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In part one of a two-part series, This Way Out’s Ebony Joseph examines a growing global wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation—from Africa to Eastern Europe and Central Asia—where governments are increasingly criminalizing queer identity under the guise of “morality,” “tradition,” or child protection. Featuring insights from Neela Goshal of Outright International, Gurchaten Sandhu of ILGA World, and Polish advocate Annamaria Linczowska, the report connects these laws to political power plays, colonial legacies, and rising authoritarianism, while highlighting their real-world consequences—from increased violence to the silencing of advocacy. Despite legal shifts in some regions, the piece underscores the ongoing struggle for safety, visibility, and basic rights, and the critical role of grassroots movements in pushing back. Featured speakers: Phil Thoman, Pope Leo XIV, Father James Martin, Steven Reigns, Ebony Joseph, Neela Goshal, Gurchaten Sandhu, Annamaria Linczowska In NewsWrap: Russia escalates its campaign against LGBTQ communities, as courts label advocacy groups “extremists,” a U.S. appeals court upholds West Virginia’s ban on Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming surgeries, raising concerns about broader limits on transgender healthcare nationwide, transgender Idaho residents sue the state over what some are calling the harshest bathroom ban in the country, human rights groups issue travel warnings ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America citing risks for LGBTQ people and other marginalized communities, and Pope Leo XIV weighs in on same-sex marriage, emphasizing unity over doctrine as debate continues within the global Church—and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Joe Boehnlein and Tanya Kane-Parry (News Writer Ebony Joseph, News Producer Brian DeShazor). Credits: Associate Producer Lucia Chappelle, News Producer/ Host Brian DeShazor, News Editor Ebony Joseph, feature report Ebony Joseph producer, NewsWrap reporters Joe Boehnlein and Tanya Kane-Parry, music by Joy Oladokun and Kim Wilson.

This Way Out’s Brian DeShazor talks with Out Opera and Broadway actor Zachary James about his roles in Philip Glass’ Akhnaten, Broadway, and being out on stage. In addition to his current role as Amenhotep III in the Olivier and Grammy-Award winning production of Akhnatan, he's played roles as Lurch in The Addams Family on Broadway, Abraham Lincoln in The Perfect American, Hades in the West End production of Hadestown. James was named one of the 30 most influential LGBTQIA+ artists in Opera by Operawire. And in NewsWrap: Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ law ruled illegal as a new leader faces pressure to reform, the U.S. Supreme Court takes up a religious rights clash over queer families, Australia lifts blood donation restrictions for gay and bi men, Tennessee declares “Nuclear Family Month” to counter Pride, a trans custody case sparks international intervention, and a Trump photo-op goes off-script. Reported this week by Michael LeBeau and Michael Taylor Gray. Those stories and more when you find “This Way Out" for the week of April 27, 2026. Join our family of listener-donors today at thiswayout.org/donate/.

National Poetry Month revisits the 1979 March on Washington with poetry from the rally stage recited by Allen Ginsberg, Paula Gunn Allen, and Audre Lorde. Audre Lorde also reads a poem to close the program from 1980 recorded at a feminist event in New York City. (Produced by Brian DeShazor) Music by Elizabeth Clyde and Blackberri And in Newswrap: Hungary’s political shift as Viktor Orbán is unseated by Péter Magyar, an Australian court allows trans exclusion at lesbian events, Montana affirms transgender legal recognition, and the Pride flag is restored at Stonewall National Monument. All this on the April 20, 2026 Edition of This Way Out!

This Way Out’s founding Coordinating Producer Greg Gordon is honored in “In Memoriam Part 2,” continuing a legacy that helped shape international LGBTQ radio. This tribute features voices from across his life and work, reflecting on his impact as a journalist, historian, and community storyteller (Part 2 of 2, produced by Lucia Chappelle and Brian DeShazor). And in NewsWrap: India swears in its first openly queer Member of Parliament amid ongoing trans rights rollbacks, Belarus criminalizes LGBTQ “propaganda,” U.K. veterans seek justice over historic service bans, U.S. schools face new challenges to transgender protections, Los Angeles schools come under federal scrutiny in a trans student case, a judge condemns conversion therapy, and the queer blues legacy of Ma Rainey is celebrated—plus more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Marcos Najera and Sarah Montague (News Editor Ebony Joseph, News Producer Brian DeShazor). All this on the April 13, 2026 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at thiswayout.org/donate/.

This Way Out’s founding Coordinating Producer leaves a legacy of historic LGBTQ audio that begins more than a decade before the only internationally syndicated queer radio show debuted. This memorial tribute features his exclusive 1979 interview with San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk and “Diminished Capacity,” his documentary on the aftermath of Milk’s assassination, and coverage of the first LGBTQ March on Washington (Part 1 of 2, produced by Lucia Chappelle and Brian DeShazor). And in NewsWrap: the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for minors, rebellious protests in India on International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) after the president signs a law that erases trans rights, the Trump White House denounces the Biden administration’s support of TDOV, New South Wales is still waiting for the release of the Sackar Report on hate crimes, queer Kenyan activists are launching a voter registration campaign, a trio of trans athletes win third place in the Oceanside, California Ironman race, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Ava Davis and John Dyer V (News Editor Ebony Joseph, News Producer Brian DeShazor). All this on the April 6, 2026 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at thiswayout.org/donate/.

