Welcome back to the translator to Civic report.
It's May 17, 2023 and we are reporting for the news of May
15th to May 21st. You want to make sure you're
informed about the current legislation.
We believe that being informed is essential to understanding
the challenges facing our communities.
We want to make sure you have the right tools to prepare for
any kind of conversation. You may need to have with your
loved ones about what this means to you and how it Tax our
communities this week Athena for Marcus and no review Cannon, sit
with our correspondent from the Transformations project.
Elliott Ellen, I'm Caroline Penny creator and producer of
the trans there to podcast. And I wanted to take this time
prior to our conversation with alien and talk personally about
what we're doing here in the Civic report, the translator of
pod. Trans- silver component is an
important resource that aims to educate the public and promote
diversity, equity and inclusion. We believe that everyone has the
right to be informed. And that access to accurate.
And unbiased information is essential for a functioning
democracy, our report explores, the rise of fascism, and how it
compares to democracy, as well as how to dissect misinformation
and tackle the onslaught of the anti translations, which being
proposed, we are a proud partner with the Transformations
project. A trans LED nonprofit that
tracks anti-trans legislation being proposed voted on and
passed in the United States. Their work is essential to
understanding the challenges facing the trans community.
I'm promoting equity and Justice through meaningful conversation
and Community engagement. We hope to Foster dialogue that
promotes understanding and empathy and I'm really excited
to have this opportunity now with you Elliott.
Personally to to sit with you on the translator called the cast
are sweetly Civic, reported and just first.
Thank you, personally, and thank your team and I'm really excited
to have this collaboration. I think that in a time of
misinformation, And so much opinion that as people that that
are activists and Advocates. It's so important to to provide
what's happening in the world void of so much opinion and
emotion because we need, we need more of that or not getting that
know where do we look even on the mainstream, do they provide
accurate and non-biased information?
It's always angled something. And so our goal here really is
to just ensure that we're providing what's happening in
this country accurately and and an unbiased and respectfully.
I think I think respectfully is another thing that that were
lacking in in media. So I'm really excited to have
you here from the Transformations project and
before you get started with Athena and Noah, I wanted to ask
you a little bit about how you got involved with
Transformations project and what brought you here with us today,
of course. So I began with Transformations
project. Walk around a year ago, I had
extra time to join nonprofit and I heard through the grapevine
about tfp right when they're not when they're starting out but
definitely on the smaller side and I joined their social media
team. I lend my face and voice their
Tick Tock in YouTube and we have partnered with the Trans
narrative podcast, sort of break into a different media and to
Showcase some of the legislation that is being Being proposed and
passed the United States. Legislation is the bread and
butter of the Transformations project.
That is all that we do and all that we focus on because just
since it's a start of 2023, there have been more than 540
anti-trans bills being proposed and over around 35 States.
So, keeping up with that, legislative crisis, that endemic
of anti-trans Is bills being proposed and passed is essential
to keeping people educated and to keep the fight going.
You know, Elliot when we, when I started this podcast and it was
only me, and one of the things that I tried to do was I wanted
to hear the stories of people across this country, and I just,
I really wanted to hear it wrong.
Like them tick with that anything edited.
That was a really the goal. And I think that we've achieved
that and I think that we've enhanced the goal, and one of
the things that I struggled with was balancing it with news and
balancing it with information because That's something that's
meaningful to me. And I had in the very first
episode of the show, talked about the at the time, 29
states, that were passing anti-trans legislation.
And that was kind of the fuel that SEPTA show in existence
because in January of 2022, I had this idea in my head and I
didn't know what to do, but when I had when I had come to terms
with that and that understanding of how many states were doing
that, I wasn't as informed, I was going through personal
crisis, I wasn't, you know, I wasn't in the in the world at
the time and so when I found that out, it was it was a shock.
And so, to be here a year and a half later, partnering with it
organization that provides the, the updates to anti-trans
legislations. It's it's meaningful.
And I'm very grateful that you're here.
Before you jump into your conversations, are the
conversation with Athena and Noah, lastly, what have we've
done for Of these. Now of course of these Civic
reports here on this trans narrative podcast, what have
what has been your experience? So far being in this new type of
medium? Is there anything that you've
learned that be kind of enhance what you're doing with the
Transformations project? Yeah, well being on a podcast
inside of it has been new for me.
