Ep. 263: My Gay Journey: From JCPenney Catalogs to Coming Out at Work | This Is Everything

Every gay man has a journey. In this deeply personal episode of This Is Everything, Zach gets real — maybe more real than ever — about the phases of his own gay life, from confused seventh-grader sneaking looks at the JCPenney catalog to fully out, proudly gay podcaster in his 50s. Zach walks through the stages so many LGBTQ+ people will recognize: the denial phase, the "maybe I'm bi" phase, the club kid reinvention, the slow process of finding yourself, and finally — the unapologetically out phase. Along the way, he shares stories about his first time at a drag show (before RuPaul's Drag Race existed), his first gay bar in South Miami, his crew of friends who helped shape who he became, and what it finally felt like to stop hiding at work. He also reflects on how different the journey can be — from friends who knew they were gay as kids, to those who've gone back into the closet, to the uniquely profound journey transgender people navigate on an entirely different level. This one is honest, funny, messy, and deeply human. IN THIS EPISODE: Growing up with no internet — and a JCPenney catalog as your only "resource" Going to your first gay bar alone, and why that takes real courage The "bisexual" phase almost every gay guy goes through Life as a club kid in 1990s South Beach Moving through cities — Miami, New York, Atlanta, Switzerland — and how each one shaped Zach's identity Why the most homophobic people are often hiding something Coming out at work: what finally made Zach stop caring what people thought A former best friend who chose the closet over the friendship 🎙️ This Is Everything is the solo monologue segment of Everything & Anything…and a Bit Gay, where host Zach Randles gets personal and goes deep on the things that actually matter. 📲 Follow Zach on Instagram: @TheRealZachRE 🌐 everythingandanythingpodcast.com If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and leave a review. It helps more people find the show. 🏳️‍🌈 Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.