Welcome back to This Person I Met! My name is Kayla and I’m the host of this podcast.

Since the release of Heated Rivalry, a show commissioned by Canada’s Crave and distributed by HBO Max originally written by Rachel Reid, queer media has had some of the greatest visibility I’ve personally ever seen in my life. From Young Royals to Red, White, and Royal Blue to Girls Like Girls to Leviticus, it seems as if, finally, queer folk are being eagerly represented. Sometimes, though, I cannot help but wonder if representation is inherently progressive, or if the undertones to the sudden intent from large corporations to depict queer folk could be sinister. How does capitalistic demand drive which “type” of queer person is shown in media? Where is the line drawn between fetishization and appreciation? Is there even a “right” way to create and market queer media to a predominantly straight audience?

Joe Halsch, the director of The Jim Toy Center in Ann Arbor, a community for queer folk and allies dedicated to advocacy and community engagement, helps answer these questions during this 2-part segment in which we discuss the history of queer representation and its implications in modern day media, as well as his own thoughts and experiences regarding queerness.

Without further ado, here’s Joe.