Conservatives are obsessed with our trans fam and today I talk about South Dakota passing two anti-trans bills banning trans youth from sports and public school facilities. Nyla Rose, a Black Trans Indigenous wrestler is breaking ceilings and handling transphobic fans in the best way, and today in our Black History Month Spotlight we amplify the work of the organization Native Son.

00:00 – Welcome & Intro

00:35 – Rate & Review Queer News Ad

01:02 – Intro Music

01:43 – Conservatives are obsessed with our trans fam and today I talk about South Dakota passing two anti-trans bills banning trans youth from sports and public school facilities

05:38 – Nyla Rose, a Black Trans Indigenous wrestler is breaking ceilings and handling transphobic fans

06:42 – Black History Month spotlight today is on Native Son

08:16 – Anna’s Got A Word

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Family, this is your favorite queer radio personality Anna DeShawn here with our queer news from today. 

Conservatives are obsessed with our trans fam and today I talk about South Dakota passing two anti-trans bills banning trans youth from sports and public school facilities. Nyla Rose, a Black Trans Indigenous wrestler is breaking ceilings and handling transphobic fans in the best way, and today in our Black History Month Spotlight we amplify the work of the organization Native Son. 

Our leading story for today is coming out of South Dakota. South Dakota is on track to be the first state of 2022 to pass anti-trans legislation. They have two bills headed to the governor’s desk who will undoubtedly sign them as she authored one of them. One bill bans trans youth from participating in sports in alignment with their gender and the second bans trans youth from using multi-occupancy public school facilities that affirm their gender including: showers, bathrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping rooms for overnight trips. The sports bill passed the house 50-17 and the school facilities bill passed 38-29. I want to focus this story on the sports bill though because I am a big believer in women’s sports as an athlete myself. I think there is just a lot of ignorance around this topic and I want to share my take from the rhetoric I see in the world. 

First, trans girls are girls & trans men are men. Sex & gender are two very different things. It’s easy to get confused as they are used interchangeably but they are different. Sex has everything to do with chromosomes and what the doctors say you are when you’re born. Gender is socially constructed and feeds us a patriarchal prescriptive guide on how femininity and masculinity show up in the world. Well you’re listening to someone who broke all those femininity rules and who annoyed her mother to no end when it came to the dresses, hair bows, and matching ruffle socks. Boxes are best left for the things not people. 

Second, when a person begins taking hormone blockers or hormone therapy they physically begin to change. Not just on the outside but on the inside. Science shows us that after a year on hormone therapy you are not the same and the physical advantages that the conservatives are blasting are just not true. It’s just not the case. That’s why the NCAA allows trans women to participate in sports. They get it. The NCAA has 200,000 student athletes and only about 50 identify as trans. This is so not an issue.  Hear what Esmee’ Silverman, a trans woman athlete had to say about her own transition during an interview with Above The Noise. [PLAY CLIP]. 

Third, the marketing that is spewed by the right that says they are protecting girls in sports and preserving fairness etc. is just BS. If they really want to do that they can pass bills which mandate women’s sports receive the same funding and investment as men’s sports, that they receive the same pay, the same opportunities to coach. Let’s talk about some things that really matter. 

At the end of the day, our trans fam are easy targets and a convientnet way for homophobic right-wing conservatives to make a political name for themselves. They ride the anti-science narrative until it’s convenient for them and this topic is no different. I believe it’s our responsibility to protect those who are most vulnerable and that is absolutely trans women and girls and even more specifically Black trans women and girls. I hope this helped to explain the nuance of this issue for you and maybe the next time you’re in a room with some homophobes you’ll be empowered to speak up with some facts because that’s when change really happens.  

Now one person making her mark in sports as a trans woman is Nyla Rose. Nyla is a trans, Black, Indigenous wrestler doing her thing in the AEW also known as All Elite Wrestling. In 2019, she became the first trans wrestler to win a major American title so she’s pretty much a legend in this world. She’s had to deal with some transphobic fans but she handles them in her own way. For example, a few months ago a fan brought a sign that read, “Nyla Rose is this guy’s dad.” The sign had an arrow pointing toward the person next to them. Without hesitation Nyla gave that fan the middle finger and security followed suit and promptly removed the fan from the event. I’m here for all of it. Nyla said this, “People might feel it’s a conflict of their beliefs by simply respecting someone else, but it’s not,” … “You don’t have to understand or even agree with somebody’s situation to show them simple respect and kindness, like respecting their pronouns and respecting their way of life.” Nyla, That’s it. That’s all.

Ya’ll know its Black History Month and in every episode this month we are going to celebrate living at the intersections of being Black & Queer. There are so many Black LGBTQ folks who have made history but their sexuality was left out of the story. I’m here to change that. E3 Radio is here to change that. Who they are is just as important as what they did and acknowledging the full depth and breath of someone’s existence can not be understated. We deserve to be seen for all of who we are. Anything less is unjust. So with that our Black History spotlight today is on the organization Native Son. Native Son was founded in 2016 by Emil Wilbekin, the former managing editor of Essence.com. The organization is a “global platform that centers Black gay/queer men and assures them of their “worthiness and purpose in all communities in which they exist.” Native Son is focused on addressing the issues of the community through wellness, empowerment and amplification. Building their media platform so they can address these issues through storytelling the way James Baldwin did. Emil says, “There are so many stories that need to be told to help uplift the Black gay community as well as the Black community holistically especially in the areas of HIV, mental health, identity and representation”. Visit https://nativeson.us and check out their 2021 list of Black gay & queer men who are making impacts on their community. The artwork and stories are just beautiful. 

Now let’s close out this episode with our word of the day. Today’s word is coming from Tamela Mann’s song “Finished Work” off her latest album Overcomer. I’m choosing this song because it’s one that I listen to often during my prayer and meditation time. Besides her voie being amazing the lyrics really do encourage me and sometimes we have to encourage ourselves. Here are a few of my favorite lines from the song. 

When You start moving, everything changes

When You come through, nothing stays the same

There is no doubting, or need to wonder

It’s already finished 

I believe we just have to do our part. We have to do our work. Be committed. Be consistent. Be courageous. Till tomorrow family, peace. 

Sources

South Dakota becomes the first state in 2022 to pass an anti-trans bill

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/02/south-dakota-becomes-first-state-2022-pass-anti-trans-bill/

South Dakota passes two horrifying anti-trans bills in one fell swoop: ‘These votes are shameful’

South Dakota passes two horrifying anti-trans bills in one fell swoop: ‘These votes are shameful’

These leaders are amplifying the voices of the Black queer community

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/02/leaders-amplifying-voices-black-queer-community/

Trans wrestling star Nyla Rose shares secret to laying the smackdown on transphobia

Trans wrestling star Nyla Rose shares secret to laying the smackdown on transphobia

Trans, Black, Indigenous Wrestler Nyla Rose Relishes Being an Inspiration for Others

https://www.si.com/wrestling/2022/02/01/nyla-rose-trans-wrestler-aew

Tamela Mann – Finished Work feat. Todd Dulaney (Lyric Video)

South Dakota will be the first state to pass anti-trans legislation in 2022, Nyla Rose is breaking ceilings as a trans wrestler & we highlight Native Son in our Black History Month Spotlight – Thursday, February 3, 2022