In this episode of Whiplash, we sit down with our friend Jessica—a musician, theologian, and educator who grew up in a relaxed, West Coast version of Catholicism that stood in sharp contrast to the rigid forms Emma and I were raised with. From youth ministry to music, Jessica shares how her understanding of faith, aesthetics, and queerness evolved over time, eventually leading her to teach theology with a deep awareness of power, vulnerability, and liberation.

Together, we unpack the sometime-codependent culture of Catholic ministry, the aesthetics of faith as performance, and the reality of queer exclusion in the church. It’s a tender, thoughtful conversation about healing, holding complexity, and finding God beyond the roles we were handed.