Coming Out + Beyond | LGBTQIA+ Stories (Anne-Marie Zanzal)

Michelle identifies as a member of the LGBTQIA+ family as intersex. In this podcast she shares her story of finding out that she is intersex at 15 and how her family navigated this time. After the death of her young son she realized that she needed to revisit this time of her life to explore the unexamined grief and shame around her diagnosis. Michelle has recently come out as a proud member of the intersex family.

Karin came out at fifty after marriage to a man and three children.  Her story is poignant as she speaks with deep understanding about leaving a long time relationship and her current estrangement from her children.

🌈 Welcome to another episode of "Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories"!

In this episode, host Anne-Marie Zanzal interviews Pastor Greg Bullard, the longest-serving affirming pastor in Tennessee. They discuss Greg's coming out journey, the importance of community in faith, and the role of acceptance within the church. Greg shares his experiences growing up in a strict religious environment and how he found his place in the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC). the conversation delves into the challenges of language in faith, the duality of love, and the need for community support. Greg emphasizes the importance of transforming hate into love and creating a beautiful world through action and connection.

❓ What to Expect in This Episode:

✔️ Emphasis on the importance of community to faith and salvation.

✔️ The importance of language in faith matters and how it can be a barrier or a bridge.

✔️The power of transforming hate into love and more!

✨ Why This Matters:

Many within the LGBTQIA+ community experience rejection from their faith communities and suffer religious trauma. Pastor Greg Bullard offers a perspective that makes space for queer individuals and emphasizes that church trauma stems from individuals, not God. Finding friendship and support within a faith community can be deeply meaningful and healing for those who have suffered religious trauma.

📌🎙️About Pastor Greg Bullard:

Pastor Greg Bullard started his ministry in northern Alabama when he first felt the call at his home church. His pastor, then, said, “Greg, I’m sorry you’ll never be able to be in ministry because of who you are, and that’s not fair.” Over three decades later, Pastor Greg has built one of the most long-standing affirming ministries in the Southeast. A graduate of The University of Alabama in Huntsville, he made Nashville his permanent home in the late 1990s. With an accounting and business systems background, he marries his analytical side with his humor and storytelling each week as he ministers in the community and his home church. Greg has been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign, Tennessee Equality Project, Middle Tennessee State University, and Hands On Nashville for his work in LGBTQ+ ministry and food security. He and his husband, Brian, live with their son, Micah, born in 2011 and daughter, Esther, born in 2014. You’ll find his other son, Zach, on the piano bench every Sunday, sharing the ministry. Learn more about Greg here: https://www.covenantofthecross.com/staff-nav

💬 Join the Conversation:

What does faith mean to you? Share your thoughts, experiences, and questions in the comments below. Let’s foster a supportive community where we can learn from each other.

🔗 Visit our website:

Anne-Marie's : [ www.annemariezanzal.com]

🌟 Why Watch This Episode?

If you're a queer person who has been impacted by a conservative faith tradition and feeling the loss of acceptance by your faith community, let this episode inspire you and help you to know that you are inherently lovable and that there is space for you in an affirming church.

🔗 Follow us on social media:

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠 Twitter: twitter.com/annemariezanzal

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

You can also tune into this episode of Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Apple Podcasts:...

This week on Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories, we have our first ever man as a guest! Mike Iamele has a remarkable coming out later in life story. Mike thought he was straight his entire life. But a life-changing illness forced him to challenge that notion head-on when he fell in love with his male caretaker. And the two of them went on a years-long journey to explore sexuality and fluidity to figure out if the relationship could work.

When he chose to blog about his relationship, he had no idea that 100,000 people would share the post overnight, and he’d wake up to millions of people talking about his sex life. Or that his story would be made into an off-Broadway musical today.

For most of the past decade, Mike has helped hundreds of people to explore their own sexuality, identity, and purpose by mapping their experiences and understanding who they are inside and outside of labels.

Tune in as host Anne-Marie Zanzal digs into some important topics with Mike Iamele, including internalized homophobia, holding boundaries, being open to big life changes, and, of course, his incredible coming out story.

You tune in to this podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and on Anne-Marie's website, www.annemariezanzal.com. 

Find Mike Iamele online and learn more about his coaching program for Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer men at https://mikeiamele.com/

Follow Mike Iamele on Instagram: www.instagram.com/mikeiamele

To learn more about the musical based on Mike's life, visit www.straightforwardmusical.com

Mike's coming out song is Life by The Avett Brothers, and you can listen to it here: https://youtu.be/ZWgmtmIiomI

A book that has greatly helped Mike is Louise L. Hay's "You Can Heal Your Life": https://www.amazon.ca/You-Can-Heal-Your-Life/dp/0937611018

In her book, "Perfectly Queer," author Jillian Abby recounts her journey of coming out later in life and overcoming chronic perfectionism. Jillian began her metamorphosis as a wife in a heterosexual marriage, home-schooling mom, and CPA. Sensing a change was needed, Jillian transitioned her job to Licensed Massage Therapist, and as she engaged in physical healing modalities she became more in touch with her authentic self, realizing she was queer. A recovering perfectionist, Jillian has learned to release unrealistic expectations, turn to self for validation, and be a peace with imperfection. In this lively discussion, host Anne-Marie Zanzal and Jillian talk about a wide range of topics, including overcoming pernicious perfectionism, the 'superpower' associated with coming out later in life, good and not so good therapists, internalized homophobia, and so much more.

Amy is an expert in facing fears and overcoming insurmountable obstacles. Through what she thought was the darkest time in her life, she began to wake up to aspects of her life she didn’t know existed. These realizations sparked an utter dismantling of her life, but was also what she needed to begin to rebuild.    Her Coming-out story is intertwined with her "coming out" of a toxic and abusive church and "coming out" of a 30 year relationship with her childhood sweetheart. For a time, she was consumed with grief, guilt and shame, while also grappling with her belief system and her very identity.   Now, Amy is a Transformational Life Coach, helping others to face the adversities in their lives and thrive despite them.

Connect with Amy:

www.amykvaughn.com  

Facebook

Instagram

TikTok

Listen to Amy's coming out songs, Right to Be Wrong and Free Me by Joss Stone on YouTube.

Find more information and the link to sign up for our Catalyst Relationship Recovery Workshop here.

Download our free guide "5 Places to Start When Coming Out" here.

Schedule a free Connection Call with Anne-Marie.

Mallory Kiersten is a self-love and 'unstuck yourself' coach, Akashic Records reader, joy seeker, and Erotic Blueprint coach in training. Mallory helps her clients connect with their guides, divinity and their higher selves. Tune in as host Anne-Marie Zanzal speaks with Mallory about her coming out experience, emerging from conservative Catholicism, internalized homophobia, shedding gender norms and expectations, and embracing sexuality and sexual pleasure.

Mallory's coming out song is 'Closer to Fine' by Indigo Girls: https://loom.ly/T89tbGQ

A movie that changed Mallory's life is Imagine Me and You: https://loom.ly/YS2LsbI

You can connect with Mallory on her website: https://loom.ly/ivGR-2Q

Anna Empey grew up on a 2,000-acre apple and fruit orchard in Eastern Washington. While growing up she went to the farmers market selling her family fruit until she left to go to college. She graduated with her degree from Brigham Young University in Anthropology, with a Minor in Communications.

Anna came out to her Mormon family when she was 25 and her and her wife just celebrated 3 years of marriage. Anna loves supporting small businesses and has created a business to help others and she has also spent countless hours volunteering for a variety LGBTQ organizations.

This week on Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ stories, host Anne-Marie Zanzal chats with psychotherapist and art therapist, Jamie Winters. Jamie's professional experiences encompass a variety of roles, including social worker, educator, fine artist, farmer and yoga teacher. Jamie combines her love of neuroscience, psychology, art, nature, movement, and healing to facilitate growth, connection and empowerment for her clients. In this episode, Jamie shares with Anne-Marie her journey from self-realization that she is queer to coming out later in life, her experiences being entrenched in a faith tradition as a preacher's wife, what it was like to encounter homophobia in the church, and the subsequent steps she took to blossom and live an authentic, joyful life. 

You can learn more about Jamie's practice at www.rainbowlotustherapy.com

A film that is meaningful to Jamie is the Danish film, Antonia's Line (1995): Antonia's Line (1995) - IMDb

A song that is meaningful to Jamie is 'Wild Sweet' by Starling Arrow: https://youtu.be/-al77IYpmsg?si=sB_c_QcVymlJRPLk

We're sharing the love in February with podcast listeners! If you're someone in the late-in-life community who needs some loving encouragement about getting a divorce, this is a must-listen episode!

Every Friday in the month of February, host Anne-Marie Zanzal and podcast producer Barb Rowlandson will be sharing lots of loving advice and encouragement with the late-in-life community. This week, Anne-Marie and Barb cover a multitude of topics surrounding divorce, including:

-Whether or not to disclose your newly (re)discovered sexual identity to your husband,

-When to see a lawyer,

-Whether or not mediation is right for you,

-Flipping your mindset from 'I am destroying my family' to 'I am changing my family,'

-Why divorce can ultimately be very good for kids.

-Pushing past fear and getting out of your comfort zone.

Share the Love February continues with more loving advice and encouragement for the late-in-life community:

February 10th - This episode focuses on navigating grief when coming out and/or divorcing

February 17th - Anne-Marie and Barb talk about the joy that comes with coming out later in life

February 24th - We unpack the complexities of catalyst relationships, with lots of loving advice about overcoming heartbreak and stepping into self-love.

You can also catch these episodes of the Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and at www.annemariezanzal.com

Want to book a Discovery Call with Anne-Marie? You can select a time for a call here: https://calendly.com/annemariezanzalcoachingllc/discovery-call?month=2023-01

Learn more about Lotus Group Coaching here: https://annemariezanzal.com/lotus-group-coaching/

This week on Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories, host Anne-Marie Zanzal digs deep into the topic of co-dependency with special guests Carla Romo and Sherry Gaba.

Carla, a certified Life and Dating & Relationship Coach, and Sherry, LCSW & coach, are experts in the area of relationships and co-dependency. As hosts of The Love Fix, a podcast dedicated to dating, healing from codependency, and toxic relationships, Carla and Sherry bring a wealth of insight and wisdom to this week's episode. Anne-Marie, Carla, and Sherry explore themes surrounding codependency, including why people fall into co-dependent relationships, how to recognize codependency in yourself and others, challenge old tropes about lesbian relationships and codependency, and how to start on a journey of recovery from codependency. Carla and Sherry's 30 year age difference brings an array of perspectives to the conversation.

You can find Carla and Sherry's podcast, The Love Fix, at www.thelovefix.com, or wherever you normally tune in to your favorite podcasts. You can also find the relationship quiz Carla and Sherry refer to at thelovefix.com.

You can find Carla Romo's book, "Contagious Love" and Sherry Gaba's book "Love Smacked" on Amazon.

Carla Mullins is an adjunct instructor, mental health therapist, mother, wife, extreme introvert, friend of cats, lifelong pacific northwesterner, and increasingly fearless lesbian poet.  Check out Carla's first published poem here: https://www.lavrev.net/2021/12/c-eliot-mullins.html?m=1

Poet, lyricist, celebrated vintage/antiques seller, and author of "Selling Dead People's Things" Duane Scott Cerny has led a varied and fascinating life. In this episode, Duane shares his remarkable life story with host Anne-Marie Zanzal, covering his sister's miraculous recovery from an grievous illness that caused his parents to convert to Catholicism, growing up gay in the Chicago suburbs, using his charm to diffuse school bullies and developing entrepreneurial skills in high school as self-protection, losing a partner and friends during the AIDS crisis, his early work launching his own record label, founding Chicago's popular Broadway Antique Market, and much, much more. Tune in to hear all of the colorful details of Duane's incredible life story!

Learn more about Duane at https://sellingdeadpeoplesthings.com/meet-the-author/

Discover more about the Broadway Antique Market at https://bamchicago.com/

Duane's favorite musical is 'Sunset Boulevard.' You can catch a compelling performance by Glenn Close in the lead role here: https://youtu.be/i8Xz1aHPhE4?si=r8LtdVWGT2ISMRNB

Coming out is often an ongoing process, and sometimes people come out selectively to the people around them. It is not unusual for our family members to be the last to know this important piece about our identity. Podcaster Sarah St. John understands this truth. While Sarah has a happy life with her partner, she has yet to come out to her family of origin and has lost members of her support system in the coming out process. In this episode of Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories, host Anne-Marie Zanzal talks to Sarah about her coming out experience, the impacts of a conservative faith tradition, why the "right time" to come out does not exist, loss of friends and support systems, and much more.