I've had some experience with doing short form video content.
So Longer-form audio content that was entirely new for me.
But I found something that I really loved doing.
And it also just sort of helped me focus on the idea that it's
really important to get the news and the information out there
and it's many different mediums possible because we can post
something on Instagram. Sure, not everyone's on
Instagram, some people are on Twitter or some people want
videos or some people want to podcast format.
And making sure that we get that information out there in
whatever format people want to see it in has, it's so crucial
to keeping the fight going and I've Loved breaking into this
new medium for me and being able to do that.
You had mentioned the legislative period where you
will mention, I guessed that, the legislative period is coming
to an end here and that is the bread and butter of your
organization. So, what will you be doing to
continue to fight during the off period?
And what will you be doing to prepare for the next legislative
season? Yeah.
So during the off period, there's still lots that people
can do, and that will be focusing on focusing, on
supporting the trans non-binary. Community via education about
their and our issues and realities learning from reliable
sources and listening to personal experiences is the best
way to learn what life is like for a trans gender non-binary,
intersex individual in the United States.
Also speaking up and taking action against the transfer,
obeah cisnormativity in or sexism and other forms of
Oppression being able to challenge those harmful
stereotypes and misinformation. And we will be supporting And
and or joining campaigns and movements that will be occurring
during the offseason. Also, we would like to be able
to provide practical support for Trans non-binary or six people
who might be struggling or in need helping them access
resources or services and also celebrating achievements.
And Joy's within the community are essential and that's
something that we will like to be focusing on during this
offseason. That's wonderful.
So before so this week we have a report the transit of Civic
report, can you provide us a little context of what that is
this week that you'll be discussing with Noah and Athena?
Yeah, the trans narrative Civic report this week will be
focusing a lot on intersectionality within the
oppression that we are facing. And within the community
accessibility to Health Care coverage and information, and
also the mental health and advocacy and support.
Well, with that being said, I think I'm going to hop off and
let it sit there like you did so much better than me.
Thank you. Oh my God, Kylie, I'm sorry.
It's not a competition Athena. I know it's not but it's a
collaboration and you did a great job.
So I'm saying thank you. Hi, this is Athena provoke us
with the Trans narrative specific Port joined today by a
correspondence, Noah Buchanan and Elliot owns me and Elliot,
you're here to bring us today. Some news about the legislation
that's been coming through. Thank you very much for joining
us today. I focus for this week's report
is to focus on legislation with emphasis on trans non-binary and
the intersex community and trans youth focusing on
intersectionality. Accessibility and research
backing up gender, affirming care and mental health in these
communities. How are y'all doing today?
I'm doing wonderful. How about yourself?
Excellent doing excellent. I'm self.
And knowing you feeling, well I'm I'm getting there.
Aren't we all now the legislative weather might not be
as good this week so what news do we have to share today?
I have a couple bills, Oklahoma SV 129 causes gender, affirming
Healthcare, providing to be a felony and Florida H 1521, which
is your run-of-the-mill bathroom bill.
Which as we all know, both these bills are just a violation of
Human Rights and civil liberties and also have an increased risk
of violence and suicide. So those are some standout ones
right off the bat that I've noticed.
But But while we are currently in this legislative swing,
there's been a huge flood of just legislative movements that
have been detrimental to the transgender intersex and
non-binary communities. Absolutely.
It's been difficult to kind of keep track of all of that.
And Noah you've been putting together some projects to help
people keep these these different threads intact.
Can you tell us a little bit about how we can kind of help
keep our finger on the pulse there?
Really at the end of the day is, like, people really need to pay
attention to what's going on and ways to, we can Empower each
other and to lift each other up right now.
And that's essentially what I would like to do this, country
is so filled with hate and darkness.
There's like week zero light of empathy, and compassion need to
have that more than ever now. So the resources that I am
building, I am building interactive maps to try to get
people to look at things visually that.
Hey like this is What is really going on?
This is what is there, so people can actually see it.
I'm one of those type of people that I learn visually.
