In Season 2's final episode Stephen and James speak with Ben Bamber, Ben is a peer navigator with the George House Trust and a trained Counsellor.

Ben has been living with HIV positve for over 10 years and he shares with us his story of diagnosis and how it is living with HIV today.

We cover in this episode such as:

- Ben's experience being diagnosed with HIV

- The reaction from the wider public

Ben shares his story honestly and openly, in the hopes of educating and informing people who may have misinformed ideas of living with HIV in 2024.

For more information on the George House Trust and their work and support they offer vsiit their website below:

https://ght.org.uk/

https://www.benbambercounselling.com/

In this weeks episode, Stephen and James speak with Molly Houghton, Media and Comms Officer of the Proud Place, Manchesters longest running LGBT Charity?

They cover topics such as

- What is it like today for young people coming out?

- What issues do Gen Alpha's LGBTQIA+ community face?

- How are things imporving in the community?

- How are scools and other organsations engaging in the community?

The Proud Place was the charity which had the purpose-built Gay Centre back in 1988

For more information about the Proud Places' services see their website below:

https://www.theproudtrust.org/

In the second episode Stephen and James discuss an issue they are both very passionate about when they meet with, Ignacio Labayen de Inza, CEO of the charity Contrilling Chemsex.

They cover topics such as

- What is Chemsex?

- How to help somebody struggling with Chemsex

- The interventions that controlling Chemsex do the community

- What it's like to have out recovered from Chemsex

For more information about the work Controlling Chemsex or if you or someone you know needs help:

https://controllingchemsex.com/about-us/who-we-are

Welcome back to season 2 of Are the Gays OK?

Stephen and James discuss what they learnt in Season 1 and their hopes for Season 2.

They give a glimpse into some of the topics they'll be discussing in the podcast's second season.

This season they have special guests on every episode. Including The Proud Trust, Controlling Chemsex, and George House Trust.

For the last episode of the first series, we welcome our first guest, Matt Cornford, owner of Manchester's very own Queer Lit!

Queer Lit is a LGBTQIA+ bookstore based in Manchester Northern's Quarter, and stocks over 4000 books. Matt explains why there is a need for dedicated queer bookshops, and the trio share some of their favourite books, how they have helped them on their own journeys and the different sub-genre's that are out there for people to explore.

Here are some of the books mentioned in the pod:

The House in the Cerulean Sea - T J CLUNE

https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/the-house-in-the-cerulean-sea

Tell me I'm Worthless - Alison Rumfitt

https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/tell-me-im-worthless?_pos=1&_sid=8f72f34c7&_ss=r

Manhunt - Gretchen Fletcher-Martin

https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/manhunt?_pos=1&_sid=0de6bef43&_ss=r

My Shadow is Pink - Scott Stuart

https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/my-shadow-is-pink#:~:text=My%20Shadow%20is%20Pink%20is,learns%20(through%20the…

The Queer Mental Health Workbook - Brendan J Dunlop

https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/the-queer-mental-health-workbook?_pos=1&_sid=1d00975c0&_ss=r

Rewriting the Rules - Meg-John Barker

https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/rewriting-the-rules?_pos=1&_sid=7b77e565d&_ss=r

The Velvet Rage - Alan Downs

https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/the-velvet-rage?_pos=1&_sid=c94688a30&_ss=r

Straight Jacket - Matthew Todd

https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/straight-jacket?_pos=1&_sid=ef214e2d7&_ss=r

Pride - Matthew Todd

https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/pride-the-story-of-the-lgbtq-equality-movement?_pos=1&_sid=d77e5d01d&_ss=r

Love in the Pink Palace - Jill Nalder

https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/love-from-the-pink-palace-1?_pos=1&_sid=278bc9f2a&_ss=r

All the Young Men - Ruth Coker Burks

https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/all-the-young-men-1?_pos=1&_sid=225a8938a&_ss=r

The Transgender Issue - Shon Faye

https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/the-transgender-issue?_pos=1&_sid=6793e7f72&_ss=r

Trans Britain - Christine Burns

https://www.queerlit.co.uk/products/trans-britain-our-journey-from-the-shadows?_pos=1&_sid=d88afad5d&_ss=r

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok:

IG: @arethegaysok_podcast

TikTok: @arethegaysok

Produced by Ben Morling at High-Rise Communications

Follow them on Twitter and Instagram: @highrisecomms

In episode 7, Stephen and James discuss therapy.

