I first shared this episode in 2024, and here's what I had to say:

So, if you were to ask me to overly generalise and boil down the types of experiences that guests on this show have had when first accessing a queer space I'd say they neatly fit in to two categories:

1) there are those who feel instantly at home and like they've arrived.

2) there are those who feel like an outsider, or a 'tourist' in the space.

Sometimes that feeling of being an outsider goes away after a few visits when they get the chance to ease in to the space and better understand the culture. But sometimes they remain a tourist... which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Which brings us to this week's guest - author, screenwriter, and producer Abdi Nazemian - who never stopped feeling like a tourist, but still credits his lost space, Disco 2000 at The Limelight in New York City, with inspiring him to be passionate and brave and fun.

We talk about the club kid scene in this episode, which was happening in NYC in the early 90s. I don't think you need to know much about the history of the scene to follow the conversation, but you might enjoy this article for some background

This episode first featured in 2022, and here's what I had to say:

On this week's show we're talking to Lil Miss Hot Mess, who is as fun to talk to as her name is to say!
Coming up in the San Francisco scene, Lil Miss got started at the legendary T-Shack, a night held at The Stud, which unfortunately we lost at the beginning of the pandemic.
And, yes, you can rest assured that you'll be getting me patented dumb questions throughout this conversation about all of the traditions and weird things that happen in the drag scene, and this time I find out a lot about the dynamics between drag mothers and drag daughters.
Remember - I ask the dumb questions so you don't have to!

One of the things I love doing most about this show is, obviously, getting the chance to learn about different people's experiences and circumstances.

But, within that, there's often a really nice reminder of how nobody's journey is the same.

There are so many ways to come out, there are so many ways to fall in love, and there are all of these different ways in which a space can be important to you.

Some of my guests have only been to a space once, some went religiously over a period of years (or decades)... and, then, there are some people who had breaks in-between, going at different periods of their life.

One such person is the Canadian writer, artist, historian, and host of the trans history podcast 'One From The Vaults', Morgan M Page. Morgan first went to Goodhandy's in Toronto as a fresh-faced 19 year old, but then had a few different periods where the space wove in and out of her life, each time offering something different...

We caught up to talk about call centre scams, conspiracy theories, and having warm and fuzzy feelings for someone who is supposed to be a friend...

This episode was first shared in 2023, and here's what I had to say:

You know how sometimes these conversations are only very, very, very tenuously linked to a queer space, and in the intro I try and come up with some justification for why we didn't talk that much about it to prepare you for the episode ahead?

Well, dear listener, this week I'm not even going to try to insult your intelligence by pretending that we talked about a queer space, cause we didn't.

I failed you.

BUT, that's not to say that it's not a great conversation!

I was lucky enough to sit down with Jaimie Kelton, actor, voiceover artist, author and host of the Queer Family podcast. And in our conversation we talk all about what it's like to grow up in one of the gayest cities in the world, San Francisco, but still battle with coming to terms with your own sexuality, how to shed the idea of yourself being a 'good girl', and why the stereotype of the u-haul lesbian is so damn persistent...

This episode first featured in 2024, and here's what I had to say...

The lyric to that very famous 80s TV theme song is 'sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name'.

Whilst I think that's true I also think there are times where you want to go where nobody knows your name and where there's absolutely no risk of running in to anybody that you even vaguely know.

It's that type of space that gave this week's guest - scholar, therapist and host of the Gender Studies podcast Alex Iantaffi - the courage to actually go through the front door and start to explore their queerness for the first time.

And so, in this episode, Alex takes us back to the 90s and sits us down in a corner seat in London's First Out Cafe to show us the magical, open, friendly space that made them feel welcome.

This episode first appeared in 2021, and here's what I said:

It's our very first visit to the city where I grew up…. Adelaide!

I got to sit down with the comedian Lori Bell to talk all about her experiences on Adelaide’s queer scene (all two venues!)…

We talk all about first times, blow jobs on the dance floor, and I find out what the difference is between regular bingo and gay bingo….

This episode first appeared in 2021, and here's what I had to say about it:

Simona Castricum is a musician, DJ and producer based in Melbourne, Australia. We caught up to talk about Hugs and Kisses, a night that ran in the 2010s and took advantage of the looser licensing laws that applied to the venue it was based in, which created this wonderful, hedonistic atmosphere reminiscent of the early rave scene. We talked a lot about being safe on the scene and how to create that culture, becoming yourself, and drinking in the street. Oh, and I need to let you know that Simona is probably THE most Australian person that I’ve ever spoken to, and uses a whole heap of colloquial language, so you may want to familiarise yourself with the terms cooked, hoon, sick, goon and pingers before you listen to the episode! But, then again, it’s kind of fun guessing as you go along so I’ll leave that decision up to you.

This episode first appeared all the way back in 2021, and here's what I had to say about it:

Have you ever had someone try to coax you out of the closet by asking the seemingly innocent question ‘is there anything you want to tell me?’?

Do you remember the anguish and pain of simply muttering the 3 or 4 words needed to just confirm their suspicions?

Well, if you have, I have a feeling you’ll love this week’s episode.

I’m talking to comedy writer and actor Lisa Haas about her very first trip to the lesbian bar Three Sisters in Denver, Colorado in the 80s.

We talk about how depressing a lesbian bar can be on Christmas eve, the awkwardness of coming out support groups, and what signal your sister might be trying to send you when she offers to buy you a plaid shirt!

Listen to Lisa’s podcast ‘IN HEAT: A Lesbian Comedy’ wherever you stream podcasts, and follow her on Instagram.