Episode 7: What's in Store for 2020!

Explicit content warning

01/11/20 • 86 min

Welcome to our first episode of 2020! In this episode Candace and I talk about swimming through all the diet industry bs trying to convince us that we need to shrink our bodies via intentional weight loss. We also share the big things we have in store individually and with the podcast!I know the new year is a time when people often make resolutions about "dieting" and changing their bodies, not only that but the diet industry is spending the majority of their advertising dollars right now...and that can feel very overwhelming and intensify already existing negative feelings about our bodies. But I just want to let you know, you don’t have to dedicate your life to looking different. You were made for more than striving to be smaller. Not only are diets and weight loss plans typically not effective in the long run, you don’t need to lose weight. You are valid and deserving of love right now no matter what size you are. I hope you’ll join me this year in seeking a place of body peace whatever that feels like for you. Body peace might look super different for different folks especially trans folks and people with disabilities but whatever your relationship with your body is I hope you find some calm and some self compassion.

Previous Episode

Episode 6: Gender Nonconformity in Athletics Part 2

Podcast Episode 6: The Attack on Nonconformity in Athletics Pt. 2 *Explicit Language*In this episode we further unpack human variance especially how it shows up in relation to gender identity/expression. Visible differences in the human expression often cause people to be othered, discriminated against, pathologized, brutalized etc. Right now we are seeing the attack on human variance & non conformity in the world of women’s sports which is racist, sexist, transphobic and an overall gross violation of human rights. In particular this episode we will be following up with the story we shared of Caster Semenya. Caster Semenya: is a South African Olympic track runner and two time gold medalist in the 800 meter.Caster has been thrusted into the spotlight and are helping to undo so dreadful policies that limit certain bodies (in particular trans and gender non conforming folks) from competing as their true selves in women’s sports. **Update** The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld a regulation that will require some female track athletes with naturally-elevated testosterone levels to lower those levels with drugs or surgery, if they want to compete in certain women's events on the international stage. Some additional subjects discussed in this Episode: **racism, gender essentialism and trans hatred in sports****Why are we targeting folks in sports who are already so deeply targeted in other areas of society?**Othering of trans women (trans women are women PERIOD!)There is no evidence to suggest that that trans are stealing anything. If you are good at the sport it is your athleticism which has nothing to do with the other athlete of their identity. **Why the mere existence of transwomen creates so much fear in society.**The conflation of body parts and gender**Sexist notion: that anyone assigned male at birth will automatically beat anyone assigned female at birth. **This informs how we discuss trans athletes, intersex athletes and women in general.**Testosterone not the “male sex hormone,” nor is it the key to athletic performance.**There is no such thing as *looking* transgender. **High profile female athletes (like Martina Navratilova) weaponize that notion and if gives more credence to the notion in the first place. It’s a false criticism of women’s sports in general. ***Notion of this influx of cis men posing as transwomen to gain unfair advantages in competitions. Also carries similar narratives to this fear of cis men posing as trans women taking over bathroom spaces. “In the US, there’s not a single reported instance of this kind of voyeurism occurring in states with legal protections for trans people.”https://www.vox.com/identities/2016/5/13/17938102/transgender-people-bathrooms-locker-rooms-schools

Next Episode

Episode 8: Meet My Girlfriend Crystal

Trigger Warning: Discussion of Weight LossIn this episode I share the mic with my romantic partner Crystal Richardson, Esq. Crystal is an attorney, community advocate and my personal fitness coach. Right now she is currently working to get the CROWN Act passed in North Carolina, which is a bill that would ban discrimination based on hair textures and styles. The CROWN Act names styles commonly associated with black people, is of particular concern to black women, whose hair is more likely than white women’s hair to be perceived as “unprofessional,” according to a 2019 study of 2,000 black and white women. In this episode Crystal and I talk about how we met and some ways we support each other through movement. Crystal also shares about the beginnings of her fitness journey as a BeachBody coach and some of the diet culture and toxic fitness practices she participated in early on. She discusses her process of unlearning and growing through her mistakes. We unpack the constant work needed in divesting from diet culture, and how we aren’t morally obligated to engage in fitness. I share a bit about how my chronic pain has been an embedded part of relationship with weightlifting and how it keeps my gender dysphoria at bay (complicated relationship to say the least.)Lastly, we finish up by answering some listener questions. I think you are going to really enjoy this episode!