This week on the podcast, host Anne-Marie Zanzal welcomes fellow author and later-in-lifer, Sarah Locke. Sarah shares her journey of coming out later in life and living with multiple sclerosis. Sarah's personal value of authenticity shines through as she relates the challenges of coming out later in life, holding boundaries with her parents, and self-advocacy while navigating the early days of her MS diagnosis. Sarah discusses her advocacy work which includes founding Locke's Promise, a nonprofit supporting individuals living with MS. Tune in and you'll be inspired by Sarah's journey of acceptance, personal growth, self-advocacy, journey to sobriety and learn why telling your story is powerfully healing.

You can learn more about Locke's Promise and purchase Sarah's book, "Living Out Loud: A Memoir of Speaking Up, Breaking Free, and Finally Being Seen" here: https://www.lockespromise.com/

Follow Locke's Promise on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/people/Lockes-Promise-Inc/61574949238113/?_rdr and on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lockes-promise-inc/

🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

❤️ Why your story is your strength.

❤️ How coming out draws the right people to you.

❤️ How advocacy arising from personal challenges can give life purpose and meaning.

❤️ Why support systems are crucial for well-being

🏳️‍🌈 and much more!

💬 Join the Conversation!

💬Have you turned a personal challenge into inspiration for advocacy? Who supports you in those challenges? Comment below and let's talk about it!

❤️Join Authentically Us! A supportive community for those coming out later in life to the LGBTQIA+ community. Connect, share, and find guidance on your journey through mutual support groups, workshops, and live Zoom meetups. 💜Sign up today at www.annemariezanzal.com

💠 Visit our website: : [ www.annemariezanzal.com]

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated on powerful stories from Coming Out & Beyond!

"The Catalyst Chapter: #For WLW Navigating Love's First Chapter and Beyond" Learn more about the course and register at https://annemariezanzal.com/courses-from-anne-marie-zanzal/#catalystrelationship

"Strengthening Love: Building Secure Bonds for Lesbian Couples": A course for building better communication and strong relationships. https://healthylesbianrelationships.com/

❤️The Best Tool For Change? Love! - Part 2

This week, we're back with part 2 of Anne-Marie's engaging conversation with author and transformation coach, David Cunningham. If you haven't watched part 1, do yourself a favor, go back and give it a listen, as it's where David drops several gold nuggets of wisdom about love, self-love, and shares his coming out story.

In part 2, Anne-Marie and David dig even deeper into themes of love, forgiveness, and leading a values-oriented life. David shares about how to lead with love while we're experiencing difficult emotions, shares perspective on separating our core sense of self from our emotions, how mindfulness about our values informs our behaviors, and explains why the quality of our life is never dependent on another. David also shares why he recently sent a copy of his book to every single member of Congress! This episode is a fantastic conclusion to a very compelling conversation that you won't want to miss.

Connect with David on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidCunninghamAuthor

Learn more about David's work and his book, 'Your Love Does Matter,' at https://www.yourlovedoesmatter.com/

🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

❤️ The distinction between how we feel vs. who we are.

❤️ Concepts of forgiveness - what does it mean? How do we achieve it?

❤️ How to lead with love when we are angry or sad.

❤️ How a values-led life leads to purpose and love.

🏳️‍🌈 and much more!

💬 Join the Conversation!

💬Do you lead with love? Is self-acceptance and forgiveness a challenge for you? What did you take away from this episode? Let's talk about it in the comments!

❤️Join Authentically Us! A supportive community for those coming out later in life to the LGBTQIA+ community. Connect, share, and find guidance on your journey through mutual support groups, workshops, and live Zoom meetups. 💜Sign up today at www.annemariezanzal.com

💠 Visit our website: : [ www.annemariezanzal.com]

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated on powerful stories from Coming Out & Beyond!