Charlie Sprinkman is a young person with a vision! After working in a job that required him to travel across 50+ states, Charlie recognized there was a lack of visibility to queer-owned businesses when he tried to find them in his travels and his searches came up empty. This is how Everywhere is Queer was born. Everywhere is Queer is a free app where people can list and search for queer-owned businesses. With an enormous amount of hard work and a boost from major media outlets, Everywhere is Queer's visibility has dramatically taken off, with thousands participating on the app worldwide. Tune in to hear host Anne-Marie Zanzal chat with Charlie about their journey, from their early days growing up in conservative Wisconsin, coming out, his fearless 'just do it' attitude, the country that surprised him the most, his business coaching service, and much more.

You can learn more about the Everywhere is Queer app at https://www.everywhereisqueer.com/

A song that is meaningful to Charlie is 'Same Love' by Macklemore feat. Mary Lambert: https://youtu.be/hlVBg7_08n0?si=TOvY3aMo1wogizyj

A television show that Charlie recommends is 'Pose': https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7562112/

Find out more about Everything is Queer, sign up for his newsletter, and find links to connect on Instagram and TikTok at www.everythingisqueer.com.

This week on the Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories podcast, we are thrilled to feature film and television producer and storyteller, Frank McGowan.

TW: Frank's story relates anecdotes from his lived experience that describe homophobic-based violence, physical and mental trauma and CSA. Listener discretion is advised. 

Frank McGowan's remarkable life represents a mix of hardships and triumphs. Frank, who was born and raised in North Glasgow, was a sensitive, creative child in a culture that vehemently rejected Queer people. Frank's main childhood ally – his mother, Eileen – instilled in him a sense of pride that sustained him through dark days of violence and rejection. Frank has emerged from adversity to become an award-winning filmmaker. As Executive Producer of Bad Pony Media, Frank and his team produce content across all genres for the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime and Braw TV in Scotland - which will be available around the world for FREE from late 2023. Frank tells authentic stories across series drama, factual entertainment, comedy, documentary and children’s programming - and aims to engage, entertain and inspire.

To connect with Frank and Bad Pony Media online, visit:

Instagram: @glasgowfranko81 | @badponymedia_

Twitter: @glasgowfranko81 | @badponymedia

Web: www.badponymediagroup.co.uk 

Creative Blog: www.badponymediaproductions.webs.com/apps/blog/

Books that have inspired Frank are: 

Armistead Maupin (prolific LGBT writer) - "Tales of the City" - https://www.penguin.co.uk/series/TALECITY/tales-of-the-city

and

Sheila Lavelle (fellow later in life coming out story) - "Holiday with the Fiend" - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Holiday-Fiend-Lavelle-Sheila/dp/0140385665

Frank's coming out song is "Horny Horny Horny" by Moose T. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j6muYHRX90

In addition to being a filmmaker, Frank is also a musician in a band called Eric and the Bunny Boilers. You can catch their music on the following platforms:

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_XuThHy-O8

Amazon Music - https://www.amazon.co.uk/15ft/dp/B07DLFM22W

Live @ King Tuts EP - https://soundcloud.com/bunniesontour

Erika and Layla Quinones are an married couple who started an annual Pride celebration in their small town of Pulaski, TN. What began as a plan to welcome about 40 people to a potluck with a few vendors turned out to be an event that drew over 1300 visitors to the community. Pulaski has the dubious distinction of being the community where the KKK, a far-right terrorist organization, was formed in 1865. Erika and Layla, an inter-racial couple, quickly found themselves in the spotlight, garnering praise and support, but also hatred from the community. Tune in and listen to their story, as host Anne-Marie Zanzal asks about their coming out experiences, what it's like being a queer, racialized couple in small-town Tennessee, and their successes and challenges in starting Pulaski Pride.

To volunteer or donate and support Pulaski Pride, visit pulaskipride.online

A song that is special to Erika and Layla is She Keeps Me Warm by Mary Lambert. Listen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NhqH-r7Xj0E?si=HKhMftGvDwXG5HOp

A movie that was impactful to Layla in her youth was Bound, starring Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115736/

Miriam Grace, Psychotherapist, Writer, Supervisor, and Lecturer, works remotely from her home in Sheffield, UK. She has been in practice for over 30 years and her current research and writing focuses on women in midlife transitions, which include sexuality; health, disability and aging; menopause; caring for elderly parents; career and confidence; divorce and heartbreak; empty nest syndrome and living with teenagers. Her enthusiasm, care, and knowledge for clients and students is appreciated by many in individual sessions, groups, workshops, and coaching. Her specialisms are trauma, relationships, and women coming out later in life. For more details of Miriam’s professional story or training qualifications and accreditations see Miriam Grace or her home page www.blue-skies.org.uk

Have you ever felt so disconnected from your body that you don't know what you feel or want? This week's guest on Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories is Juliana Allen, a certified somatic breathwork facilitator who helps people become reconnected with their bodies and heal. Juliana, a later in life lesbian, found breathwork in her coming out process. In this episode, host Anne-Marie Zanzal and Juliana talk about why those coming out later in life can benefit from alternative healing, releasing trauma from the body (TW: anorexia), her experience opening her marriage after coming out, and the joyful, authentic life her has cultivated. 

Follow Juliana on Instagram: @reclaimingjuliana

Juliana's website: www.reclaimingjuliana.com

A song that is meaningful to Juliana is The Chicks' My Best Friend's Wedding. https://youtu.be/dMU0Pfn65lU?si=rYnnkRc6ecZvUziE

A book that is meaningful to Juliana is Glennon Doyle's Untamed: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52129515-untamed

Resiliency is the theme of this week's episode as host Anne-Marie Zanzal welcomes speaker and author, Marcie Macari. Marcie's life story has been a master class in resiliency, as she has faced numerous extraordinary challenges, which includes being abandoned and stranded in South Africa with her infant daughter after being shunned by her ex-husband and Christian ministry. Marcie's coming out and acceptance journey spans decades, culminating to her present-day reality of living a joyful and fulfilled life as an out and proud lesbian. Marcie uses her skills and experience to train others to build their resilience and lives by the motto that has become integral to her personal brand: "Bounce, Don't Break."

Find Marcie on TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn as @ Marcie Macari.

This week on Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories, we introduce you to media PR expert, April Mason.

April is the President of Violet PR, a busy agency that utilizes new and traditional media tools to craft powerful stories for their clients that shine a spotlight, attract new business, and enhance their public identity. April is also a later-in-life lesbian who learned to embrace all facets since the end of her marriage. Tune in and learn April's coming out story, how she stepped into her power after divorce, and her journey as a leader and business owner.

Learn more about April and Violet PR at https://www.violetpr.com/

Jennifer Boudrye is the founder of Parent With Care LLC where she helps parents of LGBTQ+ youth, teens, and young adults to understand, connect and celebrate their kids through 1:1 coaching, group coaching, workshops, and presentations. Jennifer is a Safe Zone trained Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Faculty Advisor, a certified coach through the Jai Institute for Parenting, the Education Director for Equality Loudoun (an LGBTQ+ advocacy nonprofit in Loudoun County, VA), and she facilitates a parent support group for the Ryan Bartel Foundation (a nonprofit working to end teen suicide).

As the founder of Parent With Care LLC, Jennifer is committed to helping parents develop and implement compassion, awareness, respect, and empathy in their parenting. She most enjoys supporting parents through the turbulent teen years because she recognizes that if her parents had the necessary tools she might not have been such a hellion in her teens! She is the parent of 3 adult children, one of whom is bisexual, and the bonus parent to a transgender man who is dad to an adorable 1-year-old. She has unique, personal experience, perspective, and understanding of parents of LGBTQ+ youth and the paths they take alongside their kids' journey.

Jennifer's favorite anthem is "Red Dress" by Maia Sharp: https://youtu.be/f-GDoaa6Csk

Books that have changed Jennifer's life are "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz and "Furiously Happy" by Jenny Lawson.

You can find Jennifer online at:

www.parentwithcare.com

https://www.facebook.com/ParentWithCare

https://www.instagram.com/parentwithcare

Robin describes herself as a VERY late-blooming lesbian who really wasn’t aware of any romantic feelings toward women while growing up. Although in hindsight, she does remember what she would describe today, as a “crush” on her female tennis instructor when she was just 8 or 9 years old. Robin supposes, but isn’t sure, that the sudden death of her mother, when she was 10, may have hijacked any possibility of realizing any other sexuality other than what was hetero-normative growing up. Fast forward decades later, (while married to a man for 28 years, and has 2 grown daughters), she unassumingly “followed the breadcrumbs” of an emerging infatuation with women. When that infatuation grew to the point of not being able to ignore it, Robin employed rather unconventional ways to finally get to the bottom of all these strong and increasing with frequency ‘girl crushes’, until she finally had her “AHA!” moment!

Bloomers-society.mn.co (A (free) community of late blooming lesbians of all ages and stages of their personal journeys of coming out; sharing stories and solutions and friendships). They also have an Instagram account: @bloomers.society; and a Facebook Group (search “Bloomers Society). Lesbianbarproject.com (Last year, two young NY film producers set out to raise awareness AND funds for the floundering 15 remaining US Lesbian Bars. They produced a short documentary and fundraised for a month. Based on last year’s success, they’re embarking on Lesbian Bar Project #2 this year with yet another documentary and a special event at a NY Lesbian Bar re-opening in June. Check their website for details about events and how you can support their fundraising efforts.

80% of gender is between your ears (not your legs) says, transition coach Wendy Cole. Wendy's remarkable story begins in the 1950s, when as a very young child she knew she was a girl. In her conversation with host Anne-Marie Zanzal, Wendy shares her struggles in early childhood with her parents and psychiatric professionals who gave her harmful labels, how she coped in a heteronormative world, her eventual breaking point when she finally stepped into her identity as a woman, her friendship with her ex-wife, figuring out her sexuality post-transition, and much more. 

Nita Agustin is a Queer and gender affirming clinical counselor based in Burnaby, B.C., Canada. Their jam is helping Queer youth and young adults find alignment within themselves so they can feel confident showing up in their own skin. This is accomplished by finding words to name their experiences and discover ways to live on their own terms. In this episode, Nita describes coming out in the pressure-cooker scenario of the pandemic, being Queer in Southeast Asian Indonesian culture, emerging and moving on from Catholocism, what it's like working with Queer youth, and much more!

You can find Nita online and learn more about her work at nitaagustincounselling.com

Nita's coming out songs are You Need to Calm Down by Taylor Swift, and Born This Way by Lady Gaga.

A book that inspired Nita is Me, Myself and They by Luna Ferguson. A show that has inspired Nita is I am Jazz.

CiCi Reagan is a published author and copywriter who found her calling in message strategy and alignment for all types of businesses, from entrepreneurs to billion dollar corporations. She's also an international advocate for addiction and domestic abuse survivors, covered in Newsweek, Metro, and several award-winning podcasts. CiCi uses their vast life experience, cultivated writing talent, and innate intuition for people to channel her clients words into mind-blowing marketing copy. CiCi teaches and coaches those who want to learn the mechanics of messaging in a simple, straightforward way. Her goal is to help others find clarity in their messages so that they can do what they love and find fun and freedom in business.

Tune in as host Anne-Marie Zanzal talks with CiCi Reagan about their early years of addiction, finding sobriety, surviving domestic violence, and finding joy when under adversity.

Listen on

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coming-out-beyond-lgbtqia-stories/id1569859569

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/27kocr4llm6syHKaeX1x9e

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vY29taW5nb3V0YW5kYmV5b25kLw?sa=X...

You can learn more about CiCI Reagan's work and coaching services at www.reaganeyes.com

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In this special New Year's Day episode of the Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories, host Anne-Marie Zanzal and guest Barbara Rowlandson share details on their upcoming free workshop about coming out later in life. Anne-Marie and Barb talk about the grief and joy, the questions and the experiences that lead people to question whether or not they are straight.

To sign up for the free coming out later in life workshop, visit www.comingoutsupport.net

TW: Bullying.

Raymond J Brune is Anne-Marie's special guest on this week's episode of Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories. So many people are a slave to their trauma; trauma that results from sexual abuse, accidents, the loss of a loved one, terrorism – even bullying. The impacts of trauma can last a lifetime. Raymond found a path to healing and forgiveness four decades after being viciously bullied in school, and he discovered it completely by accident. Raymond reveals how his healing was precipitated in his upcoming book, The Art of Being Bullied: Reframing Trauma One Masterpiece at a Time, which drops August 20th. Ray is a TV executive, former executive producer of Good Morning America, World News Now, VP at E! networks and Fox Sports, among many others. Tune in to hear Ray's story of triumph over a past filled with abuse, and learn how he used his creativity to forge ahead to a place of healing. 

You can purchase Ray's book, "The Art of Being Bullied: Reframing Trauma One Masterpiece at a Time" on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Being-Bullied-Reframing-Masterpiece-ebook/dp/B0D78NTSJ8?ref_=ast_author_m...

