Transformation Thursday: Recent Episodes
Natalie Walker & Amy Stephens
Transformation Thursday is co-hosted by two of the best lesbian comediennes (IOHO) in Rochester, New York, … Sarah Cannon & Amy Stephens! Sarah and Amy explore the transformations of LGBTQIA+ folx of all backgrounds. Additionally, podcast General Counsel Francesca Rodriguez provides commentary and insights about legal issues affecting queer communities.
This week, Jen Durbent joins Amy Stephens to discuss comedy, family life, and the fact that GenX trans people exist.
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Sarah Stubbs joins Amy Stephens to discuss the path of her life, knowing she was transgender from a young age and how her life has come together, and now she lives authentically as her best self.
Content Warning: Discussions about Suicide Ideation and Attempts
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This week on the podcast returning guest Serena Jamison discusses the end of her transition and it differs from the end of Amy's transition.
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This week Amy Stephens welcomes to the podcast, Patrick Pitoni from Trillium Health in Rochester, New York. Amy and Patrick discuss the services available at Trillium for trans and gender-diverse folks and how anti-transgender legislation has made Rochester a refuge for those looking for affirming care.
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In this episode of Transformation Thursday, Bill Satre guest hosts the podcast to interview regular host Amy Stephens. Bill catches up with Amy as she works to conclude her transition and discusses her sobriety and her relationship status.
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In this episode of Transformation Thursday, Amy Stephens welcomes to the podcast Karen Rodriguez an Ithaca, New York based filmmaker and the sister of Transformation Thursday Podcast Network's General Counsel Emeritus, Francesca Rodriguez. Karen explains how she dealt with Francesca's coming out and Francesca adds her viewpoint of how she managed the process with her sister and other family considerations. In the second half of the interview Karen discusses the documentary film project she is working about Amy as she returned to referee ice hockey last season after taking two years off to deal with her transition related goals.
Editing Credit: Todd Gursslin
Artwork Credit: Caitlin Burns
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In this special episode of Transformation Thursday, Amy Stephens (she/her) previews the ImageOut Film Festival with Rochester LGBTQIA+ icon Michael Gamilla (he/him), who oversees the selection process for the festival's film selections. Grab your popcorn and favorite drink and hear what's coming to a big or device screen near you soon. Editing Credit: Todd Gursslin (he/him) / Artwork Credit: Caitlin Burns (she/her)
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In this episode of Transformation Thursday, Amy Stephens catches up with Monroe County Legislator Rachel Barnhart to discuss her and others' efforts to create five majority-black legislative districts in the county. Amy and Rachel discuss how she feels the map follows the law in creating these districts and the perceived bad optics of the Monroe County Democrats in opposing the map.
Editing Credit: Todd Gursslin
Artwork Credit: Caitlin Burns
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Welcome to the 2022 fall season of the Transformation Thursday Podcast. To kick off this season, Caitlin Burns, a Rochester (NY) based queer artist, discusses growing-up in a small Finger Lakes town as a lesbian, dating in Rochester with a small lesbian dating pool, and how she and Amy deal with being recognized in the community for their art while trying to date.
In this episode, the first of the Queer AF Comedy Podcast on the Transformation Thursday Podcast Network, we welcome Tuesday Thomas. Tuesday discusses being trans in the early 80s and her career as a national touring comic who has appeared on Botched, the BBC, and other media outlets around the globe.
In this episode, Sarah and Amy dive into the mind of Becca Moore to discuss her experiences as a woman of trans experience. Hear Becca reflect on her experience with surgery, as a queer mormon trans woman, and other interesting tidbits from an amazing life.
This week on Transformation Thursday, Amy Stephens interviews fellow exmormon lesbian Chris Davis. Amy and Chris discuss Chris' upbringing in the Mormon Church, serving a mission, marrying a man, how a few years ago her kid came out as transgender and how Chris came out to him as a lesbian at the same time.
In this episode, Sarah and Amy begin their series of interviews with transgender and gender diverse folx about their transitions and the procedures they elect to get and not to get. In this interview, Amy and Sarah speak with Avery Smith about their vocal feminization, hair transplant, and bottom surgery.
In this episode, Sarah Cannon joins Transformation Thursday as Amy's new co-host, and the two of them discuss Sarah's life as an ASL Interpreter and coming out in her 40s as a lesbian. Plus, in the second segment, the girls discuss their future plans for the podcast and more.
In this episode, Amy Stephens shares with you the one-woman autobiographical set she performed at the Bread & Water Theatre in Rochester, New York, on November 18, 2021. Amy details her childhood, teen years, discovering she was transgender in the 1990s, and conversion to the Mormon Church. Even through sexual abuse, suicide ideation, and wrapping herself in religion, Amy found a way to accept who she was at the age of 45 in 2017.
In this episode, Laura Fantinello chats with Natalie Walker and Amy Stephens on how yoga can help us overcome trauma and come home to ourselves.
This special episode observes Transgender Awareness Week and the Transgender Day of Remembrance. Bill Satre asks me all the questions he has wanted to ask me about my transition. It's a great listen, and we hope you all enjoy it.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
On Veterans/Remembrance Day, Lt. Col. Bree Fram of the United States, Space Force, chats with Natalie and Amy about her new book "With Honor and Integrity." Bree's book documents the stories of transgender members of the military and veterans who are serving or who have answered the call to serve in the military forces of the United States of America.
If you would like an autographed copy of Bree's book, you can order it directly from the SPARTA website at https://spartapride.org/.