I not one of those people that just likes to re if I do it.
It's like, It just brings grad school Bob's for me I mean I'm
almost done with my grad school program and I kind of want to
avoid like going down that route and making people feel that way.
It's like I want to give people that energy to motivate them to
actually do something because if you kind of look at overall like
in the news already, hearing is depression like its depressive
and like it's impacting our mental health pretty
significantly. I mean it's impact are impacting
our use. What was it like this?
Since survey from the Trevor Project, like two-thirds of
children are getting negatively impact with all this bad stuff.
That's be able to provide ways to be like, you know what?
Yes, there's all this bad stuff that's going on, but we need to
keep that motivation to fight and to empower people.
So that we, that way, we can get the things that we need, instead
of, you know, just leaving, people upset and hopeless and
not doing anything we need to lift each other.
Other up and that's essentially what I would like to do with
these Maps. But also in a sense, remind our
siblings and the lgbtqia+ that we need to be united.
We can't be divided enough with the petty crap.
We need to unite right now because this is getting real and
light, like make it was suggested earlier.
Like, there's just a wave of things going down legislatively
and right now, we can't afford to sit there and mess around.
We have to take action. Mhm.
Absolutely. And action is being taken in
lots of different places and really just making sure that you
can understand where you're at in the country and make sure
that you know, your support networks because local support
network still exists, no matter where you are in the United
States. It's great to reach out and find
community and to help understand these bills.
So, if we can talk a little bit about, like, kind of the
concrete ways to survive, say like in a state, where there's a
bathroom bill, Ban like where Florida is trying to pass it
right now. What kind of impact would you
see on the ground floor, Elliot view, seen any, any discussion
about how that might affect you know the day-to-day life of
transgender people in Florida. Yeah, there's sort of two big
things about its physical safety and mental safety, so with
physical safety, it's not like people are going to be arrested
in a huge way for using bathroom or Jennifer My Healthcare.
It creates this sense of empowerment for people who
oppose transgender intersex, non-binary individuals, they can
quote, take matters into their own hands or do vigilante
justice justice. Once again, being an air quotes,
heavy air quotes and also creating an unsafe environment
for Trans individuals, especially youth, it undermines
the rights and dignity, it deserves Denies access to a
central and affirming services and support it.
Increases risk of mental health problems, like depression,
anxiety, suicidal ideation even PTSD, which have higher rates in
trans, non-binary and intersex individuals.
Yeah. And to be cleared, the medical
foundations of the World Health, organization's are all showing
that there are positive benefits to gender affirming, care and
denying the ability for patients.
Since to make their own choices, as individuals is happening in
multiple States. And we see those passing in
Missouri. They have a bill heading to the
governor's desk, to prevent gender affirming care for people
under the age of 18 as well. But all of these things are
impacting people and different levels and only the trans
bathroom level is right. You're not going to see a whole
lot of people that are going to be going to jail over this or
protesting and in ways like this over the street, but the mental
health of people People in Florida, who are transgender
intersex or non-binary is going to be a lot depended on their
neighbors, valuations of them? And we know in rural areas that
that isn't necessarily as robust of community.
So what do we talk about the key takeaways?
I would definitely say, finding support networks, making sure
that you're aware of what impacts you have in local laws.
And, I know you do have that map here to provide for us as well
and will provide that link in the show notes and everything.
Now there's also just kind of intersectionality to discuss
because like I said rural environments aren't necessarily
the same as more urban environments and people of color
in Black indigenous, people of color and people who are, you
know, not necessarily as passing in there.
Presentation, could experience more difficulties.
So let's talk about maybe some some ways that we could find
support. Is there any other way that we
can find ways to reach out and find Community for each other
today? Then these days?
Well, I will tell you right now, I'm actually in the processes of
developing kind of like a peer support group because I'm in the
last stages of my master's program.
So just in case, if you can, some of you don't No, I am
actually going to school to become a licensed, professional
clinical counselor. I'm going to be graduating in
November. But so, during the internship, I
actually have to accrue group hours and so I actually may have
found a loophole to where the like with mental health
provider, we have to practice, in our state, we have to see
clients in her State. However, if you're developing
like a general, like, peer support group, I can virtually
see anyone in any. So, that is something that I am
trying to put together. I would like to develop a
support group for lgbtqia+ folks, plus building a support
group for lgbtqia+ use plus, an additional support group for
parents for Trans use or lgbtqia+ youth.
