“ HIV swept across America.” “Our government did nothing.”

In this deeply personal conversation, The Old Gays reflect on the HIV/AIDS crisis and the community that rose to face it. Robert and Mick, both living with HIV, open up about receiving their diagnoses and the stigmas they have endured. They also share how love and resilience carried them, and countless others, through various degrees of grief, connection, and acceptance.

“I think every gay person looked at that obituary column to see who had died. And that column grew until it was a whole page in the newspaper.”

From the heartbreak of friends lost to the power of protest, from daily meds to the healing magic of the desert, this episode honors the full weight of the epidemic and the generation it transformed.

“If you can learn to harness the energy of your mind, you can deal with your body in physical ways that are astonishing.”

This one’s emotional, yes, but also full of humor, tenderness, and the kind of hard-earned wisdom that only The Old Gays can provide. Come for the vulnerability and honesty, stay for the giant condom on Jesse Helms’ house.

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From opera houses to niche legends, LGBTQ+ culture has always gone hand-in-hand with popular media and the arts. Icons like Tina Turner, Keith Haring, and Lady Gaga aren’t just outlets for mindless entertainment; they’re beacons of self-expression and defiant confidence that shine across borders AND generations.

This week, the Old Gays pay tribute to the icons and artists who shaped them, reflect on early memories of queer representation, and share heartfelt musings about their own creative ventures, including making their viral videos (naked or not).

What do The Old Gays really think about social media and the internet? Which legendary diva got her start in a gay bathhouse? And how well can our four fellas decode Gen-Z lingo? Let’s just say: this week, The Old Gays “left no crumbs” on the mic.

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Coming out is not a monolith; it’s often a kaleidoscope of celebration, freedom, fear, and becoming. Not a singular moment, but a lifelong movement.

In today’s conversation, The Old Gays swing the closet door open on their coming out histories: from discovering their gay-hood and hard conversations with loved ones, to offering heartfelt advice for the next generation of LGBTQ+ folx. Whether inspired by underwear ads, Billy the Kid, or “sex with my psychologist,” their stories remind us that coming out isn’t defined by labeling your identity for others, but by the journey of personal discovery.

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