Gender Stories

'Profound and vulnerable. An essential gift for all of us that relate' - Anne MauroWhat do we mean when we say 'relationship'?How do we separate our needs and desires from norms and expectations?How can we approach our relationships with mutuality, care and compassion?This down-to-earth guide is the ultimate companion for anybody who wants to examine their place in the world -- how we relate to ourselves, and others.With considerations of historical, cultural, and developmental contexts; explorations of relationship diversity as it manifests in queerness, the ace and aro spectrum, non-monogamy and neurodivergence ; and a look towards deeper, compassionate, interdependent ways to relate - this book will help people of all ages, backgrounds and identities explore their relational world.Order a copy of the Book: How to Understand Your Relationships: A Practical Guide Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Anne Mauro (she/her) is a Licensed Couples and Family therapist, American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapist (AASECT) certified sex therapist, sexuality educator, sex therapy supervisor, and American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) clinical supervisor. Her private practice is nestled in the interwebs on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples in Washington State. She has two publications: More Than Ebony and Ivory: Complexities of sex therapy with interracial couples, can be found in An Intersectional Approach to Sex Therapy: Centering the lives of indigenous, racialized, and people of color and The Colonization of Black Sexualities: A clinical guide to relearning and healing. Anne is in continued service to the sexuality community by serving as the AASECT Western Representative to the nominating committee.   Links: www.annemauro.com https://www.routledge.com/The-Colonization-of-Black-Sexualities-A-Clinical-Guide-to-Relearning-and/Mauro/p/book/9781032233680 https://www.instagram.com/iamannemauro/ Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

