If you’re a kinkster or interested in exploring kink, you’re gonna love Zachery’s interview. Even though he’s only 24, Zachery has explored a wide variety of sexual activities that fall far outside of the definition of “vanilla” and he’s had a lot of fun adventures along the way. He also brings with him a background in public health and sexual advocacy as well a stint working at Doghouse Leathers, Seattle’s local queer sex shop.

Originally from small town Michigan where he came out to his family and friends at age 16, Zachery came to Washington for academics and exploring his ever-expanding taste for adventurous sex. You might even say he’s a sex explorer.

Dave’s sexual orientation came into focus early on while growing up in small-town, suburban Kansas in the late eighties, but the only place he could meet other queer people was cruising bathrooms and public parks in near-by Wichita. An assault and HIV scare inspired him to come out in college and, eventually, to his family.

Since then, he’s lived in Dallas, New York City, Los Angeles and Seattle and, along the way, has made some discoveries about how his preferences for negotiating love, sex and friendship have diverged from conventional ideas about relationships. It’s only in the last few years that he’s figured out what he wants and how he wants to live as a gay man.

Steven grew up in his “shit-kicking” town of Tucson, AZ and even though it was liberal compared to the rest of the state, he was still a target for bullies because of his lisp and his habit of staring at other guys in the locker room. But summer adventures with his Dad in Ojai, CA taught him that a wondrous queer world waited for him outside of Tucson.

Since recording his original Fruitbowl interview in 2019, Steven has gone through some major life events that he talks about in a follow-up conversation with the editor for this episode, Bayley Boecker.

Lizzie grew up in super-liberal Seattle with super-cool, neo-hippie parents who had lots of queer friends and didn’t bat an eye when Lizzie let them know that she was … not straight. Lizzie took the lead when it came to her first time with a guy and you’ll enjoy hearing about her other adventures with a girl from her gym, an Irish bartender and a French Canadian who swept her off her feet - enough for her to risk being detained by Canadian police at the border. When she was young, Lizzie also had a very special relationship with a water jet at her swimming pool.

After that, we are proud to present a listener submission from James who describes a summary of his journey as a bisexual and the arrangement he has with his current wife to finally explore his queer identity without shame.