Think there aren’t enough LGBTQ+ podcasts? That’s about to change
By Meg Dowell
Representation matters. More podcasts by, about, and for the LGBTQ+ community are in the works thanks to iHeartMedia and Pride Media.
There are already some fabulous LGBTQ+ podcasts out there. Some, like Jonathan Van Ness‘s Getting Curious, are hosted by members of the community but don’t focus on LGBTQ+ culture specifically. Others, like WNYC’s Nancy, have taglines like: “Stories and conversations about the queer experience today.”
Still, finding the right podcast for you can be tricky. Are you looking for stories from real people? Interviews with celebrities? Queer takes on current events? All of the above? Not every show will hit home for everyone. And that can start to feel like there just aren’t enough LGBTQ+ voices in the podcasting community — yet.
Riding on the tail end of Pride Month, two major media companies have announced they’re going to give more LGBTQ+ voices the chance to be heard. iHeartMedia and Pride Media are partnering up to make sure more LGBTQ+ podcasts make it to people’s ears.
Whether you’re a member of the community hungry for representation or an ally who wants to learn more about LGBTQ+ history, culture, and so much more, you won’t have to wait much longer. This year and 2020 are the years for LGBTQ+ inclusive podcasts. Are you ready?
The first two shows to launch with this partnership, The Outcast and Food 4 Thot, already show the scope of what this new wave of shows can entail. While The Outcast will focus on a variety of topics ranging from politics to fashion to pop culture, Food 4 Thot promises not to hold back with its more NSFW discussions.
The Outcast host and Out Magazine deputy editor Fran Tirado is lighting a fire under this wave. “Podcasting and audio storytelling, particularly in the LGBTQ+ space, needs more voices in it,” he said. “I can’t wait to help elevate and uplift those voices.”
While it’s true that anyone can launch a podcast, the problem iHeartMedia and Pride Media are trying to solve isn’t that there aren’t enough LGBTQ+ voices willing to step up and represent the community. It’s that they aren’t being given a big enough platform to be heard.
But iHeartMedia alone reaches hundreds of thousands of listeners. Now, when these voices speak, people are going to listen.
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You can listen to The Outcast on your favorite podcast platforms now, and follow iHeartMedia and Pride Media for updates on future LGBTQ+ podcasts launching soon.