#comingout #comingoutandbeyond #comingoutlgbtqiastories #comingoutlaterinlife #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia #2slgbtqia #lgbtqpodcast #queer #queerpodcast #podcast #love #selfacceptance #personalgrowth #transformation #leadwithlove #leadership #boundaries #embracingemotions #lovefootprint #davidcunningham

"The Catalyst Chapter: #For WLW Navigating Love's First Chapter and Beyond" Learn more about the course and register at https://annemariezanzal.com/courses-from-anne-marie-zanzal/#catalystrelationship

"Strengthening Love: Building Secure Bonds for Lesbian Couples": A course for building better communication and strong relationships. https://healthylesbianrelationships.com/

❤️The Best Tool For Change? Love!

David Cunningham believes that love is a powerful tool for transformation. As an author and transformation coach, David is committed to teaching others how to use love to create a path to acceptance, better communication, forgiveness, conscious leadership, and connectedness with others. In this part 1 of 2 podcast episode, host Anne-Marie Zanzal, explores with David topics related to his personal experiences in learning about the transformational power of love, including his coming out story and reflecting on how stepping into his identity as a gay man transformed his relationships with people he cares about. David highlights the significance of self-love and forgiveness, sharing insights from his mentors and the courage it takes to love freely, advocating for a world where love prevails as the primary way of being. This is a profound, compelling conversation centered on the power of love and our relationship to our most vulnerable emotions. Tune in next week for part 2!

Learn more about David's work and his book, 'Your Love Does Matter,' at https://www.yourlovedoesmatter.com/

🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

❤️ How love is instrumental to personal transformation.

❤️ How coming out impacted David's relationship with his son for the better.

❤️ The role of love in effective leadership.

❤️ Why quality of our life comes from who we choose to be, not what we receive from others.

🏳️‍🌈 and much more!

💬 Join the Conversation!

💬Do you lead with love? Is self-acceptance and forgiveness a challenge for you? What did you take away from this episode? Let's talk about it in the comments!

❤️Join Authentically Us! A supportive community for those coming out later in life to the LGBTQIA+ community. Connect, share, and find guidance on your journey through mutual support groups, workshops, and live Zoom meetups. 💜Sign up today at www.annemariezanzal.com

💠 Visit our website: : [ www.annemariezanzal.com]

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated on powerful stories from Coming Out & Beyond!

#comingout #comingoutandbeyond #comingoutlgbtqiastories #comingoutlaterinlife #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia #2slgbtqia #lgbtqpodcast #queer #queerpodcast #podcast #love #selfacceptance #personalgrowth #transformation #leadwithlove #leadership #boundaries #embracingemotions #lovefootprint #davidcunningham

"The Catalyst Chapter: #For WLW Navigating Love's First Chapter and Beyond" Learn more about the course and register at https://annemariezanzal.com/courses-from-anne-marie-zanzal/#catalystrelationship

"Strengthening Love: Building Secure Bonds for Lesbian Couples": A course for building better communication and strong relationships. https://healthylesbianrelationships.com/

This week on Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories, we're revisiting an episode from season 4 on the ups and downs of catalyst relationships. Host Anne-Marie Zanzal sits down will fellow coming out and catalyst relationship coach, Barbara Rowlandson. In this episode. Barbara shares the story of her catalyst experience and reflects on how the relationship precipitated some very big and quick changes in her life. Anne-Marie and Barbara examine the gifts of the catalyst experience, the hard lessons, share some of their best advice about navigating that first lesbian relationship, and talk about steps for recovery if the relationship ends.

🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🏳️‍🌈 How catalysts cause us to stop and reconsider our wants and needs.

🏳️‍🌈 Why grieving the end of your marriage while in a new relationship is so hard.

🏳️‍🌈 Making meaning of your catalyst experience when it is over.

🏳️‍🌈 Why finding community is vital for healing after a catalyst experience

🏳️‍🌈 and much more!

💬 Join the Conversation!

💬Have you had a catalyst relationship experience? How are you today? What learn? What do you feel like you need most right now? Let's talk about it in the comments!

