The Parent Advocate Podcast

In this episode of the Parent Advocate, Lizette & Stephen interview Hazel & Christoph Heinzer, parents of two nonbinary kids in Tuscon, AZ, and talk about the Gender Liberation March, leaning into their advocacy, and learning from their kids. In Today's Topics, we discuss the NH school board which allowed a trans girl to play soccer defying state law, trolls spamming the Texas gender marke...

In this Epic Rant: Sade Edition of the Parent Advocate, Lizette and Stephen chop it up about the beating of a trans teen Jayden Tzaczyk in Dogtown, Sade's new track and ode to her son Izaak Theo, Young Lion on the forthcoming Red Hot album, Donald Trump's unconvincing attempt to distance himself from Project 2025, and the upcoming Gender Liberation March in Washington, DC.

In this episode of the Parent Advocate, Lizette and Stephen chat with Indivisible Chicago's Laura Tanner and talk Hillary Clinton's loss to Donald Trump, text banking for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, learning about transphobic colleagues, and finding joy. In today's topics, we cover Donald Trump's weird belief that trans kids are getting operations in schools, AGs targeting the medical records of t...

In this Epic Rant: DNC Edition of the Parent Advocate Podcast, Lizette and Stephen talk about Stephen’s experience at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, the historic moments and missed opportunities for trans representation. Lizette celebrates a major legal victory in Arizona for transgender youth, while also addressing disheartening news from Texas, where new policies restrict trans peoples...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate podcast, Lizette & Stephen interview, Harvard, Yale and Stanford educated author of Free to Be: Understanding Kids & Gender Identity , Dr. Jack Turban and get into the myth of rapid onset dysphoria, sports bans and supporting parents and families in transition. In today's topics, we discuss the French lawsuit against Elon Musk and J.K. Rowlings, decli...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate, Lizette & Stephen interview trans youth activist, Mya Figueroa (and her parents) talk cheerleading, starting high school and convincing Arizona State Senators to abandon their misguided anti-trans bills. In today's topics, we cover the Planned Parenthood lawsuit, Washington State Senator Emily Randall, Valentina Gomez's failed primary run, and the Olympi...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate Podcast, "A Family Affair," Lizette and Stephen chat up DOJ attorney Sonia Murphy, and talk about advocacy, the Gender Cool Project, and parenting a trans youth. In today’s topics, we highlight a significant ruling on the Biden administration's Title IX sex discrimination rule, a federal court's support of an Ohio school district's anti-bullying policy, trans...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate, Lizette & Stephen interview queer nonbinary historian & author, Lydia Otero, and they spill tea on growing up queer in the Southwest, coming of age queer in LA, and run-ins with Madonna. In today's topics we talk Alpa Phi Alpha's proposed ban on trans men becoming brothers, a slap down for Moms for Liberty, the RNC crashing gay-dating app Grindr duri...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate, Lizette and Stephen switch places with self-appointed executive producer and third co-host, Anthony Chukumba, who grills them on what brought them to advocacy, their proudest moments, best (and worst) guest, and tips for parents of TGNC youth.

In this episode of the Parent Advocate, Lizette and Stephen interview queer Star Tribune reporter Nicole Norfleet, and talk Pride, disinformation, objectivity in journalism and Project 2025. In today's topics, we cover the Missouri AG trying to get medical records of trans kids, the White House's clarification on surgery for trans minors, a federal judge halting Biden’s new Title IX gender identit...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate, Lizette and Stephen kinda go off on SCOTUS, Trump, MAGA Republicans, the Heritage Foundation and the steady decline in the country caused by sycophants in elected office.

In this episode of the Parent Advocate, Lizette and Stephen are joined by queer food artist activist Feng Feng Yeh, talk assimilation, the history of Mexican & Chinese solidarity, and the importance of preserving cultural traditions. In today's topics, we discuss the Supreme Court's taking up a transgender rights case, a new survey revealing that LGTQ+ students don't feel safe in schools, and...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate, Lizette and Stephen interview nonbinary researcher Em Matsuno of the Arizona State University and talk parent support programs, supporting trans youth, understanding what it means to be nonbinary, and a Night of Trans & Nonbinary Joy. In Today's Topics, we discuss the win for abortion rights at the Supreme Court, the federal appeals court siding with a m...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate podcast "B6. We Throw Hands!" Lizette & Stephen interview nonbinary Director of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access for housing at the University of Arizona, John-Peter Wilhite. Join them as they talk the lessons he learned working with ACT UP!, the AIDS epidemic and survivor's guilt, the importance of supportive parents, and listening to our LGBTQ...

