Shea Couleé Embraces Drag, DJing, and Beyond

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In this week’s episode, we’re bringing back some conversations from the archives about trans love. Imara chats with Wilson and Miss B Haven of North Carolina about their work in journalism and drag (respectively) and building community in Durham. Then, Imara chats with couple Arthur and Harry about transitioning, dating and challenging assumptions about who occupies gay male spaces. Plus they give some advice to cis gay men who might be dating a trans man for the first time. And for this week’s Trans Joy segment, we celebrate listeners who told us what they love about their trans partners.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.

The Super Bowl (or should we say the Bad Bunny halftime show, featuring football) is coming up this weekend. While there aren’t any openly trans people participating in the competition, Imara chats with this week’s guest about where trans people fit into one of America’s most popular sports, especially since it has long been a space  dominated by hyper masculinity. First, Imara chats with Justine Lindsay, a former cheerleader who made history as the first openly trans person to cheer in the NFL. Then, Karleigh Webb, an LGBTQ sports writer and recreational football player shares what roles gender and gender identity play in football and how we might think about them in the future. 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:IG @justinesimone_IG @rocketdyne1965X @[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re teeing up Black history month with a special interview and feel-good conversation with drag star extraordinaire Shea Couleé. In this week’s episode, Imara chats with Shea about their groundbreaking experience as a Black trans drag queen, including their time performing on Drag Race All-Stars. Shea also talks about their contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and what lies on the horizon.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:@sheacoulee Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The issue of trans participation in sports continues to be a major political talking point on the right. Congress has pending legislation that would restrict trans people’s ability to play sports, and hundreds of similar bills have already been introduced this year at the state-level. This week, Imara chats with Chris Mosier, a trailblazing trans athlete who made history and has just contributed to a new book called Fair Game, which debunks the core made-up-ideas about trans people in sports. Fair Game: Trans Athletes and The Future Of Sports is available on January 27th.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:@thechrismosier Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.