The Priesthood of All Queer Believers - The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
Welcome to Priesthood of All Queer Believers, a podcast exploring the intersection of the queer community and the Church—right here in Cincinnati. We’re so glad you’re here!
This is a space for real conversations about faith, identity, and belonging. For too long, the Church has overlooked the sacred truth that queer people are not just guests in God’s house—we are part of the priesthood. We are called, gifted, and essential to the life of the Church. That’s the heart of this podcast. The idea of the priesthood of all believers comes from the belief that every person—regardless of gender, sexuality, or background—is called to participate in God’s work.
Cincinnati has a deep and complex history—one of faith, one of LGBTQ+ activism, and sometimes, one of painful exclusion from religious spaces. But we believe healing is possible. Reconciliation is possible. And it starts with recognizing that the Church needs queer people. Not just as attendees, but as prophets, as pastors, as theologians, as worship leaders, as disciples. We bring something vital to the life of the Church.
In this podcast, we’ll talk with local voices—queer Christians, faith leaders, and community members—who are already living into this calling. We’ll explore what it means to build an inclusive, thriving Church where all people are affirmed in their belovedness and in their ministry. So, if you’ve ever felt like there wasn’t space for you in the Church—like you had to change who you were to belong—this podcast is for you. Because the truth is, you already belong. You are called. You are gifted. And together, we can build a Church where the priesthood of all believers truly includes all believers.
Join us as we dive into various topics affecting the LGBTQ+ Community directly, how those topics intersect the church—and where we go from here. Make sure to subscribe, share, and send us your thoughts—we want this to be a conversation, not just a broadcast. Thanks for being here. And remember, you are already part of God’s work.
Listen on:
Episodes
Monday Nov 10, 2025
Monday Nov 10, 2025
What happens when evangelism sounds like love, not a bludgeon? Bishop Kristin Uffelman White, bishop of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, joins Anny and Tym for a wide-ranging, deeply pastoral conversation about the church we are becoming: a place where queer people are told (and shown) that they are beloved, where congregations hold together across difference, and where local churches become reliable sites of God’s transformation. Bishop White traces her call from teaching to ordained ministry, shares how institutional upheaval clarified her faith in Jesus (not in structures alone), and reflects on evangelism that is relational, not transactional. We talk Psalm 139, the baptismal covenant, Pride Masses, and the hard-won histories we must never forget. There’s glitter, jazz mass, after-school snacks, and the simple holiness of getting to know your neighbors (and their dogs). If you need a word of hope, a vision for inclusive discipleship, and a blessing to carry into the week—this one’s for you.
Tuesday Nov 04, 2025
Tuesday Nov 04, 2025
In this candid Election Day conversation, Anny Stevens-Gleason and Tym House reflect on first votes, growing up in conservative church cultures, and how Anglican/Episcopal identity invites us to be “in the world, but not of it.” We explore the rise of Christian nationalism, the harm of legislating against trans folks, and why governing people’s humanity is not the Gospel. We also talk about civic engagement vs. politics, the “pendulum swing” of change, and where we still find joy and hope. The episode closes with prayers from the Episcopal tradition—for the human family and for wise elections.
Tuesday Oct 28, 2025
Tuesday Oct 28, 2025
In this moving and courageous episode of The Priesthood of All (Queer) Believers, Anny and Tym sit down with Cincinnati’s own Molly Mormen — a drag performer, community builder, and former Mormon missionary — to talk about what happens when faith, queerness, and purpose collide. Born and raised in Utah, Molly grew up deeply embedded in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She shares her story of coming out, leaving the church, and finding new life and vocation through drag — a space where she could reclaim joy, serve others, and live authentically. Together, the three talk about: • Holding faith after losing religion • Drag as an act of ministry and survival • The power of queer joy and chosen family • Love as the truest image of God If today’s episode sparks hope, curiosity, resistance, or resonance — let it be a prayer. Let it be a call. Let it be enough.
