Coming Out & Beyond Support for Women Questioning Their Sexuality Later in Life

Dahron Johnson grew up surrounded by voices. Thousands of books in her parents' home, two people who met in divinity school, and a faith that taught her every person is fearfully and wonderfully made. And still, for decades, she could not find the words for who she was.In this episode, Anne-Marie sits down with her dear friend Dahron, a clinically trained chaplain, a tireless advocate, and the first openly trans person to speak from the floor of the Tennessee House. The two of them share roots in the North, in the church, and in the long work of coming home to themselves. They move through faith and the work of welcome, the cost of advocacy in Tennessee right now, and what it means to hold the whole person rather than the narrow slice the world finds convenient.Then the conversation turns inward. Dahron walks us through the years of living with no language and no container to put herself in, the ballet class and the leotard, the three days she spent tucked into the corner of a closet, and the hope bargain she made with herself to survive. She tells us about the lung collapses and the tumor that kept whispering there was a self she had never let herself know. And she brings us to the end of a therapist's driveway, the left turn and the right turn, the moment fifty years finally crystallized into one decision. It is time to get this done.This is a conversation about faith, courage, and the long road to naming ourselves. We are honored to share it with you.If you hear yourself somewhere in Dahron's story, you do not have to sit with it alone. Authentically Us is our community for women finding their way toward a more honest life. It is a soft place to land, a space for your queerness to bloom, and a room full of people who understand the questions you have not said out loud yet. We would love to welcome you. Come find us at https://community.annemariezanzal.com/This is Part One of our conversation with Dahron. The rest of her story is coming in Part Two.Follow Coming Out and Beyond wherever you listen, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.

🔥 Ever get all dressed up for a date... and they never show? Ever wonder if you're too old for love at 43? Ever think maybe lesbian dating culture is just... toxic?Girl, pull up a chair. We're talking about ALL of it in this episode — and trust us, you're not alone.📞 FEELING STUCK IN YOUR DATING LIFE?Dating is hard enough without doing it alone. If you're a sapphic woman feeling stuck, frustrated, or just plain lost when it comes to dating — whether you're freshly out, freshly heartbroken, or somewhere in between — let's chat.Book a FREE connection call with Barbara — no pressure, no judgment, just a lesbian therapist/coach/guide who has been there and can help you have a successful dating life.👉 Book Your Free Call HereWhat We're Covering This Week:This week, Anne-Marie and Barbara Rowlandson are back with another round of Reddit questions from sapphic women navigating the beautiful, messy, maddening world of queer dating. These posts hit close to home:🌈 Is lesbian dating culture actually toxic? Spoiler: No. We're talking about why what feels uniquely lesbian is really just uniquely human — and why pathologizing our community doesn't help anyone.❤️ What to do when your girlfriend brushes off arguments that leave you spinning. Hint: It's about attachment styles and communication, not your queerness. (And "we never fight" isn't the flex you think it is.)💔 The woman who got stood up on date three. Dressed up, dinner reservation made, Sephora closed for emotional shopping — the whole bit. We're sending her all the love.🌸 A tough-love conversation with a 43-year-old who thinks she's too old for love. We're unpacking the stories we inherit and how beliefs like "there aren't enough good people out there" can quietly run your whole dating life.💕 The sweetest question about first-time intimacy. Why excitement, not nervousness, is way more common than you'd think — and how to make your partner feel safe and comfortable.If you've ever wondered whether the intensity of your feelings means something's wrong, or if your dating struggles are a "lesbian thing" or a "human thing," this one's for you.💬 JOIN THE AUTHENTICALLY US COMMUNITYAuthentically Us is a support community for later-in-life LGBTQ women at all stages of the coming out and beyond process. Whether you're deconstructing messages from a conservative faith tradition, experiencing divorce-related guilt, or struggling with feelings of shame around your coming out or sexual identity, Authentically Us has the right kind of support for you.Monthly subscription: $39/month👉 Join Authentically Us💬 GOT YOUR OWN SAPPHIC DATING DILEMMA?We want to hear from you! Share your dating question or story, and we might feature it on our next episode of U-Haul University.🔗 CONNECT WITH USWebsite: annemariezanzal.comFacebook: facebook.com/amzanzalInstagram: @annemariezanzalcoachingTwitter: twitter.com/annemariezanzalLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCASTApple Podcasts: Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ StoriesSpotify: Coming Out & Beyond: LGBTQIA+ StoriesGrab your headphones, maybe a glass of wine, and come sit with us. You're not doing this dating thing alone anymore.

