Hey everybody, welcome back to transcending humanity. This is episode 12. We are going to be doing another shoot the shit episode. Last week was kind of a spur of the moment shoot the shit episode in this episode was the one that we had slated to be the sheik that episode. So I am Vanessa, as you know, I am joined by my friends Lisa Luna in Rylie. Say hi, everybody. I think everyone knows us by now. So I don't really think we need to do our introductions,
stuff like that. So I was just saying we just jump in and talk about shooting the ship and shipping the shield. I was working on our Discord. I use the Mi six for the image generation. And I was trying to get it to do a picture. I use it for the thumbnails for the show. And I was trying to get it to do a picture well one of the Santas and Trump kissing that clip coming up with a NSFW filter on it, which you can't
bypass which is dumb. So that's something that I tried to do one of Ron DeSantis eating a plate full of shit. But that didn't really work out either since the AI I think is more based on like 2001 and stuff before Ron DeSantis was
really in the news as much. So it reminded me so much of the help. The help Yeah.
Yeah. Tamsyn! you made it. finally made it.
Gear. I don't know if you're at Disney, but I'm not yet next week. Next week. It's gonna be in my neck of the woods. We're going out, right. Can you do to do no idea if I get to meet you or not? Because I've got a packed week, but we'll give it a shot. I'm determined to make it work. All right, cool. That would be that'd be so fun. That'd be so fun.
I'm excited for that.
So welcome to tf sin. He was having some technical difficulties here for a little bit, I think. And now we can see you and hear you so gay. Oh, it took me 10 minutes to get on the *Indecipherable Vanessa gibberish* damn thing.
Yeah, yeah, it is good when it works. It is good when it works, but it never works when you want it to work. So
one thing I do want to pop on here really quick. I don't know if anyone saw the news from Anne Marie today. But we have two big wins for the trans community in from judges, one in Indiana and one in
Arkansas. And where the judges have struck down the anti trans bills in the one in Arkansas has like something like 311 points that he makes just completely disassembling all the bullshit that the anti trans movement does, like calling out the fact that, like the doctors that they have testifying have never even really worked with a trans person before or treated the
trans person before Yeah. And so I highly recommend our listeners to follow Erin Reed, you can see a final link to her substack right in the description of every one of our episodes, and $5 a month to spend it in. Fucking her work is incredible. So go read that that is some hugely good news. And that sets precedent for stuff nationwide. Because if there's these judges doing it saying, they're essentially these are torturing kids. And I saw one line where, you know, they, they want people
to wait to 18. But a lot of these adolescents aren't going to survive till 18 to start treatment. So stuff like that. So that was my quick that all shit injection.
Did you see the Ohio update about the trans youth bill coming out of committee? I don't know. So, yeah, so they let it get out of committee. And it's basically saying that you have to be like, cured of like, are not necessarily cured, but you have to like rule out that you are trans SNESs isn't based out of being autistic or being depressed or having anxiety. And it's like literally that is part of what comes from your, your having dysphoria and just not
being aligned. And it's just not necessarily like autism, per se, but like the depression, anxiety. Absolutely. And there's like a whole laundry list, and it's basically impossible. And even if you do prove that you don't have any of these other things, it still does not allow you to receive gender affirming care. The youth
that come that's coming straight from that's copycatting the Missouri Attorney General's order that he did so this is coming though how stuff is coming from this absolute piece of fucking shit speaking speaking of shitting in Gary click, I don't know if we have any people that like to do research and then people but I guarantee you, Gary click has some real skeletons in his closet and it sure would be a shame if those guys dug up. He's a truly evil person, truly evil person. So
yeah, that's pretty nasty bill. Just give pro Belga.
What was that? You're muted? Alright. Luna? No, that's okay. Save. Give pro publica about a week or two. I'm sure it will come up with something.
Yeah, I hope so. Yeah. Riley and I live in Ohio. So it's, it's a messier. That's why I've been pushing so hard to get my surgeries and stuff like that before. Because who knows if, by next year, I won't be able to do it anymore. So there was I was trying to think about, oh, there was an article, I did not read it because it was on, you know, me now since I got hacked.
But there was a girl in the in the UK, who talked about transitioning, and then D transitioning and feeling like she had lost her entire self. And I sit and I think about what these politicians are doing, and screaming about. And I'm sitting here. And I've asked this question numerous times on LinkedIn, you know, when people post about it, and I'm like, we already know mental health is a stigma in this country. I
don't know why. But it is. And this whole, we talked about the protect the children, and it's not about protecting the children. It's about protecting their pockets. Yeah. But I cannot imagine when she, if I remember correctly, she was not very old. So I'm going to say in in her 20s. And talking about the transition, I believe. She went to trans femme, I believe, and just talking about everything that was done to her body. And just in the blurb I read it was like, Oh, my gosh,
this poor child. You know, yes, she's in her 20s. But I'm a mom of kids in my in their 20s. Like, I just can't imagine the mental toll it takes. And what are they doing by denying these 1314 and younger if, you know, the mental health role they need for continuing on transition, because I've a lot of stuff I've gleaned from talking with my community, as well as reading on other people's posting on LinkedIn. There's a lot of mental health stuff that goes with that transitioning health
stuff. And I'm just sitting here going. You're not only denying them, their true, authentic self, but you're also mentally telling them they don't belong. They're not wanted. And I don't holiday. It is it's torture. And I just I don't get it.
