Representation in media is so important that it saves lives and educates people about cultures and lifestyles they have never witnessed or always been curious about. 

More now than ever, representation for LGBTQI+ or queer people is important due to the fact that more and more people are opening up the dialogue about issues facing the queer community and about being a part of the community themselves. 

With so much flying around, it’s hard to find places that offer safe, fun, and honest talk about the LGBTQI+ community. 

This list is only a small sampling of the podcasts out there that are aimed at informing, entertaining, and building a refreshing community that queer people and allies can go to for content that’s real and about their lives. 

Latinos Who Lunch

Latinos Who Lunch is a queer podcast for Latinx members of the community that focuses on art, politics, community, pop culture, food and everything in-between all while having lunch. It’s a funny, informative, real talk podcast headed up the hosts Favy Fav and Babelito who want to focus on the intersectionality between queer culture and the Latinx community. Favy Fav and Babelito each brings something different to the table to offer their listeners so that every episode is packed filled with history facts, art tidbits, and relevant cultural topics that will help keep people informed and laughing. A couple of episodes that are highly recommended are ‘Numero Uno!’, their first episode that focuses on introducing listeners to who they are and what the podcast’s aim is—it’s funny and food heavy! — and episode number 114 ‘Single, Bilingual and Dizque Ready to Mingle! that highlights another queer Latinx podcast by interviewing the host about their life as a Latinx queer migrant and grad student. 

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify 

Queer Sex Ed

This podcast is such an imperative one for people in the LGBTQI+ community to have because Queer Sex Ed is all about just that, having open honest conversations about queer safe sex and relationship issues. The host, Sara, is a sex health professional who believes that the only way to keep people safe from the dangers that the pleasures of love are overrun with is by speaking openly and sharing stories from real life situations. Not only is this a podcast, but they also offer training and workshops to help people become more educated in queer sex health and better equip them to navigate in the sex world. Recommended episodes to check out are episode 36 ‘Boundaries’ that focuses on setting them in sex and relationships; episode 20 ‘Sexually Transmitted Infections and Getting Tested’ about keeping things honest and safe in the bedroom as a queer person; and episode 61 ‘Dysphoria and Sex as a Trans Person’ where the hosts discuss mentally and emotionally safe sex for trans women. 

Listen: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | Soundcloud 

Outward

Outward is one of Slate Magazine’s many podcasts that focuses on queer culture and news to help bring diverse voices to the table so that listeners get a wide view of topics affecting the LGBTQI+ community. The podcast hosts are both with Slate; J. Bryan Lowder is an associate editor of the magazine, and Christina Cauterucci is a writer with the publication. Together they bring listeners an added experience to the magazine’s queer lifestyle, politics, and arts section. Christina and J. interview guests and talk about topics such as representation in media, vacationing, and more. A couple of episodes that are worth mentioning out of their list are episodes 6 ‘The Travel Edition’ and 4 ‘The Family Edition’ about creating caring families in lieu of your own and safe gay vacation spots. 

Listen: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | Spotify

Queer America

For history buffs who want to know the history that has been hidden or rewritten to exclude queer people from the colonizing and development of America, Queer America is the podcast that will make sure those gaps in the history books are filled. In partnership with Teaching Tolerance, an organization aiming to help educate school age children and their educators in how to teach and learn in a diverse classroom, and the University of Wisconsin Press, Queer America is all about teaching LGBTQI+ histories and figures to young learners. Recommended episodes to check out include episodes 4 and 5 ‘Romantic Friendships’ that goes over the hidden queer relationships of women throughout history, and episode 2 ‘The Experience of Trans People’ that highlights stories of trans and gender nonconforming figures throughout history. 

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify 

The Two Princes

Unlike the ones before it on this list, The Two Princes is a fiction podcast that tells the story of two gay princes and their fairy tale life in the royal kingdom. Recently, you may have seen this one popping up in the news since HBO Max is in the works to bring this podcast to life on the screen. Listeners will hear familiar voices from ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ and ‘Orange is the New Black’, as well as other movies and shows. Currently, there are two seasons that follow the two princes as each tries to save their realm and in the process fall in love and try to get married despite all the chaos in their world. This isn’t a podcast where you can drop into any episode, so start at the beginning and follow the two princes Rupert and Amir in their adventure. 

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify 

Hoodrat to Headwrap

Hoodrat to Headwrap: A Decolonized Podcast by partners Ericka Hart and Ebony Donnley where they let listeners in on their intimate talks about race, gender, and queer black love. Ericka Hart is a sex educator that comes through in episodes like ‘Gender 101: The Binary Won’t Save You’, and Ebony Donnley is a writer that focuses on issues facing the Black queer community. The podcast is a direct and hard hitting show that works against erasure and constantly fights against white supremacy. Notable episodes to check out are ‘Toxic Masculinity: How to be a White Cis Man 101’ which is their latest episode and ‘How We Love and Why Even Bother: The Black/Queer Way’. 

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Soundcloud | Spotify

The Gender Rebels Podcast

A weekly question and answer podcast surrounding trans and gender nonconforming topics that people want to know about. The hosts are partners, one who is trans and the other who is cis, and they respond to questions and topics concerning the trans and gender nonconforming community. This podcast has been going since 2016, so has tons of episodes that go over everything from HRT to offensive terms, binding and so much more. Episodes that deserve mentioning are ‘How to Ladies’ Room: A Guide for Transgender Girls’ and ‘Everything in Between’ that goes over the different terms for non-binary folk and what it all means. 

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify 

Horror Queers

Horror Queers is a movie podcast focused on horror and thriller movies with LGBTQI+ themes in them. The hosts, Joe Lipsett and Trace Thurman, are both horror writers with Bloody Disgusting and other publications. Each brings their queer identities and love of horror films to the production table. In their podcast, they analysis the themes that are shown in the movies and talk about them in a fun and campy way while highlighting the importance of representation in these films. Fans of movies like ‘Interview with the Vampire’, Midsomnar, NOS4A2, and other horror greats, should check out this weekly podcast series. 

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Libsyn 

Outsports Podcast

A unique podcast to this list, Outsports Podcast is an LGBTQI+ sports podcast that talks representation in sports, coming out stories of athletes, and other topics concerning fans of sports and queer topics. Not only is Outsports a podcast, it also is an all around information hub for everything related to the intersectionality of sports and gay rights. The podcast section of Outsports gives readers the chance to listen to exclusive interviews with athletes, coaches, and more while keeping the dialogue open and informative for their fans. For listeners just diving into the series, check out episodes in the series ‘3 Strikes, You’re Out’ and ‘The Trans Sporter Room’ that runs weekly and features queer sports professionals discussing the thing they love the most, sports. 

Listen: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | Soundcloud

Ace Audio Archive

Ace Audio Archive is a podcast about asexuality, aromanticism, and the spectrum of ace identities. This is a great podcast for people who identify as ace or are curious on what it means to be ace. Episodes include informative discussions and resources surrounding the asexual community while also shining light of ace art and artist such as Zora Silverwolf. Host Therin Strapp interviews other people in the queer community, shares personal stories, and talks art and ace culture. The podcast is fairly new but there are already episodes with coming out stories and masturbation. 

Listen: Spotify | RadioPublic