KaRon Spriggs-Bethea, DSW, LCSW, educator and expert on the subject of bullying. KaRon experienced bullying as a young person, and today uses his expertise to support others who feel diminished as a result of bullying. In this episode, host Anne-Marie Zanzal talks with KaRon about his lived experiences being bullied as a black, gay man, defines bullying, and discusses how to minimize shame, build self-esteem, and how to support the people we care about who are experiencing bullying.

Marissa Mitchell is a high school English teacher who came out at the age of 39. She resides in Indiana with her daughter and two cats and enjoys reading, roller skating, and writing poetry in her spare time.

Ann Russo is a licensed clinical social worker, sex-positive therapist and founder of AMR Therapy. A therapist with over 20 years of experienced, she specializes in servicing marginalized communities, particularly in areas of sex positivity, queer issues, and religious trauma. Ann is a dedicated advocate for modern women's sexuality and is the author of the upcoming book, 'Her Own Terms: Navigating the Landscape of Modern Female Sexuality.' In this episode, host Anne-Marie Zanzal speaks with Ann about her unconventional upbringing and coming out, and the two take a deep dive into a wide range of topics, including queer theology, helpful and unhelpful messages about womanhood, the intersection of queerness, religion, and sex positivity, and much more.

You can find Ann Russo online at www.annrusso.org

Ann's coming out song is Sunday Morning by No Doubt: https://youtu.be/PiBX-ESFDF0?si=LArxJXJObkvnen5L

A book that has inspired Ann is 'Conversations With God' by Neale Donald Walsch: Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Book 1 by Neale Donald Walsch | Goodreads

New to queer community and want to expand your circle of queer women friends? Join Anne-Marie, Barb and many other amazing guest speakers at Wing Women Weekend, Oct 16-20, 2024, in Provincetown, MA during their annual Women's Week. Learn more about this great getaway at www.wingwomenweekend.com.

Oh yes! Oh no! It's the holiday season once again! Individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community experience unique stressors during the holiday season. Queer/coming out coaches Anne-Marie Zanzal and Barbara Rowlandson have a lively discussion about strategies for coping with family, friends, and life changes during the holiday season. This is an especially good episode for anyone who is coming out or newly out!

Megan was married to a man, mom of four, and came out at 38.  She is a therapist who lives in the northeast and she works with the queer community.

Mother of two kids, a 21 year old transgender daughter, cisgender daughter. Writer, online content stratigist and creator.

From Barbara: If folks would like to follow my adventures in growing flowers they can connect with Queen Bee Flower Farm on Facebook and Instagram, or visit the website at www.queenbeeflowerfarm.com.

Krista Oakes is a certified yoga and meditation teacher specializing in working with beginners and seniors. She teaches gentle and chair yoga classes in Daytona Beach, Florida and nationally, online.  Krista leads group wellness retreats and teaches yoga and meditations to corporations. Her classes focus on safety, proper body alignment, mindfulness, and trusting oneself. Krista's approach to teaching integrates the mindfulness of meditation, lifestyle coaching, and the compassionate approach of Kripalu yoga rooted in faith and spirituality, with humor sprinkled throughout. Krista received her BA from Muhlenberg College where she first discovered the thrill of expressing herself through writing. As a yoga teacher, she enjoys reconnecting with that joy through blogging and communicating with her students. In January 2024, Krista published her first book, Shedding Shame: Finding Freedom to Live an Authentic Life, where she takes the reader on a journey through her life's challenges. She shares about being a child growing up with gay parents, losing her dad to AIDS, and the shame of her marriage full of dysfunction and mental illness which ended in divorce. Krista shares her path to unravel the shame that held her back, where's she's been, and how she's gotten to where she is today, living her best, authentic life. 

Learn more about Krista's gentle yoga programs here: https://www.daytonayogawithkrista.com/

You can find Krista's book, Shedding Shame: Finding Freedom to Live an Authentic Life here: https://www.daytonayogawithkrista.com/sheddingshame

Krista's "coming out" song is Defying Gravity from the musical Wicked: https://youtu.be/MslDnwerQRA?si=ip60m30HHGF0d02N

Two books that have influenced Krista are Daring Greatly by Brené Brown https://brenebrown.com/book/daring-greatly/

and Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33516773-big-little-lies

This week on CO&B and in honor of LGBTQ+ History Month, we are revisiting an episode from season 1 featuring Judy Wilson. Judy grew up in Nashville, Tennessee in a Roman Catholic family. She came out in the early 1970’s and live in San Francisco during the AIDS crisis. Her story is a testament to the courageousness underground culture of those who came out out in the South and an important reminder of the challenges faced by our queer elders.

Judy is a website designer and writer/mentor. You can find her at site-shack.com or www.judyannewilson.com.

This week, we welcome back psychotherapist Miriam Grace to the podcast! Miriam first joined us in Season 2 to discuss catalyst lesbian relationships and recovering from the end of a first lesbian relationship. Miriam has over 30 years of experience as a humanistic therapist and primarily works with women to tackle life problems associated with sexuality, the end of relationships, empty nest, loss of a parent, and other challenges associated with midlife. Miriam's work focuses on promoting diversity and inclusivity, challenging others to throw out old paradigms, and allow lesbian voices to come through to disrupt profoundly corrupt definitions of "healthy relationships"

In this episode, host Anne-Marie Zanzal and Miriam Grace explore themes surrounding the experiences of women in mid-life and coming out later in life. They underscore the biases in psychotherapy that cause queer and middle age women to fall through the cracks and subjugate their voices, lesbiphobia in psychotherapy, the vitality and gifts associated with mid-life, Miriam's research and scholarly publications on the later-in-life experience, challenge destructive lesbian tropes like 'U-Hauling" and "lesbian bed death" and much, much more!

Listen to Miriam's first appearance on Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories podcast (Season 2) here: https://annemariezanzal.com/coming-out-beyond-lgbtqia-stories-support-season-2-episode-6-miriums-sto...

Miriam contributed a fantastic piece to Anne-Marie's blog in 2020 about overcoming your first lesbian relationship: https://annemariezanzal.com/getting-over-your-first-lesbian-relationship/

You can learn more about Miriam, her psychotherapy services and her scholarship on her website: https://blue-skies.org.uk/

Miriam recently contributed a chapter to a collection of scholarly articles, "Queering Gestalt Therapy: An Anthology on Gender, Sex & Relationship Diversity in Psychotherapy." You can purchase this book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Queering-Gestalt-Therapy-Relationship-Psychotherapy/dp/1032371099/ref=sr_1_...

We're sharing the love in February with podcast listeners! This episode is dedicated with love to all of you in the late-in-life community who are struggling with grief surrounding your coming out experience.

Every Friday in the month of February, host Anne-Marie Zanzal and podcast producer Barb Rowlandson will be sharing lots of loving advice and encouragement with the late-in-life community. This week, Anne-Marie and Barb tackle the topic of grief, including:

-Why it's normal to grieve your old, married/hetero life,

-How, sometimes, we can find ourselves grieving a life we didn't live,

-Finding someone to talk to about your grief other than your partner,

-The truth about how long it takes to grieve,

-Feeling joy and grief simultaneously,

-Why the grief journey never travels in a straight line

and more!

Share the Love February continues with more loving advice and encouragement for the late-in-life community:

February 17th - Anne-Marie and Barb talk about the joy that comes with coming out later in life

February 24th - We unpack the complexities of catalyst relationships, with lots of loving advice about overcoming heartbreak and stepping into self-love.

You can also catch these episodes of the Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and at www.annemariezanzal.com

Want to book a Discovery Call with Anne-Marie? You can select a time for a call here: https://calendly.com/annemariezanzalcoachingllc/discovery-call?month=2023-01

Learn more about Lotus Group Coaching here: https://annemariezanzal.com/lotus-group-coaching/

Ash France (she/her) is a somatic practitioner who works one on one with queer women who are coming out later in life and are longing to create secure relationships as they identify & heal unhealthy relationship patterns.
Ash is originally from Oklahoma, and recently got engaged to Dawna Noble after moving to Oregon last year. She’s the host of the podcast, Queer Couples Conversations, where she & her fiancé, Dawna, talk all things queer relationships & how to build one that can last. Queer Couples Conversations dropped TODAY, so please listen, follow, rate & review!

You can connect with Ash on Instagram @ashfrancecoaching

Dawna Noble is a lgbtq+ relationship specialist that is trained in a psychobiological biological approach to couples therapy and currently works with Queer couples showing them how to build secure and lasting relationship in her Queer Couples Mastery program.She is also the co-host Queer Couples Conversations with her soon to be wife Ash France. You can find Dawna at Lgbtq+ Couples Specialist on Instagram.

🌈 Meet Kiki Joy Latham: soulful singer, survivor, and later in life lesbian. In this episode, Kiki shares their journey in a conversation with host Anne-Marie Zanzal, and it is a true story of self-discovery, navigating queer identity, and championing challenges faced in relationships and spirituality. From their early life in a diverse community to experiences with love, faith, and the search for belonging, Kiki's story is one of resilience and empowerment. Kiki discusses the impact of toxic relationships and spiritual abuse, and how they ultimately found their voice and community in the LGBTQIA+ space.

❓ What to Expect in This Episode:

🌈 Kiki's experiences of rejection and trauma in early relationships and their path to self-acceptance provides inspiration to those who may be struggling.

📣 Emphasis on the importance of finding a supportive community.

❤️‍🩹Discussion about spiritual abuse and deconstructing religion.

🧑🏼‍🤝‍🧑🏿Inspiration so that you, too, might find hope for greater fulfilment after a period of intense struggle and loneliness. 

Real Stories, Real Advice: Kiki's story reminds us of the powerful forces that can keep women from recognizing their authentic sexuality. Kiki's strict upbringing, experiences with racism and manipulative conversative faith communities diverted her from their inner voice. Ultimately Kiki began to listen to that inner voice telling them something was wrong, leading to a path of self-discovery and greater happiness as they embraced their queer identity.

✨ Why This Matters:

So often, people who come out later in life do not see themselves or their experiences reflected, and therefore experience difficulty locating their identity of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Kiki provides us with a model of a strong, talented, Black and queer individual who overcame the odds to become the happy, thriving queer person they are today.

📌🎙️About Authentically Us

Later in lifers have unique needs. Authentically Us is a space where women can participate in discussions, attend support groups & find education on exploring sexuality, coming out, queer relationships and more. You can find Authentically Us here: https://community.annemariezanzal.com/landing?space_id=17760704

💬 Join the Conversation:

Are you struggling with deconstructing religion or have experienced spiritual abuse or racism? How is your story similar to Kiki's? Tell us about it in the comments.

You can find Kiki on Instagram as @lovekikijoy.

🔗 Visit our website:

Anne-Marie's : [ annemariezanzal.com]

🔗 Follow us on social media:

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠 Twitter: twitter.com/annemariezanzal

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

Amy Nielsen is a divorce attorney and coach with a decade of experience as a family law attorney. Amy is an expert in navigating the emotional, logistical and legal aspects of restructuring families. She is a licensed attorney in the state of California but serves people all over the country as a certified divorce coach. Amy is also a later-in-lifer who came out in her late 30s after 10 years of marriage to a man. She now co-parents her two kids and rescue dog, Pepperoni, with her ex-husband who lives 5 houses away. Tune in as host Anne-Marie Zanzal talks with Amy about her later-in-life journey, the challenges and considerations that come with divorce, collaborative divorce, mediation and much more.

Amy's coming out 'song' is actually the entire Frozen 2 soundtrack, which you can listen to here: https://youtu.be/dpza2z4jmDk?si=KEnQEC6pNqvB2-64

Amy's coming out book was Untamed by Glennon Doyle: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/52129515

You can find out more about Amy's services at https://www.bloomlegalcoach.com/

In this episode, host Anne-Marie Zanzal welcomes back psychotherapist and later-in-life lesbian Miriam Grace to talk about parenting and relationships with young adult children. With the strong trend of 'grey' divorces (divorces after age 50), many people find their grown children have a difficult time with changes to their parents' relationship. Anne-Marie and Miriam chat about a number of things, including a follow up on their conversation from Season 5 Episode 17 on parent/child estrangement (https://youtu.be/eTIjiQ5EZRQ), setting boundaries and learning to say 'no,' the ebbs and flows of maturing young adult behavior, unlearning heteronormative roles and expectations after a parent comes out, and much more. Episodes with Miriam are always a fantastic listen, don't miss this one, especially if you're a parent of older kids!

You can find Miriam Grace online at https://blue-skies.org.uk/

Dr. Tina Schermer Sellers is a therapist, sex educator with a Ph.D. in clinical sexology, author, and Medical Director for the Northwest Institute on Intimacy. Tune in as host Anne-Marie Zanzal has a wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Schermer Sellers about sexuality, gender identity, the harmful repercussions of purity culture on sexuality and relationships, and society's shift towards acceptance of diverse identities. 

