Transgender School

Bridget Sampson

An honest, eye-opening, mother-daughter conversation that’s different than most. Join Jackie as she shares her journey to fully becoming the woman she was always meant to be, and hear from her mom Bridget about the mistakes she made, the things she got right, and the lessons she’s learned along the way. Together, Jackie and Bridget will discuss current events, welcome guests, and share actions you can take to support trans people.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Top 10 Transgender School Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Transgender School episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Transgender School for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Transgender School episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Meet Toniii. The Icon. The Legend.

Transgender School

08/02/22 • 51 min

We’re so excited to have Toniii join us on today's episode. We discuss labels, gender-bending self-expression, drag, media representation, the need for role models in the LGBTQ+ community (especially black and brown queer folks), overcoming difficult circumstances, and improving outcomes for foster youth by providing access to diverse experiences.

Toniii is the host of the Tea Time with Toniii podcast, where he discusses a lively variety of popular and current topics, including reviews of RuPaul's Drag Race. Toniii recently earned his bachelor's degree in Recreation and Tourism Management from California State University, Northridge, which is where he met Bridget when he was a student in her speech class. As you’ll hear, Toniii has dedicated a great deal of time and energy to volunteer work and being of service helping others who also grew up in underserved communities and are members of marginalized groups.

Throughout our conversation, Toniii openly shares his background with us, which includes being born into the foster care system. He also conveys his strong desire to support and be a role model for fellow members of the LGBTQ+ community and foster youth. We talk about how Toniii doesn’t fit neatly into the labels for gender expression and how cisgender people sometimes struggle with understanding the individuality of gender expression.

Toniii tells us about his unique podcast, we establish a clear distinction between being and striving to be an ally, and we highlight the importance of increasing the visibility of role models in the LGBTQ+ community to inspire and guide younger generations.

Some Questions We Ask:

Tell us about you. Who are you, and what do we need to know about you? (4:02)

Could you talk about your experiences as a camp counselor for foster kids? (9:45)

What would you say to people who ask: "What are you? How do you define yourself"? (20:42)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

The importance of solidarity and empathy for other people's needs (7:02)

The importance of role models and inspiring stories for kids in the foster care system (14:15)

Toniii shares his thoughts on labels and talks about his gender-bending dressing style (18:39)

Toniii describes his feelings about the behavioral boxes cisgender people put LGBTQ+ community members into (23:38)

What it means to be an ally (33:27)

Connect with Toniii

Tea Time with Toniii podcast

Connect with Jackie and Bridget:

Transgender Support: Becoming a True Ally Video Course on Vimeo

Transgender School Patreon Membership with all exclusive content

Transgender School on Medium

Instagram

Website

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LGBTQ+ Rights in the 2024 Election

Transgender School

04/02/24 • 17 min

Do shifting attitudes towards LGBTQ+ rights reflect broader trends in the American political landscape?

As the 2024 elections approach, the intricate dance between political agendas and voter inclinations, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ rights, intensifies. As citizens, can we do anything to contribute to the greater good? Yes, we can start conversations.

In today's episode, we analyze the results of a poll and survey conducted by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), illuminating the upcoming election's complex landscape. From voters' motivation regarding candidates' stances on transgender issues to the complexities of LGBTQ+ support for Biden and Democratic candidates, we ponder the deeper undercurrents in what we believe is a presidential election that can change it all.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Jackie shares some results of GLAAD's poll (1:30)
What voters think about Republicans’ efforts to bar transgender-affirming care for youth (4:00)
Why the Democratic Party is losing support from non-white voters (7:40)
Why Republicans "can't stop" talking about transgender people (9:30)
About the critical importance of the 2024 elections (12:40)

Resources Mentioned:

Democrats' events, volunteers, and petitions

Connect with Jackie and Bridget:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families, A Panel Discussion, Part 2 of 2

Transgender School

09/05/23 • 46 min

"When I told my lesbian love that I was transitioning, she sat with me for four hours, and I said, I don't know what this means for us. Because I didn't know any families who looked like us, any couples who were a trans man with a lesbian. I found out later that there's a lot of us."

In today's episode, you’ll get to hear the second half of our very special conversation with Peggy Gillespie, author of "Authentic Selves," and with Lana, Ted, Joseph, Tamira, and Christian, who shared their stories in Peggy's book.

