The OUTcast by Muncie OUTreach: Recent Episodes
Jordan, Luc, Rose, Ryan J. Mills (Mentor), and Steven Knipp (Mentor)
The OUTcast by Muncie OUTreach is a youth-led podcast that focuses on sociopolitical and cultural issues within the LGBTQ community. Our topics will deal with the experiences and plight of Queer Youth and the systems of oppression that impact them. This also includes queer youth who stand at the many intersections of these systems (Black, Latinx, Indigenous, etc.). We also want to uplift our community and the culture that they embody (Drag, Politics, Social Movements, etc.). We want use our platform to give a voice to individuals of different ethnicities and identities so they can tell their stories and speak their truth. Not to mention, we special emphasis on the mental health of our Queer youth, to let them know that they are not alone.
For today’s episode we will be venturing into the past to explore the Drag scene in Indianapolis during the Jazz Era. For those who don’t know, the Jazz Era was the period from the 1920s to the 1930s when Jazz gained global notoriety. In Black communities throughout the country, jazz clubs became a place of leisure and source of entertainment. Indiana Avenue, a street located in downtown Indianapolis, became the focal point for Black artistic expression during this time. However, what many do not know is that in these jazz clubs was also a burgeoning queer nightlife. “Pansy Balls” or what would be called Drag Shows today, were immensely popular in Indianapolis even gaining international popularity. So, to help us gain some insight into the Black Drag Scene of Indianapolis during the Jazz Era we invited archivist, activist, and public historian, Stephen Lane, onto the podcast to be interviewed.
On this episode of the OUTcast Podcast, we discussed the ground-breaking 2022 referendum made to Cuba’s Family Code. Once considered progressive for its time, the 1975 Family Code was created to mandate equality for women. However, as decades passed, the Family Code quickly became outdated and needed to be amended to reflect the current times. After passing with 66% of votes in favor of reform, Cuba ushered in a new era redefining the idea of family, marriage, reproductive rights, maternity rights, and rights for people with disabilities. Included in this referendum were federal protections of LGBTQ marriages, adoptions, and reproductive rights. So, to gain an accurate assessment of Cuba’s Family Code, we invited community organizer, cultural worker, writer, and art historian, Devyn Springer, to the pod to speak about how this referendum came to be, the history of U.S. and Cuba tension, and his experiences living in Cuba.
For this episode, we wanted to end the year with a bang! So, we decided to make this recording into our first ever video to be released on the OUTreach YouTube Channel! Since Trans Awareness Week and Trans Day of Remembrance was last month, we wanted to have a table talk focused on the lives of Black Trans Femme individuals in Muncie, Indiana. Due to this being a Black Trans Femme-centered episode, we thought what better way to mark the return of our beloved cast member and friend, Hunter Greenleaf. She comes through to offer a fresh perspective on what life is like navigating Muncie as a Black Trans Woman. We also would like to thank our guest on this episode, Teri Lightning, who was so gracious as to join us on this table talk to discuss her experience as Black Non-binary Trans Femme. We left no rock unturned; everything from love and relationships to bigotry and transphobic violence was touched on in this episode. We would like to thank our supporters for sticking with us thus far and be on the lookout for more quality content from us in 2023!!!
We would like to thank our videographer Trena Morton for blessing us with our first ever video. Also, stay tuned for part 2 of this table talk.
For today’s episode, we will be revisiting a topic previously covered in the finale of the first season of our podcast, Drag performance. So, we thought what better way to approach this topic again than to interview the immensely talented local drag performer, Patrick Oneal. Patrick is a 24 year old trans man who is a health care worker by day but by night he performs under the stage name Adam McDarling. He has been performing most of his life and even participated in the Mr. Gay Indiana competition in 2021 and 2022. He also has occasionally given presentations about his life experiences as an autistic person. With a magnetic personality and positive attitude, he is able to put a smile on the faces of both judges and audiences.