A film that has inspired Dr. Schermer Sellers is Fantastic Fungi, which can be found on Netflix and YouTube. You can view the trailer here: https://youtu.be/bxABOiay6oA?si=PuezRCCTuuygLoCp

Connect with Dr. Tina Schermer Sellers at www.tinaschermersellers.com

Casandra Jones, a.k.a. Mistress Cas, is an interSEXtional educator, therapist and scientist from San Antonio, Texas. She is a queer, polyamorous slut who aims to advocate for sex-positive cultural practices in all settings. She works as a therapist for Respark Therapy/Foundation and provides education/trainings on various mental health, relationship health, and sexual health topics to diverse individuals and healthcare professionals. Tune in as Anne-Marie talks with Cas about her journey in discovering her Queer and polyamorous identities. This is a fantastic episode for anyone interested in learning more about polyamory! Anne-Marie continues her conversation with Cas in a follow-up part 2 episode (drops Nov 24, 2023), where she and Cas dive into the topic of Kink.

Cas's coming out song is Strut by Emeline: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IDTWfLNnJE

A book that changed Cas's perspective on life is Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_(novel)

Find Cas on Instagram: @ mistress.cas

YouTube: @ IntersectionalMistressCas

and for more ways to connect, visit her Linktree: https://linktr.ee/boldlycasandra

Another year of podcasts is in the history books! In this first episode of Season 6, host Anne-Marie Zanzal and her fellow coach/producer Barbara Rowlandson review some of their favorite episodes of 2024, and give us a peek into topics that will be covered in 2025. Happy New Year, everyone!

🌈 What exactly is resilience? Why is it so important to the coming out later in life process? How can we push past fear and uncertainty? How can we become more resilient so we don't lose ourselves in grief, rejection, or pain? These are some of the things host Anne-Marie Zanzal and her fellow coach, Barbara Rowlandson, discuss in this podcast episode about resilience.

❓ What to Expect in This Episode:

🌈 Anne-Marie and Barb reflect on the power of self-compassion when coming out later in life.

🧑🏼‍🤝‍🧑🏿Emphasis on the importance of finding a supportive community and dealing with loss of support from family and friends.

❤️‍🩹Holding space for both grief and joy in the coming out process.

🏳️‍🌈Leaning into queer joy and the gifts associated with coming out.

Real Stories, Real Advice: Anne-Marie and Barb explore the concept of resiliency as an ongoing process rather than a one-time achievement. They emphasizes the importance of self-compassion and understanding one's authentic self versus conditioned self. In this episode, you'll hear advice on how to foster resilience, particularly for those navigating life changes within the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Anne-Marie Zanzal and Barbara Rowlandson explore the themes of fear, resilience, and personal growth, particularly in the context of coming out and embracing one's identity. They discuss the importance of reframing fear, the necessity of grieving past experiences while embracing new possibilities, and the value of self-affirmation. The conversation emphasizes that resilience is a practice that requires mindfulness and community support, and that it is possible to hold space for both loss and joy simultaneously.

✨ Why This Matters:

Coming out later in life is usually associated with a lot of big life changes, losses, accompanied by joys and self-discovery. The process often feels like a rollercoaster ride that includes grief, excitement, anger, sadness, exhilaration, and fulfilment. Building resilience for the wild ride of coming out helps you to keep it together when feelings are all over the place.

📌🎙️About Authentically Us

Later in lifers have unique needs. Authentically Us is a space where women can participate in discussions, attend support groups & find education on exploring sexuality, coming out, queer relationships and more. You can find Authentically Us here: https://community.annemariezanzal.com/landing?space_id=17760704

🏳️‍🌈Maybe I'm Not Straight?

We have a mini course available for those questioning their sexual orientation and feeling unsure about next steps. It is a comprehensive mini course designed to provide you with the tools and support you need to explore your identity and embrace your authentic self. https://annemariezanzal.com/courses-from-anne-marie-zanzal/#notstraight

🏳️‍🌈Embracing the In-Between is our Messy Middle guide that can help you shift from overwhelm to clarity. It's a guide designed to help you reflect, identify growth areas, track progress and cultivate self kindness. https://annemariezanzal.com/free-guide-messy-middle-embracing-the-in-between/

💬 Join the Conversation:

Has coming out later in life made you stronger? How has it changed your life? If you've been through this journey and have thoughts on resilience, tell us about them in the comments!

🔗 Visit our website:

Anne-Marie's :...

👣A Path to Spiritual Healing🏳️‍🌈 The Role of Affirming Spiritual Direction for the LGBTQIA+ Community | Season 6 Episode 8

🌈 This week on "Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories" host Anne-Marie Zanzal spends some time in conversation with Canadian spiritual director, Joan Alexander. Joan serves on the faculty of several formation programs teaching and supervising students in ministry. She facilitates workshops and webinars on topics such as spiritual accompaniment to the LGBTQIA+ community, spiritual trauma, hurting and healing. Joan currently serves on the board of directors of Spiritual Directors International.

❓ What to Expect in This Episode:

🌈 Understanding the nature of professional spiritual direction.

🪞 Reflecting on the impact of coming out on spirituality.

❤️‍🩹Working with trauma in spiritual direction.

📋Using the Enneagram assessment tool and much more!

Real Stories, Real Advice: This episode is a must listen for anyone is LGBTQIA+ and has spiritual wounds from faith communities. Joan reviews her spiritual direction tools – conversation, prayer, community, Enneagram assessments, dream work and symbolism – and gives us a mini-demonstration of how they are used in spiritual direction.

✨ Why This Matters:

This episode shows us how spiritual direction can help LGBTQIA+ individuals reclaim their spirituality.

📌🎙️About Joan Alexander: You can find Joan online at https://www.joanalexanderspiritualdirector.com/Joan offers spiritual directions sessions on a sliding scale. If you use Joan's Calendly to book a session, please put a note in at the time of booking that you found her through the Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories podcast!

💬 Join the Conversation:

Are you a member of the LGBTQIA+ community who has a complicated relationship with spirituality and faith? Share your thoughts, experiences, and questions in the comments below. Let’s foster a supportive community where we can learn from each other.

🔗 Visit our website:

Anne-Marie's : [ annemariezanzal.com]

🌟 Why Watch This Episode? Many in the LGBTQIA+ community experience religious trauma and become disconnected from their spiritual lives. Anne-Marie and Joan, both lesbians in LGBTQIA+ ministries, illuminate a path for wounded individuals to find a way back to their spiritual side, in a way that respects individual dignity and acknowledges trauma.

🔗 Follow us on social media:

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠 Twitter: twitter.com/annemariezanzal

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

👉 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more inspiring stories and advice on navigating life, love, and everything in between!

On this week's episode of Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories, we're getting some good energy flowing with Linda Moore!

Linda Moore's vocation in life is healing others. She has a long career in nursing and, in recent years, has turned her attention to energy healing. Linda is a Reiki master and energy healer who uses multiple modalities to help others restore their health. Linda discovered energy healing after incurring a shoulder injury and the experience launched her on a path of learning and discovery. Linda credits energy healing for 'peeling back the layers' of learned behaviour that does not align with her authentic self. After diving into the arena of energy healing, Linda became healed enough to accept the fact that she is a lesbian. In this episode, Linda and I have an in-depth conversation about how energy healing can be of immense benefit to those coming out later in life. After several years of working with Linda on her late-in-life journey, I am thrilled to share with you all that she is now our "in-house" energy worker at Lotus Group Coaching.

After March 1st, 2023, anyone who signs up for Lotus Group Coaching has access to Linda for a Reiki session. Lotus Group Coaching is a program designed for women/non-binary people who are reevaluating their sexuality later in life. Wondering if Lotus Group Coaching is right for you? Book a free Discovery Call with Anne-Marie today: https://calendly.com/annemariezanzalcoachingllc/anne-marie-zanzal-connection-call?month=2023-02

You can listen to this and other episodes of the Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube and on Anne-Marie's website: https://annemariezanzal.com/coming-out-stories-beyond-
podcast/

Questioning your sexuality and not sure where to start? We have a free Coming Out Guide available to download: https://annemariezanzal.com/free-guide-where-to-start-your-coming-out-journey/

Follow Anne-Marie on

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annemariezanzal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

Rev. Leela Sinha is a genderqueer, Queer-as-fuck entrepreneur. Ze is intense, spiritually grounded, real, funny, compassionate, and mostly interested in creating a better world with more pleasure and less pain. To that end, Leela coaches and consults to uplift intense people (if you're told you're "too much" that means you!) and creates leadership, companies, and systems where the bottom line is robust and everyone's needs get met.

In this special 2-part episode, Anne-Marie and Leela take a fascinating meander through subjects such as the profound impact of Leela's upbringing in the Unitarian church, the contrasting messages they received surrounding sexuality during their formative years (Anne-Marie was raised Catholic, while Leela learned about sexuality through the Unitarian "About Your Sexuality" (AYS) program), the early 2000's reclamation of the word "Queer" and the shifting climate surrounding that word today, how language around gender has changed the coming out trans experience over time, how the experience of coming out and living as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community differs regionally in the United States, how Leela both lost and gained a community after cutting hir hair and much, much more. Their deep dive into topics surrounding Queer, trans and lesbian experiences as they relate to history, culture and religion continues in a part 2 episode, to be released on July 7th, 2023.

Leela's coming out song is In or Out by Ani DiFranco. You can listen to it here: https://open.spotify.com/track/57RddpbPMFxeR20eonC0gH?si=98cbf96c72db48d4

Leela hosts PowerPivot, a business podcast showcasing the best ideas out there for changing the way we work (and live) for the better.  https://open.spotify.com/show/6Q1oG5PtdIOWdW2HswVK4l

The PowerPivot podcast is an extension of Leela's coaching/consulting business, The Intensives Institute. The Intensives Institute exists to encourage and develop intensives – that's people are strong-minded, innovative thinkers – to develop in leadership and executive roles. You can learn more about The Intensives Institute here: https://intensivesinstitute.com/

Some of Leela's reading recommendations are:

Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg

Exhibitionism for the Shy by Carol Queen

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

Womanspirit Rising: A Feminist Reader in Religion by Carol P. Christ and Judith Plaskow

Saving Paradise: How Christianity Traded Love of This World for Crucifixion and Empire by Rebecca Ann Parker and Rita Nakashima

Are you considering or in the process of divorce? Lawyer Shanon Oury gives some tips and advice on how to navigate through this time of your life.

    Shannon Oury (she/her) – practiced law for 20 years before changing careers to follow her passion to provide affordable housing to low income families. She was appointed as the Executive Director of the Lawrence Housing Authority in January of 2011. She is a member of the Affordable Housing Advisory Board for Lawrence, Kansas, served on the Board for the Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health and is the convener for the Community Health Plan for the Safe and Affordable Housing initiative. She is involved in several nationwide organizations that promote affordable housing. She is an adventurer, avid kayaker, and hiker. She has two adult daughters that share her quest for adventure.

Well, that's a wrap on Season 4! And what a remarkable year it has been.

In the final episode of the year, host Anne-Marie Zanzal and podcast producer Barb Rowlandson talk about the podcast episodes whose stories impacted them the most. Listen and we guaranteed to be inspired by the incredible journeys of some truly remarkable LGBTQIA+ people! They also talk about Anne-Marie's second podcast Queer Business Success, that launched earlier this year, and a free educational series for women (cis or trans) and non-binary people who are at the beginning of their coming out later-in-life journey.

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday and new year! Thank you for being a listener; if you'd like to give us a small, meaningful gift, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Thank you!

Join host Anne-Marie Zanzal as she welcomes author and coach Annie M. Henderson to explore the diverse experiences of women coming out later in life. Annie shares her personal journey, highlighting the challenges of growing up Catholic in Northeast Texas and the profound impact of a lack of representation in her life. The conversation delves into the complexities of people pleasing and co-dependency, revealing how these patterns can shape relationships and self-identity. Annie's catalyst experience serves as a pivotal point in her story, leading to deep reflections on authenticity and self-acceptance. Tune in for an insightful discussion that emphasizes the uniqueness of each individual's journey while navigating the common themes of discovery and empowerment within the LGBTQIA community.

📌🎙️Support The Tennessee Equality Project

Want to help us make positive change for LGBTQ individuals in Tennessee? Visit https://podcasthon.org/podcaster/coming-out-beyond to find the link to make a donation today! You can learn more about The Tennessee Equality Project at https://www.tnep.org/

🌈 It's Podcasthon 2025! What does that mean? This week's show is part of a larger initiative by podcasters everywhere to raise awareness and funds for worthy causes. This week's show is in support of The Tennessee Equality Project, an organization dedicated to legislative advocacy for LGBTQ rights in the Tennessee General Assembly and local governments around the state. The Tennessee Equality Project ensures that LGBTQ voices are heard by federal officials, taking a stand on important issues that impact the lives of LGBTQ Tennessee residents. Our guest this week is Chris Sanders, the Executive Director of the Tennessee Equality Project. Chris and Anne-Marie discuss the importance of LGBTQ advocacy, personal coming out stories, and the intersection of faith and sexuality.

