In this episode, hosts Melissa and Zahra, are joined by Dr. Sara Glass, psychologist and author of Kissing Girls on Shabbat. Dr. Glass’s journey from an insular religious community to embracing her true self is both profound and inspiring. We delve into her personal experiences with coming out, going back into the closet, and ultimately finding self-acceptance. We also explore our journeys through arranged marriages within Muslim and Jewish communities,...

In this episode of The Forbidden Apple Podcast, hosts Melissa Weisz and Zahra Ladak discuss navigating family and tradition as queer folks raised in religious homes. Though they come from different faiths—Zahra from a Muslim home and Melissa from a Chasidic Jewish home—their paths are very much aligned. They share how they've become each other's family and explore how to build a home that doesn’t look like the traditional home. 

Melissa Weisz, born and raised a Chasidic Jew welcomes new cohost Zahra Ladak, a Muslim born and raised in the US with deep East African/ Indian roots.  Throughout this season, Melissa and Zahra will discuss the parallels they've discovered in their lives. Expect engaging discussions on the complexities of navigating queerness and religious identity. From the meaning of home to the challenges of living between two worlds, we're here to spark thought-provoking conversations that challenge...

In Part II of this Episode, Bishop Tolton talks about his mission of creating Interconnected Justice (ICJ)- a global racial justice movement in which the continent of Africa and its diaspora build an ecosystem of self-defined and determined advocacy. Bishop Tolton works directly with leaders to build integrated justice movements connecting activists with civil society advocates, media professionals, academics, and political leaders. Bishop Tolton opens our eyes to the “invisible” influences...

Bishop Joseph Tolton is a legendary global faith leader and the Founder and President of Interconnected Justice - a global racial justice movement in which the continent of Africa and its diaspora build an ecosystem of self-defined and determined advocacy. Bishop Tolton shares the complexities of growing up in Harlem as a promising preacher kid with an inner conflict: feeling the devil had planted the seed of homosexuality as part of his spiritual journey. Bishop Tolton opens about about...

The inimitable Dr. Stella Nyanzi is a Ugandan queer feminist activist, human rights advocate, poet, medical anthropologist, and scholar of sexuality, family planning, and public health. At the time of our recording, Stella speaks to us from Kenya where she is taking refuge due to the current regime in Uganda where she is unsafe as a very vocal opposition. Stella shares with us about her work being a vocal activist. She talks about her time in prison and using her body and sexuality as a...

Mary Muthui is a human rights activist from Kenya. She shares the stigma and violence she faced being noticeably queer, and what gave her the strength and courage to fight for herself and others. Mary talks to us about the practice of corrective rape- which is unfortunately common practice against LGBTQ individuals specifically lesbians. Mary survived this sexual violence against her and is an outspoken activist trying to end this practice often putting herself at risk to help others. ...

Coréon Dú is an award-winning Angolan recording artist, creative director, designer, screenwriter and producer.  Coréon shares how he started creating much-needed entertainment for folks his own age in Angola, and how he became a leading voice on the forefront of change with his revolutionary content. We discuss the far-reaching impact his work has had on the representation of the LGBTQ community in Angola and beyond. Listen to hear Coréon share how he incorporates his love of Africa into...

Val Kalende is an activist and founding member of Uganda's LGBTQ MOVEMENT. Val helped launch Freedom and Roam Uganda-FARUG. She shares how taking the risk to be visible has paid off in advancing LGBTQ rights in Uganda. Val opens up about her journey of going back into the closet after being a vocal LGBTQ activist to undergo conversion therapy. Her journey is one of struggle and hope and finally coming to full acceptance of her queerness.  Find Val on Fb @Val Kalende To learn more about...

Edafe Okporo is a global gay rights activist, the founder of Refuge America, and one of the most visible voices on the issue of displacement.   Edafe grew up in Nigeria where religion played an important role in his childhood.  Edafe shares how he was guided to pray the gay away and how he became a pentecostal pastor in this effort.  An interaction with an older closeted priest made him realize he was in for a life of suffering and needed to come out to live an authentic life.   Edafe...

Aderonke is a Nigerian LGBTQ Activist and the founder of African Rainbow Family charity- a UK-Based organization that supports LGBTIQ people of African heritage and the wider Black and Asian Minority Ethnic groups.  Aderonke was born and raised in Nigeria where being gay is illegal. When she was found to be a lesbian she suffered intense persecution. Aderonke fled to the UK to seek asylum. Despite fearing imprisonment and death in her country, Aderonke was not believed and she languished in...

Luzie talks about her struggle growing up as a Lesbian in Kenya. She opens up about the spiritual violence she suffered and being made to believe that it's demonic to be attracted to the same sex. Luzie shines a light on how gay clubs become a safe haven for many LGBTQ folks- drinking to numb the pain- and even more dire, using it as place to sleep when they become homeless once they're rejected and kicked out of their homes. Luzie also shares about being shunned from her family at the same...

