When I first came out, I was amazed at the level of acceptance I found within the LGBTQ community. I was in my early 20s and I was terrified.
I didn’t know anyone, the things I saw were brand new to me (drag queens, anyone?) and I learned that the things I had been told about the community were all false, thanks to a religious upbringing.
That initial experience with our community helped shape me as an adult. I gained confidence, saw the importance of diversity and it showed me that when you find acceptance, you have found the right community.
Why do I bring this up more than 20 years later? Because I recently had a similar experience with an accepting community that I really didn’t know that much about upon my introduction. It’s also a suiting story for October, the best month of the year, in my opinion.
I have always had an interest in anything paranormal, whether it be in films, television shows or just Halloween events. If it was old, historic and haunted, I wanted to learn more about it.
In 2018 I took it upon myself to start a podcast called “Phantom History.” In it, I interview paranormal investigators and historians about the creepy locations they’ve explored and their alleged interactions with those who have passed on.
I started local and worked with the people I knew. I gained new insight into the world around me and the techniques and beliefs of those who investigate the afterlife.
However, as the podcast grew and I needed more content, I had to reach beyond my comfort zone to build connections and find locations to feature. It wasn’t an easy task, especially amidst a global pandemic.
Fortunately, in August while on a business trip with my partner, Tim, to Indianapolis, I stumbled upon a “Paranormal Day” event. Think LGBTQ Pride on a smaller scale but with booths of psychic mediums, tarot card readers and paranormal investigators instead of LGBTQ youth groups, bars and clothing stores.
It’s rare that I’m intimidated, but as a person who is part believer/part skeptic in this world, I proceeded cautiously into this event. I wanted to ask questions, take photos and maybe make some connections for the future. But I also didn’t want to offend anyone with my lack of knowledge on certain subjects. Gatekeeping has become a much-too-popular pastime for too many groups.
I know what I know about the paranormal, but I really recognize what I don’t know, and that is a much more voluminous mental encyclopedia.
The first people I met at the gate immediately put me at ease. They were kind, welcoming and immediately interested in my podcast. They assured me that I was welcome to talk to anyone and ask as many questions as I wanted.
I took them up on that.
Upon entry I saw the River of Bones booth owned by Jaede Russo, an osteomancer who said she uses bones and other trinkets to tell fortunes and, yes, communicate with spirits. I was fascinated by her craft and it was the first time I had ever seen something like this in person. While she didn’t read me, mostly because I was a bit hesitant, she was willing to answer my questions and even be interviewed on camera.
Within that 10-minute encounter I learned about a whole new world of the paranormal that was only on the periphery of my knowledge beforehand.
My interaction with Jaede put me at more ease and as we moved through the festival, I spoke with almost every vendor, investigator and psychic on the grounds. I’ve had an opportunity to officially interview multiple people from that one day of exploration and am so grateful for the way in which everyone opened their arms and patiently answered my questions. In fact, some of those episodes on haunted locations in that area are already online and streaming.
I learned that anyone is willing to share their passion with you if you ask questions in a respectful way. Tarot cards, for example, are foreign to me. I don’t know the symbolism of the card deck nor am I completely convinced of their accuracy. However, I talked to several tarot experts that day and a floodgate of knowledge was unlocked for me.
I have a new respect for it and an increasing knowledge of the beliefs and intricacies of the practice. It’s fascinating!
Honestly, the parallels between this experience and my coming out as a gay man are more similar than I originally imagined. But it’s also important to recognize the similar ways in which I approached each situation.
Respecting the community you hope to experience and being open and honest about what you know allows people to share the appropriate information. When I came out as gay in the 1990s, I made friends that are still in my life today and will be a part of my life until I die.
If this interaction with the paranormal community is any indication, the same will be said for this growing list of new colleagues, and I can’t wait to expand upon those connections and find even more interesting content to share.
Steve Blanchard lives in Tampa and is the former editor of Watermark and currently works in public relations. Stream “Phantom History” at PhantomHistory.com and wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.
