Outward: Slate's LGBTQ podcast
Society & Culture
About
Outward, Slate's queer podcast, is a whip-smart monthly salon in which hosts and guests deepen the audience’s understanding of queer culture and politics, delight them with unexpected perspectives, and invite listeners into a colorful conversation about the issues animating LGBTQ communities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
- When We All Get to Heaven Just Won a Peabody Award!
Slate and the team at Eureka Street Productions are so honored by this award and want to thank everyone who has listened to and supported the show. This series tells the story of the Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco, one of t…
- Beyond Gay Marriage
Our friends at Selects bring you this documentary from 2010 looking at the debate among LGBTQ folks in San Francisco around the fight for gay marriage and the cost of that fight borne by other parts of the broader community. The Sele…
- A Postlude for 'When We All Get to Heaven'
As When We All Get to Heaven wraps up, Christina sits down with series host Lynne Gerber and producer Siri Colom. They discuss how the church has changed, the value of fleeting queer spaces, and what a decade or more spent working on this…
- 10: AIDS Isn’t Over | When We All Get to Heaven
In the final episode of When We All Get to Heaven, we catch up on what’s happened in the many years between the emergence of effective treatment for AIDS in the late ‘90s and the fall of 2025, when we recorded this episode. We linger on a…
- 9: AIDS Energy | When We All Get to Heaven
In 1996 everything changed. With the introduction of antiretroviral medications called the “AIDS cocktail,” people started getting better – some dramatically – and surviving AIDS became a real possibility. In the wake of these changes, MCC…
- 8: Conversion | When We All Get to Heaven
In 1995 Rev. Jim Mitulski became HIV positive -- what's known as seroconversion. It was 14 years into the epidemic and people knew what HIV/AIDS was, how you got it, and how you could prevent it. And when Jim got sick, he got very sick. Wh…
- 7: Dress Rehearsals | When We All Get to Heaven
Scott and Bruce were the hottest couple in church. Scott, a hula dancer, seemed destined for Bruce, the hunky “lumbersexual,” and the church delighted when they got together. Their brief love affair sparkled before Bruce got sick and died.…
- Interlude: Tired of Dying | When We All Get to Heaven
The Sunday after Magic Johnson announced his HIV-status, Jim Mitulski preached a sermon on being tired of people dying. We’re sharing it as an interlude, a pause, and an immersion into one moment in AIDS’ bleak midwinter. For images and li…
- 6: Attacked | When We All Get to Heaven
San Francisco’s gay/lesbian community in the 1980s wasn’t just facing an AIDS crisis, they also struggled against ongoing anti-gay violence. In 1989, in the midst of a campaign to legally establish anti-gay violence as a hate crime, MCC Sa…
- 5: Healing Without a Cure | When We All Get to Heaven
When Rev. Ron Russell Coons got diagnosed with AIDS he thought a lot about what healing meant when death was certain. He pursued it in his strained and broken family relationships and he preached about it from the pulpit. Though he knew, w…
- 4: Friends in the Fire | When We All Get to Heaven
As MCC grew as a denomination, they tried to figure out if and how to relate to other churches. Would any befriend a queer church? And if so, would that friendship help other churches shift their perspective on homosexuality? These questio…
- 3: “A Church with AIDS” | When We All Get to Heaven
In the late ‘80s, two MCC San Francisco ministers wrote an article called “We Are the Church Alive, the Church with AIDS.” We wanted to know how a gay/lesbian church came to call itself “a church with AIDS.” The answers lie in the years be…
- 2: A New Gospel for Gay Sinners | When We All Get to Heaven
Why would an out queer person in the Gay Liberation Days of the 1970s go to church? What church would they go to? And why would they stay? In the 1960s, and ‘70s, the separation between God and gays was not as vast as it seemed. Rev. Troy…
- Making ‘When We All Get to Heaven’
As Outward proudly presents the 10-episode series When We All Get to Heaven, from Eureka Street Productions, Christina and Bryan had the privilege of sitting down with series host Lynne Gerber. Lynne explains how 1,200 cassette tapes becam…
