The Queerest Podcast
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The Queerest Podcast is your cosmic guide to the Queer Universe. Hosted by Andraé BVR, each episode takes you on an interstellar journey through queer culture, identity, and influence. From dismantling media tropes to exploring queer representation, we invite you to challenge norms and expand your horizons. So, buckle up, set your phasers to fabulous—close encounters of the queerest kind await!
The Queerest Podcast
FROM PRIDE TO POLICY: Advancing Queer Mental Health
LGBTQ+ youth are facing a mental health crisis—but it’s not because of who they are. It’s because of how they are treated. A staggering 39% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered suicide in the past year, and over 250 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have already been filed in 2024. In this episode, host AndraeBVR sits down with Juan Acosta, a mental health advocate, author, and activist who has been on the frontlines of this work since the age of 13.
Juan shares his journey from grassroots activism to working with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, Mental Health America, and NAMI, and how his experiences as a first-generation Mexican immigrant and LGBTQ+ advocate have shaped his mission to break down barriers in mental health care. Together, they unpack the realities of mental health struggles, the impact of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, and the life-saving power of affirming spaces.
This episode isn’t just about the challenges—it’s about the solutions. What can we do to ensure LGBTQ+ young people get the support they need? How can we all take action in our daily lives? Tune in for a powerful conversation on mental health, advocacy, and hope.
This episode discusses mental health struggles, including challenges related to trauma, discrimination and suicidal ideation. Please listen with care and take breaks if needed.
Speaker 2:Just even the news cycle right Policy policy. Policy is something that completely impacts our lives. The way that many of the identities, even currently, are being targeted by politicians, by influential leaders. It leads to negative mental health consequences. Like it's really. People in power should want to be supportive and protect all communities, not give them more barriers and more things to stress about queer representation.
Speaker 1:We invite you to challenge norms and expand your horizons. So buckle up and set your phasers to fabulous, Close encounters of the queerest kind await.
Speaker 3:Greetings, cosmic queers and allies. Welcome to the Queers Podcast, your interstellar guide through the vastness of queer existence. I'm your host, andre BVR, and today we are tackling a critical topic mental health in LGBTQ plus communities, especially for queer youth. According to the Trevor Project's 2024 US National Survey, 39% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year and 12% of those attempted it. Yet half of those who want mental health care cannot access it, facing barriers like cost, a lack of affirming providers and a fear of discrimination. Our guest today has spent years working to change that.
Speaker 3:Juan Acosta is a first generation Mexican immigrant and a nationally recognized mental health advocate. He's worked with the Biden administration, lady Gaga's Born this Way Foundation and organizations like Mental Health America and NAMI to push culturally competent care, especially for LGBTQ+, Latinx and immigrant communities. He's spoken at the White House, the United Nations and mental health summits across the country and co-authored the New York Times bestselling book Channel Kindness with Lady Gaga and other Born this Way Foundation reporters. Juan's work has been recognized by the Advocates 30 Under 30, stat News' status list and, most recently, as a 2024 Young Innovator in Behavioral Health. He's dedicated his life to ensuring mental health services are accessible, affirming and inclusive for all.
Speaker 3:Juan, welcome to the Queerist Podcast. It's an honor to have you. Thank you for having me Amazing. So let's start off a little bit with the beginning of your journey around activism. Your journey as a mental health advocate started remarkably young, at just 13 years old. Many people obviously don't find their activism until later in life, but you were so aware of what was happening and kind of took action. What was kind of like that first motivation to have you speak out specifically around mental health and LGBTQ rights at such a young age.
Speaker 2:For me talking about mental health and beginning my work was more of a necessity to survive. It was not something that I really had planned out. There was no strategy behind it, but I was just in a really dark place in my life at that time, getting bullied because of my identity, and what led me to start my work was openly about mental health, and it can be scary at first, but it's something that we need to do, and once I began speaking about it and doing the work, I realized that there's a lot of people who feel the same way, who go through the same things and who are facing the same challenges and receiving that support and care, and it really changed my life and helped me heal. But also it gave me my purpose in life and my passion, which is to make sure that I'm doing what I can to use my voice, my platform, to support the cause and ensure that other young LGBTQ plus members have the support that maybe I didn't have at that age.
Speaker 3:Amazing, Like the levels of self-awareness and also just like your ability to take your personal struggle and turn it into kind of a personal mission. I think is so impressive and truly inspiring. And, you know, like that advocacy, that passion for advocacy, obviously led you to make history in your hometown correct In 2018, you drafted Woodland, California's first LGBTQ plus proclamation, which passed unanimously Something that hadn't failed in previous attempts. What did that victory mean to you and what impact did that have on kind of your whiter community?
