On this week’s episode of In the Den, Jen visits with TikTok mother/daughter duo Monica Gupta Mehta and Asha Lily Mehta about a range of topics from how to maintain good parent/child communication to understanding gender, neurodiversity, and queer sexuality. It’s a conversation you won’t want to miss!

Special Guest: Monica Gupta Mehta

Monica (she/her) is a teacher, educational psychologist, author, nonprofit director, mom, and now an artist! She started teaching 20 years ago in a very progressive classroom, where she taught social emotional learning and sex education along with her humanities course. Monica took time off to raise her children, all of whom are autistic and queer, requiring extremely dedicated parenting and putting them at high risk for mental health struggles. Monica then went back to earn her master's degree in educational psychology, which she put to use creating educational content that she has taught over TikTok, Instagram, in her Normalizers podcast, and in her co-authored book, It’s Totally Normal! An LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Guide to Puberty, Sex, and Gender.

Special Guest: Asha Lily Mehta

Asha (she/her) is a freshman at Northwestern University, currently studying physics and dark matter. As a neurodivergent minority lesbian, Asha has had to deal with microaggressions and outright bigotry for most of her life. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic separated Asha from her peers during a critical phase of social development. Recognizing a similar combination of mental health, support, education, and socialization needs in teens around the world, Asha decided to join Monica, her mom, in creating online safe spaces. Asha helped create a community that has helped over 100,000 LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent teens around the world.

Links from the Show:

• Asha and Monica’s non-profit website: https://www.kindnessproject.love/
• The Kindness Project on IG: https://www.instagram.com/kindnessproject.love/
• The Normalizers Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3lzQmBuZNpnSkAaCJtC9dr?si=8dfd115abc7640fc&nd=1&dlsi=b10a090c73394e07
• Monica and Asha on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@monicatheteacher
• Buy It’s Totally Normal on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Its-Totally-Normal-Lgbtqia-Puberty/dp/1839973552
• Join Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.org

In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at mamadragons.org.

Connect with Mama Dragons:
Website
Instagram
Facebook

Donate to this podcast

This week In the Den, Jen visits with Nigerian born pediatrician and LGBTQ+ educator Dr. Lulu about parenting queer children. They talk about a range of topics from what to do and not do when we learn about our children’s queer identities to unlearning preconceived ideas about the queer community to refining our advocacy to best serve our children.

Special Guest: Dr. Lulu

Dr. Lulu is a multiple award-winning Queer, Nigerian-born pediatrician, LGBTQ+ educator, corporate consultant, CEO of Dr. Lulu’s Coaching & Consulting Lounge, and chief host of Moms 4 Trans Kids Podcast. She is a mother of three, one of whom is a transgender young adult woman. In addition to her family-centered gender-affirming coaching & consulting practice “Dr. Lulu’s PRIDE Corner” (which helps families navigate the psychosocial aspects of raising gender-diverse youth), she also helps support employee-parents at the workplace. Her “Allies in White Coats” program trains culturally competent physician-allies to help mitigate health inequities plaguing the LGBTQ+ community. She is the author of About Your Black Transgender Child, and Invited In: How to Become the Parent Your LGBTQ Child Needs, both set to be published in 2024. Her next book Allies in White Coats: LGBTQ+ Basics for Physicians drops in 2025!

She has been featured on numerous news outlets and interviewed by Oprah Winfrey for her work on LGBTQ+ advocacy. She is a Youth Suicide Prevention Activist and former host of Suicide Pages, and The Pride Corner podcasts. Dr. Lulu’s current focus is helping communities support and affirm Black transgender kids (who are often hiding in plain sight), one family at a time.

Links from the Show:

• Find Dr. Lulu on IG: https://www.instagram.com/drlulutalkradio/
• Dr. Lulu on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCniyYyULNDE7S3rxoTtTJRA
• Lulu on FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082578953611
• Lulu on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/drlulu
• Dr. Lulu’s website: www.dr-lulu.com
• More Dr. Lulu: https://linktr.ee/drlulu?fbclid=IwAR2sfQW5-TbTp_QNQjf8C4JqhJ3fj3VNW_3fiOjzwf7gnFxSXgbFpIAtMbs

In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at mamadragons.org.

Connect with Mama Dragons:
Website
Instagram
Facebook

Donate to this podcast

EPISODE 66–Coming Out When You’re a Mom

On this podcast, we often have conversations addressing parenting issues with experts, and we talk about parenting with parents. Today’s episode explores an example of a mom realizing she was queer as an adult parent with grown children, and the impacts that had on her family. In this episode of In the Den, Jen visits with Jamie Michaels, her daughter Lauryl Armstrong, and Jamie’s partner Celeste Carolin about navigating a coming out later in life as a parent.

Special Guest: Jamie Michaels

Growing up in a Christian household, Jamie Michaels embraced her faith and raised her family within Evangelical Christian teachings. However, in 2015, Jamie came out as gay to her husband and her three adult children, a revelation that challenged her family's beliefs and reshaped many of her relationships. Through her honesty and vulnerability, Jamie navigated the complexities of reconciling her sexuality with her religious roots, while navigating the complexities of a blended family. Her story serves as a powerful reminder of the strength found in embracing one's true self at any stage in life.

Special Guest: Lauryl Armstrong

Lauryl, the eldest child of Jamie Michaels, grew up in an Evangelical Christian household, deeply rooted in faith and tradition. In her early twenties, she embraced her role as a youth leader intern, passionate about guiding and inspiring younger members of her community. Lauryl continued to uphold her family's values, raising her own family within Christianity. However, her world was turned upside down in 2015 when her mother came out as gay, introducing her partner into the family in 2016. This shift challenged Lauryl's beliefs and sparked a journey of self-discovery and acceptance, ultimately reshaping her perspective on love, family, and faith.

Special Guest: Celeste Carolin

Celeste, Jamie Michaels's partner, came from an LDS upbringing, coming out in 2005. Entering Jamie’s predominantly Christian family introduced her to new complexities and unexpected joys, navigating the intricate dynamics of family ties, including adult stepchildren, grandchildren, and proximal family. Blending traditions, managing expectations, and navigating family rules became a delicate dance in their shared journey, where curiosity and adaptability undoubtedly played pivotal roles in fostering harmony and understanding within their blended family unit.

Links from the Show:

• Join Mama Dragons here: www.mamadragons.org

In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.

Connect with Mama Dragons:
Website
Instagram
Facebook

Donate to this podcast