I'm Feeling Queer Today!

It’s a brand new season from your favorite ensemble of young queer producers. And let’s just say, we’re getting lit… QUEER LIT, that is.  This episode is Part One of our THREE-PART series all about the robust world of Queer Literature, through the eyes of young queer people like us. We kick things off with a roundtable discussion on our favorite queer books and writers, then turn the page to a special interview with Tessa and Gio from The Bookish Songs Collective, a group of indie artists around the world working together to make albums of music based on their favorite books. Plus, a shout-out to some of our queer literary heroes in a new recurring segment called “Black Queer Revolutionaries.”⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS:Please note that some resources may contain triggering content and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of, or the definitions used by, The Future Perfect Project. ⏱️ TIME STAMPS:0:00 Intro1:02 Meet your hosts, Eric Eubank & Zorian Edwards3:05 Queer Literature Roundtable (hosted by Alex K. Masse, featuring Samuel, Lily, & Parker)17:44 Black Queer Revolutionaries: Queer Lit (hosted by Samuel Smalls Jr.)19:47 Hosts21:08 Bookish Songs Collective Interview (w Tessa Barcelo & Gio Navas)31:31 Queer Literature Affirmation of the Day32:05 Outro, credits & gratitude 💬 TRANSCRIPT: https://share.descript.com/view/Awh2dGy2J8y📝 RESOURCES/SHOW NOTES: Visit our site for full show notes on the books and authors we mentioned, The Bookish Songs Collective discography, and more → https://thefutureperfectproject.org/podcast 📢 We want to hear from you! Send a voice note to our online voice message box. Which book changed your life? →IFQT! Speakpipe - http://speakpipe.com/ifqt🚨 CRISIS RESOURCES:If you or a young person you know between the ages of 13-24 is currently in crisis, check out thetrevorproject.org for LGBTQIA+ specific support through text and chat, or call 1-866-488-7386.🟢 Topics explored in this episode: queer literature, LGBTQ+ books, queer representation, queer youth, identity, belonging, empathy, mental health, banned books, libraries, Black queer writers, Andrea Gibson, James Baldwin, Alice Walker, Kacen Callender, queer poetry, queer theater, literary adaptations, book fandom, Bookish Songs Collective, book-inspired music, songwriting, creative community, They Both Die at the End, Red, White & Royal Blue, Fun Home, The Color Purple 🟢

We’re back for I’m Feeling Queer Today! Season 4. And we're calling this season...“Creating Qulture.” That’s right, it's culture with a Q, of course! Because how could you separate the queer community from the culture they shaped? This season, we’ll be taking a deep dive into the worlds of Queer Literature, Drag Performance, Fantasy/Sci-Fi, and Journalism… all through an LGBTQ+ lens. We’ll meet bookworms creating soundtracks based on their favorite stories, drag performers and an archivist preserving their history, and someone who owes their life (literally) to the Renaissance Faire. Plus: authors, nerds, pioneers, roundtable discussions, and a whole lot of special segments from the IFQT! queer youth producer team you know and love. Subscribe so you never miss an episode! And visit our site to unlock even more about the topics we’ll cover this season → https://thefutureperfectproject.org/podcastWe want to hear from you! Send a voice note to our online voice message box. Who knows, maybe you’ll even make it into an episode this season! →  http://speakpipe.com/ifqt

In this special bonus episode of I’m Feeling Queer Today!, host Lily Mueller sits down with two generations of LGBTQ+ advocates working to make healthcare more equitable, accessible, and affirming for queer communities. First, researchers Milena Insalaco (she/they) and Dr. Viktor Clark (he/they) discuss the real-world impact of Trump’s first 100 days in office: attacks on LGBTQ+ research, diversity initiatives, and medical funding Plus, why queer representation in healthcare and academia can be lifesaving. Then, OBGYN and longtime LGBTQ+ advocate Dr. Patty Robertson (she/her) reflects on her journey from coming out before Stonewall to decades of work in reproductive justice and queer family-building.Together, these conversations explore what it means to keep showing up for queer people in moments of fear and uncertainty, and how community, mentorship, and care can help us survive and thrive. In a time when LGBTQ+ healthcare is increasingly under attack, this episode is a reminder that queer people have always fought for each other… and always will.📝 RESOURCES/SHOW NOTES:Visit our site for full show notes on local queer info, history, and additional resources mentioned in this episode → https://thefutureperfectproject.org/podcast We want to hear from you! Send a voice note to our online voice message box →IFQT! Speakpipe - http://speakpipe.com/ifqt⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS:Please note that some resources may contain triggering content and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of, or the definitions used by, The Future Perfect Project. ⏱️ TIME STAMPS:0:34 Host intro of Milena and Viktor2:10 - Interview with Milena E. Insalaco and Dr. Viktor Clark, authors of the paper “New Executive Orders’ Impact on Research and Clinical Trajectories: Barriers to the Development of Early-Stage Investigators”21:57 - Host reflections on the interview22:52 - Host intro of Patty Robertson23:25 - Interview with Patty Robertson, OBGYN and LGBTQ+ activist32:30 Outro, credits & gratitude💬 TRANSCRIPT: https://share.descript.com/view/CVvBXjmfKHy 🚨 CRISIS RESOURCES:If you or a young person you know between the ages of 13-24 is currently in crisis, check out thetrevorproject.org for LGBTQIA+ specific support through text and chat, or call 1-866-488-7386

