1 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to Okay F Daily with 2 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:19,959 Speaker 1: Meet Your Girl, Danielle Moody recording from Washington, d C. Folks. 3 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: I had the extraordinary honor of attending Pride at the 4 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: White House this past week, and I will tell you that, 5 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:32,559 Speaker 1: as hard as I go for this administration, because of 6 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: their lack of understanding urgency of this moment and the 7 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: ability to actually save our democracy, I will say this, 8 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: there is nothing quite like being with a group of 9 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: queer Americans who have dedicated their lives to advancing LGBTQ 10 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: equality and having that be recognized and not only recognized, 11 00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: but celebrated by the President of the United States. This 12 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 1: is the first Pride in person that we have had 13 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: since the Trump administration. When the Trump administration came into 14 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: office following Obama, they erased any visibility, any recognition, any honoring, 15 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: celebration of LGBTQ Americans. As a matter of fact, they 16 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: took us off the website all together. Not only did 17 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: they take us off of the website, but they then 18 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: proceeded to create policies that would harm our community. We've 19 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 1: seen over the last year plus hundreds hundreds of anti 20 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: trans bills that we've talked about on this show, and 21 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: you've heard me talk about on other shows. And so 22 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: to take a day, to take an afternoon to honor 23 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 1: and celebrate what it means to have pride, what it 24 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 1: means to be a proud LGBTQ American is a beautiful thing. 25 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: To walk through once again the halls of the White House, 26 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 1: to take in history and understand, by virtue of my 27 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 1: presence there, I am a part of creating a new history, 28 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: creating a new story. So to walk the halls again 29 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 1: and to look and see the pictures and to greet 30 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:29,919 Speaker 1: old friends and new in these beautiful, beautiful halls, it 31 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: was overwhelming. And I didn't realize. You all know that 32 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: I was at Kabej's commemoration in the Rose Garden a 33 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:42,360 Speaker 1: couple of months ago for her being named to the 34 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,519 Speaker 1: Supreme Court, but I hadn't been inside the White House 35 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 1: in quite some time, and so it was like a 36 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: flood of these beautiful memories coming back of a time 37 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 1: that has long since passed. And I was sat around 38 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: with friends this week and I said, you know, there's 39 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 1: a thing that I do regret about the Obama years. 40 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: And they said, what, you know, what is it that 41 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: you regret, And I say, I regret that we felt 42 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: at that time that this was going to be the 43 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 1: beginning of something new. We felt the power, we felt 44 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: the community, we felt the connectivity, and we thought that 45 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 1: the Obama years were the beginning. And frankly they should 46 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:31,839 Speaker 1: have been, but we also should have been a lot 47 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: more present. And that's where I have regret is that 48 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: it had become the norm to go to the White 49 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: House for meetings, for events, for parties. It had become 50 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 1: the norm to be named, to be seen and not 51 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: be ignored or thrown away by our administration. And so 52 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: when Trump came in, it wasn't just like cold water. 53 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 1: It was like jumping into a pool of acid. You 54 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: went from the White House being turned rainbow to signify 55 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: the passing of marriage equality in twenty fifteen to it 56 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: literally having lights out, lights out on our democracy, lights 57 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: out on anything that was not white, cis straight and 58 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 1: quote unquote Christian. So to be in the presence of 59 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: the President, the first Lady, the Vice President was an 60 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 1: amazing experience and it reminded me of how hard fought 61 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: the rights that we have gotten to this point have been, 62 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 1: but that we can no longer take things for granted, 63 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:39,479 Speaker 1: because what was one today can be taken away tomorrow. 