What does gender-affirming menopause care actually look like in practice? Who gets left out of traditional menopause narratives, and why does that matter for everybody (not just trans bodies)?

In this intimate and wide-ranging launch conversation, Lasara Firefox Allen, MSW (they/them), author of Genderqueer Menopause, sits down with Dr. Kristin Gianelis (she/her), DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, MSCP, nurse practitioner and menopause clinician, to explore what it means to reimagine menopause through a gender-expansive, trauma-informed, and embodied lens.

Together they reflect on:

• Why menopause care has historically erased trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people

• How gender-affirming care benefits everyone, not only trans bodies

• The clinical gaps in menopause education and why new standards of care are urgently needed

• The impact of language, aesthetics, and cultural narratives on bodily autonomy and dignity

• Lasara’s personal journey through perimenopause, gender identity, and self-advocacy in medical systems

• How clinicians and caregivers can begin closing access and competency gaps now

• An excerpt reading from Genderqueer Menopause

• Live reflection and conversation about what inclusive care can become

This conversation bridges lived experience, clinical practice, and systems-level change. It is for healthcare providers, trans and gender-expansive people navigating menopause, caregivers, educators, and anyone curious about how medicine can evolve toward deeper equity, care, and truth.

✨ Genderqueer Menopause is available wherever you buy books. ✨

If this conversation resonates, please like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs this work in their hands, for their bodies.

LINKS:

Buy Genderqueer Menopause Here!

Register for The Genderqueer Futures Gender-Affirming Menopause Care Provider Certification Course Here.

Find out more about Lasara and their offerings here!

Find out more about Dr. Kristin Gianelis here.

#menopause #menopausecare #genderqueermenopause #genderaffirmingmenopause #menopausesupport

What happens when gender-affirming therapy meets embodied care? Dr. Jesse Bossé joins me, Lasara Firefox Allen, on The Genderqueer Menopause Coach Podcast, to explore trauma-informed psychology, queer embodiment, and how we make mental health and menopause care safer for trans and gender-diverse people — at every age and stage.

We covered a lot--from "gender-affirming care is for everybody!" to "hormones have no gender." You can hear it all here. And yes, it is over an hour--because it was a great conversation! Join us.

Enjoy the show.

BIO:

Dr. Jesse Bossé (they/them) is a queer, nonbinary clinical psychologist whose work bridges mental health, education, and advocacy in support of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Grounded in anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, and gender-affirming practices, their approach emphasizes informed consent, embodied care, and systemic awareness. Dr. Bossé provides training, consultation, and leadership on inclusive care practices, the ethics of affirming care, and the impact of structural oppression on gender-diverse individuals. They have contributed to policy and educational initiatives at local, national, and international levels, including with the Canadian Psychological Association, Global Psychology Alliance, and the American Psychological Association. Their advocacy has also extended into the legal sphere, where they have taken part in constitutional challenges to defend the rights of trans and nonbinary people. They are the author of Beyond the Trans-Cis Binary: A Healthcare Provider’s Guide to Detransition and Non-Linear Gender Trajectories, and were recognized with the CPA’s John C. Service Member of the Year Award for their leadership in advancing gender diversity and preventing gender-based harm.

In this episode, I interview Nicole and Danielle of the Peri-Tales Podcast. We cover A LOT of ground. This episode is slightly longer than some of my others. The conversation was so interesting!

About our Guests:

Nicole Mena (she/her) is a licensed acupuncturist and practitioner of Chinese herbal medicine in Philadelphia. Her specialties include reproductive disorders and fertility support. Both her and her sister Danielle host the podcast Peri-tales which documents not only their perimenopause journey but also explores access to necessary and essential healthcare support for everyone going through perimenopause by interviewing guests across different fields, socio-economic backgrounds and racial backgrounds. They hope to bring more light to healthcare inequalities and limits to access with care for perimenopause.

Danielle Squillante is a mother and organizer based in western MA. She works at the Prison Policy Initiative, and is one of the founding members of the Decarcerate Western MA Bailout Project, an all volunteer community bail fund. She has served in leadership roles in DSA, and takes an anti-capitalist approach to health care and health equity.

You can find their podcast here⁠!

