Queerfully Made tackles faith, gender, sexuality, and the intersection of them all. Ex-evangelical leaders Aaron Kelly and Ben Nicholson, once church insiders, host raw stories from LGBTQ+ Christians, ex-Christians, pastors, ex-pastors and sharp experts. Closeted and scared? Healing from church wounds? An ally ready to stand up but needing insight? We’re here to unpack identity, reforge spirituality, and build a fierce, inclusive community. Subscribe today! Follow us at www.instagram.com/queerfully.made
He trained for ten years to be a minister and thought he'd do it for life. Then Matt Glover backed marriage equality, and it cost him his church. Aaron and Ben sit down with Matt, a former Baptist minister who supported same-sex marriage years before the plebiscite and lost his role, his career, and a community for it. He'll correct you on one thing though: he wasn't fired, he resigned and walked away. And he says he'd go back to that room today and say thank you. It's a conversation about allyship that never felt like a stand, the difference between a job and a calling, and the friend named Finn who gently detonated everything Matt thought he knew. Matt is now a counsellor, and he shares what he sees most in his room today: spiritual abuse and deconstruction. As Matt puts it: "It's okay to not know things and just be kind." Follow Queerfully Made on Spotify so the next episode lands straight in your queue. Find us on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube @queerfully.made
what happens to your faith when you stop believing in a god of fear? reverend brandan robertson, the tiktok pastor and author of queer and christian , joins aaron and ben for one of the most hopeful conversations we've had. brandan grew up in maryland fundamentalism, got saved at 12, went through conversion therapy at moody bible institute, and was named in time magazine in 2015 before the evangelical world turned on him. he came out of it not bitter but freer. we talk about queering christianity, the stories nobody preached us growing up, and why the queer community is far more spiritual than the world assumes. as brandan puts it: "you walk into a queer club, reach your arm out, and you'll touch somebody with religious trauma." brandan is a pastor, author and phd candidate in new testament who now leads a small church in queens and helps thousands reclaim a faith built on love instead of punishment. follow queerfully made on spotify and help us get this message out. find us on instagram and tiktok @queerfully.made
Gaz and Jesse Dutlow used to lead worship together on a megachurch stage. Now they're leading standing ovations in musical theatre, with credits including the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne's professional theatre scene. This week, the sibling duo joins Aaron and Ben for a conversation about the overlap between worship performance and theatre, the institutional exclusion that pushed them both out of church leadership, and the quiet, separate ways they each found language for their non-binary identities, without telling each other until they compared notes. Gaz and Jesse Dutlow are siblings, former worship leaders, and professional musical theatre performers who've worked on stages from community theatre to the Sydney Opera House. “If you're going to resist anything, resist shame.” - Jesse Dutlow Follow Queerfully Made on Spotify so the next episode lands in your queue. Find us on Instagram and TikTok @queerfully.made, and on YouTube for full episodes.
Follow Queerfully Made on Spotify so Part 3, RePlanted, lands in your queue the second it drops. What happens to your faith when you leave the fence behind? In Part 2 of the ReMade Series, Aaron and Ben get into the messy, non-linear journey of spiritual life after the church. Not the tidy version. The real one. They talk through the fear of losing certainty, Dr. Lynn Moresi's poem on what to keep and what to let go, breath work, tarot cards, Lady Gaga as a Hillsong conference, and the one question Aaron uses as a compass through all of it: 'does this expand love in my life?' "The biggest fence is the one that we put around God." Aaron Kelly This is Part 2 of the ReMade Series. If you haven't listened to Part 1 (Rediscover Your Identity, Episode 5), go back and start there. Instagram: @queerfully.made | queerfullymade.com If anything in this episode brought something up, please reach out to qualified support. Switchboard (queer helpline): 1800 184 527. Lifeline: 13 11 14.