No, that is
a cruel and unusual punishment. I feel like
Yeah, I mean, it was the these last chain to forcibly D transition people are one of the things that the judge that blocked the Arkansas Bill mentioned, was the absolutely tiny percentage of people that actually do transition. Like there's some doctors who've never had a patient that that did transition, I think the official number is 97 and a half percent of people who transitioned have no regrets with it, or have no desire to D
transition. And I know the rest of the the two and a half percent are people that a lot of them were forced into doing it just for their own safety. So it's I mean, 97 and a half percent satisfaction rate. That's unheard of in the medical community. So I think we've talked about that before. There's other procedures like button knee replacements or something like that, that only have a 60% satisfaction rate or something. So
surgery has a higher regret, rate with surgery.
terms in
heart surgery? It's around 5%. I think it's, I don't know, like the numbers in front of me. So that's a guess on my part. It's better than or it's worse than ours. I don't get it.
I don't either. Someone is making money off of this. I don't know who I don't know how but someone is making money off of this. This otherwise no, this would be going on. But should we talk about something a little bit more uplifting? Like, yes, like boobs, I like talking. Or burgers, or I know someone throws something out here.
Ah, okay, I got something maybe possibly. So I was watching something and I have to go back and dig and verify those resources 100%. Because I like to do deep dives into my sources. They were saying that if every religious institution helped 2.3 Children, children in foster care, there wouldn't be a foster care system. And if that same, you know, religious church in the US helped homeless people, that they would only need to help one homeless person to basically fix the homeless
problem in the US. And, you know, it's the argument that it's about the kids, but then it doesn't, it doesn't hold up underwater, once you start looking at the numbers, it never holds up underwater, like if you truly cared about the kids, if you truly care, you wouldn't be forcing them, forcing them into a very broken foster care system. In some cases, you wouldn't be ripping them away from their family, who's in many cases, because they're being supported by that family. Like,
that's ideal. That's what you want. You want a family that supports and loves their child. Well, sorry, something popped very big. There's, it's just insane. It's insane. When you look at it, and you look at the numbers, like you're making the foster system worse. You're saying it's because you're gonna save the children, but you're not saving the children that need help. The children that are being supported by their parents, they don't need help.
They need love. They need acceptance, but they certainly don't mean to be removed from the home or they're getting positive reinforcement. Like what's your argument doesn't hold water, it just doesn't.
They don't care that it doesn't hold water. That's the thing is they just don't care. Now, this is my that. People listen to the audio version of this can't see my disgust at face, but my disgust to face
you know, the arguments always been, it's for the protection of the children. And, again, go back to who are our predators? How many violent public shootings have there been? And who has been the predator?
Oh, but the Conservatives say it's all done by trans people, because they were what was like one done for someone who might have been trans. So maybe,
did they ever verify that? I don't know.
If it had its 15 minutes.
Exactly. And then
what happens? It happens oh, we're gonna get all worked up all over it and then it just goes.
Nobody hears about it again. No, they just use it as a talking point in the future. So to scare people. Yeah, there's so many shootings that I mean, we get to a point we're just like, Okay, what's another one? And I can't believe how numb we have become. We have come on. Vanessa, your brain? Yeah, help numb we have become, too all that shit that it's this is just everyday in America, just people getting slaughtered. So okay, well, let's go get a coffee or something. It's how it feels.
Feels. Yeah.
It's funny. I have friends, like friends in Europe. And they're like, there are people who love traveling, they will no longer come to the US because it's like, gang movies. It's like how they see the US now it's just like gang fighting in the street. Just because like there's the only thing we hear ever is it's like you guys have shootings. Just too many, just too many. So the anniversary of pulse was a couple of days ago
here. And that's always a situation and it's just like, you know, it's like, we're free to kind of go out because you, you just you look around. Yeah, yeah. But like, they're like, Oh, we're still having pride. And I'm like, oh, but Is that safe? especially in Florida,
I didn't go to pride. By me, just because there were so many, like pep rallies and stuff. It's fucking not two people.
Group single day, right
on Sunday. Are you in New York? Because I get to March. I
know, but I have nobody to take care of my dogs.
I get to march with Disney.
That's, that's pretty badass. That's
my first month has been. Amazing. Memorable.
That is badass. I'm just I'm so proud and happy. Proud of and happy for you of me. Yeah. Because it's like, it's so nice to know, when someone has landed what they've always wanted to do so. But
it's it's so it's so good. I have a great team that I work with. And it skews older like me, which is kind of cool. I don't really. Yeah, I have people that I work with that have been there. 39 years. Wow. That's cool. That's a long time.
That is literally up in Disney.
Exactly. entire professional career. That's that's really
much, pretty much.
I'm gonna be a little invasive, I'm going to ask what's their health care policy like for trans employees.
