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.

• 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

• 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.

• 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).

🎙️ Is Being WHITE a Taboo Subject? In this unflinching episode, hosts Evolve Benton and Jefferson Darrell are joined by guests scott dagostino and Curious Ben for an unfiltered conversation on white privilege, fragility, and the sociocultural roots of whiteness. The group unpacks how systemic racism and white identity are maintained, defended, and often misunderstood—even by those who benefit from them. Through stories of accountability, allyship, and community learning, the episode explores what it takes to truly dismantle white supremacy culture from within.

Learn more about how to work with Evolve Benton https://evolvebenton.com/

Learn more about how to work with Breakfast Culture https://www.breakfastculture.org/

🧠 Key Takeaways White Fragility in Action: How discomfort with race conversations derails accountability and recenters whiteness.

The Journey of Accountability: scott and Ben share personal experiences of unlearning, making mistakes, and being corrected with care and community.

Whiteness as a Sociopathic System: A controversial but thought-provoking reflection on how white culture encourages emotional disconnection, competition, and harm. Language and Distraction: Debates around terminology like "white privilege" or "white fragility" often serve to avoid deeper truths about racism.

Cultural Theft: Whiteness not only harms people of color—it erases European ancestry and cultural heritage from white people themselves. Books as Tools for Change: A call to action to "read a damn book" and embrace learning from Black, queer, and trans voices.

🧑‍💼 Guest Bios scott dagostino (he/him) is a journalist and former manager of Toronto's historic Glad Day Bookshop—the world's oldest LGBTQ+ bookstore. His advocacy spans queer visibility, racial justice, and anti-oppression work within the arts and cultural sectors.

Curious Ben (he/him) is a social justice educator and consultant, known for his Instagram activism and equity training work alongside his wife Jamisa. With a background in forensic counseling, Ben brings insights from 20 years of work in domestic and sexual violence intervention, applying those lessons to broader conversations on white culture and accountability.

🔗 Resources Mentioned White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo Excluded by Julia Serano Audre Lorde, Zora Neale Hurston, Ralph Ellison – Celebrated Black authors everyone reads in university or should read now! Kate Bornstein – Trans activist and author Glad Day Bookshop – A landmark LGBTQ+ space in Toronto Dante King – Speaker on whiteness and sociopathy in institutional settings

🎙️Money Trauma Is Real and Here's What You Need to Know! In this essential episode of King & Qween, hosts Evolve Benton and Jefferson Darrell welcome writer and equity advocate Anna-Liza Badaloo for a vulnerable and deeply personal conversation on money trauma. Together, they explore the emotional, cultural, and neurological layers behind how people—especially those from racialized and immigrant communities—relate to money, wealth, and self-worth. Whether you've inherited wealth, debt, or shame—this conversation offers community, clarity, and healing.

Learn more from Evolve Benton at https://evolvebenton.com/

Learn more from Jefferson Darrell at https://www.breakfastculture.org/

🧠 Key Takeaways Money Trauma Is Real: How historical oppression, scarcity, and intergenerational pressure shape our emotional relationship to money.

Generational Wealth vs. Generational Debt: Acknowledging the emotional toll and structural inequities behind both ends of the spectrum.

The Psychology of Deserving: Unpacking how guilt and internalized beliefs affect the ability to receive and steward abundance.

Cultural Pressures in Immigrant Families: The expectation to "profit" and prove the worth of sacrifices made by previous generations.

Gender & Financial Independence: How gender roles and family values influence financial empowerment and literacy.

Healing Through Gratitude and Advocacy: Moving toward financial well-being by recognizing privilege, practicing self-compassion, and planning for the next generation.

👨🏽 Guest Bio Anna-Liza Badaloo (she/her) is a writer, facilitator, and equity advocate working at the intersections of health, environment, and social justice. With roots in Trinidad and Tobago and based in Canada, she blends systeooms of research, storytelling, and advocacy to challenge structural inequities. Anna-Liza is a regular contributor to The Monitor and Broadview Magazine and she facilitates dialogues on inclusive public policy and organizational change.

🔗 Resources Mentioned

Kendrick Lamar's "I Deserve" – A hip-hop mantra around equity and worth Canadian Dental Care Plan – A government initiative discussed through a culturally impactful ad.

Financial Literacy for LGBTQ+ Communities – K. Kenneth Davis' work in this field.

Neurological Impact of Trauma – Discussion on how early experiences with scarcity shape adult financial behavior.

🎙️ Why Should I Care About Intersectionality?

What does it mean to truly understand identity in all its complexity? In this first episode of King & Qween, hosts Evolve Benton and Jefferson Darrell unpack the foundational concept of intersectionality—how overlapping identities shape our experiences of privilege, oppression, and access. Together, they explore the origin of the term, its real-world applications in workplace equity, and the challenges individuals face when parts of their identities are ignored or marginalized.