❓ What to Expect in This Episode:

⚖️Chris shares insights on the challenges faced by the LGBTQ community in Tennessee, the role of advocacy in creating change, and the significance of community support

🧠Anne-Marie and Chris touch on the importance of critical thinking and the need for trust in collaborative efforts for advocacy.

👥There is an emphasis on building trust, showing up consistently and leaning into community for effective advocacy.

✨ Why This Matters:

We are more effective in our advocacy when we understand the legislative landscape, build trust in our community of support and show up consistently in advocacy efforts

💬 Join the Conversation:

Are you a member of the LGBTQ community living in Tennessee? Or maybe you're an advocate for LGBTQ rights in another state and have some wisdom to share? Tell us about it in the comments!

🔗 Visit our website:

Anne-Marie's : [ annemariezanzal.com]

🔗 Follow us on social media:

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

👉 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more inspiring stories and advice on navigating life, love, and everything in between!

Ready for some laughter, tears, and lots of wise, loving advice? Our final Share the Love February episode of the Coming Out & Beyond podcast has dropped, and it's a good 'un!

Every Friday in the month of February in 2023, host Anne-Marie Zanzal and podcast producer Barb Rowlandson have been sharing lots of loving advice and encouragement with the late-in-life community. In this episode, Anne-Marie and Barb cover alllll the feelings and share their best advice when it comes to catalyst relationships, including:

-defining 'what is a catalyst?' in the context of the coming out later in life experience,

-why catalyst relationships are often profoundly joyful in the beginning, and earth-shatteringly painful when they end,

-how catalyst relationships can often become all consuming,

-separating your new Queer identity from your catalyst,

-picking up the pieces and healing after a catalyst relationship ends,

and more!

In this episode, Barb shares her catalyst experience with listeners and offers reflections on the good, the bad, and the ugly about catalyst relationships. Anne-Marie offers tons of wise, loving advice on how to navigate these relationships, and what to do if your catalyst relationship ends.

You can catch episodes of the Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and at www.annemariezanzal.com

Want to book a Discovery Call with Anne-Marie? You can select a time for a call here: https://calendly.com/annemariezanzalcoachingllc/discovery-call?month=2023-01

Learn more about Lotus Group Coaching here: https://annemariezanzal.com/lotus-group-coaching/

For context, here's a link to that 1993 photo of kd lang and Cindy Crawford. Photo by Herb Ritts for Vanity Fair magazine: https://www.reddit.com/r/OldSchoolCool/comments/qynov7/a_little_throwback_kd_lang_and_cindy_crawford...

In the podcast, we refer to Tonda McKay's articles on the origins of the 'convert a straight woman, win a toaster oven' joke and relationships between long-out and newly-out lesbians. You can find these articles here:

https://annemariezanzal.com/whats-up-with-the-toaster-oven-by-tonda-mckay/

https://annemariezanzal.com/when-this-long-time-out-lesbian-dated-a-newbie/

Buckle up, daters! In this episode of Coming Out & Beyond, we’re diving even deeper into the complexities of dating in the LGBTQIA+ community with Barbara Rowlandson, a seasoned relationship coach and LGBTQIA+ advocate. 🌈❤️

Dating can be both exciting and daunting, especially when you’re navigating life after coming out or rediscovering your authentic self. In this candid conversation, Barbara offers insights, tools, and strategies to help you assess your dating readiness and build meaningful connections that honor your true self.

💡 Topics Covered:

☑️ What you need to consider before starting to date

☑️ The importance of self-acceptance to the dating experience

☑️ Ridding yourself of limiting thoughts about yourself and dating

☑️ Why vulnerability is essential for connection

☑️ Preparing for rejection – an inevitability in dating

🎙️About Barbara Rowlandson:

With years of experience as a relationship coach, Barbara specializes in helping LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples create fulfilling and authentic relationships. Her compassionate approach empowers individuals to embrace their identity and build strong connections.

💬 Join the Conversation:

What does dating readiness mean to you? Share your thoughts, experiences, and questions in the comments below. Let’s foster a supportive community where we can learn from each other.

🔗 Visit our website:

Barbara Rowlandson’s : [ lavenderdating.com]

Anne-Marie's : [ annemariezanzal.com]

🌟 Why Watch This Episode?

Whether you’re new to the dating scene or seeking to improve your approach, this episode provides valuable insights to help you date with confidence, authenticity, and purpose.

🔗 Follow us on social media:

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠 Twitter: twitter.com/annemariezanzal

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

👉 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more inspiring stories and advice on navigating life, love, and everything in between!

We're back for Part 2 of Anne-Marie Zanzal's conversation with Casandra Jones, a.k.a. Mistress Cas, interSEXtional educator, therapist and scientist from San Antonio, Texas. For those of you who missed Part 1 where Anne-Marie and Cas talk about polyamory, you can catch that episode here: https://youtu.be/Fl9zLT_cQeA?si=eQaWVRu731I1FnsO

Casandra Jones is a queer, polyamorous slut who aims to advocate for sex-positive cultural practices in all settings. She works as a therapist for Respark Therapy/Foundation and provides education/trainings on various mental health, relationship health, and sexual health topics to diverse individuals and healthcare professionals. Tune in as Anne-Marie and Cas shift the conversation from polyamory to kink and kink culture, where to start when exploring the world of kink, kink and consent and much more!

Cas's coming out song is Strut by Emeline: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IDTWfLNnJE

A book that changed Cas's perspective on life is Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_(novel)

Find Cas on Instagram: @ mistress.cas

YouTube: @IntersectionalMistressCas

and for more ways to connect, visit her Linktree: https://linktr.ee/boldlycasandra

Olivia Hill was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. She is the parent of two children and came out at fifty two as a trans woman. She served 10 years in the US Navy and worked at Vanderbilt University for 25 years. She is on the Board of Directors for Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Vanderbilt Women's Committee fighting for Women's rights, and was elected to the University Staff Advisory Council and the Equity Diversity and Inclusion committee.

Kristy came out at 36 after marriage to a man and two sons. She shares a home with her partner, Brandie in Maine, along with their five dogs! She is an artist, photographer, writer and does tarot and oracle reads along with self care mental health clips on TikTok and Youtube. You can follow her at @Healwithkristylee

Happy National Coming Out Day, 2024! In this episode, host Anne-Marie Zanzal chats with two of her favorite lesbians: her wife, Tonda, and fellow coach, Barb. Anne-Marie, Tonda, and Barb share their thoughts on signs that you might not be as straight as you originally thought. A little cheeky and with a lot of laughs, these three touch on stereotypes in the lesbian community and throw a little sage advice into the mix. It's a fun episode you won't want to miss!

Join Authentically Us, a community and support space for late blooming lesbians! Find us at https://www.annemariezanzal.com

Lotus Community Coaching is a 6-month program for women who are reevaluating their sexual identity, coming out as LGBTQIA+, and transitioning from a straight, married life to an independent life. If you're struggling and need help during this challenging time, learn what Lotus Community Coaching can offer you: https://annemariezanzal.com/lotus-community-coaching/

Ever get stuck in a cycle of negative thinking? It happens to all of us! During periods of challenge, grief, or adversity, our normal coping skills may be stretched and we can easily find ourselves spiraling into a cyclone of negative thoughts. So, what can we do about it?

In this candid episode, Anne-Marie Zanzal and Barbara Rowlandson share personal insights on overcoming negativity's grip – from its impact on how we see ourselves to navigating difficult relationship dynamics. Explore the power of community, the peace found in mindfulness, and the clarity gained through rituals and journaling. If you're seeking strategies to reframe negative thinking and embrace self-love, this conversation offers valuable perspectives and highlights affirmations as key tools for personal growth and acceptance.

❓ What to Expect in This Episode:

⛓️Anne-Marie and Barbara talk about how negativity impacts our personal growth and relationships.

🦉Discussion on how reframing thoughts can improve your mental health.

🧘Making distinctions between what is true and negative self talk that stems from core beliefs about self.

👥Exploration of rituals that dispel negativity

Real Stories, Real Advice: Anne-Marie and Barbara share personal stories about times when negativity impacted their lives, the stories they told themselves that perpetuated their negative thought cycles, and how they put an end to negative thinking.

✨ Why This Matters:

Negative thinking arises from feelings of shame and guilt, emotions experienced by many women who come out later in life. The shame and guilt is often rooted in deeply ingrained, gendered expectations for women. As we step away from heteronormativity and into our authentic selves and sexual identity, it is the perfect time to end negative internal narratives about what it means to be a good woman and change our inner-script to be more affirming.

Authentically Us is a support community for later-in-life LGBTQ women at all stages of the coming out and beyond process. Coming out later in life is often accompanied by suffering. Whether you're looking to deconstruct messages from a conservative faith tradition, experience divorce-related guilt, or struggle with feelings of shame around your coming out or sexual identity, Authentically Us has the right kind of support for you. Monthly subscription to Authentically Us on Mighty Networks is $35/month, but you can try your first week for free. Find Authentically Us at https://bit.ly/Authentically-Us

💬 Join the Conversation:

Do you struggle with negative thinking and rumination? How did it impact you during your coming out process? Is it something you still deal with? Let's talk about it in the comments!

🔗 Visit our website:

Anne-Marie's : [ annemariezanzal.com]

🔗 Follow us on social media:

💠 Facebook: 

This week on the CO&B podcast, host Anne-Marie Zanzal welcomes later-in-life lesbian and adventurer, Jill Holiday. Jill's story is one of remarkable perseverance and personal discovery. After becoming a teen mom, years of home schooling and a heteronormative life, Jill took a bold step out of her comfort zone and spent months hiking the Appalachian Trail. Despite adversities she met along the way, her hike result in a personal revelation that led to her coming out later in life. Now a dedicated adventurer, Jill has embraced the world of van life, seeking new horizons and experiences. In this episode, you'll hear Jill's story of emergence from a conservative faith tradition, what happened on her hike on the Appalachian Trail, her coming out, and, most importantly, her 'beyond.'

You can hear Jill speak at the upcoming Wing Women Weekend event, Oct. 16-20, in Provincetown, MA (during Provincetown's annual Women's Week). To learn more about Wing Women Weekend, visit: www.wingwomenweekend.com. 

Activist, scholar, mental health advocate, and The Trevor Project and WClub volunteer JJ King (they/them) is Anne-Marie's special guest on this episode of Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories. Anne-Marie and JJ met as JJ was beginning their coming out journey. Both were raised in conservative faith traditions that impacted their sense of self and autonomy. In this compelling conversation about women's power, Anne-Marie and JJ unpack the layered impacts of conservative faith, including homophobia, purity culture, and complementarianism. JJ shares their inspiring story of how they emerged from a family system and marriage where they were deeply oppressed to live their best life. Recorded just two days after the 2024 U.S. election, Anne-Marie and JJ also unpack why so many white American women voted against themselves.

This week on Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories, host Anne-Marie Zanzal welcomes certified parent and life coach Dr. Lulu

Dr. Lulu is Queer, Nigerian-born, a pediatrician, mom of a transgender daughter, and TEDx speaker. Her work centers on coaching parents of Queer children, helping families overcome the shame and fear that often comes with learning a child is Queer. Dr. Lulu's mission is youth suicide prevention particularly amongst LGBTQIA+ youth. She is a bestselling author of 7 books, including "How to Teach Your Children About Racism” and other books in the nonfiction genre. Her next book: “Invited In, How to Become the Parent Your LGBTQ+ Child Needs”, is due out summer 2023.

In this episode, Dr. Lulu shares with Anne-Marie her coming out (or "letting in") story, the common concerns of parents who learn that their child is Queer, underscores the unique perils that threaten black transgender women, discusses the roots of and harm caused by internalized homophobia, and talks about how she helps clients change their mindset, moving from a place of fear to acceptance.

A song that resonates with Dr. Lulu today is Who's That Girl by Eve: https://youtu.be/8N9PL3Iz3xc

Some books that Dr. Lulu recommends are:

Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid Menon https://www.amazon.ca/Beyond-Gender-Binary-Alok-Vaid-Menon/dp/0593094654

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill https://www.amazon.ca/Think-Grow-Rich-1937/dp/B07Q5B3FVF/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Think+and+Grow+Rich+by+...

Healing Back Pain by John E. Sarno, MD https://www.amazon.ca/Healing-Back-Pain/dp/B071L5C7S5/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PRNGHPEC89MO&keywords=Healing...

You can find Dr. Lulu on Instagram, YouTube and Twitter as @drlulutalkradio, on Facebook as Moma Trician, and on LinkedIn as Uchenna "Dr. Lulu" Umeh.

