Churches are like giant families. Just like families, they can sometimes become abusive. When someone is trapped in a toxic system, the have to leave in order for healing to begin. Some church leaders subvert that process by trying to push those who have been wounded to come back to the church by saying, "Well we're not like the church you used to be in." But for many people in the LGBTQ+ community, the damage is too deep. Mother Julie Hendrix shares the message that it is okay to leave in order...
Oct 16, 2023•26 min•Season 2Ep. 7
It's great to be an ally, but when you're ready to take the next step, how do you go about it? Often, when we try to be most helpful, we end up making things more awkward. Learn how to communicate true sincerity, not just with words, but also with actions. This episode gives tips to point you in the right direction. Send us a text Support the show...
Oct 09, 2023•28 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Really? Who gets to choose what's best for someone? Who makes the rules? Parents often say, "I only want what's best for you," with the hope that their children will understand their good intentions. But is it really honest care and concern? Is it unsolicited advice? Or is it nothing more than manipulation? Joe and Rya discuss how to tell the difference between genuine love and false concern that masks ulterior motives. When it comes to relationships with family and friends, we can all do better...
Oct 02, 2023•31 min•Season 2Ep. 5
MUST LISTEN EPISODE. Are you having a difficult time mending a broken relationship? Developing and repairing relationships can feel overwhelming when disagreements separate you. Joe and Rya discuss five ways you can get past what divides you and start to build that bridge. And it's not just theoretical. They discuss conflicting opinions where they are actively trying to build bridges in their own lives. Send us a text Support the show...
Sep 25, 2023•27 min•Season 2Ep. 4
The most important thing we can do is maintain relationships with the people who are closest to us. And yet, how often do we end up finding ourselves at odds with the people we love the most, especially when we desperately yearn for their approval? It's our responsibility to take the lead. In this episode, we discuss how to set a positive tone to help our non-ally loved-ones to more become accepting on their own time frame. It all starts with love. Send us a text Support the show...
Sep 18, 2023•25 min•Season 2Ep. 3
LGBTQ issues can tear families and friendships apart. What if you don't approve when someone close to you comes out? How can you preserve the relationship without compromising your values? Many of our podcasts on Trandescendant are geared towards allies. But not everyone feels they can be an ally in good conscience. This episode is specifically addressed to those who do not approve of LGBTQ lifestyles but desperately want to salvage the relationship. As the father of an transgender daughter, Joe...
Sep 11, 2023•25 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Joe and Rya gave a live presentation about the importance of accepting your gay or transgender loved one. Since it was a large general audience, no one explicitly identified whether they were an ally. We didn't know how well our message would be received. No one expected how emotional it would become. Content Warning: discussions of suicide Send us a text Support the show...
Sep 04, 2023•20 min•Season 2Ep. 1
We're going back to school! We asked ourselves how new teachers are being taught. Is the system getting more accepting of LGBTQ students, or are things going backwards? Do you see the school as your defender... or does the system side with the bullies? We had a discussion with our resident expert in the education field, a recent graduate from the education program and fresh with her teacher's license, Rya's daughter Megan. Send us a text Support the show...
Aug 28, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Is it better than it used to be to be openly gay in high school? While society has become more open and tolerant, things are far from easy. In this episode we welcome a special guest, our granddaughter and niece, Maya. She describes her experiences as a high school senior, and the strategies she employs to get along with everyone. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean you can't be friends. Maya shares her secrets for promoting conversation instead of confrontation. Send us a text ...
Aug 21, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 44
How do you get along with someone you disagree with? How do you convince them? CAN you even convince them? We live in a society where we tune out the people who disagree with us and create echo chambers where everyone thinks and acts like we do. There is a better way. In this episode, Joe and Rya discuss how to disagree without being disagreeable. Send us a text Support the show...
Aug 14, 2023•22 min•Season 1Ep. 43
Chaser, clock, ace, gold star, queerbaiting, and lots more. Do you know what these words mean? In this episode, Rya quizzes her father Joe about the meaning of these terms and other current gay and transgender lingo. If you don't know the meanings, you can feel like you're hearing a whole other language when you're at a Pride event. Listen along and learn with him. Send us a text Support the show...
Aug 07, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 42
You will often hear that religion and LGBTQ+ experiences as mutually exclusive. The most hateful advocates for faith are often the most vocal. But their perspective does not represent most people of faith. A growing majority of faith communities are welcoming LGBTQ+ people with open arms in ways that are both accepting AND affirming. Father Wilson Roane from the American Episcopal Church joins us to discuss how religious groups are demonstrating love for the most marginalized, including LGBTQ+ p...
Jul 31, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 41
So you want to be an LGBTQ ally. What misconceptions have you embraced without realizing it? Despite greater visibility for LGBTQ people, there is still a lot of misinformation about how coming out can affect someone's life. In this episode, Joe and Rya look at the research compiled by AJ Willingham and Scottie Andrew for CNN about common misconceptions that are harmful to the LGBTQ community. Read the original article at https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/30/us/lgbtq-faq-misconceptions-2022-cec/index....
Jul 24, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Joe and Rya respond to questions from a listener about the impact on children when parents are LGBTQ+. How does a lack of traditional gender role models affect development? Does having LGBTQ+ parents confuse children's understanding of gender and sexuality? CW: discussion of suicide Research sited: https://www.ncfr.org/policy/research-and-policy-briefs/lgbtq-parents-and-their-children Send us a text Support the show...