64 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,919 Speaker 1: And so for us to have real progress, right, for 65 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 1: us to understand real progress, we have to put in 66 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 1: the consistent, real work. I posted my pictures on Instagram, 67 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 1: So if you want to see some of the pictures 68 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 1: from the celebration at the White House, by all means, 69 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: go and check out my Instagram at D two sense 70 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 1: d E t w oc e nts, the same as 71 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 1: my Twitter, and you can see some of the pictures 72 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: and the beautiful spread of food. And somebody had remarked 73 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 1: and it was hilarious because I'd forgotten. They go, oh 74 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: my god, you mean you got actual food at the 75 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,600 Speaker 1: White House and not a pile of fast food for McDonald's. 76 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:24,040 Speaker 1: If you remember what the President did welcoming basketball teams 77 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:27,160 Speaker 1: into the White House for their historic win and then 78 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 1: them being met with cold, hard, dried out fast food. 79 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 1: That's not how you honor people, and that is definitely 80 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 1: not how we were greeted at the White House this week. 81 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 1: The queer community the White House had rainbows going all 82 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,839 Speaker 1: over the place and streamers down and the band was 83 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 1: playing and there were rainbow roses in the banquet room, 84 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: and it was just a beautiful, beautiful time and for 85 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 1: a few hours we all got to cheer as each 86 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:05,039 Speaker 1: other and hug and congratulate one another on a wonderful 87 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 1: Pride month. But it was also clouded, right, because what 88 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: has happened over the past couple of weeks. We have 89 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 1: seen a white supremacist terrorist group be disrupted as they 90 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 1: were headed to a Pride event to go and cause 91 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 1: I'm certain harm right, who gets pulled over with riot 92 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 1: gear and shields and smoke bombs and all of these 93 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: things if you're not setting up to ensue some type 94 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: of violence. You had the Proud Boys break into a 95 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:47,159 Speaker 1: drag story time in California and start hurling transphobic and 96 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 1: homophobic insults. You have Marjorie Taylor Green's dumbass saying that 97 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 1: she's going to write legislation to make it a legal 98 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 1: to have drag queens around children. You know what should 99 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: be fucking illegal, having racist, white supremaci homophobic pieces of 100 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: shit around children. You know what should be illegal carrying 101 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: in AR fifteen in this country because that causes more 102 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 1: harm than a fucking drag queen reading a story. But 103 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: those are the things that the Republican Party wants to 104 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: concentrate on. You see, they want to create this culture 105 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 1: war as if the real enemies of this state are 106 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 1: not the ones that are occupying the title Republican, as 107 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: if the real enemies are not the people who have 108 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 1: access to their own personal arsenals, and then decide that 109 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:37,559 Speaker 1: they are going to seek revenge on communities they feel 110 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: like are trying to quote unquote replace them. What should 111 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: be illegal is for a member of Congress to attend 112 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 1: a white Supremacis rally and still have a fucking job. 113 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: That's what should be illegal. But we don't have those conversations. Instead, 114 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 1: we allow the right to propagate their bullshit and then 115 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: us sit and couch ourselves in defense. We need to 116 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: be more proactive if we need to call out who 117 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 1: these people are and what they stand for. We need 118 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 1: to stop allowing them to make criminals of the LGBTQ community, 119 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: of the black community, of the Latin X community, of 120 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: Indigenous people, of Muslim people. Right, you don't get to 121 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: rewrite what you believe America should look like because other 122 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 1: people's truth make your bullshit uncomfortable. Because that's what it 123 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: comes down to. Folks fear right, fear, and the desire 124 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: to control. Because, let me tell you something that is 125 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: such an affront to white supremacy and patriarchy. Are people 126 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: defining themselves for themselves. And that's why