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Set Lusting Bruce - Sylvan Groth on Coming Out, Chosen Family & Finding Light in Springsteen’s Music
Description
Set Lusting Bruce continues its “Pride in Bruce” series for June, celebrating LGBTQ+ stories and the ways Bruce Springsteen’s music can become a lifeline. Host Jesse Jackson welcomes Sylvan Groth, his Perfectly Good Podcast co-host, who shares growing up in suburban Boston, coming out as bi in the 1990s amid increased queer visibility, and facing emotional abuse and slurs from her stepfather while her mother tried to keep peace. Sylvan describes finding refuge with her aunt in Vermont—where a pride flag on a barn signaled safety—and how Springsteen albums and mix tapes helped her cope, even as her stepfather also loved Bruce. The conversation reflects on grief, activism, and joy, the idea of “family of origin” versus “family of choice,” and the importance of common ground, compassion, and honest storytelling amid polarization.
01:48 Podcast Welcome
03:09 Sylvan Coming Out Story
06:48 Home Life and Safety
07:52 Vermont Refuge and Bruce
09:23 Why Pride Matters
10:06 Slurs and Breaking Point
12:14 Finding Common Ground
18:19 Faith and Scripture Debate
20:51 Self Acceptance and Activism
24:22 Politics and Polarization
25:36 Thanks and Where to Listen
27:29 Pride in Bruce Outro
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