A special thank you to Transformation Thursday's General Counsel, Francesca Rodriguez, for her service in the United States Air Force.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
CW: Childhood Sexual & Physical Abuse/torture and frank talk about guns and suicide ideation. We're not joking about this one, but if you can stay with it, the ending is fantastic. In this episode, Ericamarie Schultz joins Amy Stephens and Natalie Walker to share her story of overcoming childhood abuse, torture, and suicide ideation only to find her true self later in life and her religion of love at the bottom of Lake Winnipesaukee.
In this episode, V. Sucy returns to update Natalie Walker and Amy Stephens on faes life since the pandemic started. Hold on for another fun-filled episode with Transformation Thursday's most downloaded guest, V. Sucy. If you want the prequel to this episode, go back to episode 36.
CW: NSFW, NSFW, and NSFW
In this episode, Natalie Walker and Amy Stephens hold over Cindy Arena from episode 106 and Todd Gursslin joins in the conversation somehow out of the blue, and what entails is pure madness and a lot of laughs. The comic roundtable in 2022 will become a Patreon Patrons only feature, but for now, enjoy this first edition.
In this episode, we explore the uses of EMDR therapy with fellow comedian Cindy Arena (she/her) and go on tangents no one saw coming.
In this episode, Sara Gaudioso (They/Them) discusses coming out non-binary at the age of 38, and the challenges they have relating to cis folx on how to explain their gender identity. Finally, Sara, Natalie, and Amy discuss how we can help the evolution of the English language to be more inclusive of non-binary identities. In the second Amy and Natalie share their final thoughts of their interview with Sara, and announce that podcast General Counsel Francesca Rodriguez will be taking a hiatus from her weekly segment.
CW: Gender Base Violence and Transphobia
In this episode of Transformation Thursday, English comedienne Jenny Hart (aka, Jenny B Side) discusses her musical comedy style. She debuts a new song discussing her recent experience wearing a women's swimsuit in public. Additionally, Jenny details her process of coming out as a trans woman and some of the violence she has experienced on the last train out of London and at isolated train stations just for being herself in public late at night. General Counsel Francesca Rodriguez stops by to discuss how hard it is to sue government entities in the United States, even when an Assistant Principal asks to see the genitals of a trans student.
In this episode new co-host, Natalie Walker joins Amy Stephens to discuss fear and vulnerability with guest Jessica Smith. Amy also introduces Natalie as the official new co-host of the podcast, and Francesca Rodriguez stops by for the Legal Minute.
In this episode, Bill Satre, the Program Director of B93 in Brainerd, Minnesota, joins Amy Stephens to discuss the transformation of local radio since the 1980s. Bill and Amy discuss their days of working together at KB-101 in Bemidji, Minnesota, how deregulation killed local radio as we knew it, and how small market radio is coming back during the pandemic. Bill also lets Amy know how her transition has helped him better understand the transgender experience. Also, General Counsel Jamie Rodriguez zooms in to discuss the legal cases she's keeping her eyes on.
Amy and Todd continue their in-depth chat that started in episode 99. This time they discuss restricting words in comedy, cancel culture, and Todd tells Amy how uncomfortable she was before she transitioned. Plus, General Counsel stops by with a new segment, the Legal Minute(10).
In this episode, Transformation General Counsel Jamie Rodriguez interviews podcast co-creator and current host Amy Stephens. Amy discusses how the podcast came about while honoring the contributions and vision of former co-host Penny Sterling. Jamie and Amy also discuss what they feel are some of the best episodes of the podcast, and of course, Amy gets a bit emotional because she always does.
This week's co-host and guest, Todd Gursslin (He/His), discusses with host Amy Stephens (She/Her) how to load a dishwasher properly, his non-gendered usage of the terms "dude & man," and the effects of our siloed social media reality in offline interactions. The discussion between Todd and Amy was so good, part two of the interview will become episode 101.
CW: Religion and Dalin H. Oaks
This week's co-host and guest, Serena Jamison, discusses with Amy Stephens her experiences in the Mormon Church as a trans woman, church policies targeting transgender and gender diverse Mormons, and her experience attending a UCC congregation during Pride.
transgender #mormon #lgbtq
In this episode, Jamie and Amy discuss scientific communication of queer issues, the bimodal distribution of gender, teaching at BYU as someone who couldn't admit to being gay, and the beautiful mess of humans and queer relationships.
In this episode, Natalie and Amy talk about renovating campers, the War of 1812, and residential schools. You just have to listen to figure this one out.
In this episode, Jamie Rodriguez, the General Counsel for the Transformation Podcast Network, and Amy Stephens discuss three key United States Supreme Court cases, demonstrating how the court and society have changed their views on being gay and the privacy of personal relationships.
This week Amy Stephens' (she/her) guest is Reverand Meredith Cox (they/them). In this episode, I discuss with Meredith holding space for transgender and gender diverse folx who are beginning their journey as their authentic selves, religious rites as we mark transition milestones, and what it means to be a spiritual queer in Tennessee.
This week's podcast co-host and guest Emma Bruce returns to Transformation Thursday to discuss the changes in her life since she started living authentically as herself as the world went into lockdown in March of 2020.
This week co-host and guest Cindy Arena chats with Amy Stephens about being a hard "L" lesbian and returning to comedy after a year off. Cindy puts Amy on the spot regarding her preferences for dating and the status of her relationship.
In this episode of Transformation Thursday, Jamie Rodriguez joins Amy Stephens to discuss the recent changes to Transformation Thursday and to provide her expert analysis of the United States Supreme Court decision in the case of Fulton v. The City of Philadelphia.