MAEVE CHEVONNE DUVALLY Maeve is a transgender multi-cultural communications specialist, storyteller and LGBTQ+ advocate.  She spent the bulk of her career as a journalist and corporate spokesperson, most recently at Goldman Sachs. After a lifetime of working for large companies, she now consults for corporations and other organizations on communications strategy and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Maeve also mentors transgender people, is a public speaker and a frequent subject of press interviews on LGBTQ+ workplace issues. She was a managing director in corporate communications at Goldman Sachs over an 18-year career. Prior to joining Goldman, Maeve worked in media relations at Merrill Lynch.  Before that, she was a financial journalist and editor at Bridge News for nearly 15 years with stints in Tokyo, Washington D.C. and New York. She spent ten formative years in Japan in the 1980s and is fluent in the language.  Maeve serves on the boards of GLAAD; the Knight-Bagehot Fellowship, a journalism non-profit; and Connecticut-based LGBTQ+ health provider Anchor Health Initiative. She earned a B.A. in English from Providence College in 1983 and was a Knight-Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism School in 1994. A published author, her memoir, “Maeve Rising,” debuted through Sibylline Press in August 2023.  https://www.instagram.com/becomingmaeve/https://www.maeveduvally.com/ Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Renée Yoxon is a queer, nonbinary, and disabled gender-affirming voice teacher with a passion for voice education, creativity, and vocal curiosity. Since 2010, they have taught thousands of students how to love their voice. Their strength as a teacher is explaining complicated concepts in plain language that anyone can understand, as well as anticipating student problems before they occur. They are the creator of a suite of online courses that provide concise and easy-to-follow trans voice education to trans and nonbinary people all over the world. Renée is a creative thinker, and a deep listener, and their favourite thing in the world is helping people just like you to reach their voice goals. Find them at reneeyoxon.com Links: http://reneeyoxon.com http://tiktok.com/@reneeyoxon http://instagram.com/reneeyoxon http://youtube.com/reneeyoxon http://facebook.com/reneeyoxon  Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Oliver Radclyffe is part of the new wave of transgender writers unafraid to address the complex nuances of transition, examining the places where gender identity, sexual orientation, feminist allegiance, social class and family history overlap. His work has appeared in The New York Times and Electric Literature. He currently lives on the Connecticut coast where he is raising his four children. He has two books: ADULT HUMAN MALE, a monograph, released by Unbound Edition Press in 2023, and FRIGHTEN THE HORSES, a memoir, forthcoming from Roxane Gay Books in 2024.  Preorder Frighten the Horses: https://bookshop.org/p/books/frighten-the-horses/20490972?ean=9780802163158 https://oliverradclyffe.substack.com/ https://www.oliverradclyffe.com/ https://www.instagram.com/oliverradclyffe/ https://linktr.ee/OliverRadclyffe    Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Eli Lawliet, Ph.D., (he/him) is the dreamer and weaver of The Gender Doula. In addition to a decade of experience researching trans healthcare, law, policy, and history, he has formal training as a full spectrum doula, breathwork facilitator, and tarot reader, as well as many years of surviving the world of poverty wages and retail work. The broad scope of his experience directly informs the equally broad spectrum of his work as The Gender Doula. Eli has been seeing clients since January of 2020 and has worked with hundreds of trans folks nationally and internationally in sessions, classes, and workshops. Though he was born in Oklahoma and raised in Missouri, Eli currently lives in Los Angeles (Gabrieliño-Tongva, Chumash, & Kizh land) with his partner, three cats, a dog, and four snakes. Website: https://www.thegenderdoula.com/ TikTok, IG, FB: @TheGenderDoula All links:  https://linktr.ee/TheGenderDoula  Support the Show.Instagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Justine Mastin, LMFT (she/her) is a pop culture psychology expert and so much more. She literally wrote the book on Therapeutic Fanfiction—Starship Therapise: Using Therapeutic Fanfiction to Rewrite Your Life—and she offered support to healers in The Grieving Therapist: Caring for Yourself and Your Clients When it Feels Like the End of the World. Justine is proud to nurture future therapists as an AAMFT-Approved Supervisor and educator. You can find out more about Justine at http://justinemastin.com/ & follow her on Instagram & TikTok: @mindbodyfandom  You can also follow the links below to find out more about parts of Justine's work mentioned in this episode! Fearless Leader: YogaQuest Podcast co-host: Starship Therapise Podcast co-host: Dark Side of the Mat TEDx Speaker: Harnessing the Healing Power of Therapeutic Fanfiction   Support the Show.Instagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Dean FM (Dean-Fraser Milford) is a Boston Massachusetts based non-binary rapper, activist and influencer. His music encapsulates eclectic thoughts that scat over percussive rhythms and exotic sounds. His performances exude drag culture and satiric expression. In 2016, Dean released his debut EP “Watch It”, which received local and national coverage. In 2020, Dean FM released his EP entitled “SISSY.” The music video for his lead single “Bottom Bit” shines a light on the exploitation of prostitution. Dean FM stands for compassion, courage, and equality. In his activism, he supports the awareness and acceptance of gender neutrality. He refuses to deny his true identity — identifying himself with both he and her pronouns. Dean also advocates for the awareness of minority mental health and the prevention of animal abuse. As an influencer, Dean utilizes his platforms to further promote his art and advocacy work.  https://deanfmofficial.com/  Support the Show.Instagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Damon Constantinides, PhD, LCSW, CSTDamon is a queer trans man and sex nerd who loves being a dad, teaching and talking about queer and trans pleasure, and growing plants as a way to connect with magic and the sacredness of the earth. He is trained as both a clinical social worker and a sex therapist and has worked for more than 20 years in the fields of trans and queer health. He owns a private therapy and coaching practice where he offers virtual groups and services to trans and queer folks all over the world.Damon is a trainer for the sex therapy certificate program at the California Institute of Integral Studies and an adjunct progressor at Widener University. He is also the co-author of the book Sex Therapy for Erotically Marginalized Clients: Nine Principles of Clinical Support and his writing can also be found in the newest edition of Trans Bodies, Trans Selves. You can learn more about his work at www.drdamonc.com or on his IG @dr.damonc.Links:Individual and Relationship Therapy and Coaching -  www.drdamonc.comWriting - www.drdamonc.com/writingTrans Masc Sexual Pleasure Program - www.drdamonc.com/coachingTrans Masc 30+ Connections Group - www.drdamonc.com/coachingsupportgroupQueer Sexual Pleasure Program - www.drdamonc.com/qspIG @Damon Constantinides IG @wildpansycoachingFB www.facebook.com/drdamonc Support the Show.Instagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Laura Scarrone Bonhomme (she/her), is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist who specialises in Gender, Sexual, and Relationship Diversity. She provides assessment, psychotherapy, and training to other professionals through www.affirm.lgbt.https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-scarrone-bonhomme-3749087a Skye Davies (she/they) is a Peer Support Worker at TransPlus, a gender dysphoria service. They also work as a Volunteer Counsellor at Metro, helping LGBTQ+ people. Dr Michael Beattie (he/him) is a Counselling Psychologist in private practice with research interests in the psychology of men and masculinities. In addition to psychotherapy, Michael provides training in Gender, Sexual, and Relationship Diversity through www.affirm.lgbt. Purchase the book at bookshop.org. Social: https://www.linkedin.com/company/affirm-lgbt/  Support the Show.Instagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Alex Papale PT, DPT (they/them) is a pelvic health physical therapist, consultant, sex educator and international speaker based in Boston MA. They specialize in queer and trans health, and treating patients of all genders at Flourish Physical Therapy. Alex especially loves to help patients with pelvic pain, difficulties around sex, peripartum care, pelvic floor support with HRT, orthopedic support for pain related to chest binding or genital tucking, and healing from gender affirming surgeries. When they're not in the treatment room, you can find them writing and teaching gender affirming, sex positive, kink-informed courses for current/future healthcare providers, or for anyone who wants to learn more about sexuality, their bodies, and pelvic health. Alex has also created the course “Physical Therapy Care of Trans/Gender Diverse Patients: Multi-Day Con-Ed for Pelvic Health Providers”. PT Website: https://flourishphysicaltherapy.com/ Website: https://alexpapale.com (Under Construction)Substack: https://alexpapale.