Fifty Shades of Gender

Frank is a Counselling and Psychotherapy masters degree student with the goal of bringing accessible, trauma informed care to the queer community, and co-founder of the Queer Joy Movement in Norwich, UK. Frank's pronouns are he/they/she in sort of preference/frequency order, and he is a trans genderfreak and genderqueer dyke . Find out what that means to Frank in this episode. We also talk about t...

Katy Jon Went is a public speaker, educator and campaigner on many subjects including sex and gender.  Katy's pronouns are they/them , she/her , but tolerates occasional he/hims. They see themselves as a transgender person, identify as non-binary and asexual, and where they've landed since our last conversation is post-gender . Find out what that means to Katy in this episode. We also talk about h...

Leanne is a polyamory educator, writer, speaker, certified sex and relationships educator, and trainee psychosexual therapist. Leanne's pronouns are they/she , and they are agender , non-binary , queer , autigender , and a demigirl . Find out what that means to Leanne in this episode.  We also talk about gender roles and expectations in Intimacy and sex, how pronouns may be context-dependent, the...

Neno is a writer, poet, book coach, and podcaster. Neno's pronouns are they/she and they are a genderfluid lesbian word witch. Find out what that means to Neno in this episode. We also talk about compulsory heterosexuality, performative femininity, how gender dysphoria can be fleeting, finding queer community as an introvert, active rest, imposter syndrome of queerness, representation in books and...

A Pariera is a philosopher, guide, and mentor, rethinking self, identity, and reality. A's pronouns are he/they , and he identifies as a non-binary trans man . Find out what that means to A in this episode.  We talk about his journey from transitioning to detransitioning to retransitioning, going inward on a soul quest, embracing the journey, deconditioning, returning to home in the body, feeling...

Raven is a creative coach, artist, parent, and LGBTQIA+ community activist. Raven's pronouns are they/them , and they are genderqueer , a relationship anarchist, and bisexual. Find out what that means to Raven in this episode. We also talk about queering everything, breaking the rules, the assumptions people make about gender in relation to bodies, how labels describe us but don't define us, the i...

Kelsey J.R.P. Byers is an evolutionary geneticist and chemical ecologist, lover of all things nature, and advocate for accessibility and inclusion of minoritized groups in academia. Kelsey uses any/all pronouns, but they get a little frisson of gender-validation/euphoria when people don't use she/her. They are agender , asexual, disabled, neurodivergent, and queer . Find out what that means to Kel...

Deanna Marie Jones is a speaker, consultant, and LGBTQ+ advocate, with a history in corporate technology.  Deanna's pronouns are she/her , and she is a transgender woman . Find out what that means to Deanna in this episode.  We also talk about the positive evolution of the job industry, what good leadership looks like, the importance of finding community, and what allies can do to help.  More on w...

Finn Evans is an artist, writer, film director, and owner of the production company Chudatsi.  Finn's pronouns are he/him , and he is trans-masculine and queer . He also uses the label trans man . Find out what that means to Finn in this episode. We also talk about challenges with gendered language, finding your people, what labels feel like home, intersectionality and discrimination, the importan...

'Irregular Jenn' Wilson is a writer, coach, and educator, founder of the company Irregular and of the International Day of Consent, which takes place annually on November 30th, and organiser of the upcoming I Do Consent summit, which runs from November 30th until December 2nd. Jenn's pronouns are they/them (she/her is ok) and the labels they use are gender non-conforming , genderqueer , non-binary...

Helena Key is a queer author and founder of an independent publishing company. Helena's pronouns are she/her , and she is a transgender woman , pansexual, and bipolar. Find out what that means to Helena in this episode. We also talk about transitioning while parenting a young child, building trust in relationships, the overlap between bipolar disorder and ADHD, challenges in calling out problemati...

Anshar Seraphim is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and neurodiversity advocate. Anshar likes they/them pronouns, but because they present as male, they don't really mind he/him. They identify as non-binary , because of their lack of exposure to gender constructs as an autistic person. Find out what that means to Anshar in this episode. We also talk about expectations of maleness, sensory difficult...