Speaker 2:I mean that victory, I think to this day. You know you mentioned some of my work when you were introducing me, but till this day I think that's one of my favorite things that I've ever done. Growing up in this town, there was a lot of things that I felt that negatively impacted me, you know, feeling like people were against my community, right, and it really I did not feel welcomed. And before I moved out for school I wanted to do something to change that and I emailed the city manager and I was like, hey, can we do this? And then they asked me to draft the language for the proclamation and I had no idea what that entailed, but I stayed up. I was like I need to make sure I get this done. I stayed up researching how to do that and so I did it. I sent it over and they had an open comment session. People were going to speak against it and for it and it passed unanimously for the first time.
Speaker 2:And to me, seeing people come out for the first time and declaring themselves to be members of the community was something that really left a mark in me, and also seeing people rejoice and cry after and just really hug to have that message of acceptance and affirmation in their own community meant a lot, because, at the end of the day, I wasn't the only member of the community here, right, and there were other people who really needed that message to feel like they belonged here.
Speaker 2:And it's stuff like that, having those affirming faces and messages, that can save someone's life. And now, every year they have the proclamation now and they have a parade. Now it's a smaller parade, we're not a big city, it's a smaller city, but they have the proclamation now and they have a parade now like it's a smaller parade. It's we're not a big city, it's a smaller city, but they have a parade, they have the demonstrations, and seeing that after that pass for the first time has been the coolest thing. Just knowing that something and some, some effort like that can lead to that change and can provide a more inclusive environment for others.
Speaker 3:That's incredible, like the impact is still being felt today from that. So, like, honestly, congratulations to you, and like I think being able to be the one that is trailblazing in a small community like that I think is important, because we need leaders who are outspoken and visible, and you are definitely that. So I think that's really fantastic and inspiring. And it's obviously clear like your personal story is deeply intertwined with your advocacy and so, like, as a first-generation Mexican immigrant, you've often spoke about the importance of culturally competent mental care. How has your background shaped your mental health activism, particularly within Latinx and immigrant communities?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean my background, my culture has shaped my career entirely, and just my experience in advocacy For me. It's always been important for me to do the research right, to stay informed, to speak to other communities and to get that other perspective right. I think it's so important to consistently and always keep learning. But my experience gave me a very unique lens in the way that my parents never spoke about mental health when we were growing up and it was something that we didn't touch on. We never spoke about our feelings and even the term mental health was not something I even knew about until I started struggling and I started Googling like, why am I feeling this way? Or I started speaking to a school counselor, right, and that's how I was able to really discover what was going on with me. But in terms of the terminology that we use for depression, anxiety, none of that was previously discussed in my household and when I spoke to my parents about it, it took them a while to really understand and grasp what all of that meant. And it's not a unique case to me.
Speaker 2:I know it happens in many households where mental health is not a topic of conversation and if it is, it's something that you want to keep hidden, you don't want to talk about publicly. And for culture? Specifically, I'm going to speak about Mexican culture. It's dominated by machismo, right, it's toxic masculinity, defining vulnerability as a weakness when it's in fact a strength. And so for me, me having conversations with people of the older generation as well, who come from the same culture, has been really enlightening, because once we're able to have the conversation and start it, they're able to recognize and reflect on their journey themselves, and then they start finding these things and they're like no way I had anxiety, or I have anxiety, or that part of my life was traumatic, and so it's those missing pieces of education and understanding and really meeting people where they're at that oftentimes we completely oversee in the mental health field, and it's why it's so important that we diversify and have more care for those that may not be from this Western society and have, those you know, very different needs.
Speaker 3:Yeah, 100% agree, and I you know, like we know that, like you know, lgbtq young people face unique challenges when it comes to mental health. Again, I'll reference the Trevor Projects 2024 survey. I think the stat was like half of LGBTQ plus young people needed mental health care but couldn't access it, and you know a lot of them cited, you know, affordability as an issue, lack of affirming providers or fear of being outed by you know anybody within that situation. From your experience, though, like what do you see as the biggest challenges preventing queer youth from receiving the care that they need?
Speaker 2:I think definitely affirming providers is one of them right, and having a provider that is safe and who actually understands those very unique struggles that the community faces, that going to just another therapist may not be as supportive because they may not understand you.
Speaker 2:And that is why you know, oftentimes, when I meet with people from the community and they talk to me about who they're seeing, they always prefer having someone from the community because they understand those specific struggles.
