Bestselling author Laurie Frankel and Mayo Clinic expert Dr. Robert Horsley join us to explore Laurie’s deeply moving novel “This Is How It Always Is.” Through the lens of Frankel’s story about a young transgender girl and her loving family, the conversation delves into gender identity, the nuances of gender expression, and the real-world challenges faced by transgender individuals and their loved ones. It’s a thoughtful discussion that underscores how fiction can illuminate the most pressing health and social issues.

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.

We talked with:

• Laurie Frankel is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of five novels. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times and other publications. She is the recipient of the Washington State Book Award and the Endeavor Award. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty-five languages and been optioned for film and TV. A former college professor, she now writes full-time in Seattle, Washington where she lives with her family and makes good soup.
• Robert Horsley, M.D., is an internist in the department of Community Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. He specializes in HIV/AIDS and LGBTQIA+ care. After his Internal Medicine residency, he worked in Maricopa County at the McDowell Clinic, where he gained specialty training in HIV/AIDS and transgender care while providing primary care services. His clinical and research interests are HIV/AIDS, LGBTQIA+ care, and health care disparities.

Purchase “This Is How It Always Is.”

• From Bookshop.org. 
• From Barnes & Noble.  

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