1 00:00:08,285 --> 00:00:09,165 Speaker 1: School of Humans. 2 00:00:12,725 --> 00:00:14,325 Speaker 2: This is Queer Chronicles. 3 00:00:15,565 --> 00:00:22,205 Speaker 3: This is my personal intry queen. This is Queer Chronicles. 4 00:00:34,205 --> 00:00:37,085 Speaker 4: We've had such an incredible journey getting to know the 5 00:00:37,125 --> 00:00:41,125 Speaker 4: stars that is the teens we followed on this season 6 00:00:41,285 --> 00:00:48,045 Speaker 4: of Queer Chronicles. They really tapped into authenticity and vulnerability. 7 00:00:48,125 --> 00:00:51,885 Speaker 4: We've heard about their experiences with hormone replacement therapy. 8 00:00:52,445 --> 00:00:55,485 Speaker 5: I always feel more comfortable when I'm testosterone, and I 9 00:00:55,525 --> 00:00:57,605 Speaker 5: don't really know how to explain it other than it 10 00:00:57,645 --> 00:00:58,805 Speaker 5: feels like magic to me. 11 00:00:58,925 --> 00:00:59,125 Speaker 6: You know. 12 00:00:59,925 --> 00:01:03,805 Speaker 4: We've explored how ballroom culture provides a safe haven for 13 00:01:03,885 --> 00:01:15,805 Speaker 4: self expression, and we've even heard about their connection to romance. 14 00:01:16,085 --> 00:01:18,045 Speaker 7: I just feel like I could be meet with you, 15 00:01:18,245 --> 00:01:22,605 Speaker 7: and I feel like that's so important to having a party. 16 00:01:22,725 --> 00:01:27,165 Speaker 4: Their stories deserve this kind of space, and I feel 17 00:01:27,285 --> 00:01:30,805 Speaker 4: so honored that they share them with us. We thought 18 00:01:30,845 --> 00:01:33,485 Speaker 4: a lot about how to end a season like this, 19 00:01:34,325 --> 00:01:37,405 Speaker 4: and we figured maybe the best way to close this 20 00:01:37,525 --> 00:01:42,925 Speaker 4: chapter is to just hear from them, unfiltered. 21 00:01:42,645 --> 00:01:45,565 Speaker 1: Open and in conversation with each other. 22 00:01:48,365 --> 00:01:54,405 Speaker 4: I'm Raquel Willis from School of Humans, The Outspoken Podcast Network, 23 00:01:54,605 --> 00:02:01,205 Speaker 4: and iHeart Podcasts. This is Queer Chronicles, a show where 24 00:02:01,285 --> 00:02:05,525 Speaker 4: queer folks document their personal lives and experiences. 25 00:02:05,245 --> 00:02:06,485 Speaker 1: In their own words. 26 00:02:07,245 --> 00:02:10,205 Speaker 4: This season, we spoke with a group of teens in 27 00:02:10,285 --> 00:02:15,045 Speaker 4: battleground states across the country, and for our last episode, 28 00:02:15,165 --> 00:02:19,685 Speaker 4: we brought our group together to just chat about their 29 00:02:19,765 --> 00:02:23,325 Speaker 4: hopes for the future, how they're thinking about what's going 30 00:02:23,365 --> 00:02:27,765 Speaker 4: on in the country at large, what movies they're watching. 31 00:02:27,765 --> 00:02:28,445 Speaker 1: And more. 32 00:02:29,485 --> 00:02:34,805 Speaker 4: Absolutely nothing was off the table. It was pretty special. 33 00:02:35,645 --> 00:02:38,085 Speaker 4: Some of them had never seen each other during the 34 00:02:38,125 --> 00:02:41,605 Speaker 4: course of this project, but when everyone got on the call, 35 00:02:42,205 --> 00:02:45,845 Speaker 4: it was like watching a first day of school and 36 00:02:46,325 --> 00:02:52,965 Speaker 4: a five year reunion at the same time. We had 37 00:02:53,045 --> 00:02:54,565 Speaker 4: Daniel from Arizona. 38 00:02:55,165 --> 00:02:57,445 Speaker 6: Wait, I just want to say I don't think we've 39 00:02:57,485 --> 00:03:00,045 Speaker 6: ever met in person before or life on zoom. 40 00:03:00,045 --> 00:03:03,405 Speaker 3: That's not in person. But I love your haircut so cool. 41 00:03:04,205 --> 00:03:05,405 Speaker 1: Connor from Tennis. 42 00:03:06,165 --> 00:03:07,325 Speaker 3: Yeah, the hair is awesome. 43 00:03:07,965 --> 00:03:10,285 Speaker 1: It also from Arizona. 44 00:03:10,365 --> 00:03:10,725 Speaker 3: Thank you. 45 00:03:11,045 --> 00:03:13,725 Speaker 2: I actually just got a haircut professionally for the first 46 00:03:13,765 --> 00:03:16,405 Speaker 2: time since I was fourteen a few weeks ago. 47 00:03:16,485 --> 00:03:22,125 Speaker 4: So Libby from Texas. Here, she's telling the group which 48 00:03:22,165 --> 00:03:24,925 Speaker 4: fictional character she'd most like to be friends with. 49 00:03:25,205 --> 00:03:29,965 Speaker 2: It would be Marcelene from Adventure Time. She's pretty cool 50 00:03:30,005 --> 00:03:31,685 Speaker 2: and she's kind of a gay icon. 51 00:03:32,445 --> 00:03:37,725 Speaker 4: And Safara, who recently started her undergraduate studies at. 52 00:03:37,525 --> 00:03:42,525 Speaker 8: Harvard, I'm like rewatching the show, like literally like an 53 00:03:42,565 --> 00:03:46,125 Speaker 8: hour guys rewatching it, and Marcelene is really that girl, 54 00:03:46,405 --> 00:03:47,765 Speaker 8: So you ate that. 55 00:03:48,605 --> 00:03:51,365 Speaker 4: We started off the conversation with a bit of a 56 00:03:51,405 --> 00:03:56,045 Speaker 4: full circle moment. Our first episode this season was all 57 00:03:56,125 --> 00:04:01,045 Speaker 4: about self expression, so we asked everyone about recent moments 58 00:04:01,085 --> 00:04:05,405 Speaker 4: where they felt affirmed in their identities or when they've 59 00:04:05,645 --> 00:04:09,525 Speaker 4: had to grapple with the communities around them witnessing their 60 00:04:09,565 --> 00:04:11,325 Speaker 4: growth as young people. 