Learn more about Evolve Benton's DEI Consulting https://evolvebenton.com/

Learn more about Breakfast Culture https://www.breakfastculture.org/

⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – 03:00 | Introduction and talking about wage gap stats

03:01 – 06:30 | Defining intersectionality and Kimberlé Crenshaw's work 06:31 – 8:00 | How privilege shows up in race, queerness, language 8:01 – 11:00 | Canada vs. U.S. Black experiences 11:01 – 19:50 | Wage disparities: Statistics on women of color in the workplace 19:51 – 34:10 | Parenthood, privilege, and gender expectations at work 34:11 – 43:20 | Personal stories of workplace inequity 43:21 – 58:52 | Politics and the power of collective advocacy 58:53 – End | "So what's the tea, Jefferson?"

🧠 Learning Outcomes Defining Intersectionality: Kimberlé Crenshaw's term and its relevance across DEI and academic contexts.

The Wheel of Power and Privilege: How social identity categories influence power dynamics

Environmental Context: How location (e.g., U.S. vs. Canada) and community shift experiences of identity.

Invisible Intersections: The erasure of queerness in Black spaces and of race in queer spaces and how dual identities are often overlooked.

Gender Wage Gap Realities: A deep dive into post-pandemic wage disparities across gender, race, and parental status in both Canada and the U.S. Allyship and Advocacy: Why asking for what you're worth—and supporting others to do the same—matters in workplace equity.

Host Bios Jefferson Darrell (he/him) is a communications strategist and founder of Breakfast Culture. He uses creativity and cultural competency to help organizations dismantle systemic bias and lead with empathy.

Evolve Benton (they/King) is the founder of Speaking 4 Profit, specializing in helping LGBTQ+ people thrive and lead in the workplace and in entrepreneurship. With over 12 years of experience as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion consultant and trainer, Evolve facilitates transformative conversations for organizations thriving to be culturally diverse and put DEI practices into action.

🔗 Resources Mentioned Kimberlé Crenshaw – Scholar who coined the term intersectionality in 1989.

Sylvia Duckworth's Wheel of Power and Privilege – A visual tool for exploring identity-based privilege.

Catalyst – A research and advocacy organization for women in business. Statistics Canada & the U.S. Census Bureau – Sources for wage gap statistics by gender, race, and parental status.

What happens when society equates health with thinness and worth with appearance? In this transformative episode, hosts Evolve Benton and Jefferson Darrell take on the pervasive and often invisible issue of fat bias with special guest Vinny Wellsby. From childhood trauma to media stereotypes and the medical industrial complex, this discussion unearths how anti-fatness intersects with race, gender, disability, and class, inviting listeners to unlearn internalized shame and embrace radical body acceptance.

Learn more about Evolve Benton's DEI Consulting https://evolvebenton.com/

Learn more about Breakfast Culture https://www.breakfastculture.org/

• 00:00 – 04:00 | Opening reflections on body shaming and societal messaging

• 04:01 – 09:00 | Defining fat bias and its medical, cultural, and social lenses

• 09:01 – 15:00 | Media, racism, and the construction of the "ideal body"

• 15:01 – 20:00 | Jefferson's experience with weight loss and the paradox of approval

• 20:01 – 26:00 | Reclaiming the word "fat" and why language matters

• 26:01 – 32:00 | The economics of fat bias: Who profits from body shame?

• 32:01 – 38:00 | Representation and joy: What liberation could look like

• 38:01 – 44:00 | Positive media portrayals of people in bigger bodies

• 44:01 – End | Resources for healing, reflection, and showing up for all bodies

• Fat Bias Is Systemic and Personal: Fatphobia doesn't just live in individuals—it's built into our institutions, media, and healthcare systems.

• The Origins of Anti-Fatness: Western beauty standards have racist and classist roots and we've seen the historical weaponization of fatness.

• Language Matters: The use of "fat" as a neutral descriptor vs. a slur—why reclaiming the word can be empowering.

• Intersections with Race and Gender: How fat Black bodies are policed and pathologized differently than white ones.

• The Wellness Industrial Complex: How diet culture and health messaging often disguise anti-fatness as "care."

• Radical Acceptance as Resistance: Body neutrality, joyful movement, and self-advocacy as tools for reclaiming autonomy and dignity.

Vinny Wellsby (they/them) is a world-leading expert on dismantling anti-fat bias and diet-culture, TEDx speaker, and best-selling author.

• "Fearing the Black Body" by Dr. Sabrina Strings – A foundational text on the racial origins of fatphobia

• "You Have the Right to Remain Fat" by Virgie Tovar – A radical take on body liberation and anti-diet culture

• The BMI's Racist History – Discussion around the flawed and exclusionary nature of the Body Mass Index

• The HAES (Health at Every Size) Movement – A framework that decouples health from weight and challenges traditional medical assumptions