Hello, everyone and welcome to a special episode of the OUTcast podcast where we celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Muncie OUTreach! Founded in 2012, Muncie OUTreach was created to provide the LGBTQ youth of Delaware County with the necessary support, resources, and advocacy that was sorely lacking at that time. Fast forward 10 years later, Muncie OUTreach has grown to become a pillar within the Muncie community by advocating for LGBTQ rights and utilizing its resources to ensure the safety of our queer youth. As a matter of fact, without Muncie OUTreach the OUTcast Podcast wouldn’t exist. So, we thought what better way to celebrate this momentous occasion than to interview director and founder of Muncie OUTreach, Laura Janney! With that said, we would like everyone to listen in as we commemorate the history and celebrate the accomplishments of Muncie OUTreach!
For this episode, we decided to take a break from the usual serious topics involving social issues, problematic politics, and current events to shift towards a lighter tone. We decided to do an episode where we focus on a specific series that is an example of good representation, quality storytelling, and unapologetically queer characters. So, we chose to analyze, critique, and praise the new critically acclaimed and Takia Waititi-produced HBO Max series “Our Flag Means Death.” This new take on the pirate genre is praised for its LGBTQ representation, colorful cast, and subversion of the queer-baiting trope that became quite popular in film. With that said, we decided to offer up our own assessments of the show by exploring the important themes, analyzing our favorite characters, and addressing the historical inaccuracies which led to some potentially uncomfortable subjects. So, we would like for everyone to just enjoy this fun and light-hearted episode but also stay tuned for more content like this in the future.
For this episode, we decided to take a break from the usual serious topics involving social issues, problematic politics, and current events to shift towards a lighter tone. We decided to do an episode where we focus on a specific series that is an example of good representation, quality storytelling, and unapologetically queer characters. So, we chose to analyze, critique, and praise the new critically acclaimed and Takia Waititi-produced HBO Max series “Our Flag Means Death.” This new take on the pirate genre is praised for its LGBTQ representation, colorful cast, and subversion of the queer-baiting trope that became quite popular in film. With that said, we decided to offer up our own assessments of the show by exploring the important themes, analyzing our favorite characters, and addressing the historical inaccuracies which led to some potentially uncomfortable subjects. So, we would like for everyone to just enjoy this fun and light-hearted episode but also stay tuned for more content like this in the future.
For this roundtable episode, we decided to tackle a topic that sparked nationwide outrage and set the internet ablaze. A topic that undoubtedly affects a significant portion of the population. The topic we wanted to confront head on was the unfortunate overturn of Roe V. Wade and Planned Parenthood V. Casey. On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States decided to pass Dobbs V. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that effectively put an end to Roe and Casey, thus ending federal protections surrounding abortion and gave states the power to ban abortion. As countless media outlets reported on the merciless assault on reproductive rights, we heard a particular narrative being regurgitated over and over. One that frames this matter as purely a “women’s rights issue.” This cis woman-centered narrative limits the scope of who is affected by this decision which in turn has cruel and unintended consequences. Outcomes that abandon the accounts of many people who can give birth but don’t identify as women. The lack LGBTQ voices and perspectives within this discourse was concerning and needed to be addressed, so we decided to speak up. We invited nurse practitioner, Kathy Campbell Feeney, to guide us through the murky waters of reproductive rights, abortion misinformation, political propaganda, and the erasure of LGBTQ voices from public discussions.
For many people within the LGBTQ community, the single most powerful act they can partake in to gain independence, acceptance, and freedom in a world that too often denies them these qualities, is to come out of the closet. This action alone can be the first steppingstone in making a scornful, bigoted, and unaccepting society come to terms with their humanity. The same holds true for families of LGBTQ individuals who are hateful and unaccepting. When a family member comes out of the closet, they are no longer an abstract threat, instead they become tangible, real. Forcing the family to either come to terms with their own bigotry and heal or give into that bigotry thus destroying the trust of their queer loved one forever. For today’s episode, we are spoke to local author, LGBTQ counselor, and an all-around force for good in our community, Paige Hendricks, about her book “Out of the Closet: An Anthology of Coming Out Stories” and why coming out of the closet is a crucial step for Queer Youth.
When we recorded our Year End episode, we had everyone present except for River and Jordan. So, we wanted to give our newest cast member, River, and the founder of this podcast, Jordan, an opportunity to talk about their first year in podcasting and to highlight their favorite episodes. We would like to send a BIG thank you to our host, Rose, for staying late to help us record this episode.