61 00:04:11,925 --> 00:04:15,885 Speaker 6: M my one friend from school who's also a trans guy. 62 00:04:16,685 --> 00:04:19,765 Speaker 6: Every time we do something that's like if you were 63 00:04:19,805 --> 00:04:20,325 Speaker 6: to watch. 64 00:04:20,205 --> 00:04:22,965 Speaker 3: A movie about a group of teenage boys. 65 00:04:23,285 --> 00:04:25,125 Speaker 6: And we did something like that, then we'd be like, dude, 66 00:04:25,125 --> 00:04:27,605 Speaker 6: that's so boy, that's so boy of us. One of 67 00:04:27,605 --> 00:04:31,205 Speaker 6: my friends mentioned Korn, like the band. Me and my 68 00:04:31,325 --> 00:04:33,445 Speaker 6: other friend were just like, that was so boy. We 69 00:04:33,565 --> 00:04:35,845 Speaker 6: love Korn and it's so dumb, but it's like so 70 00:04:36,005 --> 00:04:36,525 Speaker 6: fun too. 71 00:04:36,885 --> 00:04:39,485 Speaker 9: I feel like the same thing, like in some cases 72 00:04:39,525 --> 00:04:41,885 Speaker 9: can be so boy and so girl at the same time. 73 00:04:42,085 --> 00:04:44,405 Speaker 9: Just depends on your interpretation exactly. 74 00:04:44,965 --> 00:04:48,605 Speaker 8: Sometimes depending on like I don't know, the contact, so 75 00:04:48,725 --> 00:04:51,605 Speaker 8: sometimes things are just so gender and I literally, I 76 00:04:51,685 --> 00:04:54,365 Speaker 8: literally am like, that is so gender you like, I 77 00:04:54,445 --> 00:04:57,805 Speaker 8: don't know, like example would be like Harry's styles or 78 00:04:57,845 --> 00:05:00,245 Speaker 8: like something like just some type of like that is 79 00:05:00,285 --> 00:05:00,845 Speaker 8: so gender. 80 00:05:01,005 --> 00:05:01,125 Speaker 10: Like. 81 00:05:01,365 --> 00:05:02,445 Speaker 3: I love that you're doing that. 82 00:05:06,045 --> 00:05:08,925 Speaker 4: Shout out to the Zoomers for keeping us on our toes. 83 00:05:08,965 --> 00:05:12,125 Speaker 4: So when it comes to language, I'm adding that cell 84 00:05:12,205 --> 00:05:17,285 Speaker 4: gender to my personal dictionary. But aside from dropping new slang, 85 00:05:18,005 --> 00:05:21,645 Speaker 4: our teens share more about their gender affirming moments, like 86 00:05:21,765 --> 00:05:24,325 Speaker 4: Connor's vocal change of I've been. 87 00:05:24,405 --> 00:05:27,685 Speaker 9: On disasterone since April. 88 00:05:27,805 --> 00:05:29,925 Speaker 3: I don't know, I haven't been counting. I probably should 89 00:05:30,005 --> 00:05:30,205 Speaker 3: do that. 90 00:05:31,645 --> 00:05:35,045 Speaker 9: And I also have my name legally change, which happened recently, 91 00:05:35,565 --> 00:05:40,685 Speaker 9: and I just started my junior year of high school 92 00:05:41,525 --> 00:05:45,285 Speaker 9: and my school hasn't changed my name in any of 93 00:05:45,285 --> 00:05:47,805 Speaker 9: the systems, so I still get called my dead name, 94 00:05:48,565 --> 00:05:51,565 Speaker 9: and without it being in my records. A lot of 95 00:05:51,565 --> 00:05:53,845 Speaker 9: my teachers will say I'm not gonna call you that, 96 00:05:54,445 --> 00:05:59,685 Speaker 9: which is rough, but it's also kind of funny because 97 00:05:59,725 --> 00:06:04,085 Speaker 9: I pretty much have like a mustache and my voice 98 00:06:04,125 --> 00:06:07,565 Speaker 9: is deeper than like my cis male voice teachers, so 99 00:06:07,605 --> 00:06:09,765 Speaker 9: they're just calling me this girly name, and I'm like, 100 00:06:10,125 --> 00:06:15,605 Speaker 9: I'll say here, but like look me in my eyes 101 00:06:15,685 --> 00:06:18,485 Speaker 9: and tell me that's what you believe. Like I like 102 00:06:18,565 --> 00:06:21,285 Speaker 9: I passed to the point where they look dumb, and 103 00:06:21,325 --> 00:06:23,845 Speaker 9: I'm like, there is nothing I can do to stop you. 104 00:06:23,925 --> 00:06:26,205 Speaker 3: But one of us looks dumb in this situation, and 105 00:06:26,245 --> 00:06:26,925 Speaker 3: it's not me. 106 00:06:27,565 --> 00:06:30,885 Speaker 5: I haven't heard your voice since like right after you 107 00:06:30,925 --> 00:06:32,685 Speaker 5: started testosterone, and it's like. 108 00:06:32,805 --> 00:06:34,205 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's I. 109 00:06:34,325 --> 00:06:36,485 Speaker 5: Like you turn on your mike and I was like. 110 00:06:36,365 --> 00:06:41,525 Speaker 9: Oh yeah, I think I've gone down. Like my lowest 111 00:06:41,525 --> 00:06:44,965 Speaker 9: singing note gone down six notes. 