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Trans Truth Episodes (RSS)

In a world where it seems that myths, disinformation and outright lies about transgender people are becoming more pervasive every day, and where accurate information is rather hard to come by, Trans Truth offers a source for, well... truth. Please join hosts Jeri Ann and Kelly as they bring news, interviews, items of interest, and opinion (Oh, lots of opinion, honey) on all aspects of the transgender experience.

Episode-1: Introductions and Why We're Here

In this episode hosts Kelly and Jeri Ann talk about how they came to take on this project and why. Copyright 2022 Trans Truth (Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0)
Episode2: Transphobia

In this episode Jeri Ann and Kelly discuss "transphobia", what it is, what causes it, how it affects us, and most importantly, how we can deal with it in a positive and constructive way.
Episode 3: Anti-Trans Legislation

In this episode of Trans Truth, we are tackling the wave of hateful legislation and executive action being taken against trans kids by cynical politicians who are exploiting the fear and ignorance of their "base". These actions are nothing more than state sponsored terrorism of trans kids and their families in the 38 states where such action is being considered.
Joining us this episode is Danielle Healy, a Houston area attorney who has done a great deal of advocacy and pro bono work for the LGBTQ community. Danielle will also discuss her role in the award-winning documentary, "Our Dad, Danielle".
Below are the links to the reports mentioned in our news segment. You will also find a link to the letter that the U.S. Department of Justice has sent to the attorneys general of all fifty states, pointing out the many federal statutes and regulations that the GOP's reckless strategy will run afoul of.
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Trans-Youth-Health-Bans-Mar-2022.pdf
https://www.aclu.org/legislation-affecting-lgbtq-rights-across-country
https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/28/politics/dont-say-gay-bill-desantis-signs/index.html
https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1489066/download
If you would like to help here in Texas, please consider a donation to the Transgender Education Network of Texas - https://secure.everyaction.com/Aluze8fLdEmlU5KgX5Ar1w2
Episode 4: Ambassadorship

In this episode, Aunt Kelly introduces the concept of "ambassadorship". We'll discuss what it means to be an ambassador from our community to the general public, why its important for us to engage in such "diplomacy", and provide some ideas on how to get your diplomatic credentials. :)

News Links:
Fern Feather Murder (Pink News)
Kennedy Health Spotlights Trans Care (Worcester Magazine)
Dan Patrick says "Don't Say Gay!"
Several States Now Considering "Don't Say Gay" bills.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/god-is-transgender-pastor-and-congressional-candidate-asks-after-biden-video
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10684927/Former-Archbishop-Canterbury-urges-ministers-include-trans-people-conversion-therapy-ban.html
https://www.aclu.org/news/lgbtq-rights/four-ways-the-tsa-is-making-flying-easier-for-transgender-people
https://deadline.com/2022/04/disney-dont-say-gay-trans-actress-lucasfilm-willow-talisa-garcia-1234995112/

Ambassadorship Links:
https://www.rodeohouston.com/Get-Involved/Volunteer/Committees
https://www.habitat.org/volunteer
https://www.redcross.org/volunteer/become-a-volunteer.html#step1
https://www.volunteermatch.org/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOVksv1JVfIzgc76XQENu8Q
Episode-5: Texas Politics and Trans Kids

Like many red states, Texas is seeing it's share of anti-trans legislation being introduced. As we will make clear in this episode, and in subsequent episodes, this is part of a nationally coordinated campaign by the Republican Party and other right-wing hate groups garner votes for conservative candidates. Nothing gets out "the rube vote" like villifying some mintority group. Looking specifically at Texas, we're talking with Gin Pham, of the ⁠Transgender Education Network of Texas⁠, about what is happening in Austin and throughout the state.

News Links:
⁠As Alabama's trans youth care ban goes into effect, providers scramble for answers - ABC News⁠ ⁠Transgender treatment, doctors threatened by new Alabama law AP News⁠
⁠Gender Affirming Care: Evidence-Based Reviews of Legislative Actions < Dean’s Advisory Council on LGBTQI+ Affairs (yale.edu)⁠
Episode-6: Anti-transgender Legislative Update

Yes, yes. We are back, at long last. In this episode, we will be talking about the deeply troubling national strategy by the Republican Party to garner political support by enacting laws against us, anything that might help us (like health care), and even anything like us (drag queens). No, they don't really care about "protecting the children". We're just their latest target for their fear mongering campaigns that they rely upon to get votes from a fearful and ignorant voting "base".
Listen, as Kelly and Jeri Ann put the lie to the whole disgusting business. They'll also give you some motivation to get yourself involved as well.

