SILVER LAKE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Out Magazine has announced its 31st annual Out100.
The list recognizes the most influential and pioneering LGBTQ+ people across entertainment, politics, activism, sports, and more.
One of this year’s local honorees is the founder of Baby Gay and host of the Baby Gay podcast, PJ Brescia.
Brescia stated, “If you told my younger self that you’re going to be a queer nonprofit starter or a queer rights activist, I would have said, ‘No way. You’re crazy. I’m straight.’ It just kind of unfolded.”
Baby Gay is a nonprofit organization and a media platform celebrating people through the coming out process, through storytelling, advocacy, and togetherness, all while humanizing the queer experience.
“When I hit 30 and I was kind of feeling very lost in my life, I went on this five-day writing experience,” added Brescia.
“I started writing this web series. It was a fictional comedy based on my coming out story – someone coming out later in life.”
“And what formed was the web series called ‘Baby Gay,’ because for me, it wasn’t until I saw someone else’s story that was already out, that I saw myself in, that it kind of unlocked something within me that said, ‘Oh, there. Okay, I’m going to be okay too.’”
In April of 2025, Brescia launched the Baby Gay podcast to share coming out stories.
“I love just talking to people and hearing their stories,” said Brescia. “The goal with this project is to kind of highlight that there is no one way to be queer.”
Baby Gay has partnered with the historic Black Cat Tavern in Silver Lake, throwing National Coming Out Day celebrations since 2023.
“I think that PJ has an intrinsic understanding of what hospitality means, which is not just that you have a story to tell, but you listen to other people’s stories,” said Lindsay Kennedy, co-owner of The Black Cat. “And that’s sort of what I think PJ’s super power is.”
Kennedy continued, “My purpose of owning The Black Cat is to tell stories, and to tell queer stories because of the roots of this building.”
“Joining with PJ to really celebrate National Coming Out Day this year for the third time, is probably one of the more important reasons I’m in this business. It’s really giving me purpose to participate with PJ and National Coming Out Day celebrations.”
Abdullah Hall, a Baby Gay board member, added, “I saw this booth and I’m like, ‘What is Baby Gay?’ And so PJ Brescia was there and said, ‘Oh, this is Baby Gay,’ and told me it’s a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that assists in the coming out process.”
“‘Would you like to leave a message to a new person that’s coming out?’ and I thought, that is brilliant. Yes, I would!”
Hall added, “Because I remember coming out. If somebody had a little message for you and just said, ‘Everything’s going to be okay’ or ‘You’re amazing,’ that would have been great when I came out.”
Brescia continued, “I see our events and our advocacy going beyond Los Angeles. I want to bring that to other cities and states throughout the country and throughout the world.”
“I think we’re just at the beginning of this journey, and what’s been so incredible is that it’s just been unfolding, and I feel like I am being guided from above, and I’m this conduit, and I’m just honored to be a part of it.”
Check out all of the 2025 Out100 at out.com and in Out Magazine, on newsstands October 28.
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