TransLash Podcast with Imara Jones

Unpacking the SCOTUS Trans Sports Decision 02.07.2026 43λ

This week, the Supreme Court issued a major decision in legal challenges to state bans on trans girls and women being able to participate in sports. The ruling will have a huge impact for not only trans students and athletes but also raises questions for civil rights protections across the board.To unpack the Court’s decision, Imara sits down with award-winning journalist and Law Dork writer Chris Geidner.  You can watch the YouTube live stream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSRdevoi6uM&t=1989sFollow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Follow Chris Geidner on BlueSky (@chrisgeidner.bsky.social) and read law Dork here: https://www.lawdork.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bingeworthy Black Trans TV 25.06.2026 54λ

As summer heats up, why not stay cool inside and binge TV shows with some extraordinary Black, trans woman characters? Today we’re speaking with L’lerrét Jazelle, who plays Fatima on The Chi and Chyna McQueen, who was recently nominated for a BAFTA Television award for her role in Get Millie Black. P.S. you can watch this episode on youtube—check us out at https://www.youtube.com/@TransLashMediaThis week’s Trans Joy features theater artist Obie Outlaw. Send your Trans Joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow L’lerrét Jazelle on Instagram (@thebaejazelle)Follow Chyna McQueen on Instagram and TikTok (@chyna.mcqueen)Follow Obie Outlaw on Instagram (@obie8outlaw @outlawed8productions)Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Queens of Queens 18.06.2026 35λ

Today, we're speaking with Rula Avila Munoz, the host of Las Reinas De Queens - which translates to The Queens of Queens. It's a 10-part podcast series from Radio Ambulante Studios and iHeartRadio and brings you the story of the vibrant, long-standing trans community that has flourished for decades along Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, New York. At the center of the community was Lorena Borjas, an activist and mother figure who helped generations of trans women navigate life in New York City. When Lorena died in 2020, the community was left with a difficult question: What happens when the person who took care of everyone is gone?You can watch this episode on youtube! https://www.youtube.com/translashmediaListen to Las Reinas De Queens athttps://radioambulante.org/audio/central-las-reinas-de-queens-santa-madre-reina and find English transcripts at https://centralpodcast.audio/ Follow Rula Avila Munoz on Instagram (@rulaamunoz) This week's Trans Joy features Juno Hill, a Maryland-based DJ. Send your Trans Joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trans Period Pride 11.06.2026 37λ

This Pride season, why not take a moment to feel proud of your period? For the past four years, Mass NOW, a feminist organization in Massachusetts, has been working with other groups to organize Trans Period Pride, a space for open and honest conversation about what it’s like to be a trans person who menstruates. This year, the event has, unsurprisingly, attracted the ire of right-wing news. But this only highlights the importance of these conversations—and of period equity for all genders. This episode features a conversation with two of the organizers of Trans Period Pride: Mass NOW Executive Director Sasha Goodfriend and Deputy Director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition Kelsey Grunstra.This week’s Trans Joy features Melani Midas, a Caribbean-American fashion designer and DJ. Send your Trans Joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Follow Mass NOW on social media (@MassNOW)Follow the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition on social media (@masstpc)Follow Melani Midas on social media (@melani.midas @melani.midas.wav @melani.eyez) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America’s Trans Migrant Crisis 04.06.2026 48λ

As anti-trans laws pass across the country, more and more trans folks are leaving their home states for better access to legal protections, healthcare, and safer social environments. Today, we’re hearing from two LGBTQ advocates in progressive cities about what’s needed to support the internally displaced trans people in their communities. Jessa Davis is a co-chair of the Seattle LGBTQ Commission, which issued the state of emergency recommendation. Honey Mahogany is the Director of the Office of Transgender Initiatives in San Francisco. This week’s Trans Joy features Caro Caden, a theatre artist, oral historian, and archivist.Send your Trans Joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Follow Jessa Davis on Instagram (@davisjessa28) and visit her website (https://jessagavrielle.com)Follow Honey Mahogany on social media (@honeymahogany) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Twinks vs. Dolls Olympics 28.05.2026 46λ

