Beyond The Closet

Joanne Lockwood is joined by TJ Richards for a wide-ranging conversation about what it means to move “beyond the closet” and live with fewer self-imposed boundaries. Together they explore how identity, safety, and belonging intersect, and how coming out is often less a single moment than an ongoing process of becoming.

TJ shares the realities of coming out to family, the uneven pace of other people’s understanding, and the importance of empathy when loved ones need time to adjust. Joanne reflects on her own transition, including how it affected her marriage and children, and the complicated experience of being both the catalyst for change and the person trying to help others process it.

The conversation also looks outward to systems and institutions: the frustrations of misgendering and being disbelieved, the burden of “calling in” organisations through education, and the practical need to plan ahead so identity is respected in healthcare, legal processes, and later-life settings like care homes. They end with a candid reflection on social constructs, backlash and political rhetoric, and why hope, community, and everyday allyship remain essential.