Because, you know, really going looking through like the Trevor
Project. I'm not sure if any of you have
read the recent one but they came out with a survey in 2023
and they only said 35% of the youth are only feeling supported
at home. Most of that affirmative support
that newts are receiving as online.
It's about 70%, 52 percent are only experiencing support and
school I would say start their education is important and
that's how we're going to empower people.
Because I've always said this, what creates a stigma really one
mess-up, it only takes one floor.
One mess-up to create a stigma and how to create how to stop a
stigma is by educating and empowering people, we can show
stat side. That's the thing to people,
don't really like to show the science either.
I would like to make pamphlets to bring awareness to be like,
hey, like did you know actually 35 percent of kids or feeling
safe at home? What your check this out?
This is a way that you can actually support your Youth and
Empower you use. This is not can actually support
adults as well because there are many of us that don't have that
passing privilege to where they could use the bathroom or go
into a public State space. So I feel like now I think the
solution is going to have to be, we gotta bring Community
together, we gotta support each other.
There needs to be more people advocating for support groups
and that Something that I am trying to develop with my
network by building chapters, we're trying to build support
groups within our chapters in each state.
I know Michigan right now, we're developing a support group for
trans women up there, so I just things like that.
We would like to build a youth mentorship program, because
youth need mentors, they need that, because if they're not
getting that support at home, let's have somebody else.
Kind of help step in and like, hey, I'm a safe neutral person
to talk to Something like that. That would, that would be my
solution. Honestly, it's that we just need
to get together and, you know, just encourage people to learn
because apparently people don't want us to learn in this
country, it's bubble. Yeah, it is kind of unfortunate
but education is going to be our silver bullet for a lot of this
and in Missouri even where they passed a bill, you know,
opposing gender, affirming care. It specifically states that
cannot restrict the free speech of people.
Didn't care. So we still have the ability to
show respect to the people that we love and we still have the
ability to address people as they, you know, wish to be
addressed. So like another way is that
they're trying to restrict access to care at different
levels in Florida? For example, there is a bill to
prevent nurse practitioners, providing gender affirming here,
which is I think I heard about 83 percent of the care.
Provided LED have any more information about that bill How
that's been progressing, I don't have information on that
specific bill but lots of very similar bills have been coming
out. There's a lot of, I guess easy
as a good way to put it. There's been a lot of easy ways
for these legislators to block, gender forming Health Care.
They don't need to just do an outright ban, Banning insurance
coverage specially for Medicare and Medicaid, that is an easy
way for them to block it. So I there is a shortage of
trained and experienced providers, lack of cultural
competence, sensitivity and refusal to care due to bias or
beliefs, not having any protections about that severely
limits. How gender affirming Healthcare
can be distributed. Also the laws that restrict
access to gender forming health care for minors or allow
discrimination based on gender identity or even making changing
your name difficult or gender marker change difficult.
That also creates this stigma and discrimination which leads
to harassment violence internalized, transphobia and
just self-doubt with the individual.
Being able to advocate for more inclusive and comprehensive
insurance coverage and policies for gender Foreman Care at the
state. And federal levels is a
fantastic way to help ensure that gender affirming.
Health. Care can stay accessible also,
If there's a way to legislate increasing the availability and
accessibility of providers who are trained and competent and
providing such health care, whether they have specific,
education, training mentor, hit ship.
And or if they even provide it through Telehealth programs
mandating that training and competence is another way that
we can sort of help make sure gender from Healthcare stays
accessible and available. Also Apologies.
No, go ahead. Yeah, simplifying.
And standardizing the process for receiving gender from a
healthcare and even changing your name or gender markers on
official documents across the states.
That is such a huge barrier that a lot of people have it the
process to get hormones or puberty blockers or even change
your name, it varies wildly depending on what state you're
at and places such as Mara. Island.
You can make your gender marker X at the DMV.
