Have a Blessed Gay

Welcome to Have a Blessed Gay, your weekly spiritual-comedy podcast! Join holy host, Tyler Martin, as he critically discusses social norms, current events, mental health, religion, and spirituality from an outcast's perspective. In this halloween-themed episode, Tyler talks with Kevin Garcia, a digital pastor, creative mystic, public theologian and intuitive soul coach who uses Tarot in their spiritual practices. They talk all about Tarot, break it down, and toward the end of the discussion, Kevin gives Tyler his very first Tarot Card reading! It’s not simply hocus pocus, Tarot has a long history of being used as a sacred ritual practice to enhance spirituality. They also talk about spells, witchcraft, and manifesting positive energy. If you are looking for a new ritual, interested in Tarot, or would like to have a few laughs, come on, you goblins, and enjoy this exciting episode! Happy Halloween! 

If you would like to listen to Kevin's pre-Tarot Reading guided meditation, consisting of breath work and releasing tension, head to www.haveablessedgay.com/episodes/tarot-101-with-kevin-garcia 

Guest: Kevin Garcia

www.thekevingarcia.com

Bad Theology Kills (Book): www.thekevingarcia.com/book

Social Media: @thekevingarcia

Sponsored by BetterHelp! Get 10% Off BetterHelp therapy by using my code!

www.betterhelp.com/blessedgay

Your Host: Tyler Martin

Instagram: @tylerisaacmartin

Follow Have a Blessed Gay and Reach Out!

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @haveablessedgay

www.haveablessedgay.com

Email: [email protected]

U.S. Helplines

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project Helpline (LGBTQ+ Youth): 1-866-488-7386

Trans Helpline: 877-565-8860

Welcome to Have a Blessed Gay, your weekly spiritual-comedy podcast! Join holy host, Tyler Martin, as he critically discusses social norms, current events, mental health, religion, and spirituality from an outcast's perspective. In this touching episode, Tyler talks with Susan Cottrell, an international speaker, who you might know from her amazing TEDx Talk that went viral in 2019. Named “Our favorite affirming matriarch” by the Advocate, she is a prominent voice for the LGBTQ+ community. She has been featured on ABC’s 20/20, Nightline, and Good Morning America. She is a public theologian, and through her nonprofit organization, FreedHearts, Susan champions the LGBTQ+ community and families with her authentic love; and she challenges Christians to love as the foundation of faith. She spent 20+ years in the non affirming Evangelical church, has a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, and served as the Vice-President of PFLAG Austin. But she didn’t stop there -- she has written several books, and her newest endeavor is a wonderful podcast called FreedHearts, which is available on all podcast platforms. It is about changing the human conversation on love and inclusion, so if you enjoy her on here, definitely check out her and her hubby Rob on their new podcast.

This episode also features an excerpt from the new extremely special article for The B Word read by the incredible author herself, actor, professor, and writer Dr. Paige Martin Reynolds. The article, called “Our Sensory Sanctuary,” revolves around the importance of having a space for everyone, including people with certain sensory needs. Paige tells the journey of creating a space for her child who has autism at their church (a sensory room). A very poignant, much needed conversation surrounding inclusion. The entire article is also now available on the Have a Blessed Gay website haveablessedgay.com/thebword. Read it and subscribe to the newsletter to know when new articles drop!

Guest: Susan Cottrell

FreedHearts: www.freedhearts.org

IG/Facebook: @freedhearts

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/stcottrell

TEDx Talk (Why I chose my LGBTQ daughter over the Evangelical Church): www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP01bH9Ljf4

FreedHearts Podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freedhearts/id1533444664

The B Word:

www.haveablessedgay.com/thebword

Our Sensory Sanctuary by Dr. Paige Martin Reynolds

Website: www.paigemartinreynolds.com/

Sponsored by BetterHelp! Get 10% Off BetterHelp therapy by using my code!

www.betterhelp.com/blessedgay

Your Host: Tyler Martin

Instagram: @tylerisaacmartin

Follow Have a Blessed Gay and Reach Out!