Join Lizette and Stephen as they interview trans artist Dante Celeiro and get into the NYC underground ballroom scene, discovering his people on Christopher Street, building a LGBTQ+ performance art space, and finding time to breathe. In Today's Topics, we discuss the deadly sin of Pride per Harrison Butker, the 18 Republican-led states suing the Biden Administration, Mississippi's attack on trans...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate podcast, Lizette and Stephen interview Rutgers University Associate Dean, Marta Esquilin and we get into racial microaggressions, parenting twins, raising trans masculine children, and the attack on DEI in education. In today's topics, we get into South Carolina’s ban on GAC for TGNC youth, the class action lawsuit against Aetna to cover fertility treatments...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate podcast, Lizette and Stephen speak with fellow parent and children's book publisher nadeen "mothasistah" herring. Join us as we spill the tea on her company blaq noyz, finding common ground for conversation, listening to our trans children and the value of hugs. In today's topics, we get into the United Methodist church lifting their ban on LGBTQ clergy, the...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate, Lizette and Stephen chop it up with Erin Russ of Southern Arizona Senior Pride, and talk Boy Scouts, coming out to their father, fears of being ostracized and finding purpose. In today's topics, we discuss the SCOTUS decision in Idaho, Moms for Liberty saying Americans have a lot in common with Trump, and Tennessee lawmakers criminalizing assisting trans you...

In this special episode of the Parent Advocate podcast, Lizette and Stephen discuss the killing of Diamond Brigman, and the arrest of the killer of Aisha Davis, the lawsuits brought by Stephen Miller's America First Legal, Scientific American's article on the shrinking safe places for trans people and their families, and the reasons we are both visible advocates for trans youth.

In this episode of the Parent Advocate, join Lizette & Stephen as they talk with scholar activist Stephanie Troutman-Robbins about attacks on reproductive rights, gender and sexuality, finding white allies in the mountains, and re-Imagining the invisible knapsack in higher education. In our today's topics, we talk about the NCAA lawsuit challenging trans women's participation in collegiate spo...

In this episodes Lizette and Stephen talk going from education to comedy, cycles of gender expression, wellness and movement with nonbinary educator, movement specialist, doctoral candidate and comedian, Em Bowen. In today's topics, we cover Ohio's thousands of comments to Governor DeWine, a North Dakota judge's ruling that Christian groups don't have to provide health coverage for their trans wor...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate podcast, join hosts Lizette Trujillo and Stephen Chukumba as they interview Emeritus member of the Parents for Transgender Equality Council, adjunct professor of Gender and Sexuality Studies andEthnic Studies, Dr. Priya J. Shah. We get down to the history of bathroom and swimming pool bans, successful examples of coalition building, and centering trans kids i...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate, Lizette Trujillo and Stephen Chukumba are joined by Tamilia Valenzuela, a bilingual, disabled, neurodivergent Queer Black Latina' and at-large member of the Washington Elementary School District, and talk cat ears, being doxxed, and her dream for educational opportunities for all kids. In today's topics, we discuss the tragic death of Nex Benedict, the hypoc...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate, join hosts Lizette Trujillo and Stephen Chukumba as they interview nonbinary author Joelle Retener about their upcoming book, Marley's Pride. We find out how she went from diplomatic service with the State Department to homeschooling nonbinary kids in the woods to writing books. In today's topics, we dig into the Tennessee bill allowing discrimination agains...

In this episode of the Parent Advocate, Lizette Trujillo and Stephen Chukumba interview nonbinary journalist, author and advocate, Nico Lang as they prepare for the release of their upcoming book, American Teenager. We dive into their recent piece on Dave Chappelle and their problematic comedy, writing about the nuanced lives of trans youth, and what they would be doing if they weren't documenting...