Jul 17, 2023•24 min•Season 1Ep. 39
What's the deal with people making up all these new genders? Is that all just a load of mumbo jumbo that young people have made up? In this episode we look at the five aspects of gender, and how they combine to make you who you are. This is important stuff that applies to everyone. Send us a text Support the show
Jul 10, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 38
In this episode, we look at some facts and figures to help us better understand the LGBTQ+ community and where the numbers show we are trending. Joe and Rya explore where the community has made progress so far, and where there is still a lot of work to be done. Send us a text Support the show
Jul 03, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 37
The first step in communicating total acceptance of your transgender loved one is getting their pronouns right. But why is it so important? Why do our trans friends and relatives react so strongly when someone gets it wrong? Can't they understand that the people around them are trying? Their reactions can be confusing if you've never experienced having people use the wrong pronouns for you. Mel Davis from Rainbow Alliance Advocacy returns to the podcast to help the rest of us understand in simpl...
Jun 26, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 36
What have we learned about being gay from the animal kingdom? Sociologists have learned a whole lot about how humans behave. But what happens in the rest of nature? Veterinary researcher, Dr. Pete Gasper looks at what the science says. Current research indicates that sexual orientation is the result of three converging natural causes. Shame should never be a part of the formations of our identities. Send us a text Support the show...
Jun 19, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 35
What is it like to be transgender in a small town? What is it like to be the parent of a transgender person in a community where everyone knows you? There's no hiding in a small town. Everyone knows your family, your neighbors, your friends, and everything about you. Joe and Rya open up about the preconceived notions they harbored about what it would be like in town prior to Rya's transition. They explore the dramatic differences between expectations and reality, as well as a few unexpected surp...
Jun 12, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Okay, we confess, we didn't create this ultimate guide. The five points of well-being come from Martin Seligman, the famous researcher on the science of happiness. But we live it. And so can you. LGBTQ+ people face unique challenges and complexities in our lives, so having these five points of focus can help us find a deeper sense of peace and positive attitude. Send us a text Support the show...
Jun 05, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 33
Being a good ally is about the journey to understanding. This episode looks at what YOU can do to take the initiative. Love leads to listening, listening leads to understanding, and understanding leads to acceptance. Just start with the first step. Send us a text Support the show
May 29, 2023•30 min•Ep. 32
If you've met one trans person, you've met one trans person. Each of us has a different story. In this episode, we discuss the similarities and differences between two trans-feminine people, Rya Jones and Maggie Williams. This podcast was recorded before a live audience at the PRIDEducation event, sponsored by Rainbow Alliance Advocacy in Appleton, WI on May 21, 2023. Send us a text Support the show...
May 22, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 31
May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. In honor of IDAHOBIT, we discuss ways to support our LGBTQ+ loved ones. Together, we can break down the stigma and create a safe and respectful community for everyone. ❤️🏳️🌈 Go to may17.org to find the illustration we used for this episode's podcast. The illustration is available in many languages. We are grateful to Chilean artist Sofía Miranda Van den Bosch, who created all six illustrations, incorporating feedba...
May 15, 2023•23 min•Ep. 30
What kinds of issues are important in healthcare for transgender patients? While transgender people may still experience some pushback from doctors and other providers, things are much better than they once were. In this episode, Rya discusses her own experience with healthcare, which has been generally positive. Send us a text Support the show...
May 08, 2023•35 min•Ep. 29
People are notoriously bad at knowing how things will make us feel. Things that happen to us are rarely as mild or as intense as we predict they will be. A common pit trap in relationships is that we overlook what our loved ones are going through because we imagine incorrectly what we would feel in their shoes. In this episode, we discuss how we can all be open to listen to our loved ones when they tell us things are affecting them differently than we would anticipate. Send us a text Support the...
May 01, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 28
We received an interesting e-mail from a subscriber who expresses gratitude for the podcast, but concerns about some of the issues in the LGBTQ+ community. We discuss those concerns and how it affects our capacity to build healthy relationships with one another. Send us a text Support the show
Apr 24, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Rya's daughter joins us to discuss her journey to accepting Rya's transition. It was not easy for her, especially at first. What is it like to have a parent transition? What emotions did she go through? How does she feel about Rya now? Questions for Megan? E-mail trandescendant@gmail.com. Send us a text Support the show
Apr 17, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Many adults assume that LGBTQ+ youth may just be going through a phase. But the most critical thing we can do as allies and guardians of youth is to find ways to unabashedly affirm and support them. When a parent is surprised that a child is coming out, it demonstrates that there has already been a breakdown in communication. Mel Davis offers guidance on how we can support our LGBTQ+ youth during this crucial window of time. For more info, go to RainbowAllianceAdvocacy.org. Send us a text Suppor...
Apr 11, 2023•31 min•Ep. 25
We learned a new word and we wanted to share it with you. What is transmisia? And what does it mean for promoting healthier relationships? Send us a text Support the show
Apr 03, 2023•22 min•Season 1Ep. 24
What is it like to be a transgender person in the workforce? How is it different if you stay at the same job you worked before your transition. In this episode, we discuss the topic with one of Rya's childhood friends, a transgender man who works at the local foundary. Send us a text Support the show
Mar 27, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 23