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @haveablessedgay

www.haveablessedgay.com

Email: [email protected]

U.S. Helplines

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project Helpline (LGBTQ+ Youth): 1-866-488-7386

Trans Helpline: 877-565-8860

Welcome to Have a Blessed Gay, your weekly spiritual-comedy podcast! Join holy host, Tyler Martin, as he critically discusses social norms, current events, mental health, religion, and spirituality from an outcast's perspective. In this fun episode, Tyler examines three creation myths and stories. Some cultures and religions truly believe creation stories as factual accounts of how our universe was created, totally disregarding science. Some people try to marry their creation story with science. Then, of course, there are others who see these as just myths and fantastical stories. But, however you view them, these stories tell a lot about humanity, and we can learn a great deal about society through the mythology...and they're also just cool stories. Tyler dives into the Hindu creation story, the Ancient Babylonian creation story, and the Jewish and/or Christian creation stories...which by the way, did you know there are two contradicting creation stories in the Hebrew and Christian Bible? We’re gonna get into that! So, get ready for some fascinating stories and some new sketch comedy!

This episode also features a new article for The B Word, the new vertical on the Have a Blessed Gay website for outcasts to share their journeys, ideas, questions, and resources, all to do with religion and spirituality. Toward the end of this episode, you’ll hear an excerpt from Working Toward Liberation by Kent Thomas revolving around Young Life, the collision of activism and white supremacy culture, and the hashtag that created a movement: #DoBetterYoungLife. The full article is now available on haveablessedgay.com/thebword. Read it and subscribe to the newsletter to know when new articles drop!

The B Word:

www.haveablessedgay.com/thebword

Working Toward Liberation by Kent Thomas

IG: @DoBetter_YoungLife

Sponsored by BetterHelp! Get 10% Off BetterHelp therapy by using my code!

www.betterhelp.com/blessedgay

Your Host: Tyler Martin

Instagram: @tylerisaacmartin

Follow Have a Blessed Gay and Reach Out!

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @haveablessedgay

www.haveablessedgay.com

Email: [email protected]

U.S. Helplines

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project Helpline (LGBTQ+ Youth): 1-866-488-7386

Trans Helpline: 877-565-8860

Welcome to Have a Blessed Gay, your weekly spiritual-comedy podcast! Join holy host, Tyler Martin, as he critically discusses social norms, current events, mental health, religion, and spirituality from an outcast's perspective. In this episode, Tyler talks with Casey Tanner! Casey is a queer-identified, intersectional sex and relationship therapist who combines evidence-based support with tenderness and levity to create spaces in which people feel seen and understood. Specializing in gender and sexual diversity, Casey partners with individuals, relationships and institutions to expand possibilities for connection & pleasure.

So many of us, whether we were raised in a religious household or not, have experienced some type of religious sexual trauma, because our society has adopted a ton of religious fear, shame, and guilt surrounding sex. Tyler and Casey discuss types of religious trauma including purity culture, sex education, stereotyping gender roles, perfectionism, using biblical or sacred texts to condemn people, and demanding the forgiveness of abuse. There is a ton to unpack here, so let’s do it together!

This episode also features a new article for The B Word, the new vertical on the Have a Blessed Gay website for outcasts to share their journeys, ideas, questions, and resources, all to do with religion and spirituality. Toward the end of this episode, you’ll hear an excerpt from The Name of God: A Trans Approach by the author, R Marshall. The full article is now available on haveablessedgay.com/thebword. Read it and subscribe to the newsletter to know when new articles drop!

Guest: Casey Tanner

Instagram: @queersextherapy

The B Word:

www.haveablessedgay.com/thebword

The Name of God: A Trans Approach by the author, R Marshall

Sponsored by BetterHelp! Get 10% Off BetterHelp therapy by using my code!

www.betterhelp.com/blessedgay

Your Host: Tyler Martin

Instagram: @tylerisaacmartin

Follow Have a Blessed Gay and Reach Out!