News links for this episode:
2023 Anti-Trans Bills: Trans Legislation Tracker
Mother Jones story of how the Republican Party is coordinating state anti-trans campaigns.
The WPATH Standard of Care
National Institute of Health on gender affirming care
Let her speak!’: protests after Montana Republicans silence trans lawmaker | Montana | The Guardian
Why Anti-Trans Laws Are Anti-Science - Scientific American
These states are protecting health care for transgender people : NPR
Answers to your questions about transgender people, gender identity, and gender expression (apa.org)

Copyright 2023 Trans Truth (Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0)
Episode - 7, Propaganda, Then and Now

In this episode, Kelly discusses the current propaganda campaign being carried out against the transgender community, who's responsible for it, and why it is so alarming in an historical context. Hint: we're breaking Godwin's law, or validating it, depending on your point of view.

News Links
Do No Harm, a group of 'medical professionals' fighting 'woke healthcare,' is behind many anti-trans laws (msn.com)

Russia Is Targeting Transgender People, Seemingly Copying US GOP (businessinsider.com)

Lompoc Unified adopts resolution supporting transgender youth | Education |
lompocrecord.com

Misleading claims drive effort to ban transgender care for Louisiana kids, teens (katc.com)

Topic Links
Anti-Jewish Legislation in Prewar Germany | Holocaust Encyclopedia (ushmm.org)

I just learned this famous Nazi book burning happened at world’s first trans clinic (wearequeeraf.com)

The Forgotten History of the World's First Trans Clinic - Scientific American

Statement on the Genocidal Nature of the Gender Critical Movement’s Ideology and Practice (lemkininstitute.com)

Holocaust Memorial Day Trust | The ten stages of genocide (hmd.org.uk)

Copyright 2023, Trans Truth
Episode-8: Trans Broken Arm Syndrome

In this episode, Kelly and Jeri Ann talk about "Trans Broken Arm Syndrome", and other healthcare challenges that trans people often encounter.

News Links:

Nikki Haley connects teen girls' suicidal ideation to transgender girls in locker rooms in CNN town hall | CNN Politics

Does Texas 'drag ban bill' target transgender Texans? (thehill.com)

Elon Musk Shares Anti-Transgender Content on Twitter (businessinsider.com)

How a Campaign Against Transgender Rights Mobilized Conservatives - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

First they came... - Wikipedia

Transgender adults in Florida are blindsided that a new law also limits their access to health care | AP News

US judge blocks Florida ban on trans minor care in narrow ruling, says 'gender identity is real' | AP News

Other Content Links:

Have you ever heard of ‘trans broken arm syndrome’? | Metro News

Trans broken arm syndrome: A mixed-methods exploration of gender-related medical misattribution and invasive questioning - ScienceDirect

Copyright 2023, Trans Truth
Episode-9: Public Perception and Understanding

In this episode, Jeri Ann and Kelly talk about public perception and understanding, or rather the lack of understanding, on the part of a large portion of the public, about transgender people and the issues they face.

News Links:
Arizona governor vetoes transgender bathroom bill, condemns it as ‘attack’ on children | The Hill

Maryland Declared Safe Haven for Transgender Medical Care (metroweekly.com)

Washington women's spa with compulsory nudity is ordered by judge to start admitting trans women | Daily Mail Online

Activists push to make Lawrence a transgender sanctuary city (fox4kc.com)

Content Links:

Houston Trans PRIDE Tickets, Fri, Jun 23, 2023 at 8:00 PM | Eventbrite

Transgender, nonbinary people are often sidelined at Pride. This year is different | AP News

Monica Roberts - Wikipedia

Transgender Day of Remembrance: Remembering Monica Roberts | Time

Transgender and nonbinary people are often sidelined at Pride. This year is different – KXAN Austin

Opposition to transgender athletes on teams matching gender identity rises: Gallup | The Hill

Most Americans support anti-trans policies favored by GOP, poll shows (msn.com)

Americans' Complex Views on Gender Identity and Transgender Issues | Pew Research Center

Americans split by party over impact of society accepting transgender people | Pew Research Center
Mixed Views Among Americans on Transgender Issues (gallup.com)

Report Reveals Sharp Rise in Transgender Young People in the U.S. -...