So they are, it will their coverages isn't the best that I can tell. But they do cover things and they have health care coaches to help you navigate the whole system. So once you once you decide you want to pursue something, you will get assigned a coach with Cigna and they will help you figure out what to do with all that. And how to go they'll pay for you to travel more than 60 miles if you have to do that. If there's no providers in the area. So lots of good stuff on
that. I they had a meeting once and learned last week about it, I kind of got to learn a little bit about the whole situation. So yeah, they do put their their employees, especially their queer employees, at the forefront of a lot of things that they do. Which is kind of nice. So for
places who don't have clear healthcare, like how do we push that agenda to make sure that trans people are getting the coverage that they need? I know and my position, they don't currently have a plan. And my first words to the CEO were like, why not? You cover everything else. And her words were, we are trying so hard right now. But they're too small. And as someone who's done benefits before, I can understand that too small. But she says we anticipate having it
by the end of the year. So I'm like, I'm gonna hold you to that. And by the end of the year, I want to see better coverage for trans people. So like, you know, it's just, it's basic humanity, if you like, you'll cover my care, why won't you cover a trans person's care? I just I just had surgery, the surgery cost me $350. Like, it wasn't massive surgery, it was minor surgery. But this is no different than it's just my surgery, their surgery? What's the difference here? This is
like, how do you move that? How do you move that needle forward? Yeah. So for companies who were super resistant, like mine, very open, but what do you do when you have a company that's super resistant to trans healthcare?
First, you have to break through that the talking point of it's too expensive. And then you have to water that down of, you know, what is the percentage of your employees that are actually going to use that benefit and spread that across your entire employee population. And then it's not so expensive anymore. And almost every insurer offers it now, except for like some Florida based things now because you know, Florida but it's
it's hard. I mean, my old employer was probably about seven years ago, when we finally got some benefits that cover that we've covered everything else before that. My my HR T was covered through creative script writing essentially, the right you get the right, right. Right codes and they don't question it.
Yeah.
It was legit. It wasn't like anything shady, but you have to code this certain way or they will, the insurer will call it out. Oh, was
when? That's how it was when I was doing my gender therapy. It was all code is very specifically and she told me that upfront, she was like, it's not that your insurance wouldn't do it. But like, just in case.
It's just easier. It's easier for them. It was easy. It's not as it's not as bad now to
know, but they're for one thing, there's usually two or three different codes and how they code it is how it whether or not you get the bill or not. Yeah. And I mean, because I had that happen when for allergy testing of all things. And I called my provider and it was for my daughter. I said, Look, I said, I just got a bill for this, Oh, you shouldn't have gotten out. I said, Well, can you check it? And sure enough, they hit the wrong code. And I'm like, why are there different
codes? One coat, let it go. And then let the insurance company bill or you know, it just the whole the health care system, not just the social, you know, the child the foster system, the health care systems broke? Oh, yeah, no, there's nobody knows which hand is going where
it's happy. I trans people have such a hate hate relationship with health care. Because it's just, it's just hurdle after hurdle after hurdle. Like, for me, I finally had my bottom surgery. As you guys know, I had, you all know, I shouldn't use guys. As bother me.
It's generic.
Yeah, it is generic. So, but I, like I got all the things in line that I needed to do for it. So like, I had my two letters, I have hair removal, I have all the stuff, everything that they needed for it. And my surgeon, surgeon's office accidentally left an orchiectomy on my under request for approval, and I've already had an orchiectomy. So my insurance just immediately kicked it back, just saying everything was not
medically necessary. Because I had had the archaic me, and that I haven't received any fertility counseling. Which in orgasm, because those that don't know, is removal, the testicles and the unit. Now, I can't have kids, there's no fertility to talk about. So I'm like, What the fuck. So I was able to fight that and get it resubmitted. They just had it reviewed by some random family doctor in Virginia. And obviously some that doesn't know anything about
trans health care. So now finally, they approved it that orchiectomy was still on the thing for some reason, but so they're like, Well, you can't get ne which I don't even know yet. Me, but the rest of the approved. But I feel like I just got fucking lucky, because we're just always trying to navigate all these hurdles just to get the stuff that we need. And in Ohio, as far as I know, I have asked for insurance. As far as I know, it's the only Affordable Care Act insurance that covers
it. So it's, yeah, who was talking? Tamsin?
Yeah. Yeah. It's, it's like, all of our procedures are deny first, almost always. Yeah. It's just that's just how it is. I don't know why.
It's because insurance companies definitely don't make money on trans people. Maybe they're the ones behind all these anti trans laws, because we cost them money, and they don't like spending money. Our major procedures are all very expensive procedures. So from top surgery, which is probably what 40 grand or so at least. And it probably depends on how much you have done, I guess. But
yeah, like, like for trans guys, at least. I mean, like, if you're lucky, it'll be like closer to like five grand. Oh, really? Yeah. I mean, at least back when I had surgery, I can't tell you how inflation's hit this. But at least Yeah, if you're on the luckier side, it'll be like five grand, but if you're on the more well endowed side, prior to surgery, you will likely be paying between eight and 12 grand, just depending on how much has to be done.
