1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,960 I don't feel like you're a pot stir. 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:08,480 I feel like they pushed you until you had to say, here's my 3 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:12,520 stake in the ground. ESPN and I was there for 16 1/2 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:16,920 years and that was my childhood dream and I'm sad that I had to 5 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:20,600 make the decision to stand up for myself at my place of work. 6 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:24,200 There was tolerance and acceptance if you had certain 7 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,040 viewpoints, but not if you had other viewpoints. 8 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:28,880 They punished me and suspended me and took me off the air and 9 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:31,880 took assignments away when I'm being punished just for being 10 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:34,240 true to myself while complying with your rules. 11 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,560 That was the line. Sage is giving every single 12 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,240 woman permission to be courageous. 13 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:47,560 Hi, I'm Lisa Bevere and I am joined by my daughter-in-law, 14 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,360 Christian Bevere and today we have a special guest. 15 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:55,320 Christian. We are welcoming Sage Steele and 16 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:58,000 I can't even tell you how excited I'm about this interview 17 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,160 and sharing it with y'all. I absolutely loved having her on 18 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:04,200 and I can tell you did as well because she brought such 19 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:10,080 conviction, but light as well. Yeah, and I think Sage is giving 20 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:14,840 every single woman permission to be courageous and and I love how 21 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:18,880 she is going to unpack this for you, but I want to highlight 22 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:24,120 something for you to listen to. Sometimes you find out that you 23 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,960 have stepped into that battlefield, that realm where 24 00:01:27,960 --> 00:01:31,760 you have to learn that courage means I do not cave anymore 25 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:36,200 unexpectedly. And when that happens, I hope 26 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:40,720 you feel you hear Sages word, you hear this conversation, you 27 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,720 know the word of God and one of the scriptures. 28 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:46,400 I kept thinking while we were listening to her. 29 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:51,520 I feel like Sage in many ways is an Esther that she came into a 30 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:56,080 position of influence for such a time as this. 31 00:01:56,400 --> 00:02:01,520 And each and every one of us have influence and we were made 32 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:06,760 for such a time as this. And if we choose to remain 33 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:09,600 silent, God will still have his way. 34 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:14,120 Relief deliverance is going to come from another source, but 35 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:18,320 you will not create a pathway for you and your family. 36 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:23,240 So let's dive in, Sage. Welcome to the Fight for Female 37 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:26,520 podcast. Did you ever think that your 38 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:30,400 name Steele was going to be in your future? 39 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:35,040 That you are going to have to be a woman of conviction and 40 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:37,320 strength. Oh my gosh, that's a great 41 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:39,840 question. The answer is an emphatic no 42 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:46,680 because I never knew. Oh gosh, I just had this crazy 43 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:50,560 dream to talk about sports and tell people's stories and bring 44 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:52,920 smiles because I think sports brings us together. 45 00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:57,080 I really do. And like your, your race, your 46 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,720 politics, your religion, your socioeconomic status, nothing 47 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:02,520 matters with sports on a football Sunday. 48 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:04,600 And so I just wanted to do that. And I never thought it would 49 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,400 turn into, first of all, an incredible career and achieving 50 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:12,280 that childhood dream. So grateful I the world has 51 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:14,800 changed and now here we are. And now everybody thinks I've 52 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:17,160 just got this big mouth and I'm a pot stirrer. 53 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:20,280 I'm like, no, I'm not, but here we are. 54 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:24,680 I now see now I don't feel like you're a pot stir. 55 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:30,160 I feel like they pushed you until you had to say here's my 56 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,400 stake in the ground. And I don't feel like you came 57 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:38,920 after a issue, but that you found that you could not step 58 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,040 back from where you needed to stand. 59 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:43,840 And, and I want to thank you for that. 60 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,160 I think you came across my radar. 61 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:51,760 I listened to you speak with Megyn Kelly and you were so well 62 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,920 spoken. And, and I, I started to just 63 00:03:54,920 --> 00:04:00,040 dive deep because I have a heart to see women find their voice. 64 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,600 And what I've learned and, and I want you to tell your story is 65 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:07,440 what I've learned is people follow courage. 66 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:12,360 And what we've all had happened during the pandemic was there 67 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:17,360 was an epidemic of cowardice and people lost their voice. 68 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:21,320 They, they, they shut down, they cancelled themselves. 69 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:25,840 And all the sudden, when somebody finds their voice, it 70 00:04:25,840 --> 00:04:28,280 gives other people permission to do the same. 71 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:33,840 So I want you to kind of tell a little bit of your story to our 72 00:04:33,840 --> 00:04:37,600 audience of women who believe that female is worth fighting 73 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,640 for. Well, first of all, when you 74 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:43,360 discovered me and I discovered you, I was like, Oh my goodness, 75 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,640 this woman and what you are doing in the following that you 76 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:49,480 traded through having healthy, productive, important 77 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:50,920 conversation. So thank you. 78 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:52,760 Don't get me choked up. And the fact that you're there 79 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:56,040 with your daughter, like what you are doing is just beautiful. 80 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:00,280 I hope that my daughter likes me this much someday. 81 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,560 I have two daughters and my son's the easy one in the 82 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:04,760 middle. And I'm like, I hope these girls 83 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,120 come around and I can do something like you're doing. 84 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:09,320 OK, but this is even more amazing. 85 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:13,880 This is not my my daughter. This is my daughter-in-law. 86 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,400 In law. I have four sons. 87 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,240 No, that's. OK, you're not the first person 88 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,520 to Yeah. She may look more like me than 89 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:24,600 my son does. It is kind of funny. 90 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,600 Absolutely. It's absolutely incredible. 91 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,720 But how much you look alike And actually that's even more 92 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:35,280 special because quite often daughters in law with that 93 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:38,040 mother like that doesn't always work. 94 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,640 So you need to give yourself some credit because I know, 95 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:45,480 listen, the young woman that my daughter marries, that my son 96 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:49,560 marries someday, like she better be amazing or I will cut her. 97 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:53,240 I will take her out. I have a son, so I feel that. 98 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,880 I don't know how she let four of us in, but she is amazing. 