In this episode, 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.

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

Transcript: LindaHi, and welcome to Episode number 31 of the spectrum. This was recorded on November 5th, right? Today's the 5th? KatieYes. LindaNovember 5th, 2025. Today we're here at the R.I.S.E Center of the ARE in Winchester, Virginia. And we're going to be talking to folks that work there and learn about what the ARE and R.I.S.E.

Hello, and welcome to episode 30 of The Spectrum. This was recorded on September 28, 2025. Today we’re going to be looking at the modern right-wing political movement and comparing it to the McCarthy era of the 1950’s. Spoiler alert: they are doing it again. Joseph McCarthy was a Republican US Senator from Wisconsin. He was in the Senate from 1947 through 1957.

Hello, and welcome to episode 29 of The Spectrum. This was recorded on September 1, 2025. Today’s episode is the final part of a a three part series. This is the life story of a transgender woman we are going to call Emma. She wanted to share her story but also wanted to remain anonymous to protect her and her family.

Hello, and welcome to episode 28 of The Spectrum. This was recorded on September 1, 2025. Today’s episode is part 2 of a a three part series. This is the life story of a transgender woman we are going to call Emma. She wanted to share her story but also wanted to remain anonymous to protect her and her family.

Hello, and welcome to episode 27 of The Spectrum. This was recorded on September 1, 2025. Today’s episode is the start of a a three part series. This is the life story of a transgender woman we are going to call Emma. She wanted to share her story but also wanted to remain anonymous to protect her and her family.

Hello, and welcome to episode 26 of The Spectrum. This was recorded on August 16, 2025. In this episode, we’re going to come up to speed on the current situation in the Shenandoah County Public Schools. I was not able to follow the events of the last two months directly but in that time the school board added an entire section to policy GBAB/JFHAB: Dignity and Respect for Students that banned transgender students from participating in school athletics with students of the same gender.

This is an interview with Susie Wilburn, President of the Woodstock, Virginia chapter of PFLAG. It was recorded on July 29, 2025. LindaHello and welcome to episode 25 of The Spectrum. Today we have somebody who actually helped inspire me doing this, which is Susie Wilburn. She's the president of the PFLAG Woodstock chapter. And Susie was kind enough to sit down with us today to talk about kind of her involvement with the PFLAG chapter and the history of the chapter and about PFLAG in general.

Hello, and welcome to episode 24 of The Spectrum. This was recorded on July 18, 2025. Today we’re going to examine what some people are saying about LGBTQ+ people and how, in my opinion, this is not free speech. But, first, what is free speech? Most Americans grow up thinking that free speech is the right to say whatever they want.

Hello, and welcome to episode 23 of The Spectrum. Todays’ episode is kind of a coming out guide for the straight person. No, it’s not a guide to help straight people come out. It’s all but axiomatic that straight people are out. What this is is a discussion to help the straight, cisgender person understand what coming out means to the LGBT+ community and why it’s so important.

Hello and welcome to episode 22 of The Spectrum. This was recorded on June 30, 2025. This episode is broken into two parts. The first is a bit of a “state of LGBT+ people” mid-way through the year. I’m going to start at the local level and work up to international. But, what is happening here in Shenandoah County is happening or about to happen all over the country so I think it has relevance to people all over the country.

Hello and welcome to episode 21 of The Spectrum. This was recorded on June 18, 2025. In this episode we have bad news from the Supreme Court. In a 6-3 decision, the court upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. This is terrible news, not just for transgender children in Tennessee, but for children in the 25 states who face similar bans.

Welcome to episode 20 of The Spectrum. This was recorded on June 16, 2025. The subject for today is about the podcast itself. The podcast has been available in video form on YouTube and in audio fo…

# Episode Notes Notes go hereWelcome to Episode 19 of The Spectrum! In this special Pride Month episode, recorded on June 6, 2025, we dive into the powerful origins and ongoing importance of LGBT+ ...

YouTube video by The Spectrum

YouTube video by The Spectrum

YouTube video by The Spectrum

This is a podcast about LGBT issues. But, don't run away if none of those letters apply to you. The goal is to help explain to the wider community why these issues are important and why equality matte...