Welcome to the first episode of Fire & Flare, the podcast blending humor, personal storytelling, and thoughtful cultural critique, all while celebrating Kentucky roots and the complexity of growing up there.

JP and Stephenie dive into their experiences growing up in rural Kentucky,
moving away, coming home, and everything in between. They discuss everything from small-town dynamics and regional stereotypes to deeply religious upbringings. Listeners will also hear their personal stories about church life—singing evangelical songs, avoiding trouble during sermons, and navigating strict gender norms. Stephanie recalls preparing to be a youth
pastor and delivering sermons as a teen, while also revealing how attending a conservative Christian college eventually led her to question and rethink her beliefs. The conversation highlights the tension between the values they were raised with and how their identities and perspectives have evolved, particularly around faith, gender roles, and sexuality.

The episode also challenges common misconceptions about Kentucky and Appalachian people. The hosts push back against the idea that growing up in the South equates to ignorance or backwardness, sharing anecdotes about being condescended to by people from states like New York and California. They argue that these "coastal elites" are often more sheltered than those from rural areas, lacking true understanding of other cultures and communities. They also reflect on the tension between staying in Kentucky and the pressure that people should leave in order to "make it.

"They push back against the notion that Kentuckians are less intelligent or
cultured, emphasizing that many from rural areas actively seek broader experiences, while some people from more privileged, urban settings may remain insular. The hosts speak with pride about choosing to stay in Kentucky and making a difference there despite external
judgment. They touch on the lingering emotional impact of growing up in restrictive faith communities, particularly when it comes to sexuality and gender roles.

The conversation becomes deeply personal as Stephanie shares the devastating story of her son Jordan, who came out as gay at 11 and tragically died by suicide. She discusses the efforts she and her ex-husband made to create an affirming and safe environment, and the struggle
Jordan still faced due to cultural and familial pressures. This loss motivates her advocacy for LGBTQ+ youth, particularly in conservative religious communities. Political and cultural elitism often wrongly dismisses people in Appalachia, despite the intelligence and complexity within these communities. The episode closes on a note of deep reflection about empathy,
generational differences, and the nuanced reasons why people stay in—or leave—their hometowns. The ultimate mission of the podcast is to facilitate real conversation about difficult topics without giving into stereotypes about the sophistication of people from rural America.

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