112 00:06:45,325 --> 00:06:54,685 Speaker 3: That's awesome. My gender throwing moment of like the last 113 00:06:54,725 --> 00:06:55,205 Speaker 3: week or so. 114 00:06:56,685 --> 00:07:00,645 Speaker 8: Was basically I'm in like this organization and like we're 115 00:07:00,645 --> 00:07:07,525 Speaker 8: planning this trans centered conference at Harvard, and I was 116 00:07:07,565 --> 00:07:14,485 Speaker 8: talking with Lee and they do like black abolition work 117 00:07:14,885 --> 00:07:16,845 Speaker 8: while being like a trans person, and I do like 118 00:07:17,605 --> 00:07:20,725 Speaker 8: trans centered activist work while being like a black person, 119 00:07:20,725 --> 00:07:21,605 Speaker 8: and like more. 120 00:07:21,525 --> 00:07:23,725 Speaker 3: Like two sides of like the same coin. 121 00:07:24,325 --> 00:07:27,765 Speaker 8: And it was just like I was literally like smiling 122 00:07:27,805 --> 00:07:29,885 Speaker 8: like ear to ear, just like oh my god, like 123 00:07:29,965 --> 00:07:32,885 Speaker 8: I actually have like someone that like understands me, and 124 00:07:32,965 --> 00:07:35,245 Speaker 8: like that's so amazing that like I actually get to 125 00:07:35,285 --> 00:07:38,245 Speaker 8: have that like connection and to have someone like right 126 00:07:38,285 --> 00:07:40,525 Speaker 8: there next to me, like I can like walk twenty 127 00:07:40,565 --> 00:07:45,125 Speaker 8: steps and go to their like dorm and like that's 128 00:07:45,165 --> 00:07:47,285 Speaker 8: just like so exciting for me, Like I don't know, 129 00:07:47,325 --> 00:07:50,085 Speaker 8: it's literally like amazing. So I love that, Like I 130 00:07:50,125 --> 00:07:51,725 Speaker 8: get to like some in the next like four years 131 00:07:51,725 --> 00:07:52,605 Speaker 8: with them. 132 00:07:53,125 --> 00:07:56,405 Speaker 4: I hate to butt into safar as Joy, But don't worry, 133 00:07:56,525 --> 00:08:12,205 Speaker 4: She'll have even more for us after the break, so 134 00:08:12,285 --> 00:08:13,045 Speaker 4: I know, I said. 135 00:08:13,085 --> 00:08:16,445 Speaker 1: We talk more about Joy. 136 00:08:15,325 --> 00:08:18,765 Speaker 4: But we had to ask our teens directly about the 137 00:08:18,805 --> 00:08:22,645 Speaker 4: political crisis their generation is facing in this moment. 138 00:08:23,525 --> 00:08:25,445 Speaker 1: So we went there and. 139 00:08:25,445 --> 00:08:28,365 Speaker 4: Played them a clip of one of the most infamous 140 00:08:28,445 --> 00:08:35,285 Speaker 4: anti transators in the game right now, Texas Governor Greg Abbott. 141 00:08:35,165 --> 00:08:37,245 Speaker 3: A person under the age of eighteen. 142 00:08:37,685 --> 00:08:40,925 Speaker 11: They don't have the mental capacity to make a life 143 00:08:41,165 --> 00:08:42,205 Speaker 11: changing decision. 144 00:08:43,925 --> 00:08:46,645 Speaker 4: We asked our teens their thoughts on what it feels 145 00:08:46,725 --> 00:08:51,805 Speaker 4: like for him to talk about them without actually knowing them. 146 00:08:52,885 --> 00:08:56,605 Speaker 3: Okay, I'll start, He's so stupid. I just I. 147 00:08:56,605 --> 00:09:02,245 Speaker 8: Hate him because very ironically, I am going to the 148 00:09:02,325 --> 00:09:08,845 Speaker 8: private pre trial court hearing tomorrow with transgender education at 149 00:09:08,845 --> 00:09:12,645 Speaker 8: Work Texas, which is where I work part time. And 150 00:09:12,685 --> 00:09:14,725 Speaker 8: they just have like the dumbest people be like their 151 00:09:14,805 --> 00:09:18,725 Speaker 8: key witnesses talking about like the most stupid like pseudoscience. 152 00:09:19,485 --> 00:09:22,205 Speaker 8: And I hate all of I hate all of it, 153 00:09:22,485 --> 00:09:25,405 Speaker 8: and I'm going to go back tomorrow and continue hating 154 00:09:25,445 --> 00:09:25,885 Speaker 8: all of it. 155 00:09:27,565 --> 00:09:33,805 Speaker 9: As a government official, you absolutely have better things to 156 00:09:33,845 --> 00:09:37,245 Speaker 9: be doing, like one hundred percent, one hundred percent. You 157 00:09:37,285 --> 00:09:41,445 Speaker 9: want to talk about gun control or the lack thereof, Sure, 158 00:09:41,725 --> 00:09:44,845 Speaker 9: that's a topic that like actually makes sense to be 159 00:09:44,965 --> 00:09:48,525 Speaker 9: talking about. You want to talk about anything with the economy, 160 00:09:48,805 --> 00:09:51,205 Speaker 9: Sure that makes sense to be talking about. You want 161 00:09:51,205 --> 00:09:53,125 Speaker 9: to talk about the military, you want to talk about 162 00:09:53,165 --> 00:09:54,645 Speaker 9: the roads, you want to talk about education. 163 00:09:55,685 --> 00:09:56,845 Speaker 3: That's your job. 164 00:09:57,485 --> 00:10:01,125 Speaker 9: Your job is not to say I don't want you 165 00:10:01,245 --> 00:10:02,045 Speaker 9: wearing a dress. 