Chasers and the Fetishization of Trans Women 1: Explanation and Examples

You know her as Dreamer from the CW's SUPERGIRL, and from roles in YELLOWJACKETS, CLEAN SLATE, and BIT. She's now the writer of multiple DC comics featuring Dreamer, including Suicide Squad: Dream Team, Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story, the Justice League Intergalactic Special and the upcoming DREAM GIRLS limited series. We talk all things Dreamer, trying to get roles as a trans actress, and we be gettin' T-turnt! We do be choosing some shit like "Lavender". Give me the bleeping 'mones! NICOLE MAINES Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nicoleamaines.bsky.social Insta: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleamaines TEXT VERSION https://www.tillystranstuesdays.com/2026/05/26/interview-with-nicole-maines-about-dreamer/ FURTHER READING (topics discussed with essays available at https://TillysTransTuesdays.com ) Trans Representation in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 Media reports, Trans Panic REFERENCE MATERIAL DC Announces "Justice League: Dream Girls" - a DC Pride event - https://www.dc.com/blog/2026-03-18/dc-announces-justice-league-dream-girls-a-dc-pride-event Special thanks to Daisy and Jane for the use of "Sorry Not Sorry" as our show's theme music. Please stop by and show your support at https://daisyandjane.bandcamp.com and https://soundcloud.com/daisyandjane --Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes!-- Website: pendantaudio.com Bluesky: @pendantaudio.bsky.social‬

You don't get to just call yourself an ally to trans people without action to back it up. Ally is a verb, and if you're not willing to do even the easiest, smallest thing to help trans people, you are not our ally. No matte how much you want to think you are so that you can feel like a good person. So let's talk about what performative allyship looks like, so you know how to avoid falling into that trap. Writer, comedian, and actress Riley Silverman returns to discuss taking small steps, and the line between work and fun! RILEY SILVERMAN Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/rileysilverman.bsky.social Insta: https://www.instagram.com/rileysilverman Website: https://www.rileysilverman.com TEXT VERSION https://www.tillystranstuesdays.com/2024/08/05/performative-allyship/ FURTHER READING (topics discussed with essays available at https://TillysTransTuesdays.com ) Transmedicalsim (and WPATH version 1), Trans Day of Visibility (yes you are trans enough), Trans Politics 1 and 2, Trans Panic, Stop Staring at Us (trans people are human beings), Trans Microaggressions, No Escape 1 and 2, The Fetishization of Trans Women 2, Gender Dysphoria, Photos and Reflections, Photos 2: The Selfie Apocalypse, Trans Voices 1-3, Performative Allyship 2: False Allyship, Proactive Allyship (be an accomplice) REFERENCE MATERIAL Begin Transmission: The Trans Allegories of The Matrix - https://www.amazon.com/Begin-Transmission-trans-allegories-Matrix/dp/B0BY2FCSVX/ Keanu Reeves Didn’t Know The Matrix Was a Trans Allegory - https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/08/keanu-reeves-the-matrix-trans-allegory Lilly Wachowski's Latest Project Is Mentoring Up-and-Coming Trans Filmmakers of Color - https://www.them.us/story/lilly-wachowski-mentoring-the-matrix-interview Special thanks to Daisy and Jane for the use of "Sorry Not Sorry" as our show's theme music. Please stop by and show your support at https://daisyandjane.bandcamp.com and https://soundcloud.com/daisyandjane --Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes!-- Website: pendantaudio.com Bluesky: @pendantaudio.bsky.social‬