In this episode of Transformation Thursday Amy Stephens (she/her) and guest host Woody Battaglia (he/him) interview Monroe County (NY) Legislator Rachel Barnhart. We discuss her vision for Monroe County, how county government can serve the needs of their transgender citizens, how people monitor her speech and Tweets more than any other woman in our area, and how working the local campaign trail she is viewed by her constituents as a 43 year old woman.
Follow Rachel on Twitter at: @rachbarnhart
In episode 11 of the Transformation Thursday Podcast Rochester, New York based comedians Ralph Tetta and Woody Battaglia take over the show, while Penny and Amy shopped on Amazon for clothes, shoes, and makeup. While the girls were shopping Ralph and Woody had a very in depth conversation about comedy, how it has changed, what can & cannot be said on stage, restrictions on comics, and a lot more. Listen in and enjoy this very frank conversation about comedy.
Amy & Penny sit down with Jamie Francesca Rodriguez Senior Counsel at Holland & Knight LLP, about how nice it is to be able to say "The Biden Presidency," and also all the things he's going to have to erase, especially in the area of transgender rights.
In this episode we chat with Jamie Francesca Rodriguez, Esq to discuss her transition into womanhood, and as well her transition in the workplace and what resources are available to transgender and non-binary people as we transition at work. Links to Transition Guidelines we discussed in the episode...
HRC, Workplace Gender Transition Guidelines Society for Human Resource Managers, Managing Gender Transition in the Workplace Center for Transgender Equality, Know your Rights (Sections on more topics than employment) GLAAD, Transgender Resources
In this episode, Carolyn D. Hoffman (she/they) discusses their run for the Monroe County Legislature in District 25 with Penny and Amy.
In this week's episode state legislative director and senior counsel at the Human Rights Campaign, Catherine Oakley stops by to talk with Amy and Penny about the 19 anti-trangender bills that have been signed into law already this year, how legal they are (hint: not very), and what we can do to combat this wave of transphobia.
CW: discussion of suicidal ideations.
Amy and Penny sit down with Lindsay Boylan, candidate for Manhattan Borough President, to talk about her time on the staff of Governor Andrew Cuomo, and the toxic work environment she detailed in her tweets and her Medium article about the abuse she's received, both while she's on staff, and after tweeting about it. We also talk about progressive politics, the changes she would make as borough president, and also about how good a kruller can be.
This week Amy and Penny interview El Chenier (They/Them/Their), who discusses their evolution of gender in society and with themself. El also discusses their Gender Mentor program, where they teach a course for non-binary folx on coming home to their non-binary bodies and writing "Letters from Home" and the importance of trans and non-binary persons finding their chosen home. (CW: Sexual Abuse)
This week, Amy and Penny chat with Victor Sanchez, who's running for an at-large seat on the Rochester (NY) City Council. Victor talks about how his heritage and sexuality have informed his activism, and about the difference between changing the system from the outside vs the inside.
He also increases Penny's Spanish vocabulary.
Our guest this week is the fabulous and fascinating Natania Barron, author, meme generator and host of #Threadtalk on Twitter!
In this episode, Amy Stephens and Kimberly Anderson, AFMT, geek out on mental health care issues related to the transgender and gender diverse community (TGD), conversion therapy in Utah, and how the TGD community intersects with Mormonism. Additionally, Amy and Kimberly go off on a few tangents related to Amy's relationship road trips, jokes that are groaners, and a special Taco Tuesday.
While Amy Stephens is recovering from surgery, Penny has a conversation with Matt Nightingale, Co-Pastor of The Quest Novato, an educator, a parent, a singer, and #faithfullyLGBTQ. We were supposed to talk about the intersection of sexuality and spirituality. And we did. But we also talked about love, booze, music and about the meaning of the word peripatetic.
While Amy Stephens is in the hospital recovering from her successful GC surgery, Penny Sterling takes the mic...and never lets go. Penny talks about her battle with social security over getting a new card, tells a story about beards, and for funding for her own facial feminization surgery.
In this episode, Transformation Thursday General Counsel Jamie Rodriguez and Amy Stephens chat with Kyle Wallace. Residing in London, England, Kyle produces, hosts, and performs at many of the shows he puts on through G&B Comedy. Jamie and Amy discuss with Kyle Amy's first set in London with G&B, how operations have changed during the lockdown, what comedy could look like post-pandemic. In the second segment, Kyle discusses what American politics looks like to him from across the pond.
Podcast co-host Penny Sterling checks in with podcast co-host Amy Stephens as she prepares for Gender Confirmation Surgery (GCS), a procedure that has been scheduled and rescheduled for nearly a year. They talk about the emotional toll of these delays, the excitements and fears of surgical procedures, and the amount of effort it takes to try and continue living and growing while this happens.
Also in this episode: Amy forgets how to breathe. We are not making this up.
This Thursday Penny Sterling chats with Darren and Heather Stevenson, Founders of PUSH Physical theatre, about the rigors and rewards of two decades of making often grueling art while also raising a family while taking the show on the road.
CW: COVID-19 Pandemic, Mental Health, and Suicide Ideation/Planning
Eleven months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Amy checks in on Penny to see how she's doing and purposely asks Penny, "Are you safe?" Penny describes some of the mental health challenges she has had recently, and the girls discuss how their friendship has suffered since the outbreak of the pandemic. In the second segment, Penny discusses how the New York State of Health vaccination website is transgender and gender diverse exclusionary. Finally, Penny reads the letter she has sent to the department looking for answers.
