Queers In Cults
“It’s Our Turn” is a show where the hosts, Emerson and Aydan, share their stories growing up as queer people in toxic religious environments. Our hope is that it will provide education, validation, and maybe even a laugh or two for those healing from religious trauma. The more people know about how these systems affect people the better off we will all be. Now, you will hear no “religion bashing” here. Just sincere, heartfelt (and sometimes mildly irreverent) stories about how we navigated the world of religion, our own journey of healing, and what we’ve learned along the way.
Listen on:
Episodes
Dec 24, 2024
Dec 24, 2024
1 hr 40 min
Aydan has their dear friend as a guest for the first time, but definitely not the last. Matthew tells his story, and only scratches the surface as to their experience with toxic religion.
Dec 5, 2024
Dec 5, 2024
1 hr 40 min
Jeff is the guest this week and he shares his experience growing up under similar conditions as I have described at times, but for reasons that are quite different than mine.
As we have discussed on this podcast before, it is not exclusively religion that can be toxic or used to hurt people. It is the intention and the tools that are used inappropriately against people.
Sep 21, 2024
Sep 21, 2024
1 hr 36 min
Aydan, and their good friend Elizabeth, hang out and discuss the consequences of religious trauma on a psychological level. Elizabeth Swindell Hedlund, Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (#134408), brings professional and compassionate insight to the topics in this episode.
Feb 24, 2024
Feb 24, 2024
1 hr 41 min
I apologize for the poor sound quality. Aydan's mic is very quiet throughout the entire episode. Listen carefully and you might hear something interesting....but no guarantees
Feb 10, 2024
Feb 10, 2024
1 hr 38 min
It's the usual format for Tony and Aydan. They say they'll talk about New Year's Resolutions and then talk about anything but that.
Dec 16, 2023
Dec 16, 2023
1 hr 41 min
Christi, Tony's sister, joins Aydan and Tony in this episode. She discusses her experience with toxic religion and the family dynamics it can create. It is difficult, sobering and hilarious! We would expect nothing less from the sister of Tony.
Dec 16, 2023
Nov 5, 2023
Nov 5, 2023
1 hr 31 min
*I apologize for the audio quality in this one. There were some mic issues that I wasn't aware of until I was listening to the recording to edit.
Aydan and Tony talk about some memories of their time in church, the challenges that anxiety from their religious trauma creates in making life choices now, and some hypocrisy and irony of many toxic religious organizations who claim they're behaving "like Jesus"
Sep 21, 2023
Sep 21, 2023
1 hr 39 min
Things get emotional in this episode when Aydan, Emerson, and Tony talk about self care and unconditional love that comes from our own bodies
Aug 16, 2023
Aug 16, 2023
1 hr 36 min
Annelise and Aydan discuss, among many other things, the concept of 1st thought and 2nd thought. Also, be warned...the word "moist" is used at some point in this episode!
Queers in Cults
Aydan and Emerson are two queer people that grew up in toxic religious environments and want to share their stories to help others grow and heal from their own experiences.
Emerson grew up in a Mormon household and has a unique perspective of the challenges that one faces in such an environment.
Aydan grew up in a Pentecostal Christian environment. Their experience of gaslighting, guilt, shame and manipulation is one that is, unfortunately, all too familiar for man people