Today’s episode is all about The Twinks vs. Dolls Olympics, a gnarly, nasty, and very queer competition that’s taken New York—and the world—by storm. Twinks vs. Dolls was created in 2022 by the Brooklyn gay bar Singers; videos of the lube wrestling and cigarette smoking contests from that year went viral. Since then, it’s exploded in size and notoriety and similar queer physical contests have sprung up all across the country. Today, we’re speaking with Twinks vs. Dolls co-creator Erik Escobar and 2025 champion Tasi Taimanglo to get the inside scoop. This week’s Trans Joy features Madeline Clere, a Junior Vocal Instructor at the Seattle Voice Lab, which specializes in voice lessons for trans students looking to experiment with or change their voice. Send your Trans Joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Follow Tasi Taimanglo on Instagram (@tasinyc / @tranmagazinenyc)Follow Erik Escobar on Instagram (@eeeeeeeeeeeeeeerik)Follow Singers on Instagram and Letterboxd (@SingersNY) Follow Madeline Clere on TikTok (@madeclere) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Resourcing Trans Dreams 21.05.2026 48λ

With trans people under attack like never before, trans people need to be resourced like never before. Today, we’re hearing from two people working hard to secure those resources. Elisa Crespo is the Executive Director of the Stonewall Community Foundation, a nonprofit that invests in LGBTQ+ organizations, projects, and leaders. Rickke Mananzala is the President of New York Foundation, which funds community organizing and grassroots advocacy led by and for people who live in NYC. Both Elisa and Rickke draw on their identities and ties to their communities to inspire their work.This week’s Trans Joy features Randy Truong, a Memphis-based organizer and civic changemaker.Send your Trans Joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Follow Elisa Crespo on Instagram (@elisacre_)Follow New York Foundation on Instagram (@thenewyorkfoundation)Follow Randy Truong on Instagram (@r.andytruong) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trans Art Under Attack 14.05.2026 56λ

This week, we explore the controversy surrounding Amy Sherald’s painting Trans Forming Liberty, which depicts a Black trans woman posing as the Statue of Liberty.In the summer of 2025, Amy Sherald canceled her highly anticipated and historic exhibition, American Sublime, at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery after Sherald said she faced pressure from museum officials to remove Trans Forming Liberty and show a video of it instead.Rather than compromise, Sherald pulled the show and brought American Sublime to the Baltimore Museum of Art, where it became the museum’s most attended exhibition since 2000, drawing more than 80,000 visitors.Explaining her decision, Sherald said, “The video would have opened up for debate the value of trans visibility, and I was opposed to that being a part of the American Sublime narrative.”First, we hear from Grace Byron, an art critic who wrote about the chilling effect of Trump’s anti-trans executive orders on trans artists in a piece for the New Yorker called “The War on Trans Art.” Then, we hear from the model depicted in Trans Forming Liberty, Arewà Basit, who is also an artist herself.This week’s Trans Joy features Gericault De La Rose, a Chicago-based artist.Send your Trans Joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Follow Grace Byron on social media (@emotrophywife)Follow Arewà Basit on Instagram (@arewabasit)Follow Gericault De La Rose on Instagram (@im.ubae) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rep. Leigh Finke Is Fighting from the Inside 07.05.2026 33λ

This week, Imara sits down for a vulnerable conversation with Minnesota State Representative Leigh Finke, the first trans woman ever elected to the MN House of Representatives. In her time in office, Finke has focused on policies that expand housing and healthcare access and cement civil rights protections, most notably a trans refuge law that includes some of the strongest legal protections for gender-affirming care in the nation.But Rep. Finke’s time in office has been filled with turmoil. In June of last year, her friend and MN House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed in a politically motivated murder. And, more recently, Minneapolis was besieged by ICE, which resulted in the killing of two citizens. In this episode, Rep. Finke gets real about how hard it is to be a trans legislator in today’s political environment and what motivates her to keep fighting.This week’s Trans Joy features Trina Tate, an educator who develops mindfulness curricula for public school students.Send your Trans Joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Follow Representative Leigh Finke on Instagram (@leighformn)Follow Trina Tate on Instagram (@pillowwizard) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dylan Mulvaney Is Done Being Palatable 30.04.2026 48λ

