This episode takes a look at the life of Rumi Missabu, a founding member of the late 1960s and early 1970s Cockettes, a radical drag performer, and a counterculture visionary who spent years reshaping what art and identity were during his time. After the dissolution of the Cockettes, Rumi spent over 35 years off the grid, living in almost complete anonymity; however, his contributions to drag, performance, and queer culture continued to resonate long after his departure.

This episode highlights not only the effects of renouncing one's notoriety but also how an individual can choose to remain anonymous while having a legacy that continues to grow in his absence. Rumi Missabu truly made the greatest comeback since Lazarus.

In this episode, we have Dr. Rick Huskey, a physician and theologian who was instrumental in the creation of Affirmation: United Methodists for LGBTQ Concerns. As a college student in 1971, Rick was one of the first to help create the Northfield, MN, Gay Liberation Front. He later took the fight for LGBTQ inclusion in the United Methodist Church head-on and challenged the church from within. Doing so cost him nearly 30 years of being able to be ordained. Rick lived his life in faith, quietly resisting the church to the best of his ability until he was finally ordained as a United Methodist Elder, just one day before he passed away.

In 1962, seven years before Stonewall, Robbie Robinson co-founded the Tavern Guild, which was America’s first association of gay bars. A true pioneer for LGBTQ+ rights, he played an integral role in creating the organization that systematized San Francisco's gay nightlife and worked toward visibility and safety for the LGBTQ+ community. In this episode, Robbie talks about his trailblazing work with the Tavern Guild, whose impact on queer history we continue to experience today. Hear the incredible story of courage, solidarity, and rebellion in today’s world of LGBTQ+ individuals from someone who was there in the early days!