Did you know that in the large majority of the United States, a violent cis person can attack a trans person, and a valid legal defense in court is "trans panic?" It's some bad nonsense, we'll discuss what it is, why it's a nightmare, and what we can do about it. Writer, comedian, and actress Riley Silverman joins us to discuss online fan discourse, and installing the right operating system for your body. This is not your regular, garden variety misogyny! RILEY SILVERMAN Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/rileysilverman.bsky.social Insta: https://www.instagram.com/rileysilverman Website: https://www.rileysilverman.com TEXT VERSION https://www.tillystranstuesdays.com/2024/08/09/trans-panic/ FURTHER READING (topics discussed with essays available at https://TillysTransTuesdays.com ) The 2022 US Trans Survey Report parts 1-4, The Fetishization of Trans Women 1-2 REFERENCE MATERIAL Gay and trans panic defense - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_and_trans_panic_defense Gay/Trans Panic Defense Bans - https://mapresearch.org/equality-map/gay-trans-panic-defense-bans/ A Bill That Would Ban Pornography in the U.S. Also Takes Aim at Trans People - https://www.them.us/story/trans-rights-ioda-porn-ban-bill-mike-lee-project-2025 Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Beating Death of Transgender Woman - https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/20/nyregion/man-sentenced-to-12-years-in-beating-death-of-transgender-woman.html California Becomes First State to Ban Gay, Trans 'Panic' Defenses - https://www.advocate.com/crime/2014/09/29/california-becomes-first-state-ban-gay-trans-panic-defenses 'Gay panic' defense tactic under scrutiny at conference - https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/SAN-FRANCISCO-Gay-panic-defense-tactic-under-2515822.php Gay and Trans Panic Defense Prohibition Act of 2018 - https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/3188/text Several of the GOP’s Most Fiercely Anti-Trans Candidates Lost Their Elections - https://truthout.org/articles/several-of-the-gops-most-fiercely-anti-trans-candidates-lost-their-elections/ Special thanks to Daisy and Jane for the use of "Sorry Not Sorry" as our show's theme music. Please stop by and show your support at https://daisyandjane.bandcamp.com and https://soundcloud.com/daisyandjane --Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes!-- Website: pendantaudio.com Bluesky: @pendantaudio.bsky.social‬

What happens to trans women when we call out and name chasers? Where does our fetishization come from? It may (not) surprise you to learn it's from the exact same people responsible for astroturfing the entire anti-trans movement, the same class of people responsible for so many of the crimes they accuse trans women of. And holy crap, do I have receipts. And you need to know that IT'S ALL CONNECTED. Buckle up, it's gonna be bumpy. Actor, comedian, and writer Boone Williams returns to discuss using your privilege and platform, and how trans people love Sonic the Hedgehog! BOONE WILLIAMS Insta: https://www.instagram.com/boonewwilliams TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@boonewwilliams TEXT VERSION https://www.tillystranstuesdays.com/2026/05/05/chasers-and-the-fetishization-of-trans-women-2-reactions-and-origins/ FURTHER READING (topics discussed with essays available at https://TillysTransTuesdays.com ) Chasers and the Fetishization of Trans Women 1: Explanation and Examples, Trans Intersectionality, Implicit Queerphobia, Transmedicalism (and WPATH version 1), Trans Sports 1-2, Trans Kids 1-2, The Erasure of Trans Men REFERENCE MATERIAL Anti-LGBTQ+ Grooming Narrative Surged More Than 400% - https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/new-report-anti-lgbtq-grooming-narrative-surged-more-than-400-on-social-media-following-floridas-dont-say-gay-or-trans-law-as-social-platforms-enabled-extremist-politicians-and-their-allies-to-peddle-inflamatory-discriminatory-rhetoric Pizzagate conspiracy theory - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizzagate_conspiracy_theory What 3 million new documents tell us about Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein - https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/31/politics/new-documents-trump-epstein How Trump Appears in the Epstein Files - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/01/us/trump-epstein-files.html The New York Times Quotes Trans People Less Often Than Other Major News Outlets - https://www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/new-york-times-trans-quotes-tracker Former NYT Editor Lays Out How The Paper Pushes Anti-Trans Bigotry - https://transnews.network/p/a-directive-from-above-former-nyt-editor-lays-out-how-the-paper-pushes-anti-trans-bigotry Justice Department withheld and removed some Epstein files related to Trump - https://www.npr.org/2026/02/24/nx-s1-5723968/epstein-files-trump-accusation-maxwell The Rise of the ‘Sigma Male’, a New Kind of Toxic Masculinity - https://www.vice.com/en/article/sigma-male-toxic-masculinity/ Jeffrey Epstein vs. transgender people - https://www.transgendermap.com/people/jeffrey-epstein/ Emails Reveal Epstein Encouraged Controversial Scientist to Study “Transgender Biology” - https://www.them.us/story/jeffrey-epstein-robert-trivers-transgender-research-emails How the pseudoscience is made: From dark money to an academic journal - https://queersciencelab.beehiiv.com/p/how-the-pseudoscience-is-made-from-dark-money-to-an-academic-journal Billionaire-Funded Anti-Trans Bathroom/Sports Ban Ballot Initiative Moves Forward In Maine - https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/billionaire-funded-anti-trans-bathroomsports We Have to Talk About Dr. Ting and Epstein - https://www.burnsnotice.com/we-have-to-talk-about-dr-ting-and-epstein/ When a trans woman first accused Jeffrey Epstein of rape, the media mocked her - https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/07/when-a-trans-woman-first-accused-jeffrey-epstein-of-the-media-mocked-her/ Epstein transgender bombshell: Powerful men closed ranks while a trans teen was left to fend for herself - https://www.queerty.com/epstein-transgender-bombshell-powerful-men-closed-ranks-while-a-trans-teen-was-left-to-fend-for-herself-20260205/ Epstein Backed ‘Billionaires’ Dinner’ Network of Prominent Anti-Trans Figures - https://transnews.network/p/epstein-backed-prominent-anti-trans-figures Fossil Fuel Billionaires Are Bankrolling the Anti-Trans Movement - https://atmos.earth/political-landscapes/fossil-fuel-billionaires-are-bankrolling-the-anti-trans-movement/ Trans rights aren’t tanking the Democrats - https://www.bostonreview.net/forum/how-not-to-defeat-authoritarianism/julia-serano/ Trans Porn Rose 75% In Popularity This Year on Pornhub - https://www.them.us/story/trans-porns-pornhub-popularity Data Finds Republicans are Obsessed with Searching for Transgender Porn - https://lawsuit.org/general-law/republicans-have-an-obsession-with-transgender-pornography/ Pornhub reveals the age group who surprisingly watches the most adult trans content - https://www.out.com/gay-entertainment/pornhub-trans Special thanks to Daisy and Jane for the use of "Sorry Not Sorry" as our show's theme music. Please stop by and show your support at https://daisyandjane.bandcamp.com and https://soundcloud.com/daisyandjane --Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes!-- Website: pendantaudio.com Bluesky: @pendantaudio.bsky.social‬