- 1: Setting The Table | When We All Get to Heaven
In 1993, more than 10 years into the AIDS epidemic, the Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco (MCC-SF) tries to remember all they’ve lost. We think about remembering too after encountering an archive of 1,200 cassette recordings o…
- Introducing: When We All Get to Heaven
When We All Get to Heaven tells the story of one of the first LGBTQ-positive churches, the Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco (MCC-SF), and how it faced the personal, social, and political trials of the AIDS epidemic, including…
- From What Next: Trans and Shut Out in Trump’s America
Trans rights and access to health care have been under attack on the state level for years, but the second Trump administration and the Supreme Court have accelerated a chilling effect at clinics across the country. Guest: Grace Byron , au…
- From Hit Parade: The Hidden History of Queer Pop Icons Pt. 2
Outward is going on a little summer break, in the meantime we’re leaving you with a delightfully queer episode of Slate’s Hit Parade with Chris Molanphy called Mighty Real. This is part two—catch part one in our previous episode. Little Ri…
- From Hit Parade: The Hidden History of Queer Pop Icons
Outward is going on a little summer break, in the meantime we’re leaving you with a delightfully queer episode of Slate’s Hit Parade with Chris Molanphy : Little Richard was rock ‘n’ roll’s flamboyant architect. Lesley Gore sang that no on…
- Archiving the Spirit of Ballroom with Michael Roberson
This week, Bryan is joined by theologian, activist, and ballroom historian Michael Roberson to discuss his new book, Ballroom: A History, A Movement, A Celebration. Roberson traces the rich legacy of the ballroom scene—from its origins in…
- The Latest on Trans Rights in the Court and in Congress
In this episode of Outward , Bryan talks with Slate legal reporter Mark Joseph Stern about a federal judge’s sweeping and controversial ruling in United States v. Skrmetti , which could have massive consequences for access to gender-affirm…
- Small-Town Pride Blooms
This week, Bryan talks with Christina about her new piece for Slate The Conservative Wave Is Having a Very Unexpected Effect on Pride which covers the power and politics of small-town Pride. Then, in the second half, they're joined by Van…
- America’s Gay Restaurants with Erik Piepenburg
This week, Christina Cauterucci is joined by Erik Piepenburg, author of Dining Out , a new book that explores the history of gay restaurants in the United States. Piepenburg traces how restaurants have long served as essential spaces for q…
- Queer Travel Writing with Alden Jones
Outward’s Bryan Lowder and Christina Cauterucci talk to Alden Jones, editor of the new anthology, Edge of the World . With essays from Alexander Chee, Daisy Hernández, Edmund White, and more, the collection makes clear that queer travel wr…
- Iowa’s Civil Rights Crisis with Hope Giselle and Dr. David Johns
This week, Bryan Lowder is joined by Hope Giselle and Dr. David Johns to discuss Iowa’s recent decision to strip trans people of key legal protections, making it legal to discriminate based on gender identity. They explore the broader impl…
- How The Gay Rights Movement Became Trans- Exclusionary
In this episode, Christina Cauterucci speaks with Zein Murib, Fordham professor and author of Terms of Exclusion: Rightful Citizenship Claims and the Construction of LGBT Political Identity , about the historical roots of the marginalizati…
- Planning San Francisco Pride in a Shifting Political Landscape with Suzanne Ford
Christina Cauterucci speaks with Suzanne Ford, executive director of San Francisco Pride, about the goals and challenges of organizing Pride this year amid the corporate retreat from LGBTQ+ issues. They discuss the current political climat…
- The New Lavender Scare with Christina Cauterucci
In this episode, Christina Cauterucci and Jules Gill-Peterson discuss Christina’s latest Slate article, The New Lavender Scare , which highlights the experiences of queer and trans federal employees grappling with the threat of retaliation…
- Renaissance Trans Theologies and History with Colby Gordon
In this episode of Outward , Jules Gill-Peterson sits down with Colby Gordon to talk about his new book, Glorious Bodies: Trans Theology and Renaissance Literature . Gordon digs into early modern religious texts that, instead of rejecting…
- Should We Get Guns?