Follow Queerfully Made on Spotify so the next episode lands in your queue. The AFL and the church. Two completely different worlds. The same closet. Mitch Brown became the first openly bisexual player in AFL history in August 2025. In this conversation we talk about what the AFL and the church have in common. The same unwritten rules, the same rewards for performing straightness, the same “get back in your box” the moment you start speaking up. He also talks about the anger he's still managing, letting go of his partner Lou's hand in queer spaces to prove he belongs, and what he'd say to the 10-year-old version of himself who was hiding everything. “There are people that will accept you even if this community will drop you. It's not always this little world that you're in. There's others out there.” — Mitch Brown Mitch Brown is a former AFL player and advocate for queer inclusion in sport. Find Queerfully Made on YouTube, Instagram @queerfully.made, TikTok @queerfully.made, and queerfullymade.com
Becky Bauer planted Melbourne Inclusive Church 15 years ago. They've been affirming from day one. Before anyone was offering them buildings. Before the mainstream church was having this conversation. In this episode, Aaron and Ben sit down with Becky to hear the full story: from being adopted into a family that ministered to hippies in Michigan in the 70s, to finding an affirming church at a Pride event, to planting MIC in Melbourne, surviving early hostility from both the church and the queer community, and now helping other congregations navigate their journeys toward affirmation. She also reflects on why Rocky Roggio's 1946 work is such a pivotal tool for those conversations. "The road to change is paved with love." , Becky Bauer Becky Bauer is the founding pastor of Melbourne Inclusive Church. Find MIC at michurch.org.au. Follow Queerfully Made on Spotify so the next episode lands in your queue. Instagram / TikTok: @queerfully.made
In 1946, 22 men sat on a Bible translation committee and made a decision. A 21-year-old seminary student challenged them in writing. They admitted he had a point. But the word was already in print. And then it spread. Sharon "Rocky" Roggio is the director and producer of 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted a Culture, the documentary that spent a decade investigating how the word "homosexual" ended up in the Bible, what it's done to LGBTQ+ people of faith, and what the archival record actually shows. Rocky grew up in the church as the daughter of a pastor. She's a lesbian woman. She made a film to find common ground with her non-affirming parents through the Bible. She ended up changing how people around the world read it.This is a conversation about history, faith, family, and what happens when you ask the question nobody thought to ask. PLEASE NOTE: We apologise in advance for the audio quality dropping about two-thirds of the way through. We had a system glitch and thankfully Sharon has recorded audio on her end so nothing was lost! https://www.1946themovie.com/ Queerfully Made is the podcast where we explore the intersection of faith, sexuality, and gender. Hosted by Aaron Kelly and Ben Nicholson. Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@queerfullymade/podcasts Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or anywhere you get your podcastsInstagram: @queerfully.made TikTok: @queerfully.made #queerfullymade #lgbtqchristian #queerfaith #affirmingchurch #1946movie
Coming out is the doorway. What happens on the other side is the work no one warned you about. Part 1 of the ReMade series. Aaron and Ben on how to rediscover your authentic identity after the church handed you one for years. The framework that runs the whole conversation, the friends who saw them first, the calling vs. direction reframe, and the grief that doesn't care about logic. "Exposure shapes belief. Belief shapes identity." ⚠️ Discusses religious trauma, conversion practices, and grief. Find us at queerfullymade.com and @queerfully.made on Instagram and TikTok.