For this episode, we are going to take a slightly different approach than our previous ones. We have been recording for over a year now without providing our listeners with the opportunity to get to know the individual members of the pod. Therefore, we have decided to have a conversational episode where we focus on our individual experiences, passions, how we were introduced to OUTreach, and our hopes for the future.
For this episode, we were blessed with the opportunity to speak with local author, educator, and host of the NPR podcast The Facing Project, J.R. Jamison. A year ago, Jamison wrote and published a book called Hillbilly Queer: A Memoir and wanted to sit down with us to discuss the details of the book. In his memoir, J.R. explores his complicated relationship with his father and strives to understand his political ideals in hopes of building a bridge between them. Unfortunately, the story of strained family relationships is far too common within the LGBTQ community, and we wanted to delve into that subject. There were many difficult topics tackled in this episode. We also had a great discussion about self-discovery, privilege, queerness, politics, and a person’s capacity to change. We would like to give a special thanks to J.R. Jamison for stopping by and we also encourage our listeners to check out his book Hillbilly Queer: A Memoir.
Music Provided by: Duong Thi.
Purchase Hillbilly Queer: A Memoir on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Hillbilly-Queer-Memoir-J-R-Jamison/dp/1734558164
What can we say about 2021? Well, we can definitely admit that it was another tumultuous year riddled with triumphs and turmoil which left some of us feeling uneasy about the year to come. Coming off the back of an already tremendously chaotic year, 2021 presented its own set of issues that we had to confront. From the January 6th Insurrection to the rise of Omicron, it seemed as though none of us could catch a break. Yet, in the midst off all of this mayhem, OUTreach decided to launch a podcast and behold, The OUTcast Podcast was birthed. We are one year in, and we show no signs of stopping. So, for this episode, the youth took this time to reflect on their first year in the world of podcasting and spoke about their favorite episodes. We would like to thank all of our listeners and supporters for sticking with us as we embarked on this journey. You are appreciated!
Music provided by Duong Thi
Well, we couldn’t avoid this topic any longer. As social media sites everywhere were set ablaze and think pieces were emerging out of nowhere at blinding speeds, we struggled to stay above the fray. However, as this topic continued to be prevalent in the news cycle, we finally decided to plunge into the controversy surrounding Dave Chappelle’s standup special “The Closer.” So, to assist us in examining and scrutinizing this special, we called upon an old friend to the show, Devon Ginn, to grace us once again with his wisdom and insight. Together, we had a delightful round table discussion about Dave Chappelle's standup, transphobia, race, capitalism, and comedy as an artform. We would like to dedicate this episode to every trans individual who fought, protested, and sacrificed their livelihood in hopes of creating a better future for the LGBTQ community. You are loved and appreciated!
Music Provided by
Artist - Duong Thi.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCShNZI_iP64tX4qUT1_sjGw
For this episode, we aimed to shift our focus to the AIDS Crisis of the 1980s, a time period where the LGBTQ community found itself at the frightening crossroads of a deadly epidemic and a negligent government. This crisis claimed the lives of over 40,000 people from 1981 to 1987 in the United States alone. Yet, despite the lives being lost due this crisis, there was not a word uttered about it by any government official until 1985. This was 4 years after the crisis began but by then it was already a full-scale epidemic. So, to help us gain some insight into this period, we had the distinguished pleasure of interviewing columnist, novelist, and long-time LGBTQ activist, James Finn. Finn was a member of both ACT UP NY and Queer Nation during this time and stood on the frontlines of many of the protests and demonstrations battling government negligence during the AIDS Crisis. The OUTcast Podcast would like to thank James Finn for sharing his experiences, keen insight, and wisdom with us during this interview. We dedicate this episode to all activists who placed their lives in harm’s way in hopes of creating a brighter future.
