Queerology: A Podcast On Belief And Being

Rev. Debra J. Hopkins is a native New Yorker and trans woman of color who believes that there’s always hope because words have power and everybody can be a voice for change through action, activism, and community involvement. We can all help put an end to the social and economic discrimination that's ever present in this country.Debra is the Founder of There's Still Hope, a non-profit organization that provides a Transitional Housing Program for transgender adults, trans victims of domestic violence, and trans individuals released from the correctional institutional system.Debra earned her Masters of Theology degree from New York Theological Seminary and is a licensed non-denominational minister. She is actively involved in ministry through pastoral care, writing, and community activism. She is the author of three books and three anthologies, including her memoir, Not Until You Have Walked In My Shoes.Through it all, Debra continues to spend time traveling around the country advocating for the margina

Blair Imani is a critically acclaimed historian, author, educator, and influencer living at the intersections of black, bi-sexual, and Muslim identity.Blair’s viral microlearning series, Smarter In Seconds, demonstrates her signature style of making abstract concepts more concrete in a well-researched, well-presented, and concise manner.Also, Blair is the author of Read This to Get Smarter: About Race, Class, Gender, Disability, and More, Making Our Way Home: The Great Migration and the Black American Dream, and Modern HERstory: Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History.Blair’s work centers women and girls, global black communities, and the LGBTQ community. She is dedicated to making the world a better place and amplifying the voices and work of those fighting the good fight. Topics Discussed:Faith and Identity: Too many identity labels and faith-based assumptionsBecoming Muslim: Right path to express self-understanding externallyIslam Education: Beautiful and innovative approach to replace

Daniel Howell is known for his self-deprecating and sarcastic humor, but he has also spoken and written about his struggles with depression and sexuality. This mix of entertainment with the profound and deeply personal has given Daniel a devoted following of fans.Daniel is one of the world’s most popular and celebrated entertainers. He has written and produced comedy videos on YouTube that have reached more than one-billion views and millions of followers.Also, Daniel has two #1 New York Times best-selling books, The Amazing Book is Not on Fire and Dan and Phil Go Outside, two stage shows with sellout world tours, and an award-winning BBC Radio 1 show.Daniel’s new book, You Will Get Through This Night: A Practical Mental Health Guide with consultation from Dr. Heather Bolton, is an affirmation and call to action. Daniel describes lessons learned in spite of failures, depression, and anxiety. Getting well was a completely unplanned journey. Topics Discussed:Faith and Identity: Agnostic Atheist - God probably d

Jonathan Parks-Ramage is a Los Angeles-based novelist, screenwriter, and journalist. His debut novel, Yes, Daddy, is out today!Yes, Daddy follows an ambitious young man named Jonah Keller, who is searching for a way to get out from under his religious upbringing. He is lured by an older, successful playwright into a dizzying world of wealth and idyllic Hamptons home where things take a nightmarish turn.  Jonathan’s writing has been published in VICE, Slate, OUT, W, Atlas Obscura, Elle, and Medium. He has lectured on journalism and creative non-fiction at Fordham University. Also, he is an alumnus of the 2018 and 2019 Bread Loaf Writers' Conferences.Jonathan and his screenwriting partner, Marla Mindelle, recently sold their musical feature film screenplay, The Big Gay Jamboree, to Paramount Pictures. The film is executive produced by Margot Robbie, an Academy Award nominated actress.Topics Discussed:Identity and Faith: Jonathan’s journey as a spiritually searching queer manParents: Both were preachers, ac

Tara Teng is an embodiment coach who works in the intersections of spirituality and sexuality.Alongside collaborative work with community stakeholders, lawmakers, and organizations, Tara spent more than 10 years working to advance the socioeconomic status of women to diminish sexual violence and end human trafficking.Tara’s advocacy has helped to pass new laws in Canada that protect victims of human trafficking, and she established that country’s first municipal action plan to combat human trafficking.Also, Tara is a TEDx speaker, former Miss Canada, and was named “Canada’s Women of the Year” in 2011. She is one of the Globe and Mail’s “Top 25 Most Transformational Canadians,” received an International Heroes award from the Joy Smith Foundation, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal in recognition of her human rights work.Topics Discussed:Faith and Identity: Bisexual, bi-racial Asian-Canadian, Christian-mystic womanDeconstruction: Evolve and question everything around you and within yourselfShift in Faith: Je