Welcome back to a very special bonus episode of IFQT! where we’re going international!  In season 3, we took a queer road trip all around the U.S. to answer a big question: what is it like to be an LGBTQ+ person where you live? Today, we’re taking a flight to South Africa with the help of our friends at the Radio Workshop podcast. We hear from Noks Simelane, a young trans man in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa who knew who he was at a young age, even when he didn’t have the words to describe it. Trans YouTubers opened up Noks’ world, but most were white and American. Listen to how Noks started his YouTube channel, created the trans South African representation he wished he had, and how viewers from all around the world tuned in and cheered him on. This episode with Noks Simelane, entitled “Here We Are,” was originally published on December 6, 2022 on the Radio Workshop podcast. With permission from Radio Workshop, we are excited to share this impactful episode with our listeners.⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS:Please note that some resources may contain triggering content and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of, or the definitions used by, The Future Perfect Project. ⏱️ TIME STAMPS:0:00 “True Pride” poem by Stellan Knowles4:00 Host Intro w Sam Smalls Jr.5:27 Radio Workshop intro 16:52 Outro, credits & gratitude📝 RESOURCES/SHOW NOTES:Visit our site for full show notes on local queer info, history, and additional resources mentioned in this episode → https://thefutureperfectproject.org/podcast We want to hear from you! Send a voice note to our online voice message box →IFQT! Speakpipe - http://speakpipe.com/ifqt💬 TRANSCRIPT: https://share.descript.com/view/AjlqaD4pqjw 🚨 CRISIS RESOURCES:If you or a young person you know between the ages of 13-24 is currently in crisis, check out thetrevorproject.org for LGBTQIA+ specific support through text and chat, or call 1-866-488-7386

Welcome back to a very special bonus episode of IFQT! Earlier this season, we heard from queer youth in Utah about what it’s like to navigate faith and queer identity within the LDS Mormon community. To continue that conversation, we’re sharing an episode from our friend Persis Abraham’s podcast Room For Us, featuring therapist and theologian Ann Russo. Ann incorporates a Master’s in Theology into her social work practice to help people heal from religious trauma. In this episode, she talks about her own experiences with faith, growing up in a queer household, attending an ex-gay conference, and AMR, the evidence-based approach she’s developed to overcome religious trauma. This interview with Ann was originally published on July 17, 2025 by our friend Persis Abraham on her podcast, Room For Us. With permission from Persis, we are excited to share this impactful episode with our listeners. Hosted by Hannie Saba.⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS:Please note that some resources may contain triggering content and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of, or the definitions used by, The Future Perfect Project. ⏱️ TIME STAMPS:0:48 Host, Hannie welcome3:19 Persis introduces Ann Russo4:31 Growing up in queer 80s household15:59 Common queer mental health challenges18:30 Did Ann grow up religious?20:00 Attending queer conversion conference 35:00 Trauma informed care41:16 Training professionals on queer inclusion46:48 Religious institutional harm51:16 Taking care of yourself54:30 Advice to Ann’s younger self56:28 Message to queer folks feeling isolated 58:00 Outro, credits & gratitude📝 RESOURCES/SHOW NOTES:Visit our site for full show notes on local queer info, history, and additional resources mentioned in this episode → https://thefutureperfectproject.org/podcast We want to hear from you! Send a voice note to our online voice message box →IFQT! Speakpipe - http://speakpipe.com/ifqt💬 TRANSCRIPT: https://share.descript.com/view/zuwFGyGZBxy 🚨 CRISIS RESOURCES:If you or a young person you know between the ages of 13-24 is currently in crisis, check out thetrevorproject.org for LGBTQIA+ specific support through text and chat, or call 1-866-488-7386