99 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:00,160 Oh my gosh. Well, anyway, I just love what 100 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:01,800 you're doing and it's so necessary. 101 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:05,720 And I the word courage I've been uncomfortable with for a long 102 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:09,840 time because it's just never how I would have thought to describe 103 00:06:09,840 --> 00:06:11,400 myself. And I still feel uncomfortable 104 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,960 with it. But I do know that sometimes I 105 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:17,320 have made courageous decisions, but even in the moment I didn't 106 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:20,400 realize it. It's more looking back and I'm 107 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:22,480 like, oh, wow, that took a little bit of extra. 108 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:30,080 I will say this, listen, I am sad that I had to make the 109 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:33,520 decision to stand up for myself at my place of work. 110 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,120 And for people who don't know, yeah, I know you, you've already 111 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:40,000 described a little bit of the intro, but ESPN and I was there 112 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:43,120 for 16 1/2 years and that was my childhood dream. 113 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:46,640 And I had had eleven years in different TV markets prior to 114 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:50,760 ESPN, so a 28 year career in broadcasting and you know, the 115 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:52,960 world just kind of went crazy and I felt it coming years 116 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:56,400 prior. And then I just have more of a 117 00:06:56,560 --> 00:06:59,520 conservative viewpoint on many things, but I always kept that 118 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:02,960 to myself because it does not have anything to do with my job. 119 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:05,640 And I think it's important to separate, especially as a 120 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:07,800 journalist. So I did that for years and 121 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:10,640 years and years. And then on private platforms, I 122 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:14,400 would say some things that I felt and it wasn't as big of a 123 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:16,120 deal. But then, you know, COVID 124 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:20,960 changed things, George Floyd, that incident changed a lot of 125 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:24,800 things, people's sensitivities. And what I found, what I 126 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:28,600 experienced, which with what changed my life, was, you know, 127 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:32,200 there was tolerance and acceptance if you had certain 128 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:34,080 viewpoints, but not if you had other viewpoints. 129 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,440 If you're enjoying this podcast, I want to challenge you about 130 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:40,960 partnering with us. We are so excited about a 131 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:43,760 partnership program. We're going to be bringing you 132 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:46,400 exclusive content. So you want to get in on the 133 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,880 ground floor? Go ahead and click the link 134 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:52,880 below. And that's where I had to make a 135 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:58,120 decision and basically I went on a, a podcast like this one on 136 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:02,440 the day off non ESPN related. And I, and his name is Jay 137 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:04,000 Cutler. You guys know, he lives out 138 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:07,800 there in Tennessee, former NFL quarterback and he had me on. 139 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:09,880 It was a new podcast. He wanted to have a woman on 140 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:14,040 and, you know, sports industry and I, he just did a great job 141 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,080 asking a lot of personal questions that I was happy to 142 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:20,640 answer about, you know, being a biracial girl growing up and 143 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:25,160 obviously still as a woman and how I choose to celebrate my 144 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:28,400 entire family, my white mom and my black dad, not just my black 145 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:30,840 side, which apparently is controversial to some. 146 00:08:32,039 --> 00:08:36,600 And then also the COVID mandate. I had actually just come from 147 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:40,960 getting vaccinated and it was force vaccination in order to 148 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:44,800 keep my job and I was devastated about having to do that. 149 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:48,280 This is in the September of 2021, a very different time. 150 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:50,320 And in order to keep my job, I had to do it. 151 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:52,880 And I was emotional and I was upset but I went on and he asked 152 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,080 me about it cuz I happen to still have a Band-Aid on my 153 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:58,000 shoulder. I literally just come from the 154 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,960 pharmacy and have been sobbing. But I had to do that, you know, 155 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:06,800 And I just said, listen, I think it's sick and scary for anyone 156 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:08,600 to force anybody to do something to their body. 157 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,040 I said, but I work for a global company, Disney, and they 158 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:14,000 mandate it to keep my job. And I love my job. 159 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:15,560 I love my job, and I need my job. 160 00:09:15,560 --> 00:09:19,280 So here we are and those words change my life. 161 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,040 Even though I complied with the rule, the mandate. 162 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:27,560 So that's the gist of it. And it and so like it, they 163 00:09:27,560 --> 00:09:30,040 punished me and suspended me and took me off the air and took 164 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:34,040 assignments away. And that that was the line where 165 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,200 when I'm being punished just for being true to myself while 166 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:42,560 complying with your rules. Then I I realized my entire 167 00:09:42,560 --> 00:09:45,400 career, I've worked all these years in sacrifice so much and 168 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,320 they'd given me so much too. And then just cuz I don't like 169 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:52,680 if I, I had said all you anti vaxxers, you know, go to hell 170 00:09:52,680 --> 00:09:55,880 and you're what I would have been celebrated, you know, And 171 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,800 so I just I didn't appreciate the hypocrisy and I stood up for 172 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:02,560 it for myself and I filed a unfortunately filed a a lawsuit 173 00:10:02,680 --> 00:10:04,960 free speech because there are laws in the state of Connecticut 174 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:10,160 you can speak openly about your employer if you're following 175 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:12,440 rules. And I was and so to be punished, 176 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:14,840 I'm actually, you know, broke a law. 177 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:21,000 So we settled with Disney August of 23 again, still devastated to 178 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,680 have had to make the decision, but I'll shut up after this. 179 00:10:24,680 --> 00:10:30,120 What I'm so grateful for is like, this is so much bigger 180 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,160 than me. I, I stood up because at that 181 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:34,920 moment, yes, I had to, but I'd already been punished. 182 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:39,520 I, I felt the vibe, I think in hindsight, like once you choose 183 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:42,240 to stand up, you're probably not going to be around for long, you 184 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:45,760 know? So that was a difficult thing to 185 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:47,640 accept. But I knew there'd been so many 186 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:51,800 people, thousands of people writing me D Ming me coming up 187 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,720 to me at airports or restaurants whispering thank you. 188 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:58,680 I feel scared to speak to. I feel silenced as well. 189 00:10:58,680 --> 00:11:01,880 And it would make me cry because I thought I was alone. 190 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:04,360 And the whole time, I was not alone. 191 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:08,120 The whole time there were people who felt the same way, who just 192 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:10,680 didn't want to be forced to do something. 