My Dad Stole My Limelight cover logo

Niki Mohrdar on no boundaries in what defines queerness

55m · My Dad Stole My Limelight · 17 Oct 11:00

Connect with MDSML:

-Join the FREE mailing list for queer joy! hilaurendeborah.substack.com

-Email the pod to say hi or share a limelight-stealing story! [email protected]

-2SLGBTQIA+ resources

Niki Mohrdar (she/her) is a stand-up comedian and podcaster (she’s ⅓ of the podcast Soft For Us, amazing!). In this episode, Niki shares her perspective as a Middle Eastern woman on queerness and coming out.

In this episode:

-Bisexuals? Us? We are attracted to a vibe!

-Look, Montreal is a place so many of us have gone to and then been like OH DAMN THIS IS WHO I AM!

-I want to talk about being queer ALL THE TIME and also, please recognise I am more than that!

-Niki and I never had an “official” coming out and mayyyyyybe we hold a little jealousy about that towards those who did!

-Choosing not to be open about who we are in certain spaces can be hard and it can also be a way to protect ourselves!

-Comedy is such a freeing space to have a “one-sided conversation” and express who we are, how we feel, what we believe and in the process make you laugh!

-Niki and I have struggled in an ongoing way with imposter syndrome and code-switching, feeling like there is something we need to prove!

-Sex and intimacy are so much more than being physical, and demisexuality can empower us to feel safe and secure exploring that!

-Niki wants there to be more openness and less suppression of our sexuality — being free to explore who we are and not shut ourselves off!

-Coffee is not needed if you have a wonderful queer conversation to have instead!

Connect with my guest:

-Follow Niki on Instagram: @niki.mohrdar

-Listen to Niki’s podcast, Soft For Us: @softforus

Behind the scenes:

-Podcast production and editing made possible by: Alexi Johnson and the team at @604podnetwork

-Theme Music: Shawn Kangro

-Logo Art: @raphe.ca

-This episode of My Dad Stole My Limelight was recorded with @SquadCast

The episode Niki Mohrdar on no boundaries in what defines queerness from the podcast My Dad Stole My Limelight has a duration of 55:46. It was first published 17 Oct 11:00. The cover art and the content belong to their respective owners.

More episodes from My Dad Stole My Limelight

Noah Riseman on the long history of sexuality and gender diversities

In this episode I sit with researcher and historian, specialising in Australian Indigenous and LGBTIQA+ histories, Noah Riseman (he/him). We discuss the language we use and how that has evolved, the importance and privilege of sharing trans folks’ stories, the long history of visibility and activism in Australia and coming out to different family members!

Connect with MDSML:

-Join the FREE mailing list for queer joy! hilaurendeborah.substack.com

-Email the pod to say hi or share a limelight-stealing story! [email protected]

-2SLGBTQIA+ resources

Connect with my guest:

- Connect with Noah on Twitter: @NoahRiseman

Resources:

-Transgender Australia, Noah Riseman — Melbourne University Publishing. Or buy from any good independent bookseller. All money made from the book is being donated to trans charities.

Noah’s other books on LGBTQIA+ military service:

-Pride in Defence, Noah Riseman, Shirleene Robinson — Melbourne University Publishing (mup.com.au)

-Serving in Silence | NewSouth Books

Free online resources on trans history provided by Noah:

-NSW Trans History Report - written for The Gender Centre and ACON

-Victoria's Transgender History - written for Transgender Victoria

-A History of Trans Health Care in Australia: A Report for the Australian Professional Association for Trans Health (AusPATH)

-Speaking Out Against Anti-Trans Violence: A Call for Justice - written for The Gender Centre and SWOP (Sex Workers Outreach Project) for the NSW Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTIQ Hate Crimes

Behind the scenes:

-Podcast production and editing made possible by: Alexi Johnson and the team at @604podnetwork

-Theme Music: Shawn Kangro

-Logo Art: @raphe.ca

Tom Ballard on the queer community coming together and getting sh*t done

In this episode I sit with comedian Tom Ballard (he/him) and discuss coming out over a meat pie, internet browser histories, coming out to ourselves, MySpace, letter-writing as a lost art, lying about being straight to taxi drivers and the insanity of the monarchy!

Connect with MDSML:

-Join the FREE mailing list for queer joy! hilaurendeborah.substack.com

-Email the pod to say hi or share a limelight-stealing story! [email protected]

-2SLGBTQIA+ resources

Connect with my guest:

-Follow Tom on Instagram: @tomcballard

-Follow Tom on X: @tomcballard

-Follow Tom on threads: @tomcballard

-Subscribe to Tom’s YouTube: @TomBallardAus

-Watch Tom’s latest special, It Is I, with 800 Pound Gorilla Records

Behind the scenes:

-Podcast production and editing made possible by: Alexi Johnson and the team at @604podnetwork

-Theme Music: Shawn Kangro

-Logo Art: @raphe.ca

Eve Parker Finley on healing through creative outlets

I am honoured that my guest on this episode is comedian and musician Eve Parker Finley (she/her). We talk about the role of her art in her coming out and her emotional well-being. A behind-the-scenes note is that I kept trying to write the show notes for this episode and instead just got distracted multiple times watching clips of Eve performing because she is PURE JOY!