Tuesday Oct 21, 2025
Tuesday Oct 21, 2025
Drag king and burlesque artist Alexander Cameron (Alexis Anderson) joins Anny and Tym for a moving, funny, and deeply honest conversation about faith, family, and finding power on stage. From growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness to building community through drag and burlesque, Alex shares how visibility, embodiment, and queer joy become acts of healing—and sometimes holy rebellion.
“Faith should feel good. If it doesn’t feel good, why go? I never found faith that felt right—but I did find community, joy, and purpose through performance.” — Alexander Cameron
Monday Oct 13, 2025
Monday Oct 13, 2025
Anny and Tym sit down with Lady Phaedra to trace a journey from a dare-gone-right in college drag to becoming a hometown legend and accidental activist. Phaedra opens up about a coming-out story that got “handled” by family, a grandmother’s unconditional love, and how a queen at historic Cincinnati club The Dock once said, “Welcome to your new family”—a moment that still shapes how she hosts, mentors, and welcomes today. We talk Catholic roots, why she stepped away from organized religion, and bringing drag into unexpected places—museums, zoos, riverboats, and a cathedral—as an act of pastoral care and radical hospitality. Diocese of Southern Ohio+5Our Community Roots+5WLWT+5
Saturday Oct 11, 2025
Tuesday Oct 07, 2025
Tuesday Oct 07, 2025
Drag queen and former pro ballet dancer Brock Leah Spears (Britton Spitler) joins Anny and Tym to talk community, queerness, and faith—from the Trocks to DanceFix, from Catholic trauma to joyful spirituality, and why worship shouldn’t be a chore. Grants, glitter, and gospel… in one fierce hour.
Topics:
Pro ballet to drag: Les Ballets Trockadero, stage names, and slapstick Swan Lake.
Leaving harmful church spaces; finding spiritual practices outside buildings.
Community as sacrament: DanceFix as “gather • transform • send.”
Giving back: why tipping street neighbors is part of Brock’s spirituality.
Coming out (or not): consent, timing, and Love, Simon.
“Worship shouldn’t be a chore.”
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
Tuesday Sep 30, 2025
Drag artist PHDee joins Anny and Tym for a tender, laugh-out-loud conversation about coming out, finding community, and why drag carries both joy and righteous rage. From a Jeep-Liberty driveway confession to a mirror-leotard first performance, PHDee traces how the stage persona gave “Josh” real-life confidence—and why drag is more than a party or paycheck. The trio also wrestle with faith, harm, and the work of building affirming spaces where people can be both/and. Plus: queer joy, book-club nerdiness, and Denali sightings. Whether you’re churchy, drag-obsessed, skeptical, or all of the above, this episode is a love letter to chosen family and the communities that hold us.
Tuesday Sep 23, 2025
Tuesday Sep 23, 2025
Anny is back from vacation, Tym recaps last week’s Cincinnati queer history episode with guest co-host Jake Hogue, and we launch our Drag Series with Jake’s riveting crash course on drag in Cincinnati and the Midwest. You’ll hear about early female and male impersonators, how minstrelsy and sexology shaped public perception, why some performers went mainstream while others were erased, and how drag threaded through churches, clubs, fundraisers, and everyday life long before modern politics tried to define it.
We also preview upcoming interviews with local drag performers about art, calling, and spirituality.
Content note: This episode includes historical references to blackface minstrelsy, anti-cross-dressing laws, and police harassment, discussed critically and contextually
Tuesday Sep 16, 2025
Tuesday Sep 16, 2025
Cincinnati has always been queer—long before Stonewall. Tym sits down with historian Jacob Hogue, author of Cincinnati Before Stonewall, to unearth hidden histories: Unitarian allies hosting the first gay rights meetings, FBI surveillance of affirming churches, obscenity trials, drag before baseball (!), and how the pendulum of progress swings—fast.
They also name the church’s role (good and bad), why inclusive pulpits still matter, and what effective activism can look like right now.