they see such 127 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: a problem with the LGBTQ community. Why can't you just 128 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 1: go along with the get along? Why can't you fall 129 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 1: for the prescriptions that society has put out to you 130 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: based on some story in the Bible. And it's because 131 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 1: guess what, God made us all and he made us 132 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 1: all different, and you don't get to tell me how 133 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 1: I should define myself. You don't get to box me. 134 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: And so when we celebrate pride, this is what it 135 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: is about. It is about holding our heads up high, 136 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:25,440 Speaker 1: straightening our backs, putting our shoulders back, and saying you 137 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 1: will fucking see me, and I am no longer ashamed. 138 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 1: That is the beauty of pride. And it felt so 139 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: wonderful and always humbling to be invited to attend these 140 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 1: events at the People's House and be reminded of our 141 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: power and our purpose and our pathway towards bending the 142 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 1: ark a little bit more towards justice. Coming up next, 143 00:09:55,600 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: my conversation with a woman who came out as transgender 144 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 1: to her employees in an email. When Noland and what 145 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: the effects of that have been and what made her 146 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 1: decide that a couple of years ago it was the 147 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 1: time to live in her truth. Hey there, I want 148 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 1: to tell you about another podcast I think you'll love. 149 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:21,760 Speaker 1: The Brown Girl's Guide to Politics, hosted by a Shanty Goehler, 150 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 1: the president of Emerge BGG, is the one stop shop 151 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: for women of color who want to hear and talk 152 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: about the world of politics. Join a Shanty this season 153 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: as she talks to incredible women of color who are 154 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 1: changing the face of politics and tackling some of the 155 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 1: most important issues basing the United States, from reproductive justice 156 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 1: to voting rights, to climate change and more. Tune in 157 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm David 158 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 1: Plots of Slaves Political Gabfest. As another election season accelerates, 159 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 1: it can be tricky to sort through all the noise 160 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 1: and the news. Each week on the Gabfest, John Dickerson, 161 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 1: Emily Bathlon and I decipher the headlines, break down the races, 162 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 1: and tell you what issues really matter. We do not 163 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:07,839 Speaker 1: always agree. We definitely do not always agree, but we 164 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:11,040 Speaker 1: always deliver thoughtful debate and we always have a good time. 165 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 1: So subscribe to Slates Political Gapfest new episodes every Thursday, folks. 166 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 1: I am very happy to welcome to Woka affadaily for 167 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: the first time. Win Noland, who is the CEO of 168 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 1: Bradley and Parker and at the age of fifty six, 169 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:36,679 Speaker 1: came out in an email to her employees as trans. 170 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 1: When I want to start with what your mental, emotional, 171 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: physical preparation was to make the decision to come out 172 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: at fifty six. When we think about and to have 173 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:58,720 Speaker 1: conversations about people coming out, whether you're coming out as gay, 174 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 1: as trans, as bisexual, or so on, we often think 175 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 1: about young, younger people, right, and so what was the 176 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 1: walk us through, what the experience was for you to 177 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 1: be in your fifties and make this incredibly important and 178 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 1: impactful decision. So, first of all, thanks so much for 179 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 1: having me. It's it's a real pleasure to be with 180 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 1: you in your audience today. Um. You know, I think 181 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: that a large part of my late transition had to 182 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:40,199 Speaker 1: do with with the time period that I was born 183 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 1: in and that I was raised in. There was really 184 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:52,079 Speaker 1: very little information out there when I was growing up 185 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 1: about what being trans was. You know, there was a time, 186 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: and I'm old enough to know this, there was a 187 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 1: time when we had no Google, we had no Internet. 