This episode was created in collaboration with NEACO (Network for East Anglian Collaborative Outreach) and the University of East Anglia for Pride Month 2021. Kit Rackley (whom you may remember from episodes 1 and 12) and myself have a conversation with students Barney, Charlie, Jacob and Ro about their experiences being LGBTQIA+ in Higher Education . We also talk about fitting in boxes, breaking barriers, finding comfort in anonymity, redefining yourself, looking after your mental health, the i...
Jun 17, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 49
Cara Wilde is a neurodiverse channel, mystic and Empath. She has two children, one of whom is transgender . Find out more about Cara's journey in this episode. We also talk about questioning your gender and looking beyond body parts as a cis person, assumptions and misinformation about hormone/puberty blockers, supporting and empowering your child and watching them thrive, what it would be like if we were all free to explore gender, and why we should all question what's considered normal. More o...
Jun 10, 2021•46 min•Ep. 48
Helen Belcher is an activist working to promote trans inclusion for more than a decade. Helen's pronouns are she/her , and she is a woman with a trans history . Find out what that means to Helen in this episode. Find out what that means to Helen in this episode. We also talk about the different faces of conversion therapy, losing your religion, being publicly trans in politics, systemic transphobia and holding the media accountable, how the bathroom argument is really about gender apartheid, vot...
Jun 03, 2021•55 min•Ep. 47
Charlize's pronouns are she/her , and she is a transgender woman . Find out what that means to Charlize in this episode. We also talk about the importance of community and local connections, owning who you are, society's obsession with looks, that it's never too late to be brave, how your path is unique rather than right or wrong, and that people don't need to change their minds to have a change of heart. More on www.fiftyshadesofgender.com/charlize...
May 27, 2021•54 min•Ep. 46
We were asked to take this episode down. Although this story is unique and there is of course no replacement, you can listen to other episodes from genderqueer, non-binary, maverique, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, aromantic and disabled folks on fiftyshadesofgender.com/podcast . You can also search by label on fiftyshadesofgender.com/episode-list .
May 20, 2021•53 sec•Ep. 45
Tara Dax is a biologist, streamer, cosplayer and Trekkie. Tara's pronouns are they/them and they identify as non-binary . Find out what that means to Tara in this episode. As well as geeking out on Star Trek and conlangs (constructed languages), we dive deeper into masculine and feminine. We also talk about finding resonance in pronouns, meaning in a name and connection in a character, and they debunk certain gender arguments people assume are rooted in biology. More on www.fiftyshadesofgender.c...
May 13, 2021•45 min•Ep. 44
Sally Goldner AM is an educator, speaker, leadership consultant and life coach. Sally's pronouns are she/her , and she identifies as a bi/pan introvert & Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) trans woman . Find out what that means to Sally in this episode. We also talk about how our unique personality labels interact with each other, unlearning and unblocking ourselves, balancing the masculine and feminine in leadership by becoming better at receiving and listening, and breaking the binary by queering T...
May 06, 2021•47 min•Ep. 43
Evey Winters is a transgender advocate, educator, and hot sauce addict. Evey's pronouns are she/her . She uses the labels transgender and transsexual woman , and also educates about both of these labels. Find out what that means to Evey in this episode. Find out what that means to Evey in this episode. We also talk about identity and how it forms, manhood and womanhood vs masculinity and femininity, metagender (which is what's between cisgender and transgender), learning vs education, how to hav...
Apr 29, 2021•55 min•Ep. 42
Harris is a coach and LGBTQ+ advocate on a mission to educate the general population about gender identity. They're also the host of The Transection Podcast, the third season of which is airing on April 30th. Harris's pronouns are they/them or ey/em . They identify as trans non-binary , agender and trans-masculine . Find out what that means to Harris in this episode.We also talk about doing gender differently, how finding your labels can help you find your people, how much our culture revolves a...
Apr 22, 2021•49 min•Ep. 41
Bella's pronouns are she/her , and she is a trans woman – with more emphasis on the woman part than the trans part. Find out what that means to Bella in this episode. We also talk about what affects how we're perceived, how noticing small moments of genuine happiness can help us embrace our identity, finding a name that feels right, what settling into femininity can look like, how films and tv are problematic in hindsight, hurdles on the coming out journey, working through shame, trusting your g...
