Queer Yid Podcast: LGBTQ Jews Share Our Stories

Today I’m talking with Yered Stufflebeam. From Indiana to Pittsburgh to Israel, Yered’s story is unapologetically queer. After being bullied in high school, Yered came out to his friends, family, and Rabbis, and forged his own path through the religious world. From proudly working as an openly gay madrich to breaking stereotypes about religious people in the army, Yered’s story is one you won’t want to miss.

Today I’m speaking with an old friend and fellow traveler between the queer and religious worlds. In this episode we talk about her journey coming up in Modern Orthodoxy and struggling to find the right words for her identity: asexual, gay, or queer. We also reminisce on a snapshot in time when two girls in their early twenties were learning to embrace what made them different with love and curiosity. Today’s guest asked that her name not be used for professional reasons. So, it’s my great pleasure to introduce you to my old friend: anon.

Chaim Levin is a queer activist, conversion therapy survivor, and founder of the LGBTQ Chabad online community. In his work as an advocate for numerous causes affecting the Orthodox community, pieces of Chaim’s story have been told across several different platforms. In this episode, Chaim and I sit down to go over his narrative - beginning to end - and cover some of the highlights and challenges that he's faced along the way.  Content Warning: This episode contains mentions of sexual abuse as well as suicidality You can learn more about Chaim's work by visiting his website: chaimlevin.com

Today we’re flipping the script! I’m joined by a dear friend and fantastic ally to the LGBTQ community, Yehuda Miller, aka Goose. In this week’s episode, Goose helps me chart the tale of my own journey: into Orthodoxy as a young teen, through the ups and downs of learning to embrace my queer identity, all the way up until today - when my partner and I launched the Queer Yid Podcast. It’s been a true exercise in empathy, being in the hot seat, and I hope that you find something meaningful in the story that I have to share.

Today I’m talking with Joe Hyman, a conversion therapy survivor as well as a Jewish queer activist from London. In this episode Joe and I speak about the role that Judaism played in his journey to - and eventually away from - conversion therapy. We also chat about some of the highlights and hazards of stepping into the role of a queer & religious public figure. You can follow Joe on instagram @josephmhyman