Patrik Ian-Polk is the creator of Noah's Arc, the first scripted TV show to center Black gay men. The show defied stereotypes and developed a cult following in the 2000s. He discusses the superheroes in his own life that served as his inspirations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter Staley was one of the most prominent members of the AIDS activism group ACT-UP. He is largely credited as one of the pioneers responsible for the creation of life-saving AIDS drugs. He recounts the most harrowing times of the AIDS crisis — and how he persevered. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode contains frank discussion on suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. In 1998, Celeste Lecesne co-founded the Trevor Project, the nation’s leading suicide prevention organization for queer youth. It was born out of an oscar-winning suicide awareness film he wrote called "Trevor." Celeste recounts how the film was actually based on his own life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Susan Stryker is a historian who unearthed the story of Compton's Cafeteria, the first known full-scale queer riot against police harassment in American history. She describes the events of the riot and how her discovery impacted her own life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luis Camacho Xtravaganza was one of the ballroom dancers who choreographed Madonna's music video for "Vogue." It took voguing from the underground to the mainstream. He relives this complicated time — the rush of stardom and the consequences that came with it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rayceen Pendarvis is an elder in the House of Pendavis. Rayceen recounts the beginnings of ballroom, how it exploded in the early 90s thanks to Madonna and “Paris is Burning,” and how, simultaneously, it began collapsing from within as AIDS ravaged the community. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Larry Colton was profoundly impacted by the AIDS crisis in San Francisco. He reflects on the most difficult loss he endured and what he legacy he was left with. Vote for us to win our first Signal Award here! For "Best LGBTQ+ Podcast Episode." Voting closes Oct. 17th. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts say 20-30% of the LGBTQ community abuses substances. Donald Flowers Jr. is a gay man who was addicted to alcohol, cocaine, crystal meth, and sex. He reflects on his struggles with addiction and his journey to sob See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get your ticket to our free live show here, this Sunday, September 29th at 2:30pm in NYC! Stewart Butler shaped much of the vibrant queer culture in New Orleans, through his political activism. He was driven by the loss of 32 queer people in the Upstairs Lounge Fire in 1972 — a fire that he witnessed with his own eyes. Frank Perez is an LGBTQ+ historian who recounts Stewart’s story for us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sherry Vine is a legendary drag queen that came up in the 90s, in NYC. She's aware of drag's super power: helping queer people escape from the pain of their lives. She was at the center of that during the AIDS crisis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2009, Annise Parker became the first openly gay mayor of a major American city. As mayor, her signature piece of equal rights legislation famously failed — but it drove her to help elect more LGBTQ+ Americans into office than ever before. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lori Branch was one of the pioneering DJs of house music in the 80s. She reflects on the queer origins of the genre, how this history was erased, and why house music still resonates with so many queer people today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex Espinoza is the author of the only official history on gay cruising: Cruising: An Intimate History of a Radical Pastime. He reflects on how cruising helped him find self confidence and led him to the love he had always been searching for. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Studio 54 was much more than a club. It was the embodiment of disco — a movement that empowered LGBTQ+ Americans and prepared them for a fight they never saw coming. Hal Rubenstein, a fashion icon, was a regular there. He remembers how the highs of the 70s sustained him through the lows of the 80s. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Part 2 of our episode with Tabytha Gonzalez, she details the consequences of her sex work: a harrowing drug addiction followed by 16 years of incarceration. And she reflects on how years later, she’d return to The Stroll with a new purpose. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tabytha Gonzalez is a trans woman who worked on The Stroll in the 90s, a historic area of NYC known for sex work. She recounts the freedom that sex work gave her — and the costs that came with it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Danny Ingram was a gay soldier who had to stay closeted during the military’s ban on gay people in the 80s. But when his partner began to die of AIDS, he realized he couldn't stay silent any longer. He decided to fight to end the ban — and 17 years later, he would win. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brandon Wolf survived the Pulse nightclub shooting in 2016. Hailing from rural Oregon, Brandon reflects on how the club — and the people in it — changed his life forever. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jim Obergefell was the plaintiff in the case that legalized gay marriage for all of America in 2015 (Obergefell v. Hodges). Behind that case was a story of love and loss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lawsuit meant Zoe Dunning was the only LGBTQ+ person allowed in the miltiary for 13 years. Compliant at first, she would tranform into one of the most vocal opponents against the military's ban on gays. She would eventually stand next to President Obama as he abolished the ban for good. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Prefontaine's father died from AIDS related complications. Decades later, he reunited with him in an unexpected way. Special thank you to Trent Straube for originally writing about Chris & Jason in POZ magazine in 2021. You can read his article here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Pimentel lost his first love to AIDS in 1991. But 30 years later, that love story got an unexpected new chapter. Part 2 of this love story drops next week. Special thank you to Trent Straube for originally writing about Chris & Jason in POZ magazine in 2021. You can read his article here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coming out on YouTube has defined a generation of young queer people. In 2015, Ingrid Nilsen posted one of the most viewed coming out videos of all time. She reflects on the positive and negative impact it’s had on her life and millions of others. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Evan Wolfson was a major figure in the fight for gay marriage in America. He shares how - ironically - he never thought he'd get married, what changed his mind, and how his 32 year fight for marriage equality changed America. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.