Because I know when I went in to go talk to somebody about just a reduction. And it initially it was approved. But then the insurance company came back and said, We heard you have breast cancer and I went what? Huh? And so I went back and I said, No, I don't not that I know of so of course I'm, you know, freaking out calling people and they're like, No, we just sent the stuff for this. And I said, Well, I was told I was approved. Well, we're not going to approve it if it's
elective surgery. And then when I went and talked to the doctor, she's like, Oh, Yeah, it'll cost you probably about $7,500. And I was like, Yeah, I don't, I don't have that in my pocket. I wasn't prepared for that I was prepared to pay my deductible, which was I think 500 At the time, which is amazing compared to now. Yeah, this has been a while. I mean, Vanessa, I kid you not, if there was a way I could give you mine, I would. Because I don't want them anymore. I've had them
for too long. But, I mean, it was, you know, $7,500 compared to just, you know, somebody going in and having an augmentation. And at that time, those were 15 to 18. To get, you know, bigger and I'm like, take line.
If only if only we could do that. But like a breast reduction. I would say that would be a medically unnecessary kind of thing, because there's no health risks to having
my chiropractor is documenting for me.
Yeah, there was that whole that whole conversation Tara, Lisa and I had in the discord one day.
It's weird because I was looking at the bill of what it costs for them to put a quarter inch slit in my skin and fill out a monitor. Sorry, that's a little graphic. And it's $92,000 is what they build the insurance company now. That's not what I paid. Putting was $93,000. And all they did was I was in and out in just a few minutes. It was outpatient and it's just like, wow, wow, it's the insurance company. Like, yeah, there's this thing that says $92,000 totally fine, you know,
but medically necessary. I mean, it's a heart monitor but still like this is also medically necessary. It's not that Yeah. Oh, it's insane.
It's all Monopoly money in the end. It is.
That's why they tell and I tell I tell my friends this all the time new mothers when they go in to have their babies take everything home with you. You're paying for it whether or not you take it Yeah, take the diapers take the you know any wipes any Tylenol? Because two Tylenol $75. It's how much Tylenol Can you buy at CVS or Walgreens or Rite Aid? For $75?
A tub this fucking bag?
Never go through it in your lifetime before it goes out to date.
No, but I mean, who among us have not popped open a bottle of Tylenol or Motrin that expired 10 years ago and said Fuck, it. Just took it. So I mean.
I have an allergy though, so I can't take it. I'm sorry. I'm the outlier. And anyway.
Oh, no.
Lisa Starks are
my dogs. This is when we cuddle in bed. That's why
Oh, okay. Mine is already totally herself in bed back there. So she's just out. Okay, maybe, let's see, Riley.
Do you guys have anything? Yeah.
I was gonna say there was a topic on a video that I saw on YouTube the other day, actually. And it was, uh, apparently about these people who are think they're playing like these big gotchas. And like, they're dead serious. And like they're calling it like trans vestigators or something like that. And it's about like, thinking all these celebrities are actually trans. It's like, one of the ones that this person covered was saying how Tom Holland is actually a trans man.
And Sunday is actually a trans woman. I'm just like, white, white, and it's like, they're dead serious. They're like that jawline is too masculine. There's no way that she was actually. So they were like mandate and calling her the wrong name. And yeah, it was. They're dead serious. And it's horrible. Horrible.
Thank you that with who was Julia Stiles, I think to Julia Stiles, Julia Stiles. This has been a few years ago. But along the same lines, you'd be shocked to see who is and who isn't. And I'm like, where are you getting your information from?
I feel like if you're going to pick two celebrities, let's not pick two who are read They're outspoken about gender norms. It's never a trans I'm pretty sure they'd be like, all in the supporting everything. They'd be like an ally like, Yeah, I'm trans. Like they would be out there like
Thomas Zendaya a lot of it also is that she's so tall. And so they automatically think that a tall girl must be trans. Now that's not quite how it works. Because some girls are just tall. And my mom
My mom is six foot one.
Riley's mom.
Oh, are they me?
My brother ended up taller than her. Oh, yeah, he's six, almost 6522 Yeah, I almost ended up the shortest person in my family at 510. But my sister because she got pregnant when she was a teenager and still growing it kind of stunted her growth. And so she ended up just like an inch or two shorter than me, but she was slated to be taller than me. I
mean, being 511 as a trans man. That's pretty gender euphoria inducing, I imagine
it is. But it also sucks because I really just want to be sexualized.
Yeah, I mean, I guess you've been on TV for like 10 years now, haven't you? So? Yeah, so I think grocery would get
if I had gotten my mom's long legs instead of my dad's short legs. I kid you not guys. I have a 29 nzme. Wow. I have short legs. That is
that is amazing show 30 And I'm five foot five and a half. I have a That's That's funny.
My body is not that Ill proportional. But like it sounds a lot more when you think about how much 20 inches
that's from my waist to the floor. I'm five feet did you see that New York, New York and New Jersey are becoming sanctuary states. I hadn't heard that.
I knew New Jersey had gotten that. I knew New York. That was actually a bill that was going to the governor's desk I think right.
I didn't know that. They got signed. Maryland also. Yeah, heroin I knew
of Maryland.
And then obviously Florida's I do not travel. Thompson's Yeah.
I'm going all in. I'm moving. You know, it's like,
Please tell me you're moving to Disney.
I'll be as close to the bubble as I could be.
There you go. Disney. I think I said it in previous uploads this week just needs their own airport. And then they could just be their own complete microcosm. So do you
know how much that would take away from Orlando? Orlando would become a municipal.
