New South Dakota LGBTQ podcast seeks to highlight ‘great places and gay faces’ – Argus Leader
What’s it like to be “uncloseted” in South Dakota?
That’s what a new Black Hills-based podcast “South Dakota: Uncloseted” seeks to explore.
The idea for the podcast started with Ana Nemec and co-hosts Meagan Mettler and Seth Courtney after Nemec was driving home from a Super Bowl party attended by multiple lesbian and gay people, who while enjoying the game, also spoke about their shared experiences being lesbian or gay in South Dakota.
As Nemec was driving home listening to a different podcast, she realized she wanted to make one of her own, one that would “give other queer South Dakotans the chance to be seen and to hear their stories,” as she says in the first episode.
Shortly after, she did some research on how to start a podcast, bought some equipment and microphones, and got the ball rolling. The co-hosts record at each other’s homes, and can conduct remote interviews with guests as needed. They typically record together on Sundays and post episodes on Thursdays.
Uncloseted’s first episode came out April 20th and is the “pregame” episode, which explains the inspiration for the series and how the co-hosts will lay out subsequent episodes. Subsequent episodes have covered Courtney’s coming-out story as a gay man, Nemec’s coming-out story as a lesbian, information about Pierre Area Pride and Mettler’s coming-out story as a lesbian, respectively.
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Above all, the podcast talks about the “great places and gay faces” of South Dakota, as the co-hosts often reference.
Nemec, 35, grew up in Holabird, went to school in Highmore and attended South Dakota State University. She came out at 31 and met Courtney and Mettler when she worked at Black Hills State University. She now works in public health in Rapid City and co-hosts and edits the podcast in her spare time.
Having her coming-out story shared wide and far on the podcast was an easy choice for Nemec, she said, and she’s heard nothing but “awesome, really positive reactions” so far.
“I’m pretty out; I like telling my story,” she said. “A lot of people out there who aren’t like (Mettler) and I, who are open books, may be more reserved about sharing their story. I’ve been comfortable with my story.”
Mettler, 30, an educator in Spearfish, was at first nervous to share her story publicly on the podcast, but is cool with it now and has found the podcasting experience to be “wonderful” and fun because she’s just at a table with her two best friends chatting in a comfortable setting.
“I don’t have anything to hide,” she said. “It’s pretty easy to share it. Hopefully, if it helps one person, (like) someone coming out, or family members to relate to those who live in rural South Dakota, then we did a good job.”
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Both Nemec and Mettler said they didn’t find any other LGBTQ+-centric podcasts in South Dakota, or any from surrounding states, so they think their project is likely the first and only dedicated LGBTQ+ podcast in the state.
So far, Nemec said she’s heard from people in the LGBTQ+ community who say it’s something South Dakota needs to make themselves more visible, and helps educate allies, friends and family on LGBTQ+ topics.
Mettler said she’s had friends and acquaintances reach out and say they’re listening.
“Two or three people shocked me (when they told me) that they’re listening. I’m excited that they are. They’re from back home,” Mettler said, noting she grew up in Timber Lake. “If this is reaching one person and they’re saying it’s awesome, then I know they’re a safe person (for others).”
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The podcasters hope to host a series on LGBTQ+ healthcare and mental health, and to even start a website with a list of resources for LGBTQ+ South Dakotans. They also plan to expand to more cities and towns across the state, and hear from people of all ages and identities.
The podcast hosts will be present as vendors at Midwest Pride Fest on June 11th at Aby’s in Rapid City, and at the Pierre Area Center for Equality on July 16th. You can find “Uncloseted” on podcasting platforms like Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, Buzzsprout, Podbay, Castro, Podfriend and more.