relationships

Spouses Rosie Geiser, left, and Dottie Matthews sit on their living room couch on Monday, May 7, 2024, at their home in Columbia. “I think that Rosie and I are both really lucky in queer joy. Because we're both such inoffensive people that we—I am aware that we have paid very little price for being gay as far as we've experienced very little discrimination. Our families love us. Our friends love us. We've been able to excel in our jobs. This was our journey. I know it's not everyone's journey, but this was our journey,” Matthews said. “Being queer is something I'm happy to participate in. And, in fact, volunteering to do things for people that for whom the journey is not nearly as easy is something that I am grateful to have the opportunity to do. But being gay is just, I'm a joyful person. And I love life. And I love this earth. And I love a woman, and I love my children, and I love flowers, you know? It's just one aspect of all the joy that it is to exist on this earth.”

KBIA News

Rosie Geiser & Dottie Mathews: "Whatever we experience in these aging bodies, we're going to be there for each other."

Bailey Stover

Wives Rosie Geiser and Dottie Mathews are in both in their 70s and have been together since the 1990s. They spoke about their connection and commitment to each other — as well as how their love encourages them to grow every day.

Lydia Bennett, right, sits with their nesting partner, Rynn Bennett, left, and their dog Nimbus, center, on their couch on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at their home in Columbia. “A nesting partner is just the concept that when people are polyamorous they may or may not live with someone else. And so if you're living with someone else, that's your nesting partner. And it's usually the most stable or the longest term relationship, but it can depend on the kind of relationship structure that you have with people,” Lydia Bennett said. “My primary partner, my nesting partner, really enjoys words of affirmation and physical touch, both of which I could really improve upon, honestly. I think when I'm low stress and doing well mentally, I'm very good at being there and participating in kind of those activities and supporting them. When I'm higher stress, I just kind of shut down to the outside world, which is not really a problem, but unfortunate for them for sure.”

KBIA News

Lydia Bennett: In polyamory 'each of these different relationships kind of fall into a different niche.'

Bailey Stover

Lydia Bennett is a pansexual polyamorous person and spoke about how the relationships in their life fulfill them in different ways.

Abby Dickinson sits on their bed on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at their college apartment in Columbia. Dickinson, who uses she/they pronouns, has struggled with bi erasure and is in the process of exploring their gender identity. “It can be very hard to feel optimistic about the future. In that sense, especially in the middle of Missouri, where I frequently have to remind myself that Columbia is a very small liberal island in the middle of a vast red sea. And there's a lot of hate, very close around me in that sense,” Dickinson said. “It can be very hard to feel like there is the possibility of having a fully unencumbered, queer future for me here. And I have to remind myself then that I am not alone and that there are people fighting to create a positive and livable future for queer kids and queer people and everyone within the community. And that just because things can seem scary now doesn't mean that they'll always be that way. Legislation can change. Legislation can always change. You have to find hope, even where it doesn't seem possible.”

KBIA News

Abby Dickinson: "Being in a relationship with a man doesn't take away from the fact that I am both attracted to men and women."

Bailey Stover

Abby Dickinson is a 22-year-old bisexual person, and spoke about coming out in a straight-passing relationship and combating bi-erasure.

Fin Crowder, left, and Emery Wakefield talk together on Crowder’s bed on Thursday, March 28, 2024, at Crowder’s home in Columbia. The 22-year-olds have known each other since they were two years old. They are now in a queer platonic relationship. Crowder uses both ze/zim and they/them pronouns and is as nonbinary, agender, aromantic and asexual. Wakefield, who uses they/them pronouns, is nonbinary, asexual and biromantic.

“I have weird quirks or things that are different, but oh, bro, I'm just another person on this planet. I just want to be respected like anyone else,” Wakefield said. “Everyone's different, even outside of, like, identity. People that have the same hobbies or the same interests or experiences, or similar experiences, they have a different take away from it, or they have a different experience with it. So, even within the same identity, everyone is a little bit different. And I think that also extends to outside the queer experience. Everyone's different. And I think that's important to remember and celebrate. It's not anything bad. It's important because if we were all the same things would be really boring.”

KBIA News

Fin Crowder & Emery Wakefield: “A queer platonic relationship is… a level above best friend.”

Bailey Stover

Fin Crowder and Emery Wakefield are both nonbinary and asexual. They’ve been friends since they were young, and, today, live in a queer platonic relationship. They spoke a little about their relationship and how they show love and support for each other.

Health & Wealth

Sex Ed Works Better When It Addresses Power In Relationships

Maanvi Singh

Most school sex education programs stick to the nuts and bolts of biology. Teenagers who also talk about what makes for a good relationship are more likely to avoid pregnancy and STDs, a study finds.

Faith/Religion

For female pastors, dating brings unique challenges

Kellie Moore

In some Christian denominations, it’s getting more common to see women preaching from the pulpit on Sunday mornings. Still, it’s a slow cultural shift –…