Yeah, yeah, it would. But you know, Florida
actually has the land to make their own airport. It's just the the authorization to do so
the expense of doing so would be just mind boggling to I'm sure. So yeah, but they have
like $7.5 billion available. cash on hand as a conglomerate like nothing.
They were billion that they were going to spend on an office park. True. They decided not to because you know, because
it sucks. Not amongst other reasons.
Just Just for the record, these are my personal views and not the views of is
good and good practice. Yes.
Very good Preface.
I need to make sure to put that out there.
My electrolysis tech today said that DeSantis in his wife are actually like adult Disney fans. And they got married. Okay, so that's yeah. Okay, so you just confirmed that it's not something I'd heard of. That's gonna Yeah.
Yeah, it's funny. You Yeah, that's.
That's insane. Because also so many people in Florida Disney. There are so many adult Disney fanatics, I don't know how else to say it. But like, they live and they breathe Disney. I know a guy who's worked at Disney for 15 years, he gets paid like, less than $20 an hour. And he doesn't care. He just loves the fact that he works at Disney. And there's so many of them. And they're everywhere. So it's,
it's, I have, yeah, I have friends in Texas who that is there. They go twice a year. base, and then they spend money. It's not like, Oh, we're gonna go instead, you know, just a little bit off so we can save 100 note every year. And I had one out of one of their one of these sets of friends. They went and they spent three and a half weeks pool and they went from one resort to another resort to another resort to another
resort. And I like that's like, when they were in Hawaii, they went to the the little Disney thing that's in Hawaii. Yeah, and three weeks there. And I might, you're spending my annual salary
since some of that to Vanessa.
Why? And don't get me wrong. I love it. I think it's a fun place to go. But I'm not a crowd person anymore. I get into crowds and my anxiety kicks into high gear and I will have a panic attack. I love rides. I mean, I still do. Um, you know, my kids and I all go to Universal. And we'll go on every single roller coaster they love it. But to go all the time. I, my my personal I don't see the appeal to it. Once every few years. I can
handle it. But not not two or three times a year and spend the amount of money that they spend some
amount of money that absolutely ludicrous little cliff.
There was a guy who I worked with at a telecommunications job and he was a project manager. And like, I guess his like parents lived down in Orlando, so he didn't have to pay for like the hotel or anything but they would buy the year pass and go down to three, four times a year. And they would get like the bracelet things for like just getting in and doing everything. And every year he would put up a little Christmas tree in his office. And it was always the bracelets.
He didn't hang ornaments. He just hung the bracelets.
That's crazy.
I just feel like it wasn't like the tiny trees guys like I'm talking about like this thing was at least a four if not five foot tall tree
was shed. I I been to Disney World once. I think I was about six. So this would have been probably around 87 or so. Late 80s I don't remember much. I remember being going into Epcot and it was just gloriously 80s like neon lights everywhere. And they had like this mascot that was like a dragon.
His name is figment
Figment? Okay, I'll look that up. I don't Remember,
Figment was such a draw. popcorn bucket had a seven hour line when it debuted for a popcorn bucket.
It fell in love with Pete's Dragon with Elliot. And figma is just that's what they're my love of dragons came from is the Disney dragons.
I need to Google this while we're talking. So begin with Yeah, so that's all I remember about Disney. Yep. I went to Epcot the
year it opened and every single ride was broken. So we wait. We wrote on three rides. And that was it. Everything else was broke. I was like, and of course my mom and we've got to go get German food. Oh, we've got it. And I'm sitting here going. That is not what this girl wants. Give me pizza.
Yeah. I mean, I feel that for some German food right now, but my case is different now than it was when I was a kid. So and
I wouldn't give you my that we give you my German German food and I'm 98% German, or Well, half a 98%. There's French German.
I I went to the Egyptian part which is well, I went to Kent State University and in Kent, and also my family's business was you can't so I spent a lot of my time in Kent throughout like the 2000s and 2010s. And there is a German restaurant there called Colfax what is it? I don't remember what it's called.
But it's a great name for a rush.
What is it I don't know what it's called Henry weiners Henry waters. And you can get the so their plates like this bag. And I would say that's like at least a foot in you can order these prime ribs there that are so big that they fucking they're at least two inches thick and they hang off of the plate. And I remember back when I used to go there, they were like 20
bucks for those. And I'm like, Oh, I could go for some German food right now which I know that's not all that German you keep but if you get out like the German foods and stuff there but I just sorry, I just completely attended did a tangent because now I want steak. I am not a vegan just saying that I am kind of Oh no.
That's an ad he has a lot of German heritage to do it. So I see a lot of just like you just drive through in the neighborhoods and you just see it's strange German architecture through most of the area. But it's really cool because it's like the area really embraces it though.
