The Spectrum

Linda Thomas-Fowler
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The Spectrum is a podcast looking at issues important to the LGBT communities. If you don't happen to associate with one of those letters that's ok! This show is aimed at helping people outside those communities understand just how important these issues are and why we need your support.

  1. 6D AGO

    Polite Words, Real Exclusion

    In this episode, Linda shares a recent personal experience as the first episode of the 2026 season. After offering to help test a remote astronomy setup at a friend’s request, she was unexpectedly declined—not because of her skills, but because of discomfort with pronouns and LGBTQ-related links in her email signature. Through a close reading of the email exchange and her response, Linda reflects on the difference between political disagreement and homophobia, and how politeness can still function as exclusion. She explores what it means to avoid engagement entirely, what gets lost when people refuse to interact across differences, and why these quieter forms of rejection can be just as telling as overt hostility. 00:00 Introduction 00:35 Setting the scene 01:13 The request for help 01:44 My emails 02:20 Email signatures 02:45 Help rejected 04:05 My reaction 05:04 My response 06:49 Is it homophobia? 07:41 Unwillingness to interact 10:31 call for viewer experiences

    11 min

  2. 12/24/2025

    Rainbow Ridge Social Club: Building Community in the Northern Shenandoah Valley

    **Episode 33 – Building LGBTQ+ Community in Hostile Times | Rainbow Ridge Social Club** In this episode of **The Spectrum**, we sit down with **Augie** and **Paul**, two organizing members of the **Rainbow Ridge Social Club** in Virginia’s northern Shenandoah Valley. What begins as a conversation about social events and friendship quickly becomes something deeper: a powerful, honest discussion about resilience, belonging, and the life-saving importance of queer community. Augie and Paul share how Rainbow Ridge grew from a small Facebook group into a thriving network of over 1,000 LGBTQ+ people and allies — offering free or low-cost events, radical acceptance, and a place to feel safe. Paul also speaks openly about surviving targeted hate and vandalism, and how finding (and building) community helped turn fear into strength. This episode is for: * **LGBTQ+ viewers** who are searching for connection, safety, or reassurance that they are not alone * **Allies — and those who want to be** — who want to better understand what LGBTQ+ people face, and how community, visibility, and acceptance truly make a difference At a time when anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and violence are increasing, this conversation puts real faces and voices to the headlines. 💜 Topics include: * Creating queer community in small or hostile environments * Radical acceptance and accessibility * Coping with hate and finding healing If you believe people are people — or want to understand what that really means — this episode is for you. 📍 Learn more about Rainbow Ridge Social Club: [https://therainbowridgesocialclub.org](https://therainbowridgesocialclub.org) 📩 Interested in sharing your story on *The Spectrum* (anonymously if needed)? Email: [SpectrumPodcastHost@gmail.com](mailto:SpectrumPodcastHost@gmail.com) **You are not alone. Community matters. And understanding starts with listening.**

    30 min

  3. 11/23/2025

    Casa BruMar Foundation: Fighting for LGBTQ+ Rights, Resources, and Housing Advocacy in Virginia

    In this episode of The Spectrum (Episode 32, recorded November 20th, 2025), we sit down with Evelyn BruMar, the Executive Director of the Casa BruMar Foundation. Find out how this **Latina-led LGBTQ organization** serves as a crucial home and resource hub across the **whole Commonwealth of Virginia**. Evelyn, a first-generation American of Mexican and Chumash descent, shares her deeply personal motivation for this extensive advocacy work, including her experience living on the streets after being disowned as a minor. Her commitment solidified in Virginia when the state barred her and her wife from adopting a foster child. **What does Casa BruMar Foundation do?** The mission of Casa BruMar is built on providing protections and access to resources that were historically absent in Virginia before 2020, when it was legal to discriminate against LGBTQ people. They work tirelessly to "cut through red tape" and navigate local laws (from school board policies to foster care). Core services include: * Connecting people, including those displaced or struggling with affordable housing, to existing county programs. * Helping young people obtain a **GED or high school diploma**. * Ensuring the **elderly population** is not discriminated against in faith-based hospice facilities. * Operating the **Rise Up Scholarship**, named after a friend named Marja, which helps LGBTQ young adults (ages 18-25). **Facing the 2025 Crisis** Evelyn confirms a significant **uptick in people reaching out for help in 2025**, including LGBTQIA+ individuals, as well as straight or cisgender people who face hate for how their children identify or how they are perceived. **Innovative Solutions & Advocacy** Learn about Evelyn's creative solution for same-sex couples before marriage equality was legal: **forming a business (an LLC)** to protect assets and ensure rights. Evelyn and her wife, Heidi, adopted the name "BruMar," legally established themselves as a business, and protected their assets by putting them into the company's bank account. Furthermore, Evelyn details the life-saving **crisis intervention training** Casa BruMar provides to **first responders and law enforcement** in Manassas and Prince William County. This training is designed to foster empathy and provide officers with the appropriate language needed to engage safely with people experiencing trauma, including non-binary and trans youth who are often misgendered or dead named. **Support the Future of Advocacy in Virginia** Looking ahead to 2026, the foundation is focused on closing the housing gap and advocating for simple but crucial policy changes, such as mandatory single-stall, private bathrooms in public facilities and schools, which Evelyn argues protects all children, especially the most vulnerable. The foundation is planning to open a new **community center in Woodbridge, Prince William County** in 2026, which Evelyn believes will be the first community center in Virginia with an attached **pride clinic and pharmacy**, alongside social services. To support this vital work or inquire about resources, visit **CasaBrumarFoundation.org**.