This week, we're revisiting an episode from Season 6 featuring GLAAD Media Award nominee, documentary photographer Morgan Lieberman. Morgan's project, "Hidden Once, Hidden Twice," published with NPR last June was recently nominated in the category of Outstanding Online Journalism – Video or MultimediaMorgan's work has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Bloomberg, National Geographic, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angles Times, among others. Morgan's current documentary project titled 'Hidden Once, Hidden Twice' focuses on documenting the lives of older lesbian partnerships. This project was borne out of a desire for lesbian community and out of recognition that the voices of the older lesbian generation have been suppressed and lost over time. In this episode, Anne-Marie and Morgan's conversation delves into the lessons learned from older generations, the significance of community, and the complexities of lesbian relationships. Morgan emphasizes the need for visibility and understanding of the unique experiences of older lesbians, while also discussing her aspirations for her documentary work.🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:🏳️‍🌈The significance of representation in media for the LGBTQ+ community.🏳️‍🌈How lesbian relationships are often misunderstood and oversimplified by society.🏳️‍🌈Reflections on the emotional depth and intensity of lesbian friendships and relationships.🏳️‍🌈What younger generations of lesbians can learn from the older generation about resilience and love.🏳️‍🌈 and much more!You can follow Morgan Lieberman on Instagram, who goes by @thechromaticsheep.You can also donate to the "Hidden Once, Hidden Twice" GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/photo-book-on-senior-lesbian-partnerships💬 Join the Conversation!💬Are you a member of the older lesbian generation? What comes up for you when you listen to this episode? If you're of a younger generation, what surprised you about the episode? Leave your thoughts in the comments and let's talk about it!❤️Join Authentically Us! A supportive community for those coming out later in life to the LGBTQIA+ community. Connect, share, and find guidance on your journey through mutual support groups, workshops, and live Zoom meetups. 💜Sign up today at www.annemariezanzal.com💠 Visit our website: : [ www.annemariezanzal.com]💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated on powerful stories from Coming Out & Beyond!

Authentically Us is a support community for later-in-life LGBTQ women at all stages of the coming out and beyond process. Coming out later in life is often accompanied by suffering. Whether you're looking to deconstruct messages from a conservative faith tradition, experience divorce-related guilt, or struggle with feelings of shame around your coming out or sexual identity, Authentically Us has the right kind of support for you. Monthly subscription to Authentically Us on Mighty Networks is $35/month, but you can try your first week for free. Find Authentically Us at https://bit.ly/Authentically-Us Becka Eppley is an author, storyteller, communications director and later-in-life lesbian who works with authors, coaches and community builders to help share their truth. In this episode, Becka shares her (fairly recent) experience of stepping into her authentic sexuality – a journey that entailed deconstruction from a conservative faith tradition, divorce, challenging notions of personal value, womanhood, and landing on the letter of the LGBTQIA acronym that felt right for her. This is a wonderful episode for anyone who is early in their coming out journey, as it addresses many of the challenges and concerns that women who come out later in life routinely face.❓ What to Expect in This Episode:✨Lots of discussion around faith deconstruction and sexual identity.✨Practical talk about boundary setting with family.✨An exploration of societal norms and how they impact the coming out process.✨The joys that new lesbians experience when they step outside of heteronormativity and the male gaze.You can read Becka's recently published essay, "Permission to Be," in the anthology "Avoided No More: On Writing Through Struggle, Shame, and Self-Doubt," which has a majority 5 star rating on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243627560-avoided-no-moreBecka Eppley's LinkTree: Becka Eppley (she/her) | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | LinktreeBecka's coming out/divorce music was Kelly Clarkson's album, Chemistry: https://youtu.be/NNcT6ycswHQ?si=WYmQ1LW0P1HVbsio 💬 Join the Conversation:Are you a later in life lesbian who has deconstructed from conservative faith, gone through a messy divorce, or who has found empowerment through storytelling? Which part of this episode resonates most with you? Let's talk about it in the comments!🔗 Visit our website:Anne-Marie's : [ annemariezanzal.com]🔗 Follow us on social media:💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/💠 Twitter: twitter.com/annemariezanzal💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment

Join the Maybe I'm Not Straight 3-Day Clarity Experience, January 6-8, 2026. For women who need a safe, affirming opportunity to explore their sexuality.: https://annemariezanzal.com/this-authentic-life-3-day-clarity-experience/Happy New Year! In our first episode of 2026 host Anne-Marie Zanzal welcomes special guest, queer entrepreneur Anna Empey. Anne-Marie and Anna have a long history of working together, but in this episode Anne-Marie draws on Anna's personal story of deconstructing internalized homophobia and conditioning from a conservative faith tradition. In this compelling conversation, they explore the complexities of coming out and the ongoing journey of self-discovery. They discuss the pressures of societal expectations, the emotional landscape of coming out, and the importance of finding queer community and support. This episode is a poignant reminder that coming out is not a one-time event, but a continuous process of growth and change, highlighting the need to cultivate resilience, self-reflection, and finding joy in the journey.❓ What to Expect in This Episode:✨Understanding that change happens over time in layers and conversations.✨Deconstruction is about asking what can be discarded from our 'before' life and what is worth carrying forward.✨Why coming out is never 'once-and-done' but rather a continuous journey.✨How opposite things can be true, like grief and relief that coexist in the coming out process.Authentically Us is a support community for later-in-life LGBTQ women at all stages of the coming out and beyond process. Coming out later in life is often accompanied by suffering. Whether you're looking to deconstruct messages from a conservative faith tradition, experience divorce-related guilt, or struggle with feelings of shame around your coming out or sexual identity, Authentically Us has the right kind of support for you. Monthly subscription to Authentically Us on Mighty Networks is $35/month, but you can try your first week for free. Find Authentically Us at https://bit.ly/Authentically-Us💬 Join the Conversation:Are you someone who is deconstructing the lessons of your life prior to coming out? What are your takeaways from this episode? Let's talk about it in the comments!🔗 Visit our website:Anne-Marie's : [ annemariezanzal.com]🔗 Follow us on social media:💠 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amzanzal💠 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/annemariezanzalcoaching/💠 Twitter: twitter.com/annemariezanzal💠LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemariezanzalpurposefulempowerment/👉 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more inspiring stories and advice on navigating life, love, and everything in between!