Jae and producer Juan Michael Porter II unpack why “professionalism” often masks exploitation, what it means to protect your magic, and how rejection can be protection. A candid, sex-positive, creative reset about dignity, boundaries, and getting paid—period.CN: workplace exploitation, financial stress, profanity, sexual themes

Disclaimer: This episode was recorded shortly after DC Black Pride over Memorial Day Weekend.

DC Black Pride brought joy, connection, and celebration—but the aftermath online told a different story. In this episode, Jae sits down with public health strategist Sean Garçon to unpack the fallout: from slut-shaming and serophobia to the rise of performative “health reads” that harm more than they help.

Together, they call in care, call out misinformation, and challenge the idea that stigma equals safety. Because if we say we care about Black queer wellness, then we need to act like it—online and offline.

🎙 Topics Covered:
• The post-Pride discourse & harmful narratives
• STI stigma, testing, and the myth of “clean”
• Social media’s role in shaping public health dialogue
• Why “protection doesn’t erase possibility”
• Building a culture of harm reduction, not shame

In this powerful pilot episode, host Jae (Jason Watler) sits down with writer, critic, and cultural worker Juan Michael Porter II for a real, raw, and unfiltered conversation about what it means to navigate grief while still holding space for joy, sex, community, and resistance. Together, they unpack the layered realities of loss—personal, political, and collective—and explore how we show up for ourselves and each other when the world feels heavy. From intimacy in the aftermath of trauma to the radical act of being vulnerable in community, this episode sets the tone for what The Gathering by Jae is all about: honest dialogue, healing truths, and the messy beauty of being human.