Together Moving Forward: Embrace Your LGBTQ Identity With Pride Through Self Love

What if the thing you’ve been trying to change about your body isn’t actually the thing keeping you from feeling good about yourself?

For many LGBTQ people, it’s easy to believe that looking better will finally make us feel better. But what happens when the attention, likes, or compliments disappear, and we still don’t feel good enough?

In this episode of Together Moving Forward, Stef welcomes back D...

What if the biggest obstacle to embracing your LGBTQ identity and living with Pride isn't coming out, but learning to truly love yourself?

Growing up in a strict religious household, surviving an abusive marriage, and hiding her authentic self for years left Sam Gutierrez disconnected from her LGBTQ identity. In this powerful episode, she shares how choosing self-love, prioritizing her mental health, and letting go of shame...

What happens when hate starts feeling normal, and how do you protect your LGBTQ identity and Pride without losing yourself?

As headlines continue to highlight rising hostility toward the LGBTQ community, many people are quietly asking themselves whether it's still safe to live openly and authentically. In this heartfelt episode, I explore why self-love isn't just personal growth, it's an act of courage. Rather than allowing hate...

What If the Life You Built Isn’t the Life You’re Meant to Live?

Have you ever done everything you thought you were supposed to do, yet still felt like a part of your identity was missing?

For many people in the LGBTQ community, embracing who you truly are can mean questioning expectations you’ve carried for years. And when fear, shame, or concern about what other people will think gets in...

Can becoming a parent help you embrace your LGBTQ identity with more pride and self-respect?

For many LGBTQ+ people, parenthood is about much more than raising children, it's about discovering who you are, embracing your identity, and living with pride. In this inspiring conversation, Stef welcomes Jameel Mayers, host of Fathernetics, to discuss how fatherhood strengthened his self-respect, deepened his sense of identity, a...

Have you ever wondered why LGBTQ visibility and Pride still matter in today’s world?

After returning to the ice at the Gay Games in Valencia, Stef discovered that the biggest victory was not about medals or competition. It was about showing up fully as himself, a proud queer man, husband, and father. In this episode, Stef reflects on belonging, representation, and why simply living openly can give someone else hope for the...

Have you ever felt like you had to hide who you are in order to be accepted?

In this inspiring episode of Together Moving Forward, Stef sits down with Dr. Shannon Whittington, LGBTQ advocate, speaker, consultant, award-winning author, and founder of Whittington Consulting. Shannon shares her deeply personal journey of coming out later in life, overcoming years of shame rooted in religious beliefs, and learning to fully embr...

What if one simple response could change the life of an LGBTQ person or child forever?

Whether you're a parent, family member, friend, ally, educator, or part of the LGBTQ community yourself, understanding the power of acceptance can transform lives. In this heartfelt conversation, parenting coach and Teen Minds Redefined Podcast host Cheryl Pankhurst shares her experience as both a parent of an LGBTQ child and a passionate advo...

Have you ever felt pressured to choose the perfect label before you could fully embrace who you are?

For many LGBTQ people, the journey toward self-acceptance can be filled with confusion, shame, fear, and the feeling that they need to fit neatly into a box. In this powerful conversation, Mark Cusack shares how learning to trust your inner voice, rather than society’s expectations, can help you build a stronger connection ...

Have you ever wondered why embracing your LGBTQ identity publicly can still leave you struggling with self-acceptance privately?

Many people assume that coming out or celebrating Pride automatically leads to confidence and freedom. But for many LGBTQ individuals, the deeper journey begins after coming out. In this episode, returning guest Derick Hachey LGBTQ coach, explores the difference between being out and truly feeling fre...

Have you ever walked away from something you loved because shame, fear, or life circumstances made it feel impossible to continue?

For many LGBTQ people, the journey toward Pride is about much more than coming out, it's about reclaiming parts of ourselves that were lost to fear, bullying, rejection, or shame. In this deeply personal episode, Stef shares how returning to figure skating after decades away became a powerful journey...

What happens when you stop hiding who you are and finally choose to live your truth?

In this powerful episode of Together Moving Forward, Stef sits down with Juelz — host of Talking T-ea — to talk about LGBTQ identity, Pride, addiction recovery, self-love, and the courage it takes to fully embrace yourself. Juelz shares her deeply personal journey as a trans woman navigating shame, healing, recovery, r...

Are you struggling to fully accept your LGBTQ identity and truly feel pride in who you are?

In this powerful episode, Zachary Randles, host of Everything & Anything… and a Bit Gay, shares his deeply personal journey from denial and fear to fully living in authenticity, self-love, and pride. If you’ve ever struggled with accepting who you are or feared how others might react, this conversation will resonate ...

Are you celebrating Pride… or still struggling to truly love yourself behind the scenes?

For many in the LGBTQ community, Pride looks joyful on the outside, but internally, self-love can feel out of reach. This episode dives into the deeper truth behind Pride and Identity, exploring how healing, not celebration, is often where real transformation begins.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. How LGBTQ Pride & ...

Ever feel like you’re shrinking yourself just to keep the peace in your LGBTQ identity and relationships?

If you’ve ever struggled to balance compassion for others with staying true to who you are, this episode will hit home. In this conversation with Heather Hester, speaker, coach, and founder of More Human, More Kind, we dive into the real, messy process of unlearning old beliefs, embracing your LGBTQ identity...

Are you struggling to feel confident in your LGBTQ identity, even when you’re doing “everything right”?

In this episode, Cal Lerchi, a San Francisco-based creative, performer, and advocate, shares how they’ve navigated identity, self-expression, and self-love through singing, cycling, and drag. As someone who challenges labels and embraces fluidity, Cal offers a refreshing perspective on what it really me...

Have you ever felt like it’s too late to fully embrace your LGBTQ identity and truly feel pride in who you are?

In this episode, Alan Lessik shares his powerful journey featured in From Pain to Purpose, from living with chronic illness and personal setbacks to discovering self-love, purpose, and expression through ice skating later in life. His story is a reminder that your identity isn’t something you find some...

Are you truly living your LGBTQ identity with pride, or just surviving without fully respecting yourself?

So many people in the LGBTQ community struggle with self-respect, especially when fear, rejection, or past experiences hold them back from fully embracing who they are.

In this episode, Stef sits down with Kimberly Hadley, a global LGBTQ+ sports advocate and community leader, to explore how embracing your identity shapes your...

Have you ever felt like being your true LGBTQ self might cost you your family, your faith, or your sense of belonging?

In this powerful episode, Stef sits down with Joe and Rya, the father-daughter duo behind the TranDescendant podcast, a show dedicated to helping families navigate gender identity, acceptance, and staying connected through transition. Their story brings a rare and honest perspective on what it rea...