Pride Stories: The Podcast
Building on the heartwarming success of Tellwell’s Pride Stories video series, we now amplify the chorus of LGBTQ+ experiences with our podcast.
Hosted by Max Kringen from Tellwell Story Co. and Studio, join us as we navigate the vast realm of self-discovery, resilience, and authenticity within the LGBTQ+ community. Each episode delves into poignant tales of pride, personal coming-out journeys, and the myriad challenges and triumphs of embracing one's true self. Backed by a dynamic team, we're on a mission to uplift every shade of the rainbow spectrum.
Whether you're a community member, an ally, or someone eager to understand, immerse yourself in these transformative narratives. And remember, every story, including yours, holds power.
Subscribe, review, and share your own Pride Story.
Watch the inspiration behind the podcast: https://wetellwell.com/pride-stories/
Share your pride story: https://wetellwell.com/pride-stories-podcast/
Pride Stories: The Podcast
Pride Stories: Finding Confidence and Community in Drag with Lisa
From her conservative country church's Nativity play to the basement of Fargo's VFW, Lisa Woessner's drag journey has been anything but ordinary. Also known as Xavier Knight, "The Daddy of Fargo", Lisa joins Katie for a heartening conversation about courage, self-discovery, and pride.
Every step of Lisa's journey, from embracing her sexuality to embodying Xavier Knight, is a testament to her strength. In this episode, she opens up about managing stage fright, the capacity to love more than one person, and her hopes for the drag community of Fargo, North Dakota.
It has to start with you. You know, if you're proud of yourself, you're gonna have that pride. And I know it's hard for people but once you can get past being uncomfortable about it and all that, there is that courage and that pride in you that you can show people and shine your light on other people, to show them that it's all okay.
Speaker 2:Welcome to Pride Stories, the podcast where we celebrate the entire spectrum of experiences that make up the LGBTQ plus community. I'm your host, Katie Beatty, from Tell Well StoryCo and Studio. On this podcast, we're committed to creating a safe, supportive and inspiring space for our guests and listeners alike, so join us as we explore the heartwarming, sometimes painful and always inspired stories that make us who we are. Welcome back to Pride Stories, the podcast where we celebrate the beautiful spectrum of experiences that make up the LGBTQ plus community. I'm your host, Katie Beatty, and today I am joined by Lisa Wozner, also known as Xavier Knight. So welcome, Lisa.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for joining me on the podcast.
Speaker 1:It's a pleasure. I'm happy to be here. So good.
Speaker 2:I'm glad you're happy. How are you feeling coming into this conversation, knowing that we're going to talk about pride and coming out and drag and all of these amazing but also really complicated things?
Speaker 1:Very nervous. I don't really talk a lot about my personal life. A lot of people just know me as Xavier Knight in the community, so this is definitely out of my comfort zone. But I'm really excited to share my story because I definitely have one yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm excited that you're choosing to share your story too. We started talking about this a little bit before we recorded, but what made you want to come on this podcast, considering that you don't usually talk about yourself and your story?
Speaker 1:Well, this summer I've been trying to push myself out of my comfort zone which might sound weird because I do drag and I'm on stage in front of people but Like the most uncomfortable thing for so many of us and so I just really want to try to grow as a person, and I think that sharing my story and doing this could help other people too, because there's a lot of aspects of my life that I keep kind of private. So, yeah, I'm just here to share and hopefully maybe help other people.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm glad you're here To start off with. I just want you to introduce yourself to me and to our listeners. Who is Lisa slash Xavier?
Speaker 1:Well, I grew up in Detroit Lakes, a small town. We never really had LGBTQ plus representation there. I think we maybe had one openly gay person in our high school and stuff like that. So growing up there and dealing with that and I never really had feelings towards anyone in high school and stuff like that, so I was kind of I guess you could say late bloomer with that.
Speaker 1:When I got out of high school is when I really started to explore my sexuality and fell in love with a girl and the first time I ever had feelings and I was like, oh, that's kind of crazy. What is this? And being in a small town, growing up Lutheran and old school country church, it was definitely something that I was like, oh, this isn't right. And then falling in love with a woman and having that, it was very eye opening and like this is okay and like I'm just going to do that and be comfortable with that. And then, you know, after all that happened, I actually met a married couple in my life and that is something I keep very private in my life.
