Send us Fan Mail Are We Going Backward? Queer Resilience in a Time of Backlash Airs September 4, 2026 on The Mindfully Gay Podcast Are LGBTQ+ rights moving backward? After decades of progress toward marriage equality, LGBTQ+ visibility, transgender healthcare, and greater social acceptance, many queer people are asking a question that once seemed almost unimaginable: Are the rights we fought so hard to achieve becoming vulnerable again? In this timely episode of The Mindfully Gay Podcast, John Cottrell and Jerry Buie examine the political and cultural backlash facing the LGBTQ+ community--and what it means for our mental health, spirituality, relationships, and sense of belonging. Jerry shares what he is seeing among transgender clients in his psychotherapy practice, including renewed concerns about personal safety, healthcare access, identity, and the uncertainty created when transgender lives become political battlegrounds. But this episode isn't only about politics. It's about resilience. Jerry takes listeners back to December 2013 and the extraordinary morning when he and his longtime partner, Bruce, arrived at the Salt Lake County building unsure whether they would actually be allowed to marry. After nearly two decades together, they watched gay couples receive marriage licenses in Utah and realized their turn was coming. That victory represented something much larger than marriage. It represented dignity, equality, possibility, and hope. So what happens when that progress suddenly feels uncertain? John and Jerry reflect on decades of LGBTQ+ activism--from marriage equality and foster-care rights to conversion therapy legislation and the HIV/AIDS crisis--and talk candidly about activist fatigue. After fighting for so long, who picks up the torch next? They also explore how queer community has changed in the age of social media, smartphones, and dating apps. Gay bars, community centers, protests, rallies, and public meetings once gave LGBTQ+ people places to find one another, organize, exchange information, and build collective power. Have digital spaces made us more connected, or have they sometimes created an illusion of community while leaving us more isolated? John reflects on his experience as a Black man and the generations of civil-rights activists whose sacrifices created opportunities for those who followed. Both Black history and LGBTQ+ history remind us that progress is rarely a straight line. Every generation inherits both the victories and unfinished work of those who came before. The conversation also addresses tensions within the LGBTQ+ community. As transgender people increasingly become targets of political debate, John and Jerry challenge gay and lesbian people to remember our own history. Many accusations currently directed toward transgender people echo arguments once used against gay men and lesbians. Our liberation has always depended on showing up for one another. From political resistance, the conversation turns toward spiritual resilience. John shares his need for a "jolt of joy"--intentionally finding joy, movement, connection, and possibility when the news begins weighing down the spirit. Jerry draws upon lessons from sweat-lodge ceremonies and meditation, including the wisdom an elder once shared with him: learn to "be like the rocks." Rather than fighting against overwhelming heat, remain still and allow it to move through you. John connects that lesson to yoga. A difficult posture may make us shake, struggle, or want to escape--but eventually the posture ends. The discomfort is temporary. Stillness is not surrender. Yoga, meditation, ritual, breath, music, friendship, joy, and community can help us remain grounded enough to stand back up and participate when we're needed. Ultimately, "Are We Going Backward? Queer Resilience in a Time of Backlash" is about remembering who we are. Know your history. Find your people. Protect your joy. Support transgender members of our community. Listen to our elders. Mentor the generations coming behind us. And when you're called to show up--show up. LGBTQ+ history reminds us that frightening moments pass, progress can return, and queer people have always found creative ways to survive, organize, love, resist, celebrate, and create change. We are still here. Download and listen to The Mindfully Gay Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and watch the video podcast on YouTube at Mindfully Gay Podcast. Then join the conversation: What has LGBTQ+ history taught you about surviving the challenges we're facing today? @mindfully_gay (Instagram)