Abi Robins returns to to talk about their brand new book, “The Conscious Enneagram: How to Move from Typology to Transformation.”Abi identifies as a queer, non-binary trans person, parent, fiancée, Enneagram teacher/coach, and Yoga Therapist.Abi trained at The Narrative Enneagram and International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT).They created the Conscious Enneagram Website and social media platform, host the Conscious Construction Podcast, and founded the Queer Enneagram.Topics Discussed:Contemplative Christian: Faith is in flux more than identitiesWhat is the Enneagram, and how to use it for spiritual growth?Real Magic: Spiritual and religious leanings and language make senseLineage: Who are we connected to and can we trace that?Community: Reinfuses faith with missing mystical aspect, cultural competencyEnneagram: 9-pointed symbol of how energy becomes manifest in the universeIndividuation: Being an individual is important and brings more valueNo Direction: Gain insight, get grounded, and grow with a t

Rachael Ward (they/them) is a public theologian and LGBTQ activist. Currently, Rachael is pursuing a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Practical Theology - pastoral care at Columbia Theological Seminary.Rachael is the creator of the Living-Death Doula Model for Pastoral Care and cofounder of Bible Queery, a facilitation collective geared toward queer wellness and reconstruction. Rachael lives with their wife, Chelsea, and two fur-babies in Atlanta where they focus on talking about and working around death, grief, and death doulas.Topics Discussed:Upbringing: Faith did not help form identity, but kept Rachael from their identityWhat if I am gay? Shameful hiding and living a double lifeLife and Death Matters: Birth is beautiful burst of life, death is dark and terribleLiving-Death Narratives: Grief keeps disembodied beings stuckWhat is available pastorally? Affirming theology (a.k.a. the Biblical case)Persistent Queer Themes: Disassociation, minimizing, and spiritual rationingLiving-Death Directives: S

Grace Semler Baldridge, who professionally goes by the artist’s name, ‘Semler,’ is a self-identified sad, queer, folk artist.​Semler created the docuseries, State of Grace on Refinery29, where she explores what it means to identify as a Christian and a member of the LGBTQ community. The docuseries was nominated for a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Digital Journalism.Also, you may know Selmer from her two TV shows, Murder With Friends and Pop Trigger.Just a few weeks ago, Selmer made history by being the first-ever out queer person to top the Christian music charts with her new album, Preacher’s Kid.Topics Discussed:Faith and Identity: Queer who rediscovered clear sense of self via deconstructionGreat Movements: Starts with something small that peaks interest and curiosityLeading Example: Dad, an Episcopal priest, was loving, affirming, and acceptingWider Church Culture: Not spared from questioning mixed messages, rulesPreacher’s Kid: Compilation of honest, raw, explicit, processed Christian musicInch of Peace

Crystal Cheatham is an LGBTQ rights activist, host of Lord Have Mercy, and founder of two projects—Our Bible App and the IDentity Kit, which help people ditch toxic theology to find spiritual wellness.​Our Bible App’s The Deconstructionists Playbook takes writers and readers from deconstruction to reconstruction to liberation theology.Since 2011, Crystal has worked as a ghostwriter and queer rights activist with Soulforce and The Attic Youth Center. As an outspoken activist, Crystal has written about the intersections of faith and sexual identity for the Huffington Post; a faith and spirituality column for the Philadelphia Gay News; served on the steering committee of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) as the Faith and Spirituality chair; and partnered with Equality PA to influence clergy to support non-discrimination legislation. Crystal received her MFA from Antioch University.Topics Discussed:Faith, Identity: Crystal is a very out and proud black lesbian progressive ChristianFaith Community: Where no piece o

Recorded live from the Brian M. Eckstein Podcast Stage at the 2021 Q Christian Fellowship Conference (via Zoom).Join Matthias as he sits down with Coach Yeamah, a gifted teacher and coach who serves LGBTQIA+ Christians who struggle to make peace with their faith and sexuality.Yeamah has built a beautiful community of queer believers and allies on Instagram, and she hosts a weekly live talk show and podcast that supports, inspires, educates, and encourages the community to live their full authentic selves as queer Christians.Yeamah can be found at:www.yeamah.com@coachyeamah on InstagramAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Being brave is not easy, it’s a tough battle—sound familiar? With the holidays and reality of the world we are living in, it’s worth repeating this episode of Queerology with Candice Czubernat. ​Candice is a therapist and founder of The Christian Closet, an LGBTQ-affirming counseling, coaching, and spiritual direction organization.Also, Candice is the founder of Gloriously Queer, a conference for LGBTQ people of faith developed by LGBTQ people of faith.As a therapist, Candice helps individuals and couples worldwide navigate complex mental health experiences while living as queer people of faith.Candice was named one of the “10 Pro-LGBT Religious Women You Should Know” by The Advocate. She is a seasoned blogger, speaker, and author on LGBTQ Christianity and mental health issues.Candice graduated from the Moody Bible Institute and The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. Candice identifies as a lesbian and Christian, who lives in California with her wife and their 5-year-old twins.Topics Discussed:LGBT a