Speaker 2:Right, having someone from the community because they understand those specific struggles right. But more than that, I also see a barrier being our current climate as a society right In terms of policy and feeling safe in a system that oftentimes has left us very unsafe. And so that is another area that I think we can do a lot of growing in, and young people specifically. It's hard to seek support when you're not out yet and when you're still living at home and fear the rejection of your family, and so there's places like Trevor Project right, where you can text and call. You can text and call, and that may feel a little bit more safer because it's a little bit more accessible than telling your parents that you're feeling a certain way because of your identity and that you need to go seek someone to talk to, and that is another layer of complexity that I often see many LGBTQ plus youth face.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I'm curious, can you kind of unpack like you know, our community is really unique in that we face things that kind of our heterosexual, heteronormative peers don't experience Like what are the things that would definitely impact mental health care for LGBTQ youth?
Speaker 2:Just, even the news cycle. Right. Policy policy policy is something that completely impacts our lives. The way that many of the identities, even currently, are being targeted by politicians, by influential leaders. It leads to negative mental health consequences. Like it's really. People in power should want to be supportive and protect all communities, not give them more barriers and more things to stress about. I think that is one thing that makes us very unique in terms of the things that we face. In addition to, of course, the bullying that happens often in schools and even in workplaces at times. Right, there's this rejection that the straight counterparts don't often face and the lgbtq plus community faces on a day-to-day. I always say that being out and pride and all of these things, that is an act of resistance itself. Right. It really takes a lot of bravery for people to come out and be their true self in a society that, at times, does not welcome in our full identity.
Speaker 3:Yeah, totally agree, and I think like it's the more personal, local level, it's like the interactions of bullying, but then it's like the messages that our community is told through the media, like you said, through policymakers who are, you know, making it much more difficult to exist, demonizing our community, criminalizing, just trying to find different ways that they can put us back in the closet, and those type of things have impact on our mental health care and it's really awful just to see how they are allowing that to be kind of the law of the land. It's like why would you want to hurt people who are just trying to exist and live their lives? But that's not how they see it, unfortunately, you know. Obviously, another heartbreaking statistic from the Trevor Project survey was that 42% of LGBTQ plus youth feared talking about their mental health and 37% avoided care because they didn't want to ask for a parent's permission. This obviously highlights how many structural barriers exist for young people. My question to you is how can we better support them in seeking help, especially when they feel trapped by these limitations?
Speaker 2:I mean, the limitations are so valid. Right, you want to feel safe when you seek support and I think we can better support them educators, anyone who is in touch with a young person by providing them resources that may be effective for them, right? Whether it's the Trevor Project, whether it's 988, for resources that are more accessible than going to a therapist and having to get parents permission. Accessible than going to a therapist and having to get parents permission, or even by going into some groups, right? I I remember when I was younger that my first ideas of representation came from project like it gets better, the no hate campaign.
Speaker 2:Lady gaga was born this way. That, like all of these things, right. And media and these are things that you know, people in media influencers would, whoever, just by sharing resources and sharing stories of hope that can create an impact. And also there's a downside to social media. But I think social media, connecting with other members of the community on social media and seeing people thrive from the community, can help them also get that sense of hope that they too can be free and true to themselves and thrive as well.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I think to that point. I think you do such a fantastic job of showcasing your journey, both as a queer person, but also of all the advocacy work that you do online. I think that's so important for you to be visible, to show people that they're like. Like the project says, it gets better and you are living that, and I think that's so important because it allows for those who may be in the closet, those who are new to the community, or even those who have been in the community and still deal with internalized homophobia, can see the work you're doing and the impact you're making in helping bring progress to our country, our culture and our community. So, you know, thank you for that and I would say continue to do that, because it's so important for our community to see leaders like yourself who are doing this work to make the world better for us.
Speaker 2:As well, for you know platforms like this one. Right, You're working on this podcast specifically highlighting, you know, efforts of the community. We need all of it, especially now, and so it's a collective effort and I appreciate all you do as well.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. I want to now kind of ask you. You know, for many queer youth, school is one of the first places where they either find support or experience harm. As we kind of already touched on, nearly 49% of LGBTQ youth aged 13 to 17 reported being bullied in the past year, and those who did were significantly more likely to attempt suicide. How do we address bullying as a mental health crisis, and what steps can schools and communities take to create safer spaces?
Speaker 2:I think bullying definitely ties into mental health negative impacts. Right, if you're consistently being harassed in school and you're going to school to learn not to be taunted or harassed by your classmates, it can be overwhelming. I myself faced that at the age of 13. And that's why I started this work and it led me to have a lot of negative thoughts and feelings. And what I found helpful was when teachers from the go were speaking openly about respecting everyone, when they would take action and have follow through when someone said that they were getting bullied and not ignore it, and also have conversations with the school counselors, who were really supportive.
