Hey, everybody—Peppermint here! 💜 Queer 101 is back, and we need to talk about your vote: why it matters, who’s trying to make it harder to cast, and how we can show up prepared for the midterm elections.

Because protecting our rights takes more than a good Instagram caption—and choosing our elected officials takes more than vibes.

In this episode, I’m breaking down voting rights and voter suppression, from voter ID requirements and voter roll purges to polling-place closures, mail-in voting restrictions, and misinformation. I’m talking about how these barriers affect Black voters, Indigenous communities, young people, disabled voters, trans people, and others whose voices are too often pushed aside.

I also get into the SAVE Act and proof-of-citizenship requirements, including why paperwork and mismatched names can create real obstacles for eligible voters. If your documents don’t all tell the same story about your name, you know that “just bring your ID” isn’t always so simple.

And yes, we’re talking about politicians, accountability, and why I want us looking at candidates’ actual policies—not just their personalities or party labels.

But I’m not here just to leave you overwhelmed. Let’s turn that concern into a voting plan. We’ll talk about checking your registration through official sources, confirming where and when you can vote, researching your ballot, knowing your rights, and getting involved locally.

Your voice matters. Let’s make sure you have a plan to use it.

In This Episode

• What voter suppression looks like—and why it isn’t always obvious
• How voting barriers affect LGBTQ+ voters and other marginalized communities
• The SAVE Act, citizenship documents, and name mismatches
• How to find reliable election information and avoid misinformation
• Why voting based on “vibes” isn’t enough
• How to make a voting plan before the midterms
• Ways to support voting access beyond casting your own ballot

If this conversation helped you, share it with someone you want to make a voting plan with. And tell me: what’s one thing you’re doing to get ready to vote?

Subscribe for more LGBTQ+ education, queer conversations, and Queer 101 with me, Peppermint.

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• Queer101Podcast@gmail.com

My body. My choices. And yes, that includes my trans healthcare. 💜

Hey y’all, it’s Peppermint! On this episode of Queer 101 with Pepperint, I’m connecting the dots between abortion access, bodily autonomy, and the fight for gender-affirming care. Because the conversation about who gets to make decisions about our bodies doesn’t stop at Roe v. Wade.

So, what is gender-affirming care? Let’s get into it—without the scare tactics.

I’m talking names, pronouns, haircuts, counseling, hormones, voice care, surgery, and more. I unpack what that care can include, why there’s no one-size-fits-all transition, and what gets lost when politicians turn personal healthcare decisions into talking points.

And yes, I’m getting personal. I share what transition has meant in my own life, why medical privacy matters, and why trans youth and marginalized communities need to be part of this conversation—not talked over.

In this episode, I’m breaking down:

• Gender-affirming care: what it means beyond the headlines.
• Bodily autonomy: why I connect reproductive rights and trans rights.
• Myths and misinformation: the narratives I’m pushing back against.
• Access and privacy: whose choices—and medical records—are on the line.
• Showing up: supporting trans-led organizations, challenging misinformation, voting, and putting mutual aid into action.

Come for the Queer 101. Stay for the conversation about who gets a say over our bodies. Spoiler: I believe that starts with us.

💬 What’s one thing you wish more people understood about gender-affirming care? Let’s talk in the comments.

Subscribe for more LGBTQ+ education, queer conversations, and Queer 101 with me, Peppermint.

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• @peppermint247
• @pridehousemedia

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• Queer101Podcast@gmail.com

If your feminism breaks a glass ceiling but leaves everybody else sweeping up the shards, baby, we need to talk.

In this episode of Queer 101 with Peppermint, I’m unpacking white liberal feminism: who it centers, who it leaves behind, and why putting a woman in charge doesn’t automatically mean liberation for the rest of us. Representation matters. But a girlboss with power is not the same thing as a movement sharing it.

I dig into the history of Black women’s exclusion from feminist movements, from suffrage to reproductive rights, and the roles white women played in slavery and Jim Crow. I also explore Kimberlé Crenshaw’s intersectionality framework, misogynoir, and why “I don’t see color” is not the feminist flex some people think it is.

Then I get into celebrity activism, trendy solidarity, and the difference between changing the face of an institution and actually changing how it works. A cute slogan? Lovely. Redistributing power and resources? Now we’re talking.

