Send us a text Content Warning: Frank discussion of death by suicide In this week’s episode of In the Den , Jen sits down with fellow Mama Dragons Julie Turnbull and Alyson Paul Deussen to talk about their lived experiences as mothers surviving the loss of their sons to suicide. In this vulnerable discussion, they honestly share the difficult moments of parenting a suicidal child and the journey of grief that their lives took when their child died by suicide. We hope their insights help other pa...
Dec 25, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 51
Send us a text Content Warning: Talk of Suicide If you are having thoughts of suicide or self harm, please call or text 988, or chat 988lifeline.org Misconceptions and stigma can make suicide hard to understand, but talking about it can make a huge difference. Mama Dragons is committed to keeping the conversation at the forefront of our group to help conquer those misconceptions and help lower suicide rates. In this week’s episode of In the Den , Jen talks with special guest Taryn Aiken Hiatt ab...
Dec 18, 2023•46 min•Ep. 50
Send us a text Over the years we’ve heard LGBTQ people say that they didn’t know what life might look like for them as an adult. Many haven’t had LGBTQ role models that provide examples of a potential future, and a lot of fear that parents of LGBTQ children experience comes from the unknown as well. We thought it might be helpful for parents to get to know some of the amazing members of the LGBTQ community, just a few at a time, so that they can provide a realistic view of what life could look l...
Dec 11, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 49
Send us a text In this week’s episode of In the Den , Jen sits down with Point Foundation Executive Director and CEO Jorge Valencia to discuss everything from his experiences growing up closeted and gay in a conservative religion in the South in the 80’s, to his time as president and executive director of the Trevor Project, to his current position as executive director and CEO of the Point Foundation, which offers both need and merit based scholarships to the LGBTQ community. Jorge’s passion to...
Dec 04, 2023•53 min•Ep. 48
Send us a text This week In the Den , Jen talks with LGBTQ/disability advocate Carson Tueller about his experiences surrounding the intersection of sexuality and disability. Carson talks about coming out as gay and the spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed. He also shares his thoughts on systemic ableism and offers valuable insights into sexual intimacy and vulnerability. Special Guest: Carson Tueller Carson Tueller is a coach, speaker, and writer whose transformational work explores and ch...
Nov 27, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 47
Send us a text Conversion therapy, sometimes called reparative therapy or sexual reorientation counseling, is an attempt to change a person's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. There is broad consensus in the medical community that sexual orientation and gender identity are immutable traits and that attempts to change these characteristics through conversion therapy or other means are not only unnecessary and ineffective, but also very harmful. In this week’s episode of I...
Nov 20, 2023•56 min•Ep. 46
Send us a text Words with Friends 9 Words with Friends episodes are bonus episodes where different members of Mama Dragons provide definitions for LGBTQ related topics. This episode includes the following definitions: WPATH shared by Becky J. from Salt Lake City, Utah ROGD shared by Pannay G. from Wisconsin SRS/GCS shared by Melissa H. from Georgia SOGIE shared by Heather G. from Southern Idaho In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content b...
Nov 17, 2023•10 min0
Send us a text EPISODE 45–A Closer Look at Ace/Aro Identities There are misconceptions and misunderstandings surrounding those who find themselves on the asexual (ace) and/or aromantic (aro) spectrums. In this episode of In the Den , Jen talks with special guests Grayson Moore and Kris Glad about what it means to be asexual and aromantic. Special Guest: Grayson Moore Grayson Moore (he/him) came out as transgender at age 16 (2011) and as asexual two years later. Grayson, alongside his mother Neca...
Nov 13, 2023•57 min•Ep. 45
Send us a text We asked members of our group to share some of the most hurtful things that had been said to them or their LGBTQ children, even if the speaker’s intentions were good. The response was absolutely overwhelming. Some of the reported comments would be considered microaggressions and some were intentionally cruel. Just in time for all of the upcoming holiday gatherings, Jen brings back therapist Lisa Tensmeyer Hansen to talk through some common categories of microaggressions and possib...
Nov 06, 2023•58 min•Ep. 44
Send us a text In this week’s episode of In the Den , Jen sits down with Emmy award-winning transgender filmmaker Asher May-Corsini as he discusses his experiences of pursuing a career in the American film industry. He shares some of his favorite memories in making the Mama Dragons documentary, and how that experience changed him forever. He also offers insights into what brings him fulfillment as a filmmaker and where he finds queer joy in his life. Special Guest: Asher May-Corsini Asher is a N...