❤️Join Authentically Us! A supportive community for those coming out later in life to the LGBTQIA+ community. Connect, share, and find guidance on your journey through mutual support groups, workshops, and live Zoom meetups. 💜Sign up today at www.annemariezanzal.com

💠 Visit our website: : [ www.annemariezanzal.com]

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated on powerful stories from Coming Out & Beyond!

"Strengthening Love: Building Secure Bonds for Lesbian Couples" https://healthylesbianrelationships.com/

TW: Hate groups, racism and homophobia are discussed. Some strong language is used. Listener discretion is advised.

This week on Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories, host Anne-Marie Zanzal chats with Spencer Macnaughton, Editor-in-Chief and founder of Uncloseted Media, a nonprofit LGBTQIA+ -focused newsroom. In a time when America is reconfiguring its systems to marginalize LGBTQIA+ citizens, Uncloseted Media is working to explore the anti-LGBTQIA+ landscape. Guided by principles of non-partisanship and rigorous journalistic standards, Uncloseted Media shines a light on people and stories that might otherwise go unheard in a world that is increasingly working to suppress queer voices. In this episode, Spencer shares the story of his journey in creating a nonprofit LGBTQIA+ newsroom and his own coming out experiences. Anne-Marie and Spencer also touch on the impact of societal conditioning on queer identities, the role media plays in shaping perceptions, and the urgency of telling stories that highlight the ongoing fight against hate and discrimination.

🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🏳️‍🌈 Why trust is essential in journalism, especially for LGBTQIA+ communities.

🏳️‍🌈 Stories of resilience and allyship that inspire hope and change.

🏳️‍🌈 How media representation significantly impacts LGBTQIA+ identity formation.

🏳️‍🌈 Why finding community is vital for personal and collective well-being.

🏳️‍🌈 and much more!

You can follow Uncloseted Media on Substack here: https://www.unclosetedmedia.com/

💬 Join the Conversation!

💬What does LGBTQIA+ representation media mean to you? Let's talk about it in the comments!

❤️Join Authentically Us! A supportive community for those coming out later in life to the LGBTQIA+ community. Connect, share, and find guidance on your journey through mutual support groups, workshops, and live Zoom meetups. 💜Sign up today at www.annemariezanzal.com

💠 Visit our website: : [ www.annemariezanzal.com]

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated on powerful stories from Coming Out & Beyond!

"Strengthening Love: Building Secure Bonds for Lesbian Couples" https://healthylesbianrelationships.com/

TW: This episode explores grief as related to the coming out experience and may be difficult for some to hear. If you are grieving and are experiencing a mental health emergency, call 9-8-8 for crisis support.

Download our grief guide and worksheets here: https://bit.ly/amz-grief-handout

In this part 2 episode on healing grief host Anne-Marie Zanzal and her fellow coach, Barbara Rowlandson continue to explore the complex emotions surrounding grief when coming out later in life. If you're someone who is in the 'messy middle' of coming out and/or divorce we highly encourage you to listen, as parts 1 and 2 of these episodes on grief address the most common experiences we see in individuals who come out later in life. Anne-Marie and Barb pick up where they left of in part 1, discussing the last two stages of grief – depression and acceptance. They discuss recognizing and addressing depression, offer practical coping strategies for the depression stage, and emphasize the significance of community.

🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

❤️‍🩹Why incremental change is a big deal.

❤️‍🩹How aligning values with actions brings peace.

❤️‍🩹How engaging with queer media can foster a sense of belonging.

❤️‍🩹The importance of community and daily rituals for self-care

🏳️‍🌈 and much more!

Read Anne-Marie's article, "The Unexpected Grief of the LGBTQIA+ Coming Out Experience." https://annemariezanzal.com/the-unexpected-grief-of-the-lgbtqia-coming-out-experience/

💬 Join the Conversation!

💬Are you on the other side of the 'messy middle?' What practices did you adopt to lift the grief? 