188 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:07,199 Speaker 1: You know, you had the World Book Encyclopedia and your 189 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: public library, and neither of those two places were repositories 190 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 1: for information regarding trans people. So I think a lot 191 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: of people in my generation knew that they didn't fit in, 192 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 1: knew that there was not and I say this, I'm 193 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 1: saying this so so I hope that people don't get 194 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: mad at me. Knew that something wasn't quite right, and 195 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:38,320 Speaker 1: I don't mean that. And you know, we have the 196 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 1: we all have the right to be where we are. 197 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:42,679 Speaker 1: But you know, you just knew you didn't fit in. 198 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 1: Something wasn't quite the same as everyone else. But it 199 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:49,960 Speaker 1: wasn't that easy to label, you know. So a lot 200 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 1: of a lot of people from my generation who were 201 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 1: trans kind of initially thought that they were. It wasn't 202 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: so much that they were trans, but maybe that they 203 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 1: were gay, because there was more information about that. Although 204 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: certainly not as prevalent as it is today, it was 205 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:13,440 Speaker 1: still light years ahead about where information about trans people was. 206 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 1: So I think for my own personal story, I think 207 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:22,600 Speaker 1: that was the case for me that I really didn't 208 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 1: I knew something was different about me, but it was 209 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 1: hard for me to quantify it for a long time. 210 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:33,920 Speaker 1: And then when I was able to quantify it, it 211 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 1: just didn't seem that there was really anything much to 212 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: do about it because I certainly didn't know anyone who transitioned. 213 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 1: You know, there wasn't anything in really popular culture or 214 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: media about it. So it really wasn't until the Internet. 215 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 1: The Internet started to really take hold, and all of 216 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: a sudden there was just it was like opening a 217 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 1: Pandora's box of information that became available to people, and 218 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: you found out about other people experiencing these same kinds 219 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: of things, and that, in fact, there were options to 220 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 1: do something about it, which is, you know, ultimately what 221 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 1: I did. So that was kind of the timeline as 222 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 1: to why I came out so late, And there's the 223 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: reasons that a lot of us who come out have. 224 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 1: You know, you worry about acceptance at work, you worry 225 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 1: about acceptance in your family, you worry about acceptance in 226 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:38,359 Speaker 1: romantic relationships. You know, there's a whole plethora of anxiety 227 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 1: and angst that goes along with it. So it just 228 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: took me a while to work that all out. How 229 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: did you go through your process? Meaning did you build that? So? 230 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 1: For me when I came out as as queer, it 231 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:01,080 Speaker 1: was I was quite young, had finished college, and I 232 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:04,080 Speaker 1: wanted to make sure for me that I had had 233 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 1: the support of my friends, my sister like that, I 234 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: had built up my own kind of fortified community before 235 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: I came out to my parents, right because I wanted 236 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,120 Speaker 1: to feel like I had people on my side. And 237 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 1: so for you, how how did you go through that 238 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: process before you would then tell employees, Yeah, totally totally 239 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:33,000 Speaker 1: get what you're saying there. And I did something quite 240 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 1: similar with me. I'm an only child and don't have 241 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: a you know, kind of a large nuclear family. But 242 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:47,920 Speaker 1: I confided in some close friends and some closed business 243 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 1: associates who knew for you know, they knew a good 244 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 1: deal earlier than the rest of the people I told. 245 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: And and for those exact same reasons that you discussed. 