In this Pride Week season finale of King & Qween, Evolve Benton and Jefferson Darrell dig deep for an honest and brave conversation on homophobia and transphobia—within society and the LGBTQIA+ community itself. Together, they explore the deep impact of internalized shame, the attack on DEI work, and how queer and trans folks can resist erasure by fully embracing their identities and continuing to show up proudly and purposefully.

⏱️ Timestamps

• 00:00 – 02:04 | Deadpool and the "Queer Agenda"

• 02:04 – 03:57 | Attacks on DEI and moving beyond the workplace

• 03:57 – 06:27 | Defining Homophobia and Transphobia: Personal and systemic lenses

• 06:27 – 09:10 | Looking at history: a pandemic and bigotry in the 1920s

• 09:10 – 10:33 | Microaggressions and the "Moving Sidewalk" analogy

• 10:33 – 16:23 | Coming Out Stories: Internalized shame, self-expression, and emotional growth.

• 16:23 – 23:12 | Getting political on behalf of younger people

• 23:12 – 29:03 | "Parental rights" as a tactic for harm vs. Jefferson's dad

• 29:03 – 40:49 | Why did Black men vote for Trump??

• 40:49 – end | A call to action: Owning identity and resisting erasure

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Internalized Homophobia & Code Switching: Jefferson shares his personal journey of coming out and how internalized shame shaped his early experiences.

• Microaggressions as Violence: The conversation highlights how microaggressions and passive inaction contribute to systemic transphobia and homophobia.

• The Politics of DEI: How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work is being marginalized—especially when it centers race, gender identity and sexuality.

• Queer Resilience: Reflections on embracing femininity, emotional expression, and the freedom that comes from an unapologetic queer existence.

• History Repeating Itself: Insights into historical backlash against LGBTQIA+ expression following global crises—and how we must resist similar trends today.

🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Buddies in Bad Times Theatre: One of the world's longest-running queer theatre companies.

• Books and studies on LGBTQIA+ mental health and internalized oppression (referenced by Evolve).