This Fuck Yeah Friday, Lesley Logan shares the story of Dr. James Barry, a woman who changed medical history by defying the limits placed on her. The episode also includes a community win around collaboration and referrals, along with a personal reflection on how small steps build momentum. It offers a grounded reminder that progress builds through consistency, not perfection.

 

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In this episode you will learn about:

• How refusing limits on her identity allowed a woman to reshape medical history.
• The importance of women supporting communities so everyone benefits.
• How long-term client relationships grow through shared history and trust.
• Why collaboration grows stronger through open referrals and support.
• How confidence and momentum grow by simply getting started.

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Episode Transcript:

Lesley Logan 0:00  

It's Fuck Yeah Friday. 

Brad Crowell 0:01  

Fuck yeah. 

Lesley Logan 0:02  

Get ready for some wins. Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. 

Lesley Logan 0:48  

Happy last Friday of January 2026. Holy freaking molly. This is crazy. It's crazy. Oh my goodness. How are you, babe? Really? I am so grateful that you are spending some time listening to this podcast. I do not take it lightly. I am obsessed with what we're creating. I cannot believe how deep into the 600 episodes we are. It is mind boggling to me, to be completely honest. So we're gonna kick this off with something that inspired me. This is insanity. This is gonna blow your mind and like, create things to talk about during your day. If you're like, oh my God, I don't know how to talk to this person, you should talk about this. All right. So for 56 years, the British Army's top surgeon had a secret so explosive, they buried the records for a century to hide it. Even Florence Nightingale never figured it out. Margaret Ann Bulkley, was born in 1809 Ireland. At 15, she watched her father rot in debtors prison, while her uncle, a famous artist, refused to help. Historians think she was raped, got pregnant, had to hide the baby as her sister. But Margaret didn't break. She did something so insane, so brilliant, that 200 years later, we're still shook by the audacity of it all. She killed Margaret Bulkley. Became James Barry, bound her chest, deepened her voice, and walked into the Edinburgh, Edinburgh Medical School like she owned the place. The other students thought he was a prepubescent boy. Too young, too smooth-faced. The university tried blocking the degree. But Barry had allies. In 1812, Dr. James Barry graduates, moved to London, becomes an army surgeon. The transformation was complete. Margaret was dead. James was unstoppable. Posted to Cape Town. Barry didn't just treat white colonists. He fought for enslaved people, prisoners, lepers. Made enemies everywhere. His temper was legendary. Once got into a pistol duel, shot the peak off the other guy's hat. Message delivered, don't f with Dr. Barry. Then came the moment that should have exposed everything. A woman with a complicated pregnancy needed a C-section. No European had done one in Africa and kept both the mother and the child alive. Barry doesn't has, didn't hesitate, cut her open, pulled out the baby, stitched her up. Both survived. They named the child James Barry. In honor. For 46 years, Barry rose through the ranks, became Inspector General. I mean, the most beautiful, like, just look at that. Oh, like angelic. Became Inspector General, second highest medical position in the British Army, reformed hospitals everywhere. Florence Nightingale called her or the most hardened creature I've ever met. She had no idea she was beefing with a woman fighting tooth and nail trying to survive. Barry had rules. Nobody enters while I'm undressing. If I die, bury me in my sheets. No examination, no preparation, just bury me fast. But on July 25th 1865 Barry dies of dysentery. The chairwoman preparing the body makes a discovery that rocks the British Empire to its core. Not just female anatomy, stretch marks, signs of childbirth. The second highest medical officer in the British Army had been a woman all along. The army went into damage control, sealed the records for 100 years, tried to make it disappear, but the truth was already spreading. The woman who couldn't get into university because of her sex had just spent 56 years as British Army's most decorated doctor. She performed surgeries men couldn't reform, healthcare systems saved thousands, all while, one discovery away from losing everything. They tried to bury her as Margaret, but she'd already buried, already buried that girl in 1809, she died as she lived as Dr. James Barry, on her own terms. Everyone who's been told that's not for girls, this is your ancestor. So whether we want to call them Dr. Barry or Mark like she I think Dr. Barry, this person's a badass, amazing and just goes to show us all that, like, like, things can happen and they can change you, and you can still change the world. You can still take all of that and go and change the world. And it's hard. I'm sure it was so difficult for this person, no wonder they were angry. No wonder people were fighting them, like, I can't even imagine. But also like, wow, way to pave ways, and way to make discoveries and save lives, and not just fight for one side, but also, like for the lives of other people. We can do a lot of things. So just proof that when women are in communities, we support the whole community. It's kind of amazing. 