Speaker 1:But in recent years I'm like why do I hide that part of me? I love these people and I know they love me and it's like you know, even before I came on this podcast I had to ask them. I'm like, are you okay? I share this on here because it's a huge part of my life. They've been in my life for 12 years and so it's been a journey and trying to figure out I've grown so much and like learning who I was through all of that and just the confidence and the courage like if I wouldn't have had them in my life back then, there wouldn't be Xavier, there wouldn't be, because they helped me grow so much. And like, yeah, our relationship is a little different now, but I wouldn't trade it for the world and it's just been a beautiful thing to have in my life and I'm more proud of it now, I guess.
Speaker 2:And so I just want to clarify. So when you talk about like meeting a married couple, are you talking about like having a? What language do you use for that?
Speaker 1:I don't really put labels on things, so I guess you could say polyamorous Okay, but it is like a romantic relationship. Yeah, it's a romantic relationship.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's what I assumed were the undertones of what you were saying so yeah, it was definitely weird because, you know, I had just found out that I like women and then they got thrown into the loop and I'm like, well, now, who am I Like? What is this? And so finding myself in that and like coming out as bisexual and stuff like that, it really, you know, it was definitely different, that's for sure. But it's still a beautiful relationship and, like I said, I wouldn't trade it for the world and I love them dearly and I know they love me, so absolutely, and you know that's what matters.
Speaker 2:So you kind of dove right into it, but I still want to ask you the question. That is the premise for this entire thing, the whole reason we're sitting here, and that's just what is your pride story.
Speaker 1:Pride story, just being proud of who I am having the courage to speak out about. You know, love who you love. If we all have the courage to actually speak up and have these conversations and do that, I think we could have a lot more pride in this world and stuff, without people hiding who they are and different things like that. And I guess I don't know.
Speaker 2:KS. Can you go back in time and talk a little bit more about discovering your sexuality and kind of the two different times that that's happened? Ls.
Speaker 1:So, like I said, when I was in high school, I guess I was more asexual, like never cared to date KS Still really don't. But here we are and so, like you know, I always had crushes and stuff with men and different things like that. But it was never like, oh, I want to date you. It was just like, oh, you're cute. And then when I got out of high school and I started hanging out with a woman in my life and then I was like, oh, these are like feeling. Feeling, so that's what that is, and exploring that and thinking, well, am I gay? Like you're lesbian? Like what is all this?
Speaker 1:And still to this day, I'm just very float through life and I don't really put a label on myself. I think a label kind of hinders me more than helps me. So I try to just float through all of that. And but then, after going through all that and falling in love with this girl and then falling out of love, and then finding Grant and Alyssa in my life, and then I was like, oh, great, now we have a whole another situation. It was like there's a man and a woman. So what does that mean? And you know? And so that really made me not want to put a label on myself, because I'm like I've changed so much in like these past two years at that time and it's like why would I put a label on that, I guess.
Speaker 1:But coming to terms with that and seeing that I have this big heart that can love more than one person, you know, and on top of that, it's just like, like I said, I grew up in a Christian household and that's a big taboo. I mean, this was 12 years ago when this started, so like it was very more taboo than it is today, and so, you know, you had your rumors around town and small town, but it definitely opened my eyes up to different things and being more accepting of other people as well. Because, you know, like I'm like, oh, this is so wrong, like we shouldn't be doing this, but then, when it comes down to it, it's just love. You know, like what does it matter, you know, and I don't want to feel ashamed about who I love and what is in my life and stuff like that. So it's just definitely an adventure, that's for sure.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so you've mentioned a couple of times like your small hometown. Growing up in a country church, did you experience like a public coming out and what was that like?
Speaker 1:I've never really publicly come out. I'm just who I am. I've never felt the need to. I guess I've just. You know, if people don't like it, then don't like it.
Speaker 1:I guess I kind of had a coming out with my mom, you know, especially when I met Grant and Alyssa, like that she didn't know about them for the longest time. They were just my friends, heavy air quotes for our listeners and still to this day they are my friends to a lot of people. But I'm trying to be more open about that because I think it's very important for people to hear that because, like, so I guess you could say this is kind of a coming out story and that's aspective. But no, I've never really felt the need to. I just do me and like, having all these experiences really made me feel comfortable and just being me and not having to put a label on myself and this and that. And I understand, you know, people with labels like I'm not disrespecting that. I've just never felt the need to label myself or have this coming out story and I hope one day in our society that we don't need coming out stories. We can just be who we are and not have to be ashamed of it. You know L.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and I think like people's feelings on that are so different and so personal, because I know for a lot of people, like having a label, like having a group to identify with, is so comforting and like that is something for them to take pride in. But again, there are also people who, for whom, those labels can feel like limiting. And you know, we can always again air quotes, change our minds about our sexuality, like we are never stuck in anything, but it can still feel like it. Once you say like Hi, I'm bisexual. And then you're like, oh shit, what I actually meant to say, right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so yeah, and I you know, like I said, I hope one day we can get to that point in society where it's we are who we are, and if you don't want a label, you don't have to have one.
