When we hear transgender stories, we often encounter tragic elements and tales of difficult experiences. We frequently learn how gender dysphoria drives trans people to give up everything. But what about uplifting trans experiences? What happens when the popular kid comes out? In this episode, Elliott shares his inspiring story about how positive his life has been after he found his most authentic self. Send us a text Support the show...
May 13, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 37
Joe has mentioned on this podcast in the past how he had a drinking problem. We wanted to explore the ways alcohol affected his life, and what brought him to the decision never to have another drink. Whether you have a healthy relationship with alcohol or you struggle with abusing alcohol or other drugs, you will benefit from hearing his story. Send us a text Support the show...
May 06, 2024•29 min•Season 2Ep. 36
We like to think we know what we're talking about. But the people who disagree with us think they are just as correct we think we are. How do we know who is right? When it comes to preserving relationships, sometimes it is more important to accept when we are wrong than it is to recognize when they are. Joe and Rya share ways to discover our own biases. We all have work to do on this one. Send us a text Support the show...
Apr 29, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 35
Everyone is different. Everyone is a minority, and minorities are good. Let's end the stigma against LGBTQ people being weird or odd. Committed allies understand that the majority is comprised of a combination of minorities. We are all queer in some form. The happiest people embrace our authentic differences and celebrate one another for who we are. Send us a text Support the show...
Apr 22, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 34
A year ago, we shared an update about the podcast and where things were headed. Now, one year later, the TranDescendant community has grown exponentially. Joe and Rya paint their vision for where the podcast is headed for the coming year. Plus, a CRITICAL ANNOUNCEMENT you won't want to miss! Send us a text Support the show
Apr 15, 2024•24 min•Season 2Ep. 33
Brian McNaught, a prominent LGBTQ+ advocate, discusses his experiences coming out as gay in 1974 and his subsequent work promoting understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly transgender people. McNaught recounts facing job loss and societal rejection but emphasizes his unwavering faith and the importance of self-love. A key theme is the "hero's journey" of coming out, mirroring the challenges and transformations faced by many. He promotes open communication within families ...
Apr 08, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 32
One of our most powerful episodes yet! In our March 11 podcast, we went through the verses that anti-LGBTQ people use to say that it is wrong to be gay. We provided an approach that allows you to affirm LGBTQ people while still following the Bible. In this episode, we take the argument a step further, demonstrating why it is absolutely wrong to condemn LGBTQ people for being their most authentic selves. IF YOU ONLY LISTEN TO ONE PODCAST THIS MONTH, MAKE SURE IT IS THIS ONE. Send us a text Suppor...
Apr 01, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 31
Did you know that Rya is not the only transgender person in the family? Shortly after her transition, another younger member of the family also transitioned. Heather shares the heart wrenching story of how she was rejected by her mother before winning the battle for acceptance. She offers advice on how she ultimately found peace with her own gender identity, and how you can too. Send us a text Support the show...
Mar 25, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 30
Society does not have any written rules for how men or women behave. The social aspect of gender is simply "how things are done." But what happens when someone is sending the "wrong" signals? Rya describes her journey as a transgender woman learning to navigate a new set of social rules. From there, Joe and Rya discuss how gender functions in general, and how those subtleties impact people who do not naturally conform with the rules. Send us a text Support the show...
Mar 18, 2024•32 min•Season 2Ep. 29
This episode starts by examining honestly the main reasons why some believers feel they must reject gay relationships to follow the Bible. It's not a lack of sincerity. But interpretation is a value judgment. The surface reading of the text is not necessarily the best reading. The Bible is a collection of statements from many viewpoints. Each statement does not carry the same weight. Rya and Joe make the case that it is impossible to follow the text exactly without negotiating parts of it to mak...
Mar 11, 2024•28 min•Season 2Ep. 28
If you're in that place of searching right now, this episode will help you along your way. Rya shares her journey of how she continually weighed the positives and negatives and how agonizing the decision was for her. When enough of the answers converge, there comes a point when you can finally accept who you are inside. Everyone's story is different. Send us a text Support the show...
Mar 04, 2024•32 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Are you using the wrong words without knowing it? Despite all the best intentions, if we use the wrong vocabulary in talking about LGBTQ issues, we can unintentionally alienate ourselves from the very people we were trying to support. Allies can become a closer part of the group simply by using the language of the community. Once you decide to become a real ally, you naturally start to talk like an ally talks. Send us a text Support the show...
Feb 26, 2024•29 min•Season 2Ep. 26
Coming out of the closet brings a newfound freedom. But it can also be accompanied by great loss. Rya tells her story of coming out, and the loss she experienced. Together, she and her dad explore how the first few stages of grieving can affect a person who has decided to come out. They discuss ways to find hope in the midst of the pain of loss. Send us a text Support the show...
Feb 19, 2024•21 min•Season 2Ep. 25
Joe tells his journey towards becoming totally accepting towards Rya after she transitioned. How did he feel after the son he thought he had now was presenting as his daughter? They tell the story of the difficulties the family had in coming to a place of acceptance. They look at ways their story can help others when a loved one comes out as gay or transgender. Send us a text Support the show...
Feb 12, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 24
What does it mean to "act gay?" We often find ourselves embodying stereotypes. But those stereotypes do not define us. They are often the byproduct of living authentically. It's easy for outsiders to focus only on the mannerisms and never see the real person. The truth about being LGBTQ is that we have the same hopes and dreams as anyone else. Matthew returns to discuss from the heart how he feels about being out as a gay man in a small community. Send us a text Support the show...
