Hello and welcome to the September edition of Outward. I'm Brian Louder, editor of Outward,

and I'm here with your annual reminder

that summer is not over until the 22nd of September,

exactly a week from when this episode drops.

So don't let the haters tell you any different.

Thank you, Brian. I needed that.

Yeah.

I'm Christina Cotarucci, a senior writer at Slate, and I would like to extend a hearty welcome

to the person who recently posted on the D.C. Queer Exchange Facebook group that she was giving

away some of her pride gear free to a good home, including her by Pride flag.

Nothing wrong with the flag, she wrote.

I'm just a lesbian now.

So I just want to take a moment to congratulate anyone who's changing flags these days,

whatever those flags may be.

Yeah, I think that was really modeling good behavior in that arena.

Nothing wrong with the flag.

No, my definition has changed and that's fine.

Everybody's great.

Okay, so this is usually the point in the show where we share our prides and provocations.

But this month, we've got a provocation to discuss that is so provoking that it's the only one we have the time or emotional energy honestly to handle listeners we are provoked profoundly by the sad

and sorry fact that raman alam our beloved co-host, is leaving us.

Ramon, why are you hurting everyone like those?

...