Oct 30, 2023•59 min•Ep. 43
Send us a text Studies show that transgender and nonbinary people are three to six times more likely to have autism than their cisgender peers. Researchers are still trying to better understand the connection. This week In the Den , Jen visits with occupational therapist Dr. Anne Kirby and Frank Vales, a trans and autistic student, about the intersection of the autism spectrum and gender diversity. Special Guest: Dr. Anne Kirby Anne V. Kirby, PhD, OTR/L, is an associate professor in the Departme...
Oct 23, 2023•57 min•Ep. 42
Send us a text In this episode of In the Den , American actor and musician Emmett Preciado visits with Jen about his experience growing up as a transgender boy in a conservative religion. He candidly talks about a range of topics from transition to his experiences with dating to experiencing Hollywood as a trans man. You won’t want to miss this thoughtful glimpse into Emmett’s life and the wisdom he’s gained through embracing his transgender identity. Special Guest: Emmett Preciado Emmett Precia...
Oct 16, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 41
Send us a text Words with Friends episodes are bonus episodes where different members of Mama Dragons provide definitions for LGBTQ related topics. This episode includes the following definitions: Intersex shared by Becky Johnson Sex shared by Pam Theron Gender shared by Barbara Proudfoot Endosex shared by Rhonda Hill In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at mamadragons.org. Support the show Connect with Mam...
Oct 13, 2023•5 min0
Send us a text On this week’s episode of In the Den , Jen talks with Lupe Bartholomew, mother of American popstar David Archuleta. They discuss Lupe’s experience as a religiously devoted Latina mother of five. Lupe explains how having a child come out as gay in the world spotlight in 2021 changed her life and inspired her to become a public supporter of the LGBTQ community. Special Guest: Lupe (Mayorga) Bartholomew Lupe is American Idol finalist David Archuleta’s mother. Lupe, her mother, and he...
Oct 09, 2023•44 min•Ep. 40
Send us a text Conversion therapy, also referred to as reparative therapy, attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity and is not a legitimate form of therapy. Conversion therapy has been denounced by all major medical organizations, but continues to exist and cause harm to LGBTQ people throughout the world. In this episode of In the Den , Jen talks with Dr. Matt Salmon, a psychiatrist and author, about his experiences as a victim of conversion therapy as well as the broa...
Oct 02, 2023•50 min•Ep. 39
Send us a text This week In the Den , Jen sits down with Jeffrey Marx to chat about a variety of topics, including Jeffrey’s fascinating career as a reality television casting director in Hollywood, his journey to winning an Emmy, embracing his body size, and finding queer joy amidst the challenges of life. It’s an episode you won’t want to miss! Special Guest: Jeffrey Marx Jeffrey Marx is an Emmy Award-winning casting producer for reality television. Notable credits include HBO’s We’re Here, Lo...
Sep 25, 2023•58 min•Ep. 38
Send us a text In this week’s episode of In the Den , Jen joins guest Blaire Ostler to discuss intersex conditions. As an intersex person herself, Blaire is uniquely positioned to not only share information about many aspects of intersex conditions, but also give personal insight into life as an intersex person. The discussion ranges from when intersex conditions are most often diagnosed to the potential impact of trans legislation on people with intersex conditions to the problematic nature of ...
Sep 18, 2023•57 min•Ep. 37
Send us a text Over the years we’ve heard LGBTQ people say that they didn’t know what life might look like for them as an adult. Many haven’t had LGBTQ role models that provide examples of a potential future, and a lot of fear that parents of LGBTQ children experience comes from the unknown as well. We thought it might be helpful for parents to get to know some of the amazing members of the LGBTQ community, just a few at a time, so that they can provide a realistic view of what life could look l...
Sep 11, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 36
Send us a text Words with Friends episodes are bonus episodes where different members of Mama Dragons provide definitions for LGBTQ related topics. This episode includes the following definitions: Nonbinary , shared by Shauna from Idaho, USA Bigender, shared by Marnie Lobban from Australia Agender , shared by Mel Fraze from California Gender Diverse , shared by Zane Bates from Colorado In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becomin...
Sep 08, 2023•4 min0
Send us a text EPISODE 35–Just the FAQs 4 In this episode of In the Den , Jen joins therapists Lisa Tensmeyer Hansen, Laura Skaggs, and David Zealy-Wright to answer a handful of frequently asked questions regarding parenting an LGBTQ child. I’m trying to support my child, but I don’t know if I’m doing enough?/How do I support my child without dragging them along too quickly? What advice do you offer to people who have family members who are not able to be affirming to their children? “My child j...