193 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:13,320 An experimental vaccine, as we now know. 194 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:15,400 And so I realized this is bigger than me. 195 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:20,280 And if I don't speak up, shame on me to have this platform and 196 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:23,240 live in fear because of what could, because of being 197 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:26,480 cancelled and losing money. And trust me, I have. 198 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:30,480 All those things have happened, but I'm so grateful now to have 199 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:34,200 been able to do it and that God gave me the strength to pull 200 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:37,320 that trigger and stand up, even though it's been really costly. 201 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:39,200 Well. Again, I just want to say thank 202 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:45,320 you and, and I love that you're actually outlining that there 203 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,640 was a cost there. There is a cost. 204 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,880 The cost might have been cancelled from people that were 205 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:57,920 afraid to align with you or financial cost, but there would 206 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:01,040 have been a greater cost. You would have felt divided in 207 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:03,160 your soul. You would have felt like you 208 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:07,560 were untrue to the truth. And, and this, I think has 209 00:12:07,560 --> 00:12:13,240 become the big challenge for me. I know when I, you know, I'm, 210 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:17,560 I'm not a sportscaster. I am seen as a Christian author 211 00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:22,120 or a minister. And I watched so many people 212 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:27,880 afraid, afraid to just say things that they knew were 213 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:32,320 truth. And, and I, I just feel like 214 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:37,480 every time somebody like you finds their voice, it gives 215 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:42,520 permission for women all over the world and men and men. 216 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:46,480 And if we do not find our voice, what are we leaving for our 217 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:48,000 daughters? Sage. 218 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:53,080 One of my favorite quotes of all times is a quote which I'm sure 219 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:56,120 everybody is tired of me hearing it, me of me saying it. 220 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:58,200 But it's a quote by Matthew Arnold. 221 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:01,840 And he said if ever there comes a time when the women of the 222 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:05,960 world come together purely and simply for the benefit of 223 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:09,320 mankind, they will be a force such as the world has never 224 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:12,920 known. And I believe his words in the 225 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:20,840 1800s was were a call to arms not for violence, but a call to 226 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:25,000 arms for women all over the world to remember that we come 227 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,080 together for the good of all. And we don't just come together 228 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:31,520 for the good of women or the good of white women or the good 229 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,240 of black women, but the good of all. 230 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:37,160 And you are the merging of a story. 231 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:41,560 You are the merging just even with your biology, the merging 232 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:45,560 of the beauty and the strength that is found when someone finds 233 00:13:45,560 --> 00:13:48,160 their voice for all. And and I just want to thank you 234 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:49,840 for that. And Christians got the 235 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:51,560 Christians. Oh, absolutely. 236 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:55,920 And Christians got some amazing questions that some of them that 237 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:58,720 you've already answered. But I just want Christian is 238 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:05,280 beautiful and brave and she has a beautiful little boy and she's 239 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:11,560 caring a little girl right now. I know, so excited. 240 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,400 She'd never come into the boy world, and so boy was a brand 241 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:17,360 new world. But she comes from a long line 242 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:21,960 of beautiful, strong women. But when Christian did her 243 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:26,320 gender reveal off our front porch, Christian did this. 244 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:28,320 Amazing. Tell her your story and tell her 245 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:31,440 the reaction you got. Can you tell her that? 246 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:35,480 Yeah, I had a feeling it was a boy. 247 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:38,400 So I told my husband I was like, we're going to do a bow and 248 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,560 arrow reveal because when my son watches this, someone would be 249 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:45,000 like, that's my cool mom out there with a bow and arrow. 250 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:47,960 And the balloon exploded and it was blue. 251 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:51,600 And we posted it and people were like, this is a genital reveal, 252 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:55,760 not a gender reveal. And what, it's kind of like what 253 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:57,760 you were saying. It's one of those common sense 254 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:02,080 things. But for some reason I was like, 255 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:05,000 is it? This is a gender reveal, right? 256 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:07,200 This is DNA. This is not. 257 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:10,360 We didn't see a penis. We just saw blue smoke. 258 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:15,280 Yeah, it was crazy. And that was what year was that, 259 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:19,480 2022? 2021 or two. 260 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:22,920 It was right around the. Fall of Spring So and, and right 261 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:30,960 then I watched people jump on this whole idea that you were 262 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:36,160 not allowed to speak truth, that you needed to have nuance, that 263 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:38,280 you needed to echo the narrative. 264 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:41,520 You know, whatever they wanted you to say was all that you 265 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:45,280 could say. And then in the sports world, I 266 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:50,400 remember seeing this magnificently produced video by 267 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,840 a watch company where they talked about, hey, this is our 268 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:56,640 response. We, you know, and it did this 269 00:15:56,640 --> 00:16:01,640 beautiful story of this father coaching his daughter to run and 270 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:04,240 run well. And and he said, you know, 271 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:07,120 there's ain't no woman alive who can beat you. 272 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:10,520 And then all the sudden she is on the starting line and there 273 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:14,600 is a young man. And I just reposted that sage. 274 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:21,080 And I watch people tell me this is transphobic, this is hate. 275 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:24,720 You are a minister. You can't say these kind of 276 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:27,200 things. And I'm like, wait a minute. 277 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:30,560 I will fight to protect our daughters. 278 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:36,720 I will fight to protect the divine identity of women, and I 279 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:39,560 will fight to protect the sanctity of life. 280 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:44,080 And there's just like this, a certain line that I'm like, I'm 281 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:48,840 not going to cross it. And you know, again, I, I saw 282 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:53,440 that and then I saw you speak up about sports as well. 283 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:57,280 And, and I know that you've gotten pushed back, no doubt not 284 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:00,200 not because I've heard it or seen it, but I've just 285 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:05,760 experienced it myself. Yes, well, first of all, it's 286 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:09,680 it's pathetic that people reacted to either one of your 287 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:13,839 stories in that way. And by the way, who are today to 288 00:17:13,839 --> 00:17:16,319 tell you how to handle a reveal or what you should take from it 289 00:17:16,319 --> 00:17:18,319 or what you're doing? Like stay in your lane. 290 00:17:18,319 --> 00:17:20,400 Like these people must be so bored. 291 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:26,079 I just don't understand. I just want secondly, like that 292 00:17:26,079 --> 00:17:30,680 commercial is, is so powerful and oh, by the way, it's the 293 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:32,680 truth. It's the truth. 