Trans women and femmes face extra, unique barriers in our society, and one of the worst is chasers. Let's talk about what they are, what they do, and why they're so awful... as I give you the tiniest peek into what it's like for me to exist as a trans woman on the internet. It's not good! Actor, comedian, and writer Boone Williams joins us to discuss craft services pizza and Sellin' Ice Cream. Strap in for mountains of horribleness! BOONE WILLIAMS Insta: https://www.instagram.com/boonewwilliams TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@boonewwilliams TEXT VERSION https://www.tillystranstuesdays.com/2024/08/05/chasers-and-the-fetishization-of-trans-women/ FURTHER READING (topics discussed with essays available at https://TillysTransTuesdays.com ) 2022 US Trans Survey parts 1-4, Misgendering and Passing, Trans Representation in Media 2022, Trans Representation in Media 2023, Trans Representation in Media 2024, Trans Representation in Media 2025, Photos and Reflections, Photos 2: The Selfie Apocalypse, Implicit Queerphobia REFERENCE MATERIAL Begin Transmission: The Trans Allegories of The Matrix - https://www.amazon.com/Begin-Transmission-trans-allegories-Matrix/dp/B0BY2FCSVX/ Meta's New Policies: How They Endanger LGBTQ+ Communities - https://www.hrc.org/news/metas-new-policies-how-they-endanger-lgbtq-communities-and-our-tips-for-staying-safe-online Special thanks to Daisy and Jane for the use of "Sorry Not Sorry" as our show's theme music. Please stop by and show your support at https://daisyandjane.bandcamp.com and https://soundcloud.com/daisyandjane --Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes!-- Website: pendantaudio.com Bluesky: @pendantaudio.bsky.social‬

We've talked about systems that aren't set up to acknowledge the existence of trans folks... so now let's talk about some that are the complete opposite! Because making things easy on us is actually not that hard to do, when you care to. Comic writer and musician Magdalene Visaggio returns to discuss letting the feelings be and writing and performing this show's theme song! MAGDALENE VISAGGIO Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/magsvisaggio.com TEXT VERSION https://www.tillystranstuesdays.com/2024/08/19/inclusive-bureaucracy/ FURTHER READING (topics discussed with essays available at https://TillysTransTuesdays.com ) Discriminatory Bureaucracy, Legal Name and Gender Marker Change, Names and Pronouns, Trans Voices 1-3 Special thanks to Daisy and Jane for the use of "Sorry Not Sorry" as our show's theme music. Please stop by and show your support at https://daisyandjane.bandcamp.com and https://soundcloud.com/daisyandjane --Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes!-- Website: pendantaudio.com Bluesky: @pendantaudio.bsky.social‬