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexpapalept/ Courses: https://www.academy.pelvicglobal.com/alex-papale-courses Support the Show.Instagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Enfys J. Book (they/them) is an author, priestx, blogger, teacher, performer, singer, songwriter, and comedian. They wrote the Gold COVR award-winning Queer Qabala: Nonbinary, Genderfluid, Omnisexual Mysticism & Magick (Llewellyn, June 2022); co-authored (with Ivo Dominguez, Jr.) Sagittarius Witch (Llewellyn, 2024); and wrote the forthcoming Queer Rites: A Magickal Grimoire to Honor Your Milestones with Pride (Llewellyn, 2025). They are also a founding member of the "funny, filthy, feminist, fandom folk" band The Misbehavin' Maidens, the creator of a website on queer magick called majorarqueerna.com, and the host of a podcast called "4 Quick Q's: Book Talk with Enfys," where they interview pagan authors using questions determined by a roll of the dice. They have taught many classes on tarot, Hermetic Qabala, magickal rites of passage, and queering one's magical practice at conferences and events around the world. By day, Enfys is a technical account manager at a tech company, specializing in content migration and onboarding new customers. As a nonbinary, bisexual pagan and performer, Enfys employs a queer lens to break down limiting binaries in magickal practice, and advocates for bi, trans, non-binary/genderqueer, queer-, and asexual visibility and inclusion through their writing and music. Websites https://majorarqueerna.com (blog) https://misbehavinmaidens.com (band)  Links to buy Enfys' books https://majorarqueerna.com/buy Social Media https://facebook.com/majorarqueerna https://instagram.com/majorarqueerna https://instagram.com/enfysbook https://youtube.com/@majorarqueerna https://soundcloud.com/majorarqueerna  https://kind.social/@enfysbook   Support the Show.Instagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Miah Jeffra is author of The Fabulous Ekphrastic Fantastic! (Sibling Rivalry 2020), The Violence Almanac (Black Lawrence 2021), the chapbook The First Church of What's Happening (Nomadic 2017), and co-editor, with Arisa White and Monique Mero, of the anthology Home is Where You Queer Your Heart (Foglifter 2021). Awards include the New Millennium Prize, the Sidney Lanier Fiction Prize, The Atticus Review Creative Nonfiction Prize, the Alice Judson Hayes Fellowship, Lambda Literary Fellowship, and 2019 finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Outstanding Anthology. Most recent work can be seen in StoryQuarterly, Prairie Schooner, The North American Review, The Pinch, The Greensboro Review, DIAGRAM, jubilat and Barrelhouse. Miah is a founding editor of Whiting Award-winning queer literary collaborative, Foglifter Press, and teaches writing and antiracist studies at Santa Clara University.  Support the Show.Instagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Nicoz Balboa is an Italian visual artist, using his life events as inspiration for works ranging from painting, drawing, tattoo, to pyrography, graphic journal and sketchbook. He reveals his hopes, failures and successes in candid and, at times, excoriating work that is frequently both tragic and humorous. The themes of provocation and sexuality repeatedly surface in Nicoz's work, as his oeuvre is firmly rooted in the tradition of transfeminist discourse. website https://www.nicozbalboastudio.com/ substack: https://nicozbalboa.substack.com/ patreon: https://www.patreon.com/graphicjournalclub  Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Marissa Stein is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Washington (LMHC), an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST), and a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC). They are a non-binary, neuroqueer, kinky, and queer, Pagan, practitioner of magic, who lives with chronic pain and disability. Given these lived experiences, they have felt the impact of intersectional marginalization. As a white person, they do their best to be aware of their privilege and biases as part of dominant euro-centric descendant culture. Marissa endeavors to do their best to do anti-oppression work that is trauma aware as they believe every person deserves to enjoy their life free from shame and oppression. They strive for cultural humility, and to be an accomplice in the continued fight against white supremacy wherever they can.  https://www.taravenerysextherapy.com/  Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Alice O'Callaghan is a transgender community activist and CEO for the queer production company Zenith City Horror. She is a "20 under 40" award winner for her queer community and artistic leadership which spans over a decade in the Twin Ports. She is a modern day House Mother, providing advocacy and safe spaces for vulnerable queer youth and artists in the Twin Ports area. She prioritizes her fight against discrimination and exploitation of trans artists in the entertainment industry.Zenith City Horror: https://www.zch.gay/Miss Cupcake: https://www.instagram.com/ms.cupcake.drag/ Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Aydian Dowling is the co-founder and CEO at TRACE. With the support of just 1 person, a trans or nonbinary youth's risk of suicide goes down by 40%. This is why Aydian co-founded TRACE, the app created to foster a brighter and more gender-affirming future for transgender and non-binary individuals. He has been a transgender activist and influencer for more than 12 years and has been featured on the Ellen Degeneres Show as well as on the cover of Men's Health. As the founder of Point of Pride, a global nonprofit that has generated over $2.5M in aid for the trans community, he is committed to equity and access to medical and wellness care for the most vulnerable members of the transgender and nonbinary community.  Point of Pride: https://www.pointofpride.org/ TRACE: https://www.thetrace.app/ Follow Aydian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alionsfear  Support the showInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Born in a small pentecostal coal-mining town in the Appalachian Mountains, October Ryan struggled to express her true self from a very early age. When her femininity was met with hate, anger, & abuse, she retreated into a series of approval-seeking fake personas. The pentecostal pastor-in-training, the meek academic bookworm, the rebellious grad school party boy, the small town psychology professor... none of her false identities gave October any sense of peace. When she moved to the diverse haven of LA, she finally came out as a proud transgender woman. While healing her traumas & beginning her transition, she wrote & published her first novel, The Beginning Of October, heavily inspired by the pain in her post & her hopes for the future, and has recently released a new murder mystery novel, The Book of Monahan. October has also co-written and released her debut album, Homecoming, co-written and produced by American Idol runner-up and chart-topping artist Blake Lewis. For more on October, check out octoberryan.com. Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