That's good. Because growing up, I lived in San Antonio. So of course I had the Mexican food influence and still that's my favorite food. But then when I left Texas, I was in New Braunfels, which is a staunch German settlement. And but there one really good German food restaurant that everybody raved about. Well, one of the closing was wasn't because of COVID it was closed prior to COVID. And then it was like, Well, anytime going, growing up Lilla Vanessa, you're
rubbing off on green cells are
coming into my brain. We would drive from San Antonio to New Braunfels, because that was where the first outlet malls were. And so we would go all around New Braunfels to the outlet malls and we always go to Omar's kitchen for for food and I'm just, I just have a peanut butter choice. I mean, that's how I was. I don't like I hate sauerkraut the smell of it makes me sick. There's nothing for me that you know growing up that I
liked about it. And then when that close every you would have thought everybody in New Braunfels, all of a sudden started making their own German food.
We had a Mexican restaurant like that near us. That was actually the recipes were based because the the founder of the restaurant was Mexican woman. And so she all the recipes were her family's recipes. So the food was very unique to the other Mexican restaurants around me, which are just your standard. You know, the the diarrhea, Mexican restaurants around here. But what's that? Taco Bell? I mean, kind of like that. Yeah. But this place was called Mersa
leaders. And then the owner sold it to a new guy, and it just faded. Completely just disappeared. It was very sad. Just because it was such a unique food in their Malay sauce was absolutely fucking next level. But they just, they weren't keeping up with the times I guess. And they kind of faded into oblivion. So
Mexican food in New York is not just appeared. In fact, I've actually found a Venezuelan restaurant. I really like really, I'll eat the venezuelan food.
New York City or just New York,
in general. the Albany area trying it's a Troy.
I used to be up there this weekend actually going to be at Chautauqua.
There's a Lebanese place in New York City that's
gonna be at Chautauqua. My wife actually had worked up at there at the theater in Chautauqua one year, the first summer and I were dating. Yeah. And she actually while she was there, you guys know the like actor, Jonathan majors. He's playing in the new Marvel movie, The Kang the Conqueror, are he? Oh, was he who remains? Yeah, he actually was there that summer and she got to make him like a cloak for one of the productions. Oh,
that's so cool.
Right. It was a small world sort of thing. Okay, doubt he remembers that. But you know, he's moved on to a way bigger and better things
are gonna be six hours away from me
only six hours. There's still that far.
It's not hard.
I keep forgetting how big New York State is. So
like, I'm always six hours away from you. Billy, I'm only six hours away from you.
Okay, you are
six hours we'll get you maybe to Atlanta if even it takes at least four hours and no traffic just to get out of Florida from Orlando. Yeah,
I know. I've done that before. It's
not fun. No traveling to Florida so it's a pain
I'm, I'm not looking forward to my 27 hour drive and southern border. So
I used to be able to do like the road trips I used to do like, I in like, 2000 2001 I can't remember exactly when but I've been I've been doing online dating forever. And I met a girl that was going to Canton University in Ohio, but she lived in Layton Ville, California. And I drove with a friend of mine at the time, who that became very awkward because he got no we're not gonna get into that. But so we drove almost kind of spur in a moment.
From Ohio, I live in the Cleveland area to about three hours north of San Francisco. All so I could get laid. I've done some pretty epic road trips to get laid in the past. But then just like other just I used to be able to just as loved road trips, I would do 1214 16 hour days driving. Now I can't drive a half hour without falling asleep at the wheel. So I I don't know why I got into that baby to brag that I've had sex a couple of times in my life.
I will tie this back to trends like how do you navigate road trips? With the bathroom issues going on Starbucks?
Oh, yeah. You just you map out all the Starbucks.
Oh, yeah.
Yes. No. All the tricks. Okay. I will tell my son.
Yeah, it's, it's the Yeah, I mean, it's, they're always if sometimes they don't have a bathroom, which that'll fuck you up. They happen to me the other day. Luckily that Chipotle next door had bathrooms but like, but it's there. It's the only place that you can 90% of time. Find gender neutral bathrooms. You can just pop in and pee and go. So but yeah, traveling is traveling while trans is is interesting.
Sorry, rarely I cut you off.
Oh, no, you're good. I don't remember. I was gonna say no. No, I have the worst attention span. Sometimes it's okay.
Well, that's actually a question I can pose to you. Riley is. I mean, a good chunk of society doesn't even really realize that trans men exist. Especially. I mean, I look at you and just click another dude. So do you have much another dude? Yeah, exactly. He hasn't got a deal. Sorry, Riley. But you know what I mean? Like you just another guy walking down the street. Do you find much issue with bathrooms like using men's rooms now?
I honestly haven't had issues really with the men's room probably since. I mean, it was I stopped having issues within the first couple months of being on TV to be honest. Yeah, I got really lucky with a lot of my changes happening as quickly as they did. Like I started tea about a month and a half before I went off to college, and my voice had started to drop enough by the time I actually got to college that nobody had any clue. So when I told them I was trans
they were like, wait, what? And I'm like cool because like I'm two months on teen you're already saying that that makes me feel great. Especially because when I did orientation I wasn't on T yet. And I made friends at orientation so if they knew they didn't say anything to me right off the back. Yeah, but the bathroom
wise though. Like I really honestly like I just always was a bit heavier set so like even when I was binding I don't think really buddy paid much mind to me because like a big dude with moves as expected. So like, it kind of just fit and so like, I don't I don't think really people question it too much unless like I was talking and which I did everything in my power especially prior to teach and not say anything while I was
in the bathroom. My dad I was like absolutely Like, excuse me, like goes to your to wash my hands to pick a giant ship because
I mean, my experience in men's rooms if I saw anyone going to the store my first instinct is just to get the fuck out of there because so many guys just absolutely destroy the toilet. So
yes, it's disgusting. But I will say though I do recall some of the women's rooms I went into prior were also just as disgusting at times. So I can't really say it's one gender over the other that does more damage.