Music Provided by Duong Thi
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCShNZI_iP64tX4qUT1_sjGw
We are back and better than ever!!! For the first episode of this new season, we decided to revisit the topic of queer representation in film. However, we wanted to take new approach and focus more on trans, non-binary, and gender nonconforming representation in film. The cast covered a lot of ground in this episode, but we wanted to make sure that we were thorough in our analysis. We discussed the history, evolution, and popular troupes associated with trans, non-binary, and gender nonconforming characters. We also would like to welcome a new member to the cast, River, whose intellect, and wit made this episode a pleasure to listen to. Not only is he new to the cast but he took on the task of hosting this episode as well and absolutely blew us all away! We are so excited to be back and stay tuned because we have so much more in store for you.
This episode will be our season finale, so we decided to interview the incomparable and talented local Drag Queen extraordinaire, Venus. Drag, as an artform, has been around since the late 1800s and has been a way for queer individuals to creatively express themselves despite social ostracization. Surprisingly, the first Drag Queen on record was a former slave by the name of William Dorsey Swann. Swann was also an early Gay Rights activist and was the first person to lead a queer resistance group to fight for LGBTQ rights. Today, the artform has become more commercialized and has expanded its definition to include performers of various gender identities and orientations. We wanted to gain some insight as well as celebrate the significance of Drag within the LGBTQ community. We dedicate this episode to William Dorsey Swann, and all Drag performers who risked their lives for the freedom of expression. We also send a thank you to all our listeners because without your support, this podcast would not exist.
This episode of the OUTcast Podcast, we discussed a topic that is relatable to almost anyone who has dabbled in the world of courtship, Unhealthy Relationships. Our society places an elevated value on dating, relationships, and love which can be seen in all forms of media. We see movies, shows, and books asserting the transformative power of romantic love. Much of this media likens falling in love to something magical or enchanted. However, not much of the media is geared toward what happens after the feeling of falling in love has diminished or how to maintain a relationship over a long period of time. This unrealistic standard of love and relationships perpetuated by the media places an unnecessary pressure on those who are searching for a genuine connection. Unfortunately, this idealistic depiction of love can lead many into unhealthy and abusive relationships with no skills on how to navigate them. This issue becomes worse when we factor in the representation of queer relationships. Without some form of guidance or a model that exhibits healthy queer relationships, many LGBTQ youth are left at the wayside.
Research by the Urban Institute has shown that “higher percentages of LGB youth reported being victimized by physical dating violence (43 percent), psychological dating abuse (59 percent), cyber dating abuse (37 percent), and sexual coercion (23 percent), than did heterosexual youth.” The numbers are even bleaker for our transgender youth, “across the board, the few transgender youth in the sample reported some of the highest victimization rates of physical dating violence, psychological dating abuse, cyber dating abuse, and sexual coercion; however, they also reported the highest perpetration rates of physical dating violence, cyber dating abuse, and sexual coercion.”
Therefore, our cast decided to undertake the issue of unhealthy relationships and the red flags to be aware of. Our guest on this episode, Melanie Jones, gives a yearly presentation on unhealthy relationships to the youth at OUTreach. So, we invited her onto our podcast to help bestow some insight into this subject. We want our queer youth to understand that unhealthy relationships can happen to anyone, and it is not necessarily a reflection of a character flaw within them. Hopefully, they will walk away from this episode with the necessary tools to help recognize abusive relationships. We would like to express our deep gratitude toward Melanie and her contributions to this episode. Stay safe and Happy Pride Month!!
Music Credit: Dj Quads Track Name: "This Time Of The Year"
On this episode of the OUTcast Podcast, we had a short discussion about the trailblazing recording artist, Lil Nas X and his music video for his song “Montero” (Call Me by Your Name). We also touched on the outrage surrounding his music video and its meaning in the grand scheme of American pop culture. The cast had a constructive conversation about sexuality, the religious imagery invoked in the video, as well as the cultural significance of Lil Nas X in the mainstream music scene. We were pleased to have two new members, Wesley, and Rashad, join the cast for this episode. Their contributions to this discourse were much appreciated and we hope to have them as a mainstay on our podcast. We would like to thank everyone for their continued support and please follow us on Facebook as well as Instagram.