Healing is a church word. Recovery is the truth. Sam Sellers and Elise Herde, co-founders of the Religious Trauma Collective, join Aaron and Ben to unpack what it actually takes to come out the other side of high-control religion. We get into why "just be better, not bitter" is rubbish advice, why anger is information rather than sin, and why your nervous system still flinches in relationships long after you've left the building. Plus the unhinged crossover between Pentecostal services and Tupperware parties, the one question that reveals whether you're in a high-control group, and a full-blown debate about whether "community" should be cancelled. Sam and Elise are therapists, ex-evangelicals, and the founders of the resource that didn't exist when we needed it. The Religious Trauma Collective is rebranding to Religious Trauma and Cults to broaden the scope beyond religious systems. Their 2026 Online Event runs 19th to 21st of June with 18 sessions including Dr Hillary McBride, Tia Levings, and David Farrier. Event: https://www.thereligioustraumacollective.com/annual-event Tickets: https://religious-trauma-collective-event-2026.heysummit.com/ queerfullymade.com
What if one of the biggest voices in Australian Pentecostal theology told you the church got it wrong?Dr. Lynn Moresi is not your average theologian. She has a Doctorate in Theology, lectures at Bible college and university, and has preached from some of the most influential Pentecostal stages in Australia. She is also Aaron's former Bible college lecturer. And she is here, on this podcast, telling you that you can be queer and Christian and there is nothing to fix.That takes guts. Because coming on this podcast alone is going to cost her.We get into all of it. The moment things shifted for her theologically. Why it is so hard for people to become allies when they have nothing personally at stake. How she actually has those conversations with people mid-journey. The rigid black and white evangelical mindset that keeps people trapped. And why the deeper you go in theology the more that rigidity just falls apart.She also breaks down what a Jesus hermeneutic means in plain language. And when you hold LGBTQ+ identity up to it? All you find is love. Every single time.This episode is for the ones who were handed a Bible and told there was only one way to read it. The ones still secretly Googling at 2am hoping someone with credentials will just say it clearly. Here she is. She said it.🔗 Learn more about Dr. Lynn Moresi: https://lynnmoresi.com/📲 Follow Queerfully Made:Instagram: https://instagram.com/queerfully.madeTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@queerfully.madeYouTube: https://youtube.com/@queerfullymade🎙️ Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere you get podcasts.Queerfully Made is hosted by Aaron Kelly and Ben Nicholson, two ex-evangelical leaders having conversations at the intersection of faith, sexuality & gender.
In Season 1, Pastor Marcy Paynter from Gateway Church told us about a young man in her congregation. He'd grown up in their youth group. He wanted to lead. The leadership team gave her the unenviable job of telling him he could serve, but only if he never acted on his sexuality. No boyfriend. No physical relationship. No future. She told him over dinner. She never saw him again. Years later, a friend sent Marcy a podcast link. She listened to a young man telling his story anonymously. Halfway through, she realised it was him. She cried. She and her co-pastor Beth Bolmers began the long work of becoming an affirming church. Today Gateway is fully affirming, embracing and celebrating LGBTQ+ people in every part of their community. This is that young man's side of the story.Sam Clement-Remy reached out to us after hearing his own story told back to him in our Season 1 episode with Marcy and Beth. He had no idea Gateway had become affirming. He had no idea his story was the catalyst. In this episode he sits down with Aaron and Ben to share his version of events. The dinner. The ultimatum. The years that followed. The grief of losing a community he loved. The faith that has evolved and shifted into something that looks different now, but is still very much his. And what it felt like to discover, by accident, that the church that asked him to choose had eventually changed its mind. This is the story of someone who didn't just survive the intersection. He's the reason an entire church had to rethink which side of it they were standing on. You can't be what you can't see. So we keep showing it. Subscribe and come back every week. We've got more like this coming. ABOUT THIS EPISODE Guest: Sam Clement-Remy Hosts: Aaron Kelly and Ben Nicholson Recorded in Naarm, Melbourne. LISTEN BACK TO SEASON 1 The original episode with Pastor Marcy Paynter and Pastor Beth Bolmers from Gateway Church is on our channel. If you haven't heard it yet, watch this episode first, then go back to that one. The two together are the full story. FIND US Website: queerfullymade.com Instagram: @queerfullymade TikTok: @queerfullymade LISTEN - Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else you get your podcasts. ON RADIOHeard on Joy 94.9. Tuesdays at 10pm #QueerfullyMade #LGBTQChristian #ExEvangelical #FaithAndSexuality #QueerFaith #GatewayChurch #AffirmingChurch #DeconstructionPodcast #LGBTQPodcast #QueerTheology #ChurchHurt #SamClementRemy
So what now? Season 1 of Queerfully Made platformed the stories. Ex-pastors, drag performers, advocates, affirming pastors, mental health professionals. People who had arrived at the intersection of faith, sexuality and gender, and lived to tell us what they found there. But the question we kept circling back to was the one we couldn't answer in twelve episodes. What happens AFTER the intersection?In this Season 2 premiere, Aaron Kelly and Ben Nicholson sit down, just the two of them, to reckon with that question. They unpack the heart of Season 2. They debrief Pride season. And they preview what's coming this season. A few things to know going in. → This season we're not just telling stories of how people got to the intersection. We're asking how people make it through with as little damage as possible, and what happens on the streets that lead away from it. → The end goal here isn't to convert anyone. We're not interested in ultimatums. If you're queer and you've kept your faith, this is for you. If you're queer and you've let it go, this is for you. If you're somewhere in the messy middle, this is for you. → If you're an ally, a parent, a pastor, a friend trying to figure out how to actually show up, pull up a chair. The conversation needs you in it. You can't be what you can't see. So we're going to keep showing it.Subscribe, hit the bell, and come back every week. We've got people booked who are going to wreck you in the best way.