PJ Desrochers is a visual artist who explores their nonbinary humanness through art. PJ creates images, builds sculptural installations and immersive experiences of theirgender and a life well-lived. Their media originates with photographic self portraits printed on transparency film. PJ then builds creations by layering the transparent images and connecting them quite often using fingerprinted scotch tape and fishing line to found objects. These Photographic Assemblages can often be found installed within the natural beauty of central Vermont where they photograph and film these beloved creations to become gallery accessible and presented for your viewing pleasure.Project website: https://www.11toseeandbeseen11.com/Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/toseeandbeseen/to-see-and-be-seen-nonbinary-tarotPJ Derochers website: http://www.pjdesrochersart.com/ Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

K. Allison Hammer is assistant professor and coordinator of women, gender, and sexuality studies at Southern Illinois University. Masculinity in Transition traces the roots of “toxic masculinity,” showing that while toxic strains of masculinity are mainly associated with straight, white men, trans and queer masculinities often reiterate similar patterns of behavior. Arguing that these malignant forms of masculinity can be displaced, K. Allison Hammer's bold rethinking lays bare the underlying fragility of normative masculinity.Link to more information about the book or to order: https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/masculinity-in-transition   Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenGender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

S. H. COTUGNO (Sage) is a queer and mixed-race Victorian horror nerd born and raised in Los Angeles, California. They are a director, writer and storyboard artist in the animation industry and have previously worked on projects such as Gravity Falls, The Owl House and Star vs. the Forces of Evil. The Glass Scientists will be their first published graphic novel. You can see more of their work at SeeGoatRun.com or check out their linktree at: https://linktr.ee/arythusa Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

 D'Lo is a queer/transgender Tamil-Sri Lankan-American actor/writer/comic. He has toured his solo shows internationally, his last show “To T, or not To T?” running last year at the Kirk Douglas Theater in LA. Acting credits include: LOOKING, TRANSPARENT, SENSE 8, and MR.ROBOT, CONNECTING, Quantum Leap and Billy Eichner movie BROS. He is a Senior Civic Media Fellow through USC's Annenberg Innovation Lab funded via the MacArthur Foundation. His work has been published and/or written about in academic journals, literary anthologies, and print/online journalism sources, such as LA Times, The Guardian, NBC, CNN and The Advocate. D'Lo (he/they) dlocokid.com imdb.me/dlocokid instagram.com/dlocokid  Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Pidgeon Pagonis is an activist on behalf of intersex and marginalized people. They have advanced youth advocacy with interACT, launched an intersex YouTube channel, written for Everyday Feminism, cofounded the Intersex Justice Project (IJP) and the #EndIntersexSurgery campaign, and introduced the intersex and nonbinary clothing line Too Cute to Be Binary. They've created two short documentaries, The Son I Never Had, which premiered at Outfest, and A Normal Girl, which screened at the American Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival; appeared on the cover of National Geographic's “Gender Revolution” special issue; and been honored as an LGBT Champion of Change by the Obama White House. They are currently documenting intersex people of color for Physical Record, a new photo series subsidized by Astraea's Intersex Human Rights Fund. NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW  is their first book. For more information visit www.pid.ge. Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