In this second part of our conversation, you'll learn about Christian, a suburban trans man, who was always told that it’s not okay to be out. He now embraces infinite, unconditional love, which he uses to teach his kids not to be ashamed of who they are or who their family is. You'll also hear about Joseph, a trans man, and his wife Tamira and their experiences parenting a trans kid.

Additionally, we talk about couples that stay together after one of them transitions, Peggy talks about the importance of sharing her book and promoting these discussions, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

A bit about Christian's background and upbringing story (3:20)
Christian's coming out story (9:20)
The scary trans person the media warned you about (13:40)
About couples that stay together after one of them transitions (18:10)
How is it to be a Queer mom of a trans kid (25:40)
How Peggy's book humanizes trans and nonbinary people (27:20)
A bit about how Peggy's non-profit works (34:00)

Resources:

Book: Peggy Gillespie - Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families
Family Diversity Projects: a non-profit organization with award-winning traveling photo-text exhibits, co-founded by Peggy Gillespie and Gigi Kaeser

Connect with Jackie and Bridget:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Jeanette, Jazz Jennings' Mom, from I am Jazz

Transgender School

03/07/23 • 91 min

In today's episode, we’re thrilled to be joined by Jeanette Jennings, mother of the amazing spokesperson, YouTube and TV personality, and LGBTQ+ rights activist, Jazz Jennings. You may know Jazz and Jeanette from their popular award-winning docuseries, now in its 8th season on TLC, I am Jazz.

Jazz was diagnosed with gender dysphoria at age three and socially transitioned at 5. She is one of the youngest publicly documented people who have identified as transgender. In 2007, when Jazz was only six years old, her story caught mainstream media's attention when Barbara Walters interviewed her and her family for 20/20.

Throughout our conversation with Jeannette, we learn about the blessings and the most challenging parts of Jazz's journey as a transgender child, how Jeanette has fought for Jazz’s rights, and the support they received from friends and relatives. Jeanette also talks about how important it is for transgender kids' parents to set their egos aside and make informed decisions seeking the best for their children.

We also discuss gender-affirming care, the story behind the interview with Barbara Walters, an interview with Oprah, and tons of behind-the-scenes golden nuggets from Jazz's family reality show, I am Jazz.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

A bit about Jazz's journey as a transgender kid (6:15)

A family in transition (10:47)

Jazz's experiences in kindergarten as a girl. How Jeanette learned to pick her battles (19:01)

The most challenging parts of Jazz's transition (28:27)

About the American states that don't provide gender-affirming care as a political decoy (42:43)

What we can learn from transgender people's life experiences (58:29)

Some behind-the-scenes stories from the show I am Jazz (1:09:13)

Resources:

I am Jazz on TLC

Trans Kids Purple Rainbow Foundation

The Family Acceptance Project

Interview with Barbara Walters

Follow Jazz on Instagram

The Jennings Family on Instagram

Connect with Jeanette:

Instagram

Connect with Jackie and Bridget:

Transgender Support: Becoming a True Ally Video Course on Vimeo

Transgender School Patreon Membership with all exclusive content

Transgender School on Medium

Instagram

Website

Facebook

Community Facebook Group

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Surprising Words That Can Hurt

Transgender School

02/07/23 • 39 min

A national Trevor Project survey of trans and nonbinary people found that being affirmed and having pronouns respected by most people in their lives dramatically reduced rates of depression, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts.

One of the most significant ways we can support LGBTQ+ community members is through effective, affirming communication. Words are incredibly powerful. Choosing our language carefully when speaking with trans and nonbinary people isn’t as difficult as many people seem to think; in fact, in many cases, it literally takes fewer words.

So, in today's episode, we go through some everyday words that when used in reference to trans experiences could be quite hurtful and disaffirming for trans people. We also cover terms that have recently been replaced, words that may once have been accepted, but are now completely outdated.