Sep 04, 2023•53 min•Ep. 35
Send us a text Eating disorders occur at dramatically higher rates within the LGBTQ community than heterosexual/cisgender populations. In this week’s episode of In the Den , Jen talks with Caden Jones about different eating disorders and the intersection of those disorders with queer identities. They discuss the challenges of recognizing an eating disorder and ways to find the best treatment for our LGBTQ child’s disordered eating once we become aware of the problem. Special Guest: Caden Jones C...
Aug 28, 2023•51 min•Ep. 34
Send us a text In this week’s insightful episode of In the Den, Jen sits down with award-winning writer, director, and producer Jay Randall to discuss a wide range of topics from Jay’s experiences growing up as a gay kid in a highly religious family in the South in the 90’s to his time working on the massively popular Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Jay and Jen discuss the importance of seeing queer representation in the media and the complexities of rainbow capitalism. Special Guest: Jay Randall Jay began...
Aug 21, 2023•58 min•Ep. 33
Send us a text Raising LGBTQ children comes with a whole set of unique parenting challenges and opportunities. In this week’s episode of In the Den , Jen talks with parent and author Tammy Plunkett about parenting queer children. From advocacy at school to coming out to extended family and friends to setting and maintaining healthy boundaries, Jen and Tammy cover a variety of topics that impact parents of LGBTQ children in this information packed episode. Special Guest: Tammy Plunkett is, first ...
Aug 14, 2023•47 min•Ep. 32
Send us a text Words with Friends episodes are bonus episodes where different members of Mama Dragons provide definitions for LGBTQ related topics. This episode includes the following definitions: Asexual (Ace) shared by Marie Mulling from Texas Aromantic (Aro) shared by Roxana Reguera from California Allosexual shared by Tracey Anne from Scotland Demisexual shared by Amy Hutchisson In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a...
Aug 11, 2023•6 min0
Send us a text Many conversations assume that LGBTQ people and religious people are two separate identity groups. There is a heteronormative religious culture that falsely claims that queer people can’t be religious or spiritual. Some queer people absolutely need to walk away from religion in order to heal and become whole, but others are seeking a spiritual path that is different from what they grew up with. Dr. Nick Literski joins Jen on today’s episode of In the Den to talk about how to redis...
Aug 07, 2023•54 min•Ep. 31
Send us a text n this week’s episode of In the Den , Jen chats with three drag performers from different parts of the United States. They break down some of the misconceptions around drag and look at the benefits and beauty of the world of drag. Special guests: Marty McGuy is a drag king from Columbia, South Carolina. In Marty’s day job, he is committed to helping the quality of care and education of the children of South Carolina. Marty also ran an online DRAG Activity time during the pandemic ...
Jul 31, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 30
Send us a text Finding out your child is LGBTQ can bring up different emotions for different parents. For many, expectations have to change, beliefs may be challenged, and what you thought you knew about your child may have to evolve. In this week’s episode of In the Den , Jen visits with therapist Liz Landry about some of the challenges of parenting and how to move from tolerating to celebrating your LGBTQ child. Special Guest: Liz Landry has a master's degree in clinical social work and a bach...
Jul 24, 2023•53 min•Ep. 29
Send us a text Over the years we’ve heard LGBTQ people say that they didn’t know what life might look like for them as an adult. Many haven’t had LGBTQ role models that provide examples of a potential future, and a lot of fear that parents of LGBTQ children experience comes from the unknown as well. We thought it might be helpful for parents to get to know some of the amazing members of the LGBTQ community, just a few at a time, so that they can provide a realistic view of what life could look l...
Jul 17, 2023•54 min•Ep. 28
Send us a text Words with Friends episodes are bonus episodes where different members of Mama Dragons provide definitions for LGBTQ related topics. This episode includes the following definitions: Gender Identity shared by Julie Turnbull from Washington Gender Dysphoria shared by Arlo Dennis from Florida Gender Presentation shared by Pannay Guigley from Wisconsin Stealth/Passing shared by Lisa Renaud from Ontario, Canada In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue t...
Jul 14, 2023•10 min0
Send us a text During many of our episodes, we drop the name of our organization–Mama Dragons. We answer questions that are asked in our groups, and we discuss the themes that most often show up by those who seek support. However, some people might get connected to the podcast but not understand who the Mama Dragons are. This week, we’re going to talk about where Mama Dragons came from, where we are now, and allow listeners to better understand who we are as an organization and why we do what we...
Jul 10, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 27
