Divorced People

Season 2, Episode 1: Jen Berlingo and her Magical, Queer, Midlife Emergence

50 snips
Jan 19, 2025
Jen Berlingo, a coach, writer, and former therapist, shares her beautiful journey of coming out as queer in midlife after a marriage that no longer felt right. She explores the challenges of navigating identity in a conservative world, revealing the intricacies of her self-discovery. Jen reflects on love's unexpected twists, the realities of parenting a non-binary child, and the emotional complexities of relationships during the pandemic. Her insights on grief, authenticity, and personal growth provide a powerful perspective on love and life transitions.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Early Queer Experiences

  • Jen Berlingo recognized her attraction to girls early, playing with Barbies as couples and having crushes on female TV characters.
  • Despite this, she primarily dated men due to societal heteronormativity and lack of queer representation.
ANECDOTE

Meeting and Marrying Her Husband

  • Jen met her future husband as a coworker after moving to NYC, initially intending to date women.
  • Despite expressing her intention to date women, they developed a friendship and eventually began dating.
INSIGHT

Marriage as an Experiment

  • Jen reflects on getting married at 27, considering it young in retrospect, especially if marriage is viewed as permanent.
  • She suggests viewing marriage as an experiment, acknowledging the potential for change and growth over time.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app