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“Wait, Is This a romantic date?” Podcast Special Episode: Mailbag Minisode number 1 | Autostraddle

By July 24, 2025No Comments

Without our very own A+ people, there would be no Autostraddle.
And without Autostraddle, there is no

Wait, Is It a night out together?

And this week from the podcast, we are responding to concerns sent in because of the A+ users exactly who allow us to do what we should carry out!

Questions may include how-to have an initial lesbian knowledge to how to be aroused and demisexual. We provide all of our best tip assuming you are thinking hmm these queers frequently know very well what they truly are speaing frankly about next go on and submit your very own question! We are going to be doing more mailbag minisodes assuming you are an A+ user, you are able to
send the following
.


SHOW RECORDS

+
Join A+!!
What are you looking forward to!!

+ The
TIFF Bell Lightbox
has-been my personal next residence in Toronto. Presently they are carrying out a sequence on Satyajit Ray and another of modern Korean cinema.

+ I don’t know exactly why Christina referenced this tune but alas she did.


+ To demonstrate just how subdued my personal flirting was actually with my today gf, for any first year that we then followed both on Instagram, this is certainly since spicy because it had gotten.

+
Join A+!!!



EPISODE


Drew:

Hi, I Am Drew.


Christina:

I’m Christina.

[special mailbag motif track performs]


Drew:

And this is,

Wait, Is It a Date?

An Unique Mailbag Minisode! Really, I feel like if you should be listening to this, you almost certainly know what

Wait, Is This a Date?

is actually, and you learn exactly who we are, but actual fast:

Hold off, Is It a Date?

, Autostraddle podcast, we talk about gender and internet dating in queer places. I’m Drew Gregory, I’m a queer trans lady and a writer for Autostraddle and a filmmaker.


Christina:

Gorgeous, gorgeous. I am Christina Tucker, I am in addition an author for Autostraddle and podcaster everywhere locations. I am a gay dark woman. We’ve got joined collectively within this union to bring you solutions to concerns you have sent you, in fact it is attractive. And I also believe we’re really thrilled because, I’m not sure, I adore an advice minute.


Drew:

Me-too. Occasionally I believe like I’m a lot more competent to get information rather than provide it with and often personally i think actually prepared and geared up provide guidance. And right now i am experiencing willing to offer information. What is fun concerning this Mailbag occurrence usually most of the people that submitted concerns are A+ members. If you do not know very well what that implies,
A+ is Autostraddle’s account system
because really of that which we carry out is free, but we are an independent queer media book, which you’ll findn’t a lot of remaining and we highly rely on the A+ users. We are so thankful in their eyes.


Christina:

Yeah, discover finished . team. We don’t have some indie queer news, as Drew mentioned. In-being an A+ user, you are free to help indie queer news and yourself obtain the extra benefit of having the ability to ask all of us concerns and we will answer all of them survive the atmosphere for your needs. Thus I’m just looking on strategy here and I’m thinking like, there’s no lose, its a win-win across-the-board.


Drew:

Its as inexpensive as $4 four weeks to make certain that’s like—


Christina:

It is 400 cents, that’s nothing.


Drew:

Wow. What i’m saying is, which makes it appear to be in excess of it really is. I Wish To only claim that 400 cents is certainly not—


Christina:

Exactly what is a cent?


Drew:

Sure. It is simply maybe not the simplest way i do believe to describe $4 as far as attempting to like pitch it not that a lot, because i am merely visualizing plenty of pennies at this time.


Christina:

Okay. I didn’t realize that you liked pennies plenty, however now i am aware that about you and that is really helpful.


Drew:

Should we respond to some of those concerns?


Christina:

Yeah, let’s respond to some questions.


Drew:

Okay. There is two which were written completely and one which is a voice memo. Therefore let us start out with among the many created completely people, would a tiny bit voice memo sandwich. Yeah, it would be considering that the bread could be the reading.


Christina:

Yeah, the loaves of bread is actually you reading.


Drew:

Cool. And this is from Kat, who is an A+ member. “I burned out and basically had a mental description in 2020. #relatable I quit my task in a big area and relocated halfway nationwide to move back with my parents. We haven’t truly viewed or spoken to several folks in my personal home town since my personal senior school days and that I types of burnt some pal bridges once I left my personal previous urban area. Also, we deliberately didn’t go out anybody for several years pre-pandemic. I was doing my personal ‘mental health,'” that’s in rates so I don’t know exactly how that changes it. “I became concentrating on my personal ‘mental wellness,’ although certainly that didn’t workout,” upside-down face. “So now Really don’t obviously have any nearby pals and have now already been single for quite a while and that I you shouldn’t have any idea how to begin modifying this. I would like to earn some pals and perhaps place my lips on someone else’s mouth area or put my personal butt on another person’s butt!!! and even simply escape my personal parents’ home occasionally, in all honesty, additionally COVID is sadly nevertheless a thing and I’m socially stressed at best of times. Just what do I do? How do I do it? Thank you so much!!!” lots of exclamation factors.


