Gender: A Wider Lens

Join Sasha, Stella, and Aaron Kimberly for a conversation exploring gender identity, queer theory, and intersex experiences.

In this candid conversation, Aaron shares about his journey through adolescence and the challenges of growing up in a rural farming community with early onset gender dysphoria. He touches on categorization error and its impact on identity development, as well as the discovery of his intersex condition. The discussion explores the complexities of social transitioning within the lesbian community, and the importance of access to accurate information and its influence in shaping one's identity. The conversation even digs into the world of queer theory, its aim to deconstruct traditional categories, and the impact Aaron’s study of queer theory had on his perceptions of gender non-conformity and his own personal decision to transition.

Aaron Kimberly is a female to male transsexual, born with a rare ovotesticular intersex condition which was diagnosed when he was 19. As an adolescent, he was having severe gynecological problems and began to masculinize at the onset of puberty, until the ovotestes was discovered and removed. For many years, he was confused about his identity, sexuality and biological sex, and eventually decided to continue masculinizing with HRT and legally change sex.

Aaron is also a mental health nurse with an interest in the many forms of gender dysphoria, and concerned about the many iterations of social contagions among youth, such as ticks, "multiple personalities" and trans identity. He's the executive director of the Gender Dysphoria Alliance, co-host of the Transparency Podcast, a member of the newly launched LGBT Courage Coalition and a board member of APISC Digital Research Foundation which is using AI technology to map online influences on youth identity formation.

Links:

Gender Dysphoria Alliance

https://www.genderdysphoriaalliance.com/ 

Transparency Podcast

https://www.youtube.com/@GenderDysphoriaAlliance

Selection from Aaron’s Art Collection

One Hand Clapping: Portraits and Pomes

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1epzrDb1isrVnqAVqxAown-m-OY7chrsW/view?usp=drive_link 

Order Our Book – When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents

https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/ 

Support Our Show & Access Exclusive Content

https://www.patreon.com/WiderLensPod

Join the conversation on YouTube

www.youtube.com/@widerlenspod

If you liked this episode, more episodes you might find interesting:

Episode 10 - Queer Theory: Subverting Life's Categories

https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/10-queer-theory 

Episode 44 - Multiple Meanings of Gender Dysphoria: A Conversation with Aaron Terrell

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com

Join Stella and Sasha as they discuss the exciting lineup of speakers and topics at the upcoming conference in Denver. From brain sex to the opioid epidemic, gender ideology to detransition stories, this event promises to be intellectually stimulating, heartwarming, and inspiring. Don't miss the chance to meet these influential voices in person and engage in important conversations.

Explore Genspect’s The Bigger Picture Conference in Denver this November! Be there for enlightening discussions on gender, politics, and society. Experts from diverse backgrounds, including biology, psychology, law, and more, will tackle essential topics. Discover a nuanced approach to gender, listen to whistleblower reflections, and delve into the impact of politics on parenting. Don't miss out on this thought-provoking event that aims to bring different perspectives together for a comprehensive understanding of gender issues.

Attend Genspect’s: The Bigger Picture

https://genspect.org/the-bigger-picture-continues-denver-colorado/ 

Order Our Book – When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents

https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/ 

Join Our Listener Community

https://www.patreon.com/WiderLensPod

Links:

The Bigger Picture Conference, Killarney, Ireland | Archives

https://genspect.org/the-bigger-picture-conference/ 

• Opening Plenary with Stella O’Malley
• When Ideology Meets Gender Healthcare with Helen Joyce
• What if they’re Gay and not Trans? Panel Moderated by Benjamin Boyce
• The Betrayal of Trust with Stephanie Davies-Arai
• The Pronoun Debate Moderated by Alasdair Gunn
• Dismantling the “Evidence” with Michael Biggs
• The Confluence of Philosophy, Feminism & Queer Theory Heather Brunskell-Evans
• Gender Ideology in Irish Education Moderated by Stella O’Malley
• Gender Ideology as a Religion with Colette Colfer
• Should Puberty Blockers Ever be Used for Gender...
  