Struggling with the decision of whether to leave your marriage? This week on the Coming Out & Beyond podcast, host Anne-Marie Zanzal welcomes back producer Barb Rowlandson to talk about divorce as you're coming out. Many of the clients Anne-Marie and Barb work with have the challenge of untangling long-term marriages, and the process can be fraught with difficulties. Anne-Marie and Barb address some of the most common questions and concerns women have as they consider and proceed with divorce, including how do you know if it's time to end your marriage, should you open your marriage, silent signs that you should leave, and much more!

If you are going through a later in life coming out journey and are in the process of divorce, and you feel that you need support, come to the Life Reimagined workshop, offered free and on Zoom, July 8-10th, 7 p.m. CST. Sign up at www.comingoutsupport.net. 

New to queer community and want to expand your circle of queer women friends? Join Anne-Marie, Barb and many other amazing guest speakers at Wing Women Weekend, Oct 16-20, 2024, in Provincetown, MA during their annual Women's Week. Learn more about this great getaway at www.wingwomenweekend.com. 

Join Authentically Us, a community and support space for late blooming lesbians! Find us at https://www.annemariezanzal.com

Lotus Community Coaching is a 6-month program for women who are reevaluating their sexual identity, coming out as LGBTQIA+, and transitioning from a straight, married life to an independent life. If you're struggling and need help during this challenging time, learn what Lotus Community Coaching can offer you: https://annemariezanzal.com/lotus-community-coaching/

Questioning is a fundamental aspect of Jewish tradition and learning. In this spirituality-focused episode, host Anne-Marie Zanzal and LGBTQIA+ activist, Rebecca Stapel-Wax, explore the intersections of queer, family, and faith identities in the context of Jewish community. Rebecca is the director of the Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity (SOJOURN) in Atlanta. Rebecca shares her personal experiences of coming out and her journey to find a welcoming Jewish community. Historical awareness is a running theme in this episode as Anne-Marie and Rebecca delve into Jewish history, particularly focusing on Ashkenazi traditions, and the importance of questioning within the faith. They discuss the evolution of LGBTQIA+ representation in Jewish communities and the significance of understanding diverse identities in contemporary society. There is an emphasis on the need for open conversations about faith, history, and identity, highlighting the role of community in supporting individuals navigating their spiritual and personal journeys.

❓ What to Expect in This Episode:

🎓An emphasis on the importance of inclusive education for youth and families.

✡️Reconstructing Judaism, offering a more inclusive approach to faith.

🏳️‍🌈Examining historical narratives that overlook significant figures and events, especially in LGBTQIA+ history.

👥An emphasis on community support, vital for navigating life's challenges.

Real Stories, Real Advice: Anne-Marie and Barbara share personal stories about times when negativity impacted their lives, the stories they told themselves that perpetuated their negative thought cycles, and how they put an end to negative thinking.

✨ Why This Matters:

It is important to recognize diverse identities within religious communities. And, community support is crucial for individuals exploring their identities within Judaism. Understanding the evolution of LGBTQIA+ rights is essential for intergenerational dialogue. Inclusivity in religious spaces can enhance community bonds and support.

Authentically Us is a support community for later-in-life LGBTQ women at all stages of the coming out and beyond process. Coming out later in life is often accompanied by suffering. Whether you're looking to deconstruct messages from a conservative faith tradition, experience divorce-related guilt, or struggle with feelings of shame around your coming out or sexual identity, Authentically Us has the right kind of support for you. Monthly subscription to Authentically Us on Mighty Networks is $35/month, but you can try your first week for free. Find Authentically Us at https://bit.ly/Authentically-Us

Learn more about Rebecca's work and SOJOURN at https://sojourngsd.org/

💬 Join the Conversation:

Have you had to reconcile your faith with your sexuality? Let's talk about it! Comment and let us know your thoughts.

🔗 Visit our website:

Anne-Marie's : [ 

This week on CO&B, host Anne-Marie Zanzal welcomes somatic embodiment and sex coach, Ayce Kypton. Ayce's story relates a journey of coming into his authentic gender, embracing transmasculine identity, emerging from conservative faith tradition, and stepping into his sexuality after decades of celibacy. His story is also one of perseverance, as Ayce experienced profound losses of family, faith, community and employment during his transition. Today, Ayce thrives as a coach for other transgender individuals who seek to become more connected to their bodies and to sexual pleasure.

You can find out more about Ayce and his services at aycekyptyn.com

Ayce's coming out song was You're Gonna Love It by Sun Heat https://youtu.be/RSx23VgRXVI?si=Q5qQYaNMIrGjNKwy

A program that had a profound impact on Ayce was Sex, Love & goop, on Netflix.

New to queer community and want to expand your circle of queer women friends? Join Anne-Marie, Barb and many other amazing guest speakers at Wing Women Weekend, Oct 16-20, 2024, in Provincetown, MA during their annual Women's Week. Learn more about this great getaway at www.wingwomenweekend.com.

For years Michael "Tate" Barkley lived his life in shame—of living in poverty, of alcoholism and addiction, of being a closeted gay man. His story may sound familiar to anyone who struggles with feeling “less than.” Now sober through Alcoholics Anonymous, he wants to share his story in the hopes that it will help others to leave their shame behind and discover the peace that they deserve.

His memoir, Sunday Dinners, Moonshine and Men, recounts Tate’s troubled relationship with his father and his journey to overcome shame and the scarcity mindset that blocked his ability to find peace in his life. Tate offers readers a deeply personal account of his dysfunctional childhood, from the backwoods of North Carolina, to his family’s struggles with poverty in Central Florida, and their ultimate move to the boomtown of 1970s Houston, Texas. He details his attempts to repress his sexuality and control his escalating drinking as he became a successful attorney, only to hit rock bottom and lose it all. Tate’s story will resonate with readers as they follow his quest to accept himself and find peace.

Learn more about and follow Tate Barkley at https://tatebarkley.com/

Tate's coming out song is 'Man in the Mirror' by Michael Jackson: https://youtu.be/PivWY9wn5ps?si=goz_6apWwWpdDtY6

The Three Big Questions You've GOT to Ask Before Coming Out | Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories |Season 6 Episode 9 

🌈 If you're a woman reevaluating your sexuality later in life, this episode is going to change things for you. Why? Because host Anne-Marie Zanzal and fellow coming out coach Barbara Rowlandson talk about the three most important questions you need to ask yourself at the start of your sexual awakening/coming out journey. Anne-Marie and Barb, both later-in-life lesbians who work in this very niche community supporting women who come out in their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond, share some common threads of the coming out experience and wisdom that can help you find the courage to make hard decisions.

Download the free 3 Questions Guide: api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/4qBZycuEelYRSvpLNy1M

In this episode, Anne-Marie and Barb also make reference to the Dealing with Guilt and Shame Guide. If you'd like to check it out, it's free too: api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/QFAgIx30gAptZxdsUNjP

❓ What to Expect in This Episode:

🌈 Anne-Marie and Barb explain why the question of our sexuality often surfaces when things seem to be going great.

📣 Discussion on why the "good girl's prescription for a happy life" doesn't make us fully happy.

❤️‍🩹An explanation of disenfranchised grief: what it is, and why it can make this process so much harder.

🧑🏼‍🤝‍🧑🏿Sharing Authentically Us, a community, support and learning space for women who are going through the sexual reevaluation and coming out process.

Real Stories, Real Advice: Women who are just starting this journey often don't know where to go next and feel stuck between feelings of not wanting to "ruin" their lives and intense desire for intimate connection with women. This episode addresses that place of being stuck, offering questions that can help lead you to some clarity about what you want and next steps.

✨ Why This Matters:

There is so little awareness and support out there for women who are questioning their sexuality later in life. This episode directly addresses where you can find the support you need, directing you to a place where you can talk about what you're experiencing without fear of judgement, with people who understand this journey.

📌🎙️About Authentically Us 

Later in lifers have unique needs. Authentically Us is a space where women can participate in discussions, attend support groups & find education on exploring sexuality, coming out, queer relationships and more. You can find Authentically Us here: https://community.annemariezanzal.com/landing?space_id=17760704

💬 Join the Conversation:

Are you struggling with feeling like you want to be with a woman? Worried about what this means for you and the people you care about? Share your thoughts, experiences, and questions in the comments below. Let’s foster a supportive community where we can learn from each other.

🔗 Visit our website:

Anne-Marie's : [ annemariezanzal.com]

🔗 Follow us on social media:

💠 Facebook: 

Javana (like Banana) is a 40 years old, mom to two children, business owner, holistic dentist, intuitive and tarot card reader. She used to be a fundamental evangelical Christian, she had her spiritual awakening in 2011, and then her sexual awakening in 2018.

For more info on Javana's dental practice: www.naturallyyoudentist.com

This week on the Coming Out & Beyond podcast we're back with part 2 of our interview with Rev. Leela Sinha. Leela is a genderqueer, spiritually grounded, Queer-as-fuck entrepreneur and principal at the Intensives Institute, an organization dedicated to executive leadership and development.

In part 2 of this special episode, Anne-Marie and Leela talk about Leela's experience growing up atheist and in the UU, what it was like having a call to ministry, and expand on the language and constructs surrounding gender. It is a fascinating episode, not-to-be-missed for anyone who is interested in gender and trans issues.

Learn more about The Intensives Institute at www.intensivesinstitute.com

This week, host Anne-Marie Zanzal chats with the very wise and funny Phillip Headrick. Phillip, is the host of the recently retired "Two Bottles Deep" podcast, a physical therapist, and Nashville-based comedian. Before he was the charming and confident person he is today, Phillip was a boy raised on a farm in rural Tennessee who was raised in a Christian cult known as "The Truth." As a young man in college, Phillip's realization that he was gay sparked an existential crisis that will have a familiar ring to anyone who has grown up in a conservative faith community. Tune in to hear Phillip's coming out story, the unlikely response from his parents when he came out, and Phillip's messages of grace and tolerance. 

You can tune in to previous episodes of the "Two Bottles Deep" podcast here: https://twobottlesdeep.libsyn.com/

When in Nashville, you can catch Phillip's standup comedy at The Third Coast Comedy Club https://www.thirdcoastcomedy.club/ or Zanies Nashville https://nashville.zanies.com/#

Phillip's coming out song is Believe by Cher: https://youtu.be/nZXRV4MezEw?si=7DmK3t9-ph5YCvuM

A book that has had a profound impact on Phillip's life is Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43848929-talking-to-strangers

Terri Conroy came out at 43 after being married to a man for 17 years and having 2 kids. She always knew she was gay but like so many others, her conservative upbringing made any chance of coming out and being accepted non-existent. It was only when she started to teach my teenaged children to be true and honest with themselves that she realized she needed to “walk the talk”. She came out, divorced and her xh and kids are doing well and no one was traumatized. It had its moments of heartache and challenges but it was all worth it. Terri is now living as an out and authentic person in a loving and healthy relationship with a woman.

This week on Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories, host Anne-Marie Zanzal interviews queer author, playwright, abuse survivor, and former pastor, Trent Clifford. Trent's debut book, Reclaiming Faith, is a tender yet practical approach to uniting the spirituality you love with the religion you've lost. After surviving marital abuse and religious discrimination, Trent reconciled his sexual and spiritual identities and, through his work, invites others to learn from his journey. In this episode, Anne-Marie and Trent talk about religious deconstruction and reclaiming faith on your own terms.

Learn more about Trent Clifford's new book, 'Reclaiming Faith' here: Writing | Reclaiming Faith

Learn more about Trent's work in theater here: HOME | Trent Clifford

Trent's coming out song is Reflection from the film Mulan: https://youtu.be/lGGXsm0a5s0?si=_2IryrNh7gMT8sPw 

Laurie DeJong Zuverink (they/them) is a 53-year-old gender-non-conforming later-in-life lesbian who crashed into the full acceptance of their identity five years ago. Laurie is the descendant of Dutch settlers, and until 2020 engaged in the conservative Protestant Christian community of West Michigan where they lived in the assumption of heteronormative culture while at the same time pressed against them. 

Tune in as host Anne-Marie Zanzal speaks with Laurie about their powerful coming out journey, overcoming the constraints of conservative culture and heteronormativity, their gender and sexual journey from struggle to self-acceptance, their experience of ordination into ministry, the spiritual abuse they experienced upon coming out, and eventual path back to an affirming faith community.

Laurie's coming out album is the sountrack to The Greatest Showman, in particularly the song Tightrope: https://youtu.be/He5NctQPXK8?si=lD04DkzXSn-r-pDN

Laurie's coming out book is Richard Rohr's Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life.: https://www.amazon.ca/Falling-Upward-Spirituality-Halves-Life/dp/0470907754

Suzette Mullen is an author, retreat leader, and certified book coach who helps LGBTQ+ writers and allies start and finish nonfiction books they will be proud to share with the world. Her mission is to use her gifts and passion for justice to help birth LGBTQ+ stories that bring light, hope, and connected to people who feel alone or othered. And maybe, just maybe, change hearts and minds, one story at a time, in the process.