Apr 15, 2021•52 min•Ep. 40
Genevieve is a sex and relationship therapist (in training). Genevieve's pronouns are they/them . They say the easiest terms are non-binary and queer , and they definitely identify as trans as well. Find out what that means to Genevieve in this episode. We also talk about being born into activism, performing womanhood, reframing feminism, women's spaces vs LGBTQ spaces, how what's 'normal' is rigid and idealised when it comes to sex and relationships, teaching consent from a young age, and why w...
Apr 08, 2021•33 min•Ep. 39
Devi Irony is a dominant and sex worker, as well as an activist and educator in the kink and BDSM scene. Devi's pronouns are they/them , and they are a non-binary person. Find out what that means to Devi in this episode. We also talk about the freedom that can come from embracing a label, how certain body parts are not necessarily gender markers, societal conditioning and standards and playing with gender presentation, how gender fits into BDSM and kink, what 'sex work' can include, kink trends ...
Apr 01, 2021•49 min•Ep. 38
Charlie Orriss says he would love to be a mental health ambassador one day. Charlie's pronouns are he/him , and he identifies as an FTM (Female To Male) trans man . Find out what that means to Charlie in this episode. We also talk about labels as a protection as well as a hindrance, how gender and mental health go hand in hand, the therapeutic benefits of cosplay, and what Dissociative Identity Disorder can be like. CW: self-harm. More on www.fiftyshadesofgender.com/charlie-orriss/...
Mar 25, 2021•24 min•Ep. 37
Yas is a journalist and writer based in London. Yas's pronouns are they/them , and they identify as non-binary . Find out what that means to Yas in this episode. We also talk about detaching activities from gender, pre-colonial gender identities, the importance of writing a will and letter of wishes, why it is essential for public health policy to accurately record trans and non-binary gender identities on death certificates (which is currently not possible), and what we CAN do to respect and ho...
Mar 18, 2021•32 min•Ep. 36
Jareth is a multifaceted transgender creature who dabbles in multiple types of artistic expression and crafting, and is also a professional model. Jareth's pronouns are he/him . He is transgender and also likes to use the labels agenderflux , demiboy and alien . Find out what that means to Jareth in this episode. We also talk about the nuances of gender labels, the difference between gender identity and gender expression, modelling before and after coming out as transgender, what we've made masc...
Mar 11, 2021•43 min•Ep. 35
Cassian's pronouns are they/them and they identify as non-binary and agender . Find out what that means to Cassian in this episode. Cassian started the Gender Census in 2011 and they talk about their main learnings and insights in the nine years of running it. We also talk about finding gender inside (or not), navigating public toilets, passion and experience versus education, the overlap between gender identity and sexual orientation, finding common ground where there appears to only be contrad...
Mar 04, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 34
Rachel Lange is a parent, freelance writer and artist, as well as editor of QueerPGH, a community-led publication out of Pittsburgh. Rachel loves to hear they/them pronouns, but is not offended by she or he if they are well-intended. They are a non-binary queer autistic person . Find out what that means to Rachel in this episode. We also talk about questioning everything and looking at things differently, being gender non-conforming in different cultures, freeing yourself from gender roles, bein...
Feb 25, 2021•35 min•Ep. 33
Cameron is a Doctor of Computer Science and University Lecturer. Cameron's pronouns are she/her , and she is a newly discovered woman. She refers to herself as female but trans . Find out what that means to Cameron in this episode. We also talk about gender roles in society and relationships, how life has changed after coming out only a month before this conversation took place, and the role of loss in embracing your true self. CW: abuse, death. More on www.fiftyshadesofgender.com/cameron...
Feb 18, 2021•31 min•Ep. 32
CN Lester is a musician, writer, researcher, queer/trans/feminist activist, and author of the book Trans Like Me. CN's pronouns are they/them , and they are a trans person. Find out what that means to CN in this episode. We also talk about the importance of strategy when it comes to gender education, effects of testosterone on the singing voice, books, and the queer history of opera. CW: castration. More on www.fiftyshadesofgender.com/cn...
Feb 11, 2021•37 min•Ep. 31
Cassie is a writer and public speaker focusing on intersectionality and social justice. She's the founder of Empowered Trans Woman and Smart Sluts, a sex-positive community of women. Cassie's pronouns are she/her , and she is a Latina woman of trans experience . Find out what that means to Cassie in this episode. We also talk about the subtleties and challenges of inclusive language, internalised transphobia, being the best of both worlds, toxic masculinity as a cult, sex positivity and freeing ...