Speaker 2:I I think sometimes people think bullying does not impact young people in a tremendous way. They think that people are too sensitive, that their feelings are too large or that they need to get over it. But they're young people who are experiencing life for the first time and I consistently get tired of people, specifically from the communities that we're speaking about, always having to live on survival mode, because it feels like that at times, right, especially when you're a young, closeted person, where you're having to survive school but also sometimes having to go back home, to a home that isn't accepting right, and then maybe you're not even out, but maybe you're hearing your parents or your cousins or siblings speak negatively about a community that you belong to and they don't even know it yet.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I can speak to my personal experience, like it was definitely a learning curve for my parents to get on board with me being queer and you know I had one instance of bullying that you know I was able to handle.
Speaker 3:But you know there are many cases where the situations escalate and it's not it's not, it's a lot of unfortunate outcomes and it, you know, could go from you know, consistent bullying to sometimes even violence and other you know forms of escalation there and I think it's important for schools to make sure that they're protecting their students, to hear when they're needing help and supporting and also just educating the all the students about respect, like you mentioned, because it's it's it's about making sure that we are creating a space that's safe for students to thrive Because, like you said, it's about going to school to learn not to be taunted by people and classmates and stuff like that.
Speaker 3:So I think that's that's really important. You know I've obviously cited several different items around kind of the data, but there are some kind of hopeful data points that I can actually point out and studies have actually shown that LGBTQ youth who live in very accepting communities attempt suicide at less than half the rate of those in unaccepting communities? What role, in your opinion, does community support play in mental health outcomes, and how can we all contribute to creating affirming environments?
Speaker 2:I think community is everything. In mental health outcomes, we know that community is something we all seek. We all seek to belong, right, everybody, no matter what identity, sexuality, whatever it may be, we all seek to belong and to have our people, people that we can lean on, people that we can support and that can support us. And in mental health specifically, it's part of the social determinants of health. We need each other.
Speaker 2:And, specifically when you speak about the LGBTQ community, that sense of belonging and representation is even more increased, right? So if someone feels safe around others, they're more likely to do better than someone who does not have that support and who may feel like they're alone. And in just any effort, even in advocacy efforts right, it's great when someone's able to do something by themselves, but it becomes even more powerful when there's more people behind them. So I think that is something that, in life generally, is important. But specifically when we talk about the LGBTQ plus community, there is a need for more people who are from the same background to unite in order to push any effort forward, and we've seen it with, you know, even efforts for pride.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely. I want to take a quick pivot now in our conversation to kind of talk about the work that you've been doing over the years with all of the various organizations you've collaborated. I was on your website and I was just like so impressed Like it's y'all visit his website. It's copious, like there's just so many different organizations, so many different events and initiatives and programs that you've been a part of. That's been so impressive that have you know gone from you know nonprofit organizations to governmental agencies, the white house, the United Nations, like I mentioned earlier, like you are doing so much work and it's so impressive. I'm curious, like from your work with the Born this Way Foundation, nami, mental Health America obviously it's putting you in a unique position to see different approaches to mental health advocacy. From your collaborations, though, like what are some of the most effective mental health initiatives you've seen and what lessons have you learned from them? I mean for Like what are some of the most effective mental health initiatives you've seen and what lessons have you learned from them?
Speaker 2:I mean for me always. Some of my favorite efforts from these organizations are their youth focused efforts, when they really bring youth to the table to inform decisions, including policies, and it's important because the policy work and all of these initiatives will impact the youth the most right. And it's very important that when you're creating things for young people, that they're led by young people, that they're not just given a resource or a source that's already been pre-created without any of their knowledge. When we talk about the LGBTQ plus community or any community generally, the same is to be done with them. Right? We are the best messengers. We need to inform people, and what I've seen work best is meeting people where they're at and being open to criticism, because you cannot join a place or an environment and expect everyone just to say yes to everything that you're doing, because that's not how we grow. And so being open to change is really important and actually being intentional. I don't ever like being in spaces where I'm there to contribute and then it's just really to check off a box in whatever agenda that they have, but rather a box in whatever agenda that they have. But rather, if we're there to share something to change, then be intentional and do it right. I think that's the best way to work.
Speaker 2:I've seen a lot of campaigns be done that have been really impactful, that have had young people message and other members of the community as well, of just feeling seen, and I think that there is such a need for that. Representation. But also in terms of policy, is making sure that we are considering the person's whole identity when trying to provide any sort of care or resources to them. So when we talk about mental health care, we know it looks differently for every single community and, while it can be difficult to have a bunch of resources specifically for all the communities, it's something that we can do if we want to do it, but it takes time and what we need to do is make sure that we are not trying to get an easy way out just to save us some work, and it's important that we include all of these communities and all of the considerations that go into supporting diverse individuals.