❤️Join Authentically Us! A supportive community for those coming out later in life to the LGBTQIA+ community. Connect, share, and find guidance on your journey through mutual support groups, workshops, and live Zoom meetups. 💜Sign up today at www.annemariezanzal.com

💠 Visit our website: : [ www.annemariezanzal.com]

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated on powerful stories from Coming Out & Beyond!

In the episode of Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories, host Anne-Marie Zanzal and her fellow coach, Barbara Rowlandson explore the complex emotions surround grief when coming out later in life. This is a MUST listen episode for anyone coming out and radically changing their lives in other ways, such as divorce or moving! Anne-Marie and Barb discuss the five stages of grief, emphasizing that the grief journey is not a linear path. Three grief stages - denial, anger, and bargaining - are discussed, and the conversation highlights the importance of recognizing and naming grief feelings/stages. Understanding societal expectations, navigating relationships during this emotional journey and practical advice and resources for listeners are shared in this episode. Next week - Part 2 will tackle the remaining stages of grief: depression and acceptance.

🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

❤️‍🩹Why the 5 stages of grief are not linear and can 'loop back.'

❤️‍🩹How grief can manifest as avoidance or intellectualization.

❤️‍🩹How letting go of societal expectations can be accompanied by anger.

❤️‍🩹Why finding community is critical in the grief journey.

🏳️‍🌈 and much more!

Read Anne-Marie's article, "The Unexpected Grief of the LGBTQIA+ Coming Out Experience." https://annemariezanzal.com/the-unexpected-grief-of-the-lgbtqia-coming-out-experience/

💬 Join the Conversation!

💬How is grief appearing for you? What repeated thoughts are you having about grief and your journey? Let's talk about it in the comments.

❤️Join Authentically Us! A supportive community for those coming out later in life to the LGBTQIA+ community. Connect, share, and find guidance on your journey through mutual support groups, workshops, and live Zoom meetups. 💜Sign up today at www.annemariezanzal.com

💠 Visit our website: : [ www.annemariezanzal.com]

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated on powerful stories from Coming Out & Beyond!

"Strengthening Love: Building Secure Bonds for Lesbian Couples" https://healthylesbianrelationships.com/

In the episode of Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ Stories, host Anne-Marie Zanzal speaks with documentary photographer, Morgan Lieberman. Morgan's work has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Bloomberg, National Geographic, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angles Times, among others. Morgan's current documentary project, tentatively titled 'Hidden Once, Hidden Twice' focuses on documenting the lives of older lesbian partnerships. This project was borne out of a desire for lesbian community and out of recognition that the voices of the older lesbian generation have been suppressed and lost over time. In this episode, Anne-Marie and Morgan's conversation delves into the lessons learned from older generations, the significance of community, and the complexities of lesbian relationships. Morgan emphasizes the need for visibility and understanding of the unique experiences of older lesbians, while also discussing her aspirations for her documentary work.

🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🏳️‍🌈The significance of representation in media for the LGBTQ+ community.

🏳️‍🌈How lesbian relationships are often misunderstood and oversimplified by society.

🏳️‍🌈Reflections on the emotional depth and intensity of lesbian friendships and relationships.

🏳️‍🌈What younger generations of lesbians can learn from the older generation about resilience and love.

🏳️‍🌈 and much more!

You can follow Morgan Lieberman on Instagram, who goes by thechromaticsheep.

You can also donate to the "Hidden Once, Hidden Twice" GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/photo-book-on-senior-lesbian-partnerships

💬 Join the Conversation!

💬Are you a member of the older lesbian generation? What comes up for you when you listen to this episode? If you're of a younger generation, what surprised you about the episode? Leave your thoughts in the comments and let's talk about it!

❤️Join Authentically Us! A supportive community for those coming out later in life to the LGBTQIA+ community. Connect, share, and find guidance on your journey through mutual support groups, workshops, and live Zoom meetups. 💜Sign up today at www.annemariezanzal.com

💠 Visit our website: : [ www.annemariezanzal.com]

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated on powerful stories from Coming Out & Beyond!

