# Animal Abuse, The Gays and The Ego

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/lyndseysmith-io-7358184/animal-abuse-the-gays-and-the-ego
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/lyndseysmith-io-7358184/animal-abuse-the-gays-and-the-ego.md
Podcast: [lyndseysmith.io](https://stenobird.com/podcast/lyndseysmith-io-7358184)
Published: 2026-06-13T14:04:45+00:00
Episode link: https://rss.com/podcasts/lyndseysmith-io/2912158
Audio file: https://content.rss.com/episodes/332464/2912158/lyndseysmith-io/2026_06_13_13_56_30_f4412262-c937-464a-ab09-473adadbeb14.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/lyndseysmith-io-7358184/episodes/animal-abuse-the-gays-and-the-ego
Duration seconds: 1606

## Resource

Today's episode cover image is a provocative one — a dog using a pride flag as a bathroom. I want to be upfront that this image is meant to illustrate a point I make in the episode, not an endorsement of what it depicts. In this episode I get into three topics I've been sitting with for a while: animal abuse, being gay, and the ego. I share my perspective on why I believe animals and humans choose certain experiences before coming into this life, including hard ones, and how that shapes the way I think about advocacy and causes. I also talk about a comment I left on a friend's Facebook post and the conversation that followed, sharing my personal experiences and how I think trauma shapes identity. Finally, I get into one of my favorite topics — the ego — including how I communicate with mine, how I believe it works differently for neurodivergent people, and why I think the "ego and soul becoming one" idea taught in a lot of spiritual circles doesn't resonate with me. This one's a lot to sit with. Take what serves you and leave the rest. Links: https://devlyndseysmith.io/ https://shoplyndseysmith.io/ https://lyndseysmith.io/ https://ql5d.com/

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## Transcript

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