Allyship is a Verb

In this week’s episode, Dr. Leah Tidey (she/her) shares about how her definition of bisexuality has evolved since she first claimed it at the age of 12. Learn how intersections of bisexuality and consensual non-monogamy have created stigma she’s been pushing against. We also discuss Robyn Och’s definition of bisexuality and how Leah’s work as a sexual health educator can be tricky in terms of how much of herself she feel comfortable sharing with her students or overall in certain spaces due to bisexual erasure and biphobia. Have you ever wondered why people may use the term “partner”? Leah talks about how she doesn’t want to deceive people and doesn’t feel she is; she’s intentional about how it’s encompassing as a term and moves way from traditions we may have been taught, while recognizing the privilege in feeling comfortable enough to use it. We also talk about how COVID-19 and the pandemic overall has brought about lots of conversations that the polyamorous community has already been having for a long time related to bubbles and who we are seeing and when.

🎙️ Connect with Leah to learn more about + support her work:

• Dr. Leah Tidey's website
• Levi & Leah YouTube Channel
• The Love Doctor Podcast - Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Twitter
• Come as You Are: Revised and Updated: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski - the book she recommends
• (Disclaimer: Gender Sexuality Info, LLC may receive a small commission from you purchasing from this link, which helps to provide free educational services like this podcast)

💻 Sources and resources from this episode:

• Levi’s Future Proof YouTube Channel
• Options for Sexual Health
• Here are some related episodes from Leah’s podcast:
• Consensual Non-Monogamy: Is It Just About Sex? feat. Dr. Amy C. Moors
• Can Women and Men Be "Just Friends?" (And What If They're Bi?!) feat. Marcus Territory
• TikTok Beauty Filters & How Your Sexual Orientation Can Change feat. Chris Angel Murphy *This is when I was on as a guest for her podcast :)
• Do Bi Guys Exist? feat. Joe Lee
• Can You Trust a Bisexual Partner? (And what is bi wife energy?) feat. Levi Hildebrand
• Two awesome polyam accounts to follow on Instagram (according to Charlie):
• polyamfam
• polyphiliablog

Host Charlie Ocean, MSW (they/them), has a background in LGBTQ+ training, community organizing, and technology. Guest episodes feature at least one allyship tip, including tailored questions based on the guests' unique intersecting identities. You can follow Charlie on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack. *You will hear Charlie's former name in this episode and previous ones.*

In this week’s episode, Chris Tompkins (he/him) shares about being an LGBTQ inner advocate and practicing allyship toward himself. Learn how he found his way to sobriety while acknowledging that AA isn't for everyone. We also discuss the term "Guncle" and how being one was part of the inspiration for his book, Raising LGBTQ Allies. Have you ever heard of "machismo?" Chris talks about how it influences Latin American culture and what it meant for the messages he received as a young gay child. We also discuss what it's like sharing our stories on PFLAG panels, spirituality, and how heteronormativity is a lot like humidity...!

🎙️ Connect with Chris to learn more about + support his work:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram

💻 Sources and resources from this episode:

• Code-switching: How BAME and LGBT people 'blend in'
• PFLAG National
• Make Sure Your Child’s School Is Safe For LGBTQ+ Students & Families––Here’s How written by Chris Tompkins
• Chris’ interview with Melinda Wenner Moyer - How to be an LGBTQ-affirming parent
• What children learn from the things they aren't told | Chris Tompkins | TEDxCSULB
• Raising LGBTQ Allies - book
• (Disclaimer: Gender Sexuality Info, LLC may receive a small commission from you purchasing from this link, which helps to provide free educational services like this podcast)

Host Charlie Ocean, MSW (they/them), has a background in LGBTQ+ training, community organizing, and technology. Guest episodes feature at least one allyship tip, including tailored questions based on the guests' unique intersecting identities. You can follow Charlie on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack. *You will hear Charlie's former name in this episode and previous ones.*

This episode is sponsored by a private donor. Thank you!!!

Content warning for mentions of George Floyd's murder and generally sensitive topics without details.

