This week on Premeditated Opinions, we’re introducing you to two of Josh’s longtime friends and two genuinely good humans: Justin Yoder and Patrick Thompson, the founders of LGBTQ Outdoors.
What started as an Instagram account meant to break stereotypes turned into a national nonprofit helping LGBTQ+ people reconnect with nature, community, and most importantly: belonging. And not in a cheesy way. In a real, life-changing, sometimes-people-cry-at-the-end-of-the-event way.
In this conversation, we talk about:
· Why the outdoors hasn’t always felt safe or welcoming for LGBTQ+ folks
· How representation and explicit invitation change everything
· How LGBTQ Outdoors became a national community with chapters across the U.S.
· Fishing under bridges, pack-rafting in Alaska, and “Outdoor Fest magic”
· The power of chosen family, sunsets, and finally not having to hide
This is one of those episodes that starts thoughtful… and ends deeply human.
LGBTQ Outdoors is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and like many organizations doing DEI-adjacent work, they’ve been hit hard by corporate funding rollbacks. The work hasn’t slowed, but the funding has.
If you’ve ever:
…this is one of those moments where $10 actually matters.
Ways to Support:
All links are in the show notes, because we make it easy to do the right thing.
This episode is dropping before year-end, which means your donation is tax-deductible and deeply impactful.
If you like:
…this one’s for you.
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