Bonus: Cruising Podcast Swap — Les Pierres, Love, and Queer Family in the Deep South

Bonus: Cruising Podcast Swap — Les Pierres, Love, and Queer Family in the Deep South

Author: Jaimie Kelton – Queer Parenting & LGBTQ Families'. August 11, 2025 Duration: 1:08:37

While we gear up for Season 20 (September 1st!), I’m sharing something special — an episode swap with the fabulous podcast Cruising. They’re featuring one of my episodes on their feed, and I’m thrilled to bring one of theirs to you. This one’s a beautiful slice of queer history, love, and resilience.

Juanita Pierre and Leslie Martinez opened New Orleans' first Black-owned lesbian bar, Les Pierres, on the corner of Pauger St and N. Rampart St. No one can quite remember the exact date Les Pierres opened, but based on some other stories and dates, we can guess it would have been around 1980. By 1990, they had closed, but their legacy remains. In this episode, Juanita--alongside family and friends--shares memories of the bar, her love story with Leslie, and what it was like raising children as a same-sex couple in the Deep South in the 70s and 80s.

This episode features interviews with Teryl Lynn Foxx, Juanita Pierre, Mike Pierre, and Emelda Sterling.

Subscribe to Cruising on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you listen.



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Hosted by queer mom Jaimie Kelton, The Queer Family Podcast-LGBTQ Families & Queer Parenting Stories offers a weekly space that is both uproariously funny and deeply genuine. Each episode features conversations with LGBTQIA+ parents, hopeful parents, and their allies, delving into the specific joys and hurdles of building a family outside of traditional frameworks. You’ll hear firsthand accounts of the paths to parenthood-from adoption and fostering to IVF and surrogacy-and the everyday realities of raising kids in a world that can still feel unfamiliar. This podcast moves beyond theory, focusing on lived experiences that cover everything from health and fitness routines that work for queer families to navigating complex conversations about sexuality and society with children. The goal is straightforward: to share stories that normalize these experiences, elevate diverse voices, and celebrate the full spectrum of queer family life. Tuning in means connecting with a community, finding resonance in shared challenges, and gathering a lot of practical wisdom-and laughter-along the way. It’s a resource and a companion for anyone curious about or living within the beautifully expansive definition of a modern family.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The Queer Family Podcast – LGBTQ Families & Queer Parenting Stories
Podcast Episodes
Bonus Replay | Out And Proud With The Mazelins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:07
This joyful, visibility-filled throwback deserves another listen.Originally aired during our 2023 Pride Extravaganza, this episode features Brian and Alec Mazelin, a gay couple raising their daughter and showing up onlin…
Bonus Replay | Celebrating What DeSantis Fears (w/ Peggy Gillespie) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:49
This Pride Month warm-up replay is a must-listen.Peggy Gillespie—author, queer parent, and co-director of Family Diversity Projects—has been celebrating LGBTQIA+ families and underrepresented voices for decades. In this…
The Donor Mix-Up That Made A Family [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:50
Kim and Katie walk us through their ultra-intentional path to queer family building: from meeting online and moving in together lesbian-fast, to getting certified as foster parents just in case, to navigating a heartbrea…
Known Donor, Known Love: Kait, Sophie & Oliver’s Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:20
What happens when your best friend offers to help you make a baby?Jaimie sits down with Kait and Sophie—two queer folks trying to build their family—and their longtime friend (and now known donor!) Oliver. Together, they…
Building a Family with Reciprocal IVF (at the Same Time!) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:31
Two mamas. Two wombs. One donor. In this episode, Ana and Becky share their epic journey of building a family through simultaneous reciprocal IVF—yes, they were both pregnant at the same time. From pandemic sperm shortag…
T4T and Totally in Love: Jacob and Riley's Queer Family Journey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:53
Jaimie sits down with Jacob and Riley, a T4T (trans-for-trans) couple redefining what it means to be a modern family. From co-parenting with Jacob’s platonic best friend to conceiving their son using nothing but love, ti…
From Foster to Forever: A Gay Dad's Journey Through UK Adoption [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:28
Jaimie sits down with Liam—a Scottish-born, England-based gay dad—who shares the winding road he and his husband took to adopt their daughter through the UK’s foster-to-adopt system. From intense evaluations to surprise…
Queer Parenting, Social Media & Fighting LGBTQ+ Hate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:32
Caitlyn, one half of @2ladiesand2babies on social media joins Jaimie to talk all things queer parenting, social media, and the ongoing fight for LGBTQIA+ visibility. From hilarious parenting fails to the not-so-funny ris…