Danni Hoshino brings us a preview of her Transgender Day of Visibility single release, “Alright”! The veteran folk-rock musician surprised everyone — not least herself — when she came out as a transgender woman in 2022, just weeks before her planned wedding. Gender identity wasn’t the only thing that changed. She relocated, became Light Bird on stage, and began working on a soul-baring new album that’s expected out in June (interviewed by David Hunt). Birthday wishes to the multi-award-winning Rachel Maddow, the first openly lesbian prime time news anchor in the United States, multi-award-winning David Hyde Pierce, best known for his portrayal of psychiatrist “Niles Crane” on the popular sitcom “Frasier,” and multi-award-winning Black and gay science fiction writer memoirist, and critic Samuel R. “Chip” Delany, known for groundbreaking works like “Dhalgren” and “Babel-17” — all in the Rainbow Minute, along with some memorable dates (written by Sheri Lunn, produced by co-host Brian DeShazor. And in NewsWrap: India’s transgender people are stripped of their rights under a new law that upends their legal recognition process, the International Olympic Committee’s revived “sex testing” process for all women] effectively bans trans and intersex women from competing in Women’s Events, CBS Studios and Paramout Plus are pulling the plug on allegedly “too woke” Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Michael Lebeau and Nico Raquel (News Editor Ebony Joseph, News Producer Brian DeShazor). All this on the March 30, 2026 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at thiswayout.org/donate/.

“It is the woman who has to speak, and it’s not only the woman Anaïs who has to speak, but I who have to speak for many women.” So says the Cuban-French essayist and novelist in this 1966 reading from the first volume of “The Diary of Anais Nin,” presented in commemoration of Women’s History Month by poet Steven Reigns, Chair of the Anaïs Nin Foundation (produced by Brian DeShazor). Warm remembrances for the March birthdays of Alexandra Billings, the first female transgender actor to portray “Mama Rose” in “Gypsy,” and gay playwright Tennessee Williams, recalling his first meeting with Marlon Brando (courtesy of the Pacifica Radio Archives). More queer milestones include the birthday of ACT-UP, its Bisexual Health Awareness Month, and International Transgender Day of Visibility is March 31st (a Rainbow Rewind written by Sheri Lunn and produced by co-host Brian DeShazor). And in NewsWrap: India’s anti-trans proposal sparks protests, New South Wales acts to stop dating app ambushes, Olympics “sex testing” plan outrages human rights advocates, Trump’s new visa rules call neutral “X” passports “gender fraud,” California and New York lead U.S. states fighting Health and Human Services for trans kids’ care, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Melanie Keller and John Dyer V (News Editor Ebony Joseph, News Producer Brian DeShazor). All this on the March 23, 2026 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at thiswayout.org/donate/.

In a genre-bending story about a quest to conquer evil and save the world, the young-adult characters of Kestral Gaian’s “The Boy From Elsewhere” take a trek through the multiverse where nothing is quite what it seems. The poet, playwright, essayist, composer and author discusses the importance of queer visibility in young adult fiction in a conversation with This Way Out’s David Hunt. And in NewsWrap: Senegal’s National Assembly almost unanimously passes a bill to double the punishments for same-sex sexual activity, a Kenyan court convicts two assailants in a gay assault and extortion case, a U.S. federal appeals court issues a precedent-setting ruling against Medicaid-funded gender-affirming surgery, a Kansas judge refuses to block the invalidation of transgender people’s government identification and the ban their use of public bathrooms, the New Hampshire House passes extreme trans bathroom ban, Trump demands Congress add anti-trans laws to the SAVE America voter suppression bill, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Ret and Michael Taylor Gray (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the March 16, 2026 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at thiswayout.org/donate/.

Anti-LGBTQI hate crimes are on the rise in Australia. In New South Wales nearly 200 violent incidents have been reported since 2023, many involving men lured by gay dating apps (Michael Brown reports from Sydney). Plus: we announce the passing of This Way Out Co-founder and Coordinating Producer Greg Gordon. And in NewWrap: Russian repression strikes again with the designation of the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Coming Out as an “extremist organization,” “deviant culture” is how a new Deputy Minister in Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government wants to refer to LGBT people, Maryland parents who sued their local school district over LGBTQ-themed storybooks are now one and a half million dollars richer, the international music, art and cultural festival KOLFEST is being targeted by Kyrgyzstan officials based on its alleged promotion of LGBTQ life, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Marcos Najera and Ava Davis (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the March 9, 2026 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at thiswayout.org/donate/.

Extended Podcast Edition: Gender and Love Along the Nile with Egyptologist Dr. Colleen Darnell Award-winning Egyptologist Dr. Colleen Darnell of Lost Treasures of Egypt explores diverse expressions of love, gender, and identity woven into the civilizations of the ancient Nile in conversation with Brian DeShazor. This is a special podcast extended interview with Dr. Colleen Darnell, an award-winning Egyptologist trained at Yale University and vintage fashion enthusiast. Colleen is a world expert on ancient Egyptian culture and daily life, co-author of Tutankhamun’s Armies and Egypt's Golden Couple: When Akhenaten and Nefertiti Were Gods on Earth with her husband Dr. John Darnell. Brian discovered her in National Geographic’s Lost Treasures of Egypt. In this conversation, Brian explores with her gender, love, and identities of the Nile’s ancient civilizations (with music by MASHROU’ LEILA, LOREENA McKENNIT and Ancient Egypt by SEMION KRIVENKO-ADAMOV, the latter licensed under an attribution-noncommercial-noderivitives 4/0 international license. Check out Colleen's live Zoom classes on hieroglyphics and special lectures at www.colleendarnell.com —follow her on IG @vintage_egyptologist for all things Ancient Egypt and don’t forget the fabulous fashion!