Christina:

This really is tough. Making friends as an adult is tough, acquiring buddies when you look at the home town where you grew up as an adult, I’m able to imagine, is actually an extra level of problem furthermore. I am trying to consider what i might perform basically moved back once again to my moms and dads’ home as well as how i’d get a hold of men and women and buddies. And I truthfully feel like I would you should be extremely vocal on the net about like where I was situated, contacting individuals who we knew lived around there and sometimes even had pals that lived around there. I would end up being actually trying in my communities as like… we are a small community, right? The gays, we understand people every-where. So who understands people? Where will they be located? Should I discover folks in my space? For the reason that it’s truly just what it’s about. It is simply like, you have to ask for it because often it’s perhaps not planning come your way.


Drew:

Yeah, that is great information because I can contemplate dating programs demonstrably becoming a fantastic place to both meet men and women to have sexual intercourse with and in addition friends —that’s typically everything I’ve received out-of internet dating programs is new friendships. I can also contemplate recommending finding activities to do, that I have it’s tricky within the pandemic, but you will find perhaps several things you could feel safe with depending on your own borders thereupon. But I think, Christina, that is a very good point that so frequently how we make contacts is by getting them out and being like… When you decided to go to senior high school, was there someone who was cool and is also nonetheless around within hometown which you never really have got to know, you merely vaguely understand? That might be somebody you reach out to.

I am not sure exactly how queer your home town is actually, I’m not sure enough in what your own home town seems like knowing exactly how most likely it is that there is arbitrary queer those who you vaguely understand, nevertheless they’re there. Thus even when the person you get in touch with is right, possibly they understand someone and it’s really practically getting like, that do you intend to see? I am in Toronto for all the summer time and incredibly a lot ended up being thinking about love, that do I’m sure who lives here? That’s just social networking pals, who’s whatever who is able to i prefer experience? And is often a vulnerable thing to achieve away plus it often tends to be actually more difficult than with matchmaking, but whatis the worst that occur? Someone says no or someone claims, “Yeah, positive. But i am truly active, possibly quickly,” and then ghosts you. These things are not enjoyable but i actually do imagine eventually the more of a social life you can get typically, the more likely it will probably resulted in dating part of that because you only satisfy folks through people.


Christina:

Yeah. And I also think, particularly considering seeking pals in order to find those who are enthusiastic about the material you’re interested in, just what are you enthusiastic about? Just what are your passions? What of interests tend to be occurring within hometown? Can there be a hiking team? I am not sure. I’m only virtually considering my personal hometown, there would be some sort of queer ladies climbing team that I would maybe not embark on, but you can. Is there something such as that you can get associated with and meet men and women out in the entire world and out in area and the person you know already show an interest of yours? That is an enjoyable solution to fulfill men and women.


Drew:

I would also add to give a certain amount of kindness toward your self when you carry out these specific things, since it is tough as a whole, but I do believe the pandemic causes it to be actually harder. I spent countless several hours since dealing with Toronto from the TIFF Bell Lightbox, and is a cool theater right here. And that I was merely thinking about just how whether or not it wasn’t a pandemic, I completely would’ve talked with others sitting alongside me personally, maybe met individuals truth be told there. We are seeing the exact same thing, that’s a hobby or an interest that I have. But because we have face masks on and reaching complete strangers remains quite fraught, I haven’t actually spoken to anybody indeed there. And thus it really is harder now, that is positively genuine.

Therefore if you go to one thing or you will need to meet up with some one and you are trying to make these matters occur for yourself, In my opinion a very great way to perhaps not lose hope and to perhaps not feel poor would be to realize that it may need time. And that’s not to ensure it is be intimidating or to feel overwhelming, but it’s ok that—

Here is the link to: blackasiandating.net/black-hookup.html


Christina:

It’s difficult.


Drew:

It might take time, but it’s very likely and can take place available.


Christina:

Yeah, and it’s maybe not a reflection on who you are as individuals. It is simply an actuality regarding the existence we’re living. And that is hard and you are allowed to stay with this sensation and start to become love, “This sucks,” because like, yeah, it’s going to pull occasionally. And that is difficult, but does not mean you are a bad individual or that you are destined to be friendless and destined to perhaps not place your butt on someone else’s butt for the remainder of your daily life.


Drew:

Prepared move on?


Christina:

Crushed it. Great advice givers. No notes, 10/10.


Drew:

This really is a voice memo from private.


Anonymous:

Hey, Drew and Christina. Therefore I need your assistance because Im a pandemic lesbian and very similar to a pandemic dog which you follow, I skipped some actually crucial socializing within my formative decades and I’m attempting really hard to help make upwards for this today. But between COVID variations and chronic pain, i’ve not necessarily obtained with pals or on dates almost in so far as I’d prefer to, however I have some treatment options for my pain thus I are eager for kicking down my personal naughty gay puberty. But In addition wanna shit bricks, truly, when I think it over because i am celibate over the past 36 months now. And in advance of that, I found myself just with cis males, this means I’ve never really had a sexual experience that I wanted to possess. That is certainly its very own little lowercase traumatization for my situation to talk about with my counselor, but I become at ease with need on my own, but I always talk myself personally out of it when it’s time for you to build relationships that area of my self in the wild.