Speaker 2:So I know a big part of your pride story is Drag. Oh yeah, Can you tell me how you got into the drag community and then who your persona is?
Speaker 1:So do you want to know a funny story of like the first time I was ever in drag? So much so I grew up old school country church Luther, and like our family runs deep in that church and we always did a nativity play, you know, like Jesus and all that. Well, we didn't have enough kids one year. So who had to be a wise man? I didn't. So I mean you could basically say the church made me do it, no disrespect to Christian people out there. But so when we really dive deep into it, that was, you know, I had the full wise man, beard and the Holocaust.
Speaker 2:The irony of that, with all of the like from largely a religious community like protect our kids, band drag.
Speaker 1:Queens? Yeah, I tell my mom.
Speaker 1:I was telling her. I was like mom, you got to find it. I know you have a picture of me in that and I need it because I want to post the OG drag king. You know so, but besides that, you know that's just a funny story. I, about four years ago, started.
Speaker 1:I've always loved drag. I would always go to the shows and support local drag. You know RuPaul's drag or all that stuff. I never thought I would actually do it, though. And then one of my best friends summer fun I don't know if anyone knows these people, but I'm sure people listening to she started doing drag and then she became my drag mom and she's like just come do a duet with me and see how you feel.
Speaker 1:And now I'm a producer with FM drag United and we do two shows a month at the VFW, and it's been a wild ride, because I literally Started drag I think I did like two shows right before our COVID hit. So I was just starting drag and then COVID happens and nothing was happening. And Then some divide happened in the community up here in Fargo with the drags or a drag community, and then we started FM drag United right as COVID was kind of dying down or, like you know, things were opening back up and it's just taken off from there. I've never thought, you know, I was a baby queen when this all start, or baby king when this all started, and now I'm known as the daddy of Fargo.
Speaker 2:So I'm talking to the daddy of Fargo.
Speaker 1:Wow, what an honor. It's been a journey and you know, when I was young too, I was always a very much what they called tomboy back then, and so, go figure, I'd be a drag king now, like. But it's been fun and it's been fun seeing the growth in the community and Now that we have our own production coming, like, we've really Brought the community together and it feels so good to have that. You know there's so much drama and stuff with drag, no matter where it is, but we tend to keep that out of Fargo and it's very nice to see that. You know so. But yeah, and it's just been a wild ride and then, like I said, I've only been doing it for years and it's already Insane, so who knows what's gonna happen after all this?
Speaker 2:but yeah, so who is Xavier Knight like? Where did that persona come from? How do you describe him? He's a player.
Speaker 1:Everyone's like where is this? One leases around and I'm like because Xavier's got to go back in the closet. That's my ego, like we did not need him out and about. He gets me into trouble, so we gotta. No. He definitely brings out more confidence than I even have sometimes, and I'm like, where does that come from?
Speaker 1:You know, it's very odd. It's almost like two different personalities kind of like. I'm still obviously me as Xavier, but it's definitely I feel that more masculine presence when I put it in the closet. It's definitely I feel that more masculine presence when I put him on, and it's Kind of nice because I kind of have like both sides of I can be feminine but I can also be masculine and like I don't know, it's kind of cool and I have more mass presenting anyways. So, but yeah, it's been a journey and he's still figuring himself out too, so like that's. You know, the whole daddy thing just came in the last year, so no, but do you?
Speaker 1:have a favorite routine that you've done Well. Right now my favorite is SOB by Nathaniel Ratcliffe. Like it's a very odd song, but people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, not what you expect for a drag performance.
Speaker 1:But people eat it up and I think it's just because our community loves that singer so much. Because, like when I first did it, I was like, are people gonna know this song? And I'm like Lisa, they sell out concerts in this town, they're gonna know this?