It’s the Queerfully Made season finale. Aaron and Ben sit down, no guests, just us, looking back on every raw conversation, every tear, every breakthrough from this year. We share the moments that wrecked us (in the best way), the lessons that actually stuck, and the questions you keep asking. We’re taking December and January off to rest, breathe, and come back sharper. New episodes return late February 2026. Until then: you belong, you’re not broken, and your story is still being written.Thank you for trusting us with yours this year. See you in 2026 ❤️ Catch up on every episode now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.Drop your favourite moment from this season in the comments, we read them all. #queerfullymade #lgbtq #lgbtqchristian #lesbian #gay #bi #trans #queer #christian #lgbtqinclusion #church #faithandsexuality #exvangelical #affirmingfaith #queerfaith #religioustrauma #seasonfinale #podcastlove
In this episode of Queerfully Made Podcast, hosts Aaron Kelly and Ben Nicholson welcome Andrew Sloan, a Sydney-based psychotherapist, leadership coach, and author whose work blends over a decade of clinical practice with insights on the human mind, behaviour, and nervous system. Known for guiding individuals and teams through disconnection and overwhelm, Andrew draws from his own experiences in Hillsong Church's worship team, where he was sidelined from a major album recording after confiding his same-sex attraction to a pastor. He shares his path through conversion therapy and the relentless efforts to change himself, leading to a full coming out and a fresh start. Now a sought-after coach for world-leading brands, Andrew applies his expertise to empower others in reclaiming self-leadership. His new book, "Why Things Feel F*cked: Your Practical Guide to Getting Unstuck", offers a roadmap through modern life's chaos, using tools like somatic awareness and narrative therapy to navigate the "zones" of safety, challenge, and growth. In this episode, Andrew gives a sneak peek into its philosophy, showing how, in a world that feels broken, we can find peace, rest, and joy by reconnecting with our inner compass. #queerfullymade #lgbtq #lgbtqchristian #conversiontherapy #faithandsexuality #lesbian #gay #bi #trans #queer #christian #lgbtqinclusion #church #whythingsfeelfucked #therapy #gettingbetter #religioustrauma #podcast #queerfaith #healingjourney
Trans Christian's aren't detracting from the divine or the church. In fact, they're revealing the true, boundless heart of the divine to the church. In this episode of Queerfully Made, Aaron & Ben sit down with Steff Fenton, a pastor, writer, and speaker who just happens to also be trans. As author of the 2025 book Gender Expansive Faith: How Trans Lives Are Illuminating the Divine, Transforming Feminism and Ending Christian Patriarchy, Steff draws from their journey leaving the Anglican Church after coming out to explore how gender diversity challenges binary norms, integrates trans perspectives into feminist theology, and dismantles patriarchal control in faith spaces. Steff is also the co-founder of New City Church in Glebe, Sydney, an affirming community reimagining faith with queer joy at its core. Steff shares insights on creating equitable worship, the prophetic power of genderqueer, trans and non-binary people, practical steps for churches to embrace justice over judgment, and hope for individuals who are scared to embrace their true self. This conversation is a bold invitation to a faith that's fluid, loving, and free from hierarchies. How has gender expansiveness reshaped your view of the divine? Share below! #queerfullymade #lgbtq #lgbtqchristian #lesbian #gay #bisexual #trans #queer #christian #lgbtqinclusion #church #faithandsexuality #genderexpansivefaith #queertheology #podcast #transfaith #feminismandfaith