Episode-10: Veterans For Equality
In this episode, Jeri Ann and I interview Gen Pena, one of the organizers of Veterans For Equality. The group has set for itself the mission of providing overwatch for LGBTQ events; everything from Pride events to drag brunches to mass protests at state capitols.

News Links:
Copyright 2023, Trans Truth
Episode-11: TransPrideHouston
For the second year in a row, Houston has had a rather unique event that is a part of the Pride celebration, Trans Pride Houston. The event was held at The Social Beer Garden in mid-town, and the proceeds were to benefit the recently opened "Monica Roberts Resource Center". The organizers were kind enough to let us set up and do our first ever remote podcast. It was a noisy venue, and we apologize for the audio quality, but it was a party, y'all!
At any rate, we had a great time and managed to capture some very interesting interviews.
Please, enjoy.

News Links:
Other Content Links:
- Monica Roberts Resource Center
  - Phone: 713-930-8670
  - Email: monislegacy@gmail.com
Copyright 2023, Trans Truth
Episode-12: Interview With Jeri Ann Young
This episode marks the first in a series that we're calling "Out Stories". We know that every trans person's story is unique, but at the same time there are often parts of those unique stories that will resonate with others. It is our hope that by sharing as many stories as we can, we will help others, transgender and allies to get through the rough patches a little sooner.

In this episode, we put co-host Jeri Ann Young in the guest chair, to have her tell her story.

News Links:
Copyright 2023, Trans Truth
Episode-13: Interview With Kelly Nelson
In the second of our series entitled "Our Stories", Jeri Ann interviews co-host Kelly Nelson.

News Links:
Episode-14: Houston Roundup Remote
What a goldmine!

On very short notice (like... two days!), we learned of this event, a fundraiser for this year's Houston Roundup, being held at Houston's Lambda Center. BTW, y'all need to update that Roudup website. :)

Anyway, we were thinking it might be a chance to get an interesting interview or two, and to promote the Houston Roundup conference and, what we quickly learned has been a very important part of the Houston LGBTQ+ community for decades, Lambda Center. Sharon, the director of the event, quickly got approval for us to show up and do our thing. On the night of the event, we were just finishing setting up when we were approached by a friendly gentleman who ask Jeri Ann and I if we knew "Phyllis Frye". We allowed that we certainly did, with Jeri Ann adding that Ms. Frye was her attorney. Introductions were quickly done, and Don Kelly sat down and chatted with us for some time. We learned many things in those few minutes and that kind of set the tone for the rest of the evening.
I am almost embarrassed to say that it was not until I did some research during post-production that I learned what a true dignitary our first guest was. Be sure to check out the link about Don Kelly and "The Don Kelly Research Collection of Galy Literature and Culture".
As I said, that first interview set the tone for the rest of the evening, with one wonderful interview after another. I say wonderful for several reasons. First of all, every single one of the people we talked to had a story to tell about what the group hosting the event (Lambda Center) meant to them. These weren't just admirable success stories. They were stories of people who had come to know the value of what that organization had given them. Several used the term "family", in a way that Jeri Ann and I have mentioned before, that "chosen family". Wonderful too, was our interview with Christene Y. Christene teaches history, to high school and college students, and she was a font of fascinating things about LGBTQ history.
We fully intended to be talking one-on-one with some of these people in future episodes. Meanwhile, enjoy this episode that we recorded around the showing of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", complete with the de rigueur live performers in front of the screen.

News Links:
Content Links:
Episode-15: Interview With Sarah Doepner
Today, in the third installment of the "Our Stories" series, Jeri Ann and Kelly interview their long-time on-line friend Sara Doepner.
Sarah refers to herself as a "late bloomer", having transitioned relatively late in life. Like so many of us baby boomers, she grew up in a time when there was less understanding of, and certainly a lot less tolerance for, those whose gender identity was "at the far end of the curve", so to speak.
Lots of insight and useful information from another one of us who's found herself after a long search.