GenderMeowster (they/them) is a white, trans masc, nonbinary, AuDHD, mobility aid using, disabled content creator on Twitch, YouTube, and social media platforms. They, along with their friends, curate and maintain the Meowster's Clowder discord server, Trans101 content on social media, and host and produce the Genderful Talk Show! Their online community is an intersectional 2SLGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, disabled, BIPOC-forward, plural, and alterhuman friendly space and we welcome people with these identities and our allies.Gender Federation is a stream team and mutual aid fundraising entity created by GenderMeowster that hosts events to raise direct mutual aid for trans people seeking gender affirming surgeries. Please follow us on socials for both @GenderMeowster and @GenderFederation to learn more and keep up with our events and activities.Recurring events:Nov 20 every year - Trans Day of Remembrance (stream)March 31 every year - Trans Day of Visibility (stream)Mon-Thursday weekly - streams on https://twitch.tv/GenderMeowsterDaily - discord community: https://discord.gg/meowsterLinks:GenderMeowster links: https://linktr.ee/GenderMeowsterGender Federation links: https://linktr.ee/genderfederationBecome a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/GenderMeowster?fan_landing=true Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Eli Conley is an indie folk singer-songwriter, teaching artist, and activist based on Miwok and Nisenan land (Sacramento, California). He makes music for queer and trans folks, justice seekers, and anyone who doesn't fit easily in a box. Eli's voice is tender and heartfelt, with melodies and that can leave you teary-eyed yet hopeful. As a queer transgender man from the South, his songs tell stories that aren't always reflected in roots music.  Eli founded Queer Country West Coast, a regular series featuring LGBTQ+ blues, folk, and country artists in California. He has opened for Carsie Blanton, Heather Mae, and Grammy-winner Kimya Dawson, and been featured in the Huffington Post and the Advocate.  Eli's third album Searching for What's True is coming in July 2023. Themes of uncertainty, ache, and loss come up again and again on this record. The songs are drawn from the concrete and immediate details of daily life: a stuffed animal clutched in a child's arms, a colorful sunset after a forest fire, a confederate statue toppling to the ground.  Searching for What's True is Eli's first release since being diagnosed with a serious repetitive stress injury that forced him to stop playing music for many months. After wrist surgery and careful rehab, he came back to songwriting with a renewed sense of purpose. On the album's first single "Making Something New" he describes the work of an artist as "finding beauty in the wreckage / making meaning of the grief / when we tell our stories true we find release." His deep belief in the transformative power of creativity stems not only from his own experiences, but his many years leading singing and songwriting classes for queer and transgender people and allies. https://www.eliconley.com/ Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Tilly Bridges is one part of the trans woman / cis woman writing team (with her wife Susan) and creators of comics, screenplays, teleplays and audio dramas. On June 27th, Bridges releases BEGIN TRANSMISSION – The Trans Allegories of the Matrix, tracking one person's transition journey — from Thomas Anderson, to Neo, to Trinity. As a transgender woman, Bridges said she had always connected with the Matrix movies on a level so strongly that she didn't understand. The first time she watched the movies after coming out publicly was revelatory. “I was motivated to rewatch and take notes,” says Bridges. “My entire world turned upside down as I discovered almost frame by frame how deep and layered the allegories were within the films.” Since sharing her essays, she's been overwhelmed with messages from people her essays have helped. One person said it saved their life. Making award-winning audio drama via their production company Pendant Productions since 2004, Tilly and her wife have had six shows crack Apple Podcasts' top 60 scripted sci-fi shows of all time.” Tilly and Susan are also head writers of the 2023 Nebula Awards and are presently writing for the new Monster High animated series and the Star Trek Adventures an Fallout role-playing games. She lives in Los Angeles. CONNECT WITH TILLY ONLINE  Official Website: birdguest.com Twitter: @TillyBridges Instagram: @heckyeahtillybridges Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Redfern Jon Barrett (they/them) is author to novels including Proud Pink Sky, a speculative story set in the world's first LGBTQ+ state – which will be released by Bywater Books in March 2023. Redfern's essays, reviews, and short stories have appeared in publications including The Sun Magazine, Guernica, Strange Horizons, Passages North, PinkNews, Booth, FFO, ParSec, Orca, and Nature Futures. They are nonbinary, have a Ph.D. in Literature, and currently live in Berlin. Read more at redjon.com. ** Proud Pink Sky is a novel set in the world's first gay state – described as “gripping” and a “remarkable alternate history” by Publisher's Weekly. **VIEW THE VIDEO TRAILERVIEW PUBLISHER'S PAGE Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

In this episode of Gender Stories, Alex talks to Coltan Schoenike, (they/them) a queer, nonbinary,  trans and femme marriage and family therapist mentee, sex therapist, sex educator, doctoral student, researcher, and author.  Together they discuss gender affirming care: what it is, what it isn't, and why it is vital. Find out more about Coltan at:https://www.coltanschoenike.com/You can also follow them on Twitter and Instagram @ColtanSchoenike Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Allen

Dee Fish is a Pennsylvania-based cartoonist, illustrator, and graphic designer. As a cartoonist, she is the creator of the online comic strip, “Dandy & Company“. An all-ages humor comic strip in the vein of “Looney Tunes” and “Peanuts” surrounding the misadventures of a dog and his boy that ran from 2001 to 2018. She is also the writer and artist of the creator-owned comic book, “The Wellkeeper", A young adult fantasy/adventure in the vein of mystical adventures that appeal to children of all ages as “Harry Potter” and “The Hobbit”.  As an artist, she has worked on stories for “Tellos”, “The Perhapanauts” and “The Mice Templar” for Image comics, “Star Mage” and “White Chapel” for IDW Publishing, “Atomic Robo” for Red 5 Comics, and the co-creator, co-writer and illustrator for the series “Carpe Noctem” for Hashtag Comics.  Recently, Dee became the artist of Sabrina Pandora's long-running webcomic, “Giant Girl Adventures”, and in 2017, began her current webcomic, "Finding Dee. "Finding Dee" is the hilarious and heartwarming webcomic about the trials and tribulations of trying to make it as a cartoonist while coming out as transgender in your 40s. Dee Fish Cartoonist, Designer & Illustrator http://www.findingdeecomic.com http://www.artofdeefish.com  Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Allen

LILY ZHENG (they/them) is a no-nonsense Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion speaker, strategist, and consultant who specializes in creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces through hands-on systemic change. A dedicated change-maker and advocate named a Forbes D&I Trailblazer, 2021 DEI Influencer, and LinkedIn Top Voice on Racial Equity, Lily's work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, and NPR. Their most recent book, DEI Deconstructed, centers on accountable and effective practices to achieve DEI outcomes in organizations. https://lilyzheng.co/home/books Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Allen

