Ray Muscat, a trans man was murdered in Michigan, Monkeypox is back and the CDC wants the gays to be aware & Starbucks is covering travel for employees who have to travel for an abortion or gender-affirming care – Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Ray Muscat, a 24 year old trans man, was murdered in Michigan & by his girlfiend. The CDC held a news conference because Monkeypox is back and it is affecting men who have sex with men a little bit more than others. If you work for Starbucks and are looking to get an abortion or gender-affirming care more than 100 miles from your home they are going to cover your travel costs.

00:00 – Welcome & Intro

01:03 – The NECANN Illinois Cannabis Convention is coming to Chicago on June 10th and 11th. Grab your tickets now at necann.com/illinois

01:47 – Intro Music by Aina Bre’Yon

02:27 – Ray Muscat, a 24 year old trans man, was murdered in Michigan & by his girlfiend

03:43 – The CDC held a news conference because Monkeypox is back and it is affecting men who have sex with men a little bit more than others

05:15 – If you work for Starbucks and are looking to get an abortion or gender-affirming care more than 100 miles from your home they are going to cover your travel costs

05:52 – Anna’s Got A Word

Things for you to check out 

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Sign the Petition – Secure Brittney Griner’s Swift and Safe Return to the U​.​S.

https://www.change.org/p/secure-brittney-griner-s-swift-and-safe-return-to-the-u-s

We expect The @WhiteHouse to use all options available to immediately and safely bring Brittney home. This will help protect the sanctity of sport and support the confidence of all athletes traveling abroad. [2/2]#WeAreBG

— Lindsay Kagawa Colas (she/her) (@kagawacolas) May 13, 2022

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Transcript

Family, this is your favorite queer radio personality Anna DeShawn with our queer news for today. If you enjoy what you hear please consider joining the QCrew. The QCrew is our monthly membership program we just started to help us grow the podcast. I want to bring on a producer, an editor, and travel around the country to tell our stories. If you’re down with it check the link in the show notes for more information. Now for the news.

Ray Muscat, a 24 year old trans man, was murdered in Michigan & by his girlfiend. The CDC held a news conference because Monkeypox is back and it is affecting men who have sex with men a little bit more than others. If you work for Starbucks and are looking to get an abortion or gender-affirming care more than 100 miles from your home they are going to cover your travel costs. 

Our leading story for today is a tragic story out of Michigan. Ray Muscat, a 24 year old trans man, was murdered by his girlfriend Ruby Taverner, (22) who was also trans and who went on to kill her brother (25) and herself. The police are now trying to figure out why. Ray was remembered in an online obituary by his co-workers as a “kind soul who had a glowing smile that was contagious to their day.” This same obituary also misgendered and deadnamed him throughout. It’s reported by the Advocate that Ray is the 13th trans or gender non-conforming person to be killed in 2022. I will say intimate partner violence is very real in queer relationships as well. Pride will have folks thinking our relationships are sunshine and rainbows but that’s just simply not the case. Saturday, May 28th is LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Day because DV is so prevalent and we need to hold space for those going through it. Check on your friends, Check on your family. Oftentimes all you can do is be a listening ear and ensure they know you’re here for them when they are ready to make a change. 

Now about this here Monkeypox. Chile’. We just can’t be great out here. The CDC held a news conference to talk about it and the only reason its on Queer News is because a fair amount of the cases are men who have sex with other men. With pride month coming up they want folks to be aware that this is a thing that’s happening. They also want doctors to be aware and be on the lookout as this isn’t something we typically have to deal with in the states. There are only a handful of cases in the US right now but they expect that to change. Cases have been identified in Massachusetts, New York, Florida, and Utah. I don’t know anything about Monkeypox or any pox so I did some reading. So it is caused by a virus and it can feel like the flu. So if you get it you’ll probably be wondering if you have COVID. Great. But what makes this different is that it will switch from flu-like symptoms to lesions on your body. Often in your genital area so at this point you will think you have a STD. It’s a lot, okay. Now you can get this thing from contact with a person, animal, or surface but it’s the exchange of bodily fluids with someone who has it that will really get you. All of you are staying safe out here, rite. Rite. Make sure your fam and friends are too okay.  

For our last story story, we’re showing love to Starbucks who announced that no matter what the Supreme Court decides it will cover travel costs for employees who must travel over 100 miles to access an abortion or gender-affirming care. We all know that the precedent that will be set when the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Everything is on the table so having private companies choosing to protect their employees means a whole lot. Starbucks isn’t alone either, Amazon & Tesla have rolled very similar policies. 

Now y’all know we always end with a word. The word today is coming from Shonda Rhimes, Year of Yes because I love that book. I don’t read very often but I will listen and this book was narrated by Shonda and she brought her full self to it. Here is the word, “They tell you: Follow your dreams. Listen to your spirit. Change the world. Make your mark. Find your inner voice and make it sing. Embrace failure. Dream. Dream and dream big. As a matter of fact, dream and don’t stop dreaming until your dream comes true. I think that’s crap. I think a lot of people dream. And while they are busy dreaming, the really happy people, the really successful people, the really interesting, powerful, engaged people? Are busy doing.” So are you busy dreaming thats cool just don’t forget to get to do the work. Till tomorrow family, peace

Sources

Ray Muscat, a Trans Man, Was Shot and Killed in Michigan

https://www.them.us/story/trans-man-ray-muscat-killed-by-girlfriend-in-michigan

24-year-old white Trans Man Ray Muscat Shot to Death by Girlfriend in Michigan

https://www.pghlesbian.com/2022/05/24-year-old-white-trans-man-ray-muscat-shot-to-death-by-girlfriend-in-michigan/

HRC Remembers the ‘Glowing Smile’ of Ray Muscat

https://www.hrc.org/news/hrc-remembers-the-glowing-smile-of-ray-muscat

UNAIDS calls out homophobic & racist coverage of monkeypox

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/05/unaids-calls-homophobic-racist-coverage-monkeypox/

Anyone can get monkeypox, but CDC warns LGBTQ community about ‘greater chance’ of exposure now

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/23/health/monkeypox-lgbtq

Starbucks to pay travel costs for trans employees getting gender-affirming care

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/05/starbucks-pay-travel-costs-trans-employees-getting-gender-affirming-care/