In this episode of Queerfully Made, hosts Aaron Kelly and Ben Nicholson sit down with Sam Sellers, a queer woman from NSW and ex-Brethren Church member. Sam is the co-founder of the Religious Trauma Collective, owner of Anchored Counselling Services, and host of the Beyond the Surface podcast. This powerful conversation dives into the raw reality of religious trauma, unpacking what it is, how it lingers beyond just “shitty experiences,” and practical ways to navigate the healing journey. Sam shares her story of coming out as queer after falling in love with a woman, a moment that changed everything. After a life embedded in the Brethren community, she saw them as family, until they disowned her, judged her as a threat to the church, and cast her out. She opens up about the pain of that rejection and how it has fueled her work in the religious trauma space, helping others find freedom through counselling and advocacy. Aaron and Ben explore with Sam why religious trauma hits so hard, how it shapes identity, and what steps can lead to recovery. Queerfully Made continues to amplify voices at the faith-LGBTQIA+ intersection, showing that progress is possible. Trigger Warning: This episode discusses religious trauma and rejection, which may be heavy for some listeners. If you’re struggling, contact Lifeline Australia, 24/7, at 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14. What’s your experience with religious trauma? Share in the comments! #queerfullymade #lgbtq #lgbtqchristian #lesbian #gay #bi #trans #queer #christian #lgbtqinclusion #church #faithandsexuality #samsellers #episodenine #religioustrauma #queerfaith #healingjourney #podcastlaunch #beyondthesurface #anchoredcounselling #lgbtqsupport
In this episode of Queerfully Made Podcast, hosts Aaron Kelly and Ben Nicholson chat with performer and aspiring comedian Melody Rachel just days before her Melbourne Fringe Festival show, "I'm Gay But I Know Jesus". A trailblazing voice in queer theatre, Melody creates semi-autobiographical works exploring identity, anxiety, and human connection, drawing from her Christian upbringing, coming out as a lesbian at 15, losing faith and finding it again after hitting rock bottom. Melody shares her journey of unlearning shame the morning after sleeping with a woman and still feeling like she knew God. Her journey has led her to redefine what "sin" truly means to her, and to pursue a life of inside-out transformation. Raised in Christian traditions, she attended Hillsong regularly but now feels closer to Jesus than ever, without church walls or rigid rules. Faith, for her, is about love and grace, not judgment, and she navigates tensions in both queer and Christian spaces with fierce honesty. Trigger warning: This episode includes discussions of suicide, reflecting Melody’s personal struggles, specifically, the dark moments she faced contemplating it during her internal battles with emptiness and depression. If you're currently grappling with suicidal thoughts or know someone who is, please take care when listening, and know you're not alone. We encourage you to pause, reach out for support, or skip to lighter sections as needed. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, help is available. Contact Lifeline Australia, 24 hours a day. Call 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14. What's your take on Melody's definition of "sin"? Share below! 🫶 #queerfullymade #lgbtq #lgbtqchristian #lesbian #gay #bi #trans #queer #christian #lgbtqinclusion #church #faithandsexuality #melodyrachel #episodeeight #imgaybutiknowjesus #melbournefringe #lgbtqfaith #authenticity #podcastlaunch #queerjoy #unlearningshame
