All Out in the Open
All Out in the Open is a resource for LGBTQ Latter-day Saints and those who love them. Our goal is to help listeners connect with themselves, with their families, with their community, and with God. Hosts Charlie Bird and Ben Schilaty help listeners open up to themselves and those around them. Clare Dalton digs into the scriptures and teaches how they can be a catalyst for personal revelation. Iese Wilson takes listeners on a tour of LGBTQ Latter-day Saints all over the Church and introduces us to modern day pioneers. Michael Soto and Liz Macdonald highlight the amazing work of those who are building and strengthening their communities. Learn more at www.alloutintheopen.org.
Episodes
226 episodes
Personal Story Writing Workshop
Join us for a free writing workshop in Orem, UT on January 24th and February. Register for the workshop here: https://forms.gle/wVN3dPdythPEbywSA
Hosts Reflect on All Out In The Open
To celebrate one year of All Out in the Open, hosts Charlie Bird, Ben Schilaty, Liz Macdonald, Michael Soto, Iese Wilson and Clare Dalton reflect on their favorite episodes and biggest takeaways.We’ll be taking a break from the podcast ...
Finding Personalized Direction on Your Path With Molly and Ruth
We’re excited to have Molly and Ruth join us in this week’s IN the Scriptures episode. Molly, an Arizona native, is a choir teacher with a passion for building community, and Ruth, originally from New York, works as an engineer who loves solvin...
Classic Episode: Navigating Identity and Faith in New Zealand (with Shaqaila Uelese)
OUT and About: Iese Wilson takes us to New Zealand where Shaquaila Uelese opens up about growing up, discovering her identity, and embracing the Māori term Takatapui. While her family initially struggled with her coming out, their love h...
How a Jewish Rabbi Flips Judgement into Curiosity (with Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz)
In this week’s ALL Together episode, Liz Macdonald and Michael Soto sit down with Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz. Growing up in an interfaith home, he felt called to Judaism and a life of activism. Rabbi Yanklowitz has founded organizations that s...
What Conference Left Us Talking About (With Charlie and Ben)
In this week’s episode, Charlie and Ben share their experiences watching the October 2025 General Conference. They discuss which messages stood out to them and how we can apply those principles in our daily efforts to become better disciples of...
Exploring the Doctrine of Exaltation When You Don’t See Yourself in It (with Jeremy and Sara Kerrigan)
This week our IN the Scriptures episode features Jeremy and Sara Kerrigan.After nearly two decades of marriage, Jeremy came out as gay. Though the couple later divorced, they continue to share deep friendship, faith, and love for each o...
Bringing Ministry to the Margins (With Bishop Karen Oliveto)
This week in our ALL Together episode, Bishop Karen Oliveto shares her experiences as the first openly lesbian bishop in The United Methodist Church and what it means to bring ministry to the margins.Drawing on insights from her book “T...
Behind the Scenes With Sound Guy Mike
This week’s OPEN Up episode features one of our very own editors, Mike Poret—better known as “Sound Guy Mike.”Mike first discovered Questions from the Closet while he was in the process of coming out. Reaching out to Charlie and Ben, he...
Setting Boundaries Without Burning Bridges (with Michael Soto)
This week in our IN the Scriptures episode, Michael Soto joins Clare Dalton to discuss Doctrine & Covenants 109-123. Together they explore the importance of names, boundaries, and chosen families.
Bravery in the Midst of Cultural Barriers (with VJ)
This week in our OUT and About episode, VJ Aguilar shares his journey growing up in Mexico, immigrating to the U.S., and coming out as bisexual amid cultural pressures and familial expectations. From hiding his identity to proudly leading a Pri...
Working With Opponents to Protect & Advance Rights (with Sara Burlingame)
This week in our ALL Together episode, Liz Macdonald and Michael Soto sit down with Sara Burlingame, former Wyoming state legislator and current Executive Director of Wyoming Equality.Sara shares what it’s like to live and work as an LG...
Join Us For a Gathering
We’re hosting a morning gathering for LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints and those who love them! Think light breakfast, good conversation, a few connection activities, and a short devotional.📅 Saturday, September 13🕙 10:00am – 12:00pm📍 P...
Church Resources You May Not Know About (with Barry Donakey)
This week’s OPEN Up episode features Barry Donakey, who helped launch LGBTQ+ workshops at Utah Valley Institute and is involved with the Gather Conference.Barry joins Ben and Charlie to explore Church resources that support individuals,...
When God’s Promises Seem Unmet (with Hannah Bryan)
This week in our IN the Scriptures episode Clare Dalton and Hannah Bryan discuss Doctrine and Covenants 94-108. These sections outline the intense persecution of the early Church members living in Missouri. As a transgender woman, Hannah has fa...
Why a Queer Asian Nonmember Showed Up At an LDS Institute (with Atlas Nocturne)
This OUT and About episode features Atlas Nocturne (he/they). While at Arizona State University, Atlas began attending the Church’s Institute of Religion—even though they’re not a member.They share what it was like to navigate faith spa...
Building Bridges over Obstacles Together (with Bree & Kit Borrowman)
This week in our ALL Together episode, Bree and Kit Borrowman share their powerful journey of love, identity and community. Bree, a high school science teacher, lived with gender incongruence and dysphoria for about 50 years before coming out. ...
How a Gay Catholic is Making Space to Stay (with Justin Telthorst)
This week in our OPEN Up episode, Ben Schilaty and Charlie Bird talk with Justin Telthorst, a gay Catholic and founder of Empty Chairs, a nonprofit working to build belonging between LGBTQ+ individuals and the Catholic Church.Justin sha...
Gather Conference Live Q&A
How can I be a good ally? How do you stay hopeful in a difficult world? Who is Ben’s celebrity crush?Learn the answers (and more) in this THE Exclusive episode: a live Q&A from the 2025 Gather Conference featuring Ben Schilaty, Char...
New Eyes and a Fresh Understanding (with Ben Bernards)
This week in our IN the Scriptures episode, Clare Dalton sits down with Ben Bernards, an author, blogger, podcaster, and a beloved youth speaker known for his energetic love of the gospel. He is also a husband and father to three daughters—two ...
A Closet without a Door: How Culture Affects Coming Out (with Adrian)
Our OUT and About episode this week looks a little different. Our guest Adrian (name changed) from Indonesia isn’t able to come out publicly, so he shared his experiences as an LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saint with host Iese Wilson, who retold them to B...
At Last They’re on the Podcast (with Cynthia WinWard & Susan Hinckley)
This week’s ALL Together episode features Cynthia Winward and Susan Hinckley, hosts of a podcast and authors of a book called At Last She Said It. They started their podcast to amplify the unspoken thoughts and feelings of Latter-day Saint wome...
What LGBTQ+ Latter-Day Saints Wish Others Understood (with Ben & Charlie)
On this week’s OPEN Up episode, Ben Schilaty and Charlie Bird share heartfelt and powerful insights gathered from a survey of LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints. What do they wish their families, leaders, and fellow Church members understood? From deeply...
Visions, Doctrine, and the Wait for Understanding (with Stefanie Reinsch)
This week, Clare Dalton sits down with Stefanie Reinsch to discuss Doctrine & Covenants 71–83. Stefanie shares her journey of revelation and resilience. From serving a mission to coming out as bisexual to now pursuing PA school, she reminds...
How a Gay Brit Learned to "Come As You Are" (with James Grant)
On this week’s OUT and About episode, Iese Wilson talks with James Grant, a gay, neurodivergent Latter-day Saint from England currently serving on his stake high council. James shares his journey of coming out after years of denial and the role...