In this episode, Jamie Rodriguez and Amy Stephens interview Senior Speech-Language Pathologist from the University of Rochester Medical Center Gerriann Jackson, M.S., CCC-SLP. Gerriann (she/her) discusses the importance of vocal training for her transgender and nonbinary clients. How recent policy changes from the outgoing Trump Administration affected health insurance approvals. In the second segment, Gerriann guides Jamie and Amy through a set of vocal training lessons. To reach Gerriann about her private practice, she can be reached directly at 585-365-4633.
transgender #nonbinary #vocaltherapy
In the spring of 2020, Penny and Amy chatted with Chris Thompson about how he had taken his activism online during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in May of 2020, Chris took his online activism offline during a raging pandemic. In September of 2020, when the news broke of Daniel Prude's murder at the hands of the Rochester, New York Police Department. Chris hit the streets peacefully protesting for reform of his adopted hometown's police department. In this episode, Amy and Penny discuss with Chris having pizza outside of the Rochester, New York Public Safety building to get pepper-sprayed. With the Biden Administration in the White House, now is not the time to stop fighting for equality and many other things. To follow Chris Thompson on Instagram or Twitter, follow @chronsofnon, you won't be disappointed with his content.
CW: Suicide Ideation
This week Penny Sterling and Amy Stephens talk to their egg selves, knowing what they know about how their lives have turned out as transgender women living as their authentic selves.
In this episode, Carta Monir joins Amy Stephens to discuss trans 4 trans relationships, but before that happens Carta discusses how her old faith kept her from coming out.
CW: Sexuality, Sex, and T4T Relationships
Episode 69 is about sex, NICE. In this episode, Amy and Penny discuss Carta Monir's zine titled Napkin, the magic of trans4trans (T4T) dating, and guys putting on their socks right after sex. Here's a link to Carta's website Diskette Press, https://diskettepress.com/
Penny and Penny ring in the new year by allowing Amy to sit in the second session of the "Penny & Penny Show". In this episode, Penny and Amy discuss with Penny Gold her new apartment in New York City, how transgender folx decide to discuss the surgeries if any we decide to get, and how transgender visibility from 30 years ago helped Penny get her new apartment.
With Amy and Penny taking a holiday break, we present Serena Jamison's interview for her "Voices of Purpose" column on Medium.com. Penny and Amy will post their interview with Penny Gold, Esq. on January 7, 2021. Until then, have a happy new year.
Link to the interview: https://vopserena.medium.com/voices-of-purpose-8-amy-stephens-part-1-166cc2ba01ff
Sue Jones from DitchTheLabel.org in Brighton, England, speaks with Amy and Penny about the services provided by Ditch The Label, and how the Tavistock ruling is going to marginalize further transgender and gender diverse youth in the United Kingdom. Sue also discusses the transgender experience of her grandmother, who transitioned in the 1950s.
Penny and Amy talk with Dr. Katherine Greenberg, director of Gender Health Services at the University of Rochester Medical Center, to get her views on the appropriate treatment for trans and gender-expansive youth, and the damages draconian rulings like in the recent Bell vs Tavistock case in the UK can have on an already marginalized group of young people.
This week as we observe Transgender Awareness Week and as the week concludes with the Transgender Day of Remembrance, Amy and Penny decided it was worthwhile to re-release the interview they did with Dr. Liam Hackett, FRSA, last year at this time. Liam is the Global CEO of Ditch the Label, located in Brighton, England. We discussed with Liam the bullying of kids, alternate ways to view bullies that are not intuitive and discuss the groundbreaking research his organization did to understand online radicalization and how it leads to violence and calls for genocide of transgender people.
This week, Penny & Amy sit down with Adam Chodak, Managing Editor and Weekday Anchor of WROC-TV's News, about this year's election, trying to maintain journalistic integrity in the post-truth, news-as-entertainment era, and how freaking cool the WROC building is.
(Hint: It's really cool)
In this episode of Transformation Thursday Penny and Amy "Ketchup" with each other to discuss how Amy is growing as she goes through her Masters in Mental Health Counseling program, and then Penny tells another one of her fantastic stories. Topics: Transgender, Parent, Religion, and Counseling
Content Warning: Religious Trauma, Suicide, and Sexual Abuse. Penny and Amy sit down and have an extended conversation with Sam Young, the founder and driving force behind Protect Every Child, an organization that sheds light on the Abusive/Predatory/Shaming practices with children, not only in the Mormon Church, but in all religious and secular organizations. Sam used his position as a Bishop in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to shed light on these issues, which brought some changes to the system, but also an excommunication for him. We talk about the strength it takes to battle against a system that once supported you. But, since it's Amy & Penny, the talk also veers into booze and underwear. True story.
This week Penny and Amy sit down with the founding producer and board president of the Key Bank Rochester Fringe Festival about how she helped start and steward one of the largest Fringe Festivals in America, and how she managed to turn this year's festival into an online event in three months' time.
Also, Erica gets asked a question no one's ever asked her before.*
*In the context of her role as a producer of a massive festival. It's a pretty common question, actually. It just sounds cooler when it gets phrased this way.
Gracie Walsh and Maddie Hubert, AKA the musical comedy duo known as Saunt Yübear, sit down with Penny (via Zoom, from the Art Spackle Room of the Pioneer Valley Masonic Temple just outside of Dubuque Iowa), and we talked about performing (or not) in the time of Covid, doing a Virtual Fringe, and why there's two little dots above the "u" in Yübear.
