Welcome to Swerve South! Join your host Jaime Harker for a discussion with special guest Samantha Allen, award winning journalist and author of Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States. In this episode, Jaime and Samantha dish on their Mormon upbringing and how it impacted their journeys of self-realization within the queer community. Samantha’s path from the buttoned-up and gender rigid state of Utah, to her 2-month long road trip through the red states proves there are queer communities in the most (traditionally) unexpected places. Her work sheds light on the less often discussed “red states” regions and members of the LGBT community who calls those spaces home. A portion of the interview includes encouraging discussion about the dynamic nature of a degree in gender studies. Join us for an rousing chat about gender, the power of education, and finding hope and inclusivity in our often polarizing political environment.