298: National Coming Out Day and Get Out To Vote – Rick Clemons

We all make mistakes. For some of us those mistakes are harder than others to live with, especially when that mistake will follow us for life. From his own sexual abuse at a young age, to his porn addiction, to being arrested and having to now carry the weight of being a registered offender, Allen Scott is healing and growing into the man he is meant to be - a gay man with a past that isn't getting to hold him back. This is a powerful conversation about pornography, sexual abuse and may be disturbing to listen to but I'm inviting my listeners to have an open mind and realize forgiveness is the way. About Allen Scott Allen Scott is an average guy on a continuous journey of self-discovery. He comes from a military family and, while growing up, he lived in Europe and the US. He is a graduate of the University of West Florida and remains an avid patron of the fine and performing arts. After joining the military as an adult, he expanded his world travels to Asia and the Middle East. Allen realized at a very young age that he is gay. It remained a closely guarded secret until high school, which fostered a great deal of internalized homophobia. After coming out, his newly revealed sexual orientation was anything but liberating and caused a huge rift in his family. Although he began to explore this part of himself during high school, his years in college are when he truly accepted himself as a gay man. Unfortunately, due to circumstances stemming from an early exposure to pornography, which later developed into an addiction, he eventually found himself ensnared in a web of very serious legal ramifications. While he acknowledges he cannot change his actions and has accepted responsibility for them, he experiences remorse every day and regrets the harm it caused to all affected. Allen's experiences with pornography addiction and the associated legal ramifications have compelled him to become an advocate for others. He has been through several treatment programs which have given him hope for the possibility of bridging the gap between others like him and the society which seeks to remove them to the periphery. Going through life as a middle-aged gay man can be difficult enough in itself. Adding the layer of having any sort of criminal record only complicates it that much more. Allen's overall message to other gay men in similar situations is to keep trying. There will be days when giving up will seem like the best choice. However, the best thing you can do is get up every day and do what you can, when you can, and the best you can. Currently, Allen is writing his own book called Shattered to Whole Again: My Journey from Pornography Addiction to Redemption. He plans to use his experiences as a platform for engagements which may include public speaking, writing, lobbying, advocacy, and peer support. Hey Guys, Check This Out! Are you a guy who keeps struggling to do that thing? You know the thing you keep telling yourself and others you’re going to do, but never do? Then it’s time to get real and figure out why. Join the 40 Plus: Gay Men Gay Talk, monthly chats. They happen the third Monday of each month at 5:00 pm Pacific - Learn More! Break free of fears. Make bold moves. Live life without apologies

12 Apr 202450min

Feeling a heard is one of the most critical mental health pills we can pop as humans. Yet, a growing number of people in society have no one to listen to them - especially gay men. Helping fill the void of loneliness and not being heard, Adam Lippin, founder of HearMe.app provides a solution for the world and especially gay men to have a listening ear and to be heard. About Adam Adam Lippin serves as founder and CEO of HearMe where he is transforming the way we approach mental wellness globally to make it more accessible, affordable, and immediate for everyone. Adam is a visionary entrepreneur who has a proven track record of success in the business world. He has previously founded two highly successful ventures, each with their own unique concept and offering. Adam founded Atomic Wings in 1989, a buffalo chicken wings chain that quickly became a popular destination for chicken wing enthusiasts across New York City. With Adam at the helm, the business expanded into a successful chain before transitioning into a franchising company. Adam successfully exited the still-growing and thriving business in 2019. Building on that success, Adam founded Cuddlist, an international cuddling service, with co-founder and consent expert Madelon Guinazzo which has grown to (need numbers here). With his extensive experience in entrepreneurship and a passion for helping people, Adam turned his attention to the mental health space and founded HearMe. Under Adam's leadership, the company has developed innovative and evidence-based solutions to the current mental wellness landscape and continues to improve the well-being of people around the world. Connect With Adam Website Instagram LinkedIn SAGE To Get The HearMe.app Hey Guys, Check This Out! Are you a guy who keeps struggling to do that thing? You know the thing you keep telling yourself and others you’re going to do, but never do? Then it’s time to get real and figure out why. Join the 40 Plus: Gay Men Gay Talk, monthly chats. They happen the third Monday of each month at 5:00 pm Pacific - Learn More! Break free of fears. Make bold moves. Live life without apologies

5 Apr 202436min

He's 40+. He's thriving. He's still tackling the monsters under his own bed. But, he's thrilled to be the gay man, artist, and creative he is, because he loves and accepts himself exactly for who he is. Gregory G. Allen, ward-winning author, screenwriter, filmmaker and actor candidly shares what he's learned about being a gay man since his coming out at 19 and moving straight to the big Apple. This is an inspiring candid conversation about all the monsters of our life and how to overcome them. About Gregory Gregory G. Allen is an award-winning author, screenwriter, filmmaker and actor. He has been in the entertainment industry for 35 years having acted in plays, musicals, TV, film and national tours. His short films have screened at 100 festivals around the world including twice at the American Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival (Hiding in Daylight: Writer/Producer & Reparations: Writer/Director) in 2019 & 2020. He has been the recipient of several awards including Best Director and Best Screenplay for his short films and was inducted into the prestigious 125th Anniversary Year (2023) Marquis Who's Who for his dedication to the fields of arts, entertainment, and advocacy. Gregory has received writing grants from BMI, ASCAP, the Watershed Foundation and is a member of The Dramatist Guild, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and a former member of the BMI Musical Theater Workshop. He is the award-winning author of four novels, one nonfiction memoir, two short stories, and four children's books. He has spent over 15 years in arts management and currently is the manager of a theater in Westchester County, New York. Connect With Gregory Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Hey Guys, Check This Out! Are you a guy who keeps struggling to do that thing? You know the thing you keep telling yourself and others you’re going to do, but never do? Then it’s time to get real and figure out why. Join the 40 Plus: Gay Men Gay Talk, monthly chats. They happen the third Monday of each month at 5:00 pm Pacific – Learn More! Break free of fears. Make bold moves. Live life without apologies