Feb 04, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 30
Joe is an educator and trainer on improving inclusivity in workplaces and schools at the Norfolk LGBT+ Project, and he's also an artist running a small business as an illustrator. Joe's pronouns are he/him , and he identifies as a femme boy , non-binary , and trans . Find out what that means to Joe in this episode. We also talk about socialisation and reinforcing gender stereotypes, performing gender versus living gender, medical versus social transitioning, mental health struggles, how being wi...
Jan 28, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 29
Rachel is a keen traveller and regular speaker at tech events, usually on the subject of community building. Rachel's pronouns are she/her , and she's not fond of using gender labels for herself. In her words, she is a woman and identifies as a motorcyclist, a technologist, and many other things. Find out what that means to Rachel in this episode. We also talk about being something versus identifying as something, coming out at work, riding a motorbike, travelling solo, and how safety is a relat...
Jan 21, 2021•45 min•Ep. 28
Ray's pronouns are he/him , and he identifies as a binary transgender man , who also happens to be gay . Find out what that means to Ray in this episode. We also talk about how feminism includes everyone, why some men need reproductive health care, the difference between male and female banter, approaching the gender journey from a neurodivergent perspective, and the distinction between using labels as part of your identity versus part of your journey or experience. CW: suicide, addiction. More ...
Jan 14, 2021•31 min•Ep. 27
Angus Brown (or Annie to her close friends) is a musician and performance poet whose writing is heavily influenced by themes of gender, sexuality and mental health. Angus's pronouns are she/her and she identifies as as a transgender woman and butch lesbian . Find out what that means to Angus in this episode. We also talk about the balance of masculinity and femininity, the evolution of the word ‘lesbian’, that labels can resonate whatever their original meaning, how gender identity influences se...
Jan 07, 2021•33 min•Ep. 26
This is another episode that’s different from the usual format. We are reversing roles, so Katy is interviewing Esther as she reflects on conversations she's had with gender-diverse folks, what she's learned about gender, as well as her own journey and how she evolved through it. We talk about what it means to Esther to be cisgender, what gender diversity (or a lack thereof) was like growing up, how the podcast is a way of expressing her identity, recovering perfectionism, Vulcan philosophy, and...
Dec 31, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 25
Alf is a Danish tiny-house-living minimalist training to become a circus artist. Alf's pronouns are they/them . They are transgender and identifiy as agender and non-binary . Find out what that means to Alf in this episode. We also talk about observing gender from a distance, the obstacles on their transition journey, hormone imbalances and the effects they can have, and asking the question ‘what makes a man a man, and a woman a woman?’ More on www.fiftyshadesofgender.com/alf...
Dec 24, 2020•42 min•Ep. 24
Robin Rice is an internationally published author, social change artist and mentor to leaders. Robin uses she/her pronouns and considers herself a cisgender woman . She is the mother of two sons, one of whom is transgender , and runs a project called Your Holiday Mom, which is all about offering LGBTQ youth a loving mother's support between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. If you’d like to offer support, you can comment on YourHolidayMom.com and if you’re LGBTQ+ and are struggling with family dy...
Dec 17, 2020•21 min•Ep. 23
Hannah's pronouns are she/her , and she doesn’t mind they/them . She is transgender , and although not fond of labels, the terms non-binary and asexual semi-resonate with her as well. Find out what that means to Hannah in this episode. We also talk about gender identity versus biology versus sexuality, to what degree gender defines you, why the term 'gender confirmation surgery' is a better term than 'gender reassignment surgery' and 'sex change’, conforming to society’s norms, and 'unconvention...
Dec 10, 2020•37 min•Ep. 22
Felix is a figure skater and university student, who plans to go into teaching. Felix's pronouns are they/them . They are non-binary transgender and describe their sexuality as queer . We also talk about the difficulty with fitting in boxes, having to perform gender, how body and identity are different, the binariness in teaching and sports, and how you can figure out your gender at any age. More on www.fiftyshadesofgender.com/felix...
Dec 03, 2020•17 min•Ep. 21
Ela is an artist from London, who epicentres her work on classics, binarism and horses. Ela's pronouns are she/her or they/them . She identifies as a transgender woman and is an anti Intersex Genital Mutilation activist . Find out what that means to Ela in this episode. We also talk about the roots of the word hermaphrodite, how the gender-critical movement is far from new, Hippocrates as a gender critical pioneer, the blatant suppression and erasure of transgender and intersex gods – and human ...
Nov 26, 2020•53 min•Ep. 20
