In The Den with Mama Dragons

Mama Dragons
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You're navigating parenting an LGBTQ+ child without a manual and knowing what to do and what to say isn't always easy. Each week we’ll visit with other parents of queer kids, talk with members of the LGBTQ+ community, learn from experts, and together explore ways to better parent our LGBTQ+ children. Join with us as we walk and talk with you through this journey of raising healthy, happy, and productive LGBTQ+ humans.

  1. 4d ago

    The Cost of Resistance–Arrested for Civil Disobedience

    Send us Fan Mail Across some of the most conservative states in the country, we’re witnessing incredible acts of activism and resistance, as people show up, speak out, and fight back against efforts to strip away the rights and dignity of transgender people. However, it’s important to recognize just how difficult it is to do that work when you’re not only fighting against these policies but are also among the very people being targeted by them. What does it take to keep showing up, to put yourself out there, and to continue fighting for your community when your own existence is at the center of the political battle? Today’s guest In the Den is Nikson Matthews, former chair of the Idaho Democratic Queer Caucus and the first transgender person to serve in the Idaho State Senate.  On April 1, 2026, Sara and Nikson were arrested together during a sit-in in the Idaho Governor’s office, and today’s episode is a conversation about what it means to be a trans activist in a state where the political climate is increasingly hostile, where the laws and rhetoric targeting transgender people threaten not only their rights but their very place in public life. They’ll discuss the relationships activism builds, the moments that sustain us, the fear and frustration, the courage it takes to keep going, and what happens when the fight for justice moves from the streets and the Statehouse into the courtroom. Special Guest: Nikson Matthews Nikson Mathews is an LGBTQ+ advocate who made history in March 2025 as Idaho’s first openly transgender legislator, serving as a substitute state senator.  A former adjunct professor at Boise State University and policy advocate for Add The Words, Idaho, Mathews previously ran for the Idaho House of Representatives in 2024. Mathews is a prominent opponent of anti-trans legislation, notably testifying against House Bill 752, which was signed into law in April 2026 criminalizing transgender bathroom use in private businesses.  He has publicly detailed the personal risks of such laws, stating that they force transgender men with masculine appearances to choose between jail time for using the men’s restroom or physical violence for using the women’s restroom.  Links from the Show: Nikson’s Advocate articleNikson’s viral testimonyNikson’s Idaho Statesman articleNikson on IGJoin Mama Dragons todayGo deeper with Empowered Parent Learning - Mama Dragons’ on-demand library of video courses and webinars for parents of LGBTQ+ kids. Two tracks: Parenting Essentials and Parent Advocacy. Free for Mama Dragons members, a small one-time fee for everyone else. Includes Suicide Prevention Training and Parachute eLearning.  In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.  Support the show Connect with Mama Dragons: Website Instagram Facebook Donate to this podcast

    The Cost of Resistance–Arrested for Civil Disobedience

  2. Oct 19

    Embracing Hopelessness

    Send us Fan Mail Today’s episode will tackle the topic of hopelessness, which might seem like a strange thing to spend an hour talking about, especially for those of us who are doing justice work, who care deeply about our communities and about creating a different kind of world. We’re often told that hope is what keeps us going–hope for the future, hope for the next generation, hope that we’ve been here before and somehow we’ll find our way through this, too. When people talk about having hope for the future or trusting that things will eventually get better, sometimes that can fall flat for many of us. It might even feel like it lets us off the hook, because if we know everything will be okay, what exactly is being asked of us right now? Maybe letting go of the need to believe in a particular outcome, of embracing hopelessness, can actually free us to focus on what we can do, who we love, and what matters to us right now. Today’s In the Den discussion explores a different angle than some of us may have considered before, but hopefully this candid talk about hopelessness can give many of us a meaningful way forward when hope is hard to find.  Special Guest: The Reverend Darcy Baxter Rev. Darcy Baxter is long-time reproductive justice activist, who currently serves as the parish minister at the Unitarian Universalist congregation in Modesto, CA. She is a member of the Center for American Progress' Faith and Reproductive Justice Leadership Institute and has just finished serving on the Leadership Board for the Abortion Conversation Project.  Special Guest: The Reverend Lucas Hergert The Reverend Lucas Hergert became the Minister of North Shore Unitarian Church in 2017. He has been one of the organizers for the demonstrations around the Broadview detention facilities in Chicago, and also advocates for trans rights. In addition to serving as a minister, he teaches preaching at Meadville Lombard Theological School and is the author of Impassioned: A Guide to Progressive Preaching. His interests include yoga, Shakespeare plays, biking, liberation theologies, fantasy novels, interfaith work, and humor.  Links from the Show: Join Mama Dragons todayReview paper on hope fatigueI Eat the Stars by Sarah WilsonFeeling Backward by Heather LoveThe Promise of Happiness by Sara Ahmed Go deeper with Empowered Parent Learning - Mama Dragons’ on-demand library of video courses and webinars for parents of LGBTQ+ kids. Two tracks: Parenting Essentials and Parent Advocacy. Free for Mama Dragons members, a small one-time fee for everyone else. Includes Suicide Prevention Training and Parachute eLearning.  In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.  Support the show Connect with Mama Dragons: Website Instagram Facebook Donate to this podcast

    Embracing Hopelessness

  3. Oct 12

    Real Talk with Moms of Trans Kids

    Send us Fan Mail Two of our podcast episodes have been named finalists for the 2026 Signal Awards, and today we’re re-airing one of those episodes. You can vote through October 15th here. We hope you’ll listen to this episode again, and consider sending it to a friend or two who would benefit from it. Sara is joined In the Den by two other moms of trans kids, Melissa and Sarah, and together the three moms will share with you what’s on their hearts–the fears, the doubts, the anger and the joys–in hopes to offer you all some solidarity and connection. Because we know that being the mom of trans or queer kids right now can be really hard, but none of us are alone in the journey.  Special Guest: Melissa Melissa is the mother of two wonderfully brilliant teen daughters. A 16 yo cisgender and 14 yo trans kiddo, currently living in a red state where gender affirming care is banned. Melissa works in healthcare which can be both a blessing and a curse when navigating the systems needed to keep her kids thriving. When not navigating the healthcare system, you can find her roaming the hills behind her home with her two fur babies and finding joy within nature (preferably with a backpack on her back). Special Guest: Sarah  Rev. Sarah (she/they) lives with her family in the Southwest where she enjoys hiking and sunsets when she’s not working.  They live in a multi generational household with her mom and 16 old, her spouse and their dog and cat.  Sarah has worked as an organizer, an educator and now as a minister where she does all three!   Links from the Show: Join Mama Dragons today In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.  Support the show Connect with Mama Dragons: Website Instagram Facebook Donate to this podcast

    Real Talk with Moms of Trans Kids

  4. Oct 5

    Baby Gay x Mama Dragons Collab

    Send us Fan Mail Coming out can be scary and full of unknowns, but it can also be a time of celebration and curiosity. Today’s guest In the Den, PJ Brescia, created the nonprofit Baby Gay and has made it their mission to create a welcoming and warm environment for those who are just coming out of the closet and learning to embrace who they truly are. Mama Dragons is excited to be joining Baby Gay to help create welcome packages for newly out LGBTQ+ individuals. New In the Den co-host Shannon talks with PJ about their coming out story, the creation of Baby Gay, and the work that Mama Dragons will be doing with Baby Gay in the future. Special Guest: PJ Brescia PJ Brescia (they/them) is the founder & CEO of BabyGay™, a nonprofit and media platform dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ individuals through the coming out journey via storytelling, advocacy, and togetherness. In partnership with The Black Cat, and the Los Angeles City Council, PJ helped champion the successful 2024 initiative establishing National Coming Out Day as an official day of recognition in the City of Los Angeles. PJ hosts The BabyGay™ Podcast, a 2026 Webby Awards Honoree for “Best New Podcast,” and was named to the 2025 Out100 for their work advancing queer visibility and community. PJ also serves as President of the LA Queer Coalition and as a board member of the LA chapter of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists. Links from the Show: PJ on IGBaby Gay on IGBaby Gay WebsiteBaby Gay on FBBaby Gay Podcast on SpotifyBaby Gay on YoutubeGet Involved with Baby GayJoin Mama Dragons todayGo deeper with Empowered Parent Learning - Mama Dragons’ on-demand library of video courses and webinars for parents of LGBTQ+ kids. Two tracks: Parenting Essentials and Parent Advocacy. Free for Mama Dragons members, a small one-time fee for everyone else. Includes Suicide Prevention Training and Parachute eLearning.  In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.  Support the show Connect with Mama Dragons: Website Instagram Facebook Donate to this podcast

    Baby Gay x Mama Dragons Collab

  5. Sep 28

    Meet Shannon: Our New Podcast Cohost

    Send us Fan Mail Content Warning: Discussion of suicidality We have some exciting news to share: we’re adding another host to the In the Den team! For the past few years, Sara has had the opportunity to sit across from some really extraordinary people and have the in depth conversations that make up this podcast. And while fortunately Sara is not going anywhere, moving forward, she’ll tag team with another host, who will bring new energy and fresh ideas to our show. Without further ado, we’d like to welcome Shannon Mannon to the In the Den family! Special Guest: Shannon Mannon As an award-winning writer and communications leader, Shannon Mannon invigorates teams, organizations, and communities. Currently, Shannon is a Senior Consultant at WD Communications where she coaches Fortune 100 clients in interpersonal communication, EQ, presentation skills, and storytelling for social impact. She also leads 3-Minute Storyteller, a platform that creates digital stories featuring movement makers of all stripes— from astronauts to entrepreneurs to New York Times bestselling authors. She’s also a contributor at Living Room Conversations, using intentional conversation to bridge divides. Her thought leadership pieces have been published in national media outlets like The Philadelphia Inquirer, USA Today, Motherly, and Advocate. Shannon brings her civic leadership to all facets of community and organizational life. As the operations lead at University of Pennsylvania's Institute for Urban Research, she designed high-profile events. While leading her community's health and wellness coalition, Shannon strengthened the social fabric, broke down silos between agencies, and secured grant funds to double the operating budget. As a Regional Director at Habitat for Humanity International, she steadily led a team through organizational upheaval. At Operation Smile International she led medical missions across three continents. She is a mother of three teens and is the co-host for the In the Den podcast for Mama Dragons, a nonprofit organization that supports, educates, and empowers mothers of LGBTQ+ children. She also serves on the board of directors at St. Peter’s Place which houses low-income seniors and leads the Speaker Series for PFLAG Chester County. Links from the Show: Join Mama Dragons todayCleavage by Jennifer Finney Boylan Go deeper with Empowered Parent Learning - Mama Dragons’ on-demand library of video courses and webinars for parents of LGBTQ+ kids. Two tracks: Parenting Essentials and Parent Advocacy. Free for Mama Dragons members, a small one-time fee for everyone else. Includes Suicide Prevention Training and Parachute eLearning.  In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.  Support the show Connect with Mama Dragons: Website Instagram Facebook Donate to this podcast

    Meet Shannon: Our New Podcast Cohost

  6. Sep 21

    What To Do BEFORE Your Child Comes Out

    Send us Fan Mail We talk a lot about what happens when our kids come out. How do we respond? What do we say? How do we make sure they know they’re loved? But there’s another question we should be asking as well: What are we doing before they ever come out to make sure they already know they’re safe? Our kids are paying attention. They hear how we talk about LGBTQ people. They notice how we respond to a trans person on TV or someone who comes out at school. They hear what our churches and our communities are saying, and even if they haven’t told us anything about themselves, they may already be wondering, “If this is who I am, will I still belong here?”Today In the Den, special guest and past Mama Dragon blog editor Laura Leavitt talks with Sara about how we can create homes where our kids don't have to wait until they're ready to come out to know that they are loved, welcomed, and safe, and there there is nothing about who they are that could ever change that.  Special Guest: Laura Leavitt Laura Howells Leavitt is married to Glen and is the mother to six wonderful kids and Lolly (her grandma name) to six beautiful grand kiddos.  She was born and raised in Long Beach, CA and has been a resident of Twin Falls, ID for 23 years.  She got her teaching degree from Idaho State University shortly after getting married but primarily was a stay-at-home mom.  She was the blog editor for Mama Dragons from 2020-2022, gathering over 80 stories from moms of LGBTQ kids, who had so much wisdom, courage and goodness to share through their stories.  Laura has volunteered through hospice and teaching art to 4th graders and loves gardening, travel and being involved in community theater. Links from the Show: Join Mama Dragons today Go deeper with Empowered Parent Learning - Mama Dragons’ on-demand library of video courses and webinars for parents of LGBTQ+ kids. Two tracks: Parenting Essentials and Parent Advocacy. Free for Mama Dragons members, a small one-time fee for everyone else. Includes Suicide Prevention Training and Parachute eLearning.  In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.  Support the show Connect with Mama Dragons: Website Instagram Facebook Donate to this podcast

