We cover SO much with content creator and activist Annie Elainey! Annie describes herself as "an intersectional being," identifying as queer, disabled, Latinx, genderfluid, non-binary lesbian, and autistic - quite a list! Annie discusses the struggle it took for her to finally be diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and the unexpected parallels between her coming out journey and her disability journey. Also, internalized ableism, lack of accessibility in queer spaces, and dating with a disability!

Coming Out with Lauren & Nicole

Episode 116: Annie Elainey

We finally take on the topic of cancel culture, and HOO BOY, do we have a lot to say! Author, speaker, and advocate Amanda Jetté Knox was in a hetero marriage when her 11-year-old came out as trans...but that was only the beginning! We talk about their family's incredible journey, and how it ironically led to Amanda being attacked online by the very community she so fiercely advocated for. You'll laugh! You'll cry! And you'll love (or hate) some of our opinions... amandajetteknox.com / @MavenOfMayhem

Episode 115: Amanda Jetté Knox

We take our first foray into the world of professional sports with ESPN personality Israel Gutierrez! Until the age of 31, Izzy would only allow himself to go to gay bars once a year, and only when he was out of town. He talks about the man he met on one of those trips who helped him come out, and shares the emotional story of how he finally told his family. Also, we discuss how sports and politics have collided, and how being out actually ended up giving Izzy's career *more* meaning. IG: @mrizgutierrez

Episode 114: Israel Gutierrez

Jessica Lillebo lives in Alabama, and is a longtime listener of the pod. However, as a trans woman, she was hurt by some things that Nicole brought up in Episode 110, so she reached out. And lest you think Nicole doesn't practice what she preaches re: talking things out in person, she and Jessica had a FaceTime sesh to discuss! We wanted to share their conversation, and invite Jessica on the podcast to talk about being trans in Alabama, explain how she told her kids, and more! Say hi on IG at @jess_1ill!

Episode 113: Jessica Lillebo

We have a FANTASTIC conversation with actor/illustrator Sammy June (Backstreet Butches), who uses both she/her and they/them pronouns. Sammy talks about her Mormon upbringing, and the difficulty of getting not just divorced, not just "gay" divorced, but gay *Mormon* divorced. We also plunge into the murky waters of sex vs. gender, and Sammy shares how she's learned to be comfortable with all of the contradictions that she feels in these areas. Plus, the complex relationship between women and...their boobs.

Episode 112: Sammy June

We bring on another one of our co-facilitators to help us tell the very-relevant story of The Most Uncomfortable Conversation (TM) we've ever had at the LGBT Center! Writer Chanel Glover (Sasha & Condi) was raised in a family that always taught her to be proud of her Blackness; when it came to her queerness, though, Chanel initially felt like she was betraying her Black community by "sharing her activism." We talk being "woke" vs. being self-aware, and also get real about lesbian cliquiness... @celaineg

Episode 111: Chanel Glover

In a special episode that's just the two of us, we divulge some exciting plans we have for the pod! From our closets, we detail the ways in which we're broadening our definition of "coming out" in order to cover a wider variety of topics that intersect with guests' identities. We also tease some upcoming eps we have planned, and come out to each other AGAIN-- but in a totally different sense. Lauren shares something that may or may not-at-all shock you, and Nicole reveals something incredibly vulnerable...

Episode 110: It's All Coming Out!