No questions asked other places. There are legal, loopholes you
have to require. They require having surgeries or
living in the identity for x amount of years.
Psychiatrist note, it complicates it and makes it
difficult, especially if you are moving across states, it is
whole different games depending on where you're at.
And I absolutely end with some of the bills that are being
passed, just to increase the demand, that's on Mental Health
Care Providers. It does mean that there will be
a need for higher awareness and training in those positions to
you know. And that's a little bit of a
positive spin for people will have to be a little bit more
aware to take care of the people who are required to seek this
kind of support. I know I've heard some people
saying that if you can found a support group doing In that
hour, long training for some of those bills that would require
it in that support group is a helpful way to make sure that
you don't feel singled out. Or if you don't feel like,
you've got a single person, who's going to be providing
affirming care for you in the way that you want?
But yeah, seeking out those those other groups and making
sure that the groups that you do have and maintain are accessible
to as many people as possible. Drew, you know, Telehealth and
through making it, you know, visually accessible as well as
audibly accessible. Whatever ways that you can.
So it is mental health awareness month and do we have any other
ways that we could help our listeners who might be
struggling with the feelings that things are coming very
rapidly against them or feelings that they might be excluded or
feel left out from their communities?
Yeah, like we mentioned before. Oh, go ahead.
Oh no, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, you know, you're
good. I think we had a slight lag,
like we mentioned before, providing the training and
education for mental health. Providers on the specific needs
and experiences of trans non-binary, intersex,
individuals, and also best practice standards of care.
That is a huge thing, but on a smaller more personal level
being able to create safe and supportive.
Places for these individuals, whether it's lgbtqia+ friendly
clinics, or online platforms just having a safe space,
whether it is a classroom that you teach in or a house where
your kids can have their friends come over, it's integral for
mental health. Support in home amongst your
peers, amongst your community can help with Problems.
Such as the anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation in ways
that you wouldn't even believe, especially in states, where the
legislation is not on their side.
Absolutely and know that you have some something else to add
to that as well. Well, this speaking has a mental
health provider. I mean there's a lot wrong with
mental health, in general. Like, I mean, if you put like,
kind of our issues to decide, I mean we have people already that
don't even want to go to therapy at all, because there's an
existing stem stigma within our field and it's constantly
getting reinforced. So, honestly, I agree.
Mental health is a central, it's needed.
But I mean, mental health and itself, we need to do better but
then our work and I know you mentioned competency That is the
big key thing right there because in our ethical codes, it
requires us to be confident if we're not confident on
something. We're supposed to take a step
back. If we don't do that, then I
guess we're not going to be able to practice therapy because like
that is a big key component when it comes to doing any type of
therapy. And my thing with competency, I
can't speak for every University but I can at least speak on
behalf of mine. Is that they don't offer
lgbtqia+ training for their best.
They bring it up maybe a couple times and Multicultural
counseling human sexuality. We talked about lgbtqia+ issues
for week, no books. We just had to read articles
like it really wasn't effective at all.
So like, I mean, it really, honestly, if it was for me, when
it comes to mental health, I need we need to advocate for
education to be in these programs in these counseling
programs. I mean, For me, I wouldn't even
consider just it. I would take it a step further
with just having it as a specialization, but like it to
have that stuff there and her education as mental health
providers. I think it would definitely
reduce the amount of people like the hesitancy of wanting to come
to counseling because we didn't have that knowledge.
But if you want to go there on the stages of Competency, one
thing that I have learned as a therapist, is the simply if you
really don't know, No, just simply say you don't know, like
I have a client that I'm working with that.
There's some things I really have zero clue about what the
hell it is. So I essentially just ask the
clients like, tell me more about that.
What is happening to you? So simply even just like, asking
those questions. Both of us can learn as a
therapist as a client, we need to be reinforcing in the field
of mental health, and advocating that we need to show
compassionate and care to these clients.
Because I know most of you probably have seen what's going
on in the build, it affects Mental Health, Providers to like
in some of these bills, it actually gives us permission to
deny trans people. If it goes against our religious
and moral beliefs, it gives us that for permission.
There's people trying to promote conversion therapy, practice it.
