By Jae Lin
With the weather getting chillier and chillier, one of my favorite things to do is to bundle up and listen to podcasts. In this season, I especially like to listen to tender and heartwarming media that make me feel a spectrum of emotions. Stories that share the complexities of QPOC joy and life can bring catharsis and warmth during the winter months. Here are some episodes of podcasts that share the voices and stories of queer people of color. There are ups and downs, trials and victories, ambiguity and hope, from different backgrounds, identities, and at different points of their lives.
Perfect Son by Nancy
Episode: https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/perfect-son-jason-kim-kidney
Listening time: 43 minutes
“Jason Kim didn’t talk to his dad very much. But all that changed three years ago, when he got a call that upended their entire relationship.”
This story made me feel so many feelings and made my heart swell so full I thought it would burst. The Nancy podcast follows Jason Kim, a 1.5 generation Korean immigrant as he navigates a hard but urgently necessary conversation with his father about life, migration, queerness, and differences.
Chris and Gabe Lopez by StoryCorps
Episode: https://storycorps.org/listen/chris-and-gabe-lopez-160501/
Listening time: 2.5 minutes
“Chris López always knew there was something different about her youngest child, Gabe. Assigned female at birth, Gabe felt like he was a boy.
At first, Chris was concerned that Gabe, being so young, might change his mind. She was scared of how people would treat him as he transitioned. But after seeing how Gabe responded to the changes in his hair and clothing, she felt confident that he had made the right decision.
Gabe, who’s nine years old now, has been attending the same school since kindergarten. In the fall of 2016, when he started third grade, he began having others refer to him by his preferred gender pronouns —”he” and “him” — for the first time.
In 2015, the López family attended a camp for transgender, gender creative, and gender non-conforming youth in Tucson, Arizona. Gabe and his mother came to the StoryCorps MobileBooth to talk about how that camp transformed his life.”
It is so sweet to hear young trans kiddos being themselves and watching how their family grows with them. For a short and delightful listen, don’t skip this one.
Portrait Of: 80s Ball Subculture in FX’s ‘Pose’ by Latino USA
Episode: https://latinousa.org/2018/07/17/pose/
Listening time: 26 minutes
A new hit series on FX is now telling the stories of that scene: a subculture of LGBTQ people of color creating a safe and joyous space during a time when they were not accepted.
“Pose” is directed by Ryan Murphy, and it’s making history by featuring the largest cast of transgender actors ever on TV as well as the largest recurring cast of LGBTQ actors for a scripted series.
The show covers topics ranging from body politics to race, class, sex, love and HIV. Leading actresses Mj Rodriguez and Indya Moore talk with Latino USA about their roles in the series.
If you love QPOC media and are curious to hear what it’s like to be involved in one of the biggest shows featuring trans and queer people of color, this episode is a must listen. QPOC excellence is in the spotlight!
The Pink Elephant in the Room by StoryCorps and KUT
Episode: https://soundcloud.com/kutnews/storycorps-jj-lara-and-rose-pulliam
Listening time: 4 minutes
J.J. Lara and Rose Pulliam are longtime friends; they met years ago at ALLGO, an organization for queer people of color. J.J. is out to everyone in his life, with a notable exception: his parents, who live in J.J.’s hometown of Brownsville, do not yet know he is gay.
allgo’s very own Jose Juan Lara speaks with heart and compassion about his connection and relationship with his parents and all the complexities of coming out.
Navigating Transness and Siblings
Episode: https://soundcloud.com/danella-xuc/58-navigating-transness-and-siblings-feat-rak-marshasplate
Listening time: 2 hours
On Today’s Menu on Marsha’s Plate
Diamond bring her brother Rakim to the table to discuss growing pains, family, sibling bonds, and becoming a man…. in the context of trans-ness.
This is a longer conversational episode, but if you are looking for good stories, great humor, and just whole, real sibling love, this episode of Marsha’s Plate will fill your heart.
We hope that these heartwarming podcast episodes bring you rejuvenation and warmth this season. Take care of yourselves and each other, and let us know which one of these you listened to (or which ones were your favorite)! Share with us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