And as always, about your host:

Not finding the resources they needed when they hit perimenopause, The Genderqueer Menopause Coach, Lasara Firefox Allen, set out to educate themself so they could advocate effectively for their own needs. This led to a vast amount of media consumption and more and more acute awareness of how highly gendered the majority of the available materials here–with a few notable exceptions. Lasara decided at that point to become part of the solution. This culminated in Menopause Doula Training with The Menopause School, and then the GGS Menopause Coaching certification process, which Lasara is currently completing. This process of discovery has led to Lasara’s ongoing dedication toward creating a Menopause Coaching practice that is empowering and gender affirming.

As usual, you can find more info about my services here.

In this episode, I interview Heather Corinna of Scarleteen and What Fresh Hell is This, a memoir/survival guide about perimenopause. We discuss genderqueer navigation of menopause, and the importance of access to information and community.

Heather is a dedicated queer feminist activist, author, educator, artist, teacher and community organizer. They’re the founder, editor and co-director, of the web clearinghouse and organization Scarleteen, the first truly comprehensive and inclusive sex, sexuality, bodies and relationships education site and resource for young people of its kind. In its 25 years, Scarleteen has served free and high-quality education to around 90 million users. Heather’s the author of S.E.X: The All-You-Need-To-Know Sexuality Guide to Get You Through Your Teens and Twenties; with Isabella Rotman, Wait, What?: A Comic Book Guide to Relationships, Bodies, and Growing Up (Oni Press, September 2019), and the perimenopause memoir/survival guide What Fresh Hell Is This? Perimenopause, Menopause, Other Indignities and You.

In this episode, The Genderqueer Menopause Coach, Lasara Firefox Allen, MSW, speaks with Haley Collins, NP, of FOLX.com about some possible impacts on sexuality during genderqueer (and otherwise queer) menopause. Also discussed are genital atrophy and its comprehensive impact on health and well-being, and many treatment options--including how to treat this condition if one does not want to supplement with estrogen.

Haley Collins is a Family Nurse Practitioner in Asheville, North Carolina, and is an NCMP (NAMS Certified Menopause Provider). She has provided primary care at schools, homeless shelters, and clinics, as well as virtually. Previously while working in Harlem, New York, she was part of the LGBTQIA+ committee to help provide an inclusive environment to staff and patients. She's passionate about providing a positive personal connection virtually that's as strong as a traditional in-person office visit. Haley specializes in primary care, sexual and reproductive health care, and pediatrics, as well as menopause care. Haley is the director of general practice for FOLX.

Please enjoy Episode 1 of the Genderqueer Menopause Podcast! In this episode, I, Lasara Allen, MSW, The Genderqueer Menopause Coach, interview Dr. Marie Benkley.

Dr. Marie is an evidence-based Naturopathic Doctor and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP) practicing in Portland, Oregon. She provides comprehensive menopause healthcare, with a focus on both current and long term health - including mental health, sexual health, heart health and bone health - that can be impacted by this hormonal change.

Dr. Marie is dedicated to supporting you in understanding your menopausal experience and the treatment options available (if needed) so you can make informed decisions about your health and navigate this time in life with greater ease and clarity. She has expertise in a variety of treatment options for menopausal symptoms, including menopausal hormone therapy (MHT, also known as HRT), non-hormonal medications and natural therapies.

Dr. Marie is passionate about LGBTQ+ inclusive menopause care and is committed to providing affirming care for all people experiencing menopause. She has additional training and clinical experience in gender-affirming care, including gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT).

Dr. Marie’s clinical practice is located at Mandala Medicine & Wellness in Portland, OR. She also sees patients virtually throughout Oregon, Washington and New Hampshire. She is accepting new patients for in-person and virtual care.

When not seeing patients, Dr. Marie can often be found powerlifting, climbing, backpacking or riding motorcycles. She also loves long walks with her partner and German Shepard pup.

You can find Dr. Marie at www.drbenkley.com or on Instagram at @DrMarieBenkley.

You can find me, Lasara, at www.genderqueermenopause.com, on Instagram at @genderqueer.menopause, or on Facebook at GenderqueerMenopause, or on TikTok at @genderqueer.menopause.

Thank you for listening!