This week's show is a solo effort, with Penny Sterling reflecting on what's in a name if you're trying to change it, something less than magical that happened in The Magic Kingdom, and a a revisitation of her sexuality.
(CW: A frank but unerotic discussion of sex and sexuality. Plus a couple of "S Bombs.")
In this episode Penny Gold joins Penny and Amy this week to talk about her life in Israel growing-up in an Ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect, her move to Brooklyn as a teenager, her experience coming out as transgender, her non-binary identity, and how she spent four months in Thailand during the COVID19 pandemic recovering from a surgical procedure.
This is part two part our episode with Sue & Ted O'Brien, and in part two we all discuss Ted's at home recovery and Sue's continuing advocacy for her husband.
Amy and Penny take a break from Transgender and LGBTQIA+ issues to discuss Ted O'Brien's battle with COVID-19. Not only do we look at Ted's battle with the disease but as well the story of Ted's primary caregiver Sue O'Brien who is Ted's wife, and with her background in healthcare what she did to advocate for her husband while he was in an induced coma and on a ventilator. This is a heartwarming saga of how modern medicine, advocacy, and the mind come together to heal the complete person. In part one we focus on the early stages for Sue and Ted of getting the disease and Ted's hospital confinement, and then in part two we will discuss Ted's at home remarkable rehabilitation.
In the first part of Transformation Thursday's first two part episode Amy and Penny take a break from Transgender and LGBTQIA+ issues to discuss Ted O'Brien's battle with COVID-19. Not only do we look at Ted's battle with the disease but as well the story of Ted's primary caregiver Sue O'Brien who is Ted's wife, and with her background in healthcare what she did to advocate for her husband while he was in an induced coma and on a ventilator. This is a heartwarming saga of how modern medicine, advocacy, and the mind come together to heal the complete person. In part one we focus on the early stages for Sue and Ted of getting the disease and Ted's hospital confinement, and then in part two we will discuss Ted's at home remarkable rehabilitation.
In this episode Amy addresses how she methodically approached her transition, and how she has faced some criticisms from the transgender community for getting facial feminization surgery. Penny in the second segment previews all the good things in her life that are going on this fall.
This week Amy Stephens has a special co-host in her BFF from England Emma Bruce. Emma and Amy discuss what it was like for Emma to come out as the world went into lock down due to COVID-19 and how things have worked out for her family. In the final segment of the show Amy and Emma discuss how the world view transgender woman, and how simple changes have a big impact on how the world views us.
With cohost Amy Stephens recovering from surgery, Penny Sterling strings together enough sentences to make a podcast. Topics include:
- facial feminization
- Snoring
- Baking,
- Secret crushes, and
- The celebration of a scheduled event never happening
This week on the podcast Amy Stephens takes a break from discussing transgender issues and sits down to chat with her friend Lisa Guetzko who lives in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. This episode is especially timely as we deal with COVID-19 and everything going on regarding the Black Lives Matters Movement and the push for equality in our society for everyone. Lisa talks very openly about what it is like for her to raise two biracial sons as a single mom in a town and school district that is predominately white, affluent, and so close to Minneapolis where George Floyd was murdered.
On this episode Penny and Amy sit chat with Kai VonDoom a queer black woman and local activist and Jace Meyer Crosby theater intimacy director and avowed anti-racist discuss the intersection of white gay men, privilege, and power. Plus, Kai discusses how queer and transgender issues are intertwined with the Black Lives Matter Movement.
In this episode of Transformation Thursday Penny and Amy discuss dating and their surgeries. Penny reviews her breast augmentation she had just over a month ago, and Amy previews her facial feminization surgery on August 17, 2020.
In this episode, Penny talks seriously about how again our lives have changed, and now as we fight a global pandemic we also have protests and violence in our country as a result of the murders of black people in our country at the hands of the police. What seems like a whole another world ago Penny and Amy interviewed Democratic candidate for the US House of Representatives in New York's 25th Congressional District, Robin Wilt.
In this episode Amy and Penny have a fascinating conversation with Carta Monir on how she uses selfies to reclaim the narrative of her body from people who have preconcevied notions of who she is as a disabled woman who happens to be transgender. Penny gets emotional and shares how she holds her disability close to her, doesn't talk about it much, and how she is aware of it when she's in public. Amy, recollects a recent conversation with a friend about the essence of femininity and how women who happen to be transgender have it, and the insecurities these three share are similar ones as to what many woman who happens to be cis have too.
In this episode Amy and Penny chat with Rochester activist and overall good guy Chris Thompson. Hint, it deals with being active online, voting, and eating at local hamburger joints specifically named Zoc's.
This week's Transformation Thursday Podcast is a conversation between Penny Sterling and Amy Stephens about the feelings transgender parents get when the "parent" holidays come around. We share our stories as well as those from friends around the continent. PLUS Penny tells the story about telling her kids, from her show "Parents & Children, Husbands & Wives," with a special guest appearance (and music!) from Mel & Mike Muscarella from Violet Mary! There's some deep feels in this show, but it wouldn't be a TransThurs without a bit of humor. In this clip, Amy gives Penny a marketing idea. Catch the entire episode later today on Transformation Thursday, available wherever the coolest podcasts hang out!!
This week Amy and Penny chat with Joy Denebein who at the time of recording the interview was preparing for her gender confirmation surgery. While both Amy and Penny have had surgeries delayed a year in Amy's case, and indefinitely in Penny's, Joy was able to get a May date for her surgery in Phoenix, Arizona. The girls discuss with Joy her transgender story, what the surgery means, and the plans Joy has after she fully recovers from her surgery.