In addition, we address generational issues for certain terms, such as "sex change operation," which many trans people today would not feel comfortable with using or hearing. We’re sure you can understand why the term “gender confirmation surgery,” which is now widely used, would likely feel more accurate and affirming.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

How simple words can make a world of difference to someone else (4:32)
What's wrong with the word "choice"? (6:05)
Transition is not the same as change (7:18)
What the word "preferred" implies when addressing a member of the LGBTQ+ community (12:23)
Being transgender is never a "phase" (16:41)
About the issues with the term "gender dysphoria" (24:12)
Gender and the workplace (31:56)

Resources:

Confronting Gendered Workspaces by Jackie Thornhill. Article
National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health 2020
Family Acceptance Project. San Francisco State University
Family Acceptance Project Research & Recommendations Handout

Connect with Jackie and Bridget:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Lilah Sturges, Award-Winning Transgender Author

Transgender School

06/04/24 • 39 min

In this episode, we are thrilled to be joined by author Lilah Sturges. She is happily married to her wife and has two lovely grown daughters. Lilah wrote the first two graphic novels in the award-winning and critically acclaimed Lumberjanes world and several other titles for Vertigo (DC Comics) and Marvel.

Her latest work, The Science of Ghosts, which will be published on June 18th by Legendary Comics, tells the story of a transgender forensic parapsychologist who studies ghost behavior to solve crimes and showcases a creative new spin on stories with trans characters. We were lucky enough to be given an advanced reader copy and we so enjoyed discussing how much we loved the book and what parts of it fascinated us most.

Throughout our conversation, Lilah tells us about how she got into graphic novels, her evolution as a writer, and her unique approach to transgender identities in her latest work. She also shares her coming out story, the challenges she and her family went through, and the story behind #transpizza.

In addition, Lilah shares her thoughts on grief in the trans community, her process of creating the main character’s traits in The Science of Ghosts, transphobia in media, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Becoming a graphic novel writer (5:10)
Lilah talks about how much of her personal experiences are reflected in "The Science of Ghosts" (10:20)
Lilah shares her coming out story (14:00)
Transgender people and grief (18:50)
Lilah talks about #transpizza (25:00)
Lilah, Jackie, and Bridget discuss transphobia (31:20)

Connect with Lilah Sturges:

Connect with Jackie and Bridget:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jackie's Gender Affirming Therapist & Bridget's Secret Wish

Transgender School

03/05/24 • 23 min

Can gender-affirming therapy change people's minds?

Transgender kids and their parents often have very different expectations about what gender-affirming therapy will provide. For some parents, the hope is that when their child starts therapy, they’ll realize they aren’t really trans, but instead are gay, confused, or just in a phase. But studies have shown that among transgender kids, less than 3% give up on their transition.

In today's episode, Jackie and Bridget unveil a part of Jackie's coming-out story that they haven’t previously discussed publicly. They share details of Jackie's first appointments with the gender affirming therapist who helped and supported her in her transition. In this honest and open conversation, Bridget confesses a secret wish she had in the beginning, which she now realizes was based on delusional thinking. There are valuable lessons to take away from this part of Jackie and Bridget’s story - about unconditional love, acceptance, support, trust, and how allies are made.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Why some parents are reluctant to believe their kids are trans (4:00)
Jackie talks about how gender affirming therapy helped her come out (8:20)
The importance of keeping trust healthy and robust in families (12:10)
How to choose the right gender affirming therapist (16:00)

Resources Mentioned:

Connect with Jackie and Bridget:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What to Do When Your Kid Comes Out as Transgender

Transgender School

01/02/24 • 35 min

Though right-wing talking heads try to manipulate suicide rate statistics, the data proves that the number one cause of self-harm and destructive behavior in the LGBTQ+ community is a lack of family acceptance. Kids who come out as transgender are not confused, are not in a phase, are not following a fad, and are not trying to rebel against their parents. From conversion efforts to more subtle forms of non-affirming communication, there is no question that the damage done can be significant and can often be avoided with a little education and effort. LGBTQ+ kids need and deserve our respect, support, and love.

In this episode, we talk about what to do and say, as well as what not to do and say when your child (or any child) trusts you enough to come out as transgender, at any age. You'll hear about the critical importance of family and community acceptance, statistics that show how destructive the lack of support can be for transgender youth, and how some of the most well-intended questions can cause deep wounds for trans kids.