It's more than bad enough when bigots try to legislate trans people out of existence, but that's not all we have to deal with. So much of the world is set up by and for cis people, and isn't even made to acknowledge that trans people exist. Let's discuss what happens when we run into those systems, and the problems it can cause. Comic writer and musician Magdalene Visaggio joins us to discuss super mullets and writing your way to transition! MAGDALENE VISAGGIO Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/magsvisaggio.com TEXT VERSION https://www.tillystranstuesdays.com/2024/08/19/discriminatory-bureaucracy/ FURTHER READING (topics discussed with essays available at https://TillysTransTuesdays.com ) Performative Allyship, Performative Allyship 2: False Allyship, Proactive Allyship (be an accomplice), Trans Politics 1: Stop Tolerating Transphobia, Trans Politics 2: You Must Vote to Protect Us, No Escape, No Escape 2: Some Escape, Trans Kids 2: Trans Flight and the Intake Exam, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Gender Dysphoria, Transmedicalism (and WPATH version 1), A Pandemic Transition, Trans Voices 1-3, Photos and Reflections, Photos 2: The Selfie Apocalypse, Trans Microaggressions, The Signs Were Always There Special thanks to Daisy and Jane for the use of "Sorry Not Sorry" as our show's theme music. Please stop by and show your support at https://daisyandjane.bandcamp.com and https://soundcloud.com/daisyandjane --Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes!-- Website: pendantaudio.com Bluesky: @pendantaudio.bsky.social‬

We've talked about how difficult it can be for trans people to escape the way society others us and constantly reminds us of our transness. This week we take it a step further and look at a legitimately dehumanizing situation I went through, and how one true cis accomplice turned everything around by standing up for me. Author Alex Ritany returns to discuss being a forever DM and soupy gender identities! ALEX RITANY Insta: https://www.instagram.com/alexritany Website: https://www.aritany.com/ TEXT VERSION https://www.tillystranstuesdays.com/2024/08/09/no-escape-2-some-escape-aka-cis-allyship/ FURTHER READING (topics discussed with essays available at https://TillysTransTuesdays.com ) No Escape, A Pandemic Transition, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Trans Voices 1-3, Boymode/Girlmode, Names and Pronouns, Misgendering and Passing, Proactive Allyship (be an accomplice) Special thanks to Daisy and Jane for the use of "Sorry Not Sorry" as our show's theme music. Please stop by and show your support at https://daisyandjane.bandcamp.com and https://soundcloud.com/daisyandjane --Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes!-- Website: pendantaudio.com Bluesky: @pendantaudio.bsky.social‬

"Maybe Tomorrow I'll Know" is an upcoming YA queer trans bodyswap time loop novel, which is just as wonderfully wild as it sounds. We interview author Alex Ritany and talk all about this fabulous book, releasing April 7! We also talk about writing as an escape, and the death spiral tar pit! ALEX RITANY Insta: https://www.instagram.com/alexritany Website: https://www.aritany.com/ TEXT VERSION https://www.tillystranstuesdays.com/2026/03/31/interview-with-alex-ritany-about-maybe-tomorrow-ill-know/ REFERENCE MATERIAL Maybe Tomorrow I'll Know (preorder) - https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324083634 Special thanks to Daisy and Jane for the use of "Sorry Not Sorry" as our show's theme music. Please stop by and show your support at https://daisyandjane.bandcamp.com and https://soundcloud.com/daisyandjane --Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes!-- Website: pendantaudio.com Bluesky: @pendantaudio.bsky.social‬

James Gunn's Superman film is, perhaps, the most quietly trans-affirming superhero movie ever made. Let's talk about the inherent queerness of the superhero genre, what makes Superman so special, and why the 2025 film adaptation hit so many trans people like a Kryptonian at mach 5. Comic writer Jadzia Axelrod joins us to discuss spheres of space! Will you fall into her trap? What's YOUR secret identity? JADZIA AXELROD Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/planetx.bsky.social Website: https://www.jadziaaxelrod.com TEXT VERSION https://www.tillystranstuesdays.com/2026/03/24/supermans-trans-affirmation/ FURTHER READING (topics discussed with essays available at https://TillysTransTuesdays.com ) Gender Dysphoria, Parents Who Will Never Know the Real You (aka My Dad), A Trans Re-wedding, The Past and Why it Haunts Us, Boymode/Girlmode, Coming Out as Trans, Trans Kids 1-2, Cis Spousal and Partner Support Special thanks to Daisy and Jane for the use of "Sorry Not Sorry" as our show's theme music. Please stop by and show your support at https://daisyandjane.bandcamp.com and https://soundcloud.com/daisyandjane --Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes!-- Website: pendantaudio.com Bluesky: @pendantaudio.bsky.social‬