A gun won’t make you safer, but it will pull you into America’s deep-seated obsession with armed individualism. This week, Bryan, Christina, and Jules dig into The Washington Post’s “The Trans Americans Turning to Guns for Protection” and…
- Why Love Isn’t Apolitical: Liberation and Rethinking Relationships
This week, Bryan Lowder sits down with activist and author Dean Spade to discuss his latest book, Love in a F*cked Up World . Together, they unpack how capitalism, white supremacy, and patriarchy shape our desires, the pitfalls of the “rel…
- Slapping Leather: The Untamed History of the Gay Rodeo
This week on Outward , host Christina Cauterucci talks to historian Rebecca Scofield about the new book, Slapping Leather: Queer Cowfolx at the Gay Rodeo . From rhinestone-studded chaps to the hard-won battles for inclusion, they explore h…
- The “Protect the Children” Trap: How Trump Targets Trans Rights
Bryan Lowder sits down with journalist Nico Lang to discuss their recent article for Slate It Was Never About Protecting Kids on Trump’s Executive Order restricting gender-affirming care for minors. They examine how the administration is u…
- Chase Strangio on Trump’s Anti-Trans Policies
In this episode, Bryan Lowder and Christina Cauterucci sit down with ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio to unpack the strategy behind the latest legal fights over trans healthcare, passports, and military service. They explore how the language of…
- A Trans Military Member Speaks Out
In this episode, Christina Cauterucci speaks with Sasha Buchert, Counsel and Nonbinary and Transgender Rights Project Director at Lambda Legal, and Geirid Morgan, a trans lieutenant commander in the Navy, about the Trump administration’s b…
- Creating A Home for Trans Surgery Recovery
This week, Jules Gill-Peterson sits down with Owen Dempsey, the founder of Quest Healing House, a post-op recovery home providing safe, affordable lodging and wraparound support for transmasculine people. They discuss how Quest House, bega…
- Breaking Down Emilia Perez: Backlash, Awards Buzz, and Corporate Pride
Bryan, Jules, and Christina take on the troubling transphobia in Emilia Pérez, the movie that has received 13 Oscar nominations this awards season. They explore why it’s heavily nominated in this political climate. They also unpack the bac…
- Meta’s New Rules: Embracing Homophobic and Transphobic Hate Speech
Host Christina Cauterucci sits down with WIRED senior writer Kate Knibbs to unpack Meta’s alarming internal shifts, including its embrace of right-wing ideologies, the elimination of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, and the…
- Bisexual Dads, Awkward Art, and Transphobic Families: Queer Advice
This we’re diving into the delightful chaos of queer life with an advice-packed episode! Bryan, Christina, and our guest host Outward Producer Palace Shaw, tackle the perplexing world of bisexual dads navigating dating apps, strategies for…
- Conversion Therapy and Survival with Lucas Wilson
Bryan Lowder talks with writer and scholar Lucas Wilson about his new book, Shame Sex: Survivors’ Stories of Conversion Therapy. They chat about Wilson’s experience navigating same-sex attraction while on an evangelical path, experiencing…
- Actor Jeff Hiller on Death Sex and Money
This week, we’re excited to share an episode of Death, Sex & Money with Anna Sale. In this conversation, Anna talks with Jeff Hiller, the gay actor known for his role in Somebody Somewhere . Jeff shares insights on his career, navigating f…
- ‘Queer’ on Screen: Luca Guadagnino’s Take on Desire, Loneliness, and Sex
This week, Christina Cauterucci and Bryan Lowder are joined by guest host Jeff Bloomer to discuss the new film Queer from director Luca Guadagnino based on William S. Burroughs’ groundbreaking novel of the same name. They explore the theme…
- How Lesbian Artists Turned Renaissance Ruins Into Queer Spaces with Kate Thomas
This week, Christina Cauterucci explores the intimate connections between queer identity and the natural world with Bryn Mawr professor Kate Thomas. In this episode, we journey through the lives of Florence Blood and Princess Ghika, two en…
- Masculinity and Muscles with Michael Andor Brodeur
This week, Bryan Lowder chats with Michael Andor Brodeur, author of Swole: The Making of Men and the Meaning of Muscle , to unpack the complex intersections of fitness, masculinity, and queer identity. From the sweaty intimacy of the gym t…
- Sarah McBride’s Win and the Rise of Anti-Trans Politics
This week, the hosts come together to unpack Sarah McBride’s groundbreaking win as the first openly transgender member of Congress. While the win is historic, Bryan, Jules, and Christina dig in to unpack the limits of representational poli…
- What Southern LGBTQ History Can Teach Us
In this episode, host Jules Gill-Peterson speaks with the co-founders of Invisible Histories about their groundbreaking work preserving the rich, often overlooked history of queer life in the American South. At a time when LGBTQ+ communiti…
- Now What Do We Do? Mark Joseph Stern Answers Our Post-Election Questions
This week, Christina Cauterucci sits down with Slate’s own Mark Joseph Stern to tackle the mounting concerns facing the LGBTQ+ community as the Trump administration takes shape. In a candid conversation, they delve into the ripple effects…
- Gays in the Woods: History and Identity with Ben Miller
In this episode, historian Ben Miller chats with Bryan Lowder about the surprising ways white gay men have romanticized the idea of the 'primitive' in their search for utopia. Ben shares stories about key figures like Harry Hay and the rad…
- Building Movements with Gender Liberation March Organizers Raquel Willis and Eliel Cruz
On September 14th 2024, thousands of people joined the Gender Liberation March in Washington D.C. to join the call to protect reproductive health, bodily autonomy, and comprehensive healthcare access. In this episode, Jules Gill-Peterson s…
- The Amicus Brief for U.S. v. Skrmetti with co-author Jules Gill Peterson
On December 4th, the Supreme Court will hear arguments for U.S. v. Skrmetti, a case that could decide the fate of gender-affirming care for trans people across the country. Outward’s own Jules Gill Peterson contributed to an amicus brief f…