The episode features a conversation between the host NV Gay and Mardi Pieronek, a 63-year-old trans woman who has been living authentically since age 15. Mardi shares her experiences as a trans woman who has survived decades of discrimination, the AIDS epidemic, and societal challenges. She discusses how she started her social media presence in 2014 at the encouragement of prominent trans figures like Laverne Cox to share her story and provide representation for younger trans people. The conversation covers the evolution of trans rights, the importance of visibility and community, and how both NV and Mardi navigate current anti-trans political climates. Mardi shares personal stories about her transition journey, her experiences with hormone therapy, and her advocacy work. Both NV and Mardi emphasize the importance of humanizing trans people through everyday interactions rather than just online activism. The episode concludes with advice for allies on how to support the trans community and for trans individuals to remember that being transgender is just one aspect of their multifaceted identities.

• Source materials for this episode cannot be listed here due to character limitations. For a full list of sources, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bornthiswaypodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Born this Way is hosted by Vincent-Natasha "NV" Gay

• Instagram: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nv.gay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mx. NV Gay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Born this Way is an ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Inquisitor Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Original Produce by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Mx. Gay Creative Direction⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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The episode features Ryan Cassata, an award-winning transgender singer-songwriter, actor, writer, and LGBTQ+ activist. The host introduces Ryan's impressive accomplishments, including eight critically acclaimed albums, over 650 performances nationwide and internationally, and recognition from publications like Billboard and The Advocate. Ryan discusses his latest album "Greetings from Echo Park," released in June at the beginning of Pride month, which explores his experiences with Lyme disease and chronic illness, his transgender journey, and themes of isolation, disability, addiction, mental health, and queer love. Throughout the conversation, Ryan emphasizes the importance of authenticity, community, and being true to oneself despite societal pressures. He explains his decision not to take testosterone to preserve his singing voice, discusses the meaning behind his protest songs, and shares insights about the intersection of his music with activism. Ryan also talks about his punk ethos, which he defines as being authentic, supporting community, and standing against oppression. The interview concludes with Ryan encouraging listeners to be themselves, surround themselves with supportive people, and for allies to actively support trans people through listening to diverse trans experiences, attending protests, and supporting trans artists.

• Source materials for this episode cannot be listed here due to character limitations. For a full list of sources, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bornthiswaypodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Born this Way is hosted by Vincent-Natasha "NV" Gay

• Instagram: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nv.gay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nv.gay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mx. NV Gay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Born this Way is an ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Inquisitor Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Original Produce by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Mx. Gay Creative Direction⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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The episode features a conversation between host NV Gay and best selling author Tourmaline. The main focus is on Tourmaline's national bestselling book "Marsha," which chronicles the life of LGBTQ+ activist Marsha P. Johnson. Tourmaline shares insights from her nearly 20 years of research on Marsha's life, highlighting Marsha's artistic pursuits, spirituality, and activism. The conversation reveals how Marsha maintained her Christian faith despite adversity and used it to fuel her community work. They discuss how Marsha's example of daily acts of care and community support remains relevant today. The latter part of the conversation shifts to discussing affirmations and self-care practices for the trans community during difficult times. Tourmaline emphasizes the importance of acknowledging problems while also freedom dreaming and taking both large and small actions to create change. The conversation concludes with advice for allies on how to support trans organizers and community members through care packages and affirming words.

• Source materials for this episode cannot be listed here due to character limitations. For a full list of sources, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.bornthiswaypodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Born this Way is hosted by Vincent-Natasha "NV" Gay

• Instagram: ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nv.gay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@nv.gay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mx. NV Gay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Born this Way is an ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Inquisitor Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Original Produce by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Mx. Gay Creative Direction⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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