This week on Transformation Thursday Podcast, Amy Stephens and Penny Sterling had a great talk with Kent Gustavson about creative choices, the power of stories, and why it's cooler to have TWO TEDx Talks than it is one. Well, actually, Penny talks about that.
Kent's Website: https://drkent.co/
Kent's TedX Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzDndJtQrjw
In this episode of the Transformation Thursday podcast Amy and Penny interview Mike Robbins. Mike is the author of five books with his latest book being aptly titled "We're All in This Together." Mike weaves into the interview his perspectives on privilege coming from a single parent household in Oakland, California growing-up in the 1980's, and how that shaped his outlook on life.
To order Mike's book and get the freebies he mentions at the end of the podcast, CLICK HERE.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
In this episode Amy and Penny and chat with Nicolas Shannon Savard who is working on their PhD at The Ohio State University. Nicolas is researching representations of transgender and other gender non-conforming people in the performance arts, by looking at what projects are available for GNC persons, how many times trans/GNC people have to write and perform their own material creating their own opportunities to perform, and how cisgender people are playing trans characters and the problems this creates. Additionally, the three discuss the reactions Nicolas, Amy, and Penny get from audiences to their work as an actor, comedienne, and storyteller.
In this episode Amy and Penny chat with Marriage & Family Therapist Kimberly Anderson from her undisclosed location in Sacramento, California. Kimberly discusses how transgender and other gender expansive people can stay safe and express themselves in environments that may not be safe. We also discuss how parents can work on accepting their trans and gender non-conforming children through this time with online resources and love. Finally Kimberly spends the last part of the podcast discussing her transition from a person presenting male teaching at Brigham Young University two days a week, teaching at Snow College two days a week as Kimberly, and how that lead to the unraveling of her marriage. It's a touching episode that is a must listen for any trans/GNC youth, their parents and loved ones, and for trans/GNC adults trying to figure out their gender identity in these trying times.
In this week's episode of the podcast Amy and Penny talk with Bible scholar and performer Peterson Toscano who discusses his coming out process that included conversion therapy on three continents, and how he was inspired to look at gender in the Bible. Peterson provides insight and alternative views of scripture that shows how the story of Joseph from Genesis could be viewed as a story of gender non-conformity, how eunuchs were a third gender during Biblical times, and how there even examples of trans-masculine role models in scripture.
Link to Peterson's Website
In the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic the not so great state of Idaho passes an anti-transgender bill banning transgender athletes from competing in high school sports as the gender they identify as. Amy and Penny also discuss how the pandemic is affecting each of their lives in different ways.
Welcome to the the fourth episode of TransStories, in this episode friend of the podcast V. Sucy discusses her transition at work. How at first everything seemed to go well, but know three years into her transition things aren't as a good as they were before, from co-workers making slightly veiled threats towards her on social media, HR only doing what's mandated by state law for sexual harassment training, and navigating healthcare as a transgender person which is tricky.
NSFW Episode: A lot of talk about sex, body parts, and sexuality.
In this episode Amy and her co-host/guest V. Sucy discuss in great detail the changes HRT brought about to their bodies and mental well being, how sex for them has evolved during their second puberty, and their sexuality.
In this episode of TransStories Amy chats with RCN officer Meghan McKie. Amy discusses with Meghan early recollections of being transgender as a child, what it was like for her to come out to her wife, and how she transitioned in the Canadian Navy.
In this episode we chat with Liz Lilly via Zoom video conferencing, we discuss her wardrobe, transitioning in an agriculture focused company, and wrap-up with the weird questions we are asked as transgender women.
In the second episode of TransStories, this week Amy sits down with her daughter LaRue Ann to discuss what is like growing up with Amy as parent, being raised in the Mormon Church, going to an all girls Catholic high school, and how she is dealing with her father's transition to her true self. This is a very candid conversation between a parent and child, and we hope you find this insightful as Amy did recording it.
In this episode Rachel Barnhart sits down with Penny and Amy to talk about her masters project and how Rochester can bridge the digital divide. No matter how you feel about Rachel, you can't deny her passion for the city of Rochester, New York and Monroe County.
In this episode Penny Sterling (she/her) and Jace Meyer-Crosby (he/him) discuss the intersection of being a Christian and being transgender. In this thought provoking episode Pastor Scott Austin of the Artisan Church drops in to discuss how he and the church he ministers to handles these issues.
This week the girls were supposed to interview Liz Lilly, but she had the flu, which has been making the rounds. So Amy and Penny had to improvise and they came up with a list of five questions to ask each other, this hard hitting and insightful will get you right in the GI tract.
Welcome to the first episode of Amy's spinoff podcast titled in TransStories. In this first episode Amy speaks with Jordan Gray, the two met on Amy's last trip to London in December of 2019. Jordan is an English born singer, comedienne, and is currently starring in the Comedy Central UK web series "Transaction." Jordan discusses her transition within the music industry, about her desire to travel US Route 66, and she invites Amy back to England so they can collaborate on a project together.
In this week's episode of the Transformation Podcast Amy Stephens and Penny Sterling chat with journalist and blogger who at the time of this recording was celebrating 217 day of sobriety. As Jen has learned to deal with her alcoholism she has begin to realize the alcohol only masked other problems, which only now she's learning how to deal with.
Link to Jen's Blog
Jen's Twitter @jenwielgus
This week's guest on the Transformation Thursday Podcast is Christopher Goerss, an out and proud gay man. We discuss harassment for both being gay and wearing makeup, issues surrounding HIV, and a host of other really tough issues. AND...we laughed so much! Christopher discusses how he dealt with being harassed as a gay middle-school boy in El Paso, Texas. Here the entire incredible podcast.