They talk about their own experiences with therapy, and a wide range of topics, including:

• Why you don't need to be in a crisis to benefit from therapy
• Finding the right therapist
• The different types of therapy
• Chemsex
• How not all therapy is a good experience, and why you should persevere in finding the right therapist for you
• Psychoeducation
• The idea of compassionate enquiry

They explore the mechanism’s that worked for them, the difficulties they faced and the realisation and empowerment that both of them felt as a result of changing their lives, including the new opportunities that have presented themselves. 

They explain how their sober futures seemed uncertain, but how the benefits of becoming sober - and the connections they’ve built as a result - have made a lasting difference in both their lives.

Resources: 

LGBT Foundation: https://lgbt.foundation/

0345 3 30 30 30

Pink Therapy:

https://pinktherapy.com/

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok:

IG: @arethegaysok_podcast

TikTok: @arethegaysok

Produced by Ben Morling at High-Rise Communications

Follow them on Twitter and Instagram: @highrisecomms

In episode 6, Stephen and James talk about their journey to sobriety.

They explore the mechanism’s that worked for them, the difficulties they faced and the realisation and empowerment that both of them felt as a result of changing their lives, including the new opportunities that have presented themselves. 

They explain how their sober futures seemed uncertain, but how the benefits of becoming sober - and the connections they’ve built as a result - have made a lasting difference in both their lives.

Resources: 

LGBT Foundation: https://lgbt.foundation/

0345 3 30 30 30

Smart Recovery: https://smartrecovery.org.uk/

AA: https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/

MA: https://marijuana-anonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous: https://www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk/

Beacon Counselling Trust: https://beaconcounsellingtrust.co.uk/

Overeaters Anonymous: https://www.oagb.org.uk/

Sex and Love addicts: https://slaauk.org/

Drinkaware: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/

Drinkaware quiz: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/tools/self-assessment

Change Grow Live: https://www.changegrowlive.org/

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok:

IG: @arethegaysok_podcast

TikTok: @arethegaysok

Produced by Ben Morling at High-Rise Communications

Follow them on Twitter and Instagram: @highrisecomms

In this hard-hitting episode, James and Stephen discuss addiction.

They talk about the link between addiction and the LGBTQIA+ community, and also share their own experiences and how they came through them.

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok:

IG: @arethegaysok_podcast

TikTok: @arethegaysok

Further Support for Addiction (LGBT Foundation)

Website

Produced by Ben Morling at High-Rise Communications.

Follow them on Twitter and Instagram: @highrisecomms

For our fourth instalment, Stephen and James discuss mental health.

They talk about their personal struggles, becoming more aware of their issues and how they learnt to look after their own mental health and thrive.

More information about Mental Health and Support:

Website

Further Support for LGBT Mental Health (MIND)

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok:

IG: @arethegaysok_podcast

TikTok: @arethegaysok

Produced by Ben Morling at High-Rise Communications.

Follow them on Twitter and Instagram: @highrisecomms

In our third episode, Stephen and James explore the topic of gay shame.

They discuss what gay shame means to them personally, share their own experiences and talk about how they have dealt with feeling shame as a gay person.

Website

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok:

IG: @arethegaysok_podcast

TikTok: @arethegaysok

Produced by Ben Morling at High-Rise Communications.

Follow them on Twitter and Instagram: @highrisecomms