Speaker 1:Yeah, they've been here like three times, so people just eat it up and I'm like, okay, you know like I also like to do a lot of pop, like you know, love pop songs, you know, and try to get the ladies into the songs and stuff. But yeah, I try to keep it fresh as much as possible. You know, like we have so many shows this weekend and like it's like, oh wow, I'm gonna have to rip my entire closet out just to have enough outfits for this weekend. But yeah, xavier is still growing and I it's probably weird for people to think that I talk about him as like a whole separate person. But again, he's like my ego, so I have to keep him tamed because I want to be humble. You know, have to separate yourself. He already takes over my whole entire apartment, so let's just like separate that. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:And this is like another thing you know, like I said, people in this community really know me as Xavier. When I walk around Xavier, I'm like I get that. That's how you know me. But I am Lisa right now. So do you want to know me too? You know?
Speaker 2:but how does that feel when you're like out, you are yourself, you know you are out there as Lisa and to be perceived as Xavier? I guess, like how does that feel? Does that bring up any internal like gender?
Speaker 1:discerning A little because you know I'm a woman, I don't, I'm not, I just present masculine, I guess. And it really bothers me when I have friends that don't know Xavier but they see my social media and they call me Xavier. I'm like you don't know that person, you don't know that side of me. I just, I mean, I don't like yell at people about it or care, but it does trigger a little something in me. It's just like okay, well, and Xavier is known more than I am now in this community. So it's a bit odd. You know, it's something I'm still working on, because you know, like all of us drag performers deal with that too, and some people doesn't bother them, but to me I'm like I keep it so separate that it does tend to bother me sometimes, but you just work through it and you are part of a group of people who are really building up the drag community here in Fargo, North Dakota.
Speaker 2:Can you talk about what that has been like in a still fairly small city in a very conservative state?
Speaker 1:It's been wild and, honestly, if it wasn't for Summer Fun and Me A Star, there would not be a community. Like they put so much time and effort into building this and like, yeah, I help with it and I try to help as much as I can, but truly, if it wasn't for those two, we wouldn't have a community here. Creating that safe space at the VFW of all places is just a very odd thing. You know, I was out in San Francisco this summer and when I would tell people that they're like the VFW, some people didn't even know what the VFW was out there. But they're like.
Speaker 2:They have our drag shows in the basement of the veterans of foreign wars, which is just like the most Fargo thing I can imagine. It really is. What do?
Speaker 1:you think about it. Yeah, but no, it's been a great experience because there's no gay bars, there's nothing like that in this area. So if we can have that twice a month where people can come and be themselves and have that community is amazing. It's, you know, and it just keeps growing and growing and it's kind of wild how fast it actually grew. But I can't take credit for that, because it's really summer fun and Miastar that really brought that whole thing together.
Speaker 2:So what do you hope to see for the drag community in Fargo?
Speaker 1:Well, more kings, how many?
Speaker 2:are there.
Speaker 1:Oh boy, not that many. I mean we have some newer ones and we also have. You know, I have people reach out to me a lot wanting help with drag. Wish I had time.
Speaker 1:You know I'm a person like you know there's drag king or kids and all that. You know. You have your drag family, like summer fums, my drag mom, and everyone's like why don't you have a drag king or kid? And I'm like, because I'm not at the point in my drag career where I want to like, mentor someone, like let me get where I want to be so that I can truly help someone else. You know, but now I keep getting more and more people wanting to do this and you know I wish I had more time to help people and there's going to be some priorities shifted in my life so that I can, because I think it's important, because you know it's all about the queens and don't get wrong, I love my queens, but the drag king performers get kind of a little shafted sometimes and we can be just as fabulous as these queens can, you know.
Speaker 1:But it does take time and effort and you know you're not going to be amazing at it right away. You have to have that growing period and I'm still in that growing period and maybe it's just me being, you know, dumb in my head like, oh, you can do that. You can help people, lisa. You don't need to be perfect to help people. So I would like to see a growth in the king community here. That's a big part of mine and, like me, being able to represent that and seeing the interests that people have for kings, I remember when I first started there were people and even to this day they're like there's drag kings, like that's a thing you know. So just seeing the growth and people recognizing that there is a whole nother side of drag besides queens, that's really wonderful to see. So Absolutely.
Speaker 2:You mentioned, you know, growth and the fact that you are still growing as Xavier. How would you say that you've grown as a performer and, more importantly, as a person since starting your drag journey?