Speaker 2:When I first started doing my work, a lot of these conversations about LGBTQ plus identities and mental health weren't as common, and that was shocking to me, because then, when I started doing it, everyone was saying like oh, this is trailblazing, or like, and I was like why is this even like trailblazing? I feel like this should have been done already. That was shocking to me and that it like continued throughout the years. That was shocking to me and that it like continued throughout the years, and it's quite beautiful to see the field recognize it more now, even amidst the challenges of the national climate. There's a lot of progress that has been done and I recognize that, and there's a lot more that we can do, but making sure that we are not shying away from calling things out and from doing what's right and being inclusive is important.
Speaker 3:Absolutely, I totally agree with that. And I'm just curious, like you have been to the White House many times, been a part of mental health summits there, what was that journey? What was that process? How did you get invited? Would love to know kind of the context and how was it to be in that space.
Speaker 2:So I was invited I think it was in 2022, my first time I applied for a mental health youth action forum, specifically around youth mental health and specifically for diverse LGBTQ plus youth. For me, it was important to again uplift the LGBTQ plus community and the immigrant communities while there and I was invited to attend, and then they asked me to speak, and so that was actually like the scariest thing of my life.
Speaker 3:I can only imagine.
Speaker 2:It was like it was an amazing experience. I'm really grateful for that and I just remember, like the night before the actual forum, all the like I think I'm gonna cut, like pull out of it. I don't want to do it. What if I mess up? Like all of the? You know the natural anxiety of it all, yeah, but it was a beautiful experience because that morning I woke up and, as I mentioned before, I came to this country at age two from Mexico, immigrated with my parents, and that day I really felt like they were there with me, even though they weren't physically there with me.
Speaker 2:But it was like this feeling of pride and for the LGBTQ plus community, so like when I was able to publicly, you know say my identity when I was introducing myself. That to me meant a lot because it also took me back to when I was 13 and need of that support and to own my identity on a stage like that and to talk about the importance of making sure that our community has resources and support that are intentional, affirmative and safe was really important, and so I appreciate that opportunity and all the opportunities that came after that. It's been life-changing and I'm just really happy to be in the place. I am right now.
Speaker 3:That's amazing and also, just building off of that, like you were also at the United Nations too. Can you kind of tell me a little bit about that? That's super interesting.
Speaker 2:It's been quite interesting.
Speaker 2:As I mentioned, there's been a gap, just to say the least, in many of these spaces, and talking about these things and communities generally at these events has provided the people in attendance, specifically the older people who are not as close to our current struggles, the opportunity to learn and to question, like they're always wanting to learn more, and it's been really cool to see that because after speaking, there's like follow-ups of hey, like what do you think about this?
Speaker 2:And it's really just cool to see that interest and making sure that they are being more mindful about their efforts. And so for me, going to like the UN or even SAMHSA or the White House, it's always an opportunity for me to just speak the truth right, like we need more of this and we need like you cannot just be sending the wrong messengers. We need messengers that look like us, who actually get us and who can meet us where they're at, and so it's been a very unique space to be in and to then have efforts like 988, who are taking a whole person approach, who are making mental health care more accessible. It's been cool to understand that your voice, my voice, everyone's voice, can make a difference if we speak up.
Speaker 3:Absolutely agree. So now I want to kind of take us into a little bit more around kind of storytelling and representation and obviously beyond, like traditional advocacy. We know that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools to shift narratives, to reduce stigma. You were a co-author on Channel Kindness with Lady Gaga and other Born this Way Foundation reporters, which is so cool on top of the fact that it was in New York Times bestseller list Incredible, amazing. So how do you see storytelling shaping the conversation around mental health and why is it such an important tool in advocacy?
Speaker 2:I think storytelling is everything. Again, it goes back to hope providing that hope and that joy to people. It could be through a video, right when you're creating content. It could be through a book, it could be through a song whatever creative outlet you have. We all have the potential to connect with people on a deeper level, and for me, as I mentioned before, music was something that really helped me when I was going through a dark place, and just that story being told as I listened to the music and hearing other people's testimonial really helped me as well. And so, when we talk about advocacy, it's important that, while doing all the policy work is key and crucial, it's also important to provide a sense of hope for those who are going through a difficult time now, and hearing from people who may be from the same community as you, from the same city, from the same culture, whatever it may be, can bring you that sense of hope. And I've been able to do that through my advocacy work, through the book and also through my online content, where I'm able to share in a more authentic, vulnerable way to people, things I may not be sharing on a written post of some sort, and so it's always been important to me and I've always loved seeing other people share their stories too. I think I spend more time watching documentaries and looking at people's testimonials to try and understand other people's way of thinking as well. I think that's like something that's so unique to just humanity generally.