Chavonn Williams Shen is a poet, artist, educator, and activist from Minneapolis. ​Winner of the Still I Rise grant, first runner-up for the Los Angeles Review Flash Fiction Contest, and Best of the Net Award finalist, Chavonn is also a Pushcart Prize nominee, winner of the Mentor Series in Poetry and Creative Prose through the Loft Literary Center, and fellow through the Givens Foundation for African American Literature. As a Tin House and VONA workshop alum, Chavonn’s poetry and prose have appeared in Yemassee, the Los Angeles Review, Permafrost Magazine, and Cosmonauts Avenue.   Chavonn uses art as a practice of resilience and resistance. By using and teaching poetry, writing becomes an act of healing. When not teaching with the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop, Chavonn’s time is spent obsessing over house plants.Topics Discussed: Faith Forms Identity: One foot in the north, one in the deep south as a storytellerAncient Text: Remix, adapt, and make stories more malleableCareer Path: Cognitive science and

Tim Ouyang is a recording artist, producer, and songwriter. His band, Tim Be Told, is a contemporary Christian music group from the college-town of Charlottesville, Virginia.Tim’s new album, Love and Happiness, focuses on his coming out journey and experiences with love, disappointment, disbelief, faith, hope, and God. Specifically, Like This song is the crown jewel on the album.Tim has had quite a career since coming out and shares how things have fundamentally changed and shifted.  Topics Discussed:Faith Forms Identity: Being gay was bain of existence and incredible blessingGain Clarity: Why am I different? Praying to God to changeHomosexuality is sinful? Contemplating suicide, know you’re loved and not aloneAre you gay? Parents’ accusations, violations of privacy change to affirmationsTheological Compromise: Remove leaders to not be seen or heard out of fearConflict Resolution: Don’t ignore struggles; confront and cope with pain, sadnessLike This Song: Taps into source of trauma from cultural and familial

In 2018, Collin Martin came out as gay. At the time, he was the only ‘out’ man in any of the big five American sport leagues or any top division professional men’s national soccer leagues.Today, Collin is a professional soccer player as a midfielder for San Diego Loyal in the United Soccer League (USL) championship.Also, Collin has played for D.C. United and Minnesota United FC in Major League Soccer (MLS) and for Richmond Kickers and Hartford Athletic in the USL.  Collin shares how Cary Umhau, a speaker, writer, and consultant, was influential in his coming out process.  Topics Discussed:Faith Forms Identity: Gay or not, God completely loves youEvery Sunday, Different Church: Growing, learning, and realizing you’re gayInner Struggle: What to do with knowledge in an unwelcoming environment?Boiling Point: Separating faith from sexuality until telling family and friendsMentor/Mom’s Best Friend: Why Collin was comfortable coming out to CaryTaco Time: Say what you have to say about being gayPeople: Give those wh

People have caused a turning point in the Earth’s natural history. Everybody Now is a podcast that focuses on what it means to be human on the threshold of a global climate emergency, in a time of systemic injustice and runaway pandemics.Scientists, activists, farmers, poets, and theologians talk bravely and frankly about how our biosphere is changing, grief and hope in an age of social collapse, mass extinction, and taking action against all odds.On October 19, Everybody Now will be released by podcasters all over the world as a collective call for awareness, grief, and loving action. Don’t think about doom, but what you can do about it.Topics Discussed:Do we need any more reminders? Turning points in Earth’s natural historyTree of Knowledge: Cut down, remains turned into paper, and warnings burnedHeaven on Earth: Hopelessly in love with nature but sense of dread and panicClimate Change: High levels of destruction; ecosystems survive or never recoverAgricultural Country: Farmers rely on and impacted by clima