I also reflect on a conversation at Gloria Steinem’s home about reproductive justice and bodily autonomy—because whose body gets protected, whose choices get respected, and whose freedom gets overlooked are questions we cannot skip.

Consider this your feminist group-project check-in. I’m asking us to move beyond symbolic wins and support intersectional feminist leaders and organizations doing the work. Feminism needs more than a new face at the top. It needs to stop leaving people at the bottom.

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• @peppermint247
• @pridehousemedia

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• Queer101Podcast@gmail.com

Hey y’all.

Welcome back to Queer 101 — Season 2 is here, and I’m switching things up.

This season, we are getting more real-time, more responsive, and more in conversation with you. Instead of only focusing on monthly books and interviews, I’ll be digging into the queer and trans issues showing up in the news, in our communities, on our feeds, and — unfortunately — in election-season attack ads.

And yes, I want to hear from you. Drop your thoughts in the comments, send me your questions, DM me your reactions, and tell me what you want us to unpack next. This is Queer 101, but we are not doing passive learning over here. We are building language, context, and community.

In this episode, I’m asking the question a lot of us are exhausted by but cannot afford to ignore:

Why do politicians keep targeting trans people?

I break down the anti-trans political playbook, how LGBTQ people get used as wedge issues during election season, why culture-war panic distracts from housing, healthcare, wages, and survival, and how we fight back through coalition-building, local voting, and real organizing.

But it is not enough to just listen you have to take action. So here are some of the action items we discussed in today’s show.

1. Research your local ballot.
   Look up who and what will be on your ballot before Election Day. Local races matter.
   
   
   
2. Text three people.
   Ask them if they have a voting plan. Not “are you voting?” — a plan. When, where, how, and what they need.
   
   
   
3. Get specific.
   Do not let politicians hide behind vibes. Ask what they support on healthcare, housing, wages, war, schools, trans rights, labor rights, and community safety.
   
   
   
4. Build across movements.
   Trans rights, labor rights, racial justice, healthcare, housing, and anti-war work are connected. The opposition knows that. We should too.

The anti-trans panic is loud. But our communities are louder when we are informed, connected, and ready.

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• @peppermint247
• @pridehousemedia

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• Queer101Podcast@gmail.com

Hey y’all,

Big changes are happening on Queer 101. This week, I’m back with Hugh the Historian to catch up on a nonstop summer — from Hugh’s tour for his book My Bad, to my unforgettable moment as a NYC Pride Grand Marshal, to the release of Survival of the Thickest on Netflix.

We’re also sharing an important update: the Alstora Queer 101 Book Club is coming to an end for now because our schedules are getting busier, but please keep sending your queer book recommendations our way.

Then we move from Pride to politics, breaking down key primary results and progressive campaigns, including Justin Pearson, Cori Bush, Wesley Bell, Donovan McKinney, and Abdul El-Sayed, while talking about dark money, policing, militarization, transphobia, and the political attacks facing LGBTQ+ communities right now.

And finally, Hugh shares some major personal news: he’ll be stepping back from weekly episodes of Queer 101 as he begins his new role as lead historian for the American LGBTQ+ Museum, opening in New York City in 2028. Don’t worry — he’ll still be back with updates.

Thank you for being part of this Queer 101 journey with us. Class is still in session. 💖

Topics: LGBTQ+ history, queer politics, trans rights, Pride, progressive elections, American LGBTQ+ Museum, Peppermint, Hugh Ryan, Queer 101 podcast

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• @peppermint247
• @hughoryan
• @pridehousemedia

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• questions@queer101podcast.com

Hey y’all, tt’s just me, Peppermint this week on Queer 101 while Hugh is on his book tour (My Bad go get it!) — and we have a lot to unpack.

In this solo episode, I break down what happened at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, why the event matters for a free press, and why politics, media, and comedy don’t always mix gracefully.

We’re talking about Donald Trump’s July 24, 2026 remarks, including:

• His ongoing feud with journalists
• Comments aimed at CNN’s Kaitlan Collins
• A Bud Light joke referencing Dylan Mulvaney
• How trans people continue to be used as political punchlines

I also revisit the Bud Light backlash, Trump’s claims about financial losses, and what it says about the broader climate for trans and nonbinary communities.

Beyond the headlines, I spotlight key 2026 midterm races, including:

• Abdul El‑Sayed vs. Haley Stevens in Michigan
• Omar Fattah in Minnesota

Plus, I share Dylan Mulvaney’s response calling for support of trans youth and nonbinary people — and why staying engaged matters, even when politics feels like one big distraction cycle.