294 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:36,080 And so you're just reposting the facts of what is actually 295 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,280 happening out there. When I first spoke up about it, 296 00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:42,920 it was a year and a half ago when Riley Gaines really started 297 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:46,200 to get vocal about things and she's become a a great friend. 298 00:17:46,360 --> 00:17:50,080 The fact that she's, you know, I, I'm more than twice her age 299 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:54,400 is scary because she's so eloquent and brilliant and 300 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:55,720 smart. And you talk about courageous, 301 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:57,560 right? But I was still at ESPN at the 302 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:00,600 time and and and I'm reading this stuff and I was saying to 303 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,720 my producers long before Riley started speaking up. 304 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:05,680 Do you see what's happening in swimming? 305 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:07,960 What are we doing? And they're like, yeah, quite. 306 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:09,840 You know, we're not doing that. We'll leave it for. 307 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:11,720 And it just kept getting louder and louder. 308 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:14,520 So when I spoke up about it and just retweeted some of her 309 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:23,560 stuff, pro woman, I was told not only by my employer to stay 310 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:29,560 quiet, even though we are so we they, but we at the time are so 311 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:31,640 adamant about supporting women and women's sports. 312 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:34,000 And they've done a great job in many, many facets of that. 313 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:38,040 But on social media, I was by Megan Murpino, right, the soccer 314 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:42,960 legend who came out and put me in a sentence with Dave 315 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,280 Chappelle, the comedian who's hysterical on many topics. 316 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:49,760 He does his thing his way, and he is hysterical because he 317 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,480 doesn't care. He says the truth, right? 318 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:55,240 He's fearless. And I so appreciate that, 319 00:18:55,240 --> 00:19:00,880 especially with this topic. And so she put me in a sentence 320 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:04,840 with Dave Chappelle and Martina Navratilova, a obviously a gay 321 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:09,960 legendary athlete who is against all this trans sports stuff. 322 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:14,880 And so she said, Megan Arpino said that the three of us are 323 00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:19,240 inciting violence on trans people by taking the stance on 324 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:23,560 supporting women in sports. And that's where that's what you 325 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:25,480 experienced, right? Transphobic. 326 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:31,360 I'm like, no, you can support women and fight for all of the, 327 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,720 you know, the growth that has taken place over the last 52 328 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:38,840 years since Title 9 with women, support people like Christian, 329 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:42,920 my daughter, everybody, right? And still realize, yes, trans 330 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:45,400 people deserve a place in our society and in sports, 331 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:47,480 everything not at the cost of women. 332 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:49,960 It's very simple. This is biology, this is 333 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:51,240 science. This is nothing new. 334 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:55,440 So what are we doing? And if we choose to stay silent 335 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:58,840 on this topic, this is my viewpoint, then we will all 336 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:01,280 have, and I hate to be, you know, but you'll have blood on 337 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:02,880 your hands because look what's happening. 338 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:04,560 And I'm in the state of Connecticut currently. 339 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:08,240 We're in the town next to us. My daughter actually competed 340 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:11,040 with this young woman, Chelsea Mitchell, one of the first young 341 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:14,360 women to stand up and file a lawsuit against the state of 342 00:20:14,360 --> 00:20:15,920 Connecticut. It's now in the Supreme Court 343 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:18,800 because she was the top sprinter in the state of Connecticut. 344 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:20,360 And then all of a sudden, what happened? 345 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:23,960 Young boy, two young boys decided I'm going to be a girl 346 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:25,160 and then I'm going to beat her out. 347 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:27,840 And they took her state championships and she stood up 348 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:29,520 and she's like 20-3 years old now. 349 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:32,200 And I'm like, if these young women are standing up and are so 350 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:35,640 alone with no money, it costs a lot of money, then what? 351 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:38,920 Who am I, as someone who has championed women for all these 352 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:40,920 years, to remain silent out of fear? 353 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:47,600 That's what these people enjoy creating is fear to make sure we 354 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:50,080 stay silent. I've tried to ask myself, and 355 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:53,720 I'm sure you have too, why? Like what is the goal behind all 356 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:56,240 this? Behind the divisiveness, behind 357 00:20:56,240 --> 00:21:00,480 the ugliness, behind the name calling, behind spewing lies 358 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:03,320 like this? This is man, woman. 359 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:04,680 This is as simple as it gets, guys. 360 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:07,280 This isn't even about a COVID vaccine. 361 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:10,040 And then it like should be no, these, this is science with 362 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:11,840 biology. Men and women are very different 363 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:13,080 in many ways. And we're going to celebrate 364 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:14,720 both of them. Why? 365 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:17,000 And the only thing I can think of, and I'd love your thoughts. 366 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:20,360 The only thing I can think of, the only thing that makes sense 367 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:24,320 like this is evil. People don't want to use that 368 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:26,480 word because it's scary and uncomfortable. 369 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:30,600 But there's no other way to describe what this is. 370 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:37,840 And in an effort to silence, but more importantly, to put women 371 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:41,720 and girls in the situation, what Riley and thousands of young 372 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:45,320 women have had to endure. They're the ones that were told 373 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:49,640 to go to sensitivity training to make sure that when Leah, Thomas 374 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:52,400 and all those other men calling themselves women came in their 375 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:55,800 locker rooms, that they knew how to speak to them and use the 376 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:58,560 right pronouns. And if you're uncomfortable 377 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:00,720 changing near him, they called him her. 378 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:03,360 Then you can go over in the restroom or in the closet. 379 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:09,000 So again, there comes a line. What I told Megyn Kelly that 380 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:12,360 very first day, which was two days after I left ESPN. 381 00:22:12,360 --> 00:22:15,120 And I was certainly emotional and raw and was so appreciative 382 00:22:15,120 --> 00:22:16,880 of her platform. And we've become friends over 383 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:19,360 the last couple years with what she has gone through prior. 384 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:25,560 I did not know what my line was until it was crossed. 385 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:28,400 I didn't know. But when you when it's crossed 386 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:34,880 and also you feel something in your gut, it's hard to ignore. 387 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:38,760 Then again, many people you mentioned that quote that you 388 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:41,720 shared, which I love. I've shared this many times and 389 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:43,040 my kids and everybody get tired of it. 390 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:45,120 But I'm going to say it and I hope that you take something 391 00:22:45,120 --> 00:22:47,640 from it. It's from the the cadet prayer 392 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:51,240 at West Point. My dad is a West Point graduate 393 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:54,640 and my parents are my absolute best friends. 