She Comes With Baggage

Today’s guest is Kinley Clark — a proud queer creative who once taught in the South, where she faced more homophobia than anyone should have to. After leaving the classroom, she turned her energy toward her passion project, her podcast Lez Be Honest, a space where she shares authentic queer stories, mixes in humor, and builds community through representation. Now she’s fully committed to creating the unapologetically queer content ...

Today’s guest is Manda Malina—a Swedish singer, songwriter, and queer artist based in Los Angeles. Her hit song Her Ocean took off on TikTok in 2023, leading to headlining solo shows including EDC Las Vegas and performances at the 80s Live residency in Lake Tahoe. Through her artistry, Manda explores what it means to show up authentically as a femme lesbian while navigating the darker realities of the entertainment industry.

In this...

Today’s guest is Victor Ramos — a vibrant creator whose mix of beauty, pop culture, and comedy has earned him a loyal following on Instagram and TikTok. Beyond his viral makeup tutorials and hilarious skits, he’s also a host on The Q Agenda, where he brings visibility and representation to the queer Latinx community.

In this episode, Victor opens up about:

✅  Breaking down societal norms and expectations

✅  The journey to living authe...

Today’s guest is Kelly Hrebenar — a femme lesbian content creator based in Los Angeles. Kelly shares stories about life after coming out, mental health, and the ups and downs of figuring it all out—while breaking down lesbian stereotypes and opening conversations around femininity through community building. Her work is rooted in making sure others feel seen, celebrated, and never alone.

In this episode, Kelly opens up about:

✅  Rede...

Today’s guest is Rose Montoya — a trans Latina creator, model, actor, and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. Known for her captivating presence and her fearless advocacy, Rose uses her platform to champion equity, mental health, and bodily autonomy. Through fashion, beauty, and storytelling, she celebrates self-expression as a tool for empowerment and lasting change.

In this episode, Rose opens up about reclaiming her childhood, ...

Today’s guest is Maartje Hensen (they/she) — an Amsterdam-based queer traveler, photographer, and author of The Pride Atlas. Soon-to-be coach and full-time storyteller, Maartje is known for their vibrant, fairytale-like imagery that captures the magic of queer joy and exploration. They’re embracing a new era, retiring the “girl boss” and leaning into “girl moss” — because, at the end of the day, we’re BEings, not doings.

In this epi...

Today’s guest is Madison Werner — a self-proclaimed “trans glam girl,” beauty content creator, and human rights activist. She made history as the first transgender face of a Covergirl campaign, and as a born-and-raised Jewish valley girl, she brings both sparkle and substance to everything she does.

In this episode, Madison opens up about:

✅ Living out loud in a world that hasn’t always made space for trans joy

Today’s guest is Brooke Ventre — a multifaceted creator with a deep passion for animals and the ocean. Beyond her creative pursuits, Brooke has acting credits in productions like “Girl Lost” (2016) and “Drib” (2017). On TikTok, she’s built a following of over 128,000 and 1.5 million likes, sharing content that reflects her authentic, fun-loving personality.

In this episode, Brooke opens up about:

• Growing up and coming out
• Living v...

Today’s guest is Scott Frenzel - a rising pop artist who first gained traction on TikTok and YouTube Shorts with his debut single “Sugar High”, which went viral as the number one song on YouTube Shorts with over a million fan-created videos. Since then, Scott has continued to captivate audiences with tracks like “Key Lime Pie” and “Streetlights”, blending catchy hooks, witty lyrics, and heartfelt storytelling. With a background in ...

Today’s guest is Blair Imani - a historian, educator, and the brilliant mind behind the viral web series Smarter In Seconds. She’s also an LA Times bestselling author of Read This to Get Smarter, and if you’ve ever seen her content, you know she has a one-of-a-kind way of breaking down big, complex ideas with clarity, color, and compassion. The New York Times called her delivery “perky” and “quirky,” but her scholarship runs deep, ...

Today’s guest is Mariah Counts, a genre-blending artist whose dynamic sexuality and musical versatility mirror her personal journey. From her early days as an athlete to her fearless rise in the music industry, Mariah has always led with grit and creativity. Music started as a coping tool through family struggles, grief, and coming out, but has grown into a powerful outlet for connection, performance, and purpose.

In this episode, M...

Today, we’re sitting down with the insanely talented ally Ashamad Heard, a DIY fashion creator, musician, and streamer who’s making waves in the creative world. You might have seen him on Buy It Now or Beast Games on Amazon Prime, but today, he’s here to share his journey - the hustle, the creativity, and any baggage he’s carried along the way.

Follow Ashamad:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notxashamad/
• Tiktok: https://www.t...

Today’s guest is Lexie Peters - a creator and community-builder navigating identity, love, and what it means to show up authentically. From growing up more of a tomboy to finding balance in her masculinity today, Lexie’s story is about embracing all sides of yourself while building meaningful connections.

In this episode, we’re diving into her journey of identity, adjusting to life in a healthy relationship and cohabitating with a p...

This season is full of LGBTQ+ voices and perspectives, but today I wanted to include a conversation with one of my close friends and longtime allies. Michael may not be queer himself, but his story of creativity, identity, and showing up authentically still deeply resonates.

This week on She Comes With Baggage, I’m joined by the brilliant and stylish Michael Amanor—aka Mikestyle—a civil engineer by profession and a travel,...

Today, I’m sitting down with my friend Noa Taieb - a lifestyle creator, entrepreneur, and storyteller. Originally from Paris and now based in LA, Noa has built a platform sharing his journey through content, creativity, and self-discovery. He recently launched Sunny Days, a men’s swimwear and lifestyle brand created by and for the LGBTQ+ community, with a portion of all sales supporting It Gets Better to uplift and empower LGBTQ+ y...

Today’s guest is Melanie Posner - an LGBTQ+ muralist, portrait artist, and creative force based in Los Angeles whose bold, unapologetic work centers around empowerment, identity, and mental health. Through large-scale murals and intimate portraits, Melanie transforms public spaces into canvases of self-expression and healing.

In this episode, we go beyond the canvas to talk about her personal journey—moving to LA, navigating self-di...

Today’s guest is Carolina Gutierrez—an award-winning Colombian actress, advocate, and proud Latina trans woman who is making waves both on screen and off. From her breakout roles to her most recent short Buscando Alma—which just qualified for the Oscars—Carolina’s work is as powerful as her presence. You’ve seen her in NCIS: LA, The L Word: Generation Q, and national commercials, but behind every role is a story of resilience, repr...

Today’s guest is Dexter Mayfield—a dancer, actor, plus-size model, and fierce force of queer joy and self-expression. From his early roots in Dallas to performing with icons like Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry, Dexter has built a career that celebrates visibility, movement, and radical self-love.

Whether he's lighting up the stage with Savage x Fenty or judging on Paramount+’s Come Dance With Me, Dexter is rewriti...

Today’s guest is Lauren Abedini—aka KITTENS. She’s a powerhouse DJ, music producer, podcast host, creative strategist, and an unapologetic voice for intersectional feminism. With Iranian-American roots and a deep connection to her identity, Lauren has spent the last decade carving out space not just in music, but across fashion, beauty, and advocacy. Her influence is bold, intentional, and always evolving.

In this episode, we get in...