Episode Details

October is LGBTQ History Month. This interview not only honors history, but also teaches little-known facts and pieces of the time before Stonewall. In this episode, Heather interviews author, broadcaster, and gay rights activist Robert C. Steele about his book - Banned From California: Jim Foshee - Persecution, Redemption, Liberation...and the Gay Civil Rights Movement.

Jim Foshee's story is as colorful as is it heartbreaking, and a powerful reminder of the importance of never forgetting the past. We see 70 years of LGBTQ history through the eyes of this gay activist. Instead of a dry, academic approach, Robert's reporting and telling of this story are captivating and allows us to experience LGBTQ history from a first-person perspective.

Learn:

* What the early gay liberation movement was like and how it paved the way for today's LGBTQ+ movement.

* Interesting facts about the first gay publication in 1954 and the use of code words.

* The levels of bigotry and homophobia gay Americans faced in the 1950s and 1960s and the typical consequences of coming out at that time.

Read a recent Publisher's Weekly review of Banned from California on Heather's website.

**We had some technical difficulties during this interview, so please be aware that the sound quality is not the usual.**

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

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At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and grow their capacity for courageous connection.

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More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Brea