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @haveablessedgay

www.haveablessedgay.com

Email: [email protected]

U.S. Helplines

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project Helpline (LGBTQ+ Youth): 1-866-488-7386

Trans Helpline: 877-565-8860

Welcome to Have a Blessed Gay, your weekly spiritual-comedy podcast! Join holy host, Tyler Martin, as he critically discusses all things to do with religion and spirituality from an outcast's perspective. If you search online forums regarding women in religion or the LGBTQ+ community in religion, you’ll find a lot people asking questions like, “How can I be active in a church that doesn’t accept me?” This is a very common thread in many marginalized groups, not strictly within Christianity, but within most main world religions. Holy Host, Tyler Martin, examines why someone might participate or want to be involved in a church that is not affirming. To explore these topics, he looks at the megachurch Hillsong and Chick-Fil-A. Sometimes, like much of our country’s discriminatory legislation, bigotry and hate is hidden behind flowery language and the word “welcome.”

This is also an exciting episode because The B Word launches today, a new vertical on the Have a Blessed Gay website for outcasts to share their journeys, ideas, questions, and resources, all to do with religion and spirituality. You’ll be able to read articles from people of various religions, faiths and spiritual walks of life, who are questioning, daring to be different, and making positive changes in their communities. Toward the end of this episode, you’ll hear an excerpt from the very first article, Reclaiming the Divine Feminine Voice, by the author herself, Kimberly Bryant. The full article is now available on haveablessedgay.com/thebword. Read it and subscribe to the newsletter to know when new articles drop!

The B Word

www.haveablessedgay.com/thebword

Reclaiming the Divine Feminine Voice by Kimberly Bryant

Sponsored by BetterHelp! Get 10% Off BetterHelp therapy by using my code!

www.betterhelp.com/blessedgay

Your Host: Tyler Martin

Instagram: @tylerisaacmartin

Follow Have a Blessed Gay and Reach Out!

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @haveablessedgay

www.haveablessedgay.com

Email: [email protected]

U.S. Helplines

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project Helpline (LGBTQ+ Youth): 1-866-488-7386

Trans Helpline: 877-565-8860

Welcome to Have a Blessed Gay, your weekly spiritual-comedy podcast! Join holy host, Tyler Martin, as he critically discusses social norms, current events, mental health, religion, and spirituality from an outcast's perspective. In this episode, Tyler talks with Abby Stein, a Jewish educator, writer, speaker, and activist. She was born and raised in a Hasidic Jewish community in Brooklyn, isolated in a culture that lives according to the laws and practices of eighteenth-century Eastern Europe, speaking only Yiddish and Hebrew and shunning modern life. Abby was born as the first son in a dynastic rabbinical family, poised to become a leader of the next generation of Hasidic Jews. But Abby felt certain at a young age that she was a girl. She suppressed her desire for a new body while looking for answers wherever she could find them, from forbidden religious texts to smuggled secular examinations of faith. Finally, she orchestrated a personal exodus from ultra-Orthodox manhood to mainstream femininity -- a radical choice that forced her to leave her home, her family, her way of life. In 2012, she left the Hasidic world, and In 2015 she came out as a woman of trans experience. Since coming out, she has been working to raise support and awareness for trans rights and those leaving Ultra-Orthodoxy. Her story has been covered all over the world, including  in the New York Times, New York Post, New York Magazine, and Vogue. She’s also made live appearances on CNN, NBC, ShowTime, and NowThis, just to name a few. Today she lives in New York City, now a graduate of Columbia University, and an English speaker, her 4th language. They chat about her beautiful book, Becoming Eve: My Journey from Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi to Transgender Woman, her life while in the Hasidic community, how she creatively rebelled against it until she eventually left, and how she acclimatized to a new life. Please enjoy this awesome discussion!