Speaker 2:But I often, when I've shared things in the past, get people DMing me asking or telling me how I did something, and I tell them my some more of my experience. And I remember a very specifically someone DM me on Instagram and they had told me that they wanted to come out and that they didn't know how to tell the parents and I just told them you know, do it when you feel safe. You know when you think it's time and everything will be fine, your truth is worth living. And they messaged me, I think like two months after and they're like I did it. I came out and they were all very accepting and supportive and that to me like stuff like that is I didn't know this person. This person lived in Mexico, but they found me through my social media because of a video I posted and they were able to come out because, in a way, I think that representation connected with them. And that's just one example there's been like high schooler from Colorado emailed me asking for a piece of advice because they were familiar with my work.
Speaker 2:Stuff like that is so important to people and I feel like I got that through media when I was growing up and now we all have social media right and it's easier for us to connect with people in that way. In storytelling, but in terms of advocacy, it's important to also share the why behind you want a policy to change or work better for a specific community. It's great to have other research, but if there's no specific research relation to a person, to how it's impacting them personally, it weakens it a little bit. So I always think storytelling plays a big piece in advocacy and life generally in building that community.
Speaker 3:Absolutely agree, honestly like and I think like the fact that people feel such comfort and security, even being able to share that with you, to DM you somebody who you know has never met them, I think is so. It's inspiring but also really empowering to have. Like you know, our community is wide and it is sprawling and we are in different places around the world, but at the end of the day, we understand what this experience is like, no matter the country, no matter where we're at. I think it's it's really important that you know, people understand that community matter where we're at. I think it's really important that people understand that community is where we find power, community is where we find support and community is what will keep us chugging along to make greater progress, for us as a community, but also as a culture in whole.
Speaker 3:One thing that I want to say is one of the most difficult challenges that LGBTQ youth face is this constant wave of anti-LGBTQ plus legislation. I believe GLAAD said there's currently like 250 pieces across the United States that were introduced in state legislatures across the country Just already 250, it's only February. It's like how do y'all first one, how do you have all the time? But also like is this really what you need to be working on? Like we have bigger fish to fry? Like why are you attacking a vulnerable, marginalized community?
Speaker 3:That aside, though, I'm curious, like, given that, like 90% of LGBTQ youth said that recent politics has negatively impacted their mental health, how do we stay informed and engaged but also protect our mental health? Because, as you know, as this, it's only been like 20 days or so since this new administration has come in, but it seems like it's been already like two years, with, like, the constant barrage of news how they're flooding the zone with all of these kind of erratic and irresponsible and sometimes even like borderline evil, you know approaches to managing and governing our country. How do people protect their mental health while still making sure that they understand what's happening and how they can stay engaged?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're kind, you said only two years. I feel like it's been 100. I mean, it's the reality, right? It's difficult to stay informed and to not feel overwhelmed by everything that's happening. However, for me personally, I believe in staying engaged and staying informed and also, once I recognize my body tensing up or I'm starting to feel really overwhelmed, I take a break. But I think it's more important than ever to stay engaged, but definitely while also taking care of yourself is a lie that is really meant to be just negative rhetoric towards a community that really just gives a lot of love to everyone around. It's important that you try to find something that works for you, to make sure that you're prioritizing your self-care.
Speaker 2:For me, I sometimes I'm gonna read things in the morning, but in the evening I'm not reading no news, I'm just going to unplug. I'll catch up in the morning, but for me, the evening, I'm not reading no news, I'm just going to unplug. I'll catch up in the morning. But for me it's important to always have some kind of balance. Or else we're just going to be at all times just stressed out and it could be really discouraging to be in the place that we're in now, but I'm comforted by knowing that our community has had a lot of progress in the past couple of years, and we've fought in the past and we were in an even worse place in the past, and I'm not sure what place we're going to end up in after this.
Speaker 2:These couple of years, right, but what I do know that we now have more of each other because of our representation, because of our collective online, et cetera, and that we now know that our voices can have a greater impact. I always believe that leadership comes from within. Power comes from within ourselves and, as mentioned earlier, community makes that leadership and power even greater and while there is people in power making some of these decisions, I guess they can't take the power that we have within ourselves, and that's something that I remind myself consistently on a day to day. Right, it's this negative headline, but how can we, as a community, support those around us and look at our local efforts to make sure that we're doing what we can to support our community if our leadership is going to fail Right, absolutely agree, and I think you made a really good point there.
