When she was growing up in conservative, evangelical rural Minnesota, she knew. When she was excelling at sports, giving and receiving body slams and folding chair hits as a pro wrestler, she knew. Even when she married a woman while still living as a man, Denise knew that she was female. Denise figured it was either suicide or take action to live her truth and fully transition. With her debut special, Bougie on a Budget, now streaming on Apple TV Plus and Amazon Prime, Denise opens up her gender journey and the joys and challenges she faced along the way. She reveals that her standup career took off when she acknowledged her transgender status on stage. Denise also discusses her life with fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes not just constant body pain and migraines but also depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.

(As mentioned on the show)

Wits Reunion Show at the Fitzgerald Theater

John Moe’s writing classes at the Loft Literary Center

Math Emergency Farewell Show at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall

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Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines