My Dad Stole My Limelight Lauren Deborah

In this month's (and our first ever) Limelight Mailbag episode, I am joined by my wonderful co-host; filmmaker, podcaster, writer and dear friend Jason T. Gaffney! (P.S. I get so excited my voice goes high-pitched several times and Zoom is like “Nope! No sound here!”)
We unpack this month’s limelight-stealing submission from Karen'Nicole.
Connect with MDSML:
-Join the FREE mailing list for queer joy! hilaurendeborah.substack.com 
-Email the pod to say hi or share a limelight-stealing story! mydadstolemylimelight@gmail.com
-2SLGBTQIA+ resources
Connect with Jason:
-Follow Jason on Instagram! @jasontgaffney 
Connect with Karen'Nicole:
-Hire Me to Create for You
-karennicolemitchell.com 
Resources:
-The London Writers’ Salon
Behind the scenes:
-Podcast production and editing made possible by: Alexi Johnson and the team at @604podnetwork
-Theme Music: Shawn Kangro
-Logo Art: @raphe.ca

Silvi Vann-Wall (they/them) is a writer, film critic, improv comedian and as I excitedly learned in our chat, also a frog enthusiast.
 
I was introduced to their work via an important piece they published for the ABC (see the resources below) and was so honoured to get to know more about them and their journey.
 
Connect with MDSML:
-Join the FREE mailing list for queer joy! hilaurendeborah.substack.com 
-Email the pod to say hi or share a limelight-stealing story! mydadstolemylimelight@gmail.com
-2SLGBTQIA+ resources
 
In this episode:
-Our sexual resume does not define our sexuality!
-How nice is being able to change how we identify as we change and grow in life?
-We discuss what it is like for Silvi to “be non-binary and have a feminine body”!
-We hope this conversation serves as a place to let gender-diverse people know that there are others like them and I want the cishets to listen and learn more about gender diversity too!
-Google is free! Stop asking people to do the emotional labour of educating you!
-We hear from Matt, Silvi’s husband, and hear what it is like to discover who we are and experience that in a long-term relationship!
-Lockdowns were revealing for queers, to say the least!
-Silvi and I shared the same fears as children: that our parents could read our minds! Our very gay minds! Terrifying!
-Silvi is great at checking in with themself every day, keeping their finger on the pulse of who they are!
-Did you get pulled out of class to draw dogs? No? You mustn’t be as talented as Silvi! Sorry!
 
Connect with my guest:
-Connect with Silvi on Twitter/X @silvireports 
 
Resources:
-Here is the article I read that led me to Silvi! 
 
Behind the scenes:
-Podcast production and editing made possible by: Alexi Johnson and the team at @604podnetwork
-Theme Music: Shawn Kangro
-Logo Art: @raphe.ca

-Join the FREE mailing list for queer joy! hilaurendeborah.substack.com 
-Email the pod to say hi or share a limelight-stealing story! mydadstolemylimelight@gmail.com
-2SLGBTQIA+ resources
Curtis Campbell is a playwright, novelist, theatremaker, director and producer. Dragging Mason County, Curtis’ YA book was released last fall. Around Toronto, you may see Curtis being awesome in the comedy world and the theatre world. Please enjoy this truly invigorating conversation.
In this episode:
-We revisit the times we worked together via little digital boxes on our laptops!
-Curtis tells us about Dragging Mason County, the YA novel released last year!
-We chat about how we want to exist in this world and how we want to define ourselves!
-Creativity is such a wonderful way to explore who we are!
-Growing up is a lovely way to find out we no longer have to prove our credentials as queer folk!
-EVERYTHING Curtis is working on — both solo and collaboratively — is without any exaggeration, perfection. I am delighted to chat about all of this important, joyful, intelligent work!
-People are hungry for queer comedy!
-As queer folks, making stuff for ourselves vs making ourselves more palatable for others is something we have to think about, and we discuss that in this episode!
-Everyone’s homework after listening is to go away and create bad things! We deserve it!
Connect with my guest:
-Follow Curtis on Instagram: @curtisdangcampbell 
-Get your hands on Dragging Mason County: annickpress.com/Books/D/Dragging-Mason-County 
-More of Curtis: linktr.ee/campwrites 
Behind the scenes:
-Podcast production and editing made possible by: Alexi Johnson and the team at @604podnetwork
-Theme Music: Shawn Kangro
-Logo Art: @raphe.ca