Music Credit: DJ Quads Track Name: "This Time Of The Year"
In the words of Sarah Dessen “your past is always your past. Even if you forget it, it remembers you.” History, even if forgotten or hidden, still lingers on like a ghost haunting the very present in which we reside. The same can be said of the United States, a history littered with atrocities done to people who were deemed “different,” even if it is not well-known, are still alive and well whether we notice them or not. This episode we recorded was a little different, we decided to take on the subject of antisemitism and how it permeates throughout our society and culture. The members of The OUTcast Podcast addressed many issues ranging from QAnon to David Icke’s lizard people conspiracy and how each have their roots in anti-Jewish hatred. We went on to explain how antisemitism has taken a foothold in American culture in ways many of us do not realize. We were fortunate enough to have one of our co-hosts, Luc, to help guide us through the history of antisemitism and how it impacts today’s society. We would like to thank Luc for his brilliant insight, direction, and passion as he shared his experience being a Jewish person confronting these antisemitic sentiments. We would also like to welcome a new member to our podcast, Leo, who was able to offer his intellect and perspective to the dialogue. We want all of our listeners, whether they are a part of a marginalized group or not, to understand that we are all in this fight for equality together. We all must take the time to learn from and empathize with one another, if we are to make any changes that are meaningful. This episode is dedicated to the precious lives lost in the Holocaust and the lives that continue to be lost due to state-sponsored violence.
Music Credit: Dj Quads
Track Name: "This Time Of The Year"
For the final installment of our Black History Month series, we were blessed with the opportunity to interview art curator, published poet, and vice president of the board at the Indiana Writers Center, Devon Ginn. We had an engaging dialogue about toxic masculinity, racism, homophobia, and the significant role that art plays in helping to confront these traumas. During our conversation, Ginn was courteous enough to grace us with his brilliant and award-winning poem, “Boys Will Be Boys.” Due to the heavy subject matter and vivid imaginary of the poem, we felt that it was appropriate to include a disclaimer for anyone who might be triggered by its content. Nevertheless, we are forever thankful to Devon Ginn for dignifying us with his presence.
As this year’s Black History Month come to an end, we want to make sure we celebrate by underscoring a couple key queer figures in Black history as well as shed light on a cornerstone of Black Queer culture. So, at the end of this interview, our cast has prepared a couple excerpts as a way of paying their respects to James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and Ballroom culture. Thank you to everyone for their continued support and Happy Black History Month!
Music Credit: Dj Quads Track Name: "This Time Of The Year"
For Black History Month, we wanted to highlight individuals who reside at the intersection of Black and LGBTQ. So, we reached out to the highly-talented singer, songwriter, musician and Nashville native, Mikala Jones for an interview. We engaged in a rich discussion about music, blackness, queerness, and struggles of juggling both identities simultaneously. She also went in-depth about her experience as a Black Lesbian navigating Nashville's music scene. We would like to thank Mikala for being the first guest on our show and blessing us with her keen insight. We ask everybody to please support her music and follow her on social media.
IG: @makjones91 and @realhotlives
YouTube: https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.com%2Fplaylist%3Flist%3DOLAK5uy_nJTTIltnreCMW3ykZi3BUmbG52HCMArPA%26fbclid%3DIwAR01CFF0nQ55qmQT1dZwDBWEaWu0Mv0Gz5AC_9TlEjj5PpcE_JENAqZ_Ip0&h=AT398FL9bUOlhUEBxPWFOmrgmCk9ZscdHKxrtnYkis2QaV0doQj57EhdqhoGF214ufZ6Rq9GDiJUL8Xrz_fYNVvNQ24_OAh7G_CGbFlhweq1b47lksY-RgdWHHfjj97Axm7zDQk1-Shk9IyCCg
Welcome to the first episode of The OUTcast by Muncie OUTreach. We are a youth-led podcast that focuses on sociopolitical and cultural issues within the LGBTQ community. For our first episode, we will be addressing the topic of Queer Representation in media with specific focus on film and television. We will be covering Queer Theory, Queer Coding, Queer Baiting, how to properly write a queer character, and the issues with queer representation thus far. So, give us a listen as we delve into an engaging conversation on the portrayal of sexuality in film.
Cast: Jordan, Luc, Rose, Ryan J. Mills (Mentor), and Steven Knipp (Mentor)
Music Credit: Dj Quads
Track Name: "This Time Of The Year"