In this episode Kate and Tuss talk to a lovely couple - Mark and Michael.

Both have very different coming out stories and we talk to them both about how they came out individually, some of the difficulties they faced and overcame and some of the positive aspects of their stories. Of course we also discuss the romantic way they met!

We discuss some of the really important issues such as how to protect yourself from negativity and how important it is to always be true to yourself.

We discuss the important Youth Network called Minus18 and how the Minus18 underage events were an important aspect of Mark's coming out Journey. https://minus18.org.au/

We both came away from this interview feeling positive and why sharing these stories is so important, especially for people who might be going through a similar thing. Sometimes our journeys out of the closet are not linear and they take time. In the process we might have to deal with the implications of hurting people but at the end of the day, we must be true to ourselves.

Thank you Mark and Michael for sharing your stories and for giving others hope that it really does and will get better.

Special thanks to Kate for joining me on this mission I've spent so many years thinking about and I'm finally now able to play out with the help of your enthusiasm.

As always . . .

Intro music by Taylor Curtis

Follow us on instagram or facebook @storiesfromthecloset or drop us a line [email protected]

Vicki is the mum of our SFTC team member, Kate.

We talk through Kates coming out journey from the perspective of a parent and Vicki sheds some light on what it was like for her to watch her kid go through her self discovery process. Trying to help navigate without being too overbearing or smothery.

She discusses how she supported Kate and let her explore her sexuality and offers some advice to other parents or loved ones who may be going through a similar experience.

As a side note - I (Kate) would like to thank my mum for her honesty and candor during our chat. And her unwavering support of me and my life choices, as cringeworthy as some of them may have been. She helped me, and continues to help me, figure myself out and has always been my biggest cheer leader and reality check. I love you mum.

Intro music by Taylor Curtis

Follow us on instagram or facebook @storiesfromthecloset or drop us a line [email protected]

This week Kate and Tuss talk to Gene, a youngen in her early twenties (oh to be so young again) about her coming out story.

Gene discusses how she has navigated her sexuality through polyamory.

Kate and Tuss admit to not knowing much about polyamory prior to this discussion and definitely came away with very open minds. We all experience and share love very differently in our lives and we believe it is SO important to be open to ways different to our own.

Gene wanted to share some links she found useful to help her. Here is a link to sub reddit's about polyamory

https://www.reddit.com/r/polyamory/

Here is also an additional link to a sub reddit about depression:

https://www.reddit.com/r/depression/?st=J82VW4DM&sh=faa12ef1

Intro music by Taylor Curtis

Follow us on instagram or facebook @storiesfromthecloset or drop us a line [email protected]

This week we talk to the other half of Stories from the Closet - Tuss.

Coming out for me was the most difficult thing I've ever done, but it was such a relief when I finally did. I made a lot of assumptions about how people felt and how people would react so when I finally came out I could start being myself who I knew I truly was inside and I could give the people who loved me the opportunity to really know me. I didn't change, but I was more open towards my loved ones.

My whole life I've had anxiety so even releasing this podcast put me into a huge anxiety spin! I didn't want my experience and my feeling to hurt anyone. Even though I knew it was an important story to share. However, it gets better - it truly does!

To me the current marriage equality debate in Australia isn't just about voting Yes or No for me to be able to legally marry someone, it is about feeling like I'm equal to everyone else. It's about wanting to feel like I don't have to keep proving myself to be equal.

Anyone and everyone that has ever loved and supported me - thank you.

Intro music by Taylor Curtis

Follow us on instagram or facebook @storiesfromthecloset or drop us a line [email protected]

This weeks episode is with one half of the Stories from the Closet team. Kate is in her early 30's and has been out of the closet since she was in her early twenties. In this episode we talk about two of Kate's coming out stories. Firstly, we talk about her coming out as a lesbian and then later coming out as gender fluid. She discusses the things she has found difficult but also where she finds solace.

This year Kate and I were lucky enough to march at Pride March in Melbourne for Queerspace and Drummond Street Services. Queerspace provides a safe and supportive space to obtain information and support services aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing for queer people including youth. We felt like it was a great opportunity to share the services of Drummond Street Services.

Intro music by Taylor Curtis

Follow us on instagram or facebook @storiesfromthecloset or drop us a line [email protected]

Stories from the Closet Stories from the Closet is a podcast inspired by a book titled 'The Letter Q.'

The book is a complication of letters penned by writers in the LGBTQI + community to their younger selves offering some comfort through the privilege of hindsight. Essentially the goal was to help others see that 'it gets better.' Currently in Australia with marriage equality up for debate, members of the LGBTIQ community potentially have a hard road ahead.

This podcast is meant to offer insight, support and solace not just to the younger or not out people in our community, its also for the already out, and for the people on the other side to shed some light on our experience and some common ground in our difference. We want people to be able to listen to this and hopefully feel less alone, to be aware that their are other people out there who have had similar experiences and that whatever you're feeling is okay.

Each episode, 'Kate' and 'Tuss' will chat to someone new about their own coming out story. We'll talk to people who have had to come out in one form or another and we'll even talk to some of our parents and family to hear their important side of the coming out story. These stories are important ones to hear. They give the people who share them a voice, and those that hear them - hope that life on the outside of the closet can be one full of love. We'll start this journey by sharing our own stories of vulnerability, fear and hope in our own coming out stories. We are happy to report that for both of us it truly did get better!

There is some swearing and adult content in this podcast so if you have sensitive ears maybe try and open your mind and listen past the swears and listen to the stories behind them because they are important and deserve to be heard.

Follow us on instagram @storiesfromthecloset

Intro music by Taylor Curtis

Stay tuned for our first episode where we interview one half of the Stories from the Closet team - Kate!