UNCLOSETED with Spencer Macnaughton

On May 6, the Trump administration released their new counterterrorism strategy. It delineated three “major types of terror groups,” including “narcoterrorists and transnational gangs,” “legacy Islamist terrorists” and “violent left-wing extremists, including anarchists and anti-fascists.” In a glaring departure from the Biden administration’s strategy focused on far-right extremists and white supremacists, the Trump administration is cracking down on ideology that they call “anti-American, radically pro-transgender, and anarchist.” In this episode of “UNCLOSETED, with Spencer Macnaughton,” Spencer talks with Jon Lewis, a researcher at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, as well as University of Maryland distinguished psychology professor Arie Kruglanski, to learn about what this new characterization of terrorism means for the safety of LGBTQ people and the security of all Americans. “UNCLOSETED, with Spencer Macnaughton” is a new podcast by Uncloseted Media, an investigative LGBTQ-focused nonprofit news publication. Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. YouTube // Spotify // Apple.CREDITS:Host: Spencer MacnaughtonAudio Production Intern: Bella SayeghEditor: Izzy StokesSocial producer/Design: Sophie HollandSpecial thanks: Jennifer Moroz and Leital Molad

LGBTQ kids make up a third of the American foster care system and transgender kids enter it at five times the rate of the general population. But in 2026, there are few legal protections for LGBTQ youth in the system.Uncloseted Media’s Sam Donndelinger spoke with case workers, advocates and survivors of the foster care system and uncovered why it’s failing trans kids. In this episode of “UNCLOSETED, with Spencer Macnaughton,” Spencer sits down with Sam and breaks down the story’s key findings. “UNCLOSETED, with Spencer Macnaughton” is a new podcast by Uncloseted Media, an investigative LGBTQ-focused nonprofit news publication. Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. YouTube // Spotify // Apple CREDITS:Host: Spencer MacnaughtonAudio Production Intern: Bella SayeghEditor: Taya StraussSocial producer/Design: Sophie HollandSpecial thanks: Jennifer Moroz and Leital Molad

Peter Boykin founded Gays for Trump 10 years ago as an organization to “get out the vote” for gay Trump supporters during the president’s first run for office. The organization grew fast by creating Facebook campaigns and hosting events at the Republican National Convention. Now, over one year into Trump’s second term, Boykin’s group is smaller but still boasts 11,000 members. In this episode of “UNCLOSETED, with Spencer Macnaughton,” Spencer sits down with Boykin to learn about why he remains “hopeful for Donald Trump” despite his disagreements about how the president has been handling LGBTQ issues.“UNCLOSETED, with Spencer Macnaughton” is a new podcast by Uncloseted Media, an investigative LGBTQ-focused nonprofit news publication. Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. YouTube // Spotify // Apple For all of our journalism and for links to all our coverage, go to UnclosetedMedia.com Credits:Host: Spencer MacnaughtonAudio Production Intern: Bella SayeghEditor: Izzy StokesSocial producer/Design: Sophie HollandSpecial thanks: Jennifer Moroz and Leital Molad

In 1992, James Dale sued the Boy Scouts of America after they kicked him out for being gay. The case lasted nearly a decade and made it all the way to the Supreme Court. While SCOTUS ultimately ruled against Dale in a 5-4 decision, his case paved the way for LGBTQ inclusion across the organization. In 2014, the Boy Scouts started allowing gay boys to join the organization. Three years later, the organization began allowing trans boy scouts, and a year later, girls became eligible for membership. But today, Scouting America is presented with a new challenge as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has put the organization “on notice,” and has threatened to pull Pentagon support if the they fail to erase what he calls “an insidious radical woke ideology,” which includes allowing trans scouts and girls to join the organization, and promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion. In this episode of “UNCLOSETED, with Spencer Macnaughton,” Spencer sits down with Dale to talk about his experience suing the Boy Scouts of America and why he’s ready to speak out against the new challenges created by Hegseth, who he describes as a “terrorist.” “UNCLOSETED, with Spencer Macnaughton” is a new podcast by Uncloseted Media, an investigative LGBTQ-focused nonprofit news publication. Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. YouTube // Spotify // Apple For all of our journalism and for links to all our coverage, go to UnclosetedMedia.com Credits:Host: Spencer MacnaughtonAudio Production Intern: Bella SayeghEditor: Taya StraussSocial producer/Design: Sophie HollandSpecial thanks: Jennifer Moroz and Leital Molad

Matt Bernstein, also known as Mattxiv on Instagram, where he boasts 2.2 million followers, is one of the most influential Internet voices for young queer progressives in the U.S. Through vertical videos, uniquely curated social posts and a podcast called “A Bit Fruity,” Bernstein tackles the most pressing—and controversial—issues of our time, but presents them in an accessible and bite-sized way that meets the moment of how consumers want to receive information in 2026.  In this episode of “UNCLOSETED, with Spencer Macnaughton,” Spencer sits down with Bernstein to talk about why far-right podcasters are dominating the Internet, the state of the Democratic party on trans issues and why “nobody [his] age cares about legacy media.”“UNCLOSETED, with Spencer Macnaughton” is a new podcast by Uncloseted Media, an investigative LGBTQ-focused nonprofit news publication. Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. YouTube // Spotify // Apple For all of our journalism and for links to all our coverage, go to UnclosetedMedia.com CREDITS:Host: Spencer MacnaughtonAudio Production Intern: Bella SayeghEditor: Izzy Stokes Social producer/Design: Sophie HollandSpecial thanks: Jennifer Moroz and Leital Molad

On March 31, the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) voted 8-1 to overturn Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy. In their ruling, which was seen has a huge blow for LGBTQ rights, SCOTUS sided with lawyers from the Southern Poverty Law-Center designated anti-LGBTQ hate group Alliance Defending Freedom and in turn paved for 23 other states and D.C. to overturn bans.More than half of the 700,00 Americans who have experienced conversion therapy in the U.S. are minors. And the discredited practice is linked to depression, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts.Sami Tacher and their father Greg Tacher have experienced the devastating impact of conversion therapy first-hand. Greg, a former elder at The International Churches of Christ in Seattle, initially rejected Sami’s gay identity and supported their journey through years of a conversion therapy program that would result in unbearable loneliness, suicidal ideation and trauma that they still deal with today. Through this time, though, Greg slowly deconstructed his faith and has since left the church. Today, the father and son duo say they’ve come full circle and are “best friends.” In this episode of “UNCLOSETED, with Spencer Macnaughton,” Sami and Greg share their story. “UNCLOSETED, with Spencer Macnaughton” is a new podcast by Uncloseted Media, an investigative LGBTQ-focused nonprofit news publication. Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. YouTube // Spotify // Apple For all of our journalism and for links to all our coverage, go to UnclosetedMedia.com This story contains mention of suicide and self-harm. If you or someone you know needs support, resources are available here: https://www.unclosetedmedia.com/p/lgbtq-mental-health-resourcesSami’s essay about their experience in conversion therapy can be found here: https://www.unclosetedmedia.com/p/i-live-in-colorado-conversion-therapy CREDITS:Host: Spencer MacnaughtonAudio Production Intern: Bella SayeghEditor: Taya StraussSocial producer/Design: Sophie HollandSpecial thanks: Jennifer Moroz and Leital Molad