Speaker 1:Well, it's given me more confidence, that's for sure. I mean, I still get nervous going on stage Just sometimes where I'm puking, so Like literally vomiting. No, it's a thing, Especially if I'm like in a different town where I don't have my like circle that you know I can trust on like cheering me. Yeah, but can you repeat the question again?
Speaker 2:I'm sorry Well before we go back to the original question, I have a follow up to that. So, like, how do you cope with that? Like, how do you push forward when you are so nervous backstage that you're literally vomiting?
Speaker 1:pushing myself out of my comfort zone. Eventually it doesn't happen that often anymore, but Happy to hear it. Yeah, but I just got to keep pushing myself out of my comfort zone because I feel like when people do that, you find more aspects of yourself. And oh well, I did that, do I like doing that? Like you know, you find different things that you might not have known about yourself, and I think that's truly where growth comes from. I mean, I'm sitting here talking to you and I don't do this ever. It's like scary to me, but I promise I wasn't puking before this.
Speaker 2:Thank God, I would feel so bad if I found out someone that was like puking before talking to me. I would quit immediately. No.
Speaker 1:But, like I said, this summer is definitely a. You just got to keep pushing yourself and I think once you do, you find that greatness inside of you. You know that you didn't know you had. Yeah, it's just kind of just got to be pushed off the cliff sometimes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, like pushed onto the stage. Yeah, Other than that, like confidence that you mentioned, what else have you gained since you started this?
Speaker 1:You know, just the I mean my chosen family. That's a huge thing. Like you know, I have summer, I have fun Fetty, we were best friends before any of this started and now we're all doing it together. And now I have cyber soda, I have Honeybee, like I have a need to defy, Like we have all this great community and we are chosen family and I would never trade that for the world, ever. And it's amazing to see that, because before FMD United was started, it was a bit different, you know. And to have that just comfort in knowing that if I fail, they're going to be there for me, you know, so that's a huge thing. That's probably the main thing about all that. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I know you mentioned that you're not in a place right now where you are comfortable being like a drag. What would be a drag, dad, dad?
Speaker 1:yeah.
Speaker 2:Being a drag dad. You are only drag daddy, yeah, like you're not quite ready to mentor someone. But if somebody's listening to this and you know they are interested in starting drag but they don't know where to start, maybe they are nervous puking. What advice would you have for them?
Speaker 1:YouTube. Like when I started drag I mean a lot of my makeup I got off a YouTube like there wasn't really any drag performer in town that did like the harsh contour or stuff like that and I wanted to have that aspect and I'm like, well, where do I get that? I don't have a mentor. So I kind of had to mentor myself. Luckily, my drag mom does wigs and stuff like that, so that's a huge thing that you know. Thank God she does that. But YouTube and just practicing you just have to practice.
Speaker 1:Like I used elf products for the longest time because I'm like I'm cheap and like I really didn't care at the time because I was so young doing it, and that's what I tell people. I'm like find a name, find a name that you like to feel and then start practicing your makeup, because that's really like a big part of it to me. Anyways, I'm not saying that everyone has to do makeup or anything like that. All drag is valid. But for me, if I had a drag kid, I'd be like you're going to do makeup, you know? And practicing. I'm at home literally practicing my you know songs in my living room so I can actually, you know, perform it on stage.
Speaker 1:So, and also, like you need to have some sort of confidence a little bit, pull that out. Everyone has it and you can pull it out of yourself. I never thought I'd be on stage ever and you know, just pushing yourself and yeah, just practice, practice, practice, practice, because that's what's going to get you to where you want to be. It takes effort, you know. You can't just to me, I don't want to just throw on a t-shirt and jeans Like I want to do more and I want to represent the Kings at a higher level. I mean, look at all these Queens, you know, but yeah, so.
Speaker 2:How did you choose the name?
Speaker 1:I don't know if that's appropriate for a podcast.
Speaker 2:Okay, Well now you just got to tell me and I can cut it out if I deem it inappropriate.
Speaker 1:So my first name was I don't even remember my first name Fernando, that's what it was, and I was like that doesn't fit. And then I've always been into seventies. Like seventies aesthetic is my jam and that's where like the seventies dad type thing kind of came about. But I was just looking up seventies porn names because I was like you know, if drag doesn't work out, at least it will be a good porn. You know, two birds, one stone Right. And so I was just like I found the last name night and I really liked that.