166 00:10:02,245 --> 00:10:03,685 Speaker 1: That is not your job. 167 00:10:03,805 --> 00:10:07,445 Speaker 9: That is not what you were given that position to do. 168 00:10:08,405 --> 00:10:13,885 Speaker 9: And like, frankly, why do you care? Why do you care? 169 00:10:13,965 --> 00:10:16,165 Speaker 9: No one's putting you in a dress, no one's putting 170 00:10:16,165 --> 00:10:19,205 Speaker 9: your wife in a suit, Like it's just it's okay. 171 00:10:20,125 --> 00:10:23,765 Speaker 5: It's like like a firing rage group in me is 172 00:10:23,845 --> 00:10:28,365 Speaker 5: like how do you know that? And the biggest frustration 173 00:10:28,445 --> 00:10:30,485 Speaker 5: for me is like you were a teenager wants to 174 00:10:31,205 --> 00:10:33,845 Speaker 5: and the fact that you can't see that you I'm 175 00:10:33,845 --> 00:10:35,965 Speaker 5: sure you felt similar ways of like I feel like 176 00:10:36,005 --> 00:10:39,045 Speaker 5: I'm not being treated like a person. I feel like 177 00:10:39,125 --> 00:10:42,405 Speaker 5: I'm not being taken seriously. And yes, there are things 178 00:10:42,445 --> 00:10:44,205 Speaker 5: that I don't know, and there are things that I'm 179 00:10:44,205 --> 00:10:46,605 Speaker 5: going to learn, and I'm looking forward to that in 180 00:10:46,645 --> 00:10:50,525 Speaker 5: the future, to learn things about life and about living 181 00:10:50,605 --> 00:10:54,165 Speaker 5: and existence. But how am I supposed to do that 182 00:10:54,325 --> 00:10:57,165 Speaker 5: if I can't live to get to that point? 183 00:10:57,405 --> 00:11:00,245 Speaker 1: How am I supposed to learn and. 184 00:11:00,125 --> 00:11:05,045 Speaker 5: Like understand more if I can't even feel comfortable being 185 00:11:05,765 --> 00:11:10,285 Speaker 5: who I am? 186 00:11:10,325 --> 00:11:15,165 Speaker 4: Along with Abbott, we also talked about how teachers, people 187 00:11:15,205 --> 00:11:18,285 Speaker 4: who these teenagers spend a lot of time with, are 188 00:11:18,325 --> 00:11:23,085 Speaker 4: being pitted against them. Florida Governor Ron de Santis, for instance, 189 00:11:23,485 --> 00:11:28,365 Speaker 4: has been talking about banning educators from encouraging and using 190 00:11:28,405 --> 00:11:33,325 Speaker 4: students chosen pronouns. Here's a rather unfortunate clip. 191 00:11:34,085 --> 00:11:36,605 Speaker 11: We've also led the way, and I always been right 192 00:11:36,605 --> 00:11:38,725 Speaker 11: there with us, and recently has done a lot on 193 00:11:38,765 --> 00:11:44,525 Speaker 11: this of eliminating gender ideology in our schools. It is 194 00:11:44,645 --> 00:11:48,405 Speaker 11: wrong for a teacher to be telling a young student 195 00:11:48,765 --> 00:11:50,925 Speaker 11: that they may have been born in the wrong body, 196 00:11:51,045 --> 00:11:53,125 Speaker 11: or that their gender is a choice. 197 00:11:53,565 --> 00:11:57,525 Speaker 1: And our teens had some words. 198 00:11:56,605 --> 00:12:00,005 Speaker 8: Like I'm sorry, but like the like pronoun like what 199 00:12:00,085 --> 00:12:02,805 Speaker 8: are your pronouns? Like introduction on the first day of school, 200 00:12:02,845 --> 00:12:07,205 Speaker 8: Like that's not changing anyone's any there's no ideology being 201 00:12:07,245 --> 00:12:10,125 Speaker 8: pushed when like teachers have like that like intro or 202 00:12:10,165 --> 00:12:13,005 Speaker 8: they're like, hi, I miss whatever and I use her 203 00:12:13,085 --> 00:12:14,805 Speaker 8: pronouns like and it's. 204 00:12:14,685 --> 00:12:17,805 Speaker 9: Like one in fifty teachers that do that anyway, if 205 00:12:17,845 --> 00:12:18,445 Speaker 9: you're lucky. 206 00:12:19,045 --> 00:12:21,205 Speaker 5: And when they do, there's always the guy that's like, 207 00:12:21,725 --> 00:12:26,325 Speaker 5: my pronouns are USA, and it's like that guy. 208 00:12:25,925 --> 00:12:27,885 Speaker 2: That says I don't have pronouns. 209 00:12:28,165 --> 00:12:31,165 Speaker 3: I'm a man, Like that guy is more common than. 210 00:12:31,045 --> 00:12:33,205 Speaker 5: A teacher that asks your pronouns. 211 00:12:33,725 --> 00:12:38,125 Speaker 2: This happened to me like for the first time last year. 212 00:12:39,445 --> 00:12:43,645 Speaker 2: My teacher she has a non binary kid and a 213 00:12:43,685 --> 00:12:47,125 Speaker 2: bisexual daughter, and so I feel like she understands and 214 00:12:47,165 --> 00:12:49,925 Speaker 2: like is pretty good about that. And my other teacher 215 00:12:50,725 --> 00:12:53,605 Speaker 2: is married to a non binary person, so I feel 216 00:12:53,605 --> 00:12:55,525 Speaker 2: like I kind of wont like the teacher jack pot. 217 00:12:57,885 --> 00:13:00,205 Speaker 2: But that was like the first time that I've ever 218 00:13:00,285 --> 00:13:04,125 Speaker 2: experienced like my teacher like asking about pronouns, and I 219 00:13:04,165 --> 00:13:05,485 Speaker 2: thought that was so cool. 220 00:13:06,205 --> 00:13:07,445 Speaker 3: It's actually really devastating. 