Guest: Abby Chava Stein

Social Media: @abbychavastein

Website: https://thesecondtransition.blogspot.com/

Abby’s Book: Becoming Eve: My Journey from Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi to Transgender Woman

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/books/becoming-eve-my-journey-from-ultra-orthodox-rabbi-to-transgender-woman/9781580059169

The Strand: https://www.strandbooks.com/product/9781580059169?title=becoming_eve_my_journey_from_ultraorthodox_rabbi_to_transgender_woman

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/becoming-eve-abby-chava-stein/1130777534?ean=9781580059169

Sponsored by BetterHelp! Get 10% Off BetterHelp therapy by using my code!

www.betterhelp.com/blessedgay

Your Host: Tyler Martin

Instagram: @tylerisaacmartin

Follow Have a Blessed Gay and Reach Out!

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @haveablessedgay

www.haveablessedgay.com

Email: [email protected]

U.S. Helplines

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project Helpline (LGBTQ+ Youth): 1-866-488-7386

Trans Helpline: 877-565-8860

Welcome to Have a Blessed Gay, your weekly spiritual-comedy podcast! Join holy host, Tyler Martin, as he critically discusses religion and spirituality from an outcast's perspective. In this episode, Tyler talks with Dr. Kyl Myers! Kyl is a sociologist, educator, and globally recognized advocate of gender creative parenting. Kyl’s TEDx talk, Want Gender Equality? Let’s Get Creative, encourages people to rethink childhood gender socialization in an effort to break up the binary before it begins. Kyl is the creator of www.raisingzoomer.com and the @raisingzoomer Instagram account, advocating for letting kids be kids in an environment where everything is for everyone. You can also follow Kyl on their personal Instagram account, @Kyl_Myers, where they provide bite-size gender studies lessons. Kyl has been featured in articles in international media, including New York Magazine, HuffPost UK, and MamaMia. Their first book, Raising Them: Our Adventure in Gender Creative Parenting just came out on September 8. I got to read the book before the release and I highly recommend it! It was amazing chatting with Kyl about growing up Mormon, gender creative parenting, gender stereotypes, recognizing our own internalized bigotry, and how we can cultivate a more inclusive, empowering world for everyone, including ourselves. I absolutely adore Kyl and I know you will too! Enjoy this awesome discussion!

Guest: Dr. Kyl Myers

Instagram: @Kyl_Myers (personal) @raisingzoomer (Gender Creative Parenting)

Website: www.raisingzoomer.com

Kyl’s Book: Raising Them

The Strand: https://www.strandbooks.com/product/9781542003681?title=raising_them_our_adventure_in_gender_creative_parenting

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raising-them-kyl-myers/1134799521?ean=9781542003681

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/books/raising-them-our-adventure-in-gender-creative-parenting/9781542003674

Kyl’s Ted Talk: Want Gender Equality? Let's Get Creative

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12t7PYilNQQ

Sponsored by BetterHelp! Get 10% Off BetterHelp therapy by using my code!

www.betterhelp.com/blessedgay

Your Host: Tyler Martin

Instagram: @tylerisaacmartin

Follow Have a Blessed Gay and Reach Out!

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @haveablessedgay

www.haveablessedgay.com

Email: [email protected]

U.S. Helplines

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project Helpline (LGBTQ+ Youth): 1-866-488-7386

Trans Helpline: 877-565-8860

Welcome to Have a Blessed Gay, your weekly spiritual-comedy podcast! Join holy host, Tyler Martin, as he critically discusses social norms, current events, mental health, religion, and spirituality from an outcast's perspective. In this episode, Tyler talks with Dr. Eric Cervini, the award-winning historian of LGBTQ+ politics and culture. As an authority on 1960's gay activism, Eric serves on the Board of Directors of the Harvard Gender and Sexuality Caucus and on the Board of Advisors of the Mattachine Society of Washington, D.C., a nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of gay American history. His new book, The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America, was released in June and made the New York Times Bestseller’s list. Based on firsthand accounts, recently declassified FBI records, and forty thousand personal documents, The Deviant’s War unfolds over the course of the 1960's. It traces the forgotten ties that bound gay rights to the Black Freedom Movement, the New Left, lesbian activism, and trans resistance. Above all, it is a story of America (and Washington) at a cultural and sexual crossroads; of shocking, byzantine public battles with Congress; of FBI informants; murder; betrayal; sex; love; and ultimately victory. Tyler chats with Eric about the importance of learning and sharing history, and how we can use history as a tool in our spiritual tool belt.