Speaker 3:Our community is so immensely resilient. We've been through so many different political battles, whether it was dealing with the AIDS crisis, or dealing with Don't Ask, don't Tell, or dealing with the Defense of Marriage Act. There's just been so many different times that we've had to fight for our right to exist, but, at the end of the day, it's like our community is just so resilient and we always come together to push our culture forward, and I know that this is going to be a really difficult time for a lot of people, but I think people should take away from this that there is hope, that there is a community there. We are here for each other. We are going to continue to fight for our rights and to protect the rights that we do have, and this is just one bump in the road, and we will continue to make progress and make the world more inclusive and equitable and equal and all the things that we need to, but this is just one of those roadblocks to getting there.
Speaker 3:One thing, though, is, you know, a big part of making change is showing people what they can do right now. As you know, you know many of the listeners would obviously would like to help. So they don't know. You know they don't know where to start. I guess my question to you is like, for those who want to make a difference, what are three things, or you know a handful of things that you'd recommend today that they can do to support LGBTQ, mental health advocacy or just in general, like support for the wider community?
Speaker 2:I mean there are many things right.
Speaker 2:Support your LGBTQ plus friends, support LGBTQ plus owned business media and make sure that you're getting involved in politics.
Speaker 2:At the end of the day, when we talk about mental health and all of these efforts, it always goes back to policy and always, whether it be policy at a national level, at a local level or even in schools. So if you can get involved in local policy work whether it be something similar like a proclamation, whether it be having your first pride event in your community, whether it be going to your school superintendent and talking to them about what they're going to do to make sure that the LGBTQ plus youth in their schools are being supported and are having a space to be themselves, these are all things that are practical and that are more at a micro level that we can all do. They're more accessible stuff that we can do. And also, if you see a bill that's being passed and you're against it, you can call your senators. Hold them accountable and hold yourself accountable, too, to show up for the rest of the community, including trans individuals, who are being more targeted through the new administration.
Speaker 3:And then, finally, I want to kind of look ahead now and your work is obviously ever evolving. I think now more than ever, your work is really, really important and I want to know what's kind of like next for you. Are there any upcoming projects or ideas that our listeners should keep an eye?
Speaker 2:out for, I mean, there's so much that I have, you know, I want to do and it's like it keeps me up at night, to be honest, but definitely showing up.
Speaker 2:Now I think, more than ever in terms of making sure that I'm doing my part at a local level, community level and also trying to call out misinformation and making sure that we are providing a contrast to the negative things that are being said about the community online and in some of the policy spaces, because we know A it's not true, and by that I never like being combative with the other side, because it's just negative, right, and at the end of the day, for me, I'd rather put out something that is hopeful for people, something that we can all do.
Speaker 2:I'd rather put out something that is hopeful for people, something that we can all do, and not even waste my time on going back and forth with people who may not ever want to understand us. And that is that, like. It's so important for me to be more vocal than ever, to show up and to be more supportive to all members of the community, whether it be on my platform, collaborate more with people. I'm writing a book as well, so I'm excited for that and there's just a lot of more like policy specific items that I want to make sure that I'm doing where I'm at now. I live in California and although we're pretty safe, we can also do a little bit more work in certain areas pretty safe.
Speaker 2:We can also do a little bit more work in certain areas. So just really excited for all of that and also to provide support to other members of the community. I think we're now at a point where we all kind of have to lean on each other and if we're really a community, how we profess to be a community, we need to show up for every single member of our community during these times.
Speaker 3:I agree Absolutely. Well, that concludes our interview, segment one. But now I would love for us to go into the compulsory questions. These are questions that I like to ask all of the guests that come on the Queerist podcast. They're more kind of fun and personality-based. But however you want to respond, you can just answer. Or if you want to add context, we love context here, so feel free. But the first question I have for you is what is your go-to queer anthem? That never fails to get you pumped?
Speaker 2:it's definitely born this way by lady gaga. I think that that was my, my anthem I it was released. I think I was 13 at the time and I remember like learning the whole choreo for that song when it was released. So that one, and in Spanish it's called Mi Miran by Gloria Pérez.
Speaker 3:Oh, I love that one yes Question how was it being able to, like you know, fall in love with this song that meant so much to you and then collaborate with the artist whose song that you love Like? What was that experience like?
Speaker 2:Well, that was like. That was another like pinch me moment. That that was awesome. It was like a full circle moment. For me. It's always like specifically an opportunity. I was like this is for like my younger self. That song, more than like just a song, it was something that gave me a message of hope and acceptance, just how we were speaking about storytelling earlier. It was at a time where I was trying and seeking representation and feeling seen and that song was able to do that for me and to then, later, as I got older, be a part of the book and collaborate so closely with her organization, her mom. I'm just grateful it was and is an honor I am. I'm just grateful it was, it was and is an honor.