In this week’s episode, Ra Ra Rollins (he/him) shares why he claims “queer” and “gay” and the difference in meaning for him between the two terms. He ponders if he’s Black first or gay, queer first, especially since not all spaces see him as a whole person with various, complex identities. Learn about how his work can be triggering as a Black therapist and what it means for him to hold space for clients at some of his same intersections. We also discuss how he pushed back in his grad school program because he learned from white professors who talked about white theorists and had white supervisors while seeing white clients. Despite that, he did gain two incredible mentors and friends for life. Ra Ra reclaims his energy by practicing boundaries, which did not come naturally to him, including by shutting down nearly all of his social media. There's also some discussion around rules and how he liberates himself from rules that don’t work or honor him.

🎙️ Connect with Ra Ra to learn more about + support his work:

• Our guest had an online presence at the time of the recording but has since pulled it down to protect his peace.

💻 Sources and resources from this episode:

• Foster and Adoption Laws - Movement Advancement Project
• Overall United States Policy Tally - Movement Advancement Project
• Report: South Has Most LGBTQ Residents In the U.S. - Memphis Flyer
• Absolutely Not! - Are You Paying Me To Be Your Black Friend? w/ Ra Ra Rollins
• Point Foundation - The LGBTQ Scholarship Fund
• Gender Sexuality Info’s scholarship list - Scroll down toward the bottom of the page

Host Charlie Ocean, MSW (they/them), has a background in LGBTQ+ training, community organizing, and technology. Guest episodes feature at least one allyship tip, including tailored questions based on the guests' unique intersecting identities. You can follow Charlie on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack. *You will hear Charlie's former name in this episode and previous ones.*

In this week’s episode, Mon Malanovich-Gallagher (they/them) shares about being an LGBTQI+ speaker and facilitator and what some of their experience as an introvert can look like, including introducing the term “anchor.” Learn why they left Poland and the importance of language including identities that reflect our experience. We also discuss employment diversity questions and how data matters while recognizing the privilege of being able to answer as honestly as possible. Have you ever wondered why there’s gatekeeping within the broader LGBTQ+ community and subgroups? Mon talks about how we should be able to claim our own identities and that what we land on feels right to us as individuals without trying to fit any “standards.” We also discuss what it might look like to queer-ify relationships, an example of a supportive pronoun question, and being aware of our impact on and how we show up for marginalized communities.

💻 Sources and resources from this episode:

• MindOut UK

Host Charlie Ocean, MSW (they/them), has a background in LGBTQ+ training, community organizing, and technology. Guest episodes feature at least one allyship tip, including tailored questions based on the guests' unique intersecting identities. You can follow Charlie on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack. *You will hear Charlie's former name in this episode and previous ones.*

This episode is sponsored by Rebecca Minor, LICSW. For more information about her resource, My Kid Just Came Out: Free Guide for Parents, please visit: https://www.genderspecialist.com/nowwhat

In this week’s episode, Dominic (he/him) talks about the first time he got hit on by a girl and how that started his sexuality (and later gender) journey. Learn about what shifts occurred in his life as he started to be read as a man in society and some decisions he's made as a result, including going stealth. We also discuss how he told his mom he's a trans man and some of her initial reactions. Dominic talks about how he's felt in LGBTQ+ spaces over the years and how he kind of misses them but it would contradict his decision to be private. He also talks about co-running a support group and some of the stressful moments that have come about as a result.

💻 Sources and resources from this episode:

• Count Me In - Human Rights Campaign
• Potato Parcel
• RuPaul Responds To Controversy Over The Word 'Tranny'
• How RuPaul’s comments on trans women led to a Drag Race revolt — and a rare apology
• Mariah Carey - Emotions | YouTube
• Trans Day of Visibility: Nonbinary Visibility Panel
• PFLAG National - Find a chapter near you
• A Guide for the Gender Neutral B-Mitzvah

Host Charlie Ocean, MSW (they/them), has a background in LGBTQ+ training, community organizing, and technology. Guest episodes feature at least one allyship tip, including tailored questions based on the guests' unique intersecting identities. You can follow Charlie on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack. *You will hear Charlie's former name in this episode and previous ones.*