394 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:58,520 And as kids, my dad made us the oldest of three. 395 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:00,600 I have two brothers made us memorize this portion of the 396 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:05,080 cadet prayer to help me to choose the harder right instead 397 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:09,280 of the easier wrong and to never be content with a half truth 398 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:15,160 when the whole truth can be won. So when you break that down, the 399 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:18,760 harder right versus the easier wrong, we all know what that is. 400 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:24,040 I use the grocery cart analogy. Like, OK, weather here is bad a 401 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:25,720 lot in Connecticut, and it's snowing. 402 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:28,040 And I had three little kids and I got groceries and I have 403 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:32,360 somewhere to get to. And that cart, am I going to 404 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:35,960 shove it up on the curb because I'm in a rush and my kids are 405 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:37,760 crying and my life is more important? 406 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:40,560 Or am I going to take 30 seconds and put it in the slot that they 407 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:42,920 have designated for carts or maybe even bring it back up to 408 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:44,480 the front of the Target or the grocery store? 409 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:48,000 Like, the right thing is to put the cart back. 410 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:51,200 This is not rocket science here, but it takes a little more 411 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:55,040 effort in this case, with us standing up for ourselves and 412 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:57,840 for others. We know it's the right thing. 413 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:02,440 It's scary, and like I said, it's costly, but it is. 414 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:06,560 That prayer has helped me in so many ways to make tough 415 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:09,760 decisions. And when I decided to stand up 416 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:14,440 with my lawsuit, you know, I have 3 kids at the time. 1 was a 417 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:16,520 freshman in college, 1 was a senior in high school, and one 418 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:18,840 was a sophomore in high school. And I went to each kid 419 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:20,720 separately the night before the lawsuit dropped. 420 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:22,760 And I said, listen, this is coming. 421 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:24,800 And I just don't want you to be surprised. 422 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,280 And I don't want you to ever feel like you have to defend me 423 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:28,560 ever. Ever. 424 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,760 I said if someone asks you something, which teachers have 425 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:35,320 coaches, have other parents, social media, My kids have been 426 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:38,160 attacked because of their mother's opinions and stances on 427 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:40,480 things. But I said if someone at school 428 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:44,320 or an adult, usually even kids says something, just say, you 429 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:46,640 know, diversity of thought. My mom believes in diversity of 430 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:48,880 thought and even if we disagree, she has that right. 431 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:50,680 But I said don't ever feel like you have to defend me. 432 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:52,080 But I want you to know this is coming. 433 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:57,320 The girls different reactions. My son, who was 17 at the time, 434 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:01,160 looked at me and he said, mom, it's about time you stood up for 435 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:05,400 yourself. And it about broke me because I 436 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:08,000 thought that by staying silent for all these years, I was doing 437 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:12,280 the right thing to protect them. And what that moment taught me 438 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:15,520 was that they've been watching the whole time. 439 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:18,440 When I made myself smaller, I cry every time I made myself 440 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:20,840 smaller. And I got quiet because I didn't 441 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:23,720 want to upset them. And I didn't want to upset my 442 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:25,880 bosses. I didn't want to upset my peers. 443 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:27,000 I didn't want to upset my friends. 444 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:28,280 I didn't want to upset social media. 445 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:34,400 I didn't want to not be liked. And in the meantime, my son in 446 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:38,720 particular had been watching. And so it's a lesson, especially 447 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:44,080 young mothers and fathers and mentors, like it's easier to be 448 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:48,200 quiet, but there is a cost. And now I believe that by 449 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:52,160 standing up like my kids won't wait till they're 50 to to be 450 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,360 the true to themselves, that's what I pray that they won't wait 451 00:25:55,360 --> 00:25:58,120 as long or else this world, excuse my language, but this 452 00:25:58,120 --> 00:26:00,560 world is screwed if everybody just stays quiet. 453 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:03,040 You know what I mean? So now I'm crying. 454 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,160 It's great. No. 455 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:09,160 Well, I want to thank you both for the ways that you stand up 456 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:11,480 for your families, for women everywhere. 457 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:15,440 I mean, as that young mother in my 20s, I can say that for one 458 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:16,960 more year. So I'm going to keep saying it. 459 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:21,080 Sorry everyone watching, but I just want to thank you guys 460 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:24,240 because I'm a journalism major with books. 461 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:26,960 I love what you've stewarded and you've shown women they have a 462 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:29,960 voice. Sage, I grew up with an Alabama 463 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:32,080 football coach. Dad, I don't have to explain to 464 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:35,320 you, you what that means. It means I have all girls, but 465 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:39,320 you will love sports. So I went the the route of 466 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:43,320 thinking ESPN is the dream. And I remember I did an intern 467 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:46,120 day, so excited, right? I'm sure you remember like the 468 00:26:46,120 --> 00:26:48,640 first experience of really getting to talk about sports and 469 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:51,000 show your love. And I spent the whole day like 470 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:56,120 trying my best, loving being on the field, only to end the day 471 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:58,960 with the director looking at me and saying, hey, you know, if 472 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:01,960 we're going to talk about your future, I just want you to know 473 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:06,320 you could be a 10 in Alabama, but be like A5 in New York. 474 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:11,240 And I was just like, I spent this whole day working my butt 475 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:14,920 off, you know, talking about the love of the game, only for you 476 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:19,440 to see me for my looks. But in that moment, I get it. 477 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:21,280 I, I was silent. I was speechless. 478 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:24,440 I didn't know how to even. I just now heard this. 479 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:28,320 Now I. Really like somebody, but I was 480 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:32,120 speechless because I was like, well, how why is that the lens 481 00:27:32,120 --> 00:27:34,240 you see me through? Am I going to kind of what 482 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:35,600 you're saying? Am I going to put up with that? 483 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:38,000 Am I going to roll over and just be like, oh, well, thanks for 484 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:40,400 thinking I'm A5. Can you still hire, you know? 485 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:44,880 And so I want to ask you, going on that point of, of if we 486 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:48,920 remain silent or when we come to that line, what is your advice 487 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:51,400 now that you've been through what you've been through to 488 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:55,320 young women who could be in a career challenge like you faced 489 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:59,880 or a social media frenzy, as you see sometimes, if not weekly, 490 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:04,280 What's your advice for knowing where your line is and how to 491 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:06,520 stand up? Is it having community? 