"Strengthening Love: Building Secure Bonds for Lesbian Couples" https://healthylesbianrelationships.com/

This week on the pod: pull up a chair and lean in as host Anne-Marie Zanzal and her fellow coming-out coach, Barbara Rowlandson, unpack all things 'comp het.' Compulsory Heteronormativity (sometimes used interchangeably with 'compulsory heterosexuality) represents the systems in place that keep women from understanding or realizing their needs and desires. If you're just starting out on your coming out journey and have ever asked yourself, "Why the heck did it take me so long to realize I am gay/lesbian/bi/queer?" then this episode is for YOU!

🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🏳️‍🌈Anne-Marie and Barb each reflect on what comp het meant to them and how they felt when the learned about the concept.

🏳️‍🌈Why heterosexuality wasn't a private choice for many of us, but the result of a system designed to erase queerness.

🏳️‍🌈Unpacking the unprocessed misogyny behind distaste for the word lesbian.

🏳️‍🌈The myth of the 'good mother' and why a mother's happiness matters to children.

🏳️‍🌈 and much more!

💬 Join the Conversation!

💬Have you given any thought to comp het? What did you learn from this episode? What resonates? Let's talk about it in the comments!

❤️Join Authentically Us! A supportive community for those coming out later in life to the LGBTQIA+ community. Connect, share, and find guidance on your journey through mutual support groups, workshops, and live Zoom meetups. 💜Sign up today at www.annemariezanzal.com

💠 Visit our website: : [ www.annemariezanzal.com]

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated on powerful stories from Coming Out & Beyond!

‼️SPECIAL FOR COMING OUT & BEYOND LISTENERS! This episode's guest, Maxine Kroll, founder/owner of Provincetown's renowned sex shop & museum, Toys of Eros, is offering 10% off purchases for our listeners! Just use the coupon code COB when completing your order to receive your discount. Shop everything Toys of Eros has to offer at https://toysoferos.com/

Wing Women Weekend | Annual Conference in Provincetown, MA, during Women's Week | https://wingwomenweekend.com/

"Strengthening Love: Building Secure Bonds for Lesbian Couples" https://healthylesbianrelationships.com/

This week on the podcast, host Anne-Marie Zanzal has a conversation with Maxine Kroll, a lesbian and activist who has spent her life creating sanctuary for queer women and fostering acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community. Maxine shares her journey of coming out, stories of activism, and reflects on the critical importance of LGBTQ spaces. From her early experiences in high school to founding Provincetown's sex-positive boutique, Toys of Eros, Maxine discusses the evolution of queer identity and the significance of education to create safety and acceptance for the LGBTQ community. She reflects on the changes in sexual exploration across generations and offers advice for those navigating their first experiences. Anne-Marie and Maxine's conversation highlights the need for continued activism and support for LGBTQ rights in today's political climate.

🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🕰️Reflections on the evolution of Provincetown as an LGBTQ+ sanctuary.

💋Discussion on the relationship between communication and pleasure.

🐘A walk down memory lane to early days of Provincetown's annual Women's Week.

👩🏽‍❤️‍💋‍👩🏽Sex-positive conversation about toys, sexual health, and empowering women through education.

🏳️‍🌈 Thoughts about the future of LGBTQ+ rights

💬 Join the Conversation!

💬Have you experienced Provincetown during Women's Week and/or been to Toys of Eros? Do you have thoughts about activism, sex-positive education, or the current state of LGBTQ+ rights? Talk about in the comments!

❤️Join Authentically Us! A supportive community for those coming out later in life to the LGBTQIA+ community. Connect, share, and find guidance on your journey through mutual support groups, workshops, and live Zoom meetups. 💜Sign up today at www.annemariezanzal.com

💠 Visit our website: : [ www.annemariezanzal.com]

💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal

💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/

💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/

👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated on powerful stories from Coming Out & Beyond!