Suzette is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Wellesley College, and also holds a certificate in spiritual formation from Columbia Theological Seminary. In 2019, she brought her passion for justice to her new hometown of Lancaster PA and co-founded The Lancaster LGBTQ+ Coalition. The proud mom of two adult sons, she is loving this chapter of life with her wife Wendy and their rescue pup Lucy—and is forever grateful the universe nudged her to take a detour five years ago to Central Pennsylvania where she's been embraced with open arms by friends of all ages, genders, and sexual orientations.

Pasha Marlowe holds a masters in marriage and family therapy and currently works as a therapeutic comedy coach and pleasure podcast host. Check out Pasha across the web:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pasha.marlowe IG-@pashamarlowe "Let Pleasure be the Measure"

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/let-pleasure-be-the-measure/id1548282200

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3VqgHlOwxvsTRZKK9W1PgI?si=rVRzdIvsSialJPCthLURAA

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHIKCBH-7r-wwkvzRlVJGFA

Lisa N Alexander is CEO of the award-winning creative agency, PrettyWork Creative. Lisa and her team work with clients to help tell their amazing stories through video, strategic marketing communications, and PR. She has directed and produced three documentaries for non-profit agencies and has written her first feature film, "My Father, the Queen." The film is in pre-production, has already won Best LGBT Screenplay from the Best Script Awards London, Best Script from Cannes International Shorts, was a semi-finalist in the Paris Women Festival, and was a BLK Screenplay Semi-Finalist in 2023.

In this episode, host Anne-Marie Zanzal has a conversation with Lisa about what it was like growing up with a closeted father. Lisa shares how her real-life experiences were the jumping off platform for writing her screenplay and talks about identifying and healing generational trauma.

You can learn more about The film My Father the Queen here: https://myfatherthequeen.com/

Learn more about Lisa and her work here: https://lisanalexander.com/

A book that has inspired Lisa is the Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Miguel Ruiz: https://www.miguelruiz.com/the-four-agreements

This week, host Anne-Marie Zanzal welcomes Dr. Roxy Manning and Sarah Peyton to the show. 

Dr. Manning is a clinical psychologist and a certified Centre for Nonviolent Communication trainer. She brings decades of experience to her work, interruping explicitly and implicitly oppressive attitudes and culture norms. Dr. Manning has provided consultation and training across the U.S. and internationally to businesses, non-profits, and government organizations wanting to move towards equitable and diverse workplace cultures. She also works as a psychologist in San Francisco serving the homeless and disenfranchised mentally ill populations. She is the author of "How to Have Anti-Racist Conversations: Embracing Our Full Humanity to Challenge White Supremacy," and co-author of the companion text written with Sarah Peyton "The Anti-Racist Heart: A Self-Compassion and Activism Handbook."

Sarah Peyton is a certified trainer in non-violent communication and neuroscience educator who integrates brain science and resonant language to awaken and sustain self-compassion, particularly in the face of difficult issues like self-condemnation, self-disgust, and self-sabotage. She teaches and lectures internationally and is the author of the "Your Resonant Self" book series. She is Dr. Manning's co-author, as mentioned above.

Tune in as Anne-Marie, Roxy and Sarah about anti-oppression, and anti-racism, compassion, connecting with others in a broken world, how to have hard conversations, and how to have non-violent communication.

Find out more about Dr. Roxy Manning and her work on her website: https://roxannemanning.com/

Learn more about Sarah Peyton and her work on her website: https://sarahpeyton.com/

Dr. Manning's coming out song is " I Sing the Body Electric" from Fame. https://youtu.be/tG-wl2qqD7Y?si=xco-qyfPemNJQA_D

Sarah Peyton's 'power song' is Purple Rain by Prince. https://youtu.be/TvnYmWpD_T8?si=Y-n30GrnARjH13C2

Books that have inspired Dr. Manning are the fantasy series by Mercedes Lackey: https://www.goodreads.com/series/list?id=8685.Mercedes_Lackey

A book that has inspired Sarah Peyton is The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller.  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4887.The_Drama_of_the_Gifted_Child

Dr Keith Brown is a speaker, teacher, coach, author, podcaster, and theologian with over 30 years of experience within the LGBTQ+ arena. He is a married, bisexual man who’s mission is to help LGBTQ+ individuals age 45+ turn their hurting into healing and their healing into happiness.

Anne-Marie and Keith – who are both ordained ministers – dive deep into themes and spirituality as related to their religious professions. Keith shares openly about how he feels God called him to support LGBTQ+ people, how difficult it was in his early career to be a Queer person and a minister in the Southern Baptist church , how this difficulty was compounded by negative attitudes towards gay people in the 1990s, and the work he does with Queer clients today.

Keith didn't have a coming out song per se, but a song that resonates with him and that speaks to his journey is "My Way" (Elvis)

The book that has most influenced Keith is the Bible.

You can find Keith Brown online at www.jkeithbrown.com, Instagram: @thejkeithbrown, TikTok @thejkeithbrown, and on his podcast, Coffee with Keith.

Carla came out in her late thirties. She is the mom of two kids and is a voice teacher in Seattle. You can find her thttp://www.carlahilderbrand.com

This week on the Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories podcast, you'll meet Hannah Jones. Hannah is a self described 35 year old "gaybaby!" She came to the realization she is gay during a stay in drug rehab 3 years ago - and has remained sober ever since! - and describes the process as a "slow awakening to always knowing."

Hannah and Anne-Marie dive deep into topics of how the architecture of fundamentalist religion is built on misogyny, shame, and internalized homophobia. Hannah speaks candidly about her experience being immersed in a restrictive faith community, and how leaving the church and embracing sobriety brought her to a place of happiness, liberty and self-acceptance.

Hannah is a licensed professional counselor at a community mental health center service people who do not typically have access to quality mental healthcare. She is mom to her awesome 4 year old son, Truett, and dog mom to 2 Rhodesian Ridgebacks who think they are lapdogs. In her spare time, you're likely to find Hannah immersed in nature, camping, backpacking, bikepacking, marathon running, nature photography, kayacking - anything that gets her outdoors! Other hobbies include reading non-fiction, drumming, roller derby, and daydreaming about one day having girlfriend - all of which are pursuits she wouldn't enjoy today if she hadn't embraced her authentic self! Hannah's story is an inspiration for anyone who feels held back by their religion, demonstrating to all of us that a life of vibrancy and fulfillment awaits us when we start living as the people we were made to be.

Hannah's coming out songs are:

"Waking Up" by MJ Cole

"I am" by Satsang

and "Fidelity" by Regina Spektor

The books that have had the greatest impact on her life are

Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown

Thy Queendom Come: Breaking Free from the Patriarchy to Save Your Soul by Kyndall Rae Rothaus

Affirming: A Memoir of Faith, Sexuality and Staying in the Church by Sally Gary

and Outlove: A Queer Christian Survival Story by Julie Rodgers.

In the podcast, Hannah and Anne-Marie talk about the 2010 film 'Elena Undone.' You can find the trailer for this film on YouTube.

Anne-Marie Zanzal and Tonda McKay share their heartfelt love story, highlighting the unique journey of coming out later in life as a lesbian couple. With Anne-Marie's transition from identifying as a married mother to embracing her true self, the couple discusses the complexities and joys of their relationship. They explore the challenges they faced, including navigating past traumas and societal expectations, while emphasizing the importance of being open to love and connection. Their candid conversation delves into the emotional labor involved in their relationship, showcasing how they support each other through difficult times. Ultimately, Anne-Marie and Tonda's story is a testament to the power of love, resilience, and the beauty of discovering one's identity at any age.

In this very special Part 1 episode of Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories, host Anne-Marie Zanzal speaks with identical twins Ronda Landers and Jonda Valentine, both later-in-life lesbians and founders of Nashville's iconic bar, The Lipstick Lounge. Ronda and Jonda's stories reflect their remarkable journeys, beginning with growing up with their dad, a closeted preacher, moving to Nashville, realizing they were lesbians later in life, having children taken away by an ex-husband and mother for being a lesbian, and more. This is an episode that truly gives you a snapshot of what it was like to be out and lesbian 35 years ago and the social, familial, and legal struggles that queer people faced. Ronda and Jonda will be back in a future episode to continue telling their story about how they built a queer community hub in Nashville, TN, when they started The Lipstick Lounge, voted one of the best bars in America by USA Today.

New to queer community and want to expand your circle of queer women friends? Join Anne-Marie, Barb and many other amazing guest speakers at Wing Women Weekend, Oct 16-20, 2024, in Provincetown, MA during their annual Women's Week. Learn more about this great getaway at www.wingwomenweekend.com.

JoAnne first wondered if she might be gay in her mid 40s when her 20 year marriage was ending, but then met another man with whom she had a good sex life so she thought "I guess I was just with the wrong partner".  She got married again at age 48 and became a widow six years later.  At age 55 she fell in love with a woman and she felt comfortable in her own skin for the first time in her adult life.

➡️Reframing Guilt & Shame Associated with Coming Out Later in Life : Season 6 Episode 6

🌈 Welcome to another episode of "Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories"!

Host Anne-Marie Zanzal invites fellow later-in-lifer Barbara Rowlandson back to the podcast to talk about everyone's favorite topic 🙄, guilt and shame! Guilt and shame are two of the most common feelings that later-in-lifers struggle with. Anne-Marie and Barb have a conversation about these very challenging feelings in the context of coming out, deconstruct them, and offer new perspectives.

❓ What to Expect in This Episode:

🌧️ Definitions guilt and shame and understanding the nuanced differences between them.

⚖️ Review justified vs. unjustified guilt and shame and how societal pressures contribute to unjustified guilt.

🧗‍♀️Recognizing how guilt and shame manifest in our bodies, separating our identity from our feelings and more!

Real Stories, Real Advice: Anne-Marie and Barbara talk about guilt and shame in the context of their own lives and experiences.

✨ Why This Matters:

It's important to differentiate between feelings and identity. Reflection and perspective can help in understanding guilt and shame. Women are disproportionately impacted by societally driven guilt and shame based on gender role expectations. Self-compassion is a practice that can significantly reduce these difficult feelings.

📌🎙️About Barbara Rowlandson:

With years of experience as a relationship coach, Barbara specializes in helping LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples create fulfilling and authentic relationships. Her compassionate approach empowers individuals to embrace their identity and build strong connections.

💬 Join the Conversation:

What does dating readiness mean to you? Share your thoughts, experiences, and questions in the comments below. Let’s foster a supportive community where we can learn from each other.

🔗 Visit our website:

Anne-Marie's : [ www.annemariezanzal.com]

Barbara Rowlandson’s : [ www.lavenderdating.com]

🌟 Why Watch This Episode?

If you're a later in lifer in what we call "The Messy Middle," you might be experiencing a great deal of guilt and shame over your sexual identity, wanting divorce, impacting your children, or going against your faith tradition. In this episode, you'll learn you aren't alone in those feelings, feel understood, and begin to learn ways to navigate the murky waters of guilt and shame.

🔗 Follow us on social media:

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠 Twitter: twitter.com/annemariezanzal

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

👉 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more inspiring stories and advice on navigating life, love, and everything in between!

#comingoutandbeyond #lgbtqiastories #guilt #shame #BarbaraRowlandson #AnneMarieZanzal #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia #2slgbtqia #lgbtqpodcast #lgbtqplus #comingout #comingoutlaterinlife #lateinlifelesbian #latetolesbian #themessymiddle #divorce #podcast #love #separation #lgbtpodcast #lgbtrepresentation #lifetransitions

Dubbed "the Godfather of Gay Diversity Training" by the New York Times, Brian McNaught is considered on of the world's leading corporate diversity consultants dealing with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer issues in the workplace. In this lively discussion, host Anne-Marie Zanzal and Brian McNaught talk about his coming out story, how he approaches LGBTQIA+ topics when speaking with groups, issues surrounding spirituality, faith and queer identity, activism, and much, much more! 

Learn more about Brian on his website: Brian McNaught : Biography (brian-mcnaught.com)

Brian's coming out song is I Am, I Said, by Neil Diamond:  https://youtu.be/8TYesac3Hmw?si=HUUTnWesM5XevnjS

"The Messy Middle" is the term coming out coaches use to describe the process of transformation from a straight life to life as an LGBTQIA+ person. In this episode Anne-Marie Zanzal invites her producer and fellow coming out coach, Barbara Rowlandson, do discuss the ins and outs and best practices for navigating this challenging time. Tune in for some great advice and a few laughs!

➡️Reframing Guilt & Shame Part 2: A New Perspective | Season 6 Episode 7

🌈 Welcome to another episode of "Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories"!