In this episode New York State Assembly Candidate Jen Lunsford (Democrat) in the 135th district, she talks about the benefits and costs associated of moving to a single payer healthcare system, and her experiences running for office as a woman who is the parent to a young child.
Jen Lunsford's Website
In this episode Megan Mack the producer of Connections with Evan Dawson on WXXI Radio guest hosts with Amy Stephens to chat with Kate Kelly who is self described ERA Missionary. With the 1982 deadline set by the US Congress to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment there are lawsuits under way to determine the amendment's fate now that over three quarters of the states have ratified the amendment with the last being Virginia last week. Kate also discusses her viewpoint on the word "sex" in the amendment and how that will apply to the transgender and non-binary communities.
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
In this episode Dr. Selin Gulgoz joins the girls to discuss her groundbreaking studying on transgender children and their development, and how it mirrors their cisgender counterparts.
From Google Dr. Gulgoz's Citations
CBC Coverage of Dr. Gulgoz's Research
Dr. Gulgoz's CV
The New Yorker's, "About a Boy"
In this episode of Transformation Thursday Danielle Skidmore joins the girls from Austin, Texas to chat about the tactics used by conservative groups to continue their fight against transgender people, from bathroom bills to recent attempts to criminalize doctors treating minors with gender affirming healthcare. On a lighter note Danielle also discusses her and her ex-wife's performance in Bedpost Confessions.
In this episode Amy's best friend from England chats with the girls about her journey as a woman who happens to be transgender. Emma discusses her life growing-up wearing her mum's clothing, getting caught by her father, and living as an adult male but knowing she's a woman and transgender.
In this episode of Transformation Thursday Megan Mack turns the microphone Amy and Penny and interviews them! Okay, Megan interviews the girls for a bit, but the meat of the interview with Megan we look at the transformative power of improv, and how it turn a introvert like Megan into an on stage performer, comedy writer, news producer, and talk show host. Finally, as a bonus Megan will share a short story of interns terrorizing Conan O'Brien. The best way to follow Megan is on Twitter - @mmackmedia.
An hour or so with the Latter-Day Lesbians!!!
Shelly is a lesbian. Mary is a lesbian. Shelly and Mary are in love. Shelly was raised a Mormon. Mary was not. Mary is helping Shelly realize how screwed-up Mormonism is. They're doing it in a podcast. Can a divorced exmo mother of seven and her lover make an interesting podcast? You'll want to start listening yourself after listening to this episode.
This is our funniest, weirdest, longest, and most foul-mouthed podcast to date.
This week, we talk with Theresa Thorn, co-host (and co-creator, with Biz Ellis) of the weekly comedy podcast One Bad Mother, Theresa and Biz co-authored the parenting humor book You’re Doing A Great Job: 100 Ways You’re Winning at Parenting, and is the author of the children’s book, It Feels Good To Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity Theresa talks about the joys and lessons learned from being a parent of a transgender child.
In this episode we chat with Glenn Estey who survived conversion therapy sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) and how this affected his marriage to a woman. Glenn also discusses how when his mom passed away that after years of being an inactive Mormon the Mormon missionaries showed up at his house, and he started coming to church again.
To the One Pamphlet, as mentioned in the interview, here's a link to the Wikipedia page for it.
In this special edition of Transformation Thursday we are releasing it on Wednesday November 20, 2019 to commemorate Transgender Day of Remembrance. Today we speak with Liam Hackett from DitchTheLabel.org, and we discuss bullying of kids, alternate ways to view bullies that are not intuitive, and we discuss in detail the groundbreaking research his organization does to understand online radicalization and how it leads to violence and calls for genocide of transgender people.
Link to Ditch The Label's research on transphopia
Content Warning: Police, Racism, Body Cams
In this episode Amy and Penny tackle a difficult issue for many in our communities, the transformation of policing with the introduction of body cameras now worn by many police departments around the country. Officer Jonathan Lawton who is the Community Engagement Officer for the Irondequoit (NY) Police Department comes in to share with us his experiences and viewpoints on this issue from his perspective as a law enforcement officer. Officer Lawton has been a police officer for almost 13 years with the last eight of those being in Irondequoit, which is a suburb of Rochester, New York. As a matter of full disclosure, Amy serves on the same volunteer fire department as Officer Lawton does since 2013.
The Effectiveness of Body Cameras
Content Warning: Cancer and Depression
In this episode Amy and Penny dance their way through their interview with "Cancer Dancer" Tiffany Staropoli, who kept a positive attitude and found purpose through her stage 4 colon cancer treatment, and how after she went into remission how she lost her purpose and sunk into a deep depression she still battles today.
LInks...
Tiffany's TedX Talk
Tiffany's YouTube Channel
Tiffany's Visit to Newfoundland as covered by the CBC
Great Big Sea's Video of "When I'm Up (I Can't Get Down)"
In this episode we sit down with Veronika "V" Sucy to discuss past relationships, transgender sexuality, Always removing the female logo from their packaging, and how the TV show the "Family Guy" depicts transgender women, hint ain't it good.
Penny goes solo in this episode as Amy had family matters she had to be a part of. this week's guest on Transformation Thursday Podcast is comedian and activist Mike Gamms, who stops by to talk about his transformation from film student to comedian to queer activist. Mike talks about that path, and the things that made him a member of the Super Queer Super Punks in good standing.