We have an across-the-pond chat with the *unfathomably* lovely Yetide Badaki (American Gods; This Is Us), who identifies as bi, Black, Nigerian, immigrant, and more! Yetide shares how, for a long time, she wasn't sure if she could claim space in the queer community...until reading the comments on a YouTube video made her realize how crucial visibility is. She also teaches us the meaning of "TCK," and we dive into the powerful connection queer women have to sci-fi/fantasy shows like DS9 and BSG! @yetide

Episode 109: Yetide Badaki

Today we welcome comedian/author/musician Lane Moore (Tinder Live; "How To Be Alone;" It Was Romance)! Lane literally wrote the BOOK on being by yourself, so she's the perfect guest for our second wave of quarantine. She takes us from her "mean girls"-esque high school experiences with women all the way up to today, where she is fully out as bi in her personal and public life. Also: the heteronormative roles we often impose on queer relationships, and the Small Girl/Tall Girl trope! @hellolanemoore

Episode 108: Lane Moore

It's the episode that has literally been 20 years in the making: WE FOUND RICKY!!! Well, *we* didn't find Ricky, but she has been found! Don't worry; we'll explain everything... Nicole nearly combusts as we talk to Erica Hebert (a.k.a. *THE* RICKY!), the woman solely responsible for Nicole's "ring of keys" moment (full story in Ep 1). Ricky dishes about field hockey shenanigans, being out in the '90s, and what it feels like to be a QUEER ICON! Also: Lauren nearly gets cancelled! Find Ricky at @Jaxbencam9

Episode 107: #FOUNDRICKY!!!

We're joined by writer, podcaster, and all around hilarious human, Gaby Dunn (Bad With Money; I Hate Everyone But You)! Gaby started out as a baby goth at a private Jewish day school in Florida, where the idea of having a girlfriend seemed "patently insane." But since then, she's evolved into an out and proud bi/poly icon whose favorite comeback to her critics is "sorry I'm fun." Nicole and Gaby talk all things poly, we discuss respectability politics, and Lauren tries to reclaim the concept of "vanilla."

Episode 106: Gaby Dunn

We're closing out Pride Month (July 1st is STILL PRIDE MONTH!) with an amazing guest: Ariela Barer of Runaways, Atypical, and ODAAT! Ariela always had *very* intense female friendships, but could not for the life of her understand why everyone thought she was gay. She shares how she came out to her mom "the wrong way," and details the harrowing close call she had with her high school Tumblr... Also, what it's like to play straight opposite not one, not two, but THREE queer TV ships! Follow @ArielaBarer

Episode 105: Ariela Barer

Just months before the protests, writer/actor Makeda Declet (Miracle Workers; Veep) wrote a one-act play that dealt with issues of intersectionality within the LGBTQ community. She talks to us about the experiences she's had as a Black queer woman that inspired her to write that piece, including having to exist in queer spaces that are predominantly run and populated by young white women. We also discuss the controversy surrounding West Hollywood's recent "All Black Lives Matter" Pride march. @makdeclet

Episode 104: Makeda Declet

We're continuing Pride with YouTuber Miles McKenna! Growing up, Miles knew things probably wouldn't go well if he told his parents he was queer, so he had no plans to do so...until one of them basically tricked him into coming out. What followed was as bad as he had anticipated, and YouTube became his lifeline. Miles tells us how his initial experience nearly kept him from coming out as trans, and what it was like to transition in front of an audience. Also, how former guest Stevie Boebi came to his rescue!

Episode 103: Miles McKenna

By age twenty-five, journalist and author Lauren Duca (Teen Vogue; "How to Start a Revolution") had the perfect husband and a highly-successful career (who DOESN'T want to obliterate Tucker Carlson?). Inside, though, she was miserable, and felt "evil" for not being happy with her life. Lauren shares how Trump's election and a frog DMT ceremony helped her realize she was a lesbian; she also talks femmephobia, and shares tips for staying politically active when everything seems overwhelming af. Twitter: @laurenduca / IG: @duca.lauren / pancakebrain.com

Episode 102: Lauren Duca

Lauren is gay! Nicole is bi! Coming Out with Lauren & Nicole is a weekly podcast where pals Lauren Flans and Nicole Pacent have queer folks from all walks of life tell the tales of how they came out to friends, family, and the world at large. Because who doesn't love a coming out story?! #comingoutpod #findricki

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Coming Out with Lauren & Nicole

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