Speaker 1:And then I was like, oh, let's scroll through, like different, you know names for a first name. And then I just found Xavier. And it's actually kind of funny because my friend told me you know, your name sounds like save the night or save her night, and it didn't even dawn on me. I'm like that's not even. That was not even on my radar. And it's quite funny because like the last year when I was in the youth show they asked me where my name come from. I had a makeup and completely different story. Like I could not say that in front of kids and what do you remember?
Speaker 2:What your?
Speaker 1:backup story was or like oh, I just found it. I just told him I found it in a movie that I was watching with friends. Again air quotes movie, movie, friends A film. So yeah, that's where that came from and so I tell people that. But, like you know, you got to kind of keep that.
Speaker 2:I love that. That's so funny.
Speaker 1:And that's where the dad's dash came from recently. I'm like you know, let's just go for it.
Speaker 2:I'm really going to commit to this like 70s porn. Yeah, I'm like that's so good, I love that. So you know we've been talking about pride. That is the basis of this whole podcast. It's literally called Pride Stories. This weekend is Fargo-Moorhead Pride. What does that word pride?
Speaker 1:mean to you. I mean love is a big thing, love, courage, just being proud in yourself having, yeah, I guess love is the main thing, you know. I just it's a big thing of our society and I think we need more of it in this world and I don't know why people hate pride, because it's like it's all about love, you know. So, yeah, I would say love is a huge thing about pride for me. You know, I have such a big heart and I just want to see all these people happy and like why can't they be? You know?
Speaker 2:So, when you think about that definition, what are you proud of?
Speaker 1:Well, I'm proud of myself at first and foremost. I'm proud of being able to, you know, sit here and talk about our stories and that, and I'm just proud of everything that has come along the way of, you know, coming out and showing people the drag scene and having all of that, and that it's okay to do that and be proud of it. You know these questions are nerve-wracking.
Speaker 2:Well, I find that, like this question in particular, is really hard for people to answer, especially in Fargo, north Dakota, because we're all just like force ourselves to be humble and we're like, no, I can't talk about what I'm proud of, I can be proud of myself.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely, and we definitely need more of that. In Fargo, moorhead area, you know, and even in small towns where I come from, you know. So I think it has to start with you. You know, if you're proud of yourself, you're gonna have that pride. And I know it's hard for people, but once you can get past being uncomfortable about it and all that, there is that courage and that pride in you that you can show people, shine your light on other people to show them that it's all okay.
Speaker 2:So does Xavier Knight have socials?
Speaker 1:Yes, when can people find him? Facebook, instagram yeah, facebook and Instagram. I'm not on the TikToks or anything like that, but so is it just like at Xavier Knight? Yeah, and then I think my Instagram is like Xavier underscore Knight nine, so but yeah, facebook, you can just type in Xavier.
Speaker 2:Knight. Type in Xavier Knight. Look for the one with the porn stash.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's it, that's totally and the daddy fan, you'll see it.
Speaker 2:Daddy fan.
Speaker 1:Is it just a fan that says daddy yeah?
Speaker 2:OK, I was like is this a thing that?
Speaker 1:I've never heard of OK, it's just a clack fan. It's something I've been known for.
Speaker 2:Ah, awesome. Is there anything else that you haven't had a chance to say that you want to? Well, you have the microphone.
Speaker 1:You know, I just hope that, with pride happening this weekend, that everyone can be truly proud of themselves and be happy. I know it's hard in this world and if you can start with yourself and find that courage and be proud, this world will be better for it. You know and just love yourself.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. Thank you for listening to Pride Stories, the podcast. I'm your host, Katie Beatty, and it's been an honor to bring this story to your ears. Pride Stories is proudly presented by Tell Well Story Co and Studio. We have an incredible team that makes this podcast possible, including executive producer Max Kringen, contributing producers Andrew Parsons, Duncan Williamson and Annie Wood, with additional support by Emma Maddock, Matt Priggy, Rosie Mortensen and the entire team at Tell Well. If you've been inspired, moved or entertained by anything you've heard in this episode, please consider supporting our mission, Subscribe to the podcast, leave a five star review or simply share it with a friend or family member. Your support keeps the stories alive and resonating, and if you feel compelled to share your own Pride story, we'd be honored to listen. Please visit the link in the description of this episode to get in touch. No matter where you are in your journey, whether you're out and proud or just finding your voice, remember you have a story to tell and it deserves to be heard. It deserves to be heard.