492 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:08,640 Is it having conversations with your partner? 493 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:10,800 What would you advise young women to do? 494 00:28:11,360 --> 00:28:17,880 All of the above and you know, I will say this and it's maybe 495 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:19,800 something we can talk about later or at another time. 496 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:24,600 I also like when the pandemic began, I had just gone through a 497 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:29,080 divorce as well and I married my college sweetheart and the only 498 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:32,720 boyfriend I've ever had and I've been together from for 20 years 499 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:35,040 married and 27 total my whole life. 500 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:40,480 So I didn't have that partner and that was very difficult. 501 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:43,840 But I had my parents and a very small close knit group of 502 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:49,320 friends and I had my faith and my faith has never had never 503 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:51,520 been stronger. And listen, it's a journey, 504 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:53,080 right? And I right now I'm in a lull 505 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:58,640 and I'm trying to get back up. And but if you, if you, I don't 506 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:01,600 know, I don't know how people make that decision and choose 507 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:03,320 whether or not to stand up without that faith. 508 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:07,080 I don't, I don't know. So then everything number one 509 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:10,320 starts there. And just, I would get that 510 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:12,640 feeling when it's like, OK, do I say something in that moment? 511 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:14,840 Like one that you described something, you know, potentially 512 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:18,040 similar. And it's like, OK, my first 513 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:20,520 reaction I've noticed in recent years when I was younger, I 514 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:22,960 would just go like this. But it's like, to be like, you 515 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:27,280 know, I don't know, like, snap, like, excuse me, you know, And 516 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:30,320 then get the crazy. And it's like, OK, deep, deep 517 00:29:30,320 --> 00:29:31,760 breath. And my aunt taught me this. 518 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:34,760 So I'll real quick say to myself, Jesus, I trust in you. 519 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:38,400 Jesus, I trust in you. And it calms me. 520 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:44,760 And I truly do believe it #1 #2 the most important thing besides 521 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:46,960 your faith, I believe. And that's a personal decision, 522 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:52,440 but is to be OK knowing that not everybody's going to like you, 523 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,280 Be OK. Like you got to let go of that 524 00:29:56,280 --> 00:30:00,560 pleaser disease. And I have had it my whole life. 525 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:07,960 So once you realize that no matter how kind you are, how 526 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:12,880 well you treat people, how good you are at your job, like all 527 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:16,640 the things, people are still not going to like you and maybe 528 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:18,480 isn't usually. My mom taught me this. 529 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:21,320 It is nothing to do with you, usually has a lot to do with 530 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:23,480 them in their own personal situation. 531 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:26,280 Maybe they're going through something that's devastating, a 532 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:31,200 health issue with a parent or a loved one, and they're snapping 533 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:33,760 out and saying nasty things to you because of what they're 534 00:30:33,760 --> 00:30:35,280 going through. I say this to my kids all the 535 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:38,280 time. It's not an excuse for bad 536 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:41,480 behavior on social media, whatever it may be, but it might 537 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:45,960 be a reason. So once we can get through to 538 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:51,560 understand that when people treat you like that, there must 539 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:54,120 be something kind of going on in their life at minimum. 540 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:56,720 It's not something dark in their heart and their soul at that 541 00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:59,440 moment. And that has helped me forgive. 542 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:01,960 That has helped me not respond on social media. 543 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:04,040 I literally almost never respond. 544 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:05,680 And that is not how who I used to be. 545 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:09,640 There's power in that because what they do want is for you. 546 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:12,560 They want to engage. That's why they keep calling you 547 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:14,960 out and keep coming at you and writing these nasty messages and 548 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:18,560 sitting out like, so there's a real piece, Christian, and just 549 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:21,200 realizing that. Are you being true to yourself? 550 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:23,440 Yes. Are you being kind in the way 551 00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:24,520 you do it? Yeah. 552 00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:28,240 You know, then it all and tends to be easier. 553 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:30,200 Do you have to have tough conversations? 554 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:33,560 Absolutely. For me, I'll write down a couple 555 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:35,240 bullet points that I want to mention. 556 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:38,320 Quite often it's like this or on a phone call and you can glance 557 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:40,320 down at what you the couple points you want to make. 558 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:43,640 I say this to my kids, tone is everything. 559 00:31:43,640 --> 00:31:46,600 Your words are usually fine, but the way you say it is 560 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:49,400 everything. And my kids are 2220 and 18 and 561 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:51,720 I'm like, have you not gotten this through your thick skulls 562 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:54,200 yet? That the way you talk to me is 563 00:31:54,200 --> 00:31:57,600 going to dictate my reaction? Why is this so difficult, 564 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:04,880 people? So again, faith and again, 565 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:09,080 knowing it's not always about you, but what is your line? 566 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:10,920 You're not going to be able to say, here's if someone does 567 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:12,160 this, this, this and this, I'm done. 568 00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:14,120 Maybe. But then they're do something 569 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:15,680 else you haven't thought of. And then you're going to be 570 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:21,920 like, oh gosh, what do I do? So, but don't be afraid to rely 571 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,760 on others for help. And I think I also had too much 572 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:27,760 pride. I didn't want to inconvenience 573 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:31,760 my friends or parents or anybody with my little issues. 574 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:33,160 And so I would just keep it to myself. 575 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:37,320 But those that love you want to hear, they want to be a sounding 576 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:41,360 board of nothing else for you, especially mothers and fathers 577 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:44,160 and mothers in law, you know, like they want to be there for 578 00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:46,520 you. And I think I just was too 579 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:50,120 concerned about being a burden and I would just keep it in. 580 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:53,720 So just do everything that I just do, everything the opposite 581 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:54,960 of what I did, and you'll be fine. 582 00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:58,360 I don't, I don't know that she needs to do all of that. 583 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:01,760 I want to I want to circle back as we close to something you 584 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:05,000 said that I feel like is really important to highlight. 585 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:09,680 You said I've asked why. Why? 586 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:14,120 And I've come to the realization that we are wrestling with evil. 587 00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:17,440 And I want to highlight something for everybody that's 588 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:22,040 listening to this conversation. We are not wrestling with flesh 589 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:27,200 and blood, but we are wrestling. There is dark forces, dark 590 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:31,800 forces behind what is going on in our country, dark forces 591 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:37,560 behind the unmaking of male and female, dark forces behind the 592 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,920 unmaking of what it means to be a family, to be a woman, to be a 593 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:44,400 man, all of these things. You know, Ephesians makes it 594 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:47,440 really clear that we wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with 595 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:51,640 principalities and powers and rulers of wickedness in high 596 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:56,040 places that exalt themselves against us knowing God. 597 00:33:56,800 --> 00:34:00,160 And it isn't about religion, it is about a knowing. 598 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:06,520 It is about that knowing God. And I find that we find God not 599 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:10,360 in places where we have certainty about, where we find 600 00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:13,639 ourselves questioning and doubting. 601 00:34:14,040 --> 00:34:17,760 And when, like you said, I didn't know that I had had a 602 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:20,120 courageous moment. I thought I was just having a 603 00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:24,440 off interview. But then there came this time 604 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:28,120 where you realized that something had been crossed. 605 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:31,480 And a lot of people, they come to that place, Sage, and they 606 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:35,560 backpedal and they say, oh, I didn't really mean that, or I 607 00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:37,360 didn't really. OK, I'm sorry. 608 00:34:37,679 --> 00:34:39,639 I, you know, I'll have him pull that down. 609 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:43,760 But I love that you talk to your children because what I have 610 00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:49,400 learned is what I do not face off the fears, the courage, the 611 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:52,880 struggle, the patterns. What I do not face off in my 612 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:56,880 life, my children inherit. And I've learned. 613 00:34:56,880 --> 00:35:01,000 And again, I am, I'm the grandmother, soon to be 9, that 614 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:04,800 our children either inherit God's promises or our fears. 615 00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:10,040 And I do not want this next generation to inherit fear of 616 00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:14,720 man, man pleasing, constantly shifting and changing because 617 00:35:14,720 --> 00:35:17,440 you and I both know you could dance this way. 618 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:19,320 And they're like, no, we don't like that dance anymore. 619 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:22,680 We want you to do that dance. Oh no, that dance now needs to 620 00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:26,960 be topless. It is never going to be enough 621 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:32,200 because it is a it is an enemy that is pulling people like 622 00:35:32,200 --> 00:35:34,600 puppets. And I think as long as we can 623 00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:39,400 stop seeing this division, you know of like, oh, it's US 624 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:41,880 against them. But understand that there is 625 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:46,800 something much darker in the shadows pulling the strings, 626 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:51,200 trying to divide our nation with a revelation that divided 627 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:54,440 houses, divided countries, divided family, divided 628 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:58,920 organizations collapse. So I just want to thank you for 629 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:05,080 your unifying voice of courage. Can I say this because I'm so 630 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:07,720 glad that that we're on the same page with that because people 631 00:36:07,720 --> 00:36:10,040 don't like that word evil. And it's very uncomfortable to 632 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:12,480 to look around and think what is lurking. 633 00:36:12,720 --> 00:36:15,760 But it I think right now we're in denial if we don't at least 634 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:18,280 acknowledge that while acknowledging it. 635 00:36:18,960 --> 00:36:22,520 And I know you believe this too. There's so much good. 636 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:25,840 I think most people are inherently good. 637 00:36:26,040 --> 00:36:29,640 I see it every day, even in I live in Connecticut. 638 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:31,480 Not for long. I'm getting ready to move fully 639 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:35,200 to Florida once my, my, I'm an empty nester now as of August 640 00:36:35,200 --> 00:36:37,960 and I'm like goodbye Northeast and high taxes and cold weather. 641 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:41,640 I'm out. This is one part of the of the 642 00:36:41,720 --> 00:36:44,920 country where there's some wonderful people, but like, you 643 00:36:44,920 --> 00:36:46,520 know, it's, it's tougher where you are. 644 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:50,000 It's oh gosh. But for the most part, you see 645 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:53,560 on airplanes and, and everywhere, people, people are 646 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:56,400 good, people are kind, even if you're different, people want to 647 00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:58,440 help. And, and that's why there's 648 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:01,520 like, again, what you're doing and so many are take are 649 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:04,000 starting to do is to highlight the good. 650 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:08,160 That's what inspires me to keep going, you know, is that there 651 00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:11,280 are many people who look, let's tell their stories, let's uplift 652 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:14,760 them. And while doing it and my, my 653 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:17,240 new, I've been saying this for 15 years. 654 00:37:17,240 --> 00:37:19,360 It's just now I'm able to say it a little bit louder. 655 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:22,800 Diversity of thought is everything. 656 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:25,240 We talked so much about diversity, DEI and skin color 657 00:37:25,240 --> 00:37:28,480 and gender and all that. No, if you are diverse with your 658 00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:30,600 thinking and that means that means you're accepting and 659 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:31,840 tolerant of others no matter what. 660 00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:35,000 Doesn't mean I have to agree or go along with what you say, but 661 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:39,680 I'm going to respect your different opinion, especially if 662 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:42,000 it's if you're having a conversation in a healthy way 663 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:45,640 when you're doing this. That is the antithesis of what 664 00:37:45,640 --> 00:37:47,320 most of these people preach, right? 665 00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:51,600 That diversity of thought. So I just think we listen and 666 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:55,080 you have created this platform. You have done this, which has 667 00:37:55,080 --> 00:37:57,320 taken so much courage. So what are we going to do with 668 00:37:57,320 --> 00:38:00,400 the platform? And that is to continue to 669 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:03,160 ignore that, that hate that's always going to come. 670 00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:06,760 But again, I think it comes because most of them are 671 00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:08,960 uncomfortable with something they have or have not done, 672 00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:12,560 something they're going through or are experiencing. 673 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:15,760 And again, not excuse, but maybe a reason. 674 00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:20,520 And there is really comfort in knowing that you're finally 675 00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:23,640 being true to yourself. And when you are, Every time 676 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:27,680 I've spoken publicly about my experience at ESPN, it's not 677 00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:30,520 like woe is me and you know, the whole Disney thing. 678 00:38:30,600 --> 00:38:32,040 Or bashing. It's not woe is me. 679 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:34,160 Yeah. But yeah, it's not it. 680 00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:39,560 But it's just for those people watching, I have realized they 681 00:38:39,560 --> 00:38:41,720 thought they were alone just like I did. 682 00:38:41,960 --> 00:38:44,760 So what a shame if I keep this in, you know what I mean? 683 00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:48,800 Even with the devastating end of my marriage, Like I'm a 684 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:51,480 Catholic, I'm a Christian. You don't do that. 685 00:38:51,520 --> 00:38:54,680 You don't end it, right? I've had to forgive myself and 686 00:38:54,680 --> 00:38:58,160 work through that, forgive myself for, you know, feeling 687 00:38:58,160 --> 00:39:00,600 like I, you know, we quit and we didn't, man. 688 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:03,760 But like, life takes over and people, you don't know people's 689 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:06,480 reasons, you assume, you know, so. 690 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:09,880 But when I have shared though that pain and I have done it 691 00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:12,040 much because I have 3 kids, I'm very sensitive to that. 692 00:39:12,040 --> 00:39:17,000 But women and men also realize they're not alone going through 693 00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:19,240 something so painful while trying to exist in the world and 694 00:39:19,240 --> 00:39:21,960 go to work. I'm on national TV everyday 695 00:39:22,280 --> 00:39:25,800 dealing with that before all the drama began, you know, and being 696 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:27,400 a mother to three wonderful humans. 697 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:29,480 So I'll shut up. I'm sorry I get going. 698 00:39:29,480 --> 00:39:30,800 You guys made me super comfortable. 699 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:36,280 But like when we share that vulnerability and when you are 700 00:39:36,560 --> 00:39:40,600 OK sharing your pain, not to garner empathy, but to help 701 00:39:40,640 --> 00:39:43,120 others know that they're not alone, that's when the healing 702 00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:45,560 begins. That's when we all can continue 703 00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:50,240 to progress in this crazy world and to also recognize there's so 704 00:39:50,240 --> 00:39:55,360 much good that people are going, are experiencing and want to 705 00:39:55,360 --> 00:39:57,560 give to us. Sometimes we just don't give 706 00:39:57,560 --> 00:40:00,320 them an opportunity, you know, And it's amazing how far a smile 707 00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:01,920 will go. It really is. 708 00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:05,320 So I just, I'm grateful to know that I'm not alone out there 709 00:40:05,320 --> 00:40:08,600 fighting too, for women and for men, for all of us. 710 00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:11,520 It's not just women, right? But for this, for today, it is. 711 00:40:11,720 --> 00:40:14,720 Yeah. Well, we believe that when you 712 00:40:14,720 --> 00:40:19,880 elevate and free women, you free men, we believe that you don't 713 00:40:19,880 --> 00:40:22,720 free one at the expense of the other. 714 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:28,520 So we believe that, you know, Sage, I love you, I love what 715 00:40:28,520 --> 00:40:31,240 you do. I'm going to we're going to put 716 00:40:31,240 --> 00:40:35,360 in in the notes, but I hope everybody watches your show 717 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:39,280 because I believe you are tackling tough, tough, tough, 718 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:44,200 tough topics with people unexpected, but in, in a 719 00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:47,080 conversation way. I feel like you're dismantling 720 00:40:47,680 --> 00:40:52,400 the stigmas and depersonalized like people depersonalized 721 00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:55,120 people into rivals and you are taking away that 722 00:40:55,120 --> 00:40:59,600 depersonalization and causing people to listen in to people 723 00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:02,040 that maybe they wouldn't ever listen to. 724 00:41:02,320 --> 00:41:05,560 You're actually doing the diversity of thought on your 725 00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:08,760 show. And I just, I, I knew I would 726 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:11,800 love you, but I didn't know I would love you this much. 727 00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:13,840 So this is exciting. Thank you. 728 00:41:14,920 --> 00:41:18,480 So much and I, I will, I'll just thank you for pumping my show 729 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:19,800 out there. It's only couple months old. 730 00:41:19,800 --> 00:41:22,840 But the one thing I'll say I'm disappointed about is we've, 731 00:41:22,880 --> 00:41:25,360 I've reached out to a lot of people who I know have different 732 00:41:25,360 --> 00:41:28,520 opinions politically and culturally, whatever, and most 733 00:41:28,520 --> 00:41:30,760 of them say no and won't come on. 734 00:41:30,960 --> 00:41:35,000 So as I try to have these diverse conversations with so 735 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:39,760 many people who preach that and some of them I know and they and 736 00:41:39,760 --> 00:41:41,680 they through the representative won't come on. 737 00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:45,800 So that's quite telling. So you you can't preach it, but 738 00:41:45,800 --> 00:41:47,800 then not practice it, you know what I mean? 739 00:41:48,240 --> 00:41:50,640 Have the conversation. And I don't even want to talk 740 00:41:50,640 --> 00:41:52,640 about politics necessarily. I'm going to talk about what's 741 00:41:52,640 --> 00:41:55,280 in your heart. Like we all have opinions based 742 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:58,680 on our experiences. And so let's just respect that. 743 00:41:58,680 --> 00:42:01,720 But when people say no, I'm like, OK, well then don't 744 00:42:01,720 --> 00:42:05,040 complain, you know what I mean? So it's just been fun to have a 745 00:42:05,040 --> 00:42:07,920 conversation to forget the cameras are there and go deep 746 00:42:07,920 --> 00:42:11,800 with some of these people who are from RFK junior to Dana 747 00:42:11,800 --> 00:42:14,880 White to Sharon Osbourne to Jillian Michaels. 748 00:42:14,880 --> 00:42:18,480 Like, I had so much fun learning. 749 00:42:18,520 --> 00:42:21,760 Like you have these impressions with people who are on TV and 750 00:42:21,760 --> 00:42:25,520 it's like, yeah, that's great. But they're humans with problems 751 00:42:25,520 --> 00:42:29,640 and pain and seer and pride. So I'm grateful that they've 752 00:42:29,640 --> 00:42:32,480 given me a they they've trust. I didn't, I haven't met one of 753 00:42:32,480 --> 00:42:34,320 them before, except Matt Barnes, NBA player. 754 00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:36,480 All the other people that have been on my show, I've never once 755 00:42:36,480 --> 00:42:38,680 met in person. And I'm grateful that they've 756 00:42:38,680 --> 00:42:42,080 trusted me to open up a little bit because again, when we when 757 00:42:42,080 --> 00:42:45,720 we open up, we help others. So thank you for wanting to have 758 00:42:45,720 --> 00:42:49,040 me on Lisa and I, I'm absolutely I'm really honored and you've 759 00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:51,760 inspired me and so many women. So you didn't have to do this 760 00:42:51,800 --> 00:42:52,480 either. What you're. 761 00:42:52,480 --> 00:42:56,960 Doing No, I was you were top of the list. 762 00:42:57,360 --> 00:43:01,680 You know, Christian knows I was like, I really want sage steel 763 00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:05,080 to be heard by our audience because you know, you have 764 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:08,120 something to say, but you're saying in such a beautiful, 765 00:43:08,120 --> 00:43:11,640 healing, strong way. And so thank you so much. 766 00:43:11,640 --> 00:43:13,840 And I'm going to send a whole package to you. 767 00:43:14,200 --> 00:43:17,240 And so don't move too quick because I need an address so. 768 00:43:18,200 --> 00:43:20,280 Thank you. Thank you for being on, you're 769 00:43:20,280 --> 00:43:22,280 amazing. Well, Lisa, I know there's women 770 00:43:22,280 --> 00:43:25,080 from all different backgrounds, different countries, seasons of 771 00:43:25,080 --> 00:43:28,720 life, different thoughts, even listening to this podcast. 772 00:43:28,720 --> 00:43:32,720 And I think Sage does such a great job of introducing a way 773 00:43:32,720 --> 00:43:36,480 to wrestle with the things of this world, but not in the ways 774 00:43:36,720 --> 00:43:37,760 of this world. Don't you? 775 00:43:37,800 --> 00:43:39,960 Yeah. And I also love that she invited 776 00:43:39,960 --> 00:43:42,440 us into conversations with people we don't agree with. 777 00:43:42,960 --> 00:43:47,760 Like we can have conversations with people and we don't have to 778 00:43:47,760 --> 00:43:50,960 push that we're right and they're wrong, but that we when 779 00:43:50,960 --> 00:43:55,200 we hear one another, there's a chance for understanding instead 780 00:43:55,200 --> 00:43:59,960 of depersonalization. And I love diversity of thought. 781 00:43:59,960 --> 00:44:05,040 Diversity of thought means I am open to be taught and I am open 782 00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:08,560 to listening and I am open to being heard. 783 00:44:08,560 --> 00:44:10,320 We need to be vulnerable with one another. 784 00:44:10,320 --> 00:44:14,720 We need to share our thoughts. And I hope, hope that you are 785 00:44:14,880 --> 00:44:16,800 subscribing. I have Christian. 786 00:44:16,800 --> 00:44:18,040 I went on. I went on. 787 00:44:18,040 --> 00:44:20,320 I was reading all the comments. I'm like why are these people 788 00:44:20,320 --> 00:44:23,320 not subscribing like? Don't she's going to come. 789 00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:25,720 In by accident, Don't come in by accident. 790 00:44:25,880 --> 00:44:29,800 We want you to be part of the fight for female families. 791 00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:32,080 So how did they do? That Yeah, well, they start by 792 00:44:32,080 --> 00:44:35,840 sharing their thoughts, leaving comments, subscribing, because 793 00:44:35,840 --> 00:44:39,440 we want this to be a community of women again, from all over, 794 00:44:39,440 --> 00:44:41,760 from different backgrounds. So allow men to slip in. 795 00:44:41,840 --> 00:44:44,200 Yes, we can. Sounds you're nice, just 796 00:44:44,200 --> 00:44:45,880 kidding. But make sure that you're 797 00:44:45,880 --> 00:44:48,680 subscribed so that you don't miss a single episode. 798 00:44:48,680 --> 00:44:51,800 And we have these guests like Sage coming regularly. 799 00:44:51,800 --> 00:44:54,480 So subscribe, like, comment and even share with a friend.