You Can Be Both

Sara Cunningham, founder of Free Mom Hugs, shares the powerful story of how she went from rejecting her gay son to leading an international movement that has impacted hundreds of thousands.

It wasn't easy. When Sara's youngest son came out to her at 21, she didn't take it well. She was frozen in fear — terrified he would be condemned to hell, convinced that accepting him would make her a sinner too. She shamed him with the very best of intentions.

But everything changed in 2014 when her son invited her to her first Pride parade. There, she met a girl who hadn't hugged her mother in four years because she was a lesbian. That hug — that moment — became the spark that ignited Sara's journey toward understanding, acceptance, and ultimately, unconditional love.

Today, Free Mom Hugs is an international nonprofit movement with over 40,000 volunteers and 250 groups across the country. Sara has been featured on the Today Show, RuPaul's show, in People Magazine, and the Washington Post. But more importantly, she's helping thousands of LGBTQ+ people and their families find healing, belonging, and acceptance.

In this episode, Sara opens up about:

-The moment she found out her son was gay and how she initially responded
-How her theology deconstructed and reconstructed-Finding an online community of 250 moms going through the same journey
-The pivotal moment at Pride that changed everything
-How Free Mom Hugs grew from a simple gesture into a global movement
-Why visibility, education, and conversation matter
-Her message to parents still struggling with their child's sexual orientation

This episode is for anyone struggling with faith and LGBTQ identity, parents coming to terms with having an LGBTQ child, or anyone interested in the power of radical love and acceptance.

You Can Be Both Podcast reminds you that you can be both LGBTQ+ and a person of faith.

RESOURCES:
Free Mom Hugs: freemomhugs.com

Sara's Book: "How We Sleep at Night": https://amzn.to/3SSehTn

Lauren's LGBTQ Healing and Resource Guide: laurenlanzaretta.com/youcanbeboth

Lauren's Music: Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube — search Lauren Lanzaretta

FOLLOW LAUREN:
Instagram: @lanzaretta
TikTok: @Lanzaretta
YouTube: Lauren Lanzaretta

For more than 20 years, Leah Rae Yawn (formerly Shafer) was a gospel worship leader at Saddleback Church. She sang for Women of Faith, worked with Michael W. Smith and Natalie Grant, recorded multiple albums, and sung the national anthem at NFL games. Her voice and faith were her livelihood, her heart, and her life.

Then she came out as gay — and lost it all.

In this powerful episode of You Can Be Both, Leah Rae opens up about her journey from a strict Christian upbringing to realizing she was bisexual, her 21-year marriage to a man, and the moment she met Captain Sandy Yawn from Bravo's Below Deck Mediterranean — the first woman she ever truly loved.

When the churches that had been her home for decades discovered her relationship with Sandy, they rejected her completely. She was no longer allowed to lead worship. Her platform vanished. The community she'd served for two decades turned their backs.

But in losing everything, Leah found something greater: authenticity, freedom, and a partner who loves her unconditionally.

In this episode, Leah shares:

How she suppressed her sexuality for decades while leading worship
The moment she knew she was drawn to women
What it felt like to lose her church community overnight
Her relationship with Captain Sandy and what true love means now
Why LGBTQ+ people belong in church and can lead worship
Her message to LGBTQ+ people still struggling in the closet or in unsupportive churches

Leah's Powerful Message: "If you can't find a church that you feel like you belong to, there's so many other beautiful things out there that can help you thrive. Church is not a building — it's the soul."

This is a conversation about faith, rejection, love, and reclaiming your voice. If you've been rejected by a faith community, if you're struggling to come out, or if you're navigating faith and sexuality — this episode is for you.

FEATURED:
-Leah Rae Yawn, Gospel Singer & Worship Leader (Now Married to Captain Sandy Yawn)
-Host: Lauren Lanzaretta, You Can Be Both Podcast

RESOURCES:
Lauren's LGBTQ+ Healing and Resource Guide: laurenlanzaretta.com/youcanbeboth

FOLLOW:
Leah Rae Yawn on Instagram: @leahraeofficial
Captain Sandy Yawn on Instagram: @captainsandrayawn
Below Deck Mediterranean on Bravo

LAUREN:
Instagram: @Lanzaretta
Spotify: Lauren Lanzaretta
Apple Music: Lauren Lanzaretta
YouTube: Lauren Lanzaretta

For nearly 2,000 years, the word "homosexual" did not appear in the Bible. So what changed in 1946?

Kathy Baldock is a leading voice on LGBTQ+ issues within Christianity and the author of "Forging a Sacred Weapon" and "Walking the Bridgeless Canyon." She's also featured in the award-winning documentary "1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture." In 1946, Bible translators made a controversial decision to add the word "homosexuality" to the Revised Standard Version of the Bible — a word that had never appeared in the original Greek and Hebrew texts.

In this powerful conversation, Kathy reveals how that single mistranslation changed the course of Christian history and how that lie has been used to marginalize and oppress the LGBTQ+ community for decades. This isn't her opinion, it's FACTS.

But Kathy's journey to this work wasn't always about LGBTQ+ issues. It started with her own experience of being stigmatized and marginalized in her Irish Catholic community. When she was two years old, her father left her family, and she was made to feel like something was wrong with her. That pain, that sense of injustice, eventually led her to meet Netto on a hiking trail — a woman who would change everything and introduce her to the LGBTQ+ community in a way that challenged everything she thought she knew.

