Innies + Outies

Everyone comes out in their own way, in their own time. Innies + Outies brings you fascinating stories from diverse LGBTQIA+ Australians about coming out or staying in. From people struggling for acceptance to embracing their true selves — each story is packed with life lessons for queer Australians and the people who love them. Exploring a range of topics like coming out in high school, queer comedians who turn their trauma into jokes, and LGBTQIA+ folks who choose not to come out — Innies + Outies brings you first person stories, as well as the perspectives of parents, partners, friends, colleagues and even teammates — who've been on these journeys too. Guests include multi-award-winning comedian Rhys Nicholson, public health and civil rights advocate Dr Kerryn Phelps, the first openly gay Indigenous parliamentarian Chansey Paech, and everyday Australians with incredible stories. You'll meet a teacher who helped launch the first student pride group in a region that voted overwhelmingly against marriage equality, a trans doctor working on the frontline of COVID, and a sawmill worker from regional Australia who affirmed her true gender after more than two decades at the same company. Hosted by Walkley Award-winning journalist Mon Schafter, the podcast launches on National Coming Out Day on October 11th.

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Episodes

WorldPride road trip

To round out our second series, we're joining two ABC reporters on a road trip around regional NSW to discover what pride means in regional communities.

Mar 05, 2023•35 min

Ask a young'un

In part two of our Sydney WorldPride cross-generational special, queer seniors ask a panel of LGBTQIA+ youth to demystify the lifestyles and language of queer Gen Z.

Feb 19, 2023•38 min

Ask an elder

In the first of two cross-generational episodes for Sydney WorldPride, a panel of queer elders respond to questions from rainbow youth about what it was like to be young and queer back in their day.

Feb 12, 2023•40 min

Coming out advice

In our final ep of 2022, a panel of expert ‘queer peers’ respond to your requests for coming out advice.

Nov 13, 2022•41 min

Coming out as intersex

What’s it like to discover that you’re intersex? Intersex advocate Mimi Hall reveals how a falling down a YouTube rabbit hole unlocked the key to understanding her body and identity, and Tasmanian chicken farmer Robert Wilson tells how the healthcare system has failed him.

Nov 06, 2022•28 min

Queerness and faith

Three believers, with different beliefs, tell us how their relationship to religion and spirituality changed after coming out.

Oct 30, 2022•32 min

Coming out in the dating world

When it comes to dating, how do you tell a prospective partner how you identify and what your preferences are? Because sometimes it’s not obvious. High school student Frankie Mazzone tells us why she shares her transness early on, electrical engineer and proud asexual Kerry Chin reveals how he deals with being hit on, and writer Patrick Lenton smashes through biphobia with the support of his partner, musician Eilish Gilligan.

Oct 23, 2022•25 min

Queer and neurodivergent

Did you know that autistic people are more likely to identify as LGBTQ+ than the general population?

Oct 16, 2022•34 min

Coming out as non-binary

Three non-binary people share what it’s like to come out as neither male nor female.

Oct 10, 2022•34 min

Innies + Outies returns!

The award-winning ABC podcast Innies + Outies is back for a second series exploring uniquely Australian LGBTQIA+ stories about coming out and staying in.

Oct 03, 2022•2 min

Coming Out Online

The internet can be an amazing way for queer folks to find community and access all the info we're not taught at school. But there's also a darker side — it has trolls, bullies and plenty of misinformation. Inspired by their own journeys, you'll hear how Liz Duck-Chong from TransHub and Mohammad Awad from the Muslim Peers Project are using the internet to provide support to their communities in ways they never experienced.

Mar 04, 2022•30 min

Pansexuality Explained

What does pansexuality mean? In simple terms, it’s when you’re attracted to people regardless of their gender. And how is that different to being bisexual, you might wonder?

Feb 25, 2022•2 min

Intersex Explained

The ‘I’ in LGBTQIA+ stands for intersex! Broadly speaking, intersex people have innate sex characteristics that don't fit medical and social norms for female or male bodies.

Feb 24, 2022•3 min

Queer Explained

You may have heard some people describe themselves as ‘queer’ and thought ‘hang on – am I even allowed to say that?’

Feb 23, 2022•2 min

Pronouns Explained

Are you hearing people talk about pronouns these days and wondering what that’s all about?

Feb 22, 2022•3 min

Non-binary Explained

What does non-binary actually mean?

Feb 21, 2022•3 min

Asexuality Explained

Asexual is the A in LGBTQIA+ and it refers to someone who doesn’t experience sexual attraction towards other people. This might be how you’ve always felt, or it could change over time – but it’s a natural expression of human diversity.

Feb 20, 2022•2 min

Coming Out Never Ends

Queer folks don’t come out just once – it's a never-ending process. This week you’ll hear from a Newcastle student whose evolving sexuality and gender identity has led to many coming out celebrations, and how a shocking accident propelled an Indian-Australian woman to come out after 30 years.

Dec 12, 2021•33 min

Sexuality, faith and culture

This week you'll meet two guys from diverse cultural backgrounds who struggled to reconcile their sexuality and religion. You’ll also hear from psychologist Sekneh Beckett who specialises in helping people navigate the complex world of queerness, faith and culture.

Dec 05, 2021•41 min

Queer Siblings

Coming out as queer is one thing but what happens when you’re not the only one in the family? This week you’ll meet a family who scored a hat-trick when all three sisters came out, and two brothers whose queerness brought them closer together.

Nov 28, 2021•31 min

Coming Out in Regional Australia

What’s it like coming out in a small town where queer visibility is limited? This week you’ll meet a man from a remote Aboriginal community who didn't know what 'gay' meant until he went to the city, and a resident of country NSW who feared losing her family when she came out as transgender.

Nov 21, 2021•25 min

Coming Out in Sport

It can be pretty scary coming out in sport but being part of a club or a team is also a great way to find community. This week you’ll meet an Olympian who discovered her true self through skateboarding, and a pioneer of trans inclusion in men’s rugby.

Nov 14, 2021•21 min

Coming Out in Politics

What’s it like being queer in a job where public scrutiny is part of the daily grind? You’ll meet three politicians from across the political spectrum whose sexuality has shaped their values, but has also been used against them: Australia’s first openly gay Indigenous parliamentarian, NT Labor’s Chansey Paech; Liberal MP and former Human Rights Commissioner, Tim Wilson; and equality advocate and independent City of Sydney Councillor, Dr Kerryn Phelps.

Nov 07, 2021•30 min

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