Sofie Hagen is a multi-award-winning London-based Danish comedian, author, podcaster, and content creator. Her new book, Will I Ever Have Sex Again? Is out today, May 23rd, 2024. Sofie's pronouns are  she/her and they/them , and they are non-binary and queer . Find out what that means to Sofie in this episode. We also talk about being raised as a person, how boundaries can be a gift, that safe sex...

Jason Lee is an LGBTQI+ Youth Worker, previous presenter on The T-Boys Show on Pride Radio, and the first legally married transgender person in the UK. Jason's pronouns are he/him , and he is intersex and transgender (a trans man ), as well as heterosexual and neurodiverse. Find out what that means to Jason in this episode. We also talk about disconnecting from the body and reclaiming yourself, th...

Ray Briggs is professor of philosophy at Stanford University, co-host of the radio show Philosophy Talk , and co-author of the book What Even Is Gender? Ray's pronouns are they/them (he/him is also ok) and they are genderqueer , boi , and also a practicing bisexual, and T4T . Find out what that means to Ray in this episode. We also talk about ways to be queer, the expansiveness of the term bisexua...

Carrie Marshall is a writer, musician, and author of her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man. Carrie's pronouns are she/her , and she is a trans woman . She's also a lesbian, and demisexual. Find out what that means to Carrie in this episode. We also talk about transness only making sense in the rearview mirror, how much more challenging things can become once you start transition, what the anti-trans move...

Mattia Maurée is a composer, writer, AuDHD coach, and founder and host of the podcasts The Longer Road and AuDHD Flourishing. Mattia's pronouns are they/them , and they are nonbinary trans , agender , genderqueer , transmasc , autigender , AuDHD, and queer (as well as neuroqueer ). They also use the labels relationship anarchy and poly. Find out what that means to Mattia in this episode. We also t...

In this fourth 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 over three years since the podcast started. We also talk about the decision to take a break, trusting your intuition, intersectionality, internalised misogyny, us...

Tash Corbin is an online business owner who helps women and non-binary folk to start and scale their businesses. Tash's pronouns are she/they , and they are neurodivergent, non-binary , a genderfluid woman , and queer . Find out what that means to Tash in this episode. We also talk about what is non-conforming enough, the experience of being sexualised, how showing up with our imperfections builds...

Ely Percy is a writer, author of the novel Duck Feet (and more), and brain injury survivor. Ely's pronouns are they/them , and they are a queer , agender, neurodivergent person. Find out what that means to Ely in this episode. We also talk about being neurodivergent from a brain injury perspective, being 'not straight' during Section 28, acting normal, coming out again, not recognising yourself in...

Kate Brookes is an author, TV reporter, anchor-turned-producer, and filmmaker. Kate is a cisgender woman and uses she/her pronouns. She's also the parent of a transgender child . Find out what that means to Kate in this episode. We also talk about the challenges of deciding on a name, being in transition as a family, the privilege of having access to an accepting community, how important it is to...

Chris Talbot-Heindl is an artist and educomics creator. Chris's pronouns are they/them , and they are transgender , non-binary , asexual and panromantic. Find out what that means to Chris in this episode. We also talk about how labels can mean something different each day, that the gender binary is a colonial construct, gender fuckery and gender abundance, cultural influences on gender, what allys...

Joris Grey is a business coach for activists. Joris's pronouns are he/him , and he is a trans man , and queer . Find out what that means to Joris in this episode. We also talk about being comfortable in your body, getting the method of application right when going on hormones, the importance of representation, the need to focus more on the thriving of trans people rather than the struggle, the dif...

Rachel's pronouns are she/her , and she is a transgender female . Find out what that means to Rachel in this episode. We also talk about being transgender vs having gender dysphoria, how coming out is a process, transitioning during covid, the actual and hidden cost of transition, how hard it is to get a GRC (Gender Recognition Certificate), how the term 'TERF' has evolved, and feeling like yourse...

Fabian is a clinic nurse specialist in the NHS, and appreciator of TV, films, books, music, theatre and art. Fabian's pronouns are he/him , and he is a transgender man . Find out what that means to Fabian in this episode. We also talk about transitioning in your teenage years, what it's like to be pregnant as a trans man, accessing reproductive care while navigating an outdated system that doesn't...