If you care about:

• Trans rights and LGBTQ+ advocacy
• Media freedom and political messaging
• The 2026 midterm elections
• How pop culture and politics collide

This one’s for you.

Follow us at:

• @peppermint247
• @hughoryan
• @pridehousemedia

Write to us at:

• questions@queer101podcast.com

Hey y’all 💋 it’s Peppermint — and I’m literally recording this from the streets of New York City.

Yes. Taxis. Sirens. Sidewalk energy. All of it.

In this episode of Queer 101, Hugh and I are catching up on everything — from his cross‑country book tour to what’s happening right now in NYC politics, LGBTQ+ rights, Pride season, and the upcoming midterm elections.

Hugh just wrapped an incredible national book tour, and we talk about his stop in LA at the ASU FIDM Fashion Museum, where he revisited his iconic ’90s fashion looks with Michelle T. We love a fashion history moment — especially when it’s queer, nostalgic, and a little chaotic.

Meanwhile, I’m checking in from outside on the streets of New York (yes, we’re outside-outside), and I reflect on this season of my life — from filming to watching the final season of Netflix’s Survival of the Thickest to navigating this very intense political climate as a trans woman living in America.

We get real about:

✨ Finding joy during stressful political times
🏳️‍🌈 Pride Month and the Queer Liberation March in NYC
🏙️ The recent New York rent freeze
💰 The pledged $15 million toward trans healthcare funding
🗳️ The 2026 midterm elections and why local politics matter
📰 Media narratives, party accountability, and why we shouldn’t idolize politicians

As people who live and work in New York City — and who care deeply about LGBTQ+ rights, trans healthcare access, and housing justice — Hugh and I truly believe local power shapes our daily lives more than we think.

We talk about how to stay engaged without burning out. How to celebrate Pride while still demanding more. And how to hold politicians accountable — even the ones we like.

This episode is funny, a little shady (because you know I can’t help myself), but also grounded in the reality of what queer people are navigating in 2026.

If you care about:
• LGBTQ+ news
• NYC politics
• Trans healthcare funding
• Rent freezes & housing justice
• Pride and the Queer Liberation March
• The 2026 midterm elections
• Queer culture & pop culture

You’re in the right place.

Thanks for being here with us — on the sidewalks of NYC and beyond.

Make sure you subscribe, leave a review, and send us your questions for the next episode of Queer 101.

Love you. Stay engaged. Stay fabulous. Stay human. 💖

Follow us at:

• @peppermint247
• @hughoryan
• @pridehousemedia

Write to us at:

• questions@queer101podcast.com

Hey y’all, it’s Peppermint. 💕

I had to jump in here today to break down a devastating Supreme Court decision that affects transgender girls and women across the United States.

The Supreme Court has sided with West Virginia and Idaho, allowing states to ban transgender girls and women from playing on girls’ school sports teams—from middle school through college. In West Virginia v. BPJ and Little v. Hecox, the Court backed laws that define who counts as a “girl” strictly by sex assigned at birth, rejecting arguments under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Let me be clear: this decision doesn’t just impact two states. It sends a message to trans kids across the country that their identities can be legislated away. In this special episode, I break down what the Court decided, what it avoided, and why this ruling puts transgender youth—and the future of equal protection—on the line.

BPJ is an 11‑year‑old trans girl who challenged West Virginia’s ban with support from organizations like the ACLU and Lambda Legal. And while this ruling is devastating, I talk through why it’s narrower than it could have been—and why that matters.

But this isn’t just about trans girls.

I explain how these sports bans open the door to increased policing of all women’s bodies—especially cisgender women, women of color, and women with intersex traits. We’ve already seen this scrutiny directed at athletes like Caster Semenya, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Simone Biles, and even Michelle Obama—women whose bodies have been publicly questioned simply for not fitting narrow expectations of femininity.

This episode is personal. It’s political. And it’s urgent.

If you care about LGBTQ+ rights, Title IX, women’s sports, bodily autonomy, and the future of equality in America, this conversation is for you.

Drop your thoughts in the comments, share this episode, and make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss what’s next.

Follow us at:

• @peppermint247
• @hughoryan
• @pridehousemedia

Write to us at:

• questions@queer101podcast.com