Fifty Shades of Gender

This episode is a slightly different one again; the first of a Listener Questions series. I'm answering a question (or rather, responding to a request) from one of our listeners, Connie, who said "I would love to hear a podcast on the definition of terms used on the podcasts." So here it is! More on www.fiftyshadesofgender.com/listener-questions-1

Brian Belovitch is an author, actor and activist. Brian's pronouns are he/him/his, and he identifies as a cis-gay male of trans experience. Find out what that means to Brian in this episode. We also talk about being different and growing up in the 60s and 70s, looking for validation, living a fantasy life, performing the role of perfect woman, dealing with judgement, how everyone's journey is unique, finding a different way to be comfortable, and going full circle and reaching a new...

Jen Hartmann is a fashion designer and founder of the trans-positive label Baal Fashion. Jen is pretty much ok with all the traditional pronouns, but prefers he/him. He is non-binary and also identifies as bigender. Find out what that means to Jen in this episode. We also talk about growing up with a very gendered language, being expected to fit into cultural and gendered stereotypes, disrupting the fashion industry and the future of innovation, how clothes are an integral part of gender...

Jacob Profitt is a geography teacher. Jacob's pronouns are they/them, and they identify as a gay non-binary person. Find out what that means to Jacob in this episode. We also talk about the freedom that comes with going to university, societal conditioning around masculine and feminine binaries, exploring gender identity through drag, being non-binary in education, feeling attracted to male presenting people as opposed to masculinity, and being inspired by a younger generation. More on...

Dorothy Pierre-Louis uses he/him/his pronouns, and his nickname is Thyo (pronounced like Theo). He is non-binary and also uses the labels bigender and trans-masculine, as well as toric and graysexual. Find out what that means to Thyo in this episode. Thyo (pronounced like Theo) is a simple urban animal who resides with his friends in a cozy den in Philadelphia. He currently works as a technical recruiter and aspires to make it in the entertainment/media industry as a writer. This dream is...

Emme Porter DeWitt is an author, advocate, and authenticity coach. Emme's pronouns are they/them/theirs. They are agender and also identify as transgender, non-binary, queer and demisexual. Find out what that means to Emme in this episode. We also talk about how we all have our own unique flavour of humanity, making sense of attractions, the importance of emotional connection, building your own blueprint for relationships, the possibilities in the term queer, being a solo advocate, how...

Victor's pronouns are they/them, and they are non-binary and transgender, as well as pansexual and panromantic. Find out what that means to Victor in this episode. We also talk about identifying vs being, the freedom in expressing yourself, that clothes have no gender, connection to culture, having an awareness of your own mental health, processing out loud, and how gender expression is for yourself rather than others. More on www.fiftyshadesofgender.com/victor

Greyson, a furry and budding artist, is a trans man, but identifies with wolfgender, which is a xenogender. Greyson uses he/him/himself as well as wolf/wolfs/wolfself pronouns. Find out what that means to Greyson in this episode. We also talk about discovering your identity through playing someone else, separating gender from male/female, man/woman and masculine/feminine, how queer identities are a lot of work, self-medicating with testosterone, respecting artistry and artists by paying them...

Jin Wicked is an artist, illustrator, and writer, on the autism spectrum. Jin's pronouns are they/them, and they are agender and non-binary. Find out what that means to Jin in this episode. We also talk about pushing boundaries, questioning what's normal, seeing the body as a canvas, finding beauty and art in everyday life, discovering being neurodivergent, integrating different identities, being present in the moment, and learning to be human. More on www.fiftyshadesofgender.com/jin

Juno Roche is a writer, campaigner and author of the books Queer Sex, Trans Power and Gender Explorers. Juno's pronouns are they/them, and they are trans and queer. Find out what that means to Juno in this episode. We also talk about being a writer as part of identity, affirming surgeries versus trying to preserve youth, transitioning into transness as opposed to into a woman, being attracted to masculinity rather than men, owning your skin and celebrating yourself, being an intimacy virgin,...

Beverly Little Thunder is an activist, community leader and teacher, and founder of a non profit organisation that provides a safe space for ceremony for Indigenous LBGTQIA people. Beverly uses she/her pronouns, and she is a Two-Spirit Lakota woman from the Standing Rock Band in North Dakota. Find out more about her story in this episode. We also talk about what the term Two-Spirit encompasses, how religious indoctrination led to Two-Spirit people being ostracised, the cultural and societal...

Lynn Keiser is a professional in technology and mentor to younger transgender people. Lynn's pronouns are she/her, and she identifies as a transgender woman. Find out what that means to Lynn in this episode. We also talk about how being trans can offer a unique perspective into human psychology, the evolution of relationships and attraction, facets of identity, leaping into the unknown, and doing as much – or as little – as you need to be happy. More on www.fiftyshadesofgender.com/lynn

Lor is an entrepreneur, author and teacher and uses he/she pronouns. He is non-binary, and intersex – assigned female at birth but genetically male – and she is figuring things out when it comes to gender identities, currently working with the labels demiboy and bigender. Find out what that means to Lor in this episode. In addition to the aforementioned labels, Lor also talks about identifying as trans. She has since asked me to omit this label from the title. In Lor's words: "I've since...

Dean is a Life Coach who is passionate about empowering the LGBTQ2S community. Dean uses he/they pronouns. He is a trans man, but they also resonate with the labels trans-masculine, genderqueer and non-binary. Find out what that means to Dean in this episode. We also talk about being a non-binary parent, separating the role of nurturer from gender, experiencing dysphoria in pregnancy, gender assumptions and how we are perceived, how testosterone can affect attraction, and the freedom that...

Laurence Sarno is a former entertainer and journalist who now runs a marketing communications consultancy. Laurence's pronouns are he/him. He generally describes himself as a trans man, but his joke about labels is that he's everything in LGBTQIA except the 'L' and the 'A'. Find out what that means to Laurence in this episode.. We also talk about being perceived as you are, a very speedy transition journey, privilege, what we can learn from unconventional relationship styles, embracing who...

In this second Reflections episode, Katy interviews Esther as she reflects on further conversations she’s had with gender-diverse folks, what she’s learned about gender, as well as her own journey and how she and the podcast have evolved almost a year since the podcast started. We also talk about expectations, finding the essence of each conversation, the subtleties of language, intuition and setting intentions, awareness and facets of identity, assigned titles, smart business decisions, the...

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,...

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....

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,...

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