Connect with MDSML:
-Join the FREE mailing list for queer joy! hilaurendeborah.substack.com 
-Email the pod to say hi or share a limelight-stealing story! mydadstolemylimelight@gmail.com
-2SLGBTQIA+ resources
Neut (they/them/their) is back, pals! What a treat! They are such a wonderful person to chat with and I am thrilled we get more of their wonderfulness for your listening pleasure.
In this episode:
-We discuss the “have to” when it comes to our creative pursuits!
-Neut pulls tarot while we record!
-We hear from Neut’s bestie, Silvia!
-Breakups are tough but who we become from them can be the most wonderful!
-Conversations with queers are perfect and necessary!
-Changing our wardrobe to be our true selves, as we go, is a huge yes!
-We are never done when it comes to discovering and uncovering ourselves!
-Coming out can be a boundary and a point of self-respect!
-Here is to being persistent and resilient!
-The people who get it, get it! Unsubscribes and unfollows are a gift!
Connect with my guest:
-Follow Neut on Instagram! Check out their awesome stuff/diary project! @therealneut 
-Visit Neut’s website: neut.space 
-Check out Neut’s Bandcamp: neutwho.bandcamp.com 
-Spotify link! https://tinyurl.com/pkg93
-Neut’s webcomic: neut.space/visitbostonor 
-Neut’s tarot deck project: neut.space/#/fools-journey
-Explore all of the cool things Neut creates in one space! tap.bio/@neut 
Behind the scenes:
-Podcast production and editing made possible by: Alexi Johnson and the team at @604podnetwork
-Theme Music: Shawn Kangro
-Logo Art: @raphe.ca

Connect with MDSML:
-Join the FREE mailing list for queer joy! hilaurendeborah.substack.com 
-Email the pod to say hi or share a limelight-stealing story! mydadstolemylimelight@gmail.com
-2SLGBTQIA+ resources
Joanne Tsung (she/her) is back to let y’all know gays are taking over the world! I had such a great time chatting with her last time, I wanted to do it all again. PLUS! We needed the ending to the story that was her first weekend at university. So while this ep is less coming out (we covered that a lot in part 1) it is still loads of queer joy and Joanne joy!
In this episode:
-Since we last spoke, Joanne went to Peru!
-Lesbian feature walls are on my vision board for my future home!
-Joanne’s first weekend at university was indeed WILD!
-Starbucks is a little boutique cafe, have you heard of it? Joanne made it cool!
-If you follow a queer person into a gay bar… BOOP! You are gay now! You are welcome!
-Is axe throwing masculine or is that just Canadian?
-Hand blisters make me butch and I love this for me so much!
-We love soft, sensitive boys who have rejected toxic masculinity!
-IF YOU HAVE THE POWERS, GET JOANNE A PODCAST GRANT!
-We are living in a time where queers are ready to take over, and we are so ready!
Connect with my guest:
-Follow Joanne on IG! @jtsung 
Resources:
-Wells for Boys
Behind the scenes:
-Podcast production and editing made possible by: Alexi Johnson and the team at @604podnetwork
-Theme Music: Shawn Kangro
-Logo Art: @raphe.ca

Connect with MDSML:
-Join the FREE mailing list for queer joy! hilaurendeborah.substack.com 
-Email the pod to say hi or share a limelight-stealing story! mydadstolemylimelight@gmail.com
-2SLGBTQIA+ resources
I love my two sisters Lolo (she/her) and Brooke (she/her) and as you listen you will quickly discover why. Here they are, the muses and magical beings themselves, on the podcast, finally. I slept on this for so long, but please enjoy the delight that is these two queer queens, because they are worth every second of the wait.
In this episode:
-We are giving big ‘get the girlies together for a sleepover’ vibes!
-Well, what a letdown it has turned out to be to receive the male validation we were taught to want our entire lives! NOT ALWAYS! But ya, know, enough of the time that it is a thing we devoted time to in this convo so…
-As kids, our options were narrow, we had straight or gay to choose from — if that — and as we have grown, so have our options!
-Singing and dancing and knowing every word to a song with your Mum and your bestie = witchcraft!
-If someone trusts you enough to come out to you, let them keep that main character, at least for a minute!
-Queer love is magical!
-There is so much beauty in sisterhood, including the fact that you can text each other secrets from the other room and that be a beautiful form of communication!
-Once the weight of our own judgement (put on us by society) is lifted, so much can change to be authentic: who we love, what we wear, how we speak…!
-If you don’t karaoke, then can you really call yourself our friend?
-The limelight-stealing stories in this episode will haunt my guests on their deathbeds and that is warranted!
Connect with my guests:
-Follow Lolo for her cute photo dumps: @lolosuede
-Follow Brooke for sexy burlesque, independent film and photography: @brookeewadee
 Behind the scenes:
-Podcast production and editing made possible by: Alexi Johnson and the team at @604podnetwork
-Theme Music: Shawn Kangro
-Logo Art: @raphe.ca