In this episode Amy and Penny chat with Lt. Col. Bryan Bree Fram (USAF) about her experience being transgender in the United States Air Force, she details how she came out in 2016 after then President Obama authorized transgender to openly serve, and how she is now dealing with the "TRANSBAN" instituted by the Trump Administration.
Lt. Col. Fram's Bio
In this episode, Penny and Amy discuss a series of Facebook posts Amy put up just before she went full-time as her true self. The posts served to inform family and friends how to approach Amy at a critical point in her transition.
CW: Transgender, Cutting
In this episode Amy and Penny (she/her) sit down with Theresa Tangry (she/her.) Theresa is an amazing mother who supports her transgender son while he navigates the waters of high school, family, and his search for a college next year.
CW: Religion, politics
In this episode we break it into two segments with the same guest, Stephanie Townsend. In the first segment Stephanie discusses her spiritual transformation from a practicing Roman Catholic to Reform Judaism. Then in the second segment Stephanie returns, well she never left, to discuss how she ran for political office in a suburb, which was thought to be very red, but through her hard work and changing demographics actually is quite purple, and starting to become a lot more blue.
Content Warning: Sexual Assault, Suicide, Cutting, Mental Health, Religion In this episode we sit down with my friend Spencer Shiley, and discuss his transformation and how he and his family have come to terms with having a transgender child. Spencer and his family exemplify to me love and the true meaning of what it means to be a Christian, because not only does his family have to navigate the usual societal issues of having a transkid but also those of a conservative religion that teaches gay people will be turned straight in the eternities, gay people should live a celibate life on earth to enjoy the fruits of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that "“[The adversary aka: Satan] seeks to confuse gender." Yet within this context the Shiley family exudes love, and practices the true religion of unconditional love in the face of the hate taught by the highest levels of the Mormon Church. Locally the Mormon Church has been accepting of Spencer's family including his transkid, so within this context they continue to push forward in faith. Mormon Leader Dallin Oaks' October 2018 speech where he discusses his view on LGBTQIA+ issues. The Salt Lake Tribune's Robert Gehrke's Response to Oaks' remarks, dated October 10, 2018
CW: News, President Trump, and some language... With the decline of print newspapers, viewership of the network news programs, and with the rise of the 24 hour news cycle, the way we consume news has dramatically in the past two decades. On today's episode we are speaking with two veteran journalists who are in the middle of the transformation. Megan Mack and Evan Dawson are the producer and host of WXXI Radio's, Connections with Evan Dawson, a daily talk show on Rochester's local NPR station, and they give their honest and at times pointed opinions on the status of news as related to our current political environment, especially that concerning our less than honest President.
This episode features an exceptionally cool conversation with Jace Meyer-Crosby. He talks about how intimacy directing is transforming theater into a safer space for actors to take risks in intimate scenes, then hangs out with Penny and I to talk about trans things.
In this episode our guest Rick Staropoli discusses multiple transitions during his life career changes, marriages, and dealing with cancer both of his own and that of his current wife.
In this episode our guest Lore McSpadden (they/them/their) has been featured by Vice, Medium.com, and many other fitness related websites and publications for their approach to fitness that definitely is not a one size fits all approach as advocated by most of the fitness industry. This is a very personal and intimate interview, and we hope you get as much out it as Penny and Amy did conducting the interview with Lore.
Links to all the things Lore mentioned in the interview, check these out!
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Nonnormative Body Club: https://nonnormativebodyclub.com/
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Decolonizing Fitness: https://decolonizingfitness.com/
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Queerflex: https://www.queerflex.com/
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Size and Diversity: https://www.sizediversityandhealth.org
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Alien Athletes: https://www.alienathletes.co/about
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Melissa Toler: https://www.melissatoler.com/
In this episode we welcome our inspirational friend Khoury Humphrey, he discusses his experience as a transman living in Oklahoma, moving to New York State, and how his top surgery went.
Show Notes:
- Why Trans Surgeries are Medically Necessary: https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/31/health/transgender-medically-necessary-procedures/index.html
- Satisfaction With Transgender Surgeries
- MTF: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4261554/ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321258.php
- FTM: https://academic.oup.com/asj/article/38/1/49/4004910
Welcome to episode two of the Transformation Thursday Podcast, today we are featuring the transformation story of co-host and co-producer Penny Sterling. She discusses how she started coming out in her mid-50's, and the process of dealing with her children and all the other aspects that go into transitioning gender. While Penny's story has some overlap with Amy's her story is unique in its own way, and with Penny's ability to tell a story this is one entertaining episode.
Show Notes:
JK Rowling is a TERF, https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/06/25/jk-rowling-under-fire-following-transphobe-twitter/
Evangelicals Bankroll TERFs,https://jezebel.com/the-unholy-alliance-of-trans-exclusionary-radical-femin-1834120309
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Welcome to the first episode of the Transformation Thursday Podcast, today we are featuring the transformation story of co-host and co-producer Amy Stephens. She discusses how she started coming out at the age of 45, and the process of dealing with her now ex-wife, kids, work, and volunteer activities who all knew her as a male and how Amy navigated the tricky waters of a social transition as transgender woman transitioning in her 40's and who has become a comic, advocate for the LGBT/LGBTQIA+ community, and who still is an active volunteer firefighter in her community. Show Note: University of Minnesota Study finds nearly 3% of Minnesota HS students as Transgender/Gender Non-Conforming: https://www.health.umn.edu/news/news-releases/umn-study-nearly-3-minnesota-students-identify-transgender-gender-nonconforming