Feb 05, 2024•35 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Joe's granddaughter Maya returns to discuss how younger generations are slowly beginning to view orientation and gender as a non-issue. Topics include changes to expectations and gender norms among teenagers and early twenty-somethings. Next, the conversation shifts to younger students, exploring the ways Junior High children are approaching LGBTQ+ issues differently now than even five years ago. The final topic includes suggestions for how students can promote positive interactions with unsuppo...
Jan 29, 2024•22 min•Season 2Ep. 22
We like to believe that love and commitment are enough to make a marriage work. But what happens when one partner comes out as LGBTQ+? Is divorce ever the right option? Rya speaks from the heart about her difficult journey coming out to her wife as a transgender woman, and her wife's own struggle at suddenly facing a spouse who could no longer be the man she married. They began with open and honest talk about feelings, no more secrets. Though they both tried desperately to find a way to make it ...
Jan 22, 2024•34 min•Season 2Ep. 21
This episode is everything you've always wondered about "the surgery" but were afraid to ask. Or maybe you weren't afraid to ask, and some poor trans person had to remind you that we don't talk about those things in polite society. Either way, this episode has all your answers. We discuss the various types of surgeries on offer, the history of surgeries, and Rya's own personal history. Joe and Rya speak frankly about a sensitive subject while keeping it light-hearted with a few laughs. Send us a...
Jan 15, 2024•28 min•Season 2Ep. 20
Recent debacles involving the school board in Bucks county, Pennsylvania prompted Joe and Rya to have a discussion about how we should approach cultural conflict. When we make a negative display of ourselves, those on the other side can paint us as villains. We end up working against our own society. When others begin to see us as a threat, we lose our own voice and subvert the message we were hoping to promote. If we want to make positive change, we must start by finding common ground. Send us ...
Jan 08, 2024•25 min•Season 2Ep. 19
Do you believe in love at first sight? Roy and Matthew do. The first time they met, they knew they belonged together. But for each of them, telling friends and family about a new partner also meant coming out as gay. To their surprise, they never anticipated the sense of freedom that would come with being their most authentic selves. Start the year with a feelgood story that will inspire you to live your own best life. Send us a text Support the show...
Jan 01, 2024•24 min•Season 2Ep. 18
We often contemplate resolutions we can make to improve our lives. Coming off of last week's episode about cultivating self-esteem, Joe and Rya provide seven actionable habits you can implement into your life right now to help you live a more positively. Here are seven actions to strengthen your self-image. It's your privilege and your responsibility. Nobody can build you up better than you. Send us a text Support the show...
Dec 25, 2023•25 min•Season 2Ep. 17
We all have experiences in our lives that tax our self-esteem. It's too easy to let other people's opinions of us make us feel ashamed. We can allow those negative emotions to bring us down...or we can take intentional steps to counteract them and to cultivate positivity. Send us a text Support the show
Dec 18, 2023•28 min•Season 2Ep. 16
As a society, we must always watch out for the marginalized among us. LGBTQ+ elders are among the most vulnerable. Yet most of us have never stopped to consider the unique challenges of aging LGBTQ+ seniors. How can we act with compassion and love towards those who have gone before us? Send us a text Support the show
Dec 11, 2023•28 min•Season 2Ep. 15
There are a lot of ways that people communicate that they are considering suicide. What you may think is only a mood swing may in fact be an indication of something much deeper. Signals could be anything from verbal comments to changes in routine. Our LGBTQ+ loved ones are most at risk. Do you know what to watch for? Are you ready to interpret the signals when they need you most? Educate yourself on how to react and what positive steps you can take. Send us a text Support the show...
Dec 04, 2023•21 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Have you considered forming a support group for LGBTQ+ people and allies? Joe and Rya approached a national organization, PFLAG, about starting a local chapter in their community. The discussion centers on what makes people come, what entices them stay, and what keeps it welcoming. Send us a text Support the show
Nov 27, 2023•24 min•Season 2Ep. 13
November 20 is the Transgender Day of Remembrance. There is still so much violence against transgender people because of transphobia and misunderstanding. Joe and Rya offer suggestion for how each of us can make a difference. Send us a text Support the show
Nov 20, 2023•21 min•Season 2Ep. 12
You wanted a nice, happy time together with your family. But Uncle George just can't let things be! And Casey is manufacturing new things to be offended by. With the holidays coming up, we want to minimize potential arguments between people who don't always see eye-to-eye. It's not easy, but there are ways to create an environment that fosters love. Rya and Joe explore ideas from two different perspectives for creating memories we can cherish for years. Send us a text Support the show...
Nov 13, 2023•25 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Some people don't want an actual dialogue about LGBTQ people, they just want a debate. How do you avoid that trap? Anyone who has had their gay or lesbian loved ones' identities dismissed will find a wealth of insight about how to respond. Some people expect answers but are not asking in good faith. And some questions are not appropriate to ask. Let's find ways to support our loved ones in being exactly who they were meant to be. Send us a text Support the show...
Nov 06, 2023•27 min•Season 2Ep. 10
In a recent written exchange, a man approached Rya with concerns about his long-term, committed marriage. He and his wife have children and grandchildren. But he is secretly attracted to other men. He doesn't want to tell his wife because he believes it could only end poorly. Will such a conversation really result in disaster? Joe and Rya discuss the situation from a broader perspective and consider the outcome from a variety of viewpoints. Is there a way to find hope in what feels like a hopele...
Oct 30, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 9
How do you find your own identity? There are more options than you think. Are you queer? Are you questioning? Or something else? Maybe none of the words really define you. Take the first step toward figuring out how to be the real you. Send us a text Support the show
Oct 23, 2023•27 min•Season 2Ep. 8