Speaker 3:That's amazing. Just a quick side note I actually was able to attend a Lady Gaga seven listening party a few months ago and actually was able to meet Lady Gaga too, which was just like again kind of a pinch me moment for sure, and I heard about like seven of the songs, cause she was just showing the team that I was with the songs. It's so good, by the way. So for those who, hopefully, whenever this comes out, the Lady Gaga album should also be out, so go listen to it. Mayhem, it is so good. But let's go to the next question. If your identity came with a warning label, what would it say? Direct, yes, I love that. Next question if you could have a queer superpower, what would it be?
Speaker 2:voguing, I'd be battling I love that.
Speaker 3:That's a great superpower. And then, what is the? What is your favorite piece of queer content right now? And this could be a film, a TV show, a podcast, a book, anything that you're really loving right now that you'd love the queerest community to be aware of.
Speaker 2:I'm not even going to lie I watch Drag Race.
Speaker 3:I love Drag Race.
Speaker 2:Drag Race yeah.
Speaker 3:Drag Race. It honestly like I watch it probably way too much, but like it can pull me out of like any funk that I'm in, just like putting on any episode from any season. Like the queens are doing some really good work and like it's so inspiring to see people who are visible members of our community, who look good doing it and who are like really really like impressive all-around entertainers. So love drag race and I'm obsessed with this season right now. Are you keeping up with it?
Speaker 2:yeah, I am. I love it. I'm like watching untucked all of the behind, like everything. To me it's like you said. It's an escape, right, just seeing people like perform and take it to this fantasy world. But I just love seeing their passion too and their dedication to their craft. It's always so cool to see people who are passionate and unapologetic about it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Follow-up question to that actually, Do you have a top three in mind of who you want to win? Potentially no.
Speaker 2:I'm torn right now. It's hard because mine changes every week, but I'll give you my all-time favorite, queen Valentina, and she just, she just had it for me, that like yeah, we love Valentina Amazing.
Speaker 3:And then the next question is if you could give your younger, queer self a piece of advice, what would it be? Be kinder to yourself, yeah, yeah, I think that's a really good one. I think, like we are so hard on ourself with all the information and stuff that we hear and all the media that we consume, that kind of has a lot of negative, negative connotations and and, and you know, all the stuff in the media with all of the policy changes, it's changes, it's, it's. We have to remember that, we need to be kind and I think that's a really important message to share for younger self and for those listeners out there to remind themselves that you have to give yourself some grace. Like life is difficult, life is ever-changing, and complex and messy, but at the end of the day, like, give yourself the grace to to learn and change. And complex and messy, but at the end of the day, like give yourself the grace to learn and change and evolve, and you know and like there's really nothing wrong with you.
Speaker 2:I think that was my thing when I was growing up, where it's like oh, it's so bad for me to be myself, or there's something wrong with me and there's nothing wrong. And so just reminding yourself that if you're feeling like there's something wrong with your or like like you can't be yourself, just know that there's nothing wrong with being who you are, because you are what Born this way, I love it.
Speaker 3:Amazing, juan, I want to take a moment to say thank you so much for this conversation, obviously not just for being here, but all of the work that you do every single day, amplifying voices, breaking down barriers and making mental health care more accessible for LGBTQ youth. This conversation has been such an important reminder that mental health struggles do not happen in a vacuum. The statistics we talked about today aren't just numbers. They represent real people in our country who are struggling and often in silence. And, as we heard, it's not that LGBTQ youth are inherently more at risk, but it's that society too often fails to give them the safety, the support and the care that they deserve. But there is hope, folks. We know that when LGBTQ young people have access to affirming spaces, supportive communities, mental health resources, to affirming spaces, supportive communities, mental health resources, the risk of suicide is cut in half. And that means every single one of us has a role to play in making the world a safer, more supportive place, whether that's checking in on a friend advocating for better mental health policies or simply just showing up and letting young people know that they are seen in value.
Speaker 3:So, for those that are listening, if you take one thing away from this conversation. Let it be this you matter, your voice matters and your presence in this world matters, and no one, absolutely no one, should struggle with that alone. Juan, I want to thank you so much again for this conversation, for sharing your story and for being a positive and powerful advocate for change. I know this conversation will resonate with so many people, so I want to thank you again. Thank you. Thank you for having me Awesome. Well, that's it for this episode, folks. Thank you again for tuning in.
Speaker 1:And that's a wrap for this episode of the Queerest Podcast. Thank you for joining us on this cosmic journey through the queer universe. If today's conversation resonated with you, be sure to like, subscribe and share it with your chosen family. Your voice helps grow the queerest community. Until next time, stay curious, you.