Alexander Hayden: I Kissed A Boy, Growing Up Gay Where It Was Illegal & Finding Himself

Growing up in St Kitts & Nevis, Alexander Hayden never questioned whether he was gay because, as he explains, “I didn’t know the closet existed.”In this episode of Queer Talker, Alexander shares what it was like growing up in the Caribbean, where same-sex relationships were illegal, moving to boarding school in the UK, and slowly discovering who he really was.We talk about code-switching between two versions of himself, the emotional moment he returned home after the law changed, living with a visible difference, and why representation matters for LGBTQ+ people growing up in countries where acceptance is still a work in progress.Alexander also takes us behind the scenes of I Kissed A Boy, reveals what it was really like arriving as the final bombshell, reflects on the show’s cancellation, and explains how the experience changed his life.This is an honest conversation about identity, confidence, belonging and learning that you don’t have to hide who you are.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Queer Panic04:58 Growing up in the Caribbean and cultural identity07:02 Discovering the queer community and first experiences10:11 Coming out and self-acceptance journey14:55 Decriminalization in Nevis and returning home16:59 Using platform to support Caribbean LGBTQ+ communities20:46 Dealing with visible differences and confidence24:56 Joining 'I Kissed a Boy' and show experience29:51 Lessons learned from the show and personal growth36:00 Advice to younger self and LGBTQ+ communityConnect with Ben Cicchetti:Website - https://www.queertalker.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bencicchetti/YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@queertalker⁠TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@bencicchetti