In this episode, Kathy shares:
The real history behind the 1946 Bible mistranslation
How religious institutions built oppression on a lie
Why understanding history is the key to healing
Her powerful message to LGBTQ+ people of faith
How the heart of God is not reflected in discrimination and marginalization

You definitely want to watch this one all the way through! Kathy's message at the end will leave you in tears!

This is a conversation about faith, history, justice, and hope. If you've ever questioned what the Bible really says about LGBTQ+ people, this episode is for you. This isn't opinion, it's FACTS.

FEATURED:
Kathy Baldock, Author & Leading Voice on LGBTQ+ Issues in Christianity
Host: Lauren Lanzaretta, You Can Be Both Podcast

RESOURCES:
-Lauren's LGBTQ+ Healing and Resource Guide: http://youcanbeboth.com/

-Documentary "1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture": https://www.1946themovie.com/

-Kathy Baldock's Books: "Forging a Sacred Weapon": https://amzn.to/4oaBrQy

"Walking the Bridgeless Canyon": https://amzn.to/4g5mBc6

Canyon Walker Connections: https://canyonwalkerconnections.com/about/kathy-baldock/

FOLLOW LAUREN:
Instagram: @lanzaretta
Spotify: Lauren Lanzaretta
Apple Music: Lauren Lanzaretta
YouTube: Lauren Lanzaretta

Michael Passons was a founding member of Avalon, one of the biggest Christian music groups of all time. He wrote and performed "Testify to Love," a song that became an icon of Christian music. But when he came out as gay, he was forced out of the band and lost everything.

Now, Michael is rewriting his story — and breaking records doing it. He just rereleased "Testify to Love" as an LGBTQ+ affirming anthem with country artist Ty Herndon, and together they became the first openly gay artists to reach #1 on the iTunes Christian charts.

In this episode of You Can Be Both, Michael sits down with host Lauren Lanzaretta to share his full journey: Growing up in rural Mississippi. His dream of becoming a Christian music artist. What it felt like to be kicked out of Avalon for being gay. His spiritual deconstruction and finding faith again on his own terms. And what it means to finally sing authentically.

This is a powerful conversation about survival, resilience, and reclaiming your voice.

IN THIS EPISODE WE TALK ABOUT:
Michael's journey as a founding member of Avalon and writing the iconic "Testify to Love"
Growing up in rural Mississippi in a conservative Baptist church
Realizing he was gay and the internal struggle that followed
Being forced out of Avalon for coming out
His spiritual deconstruction and stepping away from organized religion
Finding his way back to faith and spirituality on his own terms
Rereleasing "Testify to Love" as an LGBTQ+ affirming anthem with Ty Herndon
Making history as the first openly gay artists to reach #1 on iTunes Christian charts
What it means to sing and live authentically
His message to LGBTQ+ people still in the closet
Advice for worship leaders who've been kicked out of church
The power of reclaiming your voice and your story

FOLLOW MICHAEL:Instagram: @michaelpassonsSpotify: Michael PassonsApple Music: Michael PassonsYouTube: Michael Passons

FOLLOW LAUREN:Instagram: @laurenlanzarettaYouTube: Lauren LanzarettaSpotify: Lauren LanzarettaApple Music: Lauren Lanzaretta

FREE LGBTQ+ HEALING & RESOURCE GUIDE:Access Lauren's full story, healing resources, books, podcasts, and voices that have helped transform shame to freedom.Visit: laurenlanzaretta.com/youcanbeboth

Mike Maeshiro spent 5 years as an instructor at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry — teaching, preaching, and living what he thought was his calling. But there was one problem: he was gay.

From age 10, Mike knew he was different. He tried conversion therapy. He dated a woman to "fix" himself. He climbed the evangelical ladder at one of the most influential charismatic churches in the world — all while suppressing who he really was.

Then in 2020, everything changed. A Taylor Swift documentary, a passage from Acts, and a spiritual awakening in the woods led Mike to a truth he'd been running from for 22 years: God wanted him to be gay.

In this episode, Mike shares his journey from being kicked out of ministry school for confiding in a friend about his attraction to men, to becoming a paid staff member and instructor at the same institution, to finally coming out publicly in 2022 and walking away from everything he'd built.

What we cover:
​Growing up evangelical and realizing he was gay at age 10
​Being kicked out of Bethel ministry school after being outed by a friend
​Getting hired back and climbing the ministry ladder while suppressing his identity
​The spiritual experiences (including Taylor Swift's Miss Americana) that led to his coming out
​How he reconciled his faith with his sexuality through rigorous biblical study
​The cost of staying closeted vs. the freedom of coming out
​His work now helping LGBTQ people heal from religious trauma through Numa
Mike is the founder of Numa, an organization supporting people healing from religious toxicity, especially within the LGBTQ community. Through coaching, speaking, and social media, he helps people live authentically and reclaim spirituality in affirming ways.

Connect with Mike:Instagram/TikTok: @mikemaeshiroOrganization: Numa

📖 FREE LGBTQ+ Healing & Resource Guide: laurenlanzaretta.com/youcanbebothIncludes my full testimony + every book, podcast, and resource that helped me reconcile my faith and identity.

🎵 My Music: Search "Lauren Lanzaretta" on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube

📱 Follow:@lanzaretta@youcanbebothpodcast

If you've ever felt caught between your faith and your identity, this conversation will remind you: you don't have to choose.

#LGBTQChristian #BethelChurch #Deconstruction #ComingOut #ExEvangelical #ProgressiveChristianity #QueerTheology #ReligiousTrauma #FaithJourney #YouCanBeBoth