This week we talk with THE Lily Be! Lily Be is the longtime host and producer of The Stoop, a live off-book storytelling show on Chicago's West Side. She strives to bring storytelling to those who may not have access to help them discover their

Ep 53: Jana: This heathen city

Apr 27th, 2020 49m 12s

This week Dawn and Anna talk with Jana, a Moth StorySLAM winner who is figuring out the meaning of life over and over again. She talks about her journey from small town Evangelical to big city bisexual, honoring our queer ancestors, and what it

Ep 52: Dr. S: A vehicle for our souls to meet

Apr 20th, 2020 1h 11m

This week Anna and Dawn talk with Dr. S Simmons, a Black, trans, queer, educator, and advocate. S is the co-founder/owner of Simmons Counseling and Consulting Services where he provides workshops, trainings, and presentations for organizations

Ep 51: Shawn: Physical touch in the time of COVID

Apr 13th, 2020 43m 36s

We have a very special episode this week featuring Shawn Coleman of https://www.ourtouchpoints.com/ Anna and Dawn talk with Shawn about how to cope with physical distancing and still maintain strong connection with others. We also discuss how

Ep 50: Nchedo: Embracing being nonbinary, a truer version of myself

Apr 6th, 2020 42m 7s

This week we talk with Nchedo, a Nigerian-born creative healer and visionary leader with a deep focus on health and well-being, community, and art. Nchedo talks about their nonbinary and queer identity and how family dynamics and their Nigerian

New guest co-host: Anna DeShawn

Mar 30th, 2020 49m 25s

Introducing our new guest co-host Anna DeShawn! Check out her previous episode this week and stay tuned for all new episodes next week with Dawn and Anna!Anna DeShawn is the founder of E3 radio, an online radio station playing queer & independ

Ep 49: Roland: Raised in a bag of rattlesnakes

Mar 23rd, 2020 54m 51s

This week Dawn talks with Roland Wise, a writer, artist, and storyteller. Roland grew up in the south in a tumultuous household and often describes his childhood as being raised in a bag full of rattlesnakes. He shares his story of chasing do

Ep 48: Patti: I am called to be visible

Mar 16th, 2020 51m 2s

This week we talk with Patti, a queer trans woman endurance athlete, parent, and late transitioner. She discusses her passion for endurance athletics and what it was like being on the cover of Crain's Chicago Business shortly after transitionin

Ep 47: Jay: I am enough as an asexual person

Mar 9th, 2020 59m 43s

This week we hear from Jay. He talks with Dawn about his asexual identity and his recent venture into speaking around the South Suburbs advocating for greater dialogue for LGBTQ behavioral health needs. We also discuss how he navigates telling

Ep 46: Dawn: When I think about home I think about moments

Mar 2nd, 2020 23m 37s

This week Dawn takes time to thank our first guest cohost, Johndalyn, and lets you know who the next guest cohost will be. She also shares a story about what home was like growing up for her and how the concept of home changes as we age. She r

Ep 45: lore: I can't help you if you're not here

Feb 24th, 2020 49m 12s

This week we talk with lore, a counseling psychologist and trans man with a lesbian history. lore was tired of hearing the horror stories of how trans patients were treated by their mental health providers and decided that the best way to make

Ep 44: Devin: When something invisible becomes visible

Feb 17th, 2020 47m 37s

This week we talk with Devin West, a genderfluid, queer, settler artist-scholar from north-central Canada. Take a listen as we talk about the ability of art to hold space for us and its role in Devin's gender journey. We also discuss their appr

Ep 43: Cait: You're the one that gets the milkshake

Feb 10th, 2020 55m 50s

This week we talk with Cait DiCicco and dive into conversation about her previous life in Australia and how she got banned from the continent! We also discuss her experience of discrimination months after she came out and the environment of tox

Ep 42: Ada: Dear white woman

Feb 3rd, 2020 1h 13m

This week we have the pleasure of talking with Ada Cheng. Ada is a professor-turned-storyteller, solo performer, and storytelling show producer. She is the producer and the host of four storytelling shows in Chicago, including Pour One Out, Am

Ep 41: Pekky Divya: A gossip about you is a gossip about me

Jan 27th, 2020 49m 30s

This week Dawn and Johndalyn sit down with Pekky Divya, a Latina Social Worker, music junkie, activist and aspiring writer on the autistic spectrum. Listen in as we discuss the different ways people use the term bisexual and bisexual invisibil

Ep 40: Forbidden Apple: We're too queer

Jan 20th, 2020 42m 36s

This week we talk with the co-hosts of the Forbidden Apple Podcast, Pelayo and Melissa. Pelayo is originally from Spain and was raised Catholic. During the past 4 years he has been working training developing countries in the field of internati

Ep 39: Be Steadwell: Full access to creativity and self love

Jan 13th, 2020 47m 3s

This week we welcome Be Steadwell, queer singer and songwriter from DC who blends soul, acapella, and folk to produce what she calls queer pop. Dawn and Johndalyn talk with her about the vulnerability of her lyrics and the ways in which they cr

Ep 38: Guest co-host Johndalyn: That love, that care, that connection

Jan 6th, 2020 35m 22s

Welcome to season 3 and welcome to our first guest co-host Johndalyn! You met her as Jae on season 2 and we're excited to have her on board! This week Dawn and Johndalyn talk about the importance of being your authentic self and being intention

Season 3 Intro: Welcome to 2020!

Jan 1st, 2020 11m 42s

Happy New Year and welcome to 2020! We're kicking off season 3. Listen in to hear the creator of Beyond Queer Stories, Dawn, about what's new this year and the vision for the podcast. The first full episode of season 3 is coming to you on Mond

Re-air: Noam: I raised you to be a Godless heathen!

Dec 30th, 2019 41m 21s

This week we take it back to episode 1 where it all began. In this episode we met Noam and talked about what it's like to work as a mitigation specialist working to humanize people on death row. Noam also shared their story about their journey

Re-air: Kevin: Breathed out colonial violence

Dec 23rd, 2019 1h 9m

This week we revisit our discussion with Kevin Whiteneir Jr., an interdisciplinary artist and art historian whose work discusses the relationships between gender and queer experiences as they relate to race, the effects of (neo)colonialism, and

Re-air: Nicklin: Happy and healthy, not just surviving

Dec 16th, 2019 56m 2s

This week revisit our talk with Nicklin whose personal mission is to foster a world of unconditional love, acceptance, and empathy by sharing his story, building connections with like-minded others, and living a life of service. He talks with u

Re-air: Joel: I'm still on top motherf*ck*r

Dec 9th, 2019 1h 17m

This week we revisit our talk with Dr. Joel Filmore who talked to us about his journey from sexual abuse through drug addiction to sex work, and how he rose to become a successful researcher and owner of a private practice. We also discussed wh

Re-air: Dawn: Anything but a traditional nuclear family

Dec 2nd, 2019 49m 1s

This week we revisit our episode with creator and co-host, Dawn, where she shares her vision for the podcast as well as her research on gender expression and how it relates to minority stress. Listen in as she tells a story of her child's persp

Re-air: Pooya: My superpower is that I'm trans!

Nov 25th, 2019 59m 37s

On this week's episode we revisit our talk with Pooya, an Iranian trans woman who shares her story of growing up trans in Iran, immigrating to the US, and her journey of self-love. She's also an actor, writer, filmmaker, and activist. You can f