When Dr. Kyl Myers and their husband decided to have a child, they came to an unorthodox decision: they would not assign a gender to their baby. Dr. Kyl teaches the world how to raise children without gender-based shame, expectations, and limitations. Instead, she's an advocate for unconditional love so kids can live vibrant, authentic lives.  Kyl is a sociologist, educator, and advocate for Gender Creative Parenting. Her TED talk, Want Gender Equality? Let's Get Creative, encourages people to rethink childhood gender socialization. Kyl’s new book, Raising Them: Our Adventure in Gender Creative Parenting documents their journey raising their child, Zoomer. She is the creator of the Raising Zoomer website & Instagram, a place where kids be kids in an environment where everything is for everyone.  Topics Discussed:Faith and Religion: Mormonism shaped identity journey—for better and worseHomophobia: Same-sex controversy, no promo homo laws, and conversionQueer Community: Recognizing and finding one’s

Brit Barron is a teacher, speaker, and author of the recently released book, Worth It: Overcome Your Fears and Embrace the Life You Were Made For.Brit grew up in an evangelical church and eventually became the pastor of a megachurch at only 26 years old. It was truly too soon to understand herself, her dreams, and her sexuality.That is, until Brit met Sami, a woman who changed, saved, and transformed her entire life. Brit decided to leave the church, get married to Sami, and come out. Choosing freedom is always worth it—no matter the cost.Currently, Brit and Sami live in Austin, Texas, with their dog, Charles Barkley, and a house filled with plants that they treat like children.Topics Discussed:Identity: Female, lesbian, kind of tall, kind of Christian, and somebody’s wifeFighter’s Mentality: Pure, true, Christian narrative competes with other optionsMetaphor: Spring is always coming and new life is being birthedOn a Rampage: Remember, more than one thing can be true at the same timeHarm, Hard Work, Half Rea

Emily Scott is a church planter and Lutheran pastor who believes Christian practice holds out rich possibilities that call us to reach across boundaries in love, learn through discomfort, and build relationships that bring God's realm close.Emily, who identifies as queer and genderqueer, is committed to building communities of faith that dismantle fear and hate, affirm LGBTQ+ people, and confront racial injustice. Currently, Emily serves as the founding pastor of Dreams and Visions, an imaginative spiritual community of restoration that is rooted in the LGBTQ+ community.Also, Emily is the author of the recently published book, For All Who Hunger: Searching for Communion in a Shattered World.Topics Discussed:Identity and Faith: Formed and shaped by privileges and influence of whitenessThreads of Liberation: Bible stories make for constant coming out and emergingChurch Culture: Progressive path to walk or follow scripts to shut off yourselfCommunion: Transcendent/transported expression of faith in God’s pre

Andrea Dalzell was told she could never become a nurse because of her disability. Never tell Andrea what she can and can’t do.At five years old, Andrea was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis (TM), a neurological condition that causes paralysis. However, growing up using a wheelchair didn't stop her from pursuing a career in health care.Today, Andrea is a registered nurse, disability advocate, and speaker. She studied biology and neuroscience in college to earn an associate’s and bachelor’s degree in nursing (RN, BSN). As the first registered nurse who uses a wheelchair in New York City, thousands of clinicians, caregivers, and wheelchair users follow Andrea’s career pursuits as The Seated Nurse on Instagram.Unhidden and unapologetically, Andrea is a queer, black woman with a disability.Topics Discussed:Faith and Identity: Sometimes shifts or stays stagnateWhy me? Why God? Why a diagnosis transforms a person’s lifeDoctors, Prayers, and Pain: Need to be cured and whole in normal societySpecial Ed Student:

Leigh Finke is a writer, producer, and editor from St. Paul, Minnesota. Her work focuses on religion and culture and how both intersect with the lives of queer people.She has two new books releasing August 25 titled, Queerfully and Wonderfully Made: A Guide for LGBTQ+ Christian Teens and Welcoming and Affirming: A Guide to Supporting and Working with LGBTQ+ Christian Youth.These books are some of the best and most comprehensive resources I've ever seen for LGBTQ+ teens and people of all ages.Topics Discussed:Christianity as a negative closeting toolGender conceptsLeigh's paradigm shiftQueerfully and Wonderfully Made: Your identity is real, valid, and valuableFocusing on spirituality instead. of maintaining faith for othersHarmful and toxic religion changing to affirmation and supportDoing what’s best for you; coming out is not a necessity  Links and Resources:Leigh Finke’s WebsiteLeigh Finke on TwitterLeigh Finke on Facebook Queerfully and Wonderfully Made: A Guide for LGBTQ+ Christian Teens Welcom