Series Podcast: This Way Out

In a highly polarized political atmosphere and democracy itself in the balance, successful LGBTQ candidates scored a record number of “firsts” as part of a progressive surprise with huge implications for the country and the movement. And in NewsWrap: Poland’s Supreme Administrative Court rules that the recognition of same-gender marriages legally performed abroad does not violate the Constitution, Qatar’s official 2022 World Cup Ambassador worries queer players and fans when he calls homosexuality “a damage in the mind,” the return of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the right-wing coalition he’ll need to form a government concerns queer Israeli activists, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be the first world leader to appear on a “RuPaul’s Drag Race” show, Russia transfers lesbian WNBA star Brittney Griner to a remote hard labor penal colony, Florida’s two state medical boards deny transgender people under 18 access to gender-affirming care, a New York Marathon winner salutes Florida’s persec

The damage of living a lie — the kind of damage that’s most poignant as the holidays approach, and most keenly felt by LGBTQ+ youth — is described first-hand by OutCaster Brianna (produced by Marc Sophos). Two years before RuPaul’s Drag Race debuted in 2009, the soon-to-be international icon stepped off the runway to tell his story in this This Way Out Rewind (interviewed by Dixie Treichel). And in NewsWrap: Kuala Lumpur Halloween party raided by religious cops, Brazilian voters reject the hateful regime of President Jair Bolsonaro, Pride overcomes obstacles in Johannesburg and Taipei, Tokyo’s queer couples get partnership certificates, a fond farewell to the original "Lavender Cowboy,” beauty queens crown each other in wedded bliss, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Michael LeBeau and Tanya Kane-Parry (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the November 7, 2022 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at http://thiswayout.org/donate/

Comedic actor Leslie Jordan is gone too soon, leaving behind a legacy of humor and humanity from Will & Grace to Call Me Kat. Relive some favorite laughs, and hear his tales of the Sordid Lives he lived on screen — and some “sordid lives” in gay Hollywood then and now (interviewed by Chris Wilson, Abby Dees and Rosie Wilby). And in NewsWrap: the passage of marriage equality legislation in Guerrero and Tamaulipas completes the long process of making it law in all 31 Mexican states, an LGBTQ ally becomes Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, Slovakia’s Parliament rejects a bill to create registered partnerships for lesbian and gay couples, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s new Tory Cabinet is just as anti-queer as his short-lived predecessor’s, lawmakers in Russia’s State Duma vote to expand the ban on “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” among minors to include adults, persecuted Chechen brothers and WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner each lose appeals of harsh Russian prison sentences, upcomin

One bite from the Buttigieg bug, and author Paul Mason Barnes turned into “Paul for Pete: Politics. Theatre. Life. One Man’s Adventures (Or, How I Became A Septuagenarian Fanboy) — and his election activism didn’t stop there (interviewed by Eric Jansen of Out in the Bay Radio and Podcast). And in NewsWrap: Tabasco and Endomex bring Mexico one state shy of nationwide marriage equality, British queer activists glad to see short-lived P.M. Liz Truss go, Russian lawmakers consider expanding the ban on “LGBTQ propaganda” to include adults, Brittney Griner's release stalls as U.S. officials bust the son of one of Putin pals, Byron Perkins scores as the first out HBCU football player, U.S. House Republicans propose nationalizing ”Don't Say Gay,” Florida adds harsh penalties to its Parental Rights in Education law, Idaho right-wingers pitch a ban on drag shows, satirist John Oliver takes on transphobes, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by John Dyer V and Wendy Natividad (produced by Brian DeShazo

As the actual courtroom videotapes are finally unsealed, we rebroadcast excerpts from Oscar-winning gay screenwriter Dustin Lance Black’s play based on the transcripts of the 2010 trial that overturned California’s Proposition 8, the initiative that banned marriage equality in the state. Featured in the Los Angeles Theater Works production are John C. Reilly as David Blankenhorn of the Institute for American Values, George Takei as Dr. William Tam of the Traditional Family Coalition, George Clooney as co-counsel for the plaintiffs David Boies, Kevin Bacon as ProtectMarriage.com attorney Charles Cooper and Brad Pitt as Judge Vaughn Walker. Plus: White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre shares her rainbow flare on National Coming Out Day! And in NewsWrap: two patrons of a Bratislava, Slovakia gay bar are killed and an employee injured when a terrorist teenager opens fire, Mexico's Senate passes a ban on conversion therapy, Montenegro Pride demands an end to hate speech and harassment, a U.S. gay man mar