We also discuss the mistakes Bridget made when Jackie came out and the challenges they faced. We learn ways to support transgender kids, support and respect their privacy, the ways to ensure affirming care for them, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

About how Jackie's story began six and a half years ago (3:30)
What statistics teach us about self-harm and destructive behaviors in the LGBTQ+ community (6:00)
Why family acceptance is crucial (11:00)
Being trans is definitely not a phase or a way of being rebellious (17:00)
Jackie shares tips and ideas to grant affirming care for trans kids (24:00)
What do our trans kids really need from us (28:00)

Resources:

Connect with Jackie and Bridget:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Secret Lives and Tragic Consequences

Transgender School

12/05/23 • 25 min

Content warning: In this episode, we discuss suicide, online harassment, and death threats.

Today we share two unsettling stories with the common themes of living secret lives and doing things that others would be shocked to discover.

You'll hear about the tragic story of Alabama Pastor and Mayor, Fred 'Bubba' Copeland, who, forced to live his life in the closet, used private social media accounts to present himself as a transgender woman and encourage transgender people to come out and go on hormone replacement therapy. After his secret life was exposed by a conservative news website and he was subsequently subjected to relentless online bullying, he took his life. We discuss the complex issues involved in cases like this and the ways that pressure to suppress one’s identity can lead to dire outcomes.

You'll also hear about a story published in the San Francisco Chronicle, in which a financially successful and apparently mentally stable man made several death threats to an operator from a Mental Health Hotline for LGBTQ+ youth in California. The name and address of this man, who lives in San Francisco, have been identified, but he will not likely face any consequences due to his power and wealth.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Pastor Fred 'Bubba' Copeland's tragic story (1:30)
The effects of being forced to live a life in the closet (13:20)
Online harassment shouldn't remain unpunished (16:00)
People who spread hate online and showcase a "normal" life on a different platform (17:00)

Resources Mentioned:

Hotline for California's LGBTQ kids got a death threat.

Connect with Jackie and Bridget:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jackie & Bridget Talk Politics

Transgender School

09/06/22 • 49 min

Today, we analyze the political landscape around LGBTQ rights, the latest rollback from the Supreme Court on abortion rights, and the clear intention of the Republican party to have control over people's bodies and turn the clock back on civil rights.

Far from falling into the blue or red dichotomy's rabbit hole, today's episode intends to invite you to pay attention to where democracy is heading and to look at the incipient growth of authoritarian tendencies, with groups in power making decisions about the lives of transgender folks, cis women, people of color, immigrants, and virtually every minority.

Jackie shares alarming statistics about people's beliefs, from people who firmly believe the country is run by a satanic cult to others who are convinced that patriots might have to resort to violence to "restore the country's order."

We also analyze how politicians use economic anxiety and the bitterness of those who feel they're missing a slice of the American dream to inflame xenophobic acts, violence, and hate against queer communities.

In addition, Jackie makes a call to action and explains the many ways you can get involved with, assist, and do something to support human rights, even if you live in a blue state or city.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

About the Republican Party's clear intention of legislating over people's bodies (7:06)
Some of the most absurd and scary beliefs people now hold (15:39)
The need for organizing, knocking on doors, and making phone calls to legislators (18:57)
How politicians use people's economic anxieties and fears to manipulate them (22:31)
About the alarming tendency to undo democracy (37:57)
Jackie reminds us of the need to remain politically active and involved (41:57)

Resources Mentioned:

United States map showing connections between abortion rights, trans rights, and percentage of residents with a master’s degree

Relevant Past Episodes:

Connect with Jackie and Bridget:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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FAQ

How many episodes does Transgender School have?

Transgender School currently has 49 episodes available.

What topics does Transgender School cover?

The podcast is about Parents, Health & Fitness, Transgender, Lesbian, Trans, Podcasts and Education.

What is the most popular episode on Transgender School?

The episode title '20+ U.S. States Ban Transgender Care' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Transgender School?

The average episode length on Transgender School is 45 minutes.

How often are episodes of Transgender School released?

Episodes of Transgender School are typically released every 28 days.

When was the first episode of Transgender School?

The first episode of Transgender School was released on Feb 2, 2021.

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Transgender School

Bridget Sampson

Top 10 Transgender School Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does Transgender School have?

What topics does Transgender School cover?

What is the most popular episode on Transgender School?

What is the average episode length on Transgender School?

How often are episodes of Transgender School released?

When was the first episode of Transgender School?

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