Ezra Chitando is a Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Zimbabwe and co-author of “Reimagining Christianity and Sexual Diversity in Africa”.  Ezra serves as Theology Consultant on HIV and AIDS with EHAIA, the Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy, of the World Council of Churches. Ezra talks about the importance of diversity of opinions and how education helps in the fight to bring about equal rights for LGBTQ folks.  Ezra speaks of his work educating about...

Cedric Tchante is an activist, marketing coordinator and blogger from Cameroon, currently living in San Francisco.    Cedric talks about growing up in Cameroon where being gay is illegal. He shares how he became a vocal activist and appeared in the documentary “Born This Way”.  A first in Cameroon, this documentary showed the faces of LGBTQ folks talking about their sexuality.    With the documentary making national news, Cedric was the target of harassment and violent attacks. It was...

Katlego Kai Kolanyane-Kesupile is a performance artist, musician, writer and LGBT artivist from Botswana. She is known for being the first public figure from Botswana to openly identify as trans. Katlego is also the first-ever TED Fellow from Botswana.  Katlego talks about the biggest misconceptions from the western media about LGBTQ folks in Botswana.  She shares her personal journey and talks passionately about the narrative for trans people that exists in Africa and how their identities...

Ssenfuka Joanita Warry (Biggie) is the Executive Director of Freedom and Roam Uganda FARUG which is a Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer diverse persons and women's rights organization based in Uganda.  FARUG’s mission is to strengthen and mobilize the voice, visibility, and collective organizing power of LBQ womxn in order to change the norms, institutions, policies, and practices that perpetuate inequality, homophobia, hetero normativity and violence in both the public and private arenas. Biggie...

Bis Alimi is a Nigerian gay rights activist, public speaker, blog writer, and HIV/LGBT advocate who gained international attention when he became the first Nigerian to come out on television. Bisi shares about how coming out on tv caused him to be driven out of his country and shaped his life and the legacy he is creating. He also opens up about his struggles and the journey he went through to become an advocate for others so they don't have to go through what he did. He talks about...

After two years of exploring the relationship between LGBTQ people and religion, TFA is traveling abroad.  In this new season we amplify LGBTQ voices from African countries. We will hear from people who have survived gender-based violence and corrective rape, live with HIV in Africa, and those who risked their lives to work towards legalizing homosexuality in their countries.  They share these stories to bring light to these issues, teach us about the impact of colonialism and...

On this final episode of The Nuanced Series, your hosts look back on the lessons learned throughout this season. From listening to others perspectives to giving ourselves permission to think differently, Melissa and Pelayo discuss how to engage in difficult yet meaningful conversations. Thank you all so much for listening. The Forbidden Apple Podcast will be back in the fall . Follow us @thhttps://www.instagram.com/theforbiddenapplepodcast Follow Pelayo's Youtube comedy series  ...

Singer/songwriter Grace Semler Baldridge shares with us their journey from being a preacher's kid to charting on Christian music charts as an openly queer artist. Grace shares how they deconstructed and reconstructed their faith coming out stronger on the other side with a deeper and more connected spirituality. We discuss music, inspiration and relationships.  Follow Semler @ https://www.instagram.com/gracebaldridge/?hl=en https://twitter.com/gracebaldridge?lang=en

Melissa sits down with Rabbi James, Director of social justice programming at CBST to discuss being a queer liberal Jew in 2021. We discuss how it may seem at odds to stand up for more than one people's pain and our steadfast belief that all people should be free and live safely without fear. We discuss the harmful stereotypes about the Jewish people, the rise in antisemitism, and how it mutates from generation to generation often under the guise of social justice movements. Melissa and...

Melissa and Pelayo discuss 2021 Pride and the decision of the organization that runs New York’s Pride to ban cops from the parade. Do you feel safer without cops at the pride parade? We wanna hear from our community so let us know your thoughts on this via our Instagram @theforbiddenapplepodcast or email [email protected]  Sink your teeth into... www.theforbiddenapplepodcast.com 

What if the word homosexual was never meant to be in the bible? Sharon Rocky Roggio, producer and director of the documentary film 1946 joins us to discuss the film that chronicles how the misuse of a single word changed the course of modern history. Rocky also shares her personal struggle and her complex relationship with her dad, a conservative pastor, and her hope that this film heals and prevents further pain for LGBTQ folks. 1946 the movie: https://www.1946themovie.com  ...

Penny Cost, a drag queen in the process of getting ordained by the Methodist Church, shares how her ordination has caused “chaos” in the church. While she has received support from her church she has also received backlash from conservative Methodists. Penny wants to use drag and carnivalesque performance to transform the church into a more accepting and welcoming space for LGBT folks. Check out Ms. Penny Cost journey( Isaac Simmons (he/his) out of drag) on her IG page:

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