Before Representative Liz Cheney took on Trumpism, even before her dad was playing President Bush’s Darth Vader, her novelist mom dreamed of pioneering queer “Sisters” (read by Cindy Friedman). Before Scooby-Doo’s Velma Dinkley came out of the closet, televangelistic gaydar zeroed in on the Teletubbies’ Tinky Winky (featuring Cindy Friedman and Leo Garcia). Before the Springfield, Missouri City Council was to vote on anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people in October 2012, the Brentwood Christian Church’s Reverend Phil Snider gave a shocking testimony. Plus lesbian-feminist poet-activist Pat Parker performs “For the Straight Folks Who Don’t Mind Gays (But Wish They Wouldn’t Be So Blatant).” And in NewsWrap: Slovenia’s Parliament passes marriage equality legislation that includes the right to adopt children, Brazil’s federal elections deliver wins to two trans candidates and a run-off between leftist former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the homophobic President Jair Bolsonaro, scandal-pl

A trans masculine teen from OutCasting Overtime discovers that people are a lot nicer when they think you’re a guy (a commentary by Declan, produced by Marc Sophos). Recalling former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s infamous 2007 visit to New York for the U.N. General Assembly shows that the Islamic regime hasn’t changed much in the intervening 15 years. And in NewsWrap: Cuban voters resoundingly pass a new Family Code that includes marriage equality and queer couples’ right to adopt children, Italy’s right-wing shift at the polls is bad news for LGBTQ+ rights campaigners, two additional suspects in the Oslo Pride shooting spree are arrested, a Polish teen is busted for chalking a pro-LGBTQ+ message on the sidewalk in front of a church in Toruń, Virginia’s proposed anti-trans policies prompt a students to stage a statewide walkout, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s rebuke of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ refugee hoax tops Twitter, and there will be no "Bros" rom-com in the Middle East,

Our 1800th episode finds an eerie resemblance between the stories we reported the last week of September 1992 — fighting to secure state-level rights in Colorado and California … and oh, that Florida — and today’s conservative trends. And in NewsWrap: more than 10,000 opponents of queer rights march through the streets of Istanbul demanding a ban on “LGBTQ propaganda,” Roman Catholic bishops in Belgium defy the Vatican to authorize celebrations affirming same-gender couples, the U.S. Southern Baptist Convention cuts ties with two LGBTQ-welcoming congregations, the Mexican state of Durango gets marriage equality by gubernatorial decree, the U.S. state of Montana yields to an injunction blocking its ban on birth certificate gender changes, Tennessee’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Akron Children’s Hospital in Ohio come under fire because of their gender-affirming care programs for young people, a Texas judge expands her injunction to halt “child abuse” investigations into P-FLAG and other families o

Statistics show that LGBTQ youth are at greatly increased risk of self-harm — a fact that hit home for OutCasting Overtime’s Isha when tragedy struck (produced by Marc Sophos). Queer students at New York’s Orthodox Jewish Yeshiva University and Utah’s Mormon Brigham Young University are pressing for their rights, following a trail blazed at Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma (a “This Way Out Rewind” from 2002 with Jeff McKissack of the LGBTQ alumni organization ORU-OUT interviewed by Lucia Chappelle). And in NewsWrap: Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe says his government would not oppose a bill to decriminalize consensual relations between queer adults, Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela promises free gender-affirming healthcare, thousands enjoy peaceful Prides in the Polish cities of Katowice and Lublin, electoral wins for the far-right Sweden Democrats alarm LGBTQ activists, Montana’s Health and Human Services Department aims to ignore an injunction against tightened rules for birth certificate

The 2021 Best Indie Book Award for an LGBTQ coming of age novel prize went to Dwayne Ratleff’s “Dancing To The Lyrics.” Is the story of a queer African American boy growing up on the tough streets of Baltimore, Maryland fiction, memoir or both? (Eric Jansen of “Out in the Bay,” interviewer) And in NewsWrap: Chiléan voters reject an inclusive new Constitution despite the widespread desire for progressive reform, Liz Truss fills her Cabinet with homophobic Tories when she takes over as the U.K.’s new Prime Minister, Iran for the first time condemns two women to death for their queer activism, a Texas federal district judge allows religious objections to block coverage for free PrEP under the Affordable Care Act, Washington state's conversion therapy ban withstands a federal appeal, activists dispatch angels to defend a Pride drag show at Brigham Young University, an Idaho librarian checks out after enduring unhinged harangues about books that were never on her shelves, and more international LGBTQ news reporte

Grammy-winning countertenor Anthony Roth Constanzo talks about his unique style and gender-bending repertoire from Phillip Glass’ Akhnaten to his collaboration with transgender singer-songwriter Justin Vivian Bond (interviewed by Brian DeShazor). Host Billy Eichner and winners Bad Bunny and Dove Cameron lead the queer contingent at the MTV Video Music Awards! And in NewsWrap: The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court finds the “sodomy” and “buggery” laws of Saint Kitts and Nevis unconstitutional, India’s Supreme Court supports legal protections and social benefits for same-gender couples, Belgrade EuroPride organizers say Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić had no right to cancel their upcoming event, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals favors religious healthcare professionals’ right to refuse trans patients treatment, a Kansas teacher wins compensation for a suspension incurred for refusing to use a transgender student’s correct name and pronouns, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro faces jail time on charges

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