Sha’Carri Richardson is calling the Olympics to task as she wasn’t allowed to compete in Tokyo due to failing a drug test while this year a Russian ice skater also tested positive has been competing and winning. Destinee LaShaee, the first trans woman on my 600-lb life has taken her own life. We salute Barbara Jordan during our Black History month spotlight.

00:00 – Welcome & Intro

00:35 – Rate & Review Queer News Ad

01:03 – Intro Music

01:43 – Sha’Carri Richardson is calling the Olympics to task as she wasn’t allowed to compete in Tokyo due to failing a drug test while this year a Russian ice skater also tested positive but has been competing and winning

03:43 – Destinee LaShaee, the first trans woman on my 600-lb life has taken her own life

05:25 – We salute Barbara Jordan during our Black History month spotlight

06:54 – Anna’s Got A Word

Things for you to check out 

Sha’Carri Richardson speaks up on Kamila Valieva drug testing scandal

If you need someone to talk to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is availble at 1-800-273-8255. The Trevor Project is available 24/7, and can be reached at 1-866-488-7386 via call or text. For my trans fam, there is the Trans Lifeline at 1-877-565-8860. It’s staffed by trans people, for trans people. These are tough times. We are living through one of the most challenging times in our history and we can’t get through it alone. None of us can. 

Learn more about Barbara Jordan 

http://gomag.com/article/queer-women-history-forgot-barbara-jordan/

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Transcript

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

Sha’Carri Richardson is calling the Olympics to task as she wasn’t allowed to compete in Tokyo due to failing a drug test while this year a Russian ice skater also tested positive has been competing and winning. Destinee LaShaee, the first trans woman on my 600-lb life has taken her own life. We salute Barbara Jordan during our Black History month spotlight.

Our leading story for today is about Sha’Carri Richardson. Sha’Carri made quite the splash last year during the Olympic trials with her lightning speed, bold style and coming out about her girlfriend. We also know she was banned from the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for marijuana. She later apologized and also shared that she smoked to help deal with the passing of her mother. She was subsequently suspended for a month which caused her to miss the Tokyo Olympics. Well now she’s calling out racism and a double standard that’s emerged as a Russian ice skater tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug but was still allowed to compete in this years Olympics. Sha’Carri took to twitter and said, “Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mines? My mother died and I can’t run and was also favored to place top 3. The only difference I see is I’m a black young lady.” She’s not the only one questioning the decision either as a New York Times reporter has called it out as well as the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Now, Russia is well known for doping athletes. Technically, Russia is banned from competing in the Olympics. But just like the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Russian athletes are still participating under the banner of the Russian Olympic Committee. Tell me how that’s possible. So right now the Russian ice skater has won a couple of medals and even though they allowed her to compete she couldn’t get on the podium and accept her medal yesterday. The Olympic committee is now saying things are still under investigation and that she was allowed to compete because she’s 15 and considered a protected class. Meaning she may not have known what was being given to her. I think It’s only under investigation now because people are speaking up. There is no way anyone who tests positive for performance enhancing drugs should be competing. Period. 

Our next story is a sad one. Destinee LaShaee, the first trans woman to participate on the show my 600-lb life has taken her own life at 30 years young. Destinee talked openly about her struggles with mental health stemming from a lot of life trauma. Her death took place on the one year anniversary of her sister’s death. She posted a series of posts on her sister’s Facebook page as well. Some of which read, “To everyone who genuinely love and support me, I love you and I’m grateful to have touched millions of lives and hearts around the world” … “Living my life with so much pain for so long I’ve come to realize that God makes no mistakes” and this last one, “If I was surrounded by all my tears I’d be floating in the ocean.” Whew that last one hits in a different way. People are hurting. It was just a couple of weeks ago we were remembering Mayor Kevin Ward and Cheslie Kryst here on this very podcast. Check on your people even the strong ones you don’t think need it. 

If you need someone to talk to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is availble at 1-800-273-8255. The Trevor Project is available 24/7, and can be reached at 1-866-488-7386 via call or text. For my trans fam, there is the Trans Lifeline at 1-877-565-8860. It’s staffed by trans people, for trans people. These are tough times. We are living through one of the most challenging times in our history and we can’t get through it alone. None of us can. 

Now y’all know its Black History Month and in every episode this month we are going to celebrate living at the intersections of being Black & Queer. With that our Black History spotlight today is Barbara Jordan. 

As reported by NBC News, Jordan, a civil rights leader and attorney, became the first African American elected to the Texas Senate in 1966, and the first woman and first African American elected to Congress from Texas in 1972. In her time as a congresswoman, Jordan sponsored or co-sponsored more than 70 bills, most of which were in support of services for minorities and the underprivileged. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Bill Clinton in 1994 for her work as a political trailblazer. While she never explicitly acknowledged her sexual orientation in public, she was open about her life partner of nearly 30 years, Nancy Earl. Who she met in the most lesbian of ways, on a camping trip. Jordan’s legacy is continued through the Jordan Rustin Coalition, a non-profit that works to “empower Black same-gender loving, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and families in Greater Los Angeles, to promote equal marriage rights and to advocate for fair treatment of everyone without regard to race, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.” Barbara Jordan we see you & we salute you. 

Let’s close out today with a word about abundance. Wayne Dyer has a quote that says, “Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.” I know the first thing I think about when it comes to abundance is money. Well today I also recognize that isn’t all it means. We can apply abundance to so many different things in our lives. We all want an abundance of love & joy & peace. We want our cups to overflow with good. We can tune-in to this level of abundance by living in gratitude. By tapping into the good that’s around us already. Another quote says, “Gratitude is the open door to abundance.” Open that door and begin claiming your abundance. Till tomorrow family, peace. 

Sources

Sha’Carri Richardson calls out racism after skater cleared to compete despite positive drug test

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/02/shacarri-richardson-calls-racism-skater-cleared-compete-despite-positive-drug-test/

My 600-lb Life’s Destinee LaShaee tragically dies aged 30

My 600-lb Life’s Destinee LaShaee tragically dies aged 30

Queer Women History Forgot: Barbara Jordan

http://gomag.com/article/queer-women-history-forgot-barbara-jordan/

Sha’Carri Richardson calls out racism in the recent Olympic doping scandal, Destinee LaShaee, the first trans woman on my 600-lb life has taken her own & we salute Barbara Jordan during our Black History Month spotlight – Tuesday, February 15. 2022