Therefore I was actually questioning when you yourself have any advice for a lesbian Daphne Bridgerton that’s looking to get into wildest fantasies crucial sex world, but allow homosexual part. Thank you.


Christina:

Wow, that’s actually attractive. This is certainly stunning.


Drew:

First and foremost, congrats. As overloaded because you can feel and as nervous as you may feel, congrats, because you have actually such pleasure and satisfaction inside future. That alone should assist ease certain stresses you certainly have actually because most of us have had all of them at different components— or not every one of united states, but at the least I can speak for myself. Yeah, it really is tense to-be out for the first time, away and dating for the first time. And it’s also interesting and that I believe that’s my first word of advice is if you can easily keep the enjoyment a lot more, i believe it’ll both inspire you to make the risks you’ll want to simply take and in addition i believe will always make all of it a little more fun. That is certainly vital because i believe internet dating need fun, specifically this kind of dating, specifically this type of investigating. This is the finest.


Christina:

Yeah. And I know it might feel, I don’t know, uncool or nerdy or something like that to-be very clear relating to this being the type of queer puberty, nevertheless’re not by yourself contained in this, right? I do believe we have seen in all of our personal medias, every one of the folks who have taken this time to understand more about sexuality and sex during pandemic and also you getting to have this minute of being similar, “i eventually got to learn some great crap about myself now I would like to share that with other people,” i actually do maybe not believe that shall be declined of the neighborhood in general. I think you will be welcomed with open arms, really Creed with hands wide open fuel, except perhaps not spiritual for the reason that it’s awful. And I think in the event that you just on your online dating pages or when you are conversing with folks, merely state like, “Yeah, this is certainly an innovative new knowledge in my situation, one I’m actually excited about.” Once again, its all just about connecting the needs and objectives for others so they really learn how to approach you in a place.


Drew:

Yeah. I don’t know about you Christina, but I’ve certainly got gender with others whom either had no experiences with others who weren’t cis males or had hardly any. And I think the most significant difference in the good encounters and the much less positive encounters were people have been really prepared and extremely clear on on their own it feels like she appears extremely clear on her identity as a lesbian and that if you ask me, there would be no question about having an experience with this individual. I would personallyn’t care and attention. It is love, oh, that individual is here now and ready to do this thing. While the only times In my opinion that people get frustrated or there is a bad track record of individuals who are checking out or whatever, In my opinion which is so much more connected with people that want items to remain key and they aren’t quite prepared. As well as that We have compassion toward, but this does not feel just like that at all.

And thus it’s just interesting. I really don’t imagine almost all individuals will have any issue with-it and would simply sort of like meet you for which you’re at. So there maybe one thing enjoyable regarding it also. I’m not sure. I certainly loved the my personal experiences that were such as that loads, simply from the host to it is a proper count on that someone’s providing you to reach be there with these people because they type of explore these specific things and enjoy these things the very first time. It’s just like, it’s just actually enjoyable.

And as far as that makes it occur in physical means, I do believe most it is just to press through the anxiety that you are experiencing and carry out the items that we’re going to state. Like, yeah, jump on an online dating app if you’d like to get on a dating software, visit queer evenings, events, yeah, its a pandemic nevertheless to make certain that is actually tough but there is lots of different machines of the circumstances. There’s things that tend to be external, find a spot that you find more comfortable with. If in case that you do not after that yeah, possibly it is going on unicamente times with folks which you satisfy on dating applications or those who you satisfy on like Instagram, Twitter, just take those thirst barriers, TikTok. Cyberspace is the one large matchmaking app.


Christina:

Beautiful.


Drew:

And merely end up being thirsty.


Christina:

First of all, gorgeous advice. You Should Be Thirsty. Drew Gregory 2022. Plus if you’re not somebody who is very on social media marketing or spent social networking in the manner that Drew and I also’s significantly on line minds are, when you yourself have buddies that queer and you’re like, “can you guys have actually anybody to set me with?” Here is the resource that I think you should be experiencing. If you’re a person who’s want, “Really don’t would like to do relationship programs,” I have it, I hear you. But simply ask your pals, like, “who are able to I-go away with?” we promise you, your pals have actually at least one or two people they are love, “in fact now you mention it,” because that’s exactly how friends’ minds function. And that’s what friendship is actually, entrusting your own desires with a pal getting love, “Yeah, I am able to get a hold of a person who you’re at the very least have a good time with.”


Drew:

And like I found myself saying in the last question, when the first day you decide to go on doesn’t get well, when the basic sexual knowledge you may have does not go well, simply don’t let that keep you from continuing to put yourself into this excellent world. Not everything’s going to end up being great. There could be some growing aches, however the more that you can merely type of go all as part of the experience and revel in it, I think the higher. In all honesty {knowing|understanding|once you understan