News Links:
Episode 16: Detransition Myths and Facts
The right is currently obsessed with the myths and horror stories about regret and detransition among transgender individuals, and while we must honestly say that such things do happen, they represent a tiny fraction, like less than one percent, of the total number of trans men and women who have transitioned.

So we're going to tell the truth about these things because... that's what we do.

News Links:
Episode-17, Interview With Valerie Louise
Another in our series entitled, simply, "Our Stories". In this episode we ask the same questions, and as we're learning, we get some of the same answers and a lot of stuff that's different. That's what we love about this series. We get all get the affirmation of learning that we're not alone in what our journey has been, but we also get some very different, and very personal insights into the unique experiences we all have.

News Links:
Episode 18, Transphobia Revisited (part 1)
Much has changed since we first discussed transphobia on Trans Truth, and frankly not much of it has been for the better. As we have documented regularly, the Republican Party and other right-wing hate groups have been waging a concerted national campaign of propaganda against trans people. This has led to laws being passed, in at least 21 states, which restrict or eliminate the rights of transgender people. It has also led to a measurable increase in the number of people who disapprove of transgender folk.

So join us for part one of Transphobia Revisited, as we dig into what's been happening and why.

News Links:
Content Links:
- https://www.splcenter.org/captain/defining-pseudoscience-network
Copyright 2023, Trans Truth
Episode 19, Interview With Rachael Walker
As you've probably heard, Trans Truth will be on-site at the 5th Annual Woodlands Pride Festival. One of the board members was kind enough to sit down with us for an interview about the festival, it's history, and even a little bit about her role in that history.

Little did I know, the interview was going to involve a little bit of serendipity. You'll have to listen to the interview for the whole story, but it turns out that The Woodlands Pride Festival is not the only time Rachael and my paths have crossed.

Anyway, this festival is one you don't want to miss. It's something special.

News Links:
Episode 18, Transphobia Revisited (Part 2)
Like we were saying in Part 1, much has changed about transphobia, how the vanilla population understands (or more accurately, does notunderstand transgender people.

In Part 2, we're focusing on the "moral" objections often made about trans people, and we'll dig into the root of those objections. Here's a hint... it almost always boils down to religion, or more precisely, to the religious right's predilection for (as Jeri Ann puts it) "bellying up to the scripture buffet", to cherry pick the passages they believe will substantiate their judgement. You guessed it... we will not let that stand.

News Links:
Content Links:
Episode 20: Movies

We're taking a break from the serious stuff. We've decided to do a few episodes about transgender subjects in entertainment media; moves, television, and music.

First up - the movies, because I am a big ol' film buff and Jeri Ann is a real live movies star!.
Episode 21: Transgender Television

In part 2 of our series on trans influences, characters, and themes in various forms of entertainment, we're looking at television. Again, this is a very selective look at those things, but we found some gems that we just had to share.
Episode 22: Trans Influences in Popular Music
We all know about artists like Boy George, Dee Snider, etc. but the history and influence of the transgender community goes back much further.

Join Jeri Ann and Kelly as they dig through "the record library" (that's an old radio term for the room where the kept all the vinyl) to learn about all that history.

News:
Contemporary Trans Artists:

The Cliks

Ryan Cassata

Anohni

Teddy Geiger

Peppermint

Skylar Kergill

Against Me

Ethel Cain

Iceis Rain

Dalice Malice (Not to be confused with Dallas Alice, last seen on the highway outside of Tucumcari ;) )
Special Edition: An Interview With Katy Pride

Rather late in the game, we got wind of the first ever Katy Pride Festival, in Katy, Texas. We quickly reached out to the organizers and asked if they had a spot for us. The quickly and generously offered space for Trans Truth to set up our remote recording studio.

In this special episode, we interview Amanda Rose, the president of Katy Pride, and Heather Tolleson, Senior Pastor of Katy's First Christian Church. You'll hear about how the festival came to be, and about First Christian Church, Katy, has been bringing their message of hope, love, and inclusion to this Houston suburb for the last ten years.

The event is free. There is also an after party, "Wicked With the Queens". Tickets are $25 and $40 (VIP), with proceeds going to the church's "TransParent Closet"

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