Jen Winston (she/they) is a writer, creative director, and bisexual based in Brooklyn. Their work bridges the intersection of sex, politics, and technology, and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CNN, and more. Jen is passionate about unlearning and creating work that helps others do the same. Her newsletter, The Bi Monthly, is dedicated to exploring bi issues and experiences--it comes out every month, much like Jen herself. Follow Jen on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok (please, she's begging you): @Jenerous.https://bookshop.org/p/books/greedy-notes-from-a-bisexual-who-wants-too-much-jen-winston/16221521?ean=9781982179175 Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Allen

Born in Bangor, Maine, Kate Costigan spent the first six years of her life creating memories with her family in the New England states. When her mother passed away, she moved to Florida, where the makeup of her “grown-ups” changed dramatically. Kate's teachers became her heroes and inspired her to become an educator. The stories she shares are reflections of her personal experiences as well as those she has witnessed in her nineteen years as a teacher. Kate hopes to help children around the world see that differences can and should be celebrated and that kindness is a universal language. https://bookshop.org/p/books/my-grown-ups-kate-costigan/17304204?ean=9781612449920 Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Allen

Nick Walker is a queer, transgender, flamingly autistic writer and educator, best known for her foundational work on the neurodiversity paradigm and Neuroqueer Theory. She is a professor of psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, senior aikido instructor at the Aiki Arts Center in Berkeley, author of the book Neuroqueer Heresies, and co-creator of the urban fantasy webcomic Weird Luck. The Neuroqueer website: https://neuroqueer.comThe Weird Luck webcomic: https://weirdluck.netMy Twitter: https://twitter.com/WalkerSenseiMy Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nickwalkersenseihttps://neuroqueer.com/neuroqueer-heresies/ Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Allen

Chrissie Chevasutt facilitates the online community Transgender Church and is well-known as an advocate for transgender awareness in the Church. She and her wife Pam have lived, worked and witnessed in Oxford for more than thirty years.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chrissie-Chevasutt-107698101263187 Heaven Come Down: The Story of a Transgender Disciple by Chrissie Chevasutt (Darton, Longman and Todd, £12.99) is available from all good retailers https://dartonlongmantodd.co.uk/titles/2324-9781913657208-heaven-come-down Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Allen

Trans/Non-Binary artist Rascal Miles is part of a new wave and generation of artists emerging into the music scene who are well familiar with challenge and adversity but who are excelling because of it and not being defined by it. Rascal has been working towards the release of music that is personal and elevated and sets them on the path of the next stage in their music journey. That day is almost here as Rascal prepares to release new song 'Tailor Made', which deals with the experience of top surgery.Rascal Miles | Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, Facebook | LinktreeRascal Miles Support the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Allen

Trystan is the solo author of How We Do Family, a book described as “a refreshing new take on family life for the LGBTQ community and beyond.” He is also a 2021 Lambda Literary Emerging LGBTQ Voices Fellow. Trystan co-wrote a children's book with his partner, Biff. It's called The Light Of You and was published by Flamingo Rampant Press. Trystan is also an essayist; his blog can be found here.How We Do Family: From Adoption to Trans Pregnancy, What We Learned about Love and LGBTQ Parenthood a book by Trystan Reese (bookshop.org)Trystan ReeseSupport the showTwitter: GenderStoriesInstagram: GenderStoriesHosted by Alex IantaffiMusic by Maxwell von RavenLogo by Lior Allen

Alex Iantaffi interviews Precious Brady-Davis to discuss her book "I have always been me: a memoir" and the themes of family, life transitions, healing, faith, and belonging . Precious Brady-Davis is an award-winning diversity advocate, communications professional, and public speaker. She currently serves as the associate regional communications director at the Sierra Club. She served for three years as the assistant director of diversity recruitment initiatives at Columbia College Chicago, her alma mater, implementing the campus-wide diversity initiative and providing leadership and oversight of national diversity recruitment and inclusion policy initiatives. She also served as the youth outreach coordinator at Center on Halsted, the largest LGBTQ community center in the Midwest. During Precious's tenure, she launched a $1.6 million CDC HIV prevention grant, which provided outreach, education, youth programming, and testing services to over three thousand young African American and Latinx gay, bi, and trans youth. Precious is married to Myles Brady and lives in Hyde Park on the South Side of Chicago, where they are raising their daughter, Zayn. In her free time, she enjoys online shoe shopping, travel, and fine dining with friends. For more information visit www.preciousbradydavis.com.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)

This episode was recorded live on April 21st, 2021 for London's fabulous, independent bookstore Pages of Hackney. Jamie Windust, model, presenter, contributing editor at Gay Times, TedxLondon speaker, and author of In Her Shoes discusses their book and writing process with Alex Iantaffi, author of Gender Trauma. You can follow Jamie on Instagram and Twitter. You can order In Her Shoes and Gender Trauma from Pages of Hackney, your nearest independent bookstore, or wherever you get your books.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)

