor Cory Booker, Secretary Colin Powell, the NAACP’s Benjamin Jealous and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow. And in NewsWrap: Texas Supreme Court re-authorizes “child abuse” investigations into the families of transgender children, Dallas county judge orders trans pediatric clinic to re-open its services, procedural legislative maneuver gives Louisiana’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill a second chance, Russia extends WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner’s detention amid prisoner exchange rumors, lesbian Pussy Riot pair escapes Putin’s crackdown on rights activists, Greek ban on conversion therapy excludes consenting adults, Republican U.S. Senators call for warning labels on LGBTQ-inclusive children’s programming, and more international LGBTQ news reported thi

The unprecedented leak of an early draft of their ruling on a Mississippi abortion rights case reveals the U.S. Supreme Court’s intention to overturn both of the key decisions that have guaranteed those rights — Roe vs. Wade and Planned Parenthood vs. Casey — with dire implications for the civil rights of LGBTQ people. Andy Humm and Ann Northrop (GayUSA) discuss the legal details with ACLU LGBTQ and HIV Project Director James Esseks; President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Senators Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell, Representative Pramila Jayapal and Secretary Hillary Clinton respond to the judicial crisis; late night television comedians Trevor Noah and Stephen Colbert satirize the political hypocrisy. (Pacifica Radio News/KPFA’s Christopher Martinez contributed to this report.) And in NewsWrap: Sarajevo court slams anti-LGBTQ hate speech, Eswatini queer rights acknowledged in legal loss, Nigerians protest harsh anti-cross dressing bill, U.S. Justice fights Alabama’s ban on trans healthcare, Flor

Excerpts from a May, 1997 interview with Tasmanian activist Rodney Croome celebrate the 25th anniversary of the repeal of Australia’s last state sodomy law (Sydney correspondent Greg Reading). Maiden, North Carolina Baptist preacher Charles L. Worley vitriolic rant about “how to get rid of lesbians and queers” went viral in May, 2012. 640305 And in NewsWrap: Canadian blood donors draw equal treatment, Baja California governor blocks conversion therapy ban, Russia fines social media for “gay propaganda,” Missouri school district bans “safe” classrooms, Victoria town rejects IDAHOBIT rainbows, Disney refuses to “Doctor” Saudi’s “Multiverse,” and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Marcos Najera and Michael Taylor-Gray (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the May 2, 2022 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at http://thiswayout.org/donate/

In his zeal to retaliate against the state’s biggest company for opposing his “Don’t Say Gay” agenda, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis may have bought taxpayers a Walt Disney World of trouble, while cynical conservatives offer Mickey Mouse arguments — and pose a serious political threat (also featuring White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Fox News host Laura Ingraham and University of Central Florida Political Science Professor Aubrey Jewett). Michigan state Senator Mallory McMurrow boldly faces down a Republican attack characterizing her pro-LGBTQ position as “pedophile grooming,” and demonstrates how straight, white, suburban progressives can take back the moral high-ground. And in NewsWrap: Russian LGBT Network funder the Sphere Charitable Foundation is dissolved by court order, South Korea’s Supreme Court says the military can’t imprison service members for same-gender sex, marriage equality loses a first round in the Navajo Nation Council’s committee process, Kansas Governor Laur

“Don’t Say Gay” laws spreading across the U.S. are allegedly to protect young students, but OutCasting Overtime’s LGBTQA+ youth commentators see through the deception and dissect the nefarious motives (OutCaster Tomas, produced by Marc Sophos). As “Tom Dooley Sails To Infamy” (read by Dan Roberts), producers Judd Proctor and Brian Burns row into broadcasting retirement and share their own “History of ‘The Rainbow Minute’” (read by Sally Holzgrefe) to bid farewell. Plus gay Missouri Democratic Representative Ian Mackey’s passionate arguments against a state anti-trans sports measure fails to move majority Republicans, but it does go viral! And in NewsWrap: Alabama bans “divisive” instruction and gender-affirming care, Tennessee’s “straight marriage” law left at the altar, Jalisco joins Mexico’s marriage equality states, Virginia stops gay-saying while Maryland stops bias, Kentucky trans sports ban vaults over governor’s veto, Australian trans sports ban gets Prime support, Dumbledore’s love life stays close