What does it mean to be seen by millions and still be figuring out who you are? For multi-hyphenate artist Dylan Mulvaney, it means letting go of the pressure to be palatable.Dylan was already a touring theater actress when she  first gained global attention on TikTok with her viral series Days of Girlhood and has worn many hats since, including a playwright and now, a Broadway performer.This week on the TransLash Podcast, Imara Jones sits down with Dylan for a wide-ranging conversation about her journey from internet sensation to starring as Anne Boleyn Six the Musical and what it means to step into her next chapter on her own terms.Dylan opens up about what people often get wrong about her rise,  how she’s always been a theater kid at heart and in practice and how social media both created opportunity and challenged her sense of self. Together, Imara and Dylan explore the tension between visibility and privacy, the pressure to be “palatable,” and what it means to move from people-pleasing to self-definition while exploring why softness and earnestness can be powerful in a cynical world.This week’s Trans Joy features Ticket Knowlton, a theater director, dramaturg and dancer from Atlanta, Georgia. Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] orgFollow  Dylan Mulvaney on Instagram &  TikTok: @dylanmulvaneyFollow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)You can get tickets to see Dylan in Six the Musical here: https://www.broadway.com/shows/six Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Supreme Court Sets Dangerous Precedent on Conversion Therapy 23.04.2026 44λ

On March 31st of this year, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a therapist in Colorado who argued that the state’s ban on conversion therapy violated her freedom of speech. While the ruling does not endorse conversion therapy, it does allow the practice to continue, despite the fact that conversion therapy has been widely debunked as pseudoscience and dramatically increases the risk of depression and suicide in queer and trans youth. To understand the ruling and its impact, we hear from Mother Jones reporter Madison Pauly, who has been following the insidious rise of anti-trans conversion therapy, and Shannon Minter, the Legal Director of the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, who has been at the forefront of the legal battles for queer and trans rights for decades. This week’s Trans Joy features River King, a registered nurse at a queer community clinic in Brooklyn, NY.Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Check out our guests on social media: National Center for LGBTQ Rights @nclrightsMadison PaulyBluesky: @msjpauly.bsky.socialRiver King Instagram: @riv.king Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Understanding the Iran War with MS NOW’s Ayman Mohyeldin: Part 2 16.04.2026 27λ

In this two-part series, Imara sits down with Ayman Mohyeldin of MS Now to break down the history, politics, and power dynamics between Iran, the United States, and Israel. In this second episode, we take a deep dive into Iran’s complex relationships with its Gulf neighbors and examine how political narratives and dehumanization contribute to misunderstandings within U.S. foreign policy and the White House’s approach to Iran.This week’s Trans Joy features Matice Moore, an organizer and project director at The Brown Boi Project! Check them out at https://www.brownboiproject.org/staff.html Do you know someone who represents trans joy? Tell us about them by emailing us at translash_podcast@ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook. Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Check out our guest on social media: Instagram: @aymanm @msnownews Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Understanding the Iran War with MS NOW’s Ayman Mohyeldin: Part 1 09.04.2026 30λ

What’s really happening in the Iran war…and why does it feel like we’ve seen this before?After a little over a month of war, a fragile ceasefire is now in place between the United States, Iran, and Israel. But the question isn’t just what happens next; it’s whether we’re repeating the same mistakes that led us here in the first place.In this two-part series, Imara Jones sits down with MS NOW’s Ayman Mohyeldin to break down the history, politics, and power dynamics between Iran and the United States. If you’ve been trying to make sense of the Iran war, the ceasefire, and the risk of a wider regional conflict, this conversation gives you the context you’re not hearing anywhere else.This week’s Trans Joy features Addye Susnick, an organizer, zine artist, and PhD candidate in political theory at the University of British Columbia.Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org. Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Check out our guest on social media: Instagram: @aymanm @msnownews Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Making It as a Trans Christian Musician 02.04.2026 39λ

Easter is this Sunday and we know that, for many in our trans community, faith can be complicated. That’s definitely true for Semler, a queer, nonbinary Christian music artist who grew up a preacher’s kid. Now, Semler draws on both their faith and their queer identity to create a new kind of Christian music that’s topping charts and making waves.This week’s Trans Joy features Flamy Grant, the shame-slaying, hip-swaying, singer-songwriter drag queen from Asheville, NC.Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Check out our guests on social media: Instagram: @gracebaldridgeTikTok: @semlerrrrInstagram: @flamygrantTiktok: @flamygrant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Visible Trans Love with Angelica Ross 26.03.2026 38λ

It’s almost time for Trans Day of Visibility! To celebrate, Imara is joined by actress and activist Angelica Ross, who tells us all about her engagement to financé Adebayo Katiiti and contemplates the ups and downs of being a trans celebrity today.This week’s Trans Joy features Marley Gotterer, a New York-based actress & comedian known for her absurdist stand-up comedy.Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Check out our guests on social media: Instagram: @angelicaross Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transmisogyny and the Future of Feminism 19.03.2026 37λ

