BRAT! Pod (Ben and Robin Are Trans!)

Ben and Robin celebrate a whole YEAR of podcasting, finding community, and finding themselves. On the opening episode of season 2, we look back at what's changed over the past year, drop a lot of lore updates, and debate switching fully to ASMR. Thank you for your love and support as we enter a second year of podcasting! We have so many more stories and interviews on the way. If you want to he...

In the last episode from our first YEAR of podcasting, Ben and Robin go back in the closet...just to take a look around for a bit. We talk about our own experiences being closeted to family, to the world, and to ourselves. We get into: - Reasons to come out of the closet - When it's OK to stay in the closet - How hard would it actually be to go back in the closet after coming out? - Is it poss...

Ben and Robin welcome back Dan (any pronouns) to talk about the pop culture we grew up with and how it affected our understanding of ourselves as trans people. We get into a wide array of topics, including:  -       Common trans tropes in movies, TV, and video games (and why we deserve better) -       How we conceptualized ourselves in a world where (almost) all trans representation was negative -...

Ben and Robin welcome their friend Grizz (he/him) to the pod to finally get into the topic of sex work! Grizz aka GrizzAud makes adult audio content as well as audio content focused on SH harm reduction. He talks about growing up having to advocate for himself in a less-than-ideal (but not anti-trans) family situation, performing musical theatre while your voice is actively dropping, getting into...

Ben and Robin are back in the studio to talk about their transition journeys, why every transition follows a different path, how to find resources for your transition, and share some transition roadblocks and gatekeeping our listeners have faced. Robin rants about privileged trans people who hold impossibly high standards for everyone else. Ben draws a cool S then makes it queer. Looking for resou...

Ben and Robin continue their mission of making all parasocial relationships normal relationships with longtime TikTok friend Amanda! Amanda is a trans woman who began transitioning in her 60s. Most importantly, she's the wife of a trans woman and stepmom to a trans teen. We get into a lot of topics, including: - Growing up closeted in a military family - Coming out while working as a truck dri...

The BRAT20 crew returns to the ruins of an ancient castle, Shadra fighting for her life and Elas desperate to follow after her and Ful into the hole. Luna hovers above, covering the moving statues with the violet glow of faerie fire while trying not to get grappled back to the ground. The party thinks they have the strength to escape the statues, but can they resist the ancient evil lurking just b...

Ben and Robin welcome back fellow podcaster Rayven (she/her) of the Rainbow Veteran and Smoking Out the Closet podcasts. We talk about the experiences of the large but underrepresented group of trans people in the US military, current and future challenges queer service members face, navigating the VA, accessing both gender-affirming and general medical care as a vet, her volunteer work with the v...

Happy Trans Day of Visibility! Or Trans Day of Stay Home and Have a Snack! Being visible is a complicated, consequential, and personal decision to make, and we wanted to share some thoughts about it as it's own little episode. Joining us for the conversation is fellow Trans Hope United podcaster Rayven (she/her) of the Rainbow Veteran and Smoking Out the Closet podcasts. Note: The next episode...

Ben and Robin get to know Tea Fougner (she/they), editor, writer, con panelist, inclusive language and cocktail consultant, and so much more! You may recognize Hern from her work as the former editorial director of Popeye and many other comic strips at King Features, or from their top-tier Bluesky posts including frequent quotes from the world's cutest toddler. (If you're wondering why Ben...

Ben and Robin welcome streamer and TikTokker Cira (aka CiraBunBun) to the pod! We cover a lot of important topics including: —when your egg cracks by age 6 but you can't come out for another 20+ years —growing up in a queer-friendly church —learning to accept being both a trans woman and a tom boy —existing as a trans person online —unicycling —banjo —the yuri/yaoi crossdress manga her mom bou...

After a long hiatus the BRAT20 crew are back to finish the mission: To see a castle! Or hear a really cool echo! Or find a shiny sword! Wait, why did they come to these mysterious ruins again?   Thank you all for your patience waiting for this episode (and the many great guests coming up soon). These take a lot more work than our normal episodes, not only in the editing room but in the mind of our...

Ben and Robin welcome writer and YouTuber Jenny (she/her) to the pod! Jenny talks about growing up on comics, coming out as trans to family with mixed reactions, rebooting the (now) fabulously gay Rainbow Boy comic, and, of course, her cute relationship with writer, director, and bestie of the pod Gwen! Come hang out with Ben and Robin and the rest of the BRAT! community on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord...

