Everyone’s a little bit GAY!!!
By Amina Castronovo & Angelica Puzio
Are you a queer youth trying to navigate the waters of coming out? Do you enjoy hearing other people’s coming out stories? Or do you just want to laugh at the innocence (and sometimes ignorance) of teenagers? Look no further, this podcast is meant for you! Inspired by their own queer experiences, Amina (16) and Angelica (25) explore what it means to be queer today and in olden times when Angelica was a teenager.
Process
Drawing on our similarities as queer women, Angelica and I reflected on our experiences coming out when we were young. The conversation came naturally to both of us and reminded me that although writing is a strong way to display my emotions, sometimes talking about it can surface new ideas that I have not encountered previously. I usually prefer to express myself through writing, so podcasting is a new medium that I tackled with my mentor. Angelica and I used Anchor to make our podcast, which we started when the app was introduced to us during a Girls Write Now workshop.
Meet the Pair
MENTEE AMINA ROSA CASTRONOVO & MENTOR ANGELICA PUZIO
Amina Rosa’s Anecdote: As soon as Angelica stepped through the door to the New York Historical Society the first day, I knew she was my mentor. It was the type of face, the type of energy, that was so familiar I felt that I had known her forever, and ever since our conversations have never proven otherwise. On the first day after we both shared our love for zodiac signs, Angelica took us across Central Park to a French library with a ceiling of the constellations. This, combined with my favorite language, spoke to my soul and I was confident that Angelica understood.
Angelica’s Anecdote: When I first sat down next to Amina, the first thing she asked me was my zodiac sign. When I told her I was a Capricorn, she told me “Oh, I already guessed that.” We immediately shot into a conversation on astrology, where I learned that Tauruses, her sign, are emotionally attuned, stubborn, and deeply passionate. Amina has held true to these traits while I’ve gotten to know her, but now I know she’s more than her sign could ever capture about her. If you’re lucky enough to be let into her life, you’ll find a girl who is taking her place in the world. As a writer, activist, older sister, friend, mentee—Amina is ready to set the world on fire. And yes, she’s a total Taurus.
Amina Castronovo
Amina is a junior in high school in Manhattan. She is a Field Advisor for Our Climate, a core member of the DOE’s Sustainability Youth Leadership Council, a member of the Climate and Resilience Education Task Force’s Youth Steering Committee, and a co-leader of her school’s environmental club. Amina is also a lobby lead with New York Youth Climate Leaders and part of New York Renews’ Media Strike Team. She is a mentee at Girls Write Now, and she has been published in multiple publications. Amina has started an internship with Councilman Mark Levine’s campaign for Manhattan Borough President.
Angelica Puzio
Dr. Angelica Puzio is a developmental psychologist at Stanford University’s Clayman Institute for Gender Research. Her research and writing investigate how ideologies transform behavior and relationships, especially in relation to gender.
