Jessica Stern’s Queer Diplomacy

Jessica Stern’s Queer Diplomacy

Author: Overnight Productions, Inc. September 16, 2025 Duration: 28:58
For more than two decades, activist, educator, diplomat Jessica Stern has worn a variety of hats in her efforts to advance LGBTQ human rights around the world, always at the forefront — unafraid, unapologetic, speaking truth to power. Currently serving as Senior Human Rights and U.S. Foreign Policy Fellow at the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights at the Harvard Kennedy School, Stern talks about her pioneering work at the United Nations, her tenure as the top queer diplomat in the U.S. State Department and her advice for standing up for human rights in a hostile world (interviewed by David Hunt). And in NewsWrap: the lower house of the Dutch parliament votes to criminalize so-called “conversion therapy,” Hong Kong legislators overwhelmingly vote down a bill to grant same-gender couples limited legal rights, an hour-long LGBTQ+ Pride motorcade cruises through the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv in the very midst of the Russian invasion, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily allows transgender students in South Carolina can use campus bathrooms that align with their gender identity, Oregon state lawmaker Cyrus Javadi has had enough of the Republican Party, and more international LGBTQ+ news reported this week by Joe Boehnlein and Melanie Keller (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the September 15, 2025 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at http://thiswayout.org/donate/

For more than three decades, This Way Out: The International LGBTQ Radio Magazine has been a vital, award-winning voice broadcast from community stations across the globe. Produced by Overnight Productions, Inc., this weekly program functions as a true radio magazine, weaving together urgent dispatches from the front lines of queer life with deep explorations of our culture and creativity. Every episode opens with a concise international news roundup, providing context on the political and social developments affecting LGBTQ communities everywhere. The conversation then expands into thoughtful features and interviews that delve into the arts, performing, and the intersections of identity and society. On a monthly basis, the Audiofile segment turns up the volume, offering a curated listen to the vibrant and evolving lesbigay and trans music scene. Tuning into this podcast means connecting with a long-standing, trusted source that documents both the struggles and the celebrations, always with an ear for the stories that might not make the mainstream headlines. It’s a consistently engaging mix of journalism and cultural reflection, all delivered with the warmth and clarity of a public radio staple.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

This Way Out: The International LGBTQ Radio Magazine
Podcast Episodes
Lies and Laws vs. Trans Kids and Families [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:59
Lies about transgender and nonbinary youth are the basis for the fountain of new laws making it increasingly difficult to access lifesaving pediatric gender-affirming healthcare. While the lies and the laws get most of t…
Strangio Is Supreme at the High Court [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:58
Experienced analysts like former Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund legal director David Brown (interviewed by David Hunt) are praising progressive U.S. Supreme Court Justices Ketanji Brown-Jackson, Sonia Sotom…
North Carolina State of Fear for Pro-NB Parents [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:58
Jimmy and Megan have no doubt that the gender identity of one of their three kids is unfolding differently. What they’re not sure about is whether it’s safe to raise their kids in the home they love. (Produced by David H…
Sydney’s Qtopia Museum Opening Redux [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:59
Called the world’s largest LGBTQ museum, Qtopia Sydney opened its Queer Centre of History and Culture in February. A tour of the new facility reveals efforts to keep history alive while respecting the feelings of the one…
Manhunt: Queers and Cops Catch a Killer (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:58
The killer who stalked Los Angeles gay bars in the early 80s slipped away twice (for reasons explained by Deputy D.A. Dino Fulgoni), but investigating officer Mike Thies wouldn’t give up. Years later, lesbian policy mana…
Manhunt: Queers and Cops Catch a Killer (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:58
A series of murders centering on the Los Angeles gay men’s bar scene leads investigating officer Mike Thies to join forces with the community for an unprecedented search for the killer. (Part 1 of 2, produced by David Hu…
U.S. Elections: Take the LGBTQ+ Wins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:58
The U.S. elections were a wake-up call for the “woke,” yet even though the overall results spell danger, there are a number of queer bright spots to celebrate. With commentary by Andy Humm and Ann Northrop of GayUSA, our…
Dealing with Queer U.S. Election Jitters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:58
While the world waits on pins and needles to find out who will win the grand prize in the U.S. elections, there are notable queer campaigns that link to the same themes and could be significant in the big picture, such a…