We need to be advocating more that conversion therapy needs to
be banned. So like that is something that
we need to do and mental health we need to Step up as healthcare
providers. Tell people that the stuff is
unethical. And finally, Dan like, at least
conversion therapy, because that's, that's the problem right
now? And that sounds kind of point
and no worries. That's one good pinpoint.
You can put on your map for Kansas City.
They did say that the county will be banning conversion
therapy as part of their their policy.
So there are some other ways great that are great ways to be
Advocates and whatever position you are.
I mean, all I do is customize, For service, but every time I
talk to somebody, I respect who they are, and who they say they
are and with pronouns that they use coming to people without
biases or preconceived notions. That does a lot to, you know, a
grant people at least the freedom to be beyond your own
Prejudice. That might be built in.
Are there any other programs or initiatives?
You'd like to discuss from the Transformations project then
guarding the mental health then Yeah, we don't have any specific
programs in terms of mental health, although we are
incredibly incredibly aware of the detriment that the
anti-trans legislation can have every podcast episode.
We offer Mental Health Resource at the end because it is So
important to focus on the voices and the struggles of trans
non-binary intersect individuals, because we need to
empower people like us. So that our struggles can be
hurt. Absolutely, that's why I want to
put this project together so that our voices are kind of
heard as one not just as a, you know, a one-off so to speak or a
token is It's kind of representation but I'll be kind
of together on the same Pages. We can sort of bypass a lot of
you know assumptions that people will have to work through really
hard on a day-to-day level. And so just having a voice for
everybody, can feel comfortable together is often a safe
project. It's a wait, it's a project to
help people feel safe and expressing themselves and where
they might not otherwise or to develop the language and skills
that they might need to use to have those You today
conversations. So we want to make sure that we
include, you know, trans non-binary and intersex
individuals in our thoughts, you know, before anything else
before we say, write up a paper or maybe generalize anything
about who were talking to, I like the word folks myself.
So you folks have been excellent at sharing the resources with us
today. Some of the legislation, we have
another major Ager bills that we need to cover on this Elliot.
I know other major bills to speak of however, that does not
mean that bills are not being passed.
The Transformations project, we keep traffic of the into trans
legislation in the United States at local state and federal
levels. So, I would highly recommend
viewers and listeners to go to Transformations, project.org
check on their state, check on the state of their friends and
educate themselves about the realities of trans gender
non-binary. Or sex issues.
That was thanks so much for sitting down with us this week,
Elliot, with Noah and Cena. It was a pleasure.
And before we hop off, I want to thank the listeners for joining
in this week. To the translator of podcast,
you can find this very get your podcast.
And if you'd like to join us in any capacity, you can find us on
Facebook Twitter or what is it tick, tock, and you can email us
at Rams are the podcast at gmail.com.
That being said, Elliot could you give us a little context to
what we can look forward to in our next Civic report?
Of course, and now that the legislative cycle has been dying
down, we will be focusing on the Fallout of what has been
happening and how we can prepare for the next legislative cycle
the spike and anti-trans legislation has opened a lot of
legislators eyes to what bills do pass, what bills work and
what bills don't. So this next cycle I predict
will be more Insidious as They will be able to take what works
and roll with it and cut out what doesn't work.
So we'll be focusing on that what we can do to keep educating
and advocating during this time and how to prepare for the next
legislative cycle. Stephen.
What if you liked this episode of nutrients?
Their podcast, be sure to subscribe.
Like, and follow more importantly, they are with your
friends. Today's episode was recorded on
May 13th 2023. Be is in today's show was hosted
by a terrifying, pity, and Athena from Marcus, today's
guest co-host was Noah Buchanan. This correspondent was Elliot
Island. A from the Transformations
project, the translation of podcast was created, by Caroline
Penny, the is episode, was edited directed And produced, by
Caroline Penny, the translator to podcasts, co-developed by
Arielle, a key, Steven for Marcus and Lucia, basado
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Be sure to go to Anchored on FM / trans narrative.
If you'd like to reach out to learn more of your guests or are
looking to get involved with the joke, email us at trans
narrative podcast at gmail.com, that's trans narrative podcast
at gmail.com