246 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 1: You know, you need someone to kind of be a 247 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 1: safe harbor. You need someone to kind of bounce things 248 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: off of, you know, once you get them, once you 249 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 1: get them kind of on your side, to use you 250 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:19,320 Speaker 1: to use your phase. You can then bounce things off them. Well, 251 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: you know, what do you think if I do it 252 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:22,919 Speaker 1: this way? Or how do you think this is going 253 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 1: to be perceived? And it just listen to anything we 254 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 1: do in life, whether it's what we're talking about or 255 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:35,880 Speaker 1: any other pursuit. Having valuable friends and allies is you know, 256 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:40,359 Speaker 1: it is just always a game changer. So when do 257 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:44,200 Speaker 1: you make the decision? Now? How long was it until 258 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:49,200 Speaker 1: you drafted the email to your employees? Had you told 259 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 1: other people? Had you told the board? Had you told 260 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:54,680 Speaker 1: you know, other people that were kind of stakeholders and 261 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: at your executive C suite level? Before then you would 262 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:03,200 Speaker 1: tell everyone else. So I kind of made the decision 263 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: to do this in I think it. I'm hoping I'm 264 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:10,160 Speaker 1: getting my own year, right. I think it was January 265 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:16,119 Speaker 1: of twenty and seventeen, and the email announcement you're talking 266 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:20,119 Speaker 1: about was sent out in May of that same year, 267 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: after the long Memorial Day weekend. It was the Tuesday 268 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 1: that we came back. Particularly because of my position and 269 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:34,480 Speaker 1: legal responsibilities and things of that nature that I have, 270 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 1: I wanted to make sure that I did everything as 271 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 1: correctly as I could from a legal standpoint. So earlier 272 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 1: in that year. Once I had made the decision, I 273 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 1: retained an attorney who was an expert does a lot 274 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: of pro bono work. Actually, he's an expert in trans 275 00:18:55,880 --> 00:19:00,159 Speaker 1: issues and getting all your documents right, getting your end 276 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: of markers changed, getting your birth certificate changed. You know, 277 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: here in New York. Here in New York, we're lucky 278 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:10,159 Speaker 1: because we're able to do all those things. You know, 279 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 1: in other states people find it much more challenging. Here 280 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 1: in New York. It's effort, and it should be effort. 281 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:18,359 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, you should be able to do 282 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 1: these things, you know, with a wave of a hand. 283 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:28,159 Speaker 1: But it's it's the effort is is extremely justified and 284 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 1: not over It's not a burden. So I was able 285 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 1: to get all those things done prior to making the 286 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:41,359 Speaker 1: announcement that I did in after that Memorial Day. So 287 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 1: it was about it, I guess, like a four or 288 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 1: five month process of kind of getting ready and getting 289 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 1: kind of all because you know, as you might expect, 290 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: I'm a pretty organized person. I'm goal oriented. Uh So 291 00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:56,120 Speaker 1: you know I had kind of a I had kind 292 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:58,439 Speaker 1: of my own pathway this is what I need to 293 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 1: get done by then, this is what I need to 294 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: get done by this date. Um So I was able 295 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:09,639 Speaker 1: to accomplish all those things. And during that time, excuse me, 296 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: I did have a couple of conversations, several conversations with 297 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: exactly those types of people you're talking about, um, fellow 298 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 1: board members, the executives, excuse me, people that I'm just 299 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:28,400 Speaker 1: friendly with here, um that I wanted to give them 300 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: a little bit more of a heads up because I 301 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 1: thought they deserved it. So what was the response when? 302 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:37,480 Speaker 1: What was what was the overall response, and what is 303 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:43,360 Speaker 1: the response been, Because now it's been roughly five years, right, yeah, 304 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 1: four yeah, so it's been it's yeah to tell us, 305 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:51,199 Speaker 1: I'm so sorry. I'm feeling a coughing episode coming on. 306 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:59,119 Speaker 1: Bad timing. UM So, I think the most, um, the 307 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: most appropriate way to discuss with you how everyone's reaction 308 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: was is to say there was an initial element of surprise, 309 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: which I personally believe and I know some trance people 310 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 1: don't agree with me on this, I personally believe that 311 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:28,320 Speaker 1: that is to be expected, and that's okay. You know, 312 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:33,160 Speaker 1: in my case, I had years and years and years 313 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:35,680 Speaker 1: of figuring out what the heck was going on with 314 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:40,120 Speaker 1: me and making this decision. In the case of these 315 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 1: other people, I was presenting, I mean, so much differently 316 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:47,480 Speaker 1: than I am today on this goal with you. This 317 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:49,760 Speaker 1: is how they knew me for ten or fifteen years. 