Guest: Dr. Eric Cervini

Instagram: @ericcervini

Website: https://ericcervini.com/

Sponsored by BetterHelp! Get 10% Off BetterHelp therapy by using my code!

www.betterhelp.com/blessedgay

Your Host: Tyler Martin

Instagram: @tylerisaacmartin

Follow Have a Blessed Gay and Reach Out!

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @haveablessedgay

www.haveablessedgay.com

Email: [email protected]

U.S. Helplines

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project Helpline (LGBTQ+ Youth): 1-866-488-7386

Trans Helpline: 877-565-8860

Welcome to Have a Blessed Gay, your weekly spiritual-comedy podcast! Join holy host, Tyler Martin, as he critically discusses social norms, current events, mental health, religion, and spirituality from an outcast's perspective. In this episode, Tyler briefly examines America’s alleged history of the separation of church and state. According to the Bill of Rights in the Constitution, America does not/will not have an official religion. However, Christianity has basically turned into the unofficial official religion of America, desperately trying to take control of the government. Christians have a long history of religious bullying. They were some of the first people to persecute jews, there's the horrific religious crusades, and then we have the religious persecution which led Europeans fleeing for America. Anyone else find that ironic and deeply depressing? Religion corrupting government can be traced back to our earliest knowledge of government. The story of leaders weaponizing religion is, honestly, a tired and overused plot in history. Like, let’s be more creative, shall we? We repeat this story, over and over, seemingly oblivious to that fact that it’s already happened before, thousands of times. So we can stop this cycle, join Tyler in analyzing religious freedom, religious corruption, political figures like Roger Williams, and the separation of church and state in America.

Sponsored by BetterHelp! Get 10% Off BetterHelp therapy by using my code!

www.betterhelp.com/blessedgay

Your Host: Tyler Martin

Instagram: @tylerisaacmartin

Follow Have a Blessed Gay and Reach Out!

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @haveablessedgay

www.haveablessedgay.com

Email: [email protected]

U.S. Helplines

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project Helpline (LGBTQ+ Youth): 1-866-488-7386

Trans Helpline: 877-565-8860

Welcome to Have a Blessed Gay, your weekly spiritual-comedy podcast! Join holy host, Tyler Martin, as he critically discusses social norms, current events, mental health, religion, and spirituality from an outcast's perspective. In this episode, Tyler chats with Brandan Robertson! Brandan is an author, activist, theologian, and serves as the Lead Pastor of Missiongathering Christian Church in San Diego, California. Named by the Human Rights Campaign as one of the top faith-leaders leading the fight for human rights, Brandan has worked with political and social leaders around the world to end conversion therapy and promote LGBTQ+ rights. Other than his own books he’s written, he has also written for publications like TIME Magazine, NBC, and The Washington Post. He has also been an honored speaker at renowned institutions like The White House, Oxford University, and The Parliament of the World’s Religions. His newest book, Nomad: A Spirituality For Traveling Light, was just released in the US on August 11th. We chat about his new book, his evolution from being a very conservative to a very progressive theologian, what role a church has in our modern world, and how each and every person has holiness within them. Enjoy this awesome conversation!

Guest: Brandan Robertson

Instagram: @brandanrobertson

Twitter: @brandanJR

Nomad (Book): http://www.nomadbook.org/

Website: http://www.brandanrobertson.com/

Sponsored by BetterHelp! Get 10% Off BetterHelp therapy by using my code!

www.betterhelp.com/blessedgay

Your Host: Tyler Martin

Instagram: @tylerisaacmartin

Follow Have a Blessed Gay and Reach Out!

Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @haveablessedgay

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.haveablessedgay.com

U.S. Helplines

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project Helpline (LGBTQ+ Youth): 1-866-488-7386

Trans Helpline: 877-565-8860