Aaron Kelly's Story of Queerness, Suppression, and the Journey Back to Self

In this session, Sam Sellers talks to Aaron Kelly about the complex, often painful intersection of queerness and non-affirming faith spaces. Aaron shares their journey of realising they were queer, internalising messages of shame, and learning to suppress who they were to survive. Together, they explore the impact of purity culture, the toll on mental and physical health, and the ways trauma can live in the body long after leaving a belief system. Aaron also reflects on the grief of letting go, the healing power of reconnecting with the body, and what it’s meant to reclaim identity, desire, and spirituality on their own terms.

We acknowledge the Indigenous people of the lands we have recorded on. Our speakers and hosts are located on Aboriginal Country all across the lands now called Australia and Maori lands across Aoteoroa. We pay our respect to Indigenous elders who are custodians of these lands and extend that respect to any Indigenous people attending our event.