    29 min

  4. 11/07/2025

    ARE and The R.I.S.E. Center

    n this episode of The Spectrum, we visit the R.I.S.E. Center at the AIDS Response Effort (ARE) in Winchester, Virginia. Executive Director Katie Vance and Co-Director Matt Buracker share the inspiring story behind ARE’s 35-year mission to support people living with HIV and to build community through the newly established LGBTQ+ R.I.S.E. Center. Learn how ARE provides medical and non-medical case management, free HIV and STI testing, harm reduction programs, and vital community resources like a food pantry, LGBTQ+ library, and gender-affirming clothing closet. Katie and Matt also discuss the challenges of funding cuts, the importance of inclusive spaces, and how people can help sustain this vital community work through donations, volunteering, and advocacy. 👉 Learn more: https://aidsresponseeffort.org 👉 Donate: https://aidsresponseeffort.charityproud.org/Donate/?cid=25863 👉 Volunteer or get involved: https://aidsresponseeffort.org/get-involved/ If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to help spread awareness of the important work being done by ARE and the R.I.S.E. Center.

    17 min

  5. 09/28/2025

    The Transgender Scare: McCarthyism for the 21st Century

    Are we reliving the McCarthy era? In this episode, we connect the dots between Joseph McCarthy’s 1950s Red and Lavender Scares and today’s attacks on transgender people. Just as McCarthy fueled fear and persecution of suspected communists and gay people, today’s right-wing movement uses the same playbook—demonizing transgender Americans to consolidate political power. We explore how fear-driven narratives have been recycled, from baseless accusations of “communist infiltration” to today’s rhetoric portraying transgender people as threats. Along the way, we examine the role of groups like the Heritage Foundation, the rise of anti-trans laws, and the chilling parallels to America’s past. This isn’t just about history—it’s about what’s happening right now in 2025. If we don’t recognize these patterns and act, the consequences could be devastating for democracy, freedom, and basic human decency. 00:00 Introduction 00:17 McCarthy 00:36 First Red Scare 01:17 Second Red Scare 01:35 Lavender Scare 02:22 2024 Election 02:59 2025 Election 03:33 Charlie Kirk murder 05:47 Why Should You Care? 10:39 Conclusion

    11 min

  6. 09/16/2025

    Emma's Story, Part 3

    This is part three of a three part series that explores the life of a transgender woman. We're calling her Emma here but this is not her name. She has chosen to remain anonymous to protect her and her family from the harassment so often directed at transgender people today. To protect her identity, we've digitally altered her voice and appearance but the emotion you will hear is hers.. This part of Emma's story covers the time period from when she decided to have gender confirmation surgery through the present. 00:00 Introduction 00:34 Deciding on surgery 01:12 Party 02:23 Surgery 05:24 Next Phase 07:38 Reflecting on her life 09:12 On gender-affirming care 12:01 Conclusion

    13 min

  7. 09/01/2025

    Emma's Story, Part 2

    This is part 2 of a three part series that explores the life of a transgender woman. We're calling her Emma here but this is not her name. She has chosen to remain anonymous to protect her and her family from the harassment so often directed at transgender people today. To protect her identity, we've digitally altered her voice and appearance but the emotion you will hear is hers.. This part of Emma's story covers the time period from when she decided to see if transitioning was an option for her through making her transition. 00:00 Introduction 00:46 Finding Help 03:09 Support Group 04:54 Telling People 09:43 Testing the Water 12:24 Life Test 13:21 Father's Rejection 14:53 Work Transition 20:03 Conclusion

    20 min

  8. 09/01/2025

    Emma's Story, Part 1

    This is part 1 of a three part series that explores the life of a transgender woman. We're calling her Emma here but this is not her name. She has chosen to remain anonymous to protect her and her family from the harassment so often directed at transgender people today. To protect her identity, we've digitally altered her voice and appearance but the emotion you will hear is hers.. This part of Emma's story covers her early childhood through what she calls her breaking point. 00:00 Introduction 00:41 Start of Emma's story 01:26 Earliest Memories 03:19 Elementary School 05:58 Junior & Senior High School 06:24 College 09:55 Trying to cope 11:57 Deciding 13:20 Condlusion of part 1

    14 min
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About

The Spectrum is a podcast looking at issues important to the LGBT communities. If you don't happen to associate with one of those letters that's ok! This show is aimed at helping people outside those communities understand just how important these issues are and why we need your support.

Information

  • Creator
    Linda Thomas-Fowler
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Spectrum