I think it's more of just humans are disgusting.
Yeah,
just so they don't care. And they think the bathroom attendants are there to clean up their mess. And I'm like, no, they're there to make sure that lifts are taken care of and there's paper. But if you don't have the common decency to wipe down all the water you put on the sink, throw your stuff away. You're just in decent yourself,
or to not shit on walls. I mean, how often do you hear stories about bathroom stalls that have shit everywhere? How? How do you shit on the ceiling?
All right up there. Yeah, I
mean, that's somebody. That's somebody's plan. Tamsin.
I'm gonna turn of yours. I've heard of explosive diarrhea. Yeah, but usually it's going down. Yeah,
exactly. I mean, we've all had that. And, you know, sometimes you just have to clean up around the toilet ball, but I mean, it's just really, I always thought like, growing up, I always thought girls didn't poop.
I love to make that joke. Still, though. I'll be like, I'll still say that to my wife. Like, what are you talking about? You don't do
it. They do fine. I know that my ex wife. She would touch up on me all the time. She was pretty. That was pretty epic. I think her mom would said I felt like a button. Such a cute girl can produce so much horrible things.
I always joke with my, my daughter. That that. Also, my daughter can put guys to shame when it comes to belching. And I'm like, I don't know if the eye should be mortified. Or an ovation and be proud of her. She's like, Oh, damn, she and my boys. You know, the three and I'm like, Oh my gosh, I've raised
their cave men and women
that end up looking this way for her. That will be a screening of toxic masculinity.
Yes, that I mean, it took me and I just laugh now because her dog Mabel will get on FaceTime with me. And all of a sudden Mabel burps but I'm like And then my to get in my face. And I don't like
your face.
Because I'm I'm still in that. Excuse me, sir.
I've never been good at the
excuse. I don't be walking in the in the house or whatever. Just grep and I find it oh my gosh.
Tell her to look up a comedian named Christina Walkinshaw. Okay. Christina is she does epic burps like, she has a podcast too. Oh, I forget what it's called. Offhand, but yeah, she like she'll do huge as burps just just just people's heads. Yeah. burps and fanny packs. Fanny packs her her thing too. She's funny. This we've really gotten into toilet humor here which is good because this is the shooting the shipwreck to shooting shipwreck do episode.
I'm still not sure what I I want to find something fun for the for the thumbnail, but I don't know. It's one big pile of shit.
I want to circle back to Riley's comment earlier about binders. So my son rarely if you don't know is trans and unfortunately, well endowment runs in my family. And so as he comes into like his teenage years, he's struggling with his he's struggling with a lack of support from outside of the house like a friend's and like the whole situation with binders and I'm like, we can get you a binder will you know your Research and stuff like that.
And he says, you know, Mom, I heard someone got a binder, and they weren't all the time. And then they like, did some permanent damage, or they like kill themselves and like, where are you reading this? Like, so how do we, you know, as adults, we know how to make those decisions to do the proper research to find the things that we need, but like, how do we support our kids? Like, I'm not trans, I don't know how to get into his headspace and make it
more comfortable for him. But like, How can I, as a parent of a trans, a trans son, like, help him be more comfortable with the idea of a binder will he'll feel more comfortable in his body like we've made the close changes, but like, I feel like that binder may help him a little bit because he had considered at one time, but there's so much bad information out there, just like so much.
Well, okay, so there, there's little bits and pieces that sound like he's probably seeing good information, but also some bad. And so like, it's finding the middle ground of those bits of information. But I would say just a good rule of thumb is generally like, you just want to make sure that when you're binding, especially like for when I was still binding under works was the brand that I
tend to use. And that was the one that I I've heard pretty consistently with other large chested people, that tends to be the one that does the best for being able to give the flat appearance that a lot of us are looking for. It's actually a brand that was started for sis guys with gynecomastia, but it ended up becoming a very trans friendly brand over time. But it is actually just one of those things, though, that as long as
it's being washed regularly. And that he's trying to make sure that you know, he's not wearing it like more than maybe like eight hours at a time. Especially because like, that's like, once you're I would say like an expert at wearing it, you can wear it that kind of duration, but like the beginning definitely doing a lot more
shorter intervals. Because the part that he is right about there is some permanent damage that can come from it if not done properly or done for too long of time and things like that there are people like who if they've done it with ace bandages prior have done rib damage and things like that. So that's where that can be very terrifying. People who minded for extended times have also
ended up with rib damage. But like those are things that like you're doing it for months and months and years and years of doing that sort of thing. Usually, the ace bandages can get you there a little bit faster, but nobody in the trans mass community ever recommends ace bandages anymore. That one is a very outdated method, especially with like the K T tape and things like that are available now. I've even seen some larger chested people who've been successful with K T
tape even. But like there's a lot of other brands out there that he could also even looking into. But you know, there's just a whole lot of things that just with being careful and just being diligent with paying attention to what your body's saying, is the biggest thing. Okay,
is that Luna isn't he's still going? He's still in puberty, isn't he? Yeah, he's
14, but we develop early in my family.