Host Anne-Marie Zanzal and fellow later-in-lifer Barbara Rowlandson are back this week to talk about recognizing and reframing guilt and shame. Guilt and shame are two of the most common feelings that later-in-lifers struggle with. Anne-Marie and Barb keep the conversation going about these very challenging feelings in the context of coming out, deconstruct them, and offer new perspectives.

❓ What to Expect in This Episode:

🌧️ Values, where we learn them, and dealing with guilt and shame as our values change.

⚖️ Being fair to ourselves, allowing grace for life changes.

🧗‍♀️Cultivating psychological flexibility, strategies for addressing shame, temporary fixes and bargaining during the coming out process, and much more!

Real Stories, Real Advice: Anne-Marie and Barbara talk about guilt and shame in the context of their own lives and experiences.

✨ Why This Matters:

It's important to differentiate between feelings and identity. Reflection and perspective can help in understanding guilt and shame. Women are disproportionately impacted by societally driven guilt and shame based on gender role expectations. Self-compassion is a practice that can significantly reduce these difficult feelings.

📌🎙️About Barbara Rowlandson:

With years of experience as a relationship coach, Barbara specializes in helping LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples create fulfilling and authentic relationships. Her compassionate approach empowers individuals to embrace their identity and build strong connections.

💬 Join the Conversation:

What does dating readiness mean to you? Share your thoughts, experiences, and questions in the comments below. Let’s foster a supportive community where we can learn from each other.

🔗 Visit our website:

Barbara Rowlandson’s : [ lavenderdating.com]

Anne-Marie's : [ annemariezanzal.com]

🌟 Why Watch This Episode?

If you're a later in lifer in what we call "The Messy Middle," you might be experiencing a great deal of guilt and shame over your sexual identity, wanting divorce, impacting your children, or going against your faith tradition. In this episode, you'll learn you aren't alone in those feelings, feel understood, and begin to learn ways to navigate the murky waters of guilt and shame.

🔗 Follow us on social media:

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠 Twitter: twitter.com/annemariezanzal

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

Women: dating in the LGBTQIA+ community, especially if you haven't dated in a very long time, or if you're new to dating other queer people, can feel very daunting! Figuring out how to navigate dating apps, learning how to talk to strangers, and identifying your priorities and goals are among some of the very real challenges that singles face. This week on the podcast, host Anne-Marie Zanzal chats with later-in-lifer Barb Rowlandson, whose coaching work has expanded to working with those who want to get the most out of their dating experiences.

You can learn more about her coaching and support programs for LGBTQIA+ women at www.lavenderdating.com.

In this episode, Anne-Marie and Barb talk about the 'toaster oven,' a reference to a joke from Ellen DeGeneres' 90s sitcom. You can learn more about that reference here: https://annemariezanzal.com/whats-up-with-the-toaster-oven-by-tonda-mckay/

Fellow later-in-lifer and Philadelphia-based therapist Mallory Hanfling is our special guest on this episode of CO&B. Her practice, Courage to Grow Counseling, caters to the Queer community, working with individuals and couples, specializing in identity development, coming out, communication skills, and connecting with one's most authentic self. Mallory is a doctoral student at the California Institute for Integral Studies (CIIS) working towards a PhD in Human Sexuality, working on a dissertation about how community mitgates the impact of compulsory heterosexuality on those who come out later-in-life. Mallory coined the inclusive term "Fireflies" for women/ non-binary/trans people to encapsulate a spectrum of identities and experiences reflected in the later-in-life community. Mallory offers a weekly Firefly peer support group where Fireflies at various stages of their journeys can come together to support and empower one another through the highs and lows of their experiences. 

You can learn more about Mallory and her work on her website, https://www.couragetogrowcounseling.org/about

Books that resonated with Mallory are Untamed by Glennon Doyle https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/52129515 and Bossy Pants by Tina Fey https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/167987272-bossy-pants?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=zHsUsI2...

Mallory's coming out song is Drive by Incubus. https://youtu.be/fgT9zGkiLig?si=g98J8LJ24IjUvXBm

Authentically Us: A space for women who are coming out later in life. Join us for support groups, education, and community for just $34.99/month - your first week is free! https://bit.ly/Authentically-Us

Need a deeper level of support for coming out and getting through "The Messy Middle?" Lotus Community Coaching is a 6-month program for women coming out later in life. Learn more at https://comingoutsupport.net/coaching-program

This week, please enjoy this revisited episode from season five, featuring Dr. Tina Schermer-Sellers. Dr. Tina Schermer-Sellers is a therapist, sex educator with a Ph.D. in clinical sexology, author, and Medical Director for the Northwest Institute on Intimacy. Tune in as host Anne-Marie Zanzal has a wide-ranging conversation with Dr. Schermer-Sellers about sexuality, gender identity, the harmful repercussions of purity culture on sexuality and relationships, and society's shift towards acceptance of diverse identities.

This episode is of particular interest to anyone who has endured purity culture. Purity culture in America (and other countries) has truly made sex and sexuality points of angst and shame for so many people, straight and gay. If you've been impacted by the vice of purity culture, we encourage you to listen to this episode as a step towards healing.

Connect with Dr. Tina Schermer-Sellers at www.tinaschermersellers.com

🔗 Visit our website: Anne-Marie's : [ annemariezanzal.com]

🔗 Follow us on social media:

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠 Twitter: twitter.com/annemariezanzal

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

Lora Brown is a self-proclaimed hippie Jew, the owner of a small business, a wife and mother, dog mom, activist, a corporate dropout, and LGBTQIA+ ally. She is an active supporter of women-owned, LGBTQIA+ owned, and black-owned businesses. Lora is also actively involved in animal rescue and volunteers as a District Captain for the ASPCA. Tune in to hear Lora's journey as she recounts being raised in the 70s and 80s by her hippie, lesbian mother and alongside her lesbian sister, and talks about the intersections of culture, ethnicity and feminism in her life.

Connect with Lora online:

www.odaavirtualassistant.com

Facebook https://loom.ly/Vnq0r-8

Shopify store: proceeds got to help non profits in animal rescue

https://loom.ly/HEsaHnE

LinkedIn https://loom.ly/2s_dBf4

Fempreneur True Confessions Podcast https://loom.ly/6nQC9l8

Lesbian dating – specifically when a long-time out lesbian dates a newly out lesbian – is the topic of this week's episode, featuring guest conversationalist, Tonda McKay. In addition to being an award-winning photographer and community advocate, Tonda holds a very special role of distinction: she is wife to podcast host, Anne-Marie Zanzal! Tonda and Anne-Marie met just as Anne-Marie was beginning her coming out/divorce journey. In this engaging episode, Tonda and Anne-Marie talk about the benefits and challenges of the long-out/newly out dating dynamic, the hurdles they have overcome, and the rewards of perservering through what can sometimes be characterized as a difficult pairing of long-out/newly out lesbians. This is an episode that will be of great interest to anyone who is embarking on a dating journey later in life!

Tonda McKay earned her bachelor's degree in photography at Middle Tennessee State University and has been a professional corporate photographer for over 35 years. She has worked for several Fortune 500 companies, including Philips/Magnavox and DESU, LLC. While working at Philips she received two ADDY awards, which recognizes and rewards the creative spirit of excellence in the art of advertising. In 2001, her coffee table book, A City In Harmony, on Nashville was published. This was a two year collaborative project with the Nashville Chamber of Commerce. Tonda also won several national magazine awards (Best Cover - National Magazine Association) for her editorial work on Business Nashville and Nashville LifeStyle. While architectural photography (including Matterport 3D Imaging) and drone photography is her niche now, Tonda has worked in every imaginable area of photography, from jewelry, furniture, editorial & photojournalism. Tonda likes to say there isn’t anything she hasn’t done in photography and she still enjoys learning new processes and information. She has gone from shooting on an 8x10 view camera to HDR digital photography. She believes photography is ever changing and it is always a journey of learning and growth. When not photographing Tonda enjoys kayaking, travel, and of course scenic photography.

To learn more about Tonda and her work as a photographer, visit https://tondamckay.com/

A song that has special meaning to Tonda are 'She Keeps Me Warm' by Mary Lambert. https://youtu.be/NhqH-r7Xj0E?si=1c3fLiKIE5Rogo0T

A book that has impacted Tonda and she recommends to others is 'Another Mother Tongue' by Judy Grahn. https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/64767

In this episode of the Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories podcast, Anne-Marie Zanzal speaks with trans activists Pastor Lazarus Jameson and Nick Mundwiller. Laz and Nick share their personal coming out stories, they're calling to work in ministry serving the Queer community, talk about the work they are doing to protect and re-home trans people in the state of Missouri who are at risk of persecution from trans-erasing laws, and emphasize the urgency required to keep trans people safe in a political and social climate of anti-trans sentiment.

Pastor Lazarus Jameson (they/them) is a queer and non-binary chaplain out of St. Louis Missouri serving trans people and other underserved lgbtq folks in St. Louis, Missouri through their org Lot’s Wife Trans and Queer Chaplaincy. They have a masters of divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological School and an undergraduate degree in teaching woodshop from North Carolina State University. They live with two large elderly orange cats with anxiety and are currently learning to make stained glass art as a hobby. Nick Mundwiller (they/them) is a queer activist, educator, and organizer who recently left Missouri in search of safer pastures and more opportunities in Fresno. Nick has a Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School where they studied the intersection of religion, ethics, and politics and has been involved in activism through education and change work across the country. Nick is a gamer, comic-nerd, and historical cooking fanatic!

To support Laz and Nick's work to protect trans people in Missouri, visit https://www.patreon.com/lotswife.

Samantha Fox is a late bloomer, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in New York City and a guide/coach for women coming-out later in life in her newly launched program Curious, Questioning and Coming Out. Mother of three humans and 2 fur babes. Samantha came out after marriage with three kids under 5 years of age almost twenty years ago, in 2002, when there was little support for women going through this awakening.

Samantha has created a program called Curious, Questioning and Coming out. Samantha is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in NYC specializing in women’s sexuality and has been helping women explore this area of their lives for over ten years. This program creates a safe space for women to find community, adopt a curious-mindset, thrive and connect, while supporting one another through the process of questioning their sexuality and coming out later in life. Self-understanding, belonging and acceptance are a few of the invaluable takeaways from this small group and 1:1 coaching program.

Judy grew up in Nashville, Tennessee in a Roman Catholic family. She came out in the early 1970’s and live in San Francisco during the AIDS crisis. Her story is a testament to the courageousness underground culture of those who came out out in the South. Judy is a website designer and writer/mentor. You can find her at site-shack.com or www.judyannwilson.com.

Please download, like & subscribe! You can also tune into this episode of Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Dating later in life can feel like tricky business! That's why we've asked our in-house dating expert, Barbara Rowlandson, to chat about best practices when stepping out into the dating world after a long hiatus. This episode covers dating while you're still in your heteronormative marriage, assessing your dating readiness, priorities in dating, and much more!

Interested in taking part in Lavender Dating's 2-part dating workshop, Jan 25th & Feb 1st? Visit www.lavenderdating.com or www.annemariezanzal.com for more information and to register.

This episode of Coming Out and Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories featuring a conversation with lesbian couple's expert, Dr. Robin Sesan originally aired in December 2023. Today, we reshare this episode with you and invite you to join us at Dr. Sesan's upcoming workshop, Strengthening Love: Building Secure Bonds for Lesbian Couples, on Oct 17th in Provincetown MA during Women's Week. Tickets are available on Eventbrite, spaces are limited.

Link to the event information and to purchase tickets: Strengthening Love: Building Secure Bonds for Lesbian Couples Tickets, Thu, Oct 17, 2024 at 1:30 PM | Eventbrite

Dr. Robin Sesan is a Licensed Psychologist and Certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist specializing in working with lesbian/queer couples. She has recently developed an online coaching program for lesbian couples. Listen as host Anne-Marie Zanzal chats with Robin about her coming out later-in-life experience, challenges that are unique to the later-in-life experience, lesbian couple dynamics, and how to make your relationship go the distance.

Visit Robin's websites for her therapy practice: www.securelesbiancouples.com and www.thebrandywinecenter.com

Follow Robin on Instagram @securelesbiancouples 

Robin's coming out songs are Defying Gravity from the musical "Wicked" https://youtu.be/MslDnwerQRA?si=AL_c2AD4287DAdsf and The Power of Two by Indigo Girls https://youtu.be/hj0yVN8pFNw?si=I4uiTd7GH2YrJhZJ

A book that validated Robin's perspective on life was The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.

Andrea Hewitt who came out at the age of 44 after having two children and being married to two different men. Finding very few resources for people coming out later on in life she created the website a late life lesbian story in 2015 and created a facebook support group in 2016 that grew over 2,000 folks worldwide. She lives in Nashville Tennesee with her wife Rachel and owns a dual agency.

Listen to Rebecca's inspiring story, coming out while practicing Judaism.