Get ready for a raw and real Q&A in this episode of Queerfully Made Podcast , titled "You Asked For It"! Hosts Aaron Kelly and Ben Nicholson dive into your questions, sent in by our amazing followers. From navigating the tricky intersection of faith and sexuality to sharing deeply personal moments, Aaron and Ben open up about their journeys as queer Christians with honesty, humour, and heart. This episode goes deeper into their lived experiences. Coming out, facing rejection, and finding affirming spaces, while offering practical tips for those wrestling with similar challenges. Expect candid stories, a few laughs, and wisdom that hits home. What question would you ask Aaron and Ben? Drop it in the comments! #queerfullymade #lgbtq #lgbtqchristian #lesbian #gay #bi #trans #queer #christian #lgbtqinclusion #faith #church #faithandsexuality #youaskedforit #qanda #lgbtqfaith #authenticity #podcast #queerchristian #communityvoices
In this Episode of Queerfully Made Podcast , hosts Aaron Kelly and Ben Nicholson welcome Max Drag Queen, widely remarked as one of the most electrifying performers in the Australian Drag circuit and competed in Drag Race Down Under Season 4. On their season, Max briefly shared their faith, sparking backlash from parts of the queer community who questioned why an LGBTQ+ person would embrace Christianity. This episode dives deeper, offering a heartfelt exploration of Max’s faith journey and their vision for love over division. Max opens up about finding faith at a young age through Christian Beach Missions, attending church solo despite a non-religious family. That faith became a guiding light and source of comfort into adulthood, shaping their life beyond the drag stage. Though not a regular churchgoer, Max sees faith as more than four walls. It’s about love, hope, and connection, not rigid rules or judgment. They reflect on the hurt religious spaces and people have caused LGBTQ+ people, while not experiencing that hurt themselves. Max gives a small challenge to the queer community to embrace those who hold faith with love, not scepticism. If faith communities could view LGBTQ+ folks through a lens of love, Max believes bridges could replace barriers. Aaron and Ben unpack Max’s story, exploring the intersection of faith, sexuality and gender and where drag intertwines and why both sides of the faith-LBGTQ+ divide need empathy. Stream now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Subscribe for more stories that spark hope and understanding! What does faith mean to you in your LGBTQ+ journey? Share in the comments! 🫶 #queerfullymade #lgbtq #lgbtqchristian #lesbian #gay #bi #trans #queer #christian #lgbtqinclusion #church #faithandsexuality #maxdragqueen #episodesix #dragracedownunder #lgbtqfaith #authenticity #podcastlaunch #faithandlove #queerchristian
In this episode of the Queerfully Made Podcast, hosts Aaron Kelly and Ben Nicholson sit down with Ps. Marcy Paynter, Senior Pastor, and Ps. Beth Bolmers, Pastoral Staff, from Gateway Church in Melbourne. This powerful conversation dives into Gateway’s transformative journey to becoming an affirming church, embracing LGBTQ+ inclusion with open hearts.Ps. Marcy shares her personal story, which began long before the church’s shift. She opens up about what sparked her commitment to inclusion, the challenges of leading a congregation through change, and her vision for a future where faith communities fully affirm LGBTQ+ individuals. Ps. Beth offers her perspective as a staff member who’s been part of the journey from the start, reflecting on how the shift reshaped the church’s culture, brought both growth and loss, and deepened their mission of love.Together, they explore what it truly means to be an affirming church. Moving beyond tolerance to active celebration of diverse identities. They candidly discuss the losses Gateway faced, including members who left, and the profound gains in community, authenticity, and impact.For more information on Gateway Church, head to their website: https://www.gateway.asn.au/ What does an affirming church mean to you? Share in the comments! 🫶#queerfullymade #lgbtq #lgbtqchristian #lesbian #gay #bi #trans #queer #christian #lgbtqinclusion #church #faithandsexuality #affirmingchurch #gatewaychurch #marcypaynter #bethbolmers #lgbtqfaith #authenticity #podcast #inclusivefaith