Yeah, no, I mean, I get that. But I just when Riley was talking about the rib damage, and one thing I'll think of for women is corsets and how corsets condemned Oh,
no, no, we're not bringing that that information here, young lady, I am addressing that, I will give you a report with scientific study.
I'm talking about the women that you see now. Not by back then. But the ones who forcibly do it to themselves. I'm not talking about No way. So nine inches from sips. Yeah. That that was my thought when Riley was talking about it is if he's still in puberty, you've really got to watch that ribcage. Because they're, I mean, he's still developing in that rib in the bones too. And that just that petrifies me because of everything that the ribs protect.
Yeah, he's been he's been really nervous about, you know, just the idea of binding he did at one point like when he started his journey, he was like, Oh, I'm in a bind. And then when he is a guy, I don't know I'm too scared and like that's totally okay. Just because of all the really bad and information. But like, I wonder if there's more that we can do. So much of this podcast is there's so many, you know, adults here who are we're all older adults versus younger adults, but we're all adults.
And you have to wonder what kind of, you know, information the kids have access to. Because when it comes down to it there, I think our trans kids, and this is my personal opinion, are in a lot more danger than our adults, because our adults can handle that kind of mental abuse. To a point, obviously, but the kids, the teenagers, like, that's when we're losing most of our trans people is because the just the mental load of dealing with that, and you're not an adult, yet you haven't learned the
skills to cope with that. And it's terrifying. And it's just like, What can we do as a community? I say we obviously I'm really an ally, but like, what can we do as a community to protect our children? Like actually protect them? Not like what all this, you know, vs. Legislation? It's, you know, what can we do?
In our communities? No, no, I mean, you're absolutely right. That's, that's a crisis. Yeah. You know, in and of its own, and work. I don't know if you are on LinkedIn with Joe BB, or not. But he is working. I can't remember what state he's on. But he's working, trying to set up safe havens for the LGBTQ meaning kids that are in jeopardy, especially for homeless. Yeah. And I keep I keep going, Man, I wish this is when I wish I could win this
huge lottery. You know, Powerball lottery, because that is my dream is to open I would love to buy property could closes on it. Coin therapy, dog therapy, just any kind of pet therapy, have health counselors, mental health counselors, and have it open to kids, specifically the kids. And I think having transgender adults, as mentors would be phenomenal.
Yeah, is trans adults. I mean, it's hard to be a trans adult, it's almost impossible to be a trans kid right now. So like, even, I would personally have trouble mentoring a trans kid because what they're going through, it's a completely different experience and what I'm going through, and I don't really know if I have an answer for you, Atlanta. It's, I mean, that's, I mean, there's a Trevor Project, but that's for once they get to, like a certain
extreme point. So I don't know, it's, it's a serious, serious problem in this country and worldwide, really, because I don't, I don't really know how to help them. So like, I can give, like some transition advice. But like, for me, I didn't start until I was almost 40. So it's just a completely different, completely different
experience for us. I'm hoping that's a point that transcending humanity will be able to get to in the future because I mean, I both of us being a hub for information and support and stuff like that, but obviously, we're gonna have to find you know, investors and stuff like
that to do that. But that would be a good thing for us to focus on is support groups with actual solid evidence, solid information provided by I would say provided by doctors, trans doctors that understand trans people, for these kids that they can go to, to get the get the correct information. Because yeah, like, I couldn't I couldn't tell you about binding or anything like that. So
Luna, maybe you and I should talk off sometime and see what we can. What we can find out what we can research because you sound like me when it comes to research you'd like to deep dive and check not not just check out one but check out 15 of the same article.
Yeah, that's it. We have transcending humanity, teen edition. Of that.
There's no reason for us not to I really want us to expand like that in the future. So we're starting as this podcast, but I have, I have a vision for us to be a beacon of hope, information, you know, just a safe place for people to go to like I'd like to have conventions and all that So, but it's yeah, we're still a ways off on that, obviously. But first we need to get a following and then we go from there. So okay, O'Reilly has to hit off.
We're pretty much at a cut off point anyways, so is anyone have any final things? They want to shout out really quick?
Keep joining, keep watching. Yes,
please like, comment, subscribe, tell your friends, we we really need to get the word out. We're growing. We're going slowly we're getting some amazing feedback. We've received some wonderful letters, but like, comment, subscribe, hit that Rate button on iPad, Apple, Apple podcasts and Spotify and all that stuff. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. But please just tell people about us. Help us grow
and support a trans person in your community.
Yes, that two? Very important. Okay, thank you so much for joining us next week is going to be Elise's episode on religion and it's Yeah, with the special guests. It's gonna be wonderful. So don't worry, I won't be on it to completely fucked up the episode for everybody. So
it's gonna be a positive episode. It's not going to be an anti this. The gentleman that's coming the pastor that's coming is very pro LGBTQ.
So you have that thing for to thank you so much for joining us. Have a great whatever time of day it is that you are listening to this and buckle your seatbelt. Hi everybody.