Connect with MDSML:

-Join the FREE mailing list for queer joy! hilaurendeborah.substack.com

-Email the pod to say hi or share a limelight-stealing story! [email protected]

-2SLGBTQIA+ resources

In this episode:

-Eve discusses how she has used music and comedy to figure out who she wants to be!

-We hear the process and discovery behind the first song Eve ever wrote!

-Using gender as a metaphor for other things is a thing Eve loves to do in her music and writing!

-We hate the relationships we have been in where we have forgotten who we are, but the comeback from those? It is the most powerful thing!

-Eve wrote a song for her parents and played it to them as her coming out!

-It’s okay to not know. It’s okay to not have it figured out. None of us have anything figured out!

-We each share three songs from our crying playlists with each other and let me tell you, nothing feels like more of a bonding moment than that!

-Taking scary plunges towards what sets our soul on fire is brave and beautiful! Eve shared her journey and it is gorgeous!

-Growing up means growing more confident and out of our “No worries if not!” phase and we love that for us!

-SHOUTOUT therapy! Always! Our longest and strongest relationships!

Connect with my guest:

-Follow Eve on Instagram:@eveparkerfinley

-Follow Eve on TikTok: @eveparkerfinley

-Eve’s album In The End

-Eve’s latest release, her comedy song Screw You Steve

-More of Eve: eveparkerfinley.contactin.bio/

Behind the scenes:

-Podcast production and editing made possible by: Alexi Johnson and the team at @604podnetwork

-Theme Music: Shawn Kangro

-Logo Art: @raphe.ca

Jackie Hoffart on getting access to the things we had barely let ourselves dream about

In this episode I got to chat with comedian, producer, host of New Moon Comedy and just all round wonderful human, Jackie Hoffart (they/them).

Connect with MDSML:

-Join the FREE mailing list for queer joy! hilaurendeborah.substack.com

-Email the pod to say hi or share a limelight-stealing story! [email protected]

-2SLGBTQIA+ resources

In this episode:

-Check out New Moon Comedy! One of the best shows in Canada!

-Here we are with another story that involves my guest moving very, very far away from their hometown!

-This interview has big two-cats-per-house energy and we love it!

-How wonderful is it when you can see people on stage that help you discover or uncover your true self? What a gift!

-Jackie gives a wonderful perspective on how they feel about identifying as non-binary, for now, until the language catches up and I love it very much!

-In this chat, we hear how Jackie came out to themself first, and how big that experience is!

-Hot tips for how to start identifying as a lesbian in this episode!

-We are here to follow the butterflies that make us feel alive! And we are not taking anything less!

-As Jackie puts it, there are infinite ways to be non-binary. Theirs’ took the surgical route and they kindly share that experience with us!

-We are learning to make less space for folks to get our pronouns wrong! We have been choosing our battles, and maybe it is time to change that!

Connect with my guest:

-Follow New Moon Comedy on Instagram: @moonbasedcomedy

-Follow Jackie on Instagram: @ostensiblyclear

Resources:

-Check out YVR Funny!

-The article Jackie wrote in 2003!

Behind the scenes:

-Podcast production and editing made possible by: Alexi Johnson and the team at @604podnetwork

-Theme Music: Shawn Kangro

-Logo Art: @raphe.ca

Limelight Mailbag with Jason T. Gaffney

In this month's (and our first ever) Limelight Mailbag episode, I am joined by my wonderful co-host; filmmaker, podcaster, writer and dear friend Jason T. Gaffney! (P.S. I get so excited my voice goes high-pitched several times and Zoom is like “Nope! No sound here!”)

We unpack this month’s limelight-stealing submission from Karen'Nicole.

Connect with MDSML:

-Join the FREE mailing list for queer joy! hilaurendeborah.substack.com

-Email the pod to say hi or share a limelight-stealing story! [email protected]

-2SLGBTQIA+ resources

Connect with Jason:

-Follow Jason on Instagram! @jasontgaffney

Connect with Karen'Nicole:

-Hire Me to Create for You

-karennicolemitchell.com

Resources:

-The London Writers’ Salon

Behind the scenes:

-Podcast production and editing made possible by: Alexi Johnson and the team at @604podnetwork

-Theme Music: Shawn Kangro

-Logo Art: @raphe.ca

Every Podcast » My Dad Stole My Limelight » Niki Mohrdar on no boundaries in what defines queerness