Alex Iantaffi interviews author, artist, screenwriter and speaker Hari Ziyad about their new book Black Boy Out of Time.  They talk about family, mental health, gender, growing up Black and queer,  abolition, ancestral grief and wisdom,  and healing.Hari Ziyad is a cultural critic, a screenwriter, and the editor-in-chief of RaceBaitr. They are a 2021 Lambda Literary Fellow, and their writing has been featured in BuzzFeed, Out, the Guardian, Paste magazine, and the academic journal Critical Ethnic Studies, among other publications. Previously they were the managing editor of the Black Youth Project and a script consultant on the television series David Makes Man. Hari spends their all-too-rare free time trying to get their friends to give the latest generation of R & B starlets a chance and attempting to entertain their always very unbothered pit bull mix, Khione. You can find out more about Hari at https://www.hariziyad.com/ and follow them on Twitter.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)

Alex Iantaffi interviews Lucie Fielding, author of the forthcoming book Trans Sex: Clinical Approaches to Trans Sexualities and Erotic Embodiments (Routledge, May 2021). They talk about sex, sexuality, gender, educating providers, the brilliance of trans people, and so much more. Please be aware that in this episode Alex and Lucie talk about sex in a transparent and explicit way. CN: mentions of genitals, dysphoria, and cisgenderism. Lucie Fielding, MA (she/they) is a white, queer, non-binary femme, and a Resident in Counseling, practicing in Charlottesville, VA. She received her Master’s in Counseling Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute (2018). Lucie also holds a PhD in French from Northwestern University (2008), where she specialized in eighteenth-century literature, histories of sexualities, and erotic literature. Her background in literature and history attunes her to the many ways that image, metaphor, and cultural scripts shape and inform the narratives we carry with us as we move through the world as well as how these narratives inscribe themselves on our bodies. You can find out more about Lucie at https://luciefielding.com and follow her on Instagram and Twitter. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)

Alex Iantaffi interviews Dr. Angela Kade Goepferd about puberty blockers, in light of the Bell V Tavistock decision in the UK. They discuss why this decision is relevant in the UK and beyond, what puberty blockers are (and what is puberty), as well as the reasons why this is such a safe and effective treatment for some trans, nonbinary, and/or gender expansive children and youth. Angela Kade Goepferd, MD (she/they), is the Chief Education Officer for Children’s Minnesota, Chief of Staff, pediatrician in the Children’s Minneapolis Primary Care clinic and medical director of Children’s Gender Health Program. Dr. Goepferd has a passion for working with underserved and at-risk kids and families, speaks Spanish and cares for a diverse community of patients in the primary care clinic. In addition to running the academic education and health professional education programs for Children’s, Dr. Goeperd is the Chief of the Professional Staff. They are a leader in the LGBTQ community who is driving equitable care for LGBTQ youth, particularly transgender and gender expansive youth and is a sought after speaker and trainer on these topics. They were a member of the LGBT Standards of Care Advisory board, which developed the first healthcare standards for LGBT people in the state of Minnesota, and have been a recipient of one of the inaugural Business of Pride awards from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal in 2018, and winner of a special recognition award from the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2019 for advocacy and education about LGBTQ youth. In 2020 they gave their first TEDx talk, titled “The revolutionary truth about kids and gender identity” as part of TEDxMinneapolis. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)

Alex Iantaffi talks about gender and sex in medieval times with Dr Eleanor Janega, a medieval historian. More specifically, Dr Janega specialises in late medieval sexuality, apocalyptic thought, propaganda, and the urban experience in general, and in central Europe more particularly. She has taught (and still teaches) medieval and early modern history at a number of universities across London, in the UK. Her work can be found in History Today, at the BBC History magazine, at sex education websites such as BISH, and on discerning erotica sites such as Frolic Me. Content warning: this conversation might change the way you think about the middle ages. Also, they talk about sex, a lot. Apparently, it's a medieval thing. You can follow Dr Janega on Twitter @GoingMedieval, support her work on Patreon, read her blog and pre-oder her book The Middle Ages: A Graphic History, illustrated by Neil Max Emmanuel.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)

Alex Iantaffi and Meg-John Barker interview one another about self-care from a trauma-informed perspective. They talk about what self-care is, why embodiment matters, and how individual and collective trauma impact our capacity to care for ourselves and others. Their new book "Hell Yeah Self-Care!: A Trauma-Informed Workbook" will be published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers in January 2021 (but you can pre-order it now). This talk was given as part of The Embodiment Conference. However, both Alex and Meg-John want to be clear that their participation is not an endorsement of the conference. In fact, they invite you to read the open letter about the conference that Tada Hozumi wrote at: https://medium.com/@tadahozumi/public-letter-to-mark-walsh-and-the-embodiment-conference-ab9319ee4b69 Alex and Meg-John hold their participation in the event with open hands and with as much transparency as possible. Thank you for listening!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)