    What To Do BEFORE Your Child Comes Out

  7. Sep 14

    The Construction of Gender

    Send us Fan Mail We talk all the time about sex and gender, about what’s “biological,” what’s “social,” and what chromosomes, hormones, and body parts have to do with it. Especially in this political moment, there is an enormous amount of energy being spent trying to define sex as one simple, fixed, binary thing, but we know there’s more to it than that. Sex as a category contains multiple and sometimes overlapping dimensions. Today’s guest In the Den is Dr. Phoenix Har, an educator, historian of science, and scholar in gender and queer studies whose work looks at the ways medicine has constructed and defined sex and gender—and how those definitions have intersected with nationalism, citizenship, and who gets recognized as belonging. Special Guest: Dr. Phoenix Har Dr. Phoenix Har (they/them) is an educator, historian of science, and scholar in gender and queer studies. They focus on the construction of gender and sex in the medical field and nationalist movements for citizenship. They demonstrate the difficulties in pinning down "biological sex" to one coherent category and argue that a pluralist understanding of sex is the only way to make the category work. Due to their scholarship on these topics, they advocate for transgender and intersex justice in medical care.   Links from the Show: Dr. Har on IGDr. Har’s PatreonDr. Har’s SubstackJoin Mama Dragons today Go deeper with Empowered Parent Learning - Mama Dragons’ on-demand library of video courses and webinars for parents of LGBTQ+ kids. Two tracks: Parenting Essentials and Parent Advocacy. Free for Mama Dragons members, a small one-time fee for everyone else. Includes Suicide Prevention Training and Parachute eLearning.  In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.  Support the show Connect with Mama Dragons: Website Instagram Facebook Donate to this podcast

    The Construction of Gender

  8. Sep 7

    The Stonewall Inn Gives Back

    Send us Fan Mail When we think about Pride, there’s a good chance our minds go to one particular place: the Stonewall Inn in New York City. In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, a police raid at that little Greenwich Village bar sparked a rebellion that lasted for days—and that moment is widely remembered as a catalyst for the modern LGBTQ+ liberation movement. Today, the Stonewall Inn continues to be a flashpoint for our movement. As a National Monument and New York State Historic Site, its history—and whose stories get remembered and honored there—have taken on new urgency as the fight for transgender rights and visibility has escalated under this administration. It is still a gathering place, a symbol, and a reminder of just how much our community has fought for—and how much there is still to fight for. Today In the Den, Sara talks with Stacy Lentz, CEO and co-founder of the Stonewall Gives Back Initiative, an organization that takes the history, visibility, and cultural power of the Stonewall name and puts it to work supporting LGBTQ+ people and communities today. They’ll discuss the history we remember, the history we sometimes get wrong, and what it means to take that legacy of resistance and turn it into action and giving back. Special Guest: Stacy Lentz Stacy is a nationally recognized LGBTQ+ Advocate, marketing expert, and CEO of the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative. She is also the first and only lesbian co-owner of the historic The Stonewall Inn, widely known as the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. For over two decades, Stacy has helped guide one of the most iconic institutions in the world. A trusted national media voice, she has shaped global Pride campaigns, mobilized major brands, and transformed cultural flashpoints into moments of visibility, accountability, and action. A compelling speaker and strategic advisor, she brings a powerful perspective at the intersection of legacy, leadership, and impact. Links from the Show: The Stonewall Inn Gives Back InitiativeDonate to the Stonewall Inn Gives Back InitiativeJoin Mama Dragons todayGo deeper with Empowered Parent Learning - Mama Dragons’ on-demand library of video courses and webinars for parents of LGBTQ+ kids. Two tracks: Parenting Essentials and Parent Advocacy. Free for Mama Dragons members, a small one-time fee for everyone else. Includes Suicide Prevention Training and Parachute eLearning.  In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.  Support the show Connect with Mama Dragons: Website Instagram Facebook Donate to this podcast

    The Stonewall Inn Gives Back
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About

You're navigating parenting an LGBTQ+ child without a manual and knowing what to do and what to say isn't always easy. Each week we’ll visit with other parents of queer kids, talk with members of the LGBTQ+ community, learn from experts, and together explore ways to better parent our LGBTQ+ children. Join with us as we walk and talk with you through this journey of raising healthy, happy, and productive LGBTQ+ humans.

Information

  • Creator
    Mama Dragons
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    214
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 In The Den with Mama Dragons
  • Show Website
    In The Den with Mama Dragons

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