221 00:13:07,485 --> 00:13:09,885 Speaker 1: But whenever it comes to like advocacy, we talk a lot. 222 00:13:09,725 --> 00:13:14,085 Speaker 12: About like life statistics for trans youth, right but you know, 223 00:13:14,085 --> 00:13:17,045 Speaker 12: there's a lot of studies that say that trans youth 224 00:13:17,085 --> 00:13:19,565 Speaker 12: who at least have one supportive adult in their life 225 00:13:19,605 --> 00:13:20,845 Speaker 12: completely flip. 226 00:13:20,605 --> 00:13:22,125 Speaker 1: Those statistics, you know. 227 00:13:22,565 --> 00:13:24,445 Speaker 6: So I always love when teachers do that. 228 00:13:24,565 --> 00:13:25,205 Speaker 3: I think it's cool. 229 00:13:25,325 --> 00:13:28,645 Speaker 5: Yeah, the most that I've ever gotten was like papers 230 00:13:28,685 --> 00:13:31,245 Speaker 5: that said like it was like those icebreaker papers that 231 00:13:31,285 --> 00:13:33,725 Speaker 5: you had to do for the teacher to get. 232 00:13:33,565 --> 00:13:34,045 Speaker 1: To know you. 233 00:13:34,405 --> 00:13:38,885 Speaker 5: And a few times I have had pronouns as an option, 234 00:13:38,965 --> 00:13:41,765 Speaker 5: like two or three times. I've never had a teacher 235 00:13:41,885 --> 00:13:44,725 Speaker 5: directly ask the class or anything, although I will say 236 00:13:44,805 --> 00:13:48,005 Speaker 5: that I think that it is a good strategy at 237 00:13:48,045 --> 00:13:49,885 Speaker 5: least right now in the climate that we have to 238 00:13:50,005 --> 00:13:53,405 Speaker 5: specifically do it as like a private thing of like 239 00:13:53,725 --> 00:13:57,245 Speaker 5: I've seen some teachers actually do like papers where it'll 240 00:13:57,245 --> 00:13:59,605 Speaker 5: be like a teacher will ask what pronouns would you 241 00:13:59,685 --> 00:14:02,445 Speaker 5: prefer me to use for you in private? What would 242 00:14:02,485 --> 00:14:04,005 Speaker 5: you prefer me to use in class, and what would 243 00:14:04,005 --> 00:14:05,365 Speaker 5: you prefer me to use with their parents? 244 00:14:05,845 --> 00:14:08,205 Speaker 3: And I think that's like the ideal. 245 00:14:09,605 --> 00:14:14,085 Speaker 4: I can't tell you how exhausting the whole. I don't 246 00:14:14,085 --> 00:14:18,365 Speaker 4: know what pronouns are, conversation is, but I'm glad that 247 00:14:18,445 --> 00:14:19,805 Speaker 4: our teens aren't. 248 00:14:19,605 --> 00:14:21,445 Speaker 1: Quite as jaded as I am. 249 00:14:21,765 --> 00:14:25,925 Speaker 4: They're taking it all in stride, which is necessary, especially 250 00:14:25,965 --> 00:14:29,485 Speaker 4: with all the incorrect information about clear and trans folks 251 00:14:29,485 --> 00:14:29,965 Speaker 4: out there. 252 00:14:30,765 --> 00:14:32,885 Speaker 1: Here's Daniel's take on all of this. 253 00:14:34,685 --> 00:14:37,605 Speaker 6: Kind of to bounce off what Safar said. I always 254 00:14:37,645 --> 00:14:42,085 Speaker 6: think it's so like frustrating whenever people are always saying 255 00:14:42,125 --> 00:14:46,445 Speaker 6: this misinformation, right, But sometimes we'll go testify at my 256 00:14:46,565 --> 00:14:54,245 Speaker 6: state capital and then they'll have like some person from 257 00:14:54,245 --> 00:14:58,805 Speaker 6: like a random hateful organization read like a letter for 258 00:14:58,925 --> 00:15:02,845 Speaker 6: someone else, and it's just filled to the brim with 259 00:15:03,605 --> 00:15:05,925 Speaker 6: like misinformation for people who. 260 00:15:05,725 --> 00:15:08,685 Speaker 3: Claim they know what they're talking about. 261 00:15:08,845 --> 00:15:10,605 Speaker 6: And I'm like, if these people really knew what they 262 00:15:10,605 --> 00:15:12,605 Speaker 6: were talking about, Like, why can't they come down here? 263 00:15:13,205 --> 00:15:15,885 Speaker 6: I would love to see who these people are saying. 264 00:15:16,125 --> 00:15:17,245 Speaker 3: All of this nonsense. 265 00:15:17,325 --> 00:15:21,365 Speaker 6: You know, they're not actual people. 266 00:15:21,685 --> 00:15:25,925 Speaker 5: Yeah, Joe Rogan has a friend, uh who knows someone 267 00:15:26,205 --> 00:15:29,045 Speaker 5: that said there are kids using litter boxes in the 268 00:15:29,085 --> 00:15:29,685 Speaker 5: middle school. 269 00:15:29,965 --> 00:15:32,645 Speaker 9: So obviously the most unbelievable part of that is that 270 00:15:32,765 --> 00:15:34,845 Speaker 9: Joe Rogan has a friend, like, I think you could 271 00:15:34,845 --> 00:15:37,085 Speaker 9: just end it there. I think you can just end 272 00:15:37,125 --> 00:15:39,165 Speaker 9: it there, and they probably alive. 273 00:15:42,005 --> 00:15:45,725 Speaker 4: Something strikes me as we listen to this group discuss 274 00:15:45,805 --> 00:15:48,245 Speaker 4: these vile attacks on their existence. 275 00:15:49,125 --> 00:15:50,365 Speaker 1: It's their ability to. 276 00:15:50,405 --> 00:15:55,525 Speaker 4: Find humor in it while owning the power of their truths. Look, 277 00:15:56,325 --> 00:16:00,725 Speaker 4: these lawmakers are using their massive platforms to spew hatred, 278 00:16:01,485 --> 00:16:06,325 Speaker 4: to restrict these teens and their futures. But these young 279 00:16:06,365 --> 00:16:10,365 Speaker 4: folks are simply not having it. They see through the crap. 280 00:16:11,285 --> 00:16:12,925 Speaker 8: You can try and drive people out of your state 281 00:16:12,925 --> 00:16:14,525 Speaker 8: and it might work a little bit, but it's not 282 00:16:14,525 --> 00:16:17,965 Speaker 8: going to work entirely. And this like erasure of like 283 00:16:18,405 --> 00:16:21,765 Speaker 8: our existence as trans people, and like our history, especially 284 00:16:21,805 --> 00:16:26,165 Speaker 8: like indigenous like trans history that has existed and is 285 00:16:26,165 --> 00:16:28,565 Speaker 8: well documented, it's ridiculous. 