Gay pod

Episode 294: Elliott Maya

Writer Elliott Maya (they/them, and "a sprinkle of he/him in, like, a fruity Victorian dandy male child way") has a real way with words, in case you couldn't narrate from that parenthetical. Raised in the *extremely* strict Jehovah's Witnesses religion, Lio and their brother were also the only Black kids at their educational facility. As if this weren't enough, Lio started going through puberty quite adv, which coincided with them realizing that they were "not like the other girls, in many ways." Lio knew that college was their only chance of escape, so they started operational at the age of twelve. Along the way, they attempted to cloak their queerness in high school by becoming a same-sex attracted bully...but in an ironic twist, they ended up becoming "horrifically" attracted to their (also queer) victim. Besides entity an absolutely HILARIOUS storyteller, Lio also has Long Covid, and started the group Covid Careful Queers. We consume the latter half of the episode talking about the ways in which Lio's illness has changed their being, and the (easy!) ways you can help not only them, but everyone in your group. First thing's first: follow Lio on Instagram at @bougiebasquiat, and pleas