Lesley Logan 5:17  

All right, your win for today that you've sent in. So you can send in your wins to beitpod.com/questions you can send a question, you can send a win. But this is from MelissaYNagai. She's been with us for so long, and I love that she still sends her wins into us. So I realized today that every client I taught has done Pilates for years. Two go to yoga studios for mat, some have moved closer to me, so switched. A couple worked with me at a previous studio I worked at, and now here with me. Also, several of them have taken time off Pilates, but keep coming back. And that's so cool. I think that's so cool. I think it's so awesome. Also, that you're celebrating that they've been doing it for years. It's not just with you that, like they've just been doing it for years, and like it used to be when we all started teaching Melissa, I'm sure the same way, it's like, like, most people didn't even know what Pilate was. And now we have people who've been doing Pilates for years and years and years, and yes, people are still discovering it, but like, it's possible to have all these people just have, like, a lot of history doing Pilates. You also sent in, had some of the team from the health and wellness unlimited out to my home studio space for a bit of conversation how they can help make referrals, plus a mini workout. This is the clinic I share space with my second studio. And I just absolutely love that you are spreading the good word and inviting people in to see how we can collaborate more. Y'all, like, Pilates or whatever it is that you do. This isn't always Pilates. People who are listening whatever is that you do. It's better in collaboration. Everything is, you know, and it's hard to do because we're like, oh my God, why would they work with me? Or I don't know. I don't want them to think I'm still, no one is, I don't I you're not if you're listening this podcast, you're probably not an asshole, and you're unlikely to steal anybody's anything. But like, we can help people. My chiropractor sends us members. We send my people to my chiropractor. Like, it's just how it makes the world go round. And isn't that great? People want good referrals. So I love that you're shining from the rooftops, like, how what you do can support what they do. And I think I love that this is a win, Melissa, because we can all learn from that. Like, how can I work with someone over there who does something different than me, but with people who are the same as who I work with? How can we work together more? That's what makes things a community. That's what makes people feel less alone. 

Lesley Logan 6:09  

All right, your, oh, my win. I always was like, okay, done, nailed it. You know, my win is, I was reflecting a bit about last year. I take a little while because, like, to me, I'm on tour for when the New Year happens. So I took some time. And on my vacation, I thought about, like, oh, I wanted to read 25 books in 2025 like, did I do that? I did. I read more. And I actually realized, like, because I started reading again, like, how fast I read again. And, like, I read things all over the place, like, all over different subjects and genres. And I really enjoy that. And I also count Audible books as reading a book. So because I listen to Audible books and read physical books, and I love reading physical books, that's just not always an option, especially when I'm on tour, that like, I could probably read even more. So, you know, definitely 26 in 26 but you know, it really, it felt really kind of daunting when I was like, oh, am I gonna read 25 books? How am I gonna read 25 books, especially when the first few just took a little longer than I thought. But the reality is, like you just get started. Just get started. And so I hope that helps you. If that is a goal of yours, to read more, and that's my win for this week. See how simple a win can be. I've read some books. Yes, I did, and I'm so like, you just it's actually quite nice to read a book. 

Lesley Logan 8:38  

Okay, I grow towards my interests like a plant reaching for the sun. I grow towards my interests like a plant reaching for the sun. I grow towards my interest like a plant reaching for the sun. Oh yeah. Like chew on that all weekend long, loves. All right. Send this to a friend who needs to hear it. It really would help this podcast grow. Send your questions and your wins in. We love sharing them and listening to them and until next time, Be It Till You See It. 

Lesley Logan 9:09  

That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.

Brad Crowell 9:51  

It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.

Lesley Logan 9:56  

It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.

Brad Crowell 10:01  

Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.

Lesley Logan 10:08  

Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.

Brad Crowell 10:11  

Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.

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