29 Mar 202446min

It's happening and you can't avoid it. You're going to age, and go gray, even as a gay man. Ok some of you may not go gray but we are all headed down the pathway of aging as gay man, but that doesn't have to be a death sentence. Here's my take on how to be Gay and Gray and embrace it with joy! Join Our Live 40 Plus Gay Men, Gay Talk Chats The third Monday of each month at 5:00 p.m. Pacific, we gather together on a zoom chat to talk about the stuff us gay gays aren't talking about but should - careers, finances, sex, love, health, coming out - all that stuff that we think we're talking about but aren't. It's fun, it builds community, and you never know when you just might make a great connection or a friend. Click Here To Join The Calls!

22 Mar 202414min

Feeling a sense of belonging as gay men is one of the things we struggle with the most. Using his book - Creating Belonging: A Practical Guide to Accelerate Belonging in Organizations and Communities - Justin Reinert shares how we as gay men can create a better sense of belonging for ourselves and others. About Justin Justin Reinert is a Talent Leader and Coach with 20 years of experience. He holds an MA in Educating Adults from DePaul University, along with the CPTD, SPHR, and SHRM-SCP. He has led learning at organizations as large as HSBC and Oracle and is currently Founder & Principal of Performance Accelerated Learning, helping leaders build high performing organizations where everyone belongs. In May of 2022 he published is first book, Creating Belonging: A Practical Guide to Accelerate Belonging in Organizations and Communities, and is currently working on the second edition. Connect With Justin Website Instagram LinkedIn Hey Guys, Check This Out! Are you a guy who keeps struggling to do that thing? You know the thing you keep telling yourself and others you’re going to do, but never do? Then it’s time to get real and figure out why. Join the 40 Plus: Gay Men Gay Talk, monthly chats. They happen the third Monday of each month at 5:00 pm Pacific - Learn More! Break free of fears. Make bold moves. Live life without apologies

15 Mar 202436min

Breakups suck, and anyone who tells you otherwise is kidding themselves. But, they don't have to be the thing you cling onto forever. Whether the break up is one sided, mutual, you can move on with love and understanding if you follow these 10 steps. Join Our Live 40 Plus Gay Men, Gay Talk Chats The third Monday of each month at 5:00 p.m. Pacific, we gather together on a zoom chat to talk about the stuff us gay gays aren't talking about but should - careers, finances, sex, love, health, coming out - all that stuff that we think we're talking about but aren't. It's fun, it builds community, and you never know when you just might make a great connection or a friend. Click Here To Join The Calls!

8 Mar 202416min

We've all felt like we've had "senior moments!" Yet most are actually preventable. Helping guide as aging gay men to embrace our age and our real senior moments id Stan Goldberg - ally to the LGBTQ community who guides us on how to Prevent our Senior Moments as he shares his book by the same name - Preventing Senior Moments: How To Stay Alert Into Your 90's and Beyond. About Stan Stan Goldberg is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Language and Hearing Disorders at San Francisco State University and the author of 225 articles and nine internationally award-winning non-fiction books. Three were translated from English into Chinese, Indonesian, and Portuguese. In October of 2023 Roman and Littlefield will publish his latest book, PREVENTING SENIOR MOMENTS: How to Stay Sharp into Your 90s and Beyond. Stan’s research has shown that senior moments are not an inevitable part of aging. Rather, they result from problems with information processing. While most senior moments can be prevented, a few may signal the development of Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. His writing received 22 national and international awards. His memoir as a bedside hospice volunteer at the celebrated Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco, LESSONS FOR THE LIVING, was cited in Arianna Huffington's THRIVE as one of seven books anyone desiring personal growth should read. His website, www.stangoldbergwriter.com contains hundreds of free articles on aging, cancer, caregiving, and chronic illnesses. When not writing, he spends time wood and stone sculpting, playing wooden flutes he crafted, fly fishing, and acting silly with his granddaughters. He has been living with cancer for more than 20 years and devotes time to cancer and Parkinson’s support groups. Connect With Stan Website Facebook LinkedIn Hey Guys, Check This Out! Are you a guy who keeps struggling to do that thing? You know the thing you keep telling yourself and others you’re going to do, but never do? Then it’s time to get real and figure out why. Join the 40 Plus: Gay Men Gay Talk, monthly chats. They happen the third Monday of each month at 5:00 pm Pacific - Learn More! Break free of fears. Make bold moves. Live life without apologies

1 Mar 202443min

Here we are. Almost the end of February, and what have you done this year to be happier and more productive as a gay man? Nothing? Or are you stuck in the hamster wheel of, "I'll get to it next week!" Take 20 minutes and listen to my thoughts on 10 Things You Can Do - Right Now - to get over your bullshit and be happier. Join Our Live 40 Plus Gay Men, Gay Talk Chats The third Monday of each month at 5:00 p.m. Pacific, we gather together on a zoom chat to talk about the stuff us gay gays aren't talking about but should - careers, finances, sex, love, health, coming out - all that stuff that we think we're talking about but aren't. It's fun, it builds community, and you never know when you just might make a great connection or a friend. Click Here To Join The Calls!

23 Feb 202426min