In this bonus episode of IFQT!, we’re back in Ohio—this time just outside Cleveland—at Albert Einstein Academy (AEA), Northeast Ohio’s first LGBTQ+ affirming public high school. Even in the face of hostile legislation, AEA’s community stands strong, making space to process new house bills together in real time. Hear from co-founder and superintendent Kristen Thomas on how the school began, join a roundtable on gender-affirming care, and listen to students share original poetry and messages of hope for queer youth to come. This is Part 1 of 2 from our visit to Albert Einstein Academy.📝 RESOURCES/SHOW NOTES:Visit our site for full show notes on local queer info, history, and additional resources mentioned in this episode → https://thefutureperfectproject.org/podcast We want to hear from you! Send a voice note to our online voice message box →IFQT! Speakpipe - http://speakpipe.com/ifqt⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS:Please note that some resources may contain triggering content and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of, or the definitions used by, The Future Perfect Project. ⏱️ TIME STAMPS:0:41 Host intro about AEA1:38 HB68 update & reactions3:33 ⚠️ AEA co-founder Kristen Thomas interview w/ Trudy Poux (⚠️ CW: suicide)12:30 “The Moth” original poem by Leo13:24 Roundtable on “gender-affirming care”24:52 Message for next generation of young queers27:46 Outro, credits & gratitude💬 TRANSCRIPT: https://share.descript.com/view/PAlY49MvQKG 🚨 CRISIS RESOURCES:If you or a young person you know between the ages of 13-24 is currently in crisis, check out thetrevorproject.org for LGBTQIA+ specific support through text and chat, or call 1-866-488-7386

In this very special bonus episode of IFQT, we’re heading back to the place where Season 3 began: Spartanburg, South Carolina! We sat down with Stela Prado-Garrett and her mom, Dani, to talk about what it was like for Stela to come out to her family. Plus, how Dani’s untraditional Southern upbringing impacted her reaction, and why she thinks God has a sense of humor. To meet even more folks from the queer community in Spartanburg, check out Episodes 1 and 2 of Season 3.⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS:Please note that some resources may contain triggering content and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of, or the definitions used by, The Future Perfect Project. ⏱️ TIME STAMPS:1:00 Intro w Host Hannie1:27 📞Speakpipe Debut! Listener call-in2:33 Stella and her mom, Dani11:04 Outro, Credits & Gratitude💬 TRANSCRIPT: https://share.descript.com/view/SYd2lg9xrjh 📝 RESOURCES/SHOW NOTES:Visit our site for full show notes on local queer info, history, and additional resources mentioned in this episode → https://thefutureperfectproject.org/podcast We want to hear from you! Send a voice note to our online voice message box →IFQT! Speakpipe - http://speakpipe.com/ifqt🚨 CRISIS RESOURCES:If you or a young person you know between the ages of 13-24 is currently in crisis, check out thetrevorproject.org for LGBTQIA+ specific support through text and chat, or call 1-866-488-7386

We’re closing out our big queer roadtrip by taking you to the gayest town in America: Provincetown! 🌈In our season finale, we travel to Cape Cod, a peninsula off the southeast part of Massachusetts. You’ll meet some friendly folks who call Cape Cod their home year round. Plus, we’ll introduce you to The Summer of Sass, a local non-profit providing queer youth ages 18-20 the opportunity to spend the summer living and working in Provincetown. Find out why this place is a dream destination for the LGBTQ+ community and the ways that Ptown still needs to grow in order to become a truly intersectional queer utopia. This podcast episode was developed last summer through a workshop at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA.📝 RESOURCES/SHOW NOTES:Visit our site for full show notes on local queer info, history, and additional resources mentioned in this episode → https://thefutureperfectproject.org/podcast We want to hear from you! Send a voice note to our online voice message box →IFQT! Speakpipe - http://speakpipe.com/ifqt⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS:Please note that some resources may contain triggering content and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of, or the definitions used by, The Future Perfect Project. ⏱️ TIME STAMPS:0:00 Intro w Hosts Lily & Trinity2:43 Intro to P-Town w Hazel - 14 yo local 6:59 Intro to SASS w Kristen Becker, Founder and Director9:48 House of SASS tour 12:15 Kristen Becker21:41 “Bird Bath” short story by Robby Piper28:06 Cody interviews Patience “growing up summer-camping on the Cape”34:44 Messages for Queer Youth from Ptowners37:38 Outro, Credits & Gratitude💬 TRANSCRIPT: https://share.descript.com/view/w28n3MP1aLh🚨 CRISIS RESOURCES:If you or a young person you know between the ages of 13-24 is currently in crisis, check out thetrevorproject.org for LGBTQIA+ specific support through text and chat, or call 1-866-488-7386