Alex Iantaffi talks gender and parenting with Dr. Kyl Myers, a sociologist, educator, and globally recognized advocate of gender creative parenting. Kyl’s TEDx talk, Want Gender Equality? Let’s Get Creative, encourages people to rethink childhood gender socialization in an effort to break up the binary before it begins. Kyl is the creator of www.raisingzoomer.com and the @raisingzoomer Instagram account, advocating for letting kids be kids in an environment where everything is for everyone. Kyl has been featured in articles in international media, including New York, HuffPost UK, and MamaMia. Kyl lives with their family in Salt Lake City, Utah, and can be found providing bite-size gender studies lessons on their @kyl_myers Instagram account. They can also be found at kylmyers.com. Raising Them: Our Adventure in Gender Creative Parenting is their first book from TOPPLE Books.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)

In this joint episode of Gender Stories and the Meg-John & Justin podcast, Alex Iantaffi and Meg-John Barker continue the conversation with Deana Ayers about abolition. They discuss how abolition needs to be addressed at the cultural, community, and interpersonal levels as well as in the inner work each one us needs to do to make this vision a reality. Deana Ayers is 21 year old Black, nonbinary organizer. They graduated in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of North Texas. As a college student they were involved with student government, reproductive justice organizing, and a push for transformative justice and police abolition. They are currently living in Minneapolis, MN with their girlfriend, where they work as a Political Education Coordinator at an abolitionist organization. You can check out their writing and organizing work at deanajayers.com and follow them on Twitter @deanajayers. Deana's call to action is to support ZACAH's efforts in providing emergency housing to the unsheltered residents of Minneapolis: https://www.zacah.org/minneapolis-sanctuary-emergency-resSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)

This episode was originally recorded as a Facebook live in June 2020 by your host, Alex Iantaffi. Here are some of their thoughts and reflections about gender and trauma during Pride season. CN: Mentions of domestic violence, systemic violence, and racist and transmisogynistic violence when discussing the case of Cece Mc Donald.If you are inteested in engaging in ongoing conversations on gender, you can join the Gender Stories Facebook Group.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)

Melissa, Alex Iantaffi's teen daugher, takes over Gender Stories to talk about life as a girl: what it means to like certain things, to dress and behave in different ways, and to interact with unconscious bias. She discusses femininity and dealing with societal ideas of gender. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)

Alex Iantaffi discusses prison abolition with Deana Ayers, a 21 years old Black, nonbinary organizer. They graduated in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of North Texas. As a college student Deana was involved with student government, reproductive justice organizing, and a push for transformative justice and police abolition. They are currently living in Minneapolis, MN with their girlfriend, where they are interning for an economic justice organization and writing articles about prison industrial complex abolition, political education, and the social work profession. You can check out their published articles in their portfolio at deanajayers.journoportfolio.com and follow them on Twitter @deanajayers. Deana's call to action is to support a working class Latinx community in their journey to getting clean water: https://www.gofundme.com/f/green-tree-estates-water-relief?fbclid=IwAR34nStg63fv9Lg3T2z9FNIk17G_wEV6zH5vPjN2_yJSwkRnzOGN-QYOZ40If you want to find out more about prison abolition in Minneapolis, check out the following websites: MPD 150 https://www.mpd150.com/ and Black Visions Collective https://www.blackvisionsmn.org/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)

Alex Iantaffi interviews Addison Rose Vincent (they/them), a 27-year-old queer transfeminine nonbinary advocate from Los Angeles, CA. Born in Canada and raised in Michigan, Addison moved to California at the age of 17 to come out as part of the LGBTQ+ community and pursue their dreams. Since graduating from Chapman University with a major in Peace Studies in 2015, they have worked for several Los Angeles non-profit organizations providing direct services to LGBTQ+ people facing sexual or domestic violence, housing insecurity, unemployment, addiction, and risk for HIV. Addison now serves as the Executive Director of the Nonbinary & Intersex Recognition Project (NIRP), a national advocacy organization working to create third gender options (X) on state IDs and help end invasive "corrective" surgeries on intersex youth. Addison is also the Founder & Lead Consultant of Break The Binary LLC, the Founder of the Non-Binary Union of Los Angeles (NBULA), and the Co-Director of History Reimagined. NIRP: www.intersexrecognition.orgEmail info@intersexrecognition.org Break The Binary LLC: www.breakthebinaryllc.comAddison's Instagram page: @breakthebinary Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)

Content warning: mentions of transphobia in healthcare towards the end of the talk during the Q&AThis is a talk given by Alex Iantaffi at the University of Minnesota for the School of Nursing (co-sponsored by the Office of Equity and Diversity and by the Gender and Sexuality Center for Trans and Queer Life). Here's the description of the talk:Gender liberation is often viewed as beneficial for trans, nonbinary or gender expansive people. In this talk, Dr. Iantaffi posits how a rigid gender binary is part of the ongoing settler-colonial project and, as such, it is a form of historical, cultural and social trauma that impacts everyone's health, albeit in different ways. Gender liberation, in this context, is then not only desirable for everyone, but also essential to the larger framework of healing justice, within which healing can be viewed as collective, interdependent, and sustainably rooted in community.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)

In this special joint episode of Gender Stories and the Meg-John & Justin podcast, Meg-John Barker and Alex Iantaffi reflect on how a non-binary approach might influence the way we approach the COVID-19 crisis. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/genderstories)