286 00:16:29,165 --> 00:16:30,805 Speaker 3: Literally, just let us live our lives. 287 00:16:31,045 --> 00:16:35,685 Speaker 8: Let us like we're not pushing anything, you know, Like 288 00:16:35,765 --> 00:16:39,605 Speaker 8: the people who are not trans are not going through transition. 289 00:16:40,525 --> 00:16:44,245 Speaker 8: But there are trans kids, and there are trans adults, 290 00:16:44,245 --> 00:16:48,365 Speaker 8: and there are trans people everywhere who need to transition 291 00:16:48,445 --> 00:16:49,645 Speaker 8: in or to save their lives. 292 00:16:50,405 --> 00:16:52,725 Speaker 3: So the least you could do is hear us out 293 00:16:53,885 --> 00:16:54,565 Speaker 3: for them. 294 00:16:54,765 --> 00:17:00,765 Speaker 4: A more expansive and liberated world is necessary and possible, 295 00:17:01,445 --> 00:17:06,165 Speaker 4: and I think we can learn a lot from them. 296 00:17:07,965 --> 00:17:10,365 Speaker 10: Gender is so binary when you're like a little kid, 297 00:17:10,765 --> 00:17:12,885 Speaker 10: you know, everything's. 298 00:17:12,405 --> 00:17:13,805 Speaker 3: In little categories, you know. 299 00:17:14,565 --> 00:17:17,245 Speaker 6: And so my way of trying to express my gender 300 00:17:17,525 --> 00:17:20,445 Speaker 6: was of course drawing family portraits and then I would 301 00:17:20,445 --> 00:17:22,845 Speaker 6: have really short hair and wear like a little collar 302 00:17:22,925 --> 00:17:27,725 Speaker 6: shirt with a tie, or taking my bas hats my 303 00:17:27,845 --> 00:17:31,845 Speaker 6: kids big and just looking at myself in the mirror 304 00:17:32,205 --> 00:17:33,525 Speaker 6: and like, wow, I look so cool. 305 00:17:34,725 --> 00:17:39,605 Speaker 2: So I remember when I was like three maybe, and 306 00:17:39,725 --> 00:17:44,085 Speaker 2: I started to like more like express my gender identity. 307 00:17:45,125 --> 00:17:49,685 Speaker 2: Like preschool, I would come home with like these huge 308 00:17:49,725 --> 00:17:53,045 Speaker 2: paintings and they were of me with like super long, 309 00:17:53,645 --> 00:17:57,685 Speaker 2: like Rapunzel hair and like a huge princess dress, or 310 00:17:57,765 --> 00:18:00,845 Speaker 2: like me as like a mermaid, or like all these things. 311 00:18:00,885 --> 00:18:03,165 Speaker 2: And I would always have like super long, flowy hair, 312 00:18:03,845 --> 00:18:04,965 Speaker 2: and when it was a little I would go around 313 00:18:05,005 --> 00:18:06,685 Speaker 2: and tell all my friends that when I grow up, 314 00:18:06,765 --> 00:18:09,645 Speaker 2: I'm going to have a hair that touches the floor. 315 00:18:10,005 --> 00:18:13,965 Speaker 2: I would always like play house and be like the 316 00:18:14,205 --> 00:18:18,525 Speaker 2: mom or like the older sister, the one that rebels. 317 00:18:20,405 --> 00:18:23,285 Speaker 4: Hearing Daniel and Libby talk about playing dressed up as 318 00:18:23,405 --> 00:18:26,245 Speaker 4: kids and imagining different versions. 319 00:18:25,925 --> 00:18:27,765 Speaker 1: Of themselves is touching. 320 00:18:28,605 --> 00:18:31,325 Speaker 4: It also makes me think about my youth and what 321 00:18:31,685 --> 00:18:34,805 Speaker 4: I've heard other trans and non binary folks my age 322 00:18:34,885 --> 00:18:39,845 Speaker 4: say that gender nonconformity often comes out whether we want 323 00:18:39,885 --> 00:18:45,445 Speaker 4: it to or not, and that's a beautiful thing. Like sometimes, 324 00:18:45,605 --> 00:18:51,925 Speaker 4: wittingly or unwittingly, we can't help but defy gendered expectations, 325 00:18:51,965 --> 00:18:56,445 Speaker 4: and luckily today's youth are able to be farmer, stronger, 326 00:18:56,525 --> 00:19:00,325 Speaker 4: and braver than our people have ever been able to before. 327 00:19:02,005 --> 00:19:16,445 Speaker 4: More after the break. As this series comes to an end, 328 00:19:17,045 --> 00:19:19,925 Speaker 4: I want to thank you for joining this ride with us. 329 00:19:20,885 --> 00:19:24,165 Speaker 4: This show, like so much of my work, was birth 330 00:19:24,285 --> 00:19:28,685 Speaker 4: from personal experience. When I was growing up in Georgia 331 00:19:29,205 --> 00:19:32,725 Speaker 4: back in the two thousands, I knew I was something 332 00:19:33,245 --> 00:19:35,485 Speaker 4: outside of what society deemed the norm. 333 00:19:36,365 --> 00:19:37,565 Speaker 1: All I had to lean on. 334 00:19:37,765 --> 00:19:41,605 Speaker 4: Was gay, which was wielded like a slur by bullies. 335 00:19:42,365 --> 00:19:44,765 Speaker 1: I didn't have access to other queer. 336 00:19:44,445 --> 00:19:48,365 Speaker 4: And trans people or stories in real life ch'all, no 337 00:19:48,365 --> 00:19:53,885 Speaker 4: one was even using terms like queer or trans. Around 338 00:19:53,965 --> 00:19:57,605 Speaker 4: my preteen years, though, my identity started to come more 339 00:19:57,645 --> 00:20:02,525 Speaker 4: into focus. Thanks to internet chat rooms, I found some reprieve. 