RSU Students Have Launched LGBT+ Podcast in Latvian

‘Do you have a feeling that you’re the “only gay in the village” and you can’t talk about it openly? Or are you the brother, sister, mom, dad, best friend or colleague of the “only gay”, but you have no clue what to do? Don’t worry! You are not alone. You are one of us!’ this is how the podcast Viens no mums (One of Us), created by Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) students, addressed its listeners for the first time. In this podcast, you can listen to conversations with representatives of the LGBT+ community and hear to a range of experiences.

The podcast is the idea of RSU student Annija Zeihmane, who is studying in the Multimedia Communication bachelor’s study programme. She created the podcast together with her fellow student Katrīna Berga. They explained that they came up the idea when they were preparing a creative course paper during their first year and the reason was Annija’s own experience. ‘As a part of the LGBT community, I had almost no role models in my youth. I didn't know any lesbian couples, I hadn't seen any movies or books about such love, or even read an online article about a happy homosexual couple.

This made me feel like I’m alone, which made me think that there was something wrong with me, that I was the only one like that. But I'm not the only one,’

Annija explains. ‘If this podcast encourages at least one person to come out, accept their identity or support a loved one who is a member of the LGBT+ community, our efforts won’t be in vain.’

There isn’t enough support or communication about LGBT matters in Latvia. If there were, it would give people who are hiding or who do not understand their identity a sense of security, notes Katrīna. She believes that this podcast can also help those who are not from this community better understand their friends and relatives. Students of the RSU study programme Multimedia Communication stand up for the rights of the LGBT+ community and want to encourage people. ‘Beautiful, strong and happy, and this is something completely normal and natural.

Belonging to this community doesn’t mean that you are going to have an unhappy life,’

adds Annija. 

Digital media student Andrea shares her experience in the first episode of Viens no mums (One of Us). She talks about what changes happened in her family after her coming out and how the identity can lead you to new understanding and meeting new people. ‘I used to be afraid to show it, but now I feel that I have a responsibility to educate people,’ says Andrea.

New episodes of the podcast are planned every month. Listen to the first episode on the RSU student media network page Louder and on Spotify.