Hey y’all, it’s Peppermint. 💕

As we approach the 57th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising I wanted to ground us in something real: Pride is not just a party. It's a protest. It’s protection. It’s survival.

On this episode of Queer 101, I’m breaking down why legal documents — passports, birth certificates, IDs — are not just paperwork. They are power.

Right now, we’re witnessing coordinated anti-trans legislation across the United States. I walk you through what’s happening and why it matters.

• Efforts to deny gender-affirming care for trans people in prison
• States like Kansas moving to strip gender markers from birth certificates and IDs
• Anti-trans additions connected to the SAVE Act
• Policies that could block bathroom access and medical care
• Supreme Court moves that could allow schools to out trans students without consent
• Louisiana’s “Restoring Biological Truth Act”
• Mississippi proposals to report mismatched gender markers to ICE
• The real-life passport struggle involving Caitlyn Jenner’s “M” marker issue

I talk about how monopolistic systems control access to healthcare, housing, employment, and safety — and how when those systems shift, trans people are the first impacted.

Because when your ID doesn’t match your lived identity, everything becomes harder:
Travel.
Voting.
Healthcare.
Employment.
Freedom.

This episode is about understanding the moment we’re in. It’s about recognizing that anti-trans laws are not isolated incidents — they’re coordinated efforts.

And it’s about remembering that Pride began as resistance.

So…

Stay informed. Stay engaged. Stay powerful.

Because Pride is more than a parade.

It’s survival.

Follow us at:

• @peppermint247
• @hughoryan
• @pridehousemedia

Write to us at:

• questions@queer101podcast.com

Hey y’all — it’s Peppermint, and welcome back to Queer 101, the podcast where we talk queer history, queer culture, queer books, and the stories we definitely didn’t learn in school.

Hugh is on his book tour (go grab My Bad for your summer reading list!), so this week it’s just me. And since it’s Pride Month, I wanted to revisit some of our most powerful conversations about activism, trans rights, and the queer leaders who shaped our movement.

Because Pride didn’t start with a party.

It started with a protest.

In this episode, I reflect on:

• Why some queer stories get erased — even in the age of social media
• The legacy of Marsha P. Johnson and why her full story matters
• The case of trans women like Alice Correa and how quickly names disappear from headlines
• What activism really means — is it marching? organizing? living openly? all of the above?
• Why queer activism must stay connected to working-class struggles
• The truth about anti-trans rhetoric, especially around trans women in sports
• And how capitalism influences politics, sports, and even our movements

As we head toward the anniversary of Stonewall, this episode is about remembering where we came from, honoring the activists who fought before us, and recommitting to the work ahead.

Because our history is not optional. It’s essential.

Happy Pride. Stay proud. Stay loud. And keep fighting the good fight.

Follow us at:

• @peppermint247
• @hughoryan
• @pridehousemedia

Write to us at:

• questions@queer101podcast.com

Summer School - classes are now in session, y’all.

Before we get into it — yes, we’re going biweekly for the summer (because Pride season is Pride‑ing), but don’t panic. We’ll be back to weekly episodes before ya know it. In the meantime, I’m booked, busy, and SO honored to be serving as Grand Marshal New York Pride March, and season three of Survival of the Thickest wil be back. Hot queer summer energy only.

Now — onto today’s ‘lesson’.

Let me begin by saying I could not be more proud of co-host and friend the brilliantHugh Ryan. This week we are talking about his new memoir, My Bad: A Personal History of the Queer ’90s and Beyond — out today!! Also available as an audiobook read by Hugh himself (which I love).

We get into why the 1990s were such a pivotal moment in queer history:
- The shift from analog life to the early internet.
- From queer invisibility to mainstream visibility post‑AIDS crisis.
- From mega‑clubs and nightlife freedom to the always‑online world we live in now.

Hugh shares a seventh‑grade classroom moment that shaped how he understood queerness, what it felt like to grow up queer in the ’90s, and how New York City nightlife became a sanctuary.

We talk about queer isolation, remix culture, disappearing before social media (remember privacy?), and the complicated trade‑offs of mainstream acceptance.

If you’ve ever wondered how the queer ’90s shaped the world we’re living in now — this one is for you.

📚 Click here to order your copy of My Bad now.

Follow us at:

• @peppermint247
• @hughoryan
• @pridehousemedia

Write to us at:

• questions@queer101podcast.com