340 00:20:03,285 --> 00:20:06,125 Speaker 4: I was able to connect with folks who shared many 341 00:20:06,205 --> 00:20:12,765 Speaker 4: of my experiences. These faceless avatars were my friends, my confidante, 342 00:20:13,285 --> 00:20:19,445 Speaker 4: my community. One of them was even my online boyfriend. Yeah, 343 00:20:19,685 --> 00:20:24,165 Speaker 4: I was really excited about him anyway. By the time 344 00:20:24,245 --> 00:20:27,725 Speaker 4: I was fourteen, I was ready to stop hiding and 345 00:20:27,925 --> 00:20:31,125 Speaker 4: share my truth with the people in my life. So 346 00:20:31,205 --> 00:20:35,765 Speaker 4: I went to that digital community for advice. I remember 347 00:20:35,965 --> 00:20:42,605 Speaker 4: typing the question how do I come out to my parents? 348 00:20:44,405 --> 00:20:46,925 Speaker 1: The advice was pretty jarring. 349 00:20:49,725 --> 00:20:53,405 Speaker 4: Don't tell them while they're driving, have a backup plan 350 00:20:53,485 --> 00:20:58,045 Speaker 4: in case they kick you out. I was fearful and uncertain, 351 00:20:58,925 --> 00:21:01,565 Speaker 4: but I pushed through and mustered up the courage to 352 00:21:01,605 --> 00:21:05,485 Speaker 4: tell my mom and then a year later my dad. 353 00:21:06,685 --> 00:21:11,525 Speaker 4: Now they weren't exactly enthusiastic, so I note my parents 354 00:21:11,565 --> 00:21:14,285 Speaker 4: were Catholic and super devout. 355 00:21:15,245 --> 00:21:20,445 Speaker 1: But I didn't get kicked out. It just created barriers 356 00:21:20,485 --> 00:21:21,685 Speaker 1: in our relationships. 357 00:21:22,725 --> 00:21:25,685 Speaker 4: My dad was furious at the thought of me embracing 358 00:21:25,725 --> 00:21:29,205 Speaker 4: my clearness, and my mom did her best at the 359 00:21:29,285 --> 00:21:33,565 Speaker 4: time to temper his emotions, but eventually sided with him. 360 00:21:34,205 --> 00:21:37,325 Speaker 4: They both wanted me to keep it quiet, keep it 361 00:21:37,365 --> 00:21:45,045 Speaker 4: to myself, wait for this phase to end. Now, at 362 00:21:45,085 --> 00:21:49,605 Speaker 4: thirty two years old, a lot has changed. While my 363 00:21:49,645 --> 00:21:53,965 Speaker 4: father passed around the time I was nineteen. It served 364 00:21:54,005 --> 00:21:57,125 Speaker 4: as a catalyst for me to embrace a deeper truth 365 00:21:57,885 --> 00:22:03,405 Speaker 4: my trans womanhood and my mom, and our relationship evolved beautifully. 366 00:22:04,085 --> 00:22:06,845 Speaker 4: She even joined me at the TCH transprom that Libby 367 00:22:06,925 --> 00:22:13,085 Speaker 4: and Daniel organized to see her alongside their parents. Gave 368 00:22:13,165 --> 00:22:16,165 Speaker 4: me a glimpse of the liberation I think we're all 369 00:22:16,205 --> 00:22:22,645 Speaker 4: seeking and deserve. We also deserve lives full of dignity, 370 00:22:23,085 --> 00:22:28,885 Speaker 4: joy and power. Young queer and trans people in battleground 371 00:22:28,925 --> 00:22:33,605 Speaker 4: states and in places we see as more progressive shouldn't 372 00:22:33,685 --> 00:22:37,685 Speaker 4: have to make calculations about their lives, about when to 373 00:22:37,765 --> 00:22:41,165 Speaker 4: come out and how about when and where it's safe 374 00:22:41,205 --> 00:22:45,805 Speaker 4: to affirm their pronouns, about how to dress in certain spaces, 375 00:22:46,285 --> 00:22:51,045 Speaker 4: about who to openly love, about their health. 376 00:22:51,245 --> 00:22:52,125 Speaker 1: And well being. 377 00:22:53,485 --> 00:22:56,725 Speaker 4: Reflecting on the stories of these teens throughout the season, 378 00:22:57,525 --> 00:23:00,925 Speaker 4: I'm inspired by how each and every one of them 379 00:23:01,125 --> 00:23:08,005 Speaker 4: is pushing boundaries and challenging societal norms. Like Safara, who 380 00:23:08,085 --> 00:23:12,165 Speaker 4: is one of the first openly trans black women at Harvard. 381 00:23:13,285 --> 00:23:19,045 Speaker 4: They're sullying it, who have transcended certain expectations on identity 382 00:23:19,085 --> 00:23:23,285 Speaker 4: and self expression, and in the go who showed us 383 00:23:23,285 --> 00:23:26,605 Speaker 4: that our relationships are best when we can show up 384 00:23:26,685 --> 00:23:32,685 Speaker 4: as our most authentic selves. Our teens have beautifully revealed 385 00:23:32,685 --> 00:23:36,045 Speaker 4: to me that we are light years away from what 386 00:23:36,125 --> 00:23:39,925 Speaker 4: things were like when I was around their age. They 387 00:23:40,005 --> 00:23:44,445 Speaker 4: know that a life of affirmation, of deep expression of 388 00:23:44,605 --> 00:23:49,845 Speaker 4: safety is possible, and young people know they shouldn't have 389 00:23:49,965 --> 00:23:54,005 Speaker 4: to wait for it. They should have that life now. 390 00:23:57,965 --> 00:24:00,085 Speaker 4: I believe one of the most vital things we can 391 00:24:00,125 --> 00:24:04,205 Speaker 4: do is believe in the power of our youth. When 392 00:24:04,205 --> 00:24:07,485 Speaker 4: they tell us who they are, how they feel, and 393 00:24:07,525 --> 00:24:10,605 Speaker 4: where they stand, we should listen. 