HOLE-d To The Rod: Mike���s Story

HOLE Exposure: Through Christopher���s Lens

Christopher learned to hide before he even knew what he was hiding from ��� a preschool photo, cut into pieces, became the first secret of many. Years later, that instinct to hide turned into a gift: an eye for coded imagery, a way of saying everything without saying anything at all. From Catholic guilt and nightmares about being found, to queer art, kink, assault, healing, autism, and finally peace ��� Christopher���s story is a study in what it means to be seen. This is how a gay kid raised to disappear learned to use the camera to say, ���I���m here.��� Mentioned in this episode: Storyhole Podcast For The Webby Place your vote at VoteForStoryhole.com

HOLE-d To The Rod: Mike���s Story

Mike grew up gay, Mormon, and convinced that righteousness could cure him. From East Texas to BYU to a Mormon mission in Portugal, every step of his life was engineered to ���fix��� what the church told him was broken. But nothing changed���except the weight he carried. This episode is raw, funny, heart-wrenching, and liberating. Mike opens up about bishop interviews, love-sac hookups, awkward BYU dating, conversion therapy recruitment, suicidal nights in Provo, and finally���meeting the man who became his husband. If you���ve ever wondered what it���s like to leave Mormonism, come out, and build a life of joy, this story is for you. Even if you identify as somewhere else on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, you may find hope in Mike's message. ������ Content warning: suicide ideation is discussed in detail. If you���re struggling, please call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. You���re not alone. Mentioned in this episode: Storyhole Podcast For The Webby Place your vote at VoteForStoryhole.com

Holey-lujah: Kevin's Realization (Part 2)

After walking away from his faith and his marriage, Kevin begins the messy, hilarious, and deeply moving process of building a new life. Part 2 of his story takes us from awkward first dates to a love that sticks, from late-night guilt to morning-after freedom. Along the way, Kevin learns that honesty, sex, and chosen family aren���t just indulgences ��� they���re survival. If you missed Part 1, go back and listen first. This chapter is where Kevin breaks free, finds his people, and creates something revolutionary in his community. Storyhole is where raw gay stories come to light ��� messy, vulnerable, funny, and sometimes a little filthy. Because through the hole, you always see more than you expect. You can find more info on the Morning Wood events on Instagram - @morningwoodparty Mentioned in this episode: Storyhole Podcast For The Webby Place your vote at VoteForStoryhole.com

Holey-lujah: Kevin's Realization (Part 1)

Kevin spent 36 years trying to be the person everyone else wanted him to be���Mormon son, perfect husband, devoted father. But behind the minivan and church callings was a secret he couldn���t keep forever. In Part 1 of Kevin���s story, he takes us from childhood Barbie prancing to the moment he finally said the words ���I���m gay.��� It���s a raw journey through family expectations, Mormon shame, mixed-orientation marriage, and the breaking point that cost him everything���except his truth. * Kevin knew from age six he was different���but religion taught him to hide. * He married young, convinced love could erase desire. * Behind closed doors, he wrestled with shame, porn, and impossible church expectations. * A tragic loss pushed him deeper into crisis���and into the church���s own PR machine. * Reading 140 stories from LGBTQ Mormons finally showed him what real joy looked like. * His breaking point: coming out to his wife, his kids, his family, and finally himself. Part 1 ends with Kevin stripped of faith, marriage, and family ties���but standing, for the first time, in truth. Coming up in Part 2: Kevin���s sexual awakening at 36, dating for the first time, and the fiery events that shook Salt Lake���s gay scene. Mentioned in this episode: Storyhole Podcast For The Webby Place your vote at VoteForStoryhole.com

tropicHOLE: Kip���s Story

Kip grew up LDS in American Samoa, where drag queens were celebrated onstage ��� and sometimes in his own living room. His story is about navigating that unique cultural backdrop, coming out to his Relief Society president mom before military deployment, and discovering who he really was through hookups, relationships, and self-reflection. Importantly, Kip is bisexual, and his story reflects the complexity of attraction, identity, and relationships across genders. Highlights from Kip���s story include: * Drag queens, church leadership, and a Samoan coming-out story. * The Irish accent beach hookup fantasy. * Catfishing the catfish ��� and nearly confronting him in person. * Four years in a relationship with a man who never left his wife. * Redefining love, sex, and open relationships on his own terms. Kip���s journey is equal parts playful, raw, and deeply honest ��� a reminder that sometimes the most radical act is simply telling the truth. Mentioned in this episode: Storyhole Podcast For The Webby Place your vote at VoteForStoryhole.com