Episode Seventeen of the Virgin Radio Pridecast is all about religion!

Virgin Radio

4 Mar 2022, 13:52

This week on the Virgin Radio Pridecast, with debates ongoing around the world about whether religious freedoms and LGBTQ+ rights can co-exist, Alex and Shivani will be examining the topic themselves, as well as hearing from some of the people who spoke about religion on Virgin Radio Pride last summer. 

First up, you’ll hear from evangelical gay Christian Jayne Ozanne about the harm which religion can cause to people within the LGBTQ+ community. After many years of experiencing this harm for herself, Jayne has used her personal struggle with attempting to reconcile her faith with her sexuality for good, by setting up her own foundation.

‘It really saddens me. I mean, it sickens me too, but it saddens me, because people who, frankly on the whole are good people, and have a deep faith, who believe in the power of love to change people, seem so blinded to the prejudice they have, and frankly, years of what I think is ill-informed and wrong teaching… But the harm it does is just untold…’

You’ll also hear from journalist Paul Brand, who chatted to Matt Cain on his Sunday Roast on Virgin Radio Pride about the trade-off between religious freedoms and LGBTQ+ rights.

Alex and Shivani will also be looking at the cultural elements of religion, with the help of Tik Tok inclusivity educator Benjy Kusi, who also spoke to Matt Cain:

‘Sometimes, people who exist outside of that sphere, who maybe haven’t been raised religiously, or, you know, don’t have any belief, or have recounted their belief, can sometimes be a bit insensitive… Because it’s not just, you know, going to church every Sunday, or going to your place of worship - it is a way of life for people, and I think we do need to be sensitive to that, as long as they’re not harming others…’

You’ll also hear again from the incredibly inspiring Matt Mahmood-Ogston, who set up the Naz and Matt Foundation after his fiance Naz committed suicide because of rejection from his religious family. Matt explains what the organisation does, as well as why it is still very much needed today. 

Finally, Alex and Shivani will finish with some inspiring words from country singer-songwriter Brooke Eden, who chatted to her girlfriend Hillary Hoover about coming out to religious parents. 

Episode 17 of the Virgin Radio Pridecast will be available to listen to here. (Friday 4th March).

The Virgin Radio Pridecast is a weekly look back through the archives of Virgin Radio Pride, our fabulous three-month pop-up radio station which ran last summer. Each week, Alex Milsom and Shivani Dave re-live some of the best moments, as well as attempting to continue the great conversations that Virgin Radio Pride started last summer. There are entertaining guests, jaw-dropping stories, and of course loads of the laugh out loud moments and insightful, important discussions which made Virgin Radio Pride so special…