God, Guilt & Getting Out: What It Means to Deconstruct in the Deep South

In this moving and cathartic episode of Raised Red, Living Blue, Sloane sits down with Kat O’Neil—a queer Alabamian, political advocate, and survivor of religious trauma—for a raw conversation about what it means to untangle faith, identity, and shame in the American South.

Kat shares what it was like growing up in an evangelical world where silence was survival, guilt was weaponized, and queerness was either hidden or punished. This is a story of reclaiming power, rewriting narratives, and learning to speak truth in places that demand silence.

🔥 Topics We Cover:

— Religious trauma and growing up in a church-centered culture

— Queer identity, suppression, and survival in conservative families

— Unlearning shame and embracing autonomy

— Why staying silent is no longer an option

— Faith after deconstruction

— What queer joy and defiance look like today in red states

Whether you’ve lived this story or want to understand it better, Kat’s honesty, compassion, and courage will resonate deeply.

💬 “You’re not broken. You were just told you were too many times.”

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube

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