Ben and Robin are SO excited to introduce our friend Rhian (they/she)! We’ve mentioned Rhian briefly last episode as well as on Ben and Robin Lawyer Up!, but being able to talk to them directly was incredible. Rhian, now 21, came out to their amazing and supportive mother as a pre-teen, went on puberty blockers at age 12, started testosterone at age 14, and got top surgery at age 16. Not only is t...

A Ben rant over 6 months in the making. In this uncharacteristically short episode Ben and Robin address the accusations that we’re only trans because it’s cool and popular. Who knew we were so cool and popular? Topics include: “sudden onset gender dysphoria” (aka “sudden onset noticing of your kids’ gender dysphoria”), why queer and trans kids always seem to find each other, what trans healthcare...

Ben and Robin welcome new bestie of the pod Liv of Enbodied Fitness! Liv (they/them) is a fitness coach, queer business-owner, and social media inspiration. This is truly one of the best conversations we’ve had on the pod and we’re excited to start a new year with it! Topics include learning to love your body through transition, why the phrase “born in the wrong body” is just plain wrong, taking o...

Recorded right after Ben’s first visit to a doctor in a long time, Ben and Robin share stories about their many experiences with doctors both before and after coming out. We talk about why Ben had been avoiding doctors, the misogyny that most of us seem to experience in medical spaces, finding a queer-affirming clinic with queer staff, and what a good experience with a doctor can actually look lik...

Ben and Robin welcome back friend of the pod Ari! Recorded 9 days after the 2024 election, we were (and are) fully in community organizing mode and needed some advice from someone with a great deal more experience than we did.  Come hang out with Ben and Robin and the rest of the BRAT! community on our ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  server⁠! All links and resources mentioned in the episode are p...

Ben and Robin welcome lawyer, ally, and first ever cis* guest Chip Clapp (he/him/él)! Chip does pro bono work helping trans people with their name and gender marker change paperwork, people like our very own Ben! In this episode we talk about how to legally change your name (and how to find help if you can’t), talk about how trans people can prepare for the coming challenges, talk a bit about the...

Ben and Robin are joined by patient advocate and founder of Flourish Advocacy Ivy (she/her). They talk about challenges involved in getting the gender-affirming health care we need, resources that are available to make it more accessible, and talk about preparing for future challenges. Ivy is currently taking new clients! Find out more about Flourish Advocacy and contact Ivy at  flourishadvocacy.s...

The long-awaited appearance of original friend of the pod and certified muscle mommy Brooke is finally here! They cover a wide array of topics such as growing up neurodivergent and Mormon in a complicated family, realizing you’re trans while you’re married and the fallout that happens when you wait to tell your spouse until you’ve already started HRT, embracing yourself through fitness, finding he...

A post-election emergency episode a week in the making. SOLIDARITY FOREVER. Come hang out with Ben, Robin, Ynsa, Gwen, Briar, and the rest of the BRAT! community on our ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  server⁠! All links and resources mentioned in the episode are posted there. Follow Briar on TikTok @briarthegm and check out their art at  ⁠⁠⁠https://cara.app/briarthegm⁠⁠ Find Gwen on: YouTube...

Our long promised bonus episode(s) has ended up being ready just when we need a distraction the most. Join Ful, Luna, Shadra, and Elas on their quest to find out why people have been disappearing at the ruins of an old castle, to build a found family they didn't know they needed, and to start the hottest new niche percussion band in all of the Graveshores! Come hang out with Ben, Robin, Ashley, Au...

For week 5 of BRAToween and Ben and Robin welcome filmmaker, writer, and YouTuber Gwendolyn M.J. Stone! They talk about the movies that cracked Gwen’s egg, the importance of telling queer and trans stories, learning to talk about film in a way that’s more enjoyable than cynical, and share some of Gwen’s hot takes on some popular (and unpopular) horror movies. Also, eyeliner! Note: We briefly talk...

It’s week 4 of BRAToween and Ben and Robin are telling scary stories! Specifically, your scary stories! This week we harvest data from fellow BRATs on the  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  server⁠ to talk about our fears—fears that weren’t as big of a deal as we expected, fears that turned out to be fully justified, and maybe fears we should’ve had that we’re just finding out about now. Find us on: Ti...