394 00:24:11,725 --> 00:24:14,885 Speaker 10: There will be people who live and support you that 395 00:24:14,965 --> 00:24:18,045 Speaker 10: you can live a joyous life, that you can live 396 00:24:18,085 --> 00:24:20,965 Speaker 10: a very full life. And I think that's my main thing. 397 00:24:20,965 --> 00:24:25,765 Speaker 10: I want people to know. I want people to see 398 00:24:25,805 --> 00:24:30,205 Speaker 10: me being happy and having fun and to understand that 399 00:24:30,245 --> 00:24:33,805 Speaker 10: I'm just a kid who has dreams and aspirations and 400 00:24:33,845 --> 00:24:36,125 Speaker 10: hobbies and interests like any other kid. 401 00:24:37,005 --> 00:24:40,045 Speaker 2: It's super scary to face a bunch of legislators you 402 00:24:40,125 --> 00:24:44,805 Speaker 2: don't know anything about you at all. But it's also 403 00:24:44,925 --> 00:24:49,845 Speaker 2: super scary to sit back and watch them try to 404 00:24:50,805 --> 00:24:55,085 Speaker 2: just legislate us out of existence. So I keep showing up. 405 00:24:55,365 --> 00:24:58,645 Speaker 2: We will always exist. And we will definitely not let 406 00:24:58,645 --> 00:25:01,285 Speaker 2: them take away a joy no matter how hard they try. 407 00:25:01,885 --> 00:25:04,165 Speaker 8: I feel like Balram has changed my entire life. It 408 00:25:04,245 --> 00:25:07,485 Speaker 8: has like literally made me so much more extroverted, like 409 00:25:07,685 --> 00:25:10,605 Speaker 8: made me like grow into my personality and my confidence 410 00:25:10,645 --> 00:25:14,485 Speaker 8: as a trans woman. I'm just like your typical your 411 00:25:14,525 --> 00:25:17,925 Speaker 8: typical eight girl like extroverted it girl like I just 412 00:25:17,965 --> 00:25:19,245 Speaker 8: really am that, you know what I mean? 413 00:25:20,245 --> 00:25:22,565 Speaker 13: Being too spirited is not just my personality, It's who 414 00:25:22,605 --> 00:25:25,725 Speaker 13: I am. Being masculine and feminine is who I am. 415 00:25:25,885 --> 00:25:27,645 Speaker 13: It's not a personality trait. I'm not going to grow 416 00:25:27,645 --> 00:25:30,205 Speaker 13: out of it and mature into something different. It's always 417 00:25:30,205 --> 00:25:31,205 Speaker 13: going to be who I am. 418 00:25:31,405 --> 00:25:32,725 Speaker 2: When I go out in the world. 419 00:25:33,325 --> 00:25:39,725 Speaker 7: There's always a chance at getting misgendered, disrespected stuff like that, 420 00:25:39,925 --> 00:25:47,325 Speaker 7: even by my own friends. And I just I guess 421 00:25:47,365 --> 00:25:52,285 Speaker 7: because of that, I feel more comfortable alone because there's 422 00:25:52,365 --> 00:25:58,005 Speaker 7: nobody who knows me and respects me at this moment, 423 00:26:01,045 --> 00:26:02,365 Speaker 7: like I do myself. 424 00:26:04,565 --> 00:26:10,365 Speaker 4: That's right, and respect others and respect yourselves. Thank you 425 00:26:10,525 --> 00:26:14,525 Speaker 4: for listening to Queer Chronicles. Stay tuned to this feed 426 00:26:14,765 --> 00:26:22,845 Speaker 4: for our extra special bonus episode. Queer Chronicles is a 427 00:26:22,885 --> 00:26:27,525 Speaker 4: production of School of Humans, The Outspoken Podcast Network and 428 00:26:27,885 --> 00:26:33,285 Speaker 4: iHeart Podcasts. I'm your host, Raquel Willis. You can find 429 00:26:33,325 --> 00:26:37,045 Speaker 4: a list of resources in the show notes, including trans 430 00:26:37,125 --> 00:26:41,605 Speaker 4: Lifeline and The Trevor Project. This show was written by 431 00:26:41,685 --> 00:26:47,245 Speaker 4: Jordan Bailey, Edalise Perez, Aaron Edwards, and Me. Our story 432 00:26:47,405 --> 00:26:52,965 Speaker 4: editors are Aaron Edwards and Julia Frelin. Produced by Jordan Bailey, 433 00:26:53,205 --> 00:26:59,245 Speaker 4: Julia Frelin, and eedilys Perez. Our senior producer is Amelia Brock, 434 00:27:00,205 --> 00:27:06,685 Speaker 4: Directed by etilys Perez. Theme song composed by Jesse Knights, 435 00:27:06,725 --> 00:27:11,365 Speaker 4: Sound design and mix by Jesse Night Swanker, casting by 436 00:27:11,445 --> 00:27:17,005 Speaker 4: Jordan Bailey and Julia Flave. Our production manager is Daisy Church. 437 00:27:18,205 --> 00:27:25,925 Speaker 4: Fact checking by Savannah Hugley. Recorded at Cityvox NYC. Executive 438 00:27:25,965 --> 00:27:30,845 Speaker 4: producers include Jay Brunson and Me from The Outspoken Podcast Network, 439 00:27:31,645 --> 00:27:37,565 Speaker 4: Michael Alder, June and Noel Brown from iHeart Podcasts, Virginia Prescott, 440 00:27:37,765 --> 00:27:42,125 Speaker 4: Brandon Barr and Elsie Crowley from School of Humans and 441 00:27:42,445 --> 00:27:46,765 Speaker 4: The Cats Company. If you're enjoying the show, please share 442 00:27:46,765 --> 00:27:49,965 Speaker 4: it with friends and family, and don't forget to rate 443 00:27:50,005 --> 00:27:54,565 Speaker 4: and review in your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening.