TransLash Podcast with Imara Jones

Latest Episodes:

Trans Gay Love Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating what it means to be gay, trans, and in love. Imara talks with couple Arthur Rockwell and Harry Weissman about their relationship and how they navigate this specific intersection of gender and sexuality. Hear from Arthur about how transitioning changed how he dates and challenged his assumptions about who occupies gay male spaces. Harry shares his advice to other cis gay men dating a trans man for the first time. The two also discuss the impact of the political climate on relationships, plus what they’ve learned from loving each other.

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Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook.

Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)

Follow our guests on social media!

Kara Chang: Instagram (@karageous)

Arthur Rockwell: YouTube (@arthur_rockwell) TikTok (@arthur_rockwell)

TransLash Podcast is produced by Translash Media.

Translash Team: Imara Jones, Oliver-Ash Kleine, Aubrey Calaway.

Xander Adams is our senior sound engineer and a contributing producer.

Morgan Astbury is our social media coordinator.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Families: Parents React to New Attacks Feb 06, 2025

Show notes

Trump’s executive order restricting gender-affirming care for minors is the latest blow in a years-long assault on trans kids. Despite these setbacks, parent advocates aren’t backing down. To kick off the TransLash Podcast's new "Families" mini-series, Imara talks with two mothers of trans kids about their efforts to protect their own families and others around the country. Lizette Trujillo shares what it’s been like to take on the national spotlight, the racial complexities of hiding versus fighting, and what she’s learned from her son Daniel. Then, Imara is joined by Keisha Bell who explains how and why she’s focused her work on supporting the families of Black and trans children.

Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast@translash.org

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Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)

Follow our guests on social media!

Kathie Moehlig: Instagram (@transfamilysos @transyouthliberation)

Lizette Trujillo: Instagram (@zettiegrams) @themamiadvocate) and Bluesky (@lizettetrujillo.bsky.social)

Keisha Bell: https://www.rainbowinblack.org/

TransLash Podcast is produced by Translash Media.

Translash Team: Imara Jones, Oliver-Ash Kleine, Aubrey Calaway.

Xander Adams is our senior sound engineer and a contributing producer.

Morgan Astbury is our social media coordinator.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trans Advocacy at the State Level Jan 30, 2025

Show notes

With the rise of anti-trans attacks on the federal level, state-level advocacy is becoming even more crucial. This week, Imara talks with leaders working to build safety and belonging for trans people in two very different states. First she’s joined by the Executive Director of One Colorado, Nadine Bridges, who unpacks what it means to be a “shield state” under Trump. The two discuss the role of joy in resistance, the complex political landscape of Colorado, and the impact of changes to corporate DEI policies. Imara then takes a look at South Dakota where community health advocate Jack Fonder has been working under harsh political conditions for years. He shares stories of survival, hope, and the power of creating new spaces for in-person community building.

Content notice: The second conversation in this episoder contains references to suicidal ideation. TransLash gives listeners a heads up before that conversation begins.

Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast@translash.org

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook.

Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)

Follow our guests on social media!

Brittan Hardgers: Instagram (@iambrittanhardgers)

Nadine Bridges: Instagram (@onecolorado) X (@One_Colorado)

Jack Fonder: Instagram (@JackFonderSpeaks)

TransLash Podcast is produced by Translash Media.

Translash Team: Imara Jones, Oliver-Ash Kleine, Aubrey Calaway.

Xander Adams is our senior sound engineer and a contributing producer.

Morgan Astbury is our social media coordinator.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trans Kids and the Military: Trump's Policy Priorities Jan 23, 2025

Show notes

After a flurry of executive orders, Trump is making good on his promise to go after trans people on day one. This week, Imara takes a look at two of his biggest targets: trans students and military servicemembers. First, she digs into the strategy and impact of Trump’s new military ban with Army veteran Patricia King. The two discuss how this may be part of a broader plan to undercut social and economic mobility for trans people and why it could be detrimental to U.S. military preparedness. Next, she’s joined by the Executive Director of GLSEN Melanie Willingham-Jaggers to talk through how her organization has been preparing for the fight against anti-trans education policy, including new thinking around coalition building and safety.

Lt. Rae Timberlake's views are their own and are not necessarily reflective of the United States military.

Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast@translash.org

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook.

Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)

Follow our guests on social media!

Rae Timberlake: Instagram (@sparta.pride)

Patricia King: Bluesky (@trixiek.bluesky.social) X (@trisheking) Threads (@trisheking)

Melanie Willingham-Jaggers: Instagram (@GLSEN) TikTok (@glsen_national)

TransLash Podcast is produced by Translash Media.

Translash Team: Imara Jones, Oliver-Ash Kleine, Aubrey Calaway.

Xander Adams is our senior sound engineer and a contributing producer.

Morgan Astbury is our social media coordinator.

This episode was engineered by Lucy Little.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A New LGBTQ+ Strategy in Washington Jan 16, 2025

Show notes

With the second Trump administration about to take power, how can LGBTQ+ advocacy groups continue to advance their nationwide priorities? Imara is joined by Kelley Robinson, Executive of the Human Rights Campaign, who lays out her organization’s plans for the next four years. The two discuss how new coalition building strategies could help disrupt a growing culture of fear and individualism. Kelley also talks about how she remains optimistic in the face of political hostility and why we need liberation for all, not for some.

Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast@translash.org

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook.

Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)

Follow our guests on social media!

Mar Erazo (Emulsify): Instagram (@emulsify.art)

Kelley Robinson: X (@HRC_President) and Instagram (@hrcpresident)

TransLash Podcast is produced by Translash Media.

Translash Team: Imara Jones, Oliver-Ash Kleine, Aubrey Calaway.

Xander Adams is our senior sound engineer and a contributing producer.

Morgan Astbury is our social media coordinator.

This episode was engineered by Lucy Little.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trans Comedy as Resistance Jan 09, 2025

Show notes

Laughter is key to survival. This week, Imara talks to two of the funniest trans people out there about the power of comedy in good times and bad. First, she sits down with comedy writer Ally Beardsley about transitioning in the public eye, Dungeons and Dragons, and learning when to get serious. The two also laugh about the absurdity of Republican politics and Ally’s own conservative background. Next, Imara’s joined by comedian Robin Tran who talks about the relationship between comedy and depression and making jokes about being trans.

Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast@translash.org

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook.

Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)

Follow our guests on social media!

Mx. Dahlia Belle: Instagram (@mx.dahliabelle)

Ally Beardsley: Instagram (@allybeardsley @genderspiral)

Robin Tran: Instagram (@robintran04)

TransLash Podcast is produced by Translash Media.

Translash Team: Imara Jones, Oliver-Ash Kleine, Aubrey Calaway.

Xander Adams is our senior sound engineer and a contributing producer.

Morgan Astbury is our social media coordinator.

This episode was engineered with help from Lucy Little.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Replay: The Legendary Miss Major Jan 02, 2025

Show notes

As the TransLash Podcast takes a break for the holidays, we’re sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive. In this replay from 2023, Imara is joined by legendary trans activist and Stonewall veteran Miss Major. She shares her experience becoming a mother, gives advice to young trans people today, and explains why the fight for our rights will always be stronger than anti-trans policies and political parties.

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook.

Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)

Follow our guests on social media!

Toshio Meronek: X (@tmeronek) and Instagram (@tmeronek)

Miss Major: X (@immissmajor), Instagram (@missmajor1), and TikTok (@themissmajor)

TransLash Podcast is produced by Translash Media.

Translash Team: Imara Jones, Oliver-Ash Kleine, Aubrey Calaway.

Xander Adams is our senior sound engineer and a contributing producer.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Replay: Janelle Monáe Dec 26, 2024

Show notes

As the TransLash Podcast takes a break for the holidays, we’re sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive. In this replay from 2022, Imara has an eye opening conversation with the one and only Janelle Monaé, an 8-time Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, producer, actor, and one of the most celebrated voices of our time. In the interview, Janelle opens up about the challenges of exploring her queerness in the public eye, how she learned she didn’t need to prove herself to anyone, and her brand new book, The Memory Librarian. Imara and Janelle also talk about the necessity to break free from our past in order to create the future we all want; moving beyond conventional ideas of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook.

Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)

Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast@translash.org

Follow Janelle Monaé on social media and check out the Memory Librarian:

Janelle Monaé: @JanelleMonae (Twitter), @janellemonae (Instagram)

The Memory Librarian: https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/the-memory-librarian

TransLash Podcast is produced by Translash Media.

Translash Team: Imara Jones, Oliver-Ash Kleine, Aubrey Calaway.

Xander Adams is our senior sound engineer and a contributing producer.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Replay: A New Black Trans Civil Rights Agenda Dec 19, 2024

Show notes

As the TransLash Podcast takes a break for the holidays, we’re sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive. In this replay from 2022, Imara discusses how the idea of Black civil rights has been reduced to the idea of changes in specific laws, but the civil rights movement also included the ideas of what we now call Black liberation: a specific revisioning of what our society should look like steeped in racial justice. That’s why she wanted to talk with Black trans leaders about what a new agenda for Black civil rights should look like. First, she’s joined by Qween Jean, the founder of Black Trans Liberation. She’s an activist and artist whose critical work centers Black trans people in the fight for racial equity. Then Imara talks to Kayla Gore, the co-founder of My Sistah’s House, a fully fledged aid and advocate organization that started as an emergency shelter with 8 beds.

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook.

Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)

Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast@translash.org

Follow our guests on social media!

Qween Jean: Instagram (@qween_jean)

Kayla Gore: Instagram (@ms_kaylagore)

TransLash Podcast is produced by Translash Media.

Translash Team: Imara Jones, Oliver-Ash Kleine, Aubrey Calaway.

Xander Adams is our senior sound engineer and a contributing producer.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hormones and IDs: Preparing for Trump 2.0 Dec 12, 2024

Show notes

Trump has promised to target trans rights on his first day back in office. While it remains to be seen what exactly he’ll do, there are several ways trans individuals can start preparing. Imara welcomes Dr. Asa Radix back on the show to walk through the potential threats to gender-affirming care, including changes to federal funding and protections under the Affordable Care Act. They share their advice on managing hormone prescriptions, finding surgeons in the U.S. and abroad, and reducing risk when it comes to DIY HRT. Next, Imara is joined by Toni-Michelle Williams, Executive Director of Solutions Not Punishment Collaborative (SnapCo), to discuss her organization’s efforts to help trans people update their passports and other government documents.

For more information about updating your government documents, check out these resources:

State Department

Trans Equality ID Documents Center

TransLifeline ID Change Library

Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast@translash.org

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook.

Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)

Follow our guests on social media!

Victor Valencia: Instagram (@valenciadesigns) (@buildingout )

Dr. Asa Radix: X (@AsaRadix)

Toni-Michelle Williams: X (@misstoniluv) and Instagram (@misstonimichelle)

TransLash Podcast is produced by Translash Media.