In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Liza Katsman—ICF-Certified Life and Leadership Coach, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, and queer-inclusive practitioner—for a conversation that goes far beyond the basics of body image. Liza shares her early struggles with food insecurity, body shame, and bulimia, and how healing her relationship with food became deeply intertwined with learning to trust herself as a leader and human.

We dive into the unique and often overlooked ways diet culture shows up in the LGBTQ+ community—from the pressures and stereotypes faced by gay men, to the complex dynamics queer women face in decentering the male gaze while still experiencing body shame. Liza opens up about why coming out with an eating disorder was even harder than coming out as queer, how body checking is normalized in queer spaces, and why trans and nonbinary folks face heightened stakes when it comes to body image and safety. We also touch on the intersections of immigration, self-advocacy in medical settings, and the emotional layers of “shoulding” that come with navigating queerness and recovery.