On today's episode we have filmmaker Ashley Gianni (she/her). I was eager to get Ashley on the show after getting to see an early screening of her comedic short film, "The Late in Life Guide to Modern Day Lesbianism." It's a spoof on the 90's corporate training tapes, this time as a how-to guide for women who come out as lesbian's at a point they deem 'later.' The film is funny but also touches on such real aspects to what it means to come out later and is SO Second Adolescence-y.

In this conversation, Ashley shares with us her own personal story that inspired the film. We chat about the interconnectedness between her receiving a neurodivergent diagnosis in adulthood and her making sense of her queerness, the feeling of being not queer enough, the power of community, and the wild, beautiful, thrilling, and empowering ride that is early queer dating. Ashley's work is so important and this conversation was just so special and fun to get to be in - thank you for joining us, Ashley!

About the guest:

Ashley Gianni is an award-winning actor, director, writer, producer, and founder of Pizza Bagel Pictures LLC, a queer, female-led production company dedicated to telling bold, socially impactful stories. Her work centers on uplifting queer and female voices, using storytelling as a tool for connection, healing, and change.

Ashley holds a BFA in Theatre Performance from Chapman University and is a proud SAG-AFTRA, WIF, WIM, and FilmmakeHERs member, and female, queer storyteller. Learn more about Ashley and Pizza Bagel Pictures at www.ashleygianni.com and www.pizzabagelpictures.com. Keep up with Ashley and her films on social by following @ashleygianni and @pizzabagelpictures .

For more, visit www.secondadolescencepod.com and @secondadolescencepod.

On today's episode, we have Tim Smith (he/him). Tim so powerfully models what it is to be someone who is in the active work of continuing to offer healing to the younger versions of ourselves who endured trauma and pain, and gifting them today what they needed then.

In this conversation, Tim takes us back into his story - beginning with growing up gay in an overly anti-queer and neglectful environment, and then figuring out how to survive on his own at a young age. His story is one of survival and resilience, and we hear how he managed to navigate that beginning to reach a very sweet and beautiful present day. His memoir details all of this and more.

About the guest:

Tim Smith (he/him) is the author of Fault Line: Still Standing, a raw and unflinching memoir about survival, resilience, and the long shadow childhood trauma can cast over a life. Born in Pensacola, Florida, Smith grew up in the rural South in an environment shaped by addiction, instability, and neglect—experiences that would later form the emotional backbone of his writing. Before becoming an author, Smith worked a wide range of jobs that reflected both necessity and curiosity about the world: from short-order cook to labor in a Navy shipyard, eventually building a career in the financial sector as an executive assistant. Along the way he also developed a passion for photography, earning recognition and awards for his work behind the camera.

Today, Smith lives in Los Angeles with his husband and their four rescue dogs. His life now stands in stark contrast to the chaos of his childhood—a testament to the central idea at the heart of Fault Line: that the past may shape us, but it does not have to define us. Through his writing, photography, and creative work, Smith continues to explore themes of identity, resilience, and what it means to build a life after survival. Learn more about Tim and his book at https://www.faultlinememoir.com/

For more, visit www.secondadolescencepod.com or @secondadolescencepod.

Today's episode is with comedian, actor, writer Eliot Glazer (he/him). I was eager to get Eliot onto the show to get to talk about his new book, The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bay Gay (out now!). The book and today's conversation is really about what it means to be a gay person who doesn't feel like you fit the mold of who it feels you should be as a gay person, and this greater process of giving ourselves permission to exist exactly as we are. Eliot infuses so much heart, vulnerability, and depth into his comedy, and this book is exactly that and more. In this chat, we hear a lot from Eliot about his experience growing up, navigating being closeted, coming out, and the struggle of figuring out who he is as a gay man. I SO loved his book and this conversation with him, taking so much from it personally.

Get the book HERE!

About the guest:

As a screenwriter, Eliot Glazer has written for New Girl, The Boys, Billy on the Street, iCarly and Younger. As a performer, Eliot can be seen opposite Seth Rogen in the film American Pickle, HGTV’s House Hunters: Comedians on Couches, and alongside Rachel Bloom on Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin’s Netflix special Ladies Night Live. He is set to appear on the upcoming season of Netflix’s Survival of the Thickest and on So U Think U Can Sports, a Lemonada Media podcast executive produced by Charles Barkley and Justin Hartley. Eliot lives in Los Angeles.