26 Dec 2023
I Was Kind of Left to Figure it Out: Immigrant Identity, Sex Ed and Drag Culture w/ Anson
Three Peer Educators record a podcast episode… what happens next will warm your heart. Alums Kenna and Brianna are joined for the season two premiere by Anson, current Peer Educator and Editor-in-Chief of Peer Ed’s teen-led magazine Naked Truth! This episode is jam-packed with conversations on immigrant identity and sex education in a Vietnamese household, “hurdles” to accessing care and information, drag culture, and Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
Below you can find a glossary of jargon-y terms we might’ve said on the show.
Ballroom culture: An LGBTQ+ subculture founded by BIPOC queer people that was very popular in major cities in the '80s. Black and Latino drag queens organized extravagant, pageant-style competitions that featured opulent outfits and voguing competitions.
Heteronormativity: Describes the way heterosexuality (or straightness) is presumed to be the “default.”
HIV/AIDS: HIV attacks the body’s immune system, leading to AIDS if left untreated. In the '80s, HIV was considered an epidemic that overwhelmingly affected gay communities and was ignored by the U.S. government. While there is currently no known cure, there are treatments available for people to live with HIV, and the only way to know if you have it is to get tested.
Houses: In the ballroom scene, houses functioned as a found family. Often the house was led by a “house mother” who taught these younger queer people how to walk in the balls.
Internalized homophobia: Describes the negative effect that homophobia has on LGBTQ+ people and the way they perceive themselves and the community.
Marginalized identities: Those who experience social and political inequality. (i.e. non-white people, LGBTQ+ people, disabled people, etc.)
Values neutral: Values neutral refers to systems of education that do not assume certain shared beliefs, instead working to provide information which individuals can analyze and implement based on their own beliefs and values.
Voguing: A style of improvisational dance done in ballroom inspired by the poses done by fashion models.
For more information and resources about the things we talked about in this episode, check out the links below.
Planned Parenthood website (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/ )
Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-southwest-central-florida )
Planned Parenthood Text/Chat (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/online-tools/chat) or text PPNOW to the number 774636 (PPINFO)
Read Issue 4 of Naked Truth here (https://www.flipsnack.com/ppswcf/naked-truth-summer-2022.html )
Disclaimer:
The experiences and opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida. Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida does not guarantee the completeness, nor the accuracy of the content of this podcast and accepts no liability for any direct or indirect damage of any kind arising from, or in any way related to, the podcast’s content. The information provided in this podcast does not constitute medical, mental health, legal, or other professional advice or services.
Thank you’s and credits to the following amazing people:
Hosts: Brianna Nelson and Kenna Bartlett
Planned Parenthood Staff: Kathy Dobson, Kelsey Hunt-Dolan, and Nan Morgan
Audio Editor: Brianna Nelson
Intro and Outro Music: “Mellow” by Ethan Korvne (Check out his LP “Something Else to Do” on Spotify and Apple Music!)
Cover Art: Brianna Nelson