March is Women’s History Month, and trans women have made extensive contributions to the field of feminist thought. With women’s and trans rights under attack, it’s more important than ever to remember that these fights are interconnected. This week, Imara speaks with trans feminist writer and author of Whipping Girl Julia Serano about how trans feminism can continue to shape activist movements towards liberation.This week’s Trans Joy features Zo Shay, an ethnomusicologist, audio engineer, and musician based in Los Angeles. Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Check out our guest on social media: Bluesky (@juliaserano.bsky.social)YouTube (youtube.com/@juliaserano) Patreon (patreon.com/juliaserano)Substack (juliaserano.substack.com)Instagram (instagram.com/juliaserano) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blue States Retreat on Trans Youth Health Care 12.03.2026 49λ

Since the start of 2026, a string of hospital networks in blue states that legally mandate gender affirming care for trans youth have abruptly ended these programs, leaving thousands of kids and their families in the lurch. What’s worse, more proposed rules from the Department of Health & Human Services could spell the end of gender-affirming care for all trans people, including adults. This week, Imara speaks with Jennifer Levi, Senior Director of Transgender and Queer Rights at GLAD Law about the legal implications. Then, Imara is joined by  Kei Williams, Executive Director of New Pride Agenda in New York, to share how activists can push back and resist these new restrictions.This week’s Trans Joy features Cal Hansen, a trans masc parent and community organizer based in South Minneapolis. They are an EMT and practitioner of Eastern Medicine whose work centers direct action, mutual aid, and accessible community care.Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Check out our guests on social media: Instagram: @NEWPrideAgendaFacebook: @NEWPrideAgenda@gladlaw  on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, BlueSky, LinkedIn, YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trans People Train for Self Defense 05.03.2026 39λ

From Martial arts to gun clubs, trans people are taking their personal safety into their own hands. This week, Imara is joined by two guests to help think through personal safety for trans people and what preparing for self defense can actually look like in an era when faith in law enforcement organizations—always precarious for the trans community—has reached new lows.First, Imara speaks with Fin Smith, also known as the Queer Armorer online. They are the founder of Rainbow Reload, a queer and trans centered gun club in New Hampshire. Then, Imara chats with Abigail Austin, a Thai boxing coach and founder of Red Panda Muay Thai in Seattle, Washington. This week’s Trans Joy features a trans owned tattoo shop in Minneapolis. Shop owner M Nijiya shares more about their community fundraiser that helped to support local mutual aid groups. Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Follow our guests on social media: Instagram and TikTok@abigailaustinmusicInstagram@redpandaboxing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anti-ICE Protest Safety for Trans People 26.02.2026 57λ

The deadly immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota, where local communities put themselves on the frontline to resist what amounts to an occupation, has led to trans and queer people being violently detained and retraumatized. Minnesota is where things have boiled over now, but it’s far from the only place where this remains a continual threat. Today, Imara is joined by two guests to think through what safety for trans people who want to oppose ICE can look like. First up is Jess Braverman, the Legal Director of Gender Justice, a Minnesota-based organization dedicated to fighting back against the legal and structural barriers that trans people face in the Midwest and beyond. Then, Imara chats with Seal Dwyer, a therapist and community organizer from St. Cloud, Minnesota, about the ways queer people can step up for other marginalized communities.This week’s trans joy features trans-owned adult retail shop Smitten Kitten in Minneapolis, which has transformed its space into a donation center for community members in need. Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Follow our guests on social media: @genderjustice on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pauli Murray is Black History 19.02.2026 1ώ 5λ

Happy Black History Month! This week Imara gives some extra love to a queer trailblazer that not too many are familiar with – Pauli Murray – a gender nonconforming attorney, theologist and civil rights activist. Their legal work led to the eventual recognition of sex discrimination under the US Constitution. First, Imara speaks with Professor Brittney Cooper about how Murray’s life and work fits into the larger narrative of public Black intellectuals. Then, Imara sits down with Angela T. Mason, Executive Director of the Pauli Murray Center For History and Social Justice who shares how future generations can continue to honor Murray’s legacy. In this week's moment of Trans Joy, DJ and sound designer Jazmine T Green tells us about mixing music for a trans dance party.Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Follow our guests on social media: @paulimurraycenter IG: @professor_crunkbluesky: @profcrunkthreads: @professor_crunk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.