318 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 1: I'd be surprised if they weren't surprised. So, you know, 319 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 1: I think you have to give people that initial you know, 320 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 1: that initial breath for them to take it all in 321 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 1: and process it. So there was definitely that, but that 322 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:17,880 Speaker 1: was very quickly replaced almost universally, with a really tremendous 323 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 1: level of support. So I have really and truly been 324 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 1: very blessed in how my transition you know, progressed, and 325 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:34,120 Speaker 1: how my transition was seen by others. And and I 326 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: know that I am blessed and fortunate because I know 327 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 1: that a lot of other people have a much more 328 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:48,400 Speaker 1: difficult time, much more Yeah. And one of the reasons why, 329 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:51,920 Speaker 1: one of the reasons why, you know, a few years 330 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:56,240 Speaker 1: ago I agreed to to be more public about this, 331 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:58,760 Speaker 1: and you know, had some really top tier media attention 332 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:02,120 Speaker 1: in the Wall Street Journal and Fox News, etc. One 333 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:04,919 Speaker 1: of the reasons I did that was because I wanted 334 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:07,960 Speaker 1: to show people that there are success stories here, that 335 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:13,720 Speaker 1: not everything is a horror show, But that doesn't change 336 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:17,439 Speaker 1: the fact that some people go through those really, really 337 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 1: tough time. What do you make when now, you know, 338 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:27,639 Speaker 1: a couple of years are removed from you coming out, 339 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:32,880 Speaker 1: and the attacks that you're seeing around the country, particularly 340 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 1: on trans youth, directed at trans youth, or the parents 341 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 1: of trans children, particularly in Texas for instance, where they're 342 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:46,920 Speaker 1: being criminalized for providing the care that their children need 343 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 1: in order to live full and complete lives. So how 344 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: has that been landing on you? So, you know, I 345 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:00,679 Speaker 1: mentioned before we were talking about the steps in my transition, 346 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:04,439 Speaker 1: how living in New York things were considerably easier than 347 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:06,840 Speaker 1: they would be if I lived, for instance, in Texas, 348 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:12,200 Speaker 1: right And this is really to me, this is such 349 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:16,959 Speaker 1: such an unfortunate reflection of a lot that's going on 350 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:20,240 Speaker 1: in our country right now, where we have just become 351 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 1: ultra polarized and and everything is now seen in this scene, 352 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 1: in this red and blue split um and it's just 353 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:38,160 Speaker 1: I find it. I find it so disturbing that you know, 354 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: we made, we made a lot of strides as a 355 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 1: country in embracing diversity and being inclusive, and now we're seeing, 356 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:55,440 Speaker 1: you know, on the part of a lot of these 357 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:58,199 Speaker 1: kinds of states like Texas of course is in the 358 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:01,440 Speaker 1: farmat but you know, tennis See has some nasty laws 359 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:05,119 Speaker 1: on the books, and there's some stuff going on in Florida. 360 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:08,760 Speaker 1: And you know, I don't know the statistics, but you 361 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:11,199 Speaker 1: know it's more than three or four states. This is 362 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 1: going on a lot of states. It's just so troubling 363 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:22,080 Speaker 1: because these people, we just want to live our lives. 364 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 1: We're not trying to inflict my lifestyle and my gender identification. 365 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 1: I'm not trying to inflict that on anybody else. This 366 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:35,880 Speaker 1: is what's right for me, And you know, I just 367 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:39,880 Speaker 1: want to live my life the way that I think 368 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 1: you should be able to live yours, and everybody should 369 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 1: be able to live theres and the fact that this 370 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:48,399 Speaker 1: seems to be I think the thing that bothers me 371 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:52,840 Speaker 1: the most is that it's like being demonized. That you know, 372 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:56,919 Speaker 1: being trans or different in some respect is being demonized. 373 00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 1: And in reality, you know, the great thing about this 374 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: country to me has always been that it's a melting 375 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:10,160 Speaker 1: pot of so many different nationalities and cultures and sexual 376 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:14,400 Speaker 1: identities and everything else. And that's where we get our 377 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:18,199 Speaker 1: strength from that diversity. And I just I find it 378 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 1: very very, very troubling. You know, we're both in New York, 379 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 1: and so to some extent there's like a sheltering right 380 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:31,640 Speaker 1: that happens. We absolutely, but I think that my concern 381 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:34,720 Speaker 1: and the concern that I raise on woke f you know, 382 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:36,960 Speaker 1: have been raising the alarm on for the past couple 383 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 1: of years, is that I don't believe that we will 384 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:42,679 Speaker 1: all be safe for long just because we happen to 385 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 1: be in blue states, particularly if we have those that 386 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 1: are forcing these anti LGBTQ policies make it to the 387 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:56,120 Speaker 1: federal level. So you know, that's the depth of fear, right, 388 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:59,439 Speaker 1: that's definitely the fear. I don't know about you, but 389 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:03,520 Speaker 1: I guess it's I guess it's two years ago. It is. 390 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:06,680 Speaker 1: It's two years ago now. I'm sure you were like me, 391 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:09,600 Speaker 1: and when that big Title nine case was in the 392 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 1: Supreme Court, I was fully prepared for that to go 393 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:18,840 Speaker 1: the other way and was really pleasantly surprised, and you know, 394 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: in a way affirmed a little bit that says, Okay, well, 395 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:24,640 Speaker 1: maybe these people aren't all as crazy as we think 396 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:28,880 Speaker 1: they are, because you know, they upheld that, and I 397 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 1: think a lot of us in our community thought that 398 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:36,320 Speaker 1: was going the wrong way. Yeah, so you know, one 399 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:40,159 Speaker 1: of the one of the things. So I absolutely agree 400 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 1: with what you're saying, because if these things reach the 401 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:45,680 Speaker 1: federal level, and of course, right now, if you listen 402 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:49,960 Speaker 1: to the variety of talking heads, the Democrats, as much 403 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 1: as some people may not want to admit this, the 404 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:58,200 Speaker 1: Democrats are in trouble everywhere. Um. And you know it's 405 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:01,600 Speaker 1: a it's you know, they're in hour now. But you 406 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:04,200 Speaker 1: know it's a very dare. It's as slim as a 407 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 1: razor blade, right. I mean, so that's that obviously is worrisome. 408 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 1: But I think the real challenge, I think for people 409 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:18,720 Speaker 1: like us, you and I and others that are trying 410 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:22,119 Speaker 1: to raise our voices in support of these issues and 411 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:26,800 Speaker 1: kind of like you said, sounding the warning bells, I 412 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:32,240 Speaker 1: think the job that we have is to reach the 413 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 1: average member of the American public. And here's what I 414 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:41,880 Speaker 1: mean by this. It seems to me, it seems to 415 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 1: me that the narrative, no matter what side of the 416 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:50,240 Speaker 1: political spectrum you're on, whether you're the far right or 417 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:54,320 Speaker 1: the far left, the narrative seems to be really driven 418 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 1: by these two extremes. And you're average American on the street, 419 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 1: whether they identify as Republican or Democrat, or conservative or liberal. 420 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:10,360 Speaker 1: You're average American in the street has fairly average values 421 00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:13,520 Speaker 1: and average opinions on these things. Like if you ask 422 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 1: the average person in the street, do you think we 423 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:19,040 Speaker 1: should defund all the police, they're like, no, of course not. 424 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 1: But then if you ask that same person, well, do 425 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: you think we should hold police accountable so that they don't, 426 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 1: you know, so they don't kill people like Raymond Floyd? 427 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 1: They say, of course we should. So there's there's a 428 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 1: lot of agreement out there, but there doesn't seem to 429 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 1: be any agreement by the people that are running yet 430 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:42,840 Speaker 1: the negative. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, and I think I 431 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:45,320 Speaker 1: think it's it's our job to the best that we 432 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 1: can to get those people to wake up and to 433 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:52,040 Speaker 1: get them to understand that that by just being silent, 434 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:55,520 Speaker 1: because none of this really affects them, you know, they're 435 00:29:55,520 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 1: going to get a very different place. What a question 436 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 1: for you, when what advice do you have for somebody 437 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:09,880 Speaker 1: that is listening that has yet to come out that 438 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 1: they you know, they in their mind they've reached an 439 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:16,280 Speaker 1: age where they're just like, Nope, this is just the 440 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:19,719 Speaker 1: way that life is and I gotta keep you know, 441 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:23,000 Speaker 1: just keep on keeping on. What advice do you have 442 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:29,200 Speaker 1: to them? So that a form of that question I 443 00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:33,480 Speaker 1: get a lot and um my answer is always the same, 444 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:39,720 Speaker 1: and that is, if you if there's a way for 445 00:30:39,760 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 1: you to do this, don't delay. If you think it's 446 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 1: something you want to do, don't delay. This is this 447 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: is what I'm going to say now. Is is a 448 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:57,560 Speaker 1: sentiment that so many people have expressed, and they express 449 00:30:57,640 --> 00:31:02,080 Speaker 1: it because it's true. You can have all the money 450 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 1: in the world, you can have all the friends in 451 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:07,600 Speaker 1: the world, You're can have the best relationships, You're gonna 452 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:11,760 Speaker 1: have a lot of things, but one thing you can't 453 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:16,760 Speaker 1: get more of his time. We're all allotted a certain 454 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 1: amount of time, and kicking the can down the road 455 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:26,120 Speaker 1: is not usually a great strategy because it wastes time. 456 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 1: So another kind of a part of the question you 457 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:34,160 Speaker 1: asked was, well, what about people who just don't think 458 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 1: that there's a path right there? They know in their 459 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:40,800 Speaker 1: hearts that they would like things to be different, but 460 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:44,640 Speaker 1: they don't think that there's a path. I understand that, 461 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:48,560 Speaker 1: and unfortunately, I think for some people there isn't a path. 462 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 1: But I also think there is a path for many 463 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:58,760 Speaker 1: people that don't think there is one, and my advice 464 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:03,720 Speaker 1: to them is to really go and seek some help. 465 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:08,600 Speaker 1: We are, we are much We're in a much better 466 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 1: position now than we were a generation or two ago. 467 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:16,960 Speaker 1: There are a number of so many talented gender therapists 468 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 1: who can help people navigate this. And you know, if 469 00:32:24,160 --> 00:32:28,040 Speaker 1: you think there's no way out, maybe there isn't, but 470 00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 1: maybe there is, and you know, try to do some 471 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:33,560 Speaker 1: legwork and get some help to make sure that there 472 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:37,960 Speaker 1: really isn't an avenue for you to progress forward and 473 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 1: be happier. Yeah, when Nolan, thank you so much for 474 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:48,040 Speaker 1: sharing your story, for you know, using your voice and 475 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 1: your platform to lift up and to guide other people, 476 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:53,680 Speaker 1: and for making time for us here at wik a. 477 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:57,760 Speaker 1: I appreciate you. Lovely to meet you, lovely to be here. 478 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:01,360 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. It's no secret that the news 479 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:05,200 Speaker 1: is horsepill hard to swallow. Thankfully, there's the Bituation Room 480 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:09,560 Speaker 1: podcast hosted by comedian and commentator Francesca Freer and Tini 481 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:12,280 Speaker 1: for a lighter take on the heavy stuff. Each week, 482 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 1: the Bituation Room brings you progressive comedians, experts, and activists 483 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:18,280 Speaker 1: to break down the issues in a way that won't 484 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:20,880 Speaker 1: just leave you crying under a weighted blanket. Get the 485 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:25,000 Speaker 1: Bituation Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and streaming on 486 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:37,080 Speaker 1: YouTube and Twitch. That is it for me today. Hear 487 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:40,920 Speaker 1: friends on Woke app as always Power to the people 488 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:44,440 Speaker 1: and to all the people power. Get woke and stay 489 00:33:44,840 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 1: woke as fuck.