  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com

"I have the kind of child who will do the opposite if I ask her to do something. How do I soften her defense and so she'll open her mind to ideas different than hers? One example is I want to watch the No Way Back film in the family movie night but also worry she'll simply push back, or worse, shut herself tight on this topic."

Sasha & Stella reference a few documentary's in their response:

Trans Kids: It's Time to Talk

http://www.stellaomalley.com/trans-kids-time-to-talk 

The Trans Train :

Part 1: 

Part 2: 

Part 3: 

Part 4:

Sasha and Stella discuss the current cultural impulse that suggests affirming “trans” identity is the same as affirming gay sexual orientation in young people - are these two declarations really as parallel as the social justice narrative claims them to be? Sasha and Stella emphasize the importance of not conflating the two and explore how society's response to a child's gender identity should differ from declarations about sexual orientation. This discussion provides valuable perspectives on the nuanced relationship between gender identity, sexuality, and the importance of careful consideration when affirming a child's self-defined gender .

Stella draws from her own personal experiences with gender dysphoria while growing up, and Sasha chimes in, offering expert insights from individual therapy with gender-distressed youth. This conversation sheds light on the challenges faced by young people navigating multiple aspects of their identity development. 

They stress the importance of listening deeply and compassionately to young people’s distress while carefully navigating the fine line between affirmation and genuine understanding so that children can feel truly heard and supported, rather than superficially being “agreed with.” This thought-provoking conversation highlights the nuances of gender identity and ways it may differ from sexual orientation while also considering the long-term consequences of medical interventions, challenging the affirmation-only narrative, and encouraging a more thoughtful and reflective approach to supporting trans-identified kids.

Links:

Order Our Book – When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents

https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/ 

Join Our Listener Community to Access Exclusive Bonus Content

https://www.patreon.com/WiderLensPod

Trans Kids: It's Time to Talk

http://www.stellaomalley.com/trans-kids-time-to-talk

Affirmation Therapy: Necessary, But Not Sufficient

https://youtu.be/WxRJQ_FI70c?feature=shared 

Helena Part 1: Social Justice, Fandoms & FtM Gay Boys

https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/45-helena-part-1-social-justice-fandoms-ftm-gay-boys 

Helena Part II: Advice for Parents from a Former Trans Kid

https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/46-helena-part-ii-advice-for-parents-from-a-former-trans-kid 

One Detrans Voice: A Conversation with Carol

https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/15-one-detrans-voice-a-conversation-with-carol 

Facing Futility: You Can’t Actually Change Sex, with Corinna Cohn

https://youtu.be/-nSUAqdT0fw?si=cSC0slo2-4m_PI1C 

Explore Gender Identity Development...

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com

The beginning part of this conversation might sound a little familiar as it was included in the last part of Ep 132. Because the bonus conversation includes an analysis of the role played scenario from the full episode, we wanted to to include the role playing portion of the full episode here as well to offer context for the analysis discussion. 

In this thought-provoking episode, Stella and Sasha engage in a powerful conversation with the brilliant Peter Boghossian, known for his controversial public resignation from Portland State University and his critical stance on academia.

Dr. Peter Boghossian is a Founding Faculty member at the University of Austin and the director of National Progress Alliance. Peter has a teaching pedigree spanning more than 25 years that focuses on the Socratic method, scientific skepticism, and critical thinking. Peter’s dissertation explored increasing the moral reasoning of prison inmates and aiding their resistance to crime. His most recent book is How to Have Impossible Conversations, and his writing can be found in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, Time Magazine, National Review, and elsewhere. His work is centered on bringing the tools of professional philosophers to a wide variety of contexts to help people think through what seem to be intractable problems.

The highlight of this episode is a role-playing exercise where Peter assumes the role of a concerned parent, while Stella and Sasha take on the roles of 13-year-old kids seeking puberty blockers. You'll witness Peter's exceptional ability to lower defensiveness and foster understanding in the midst of a challenging conversation. His calm, patient, and curious approach shines through, setting an inspiring example for parents facing similar challenges. 

We highly recommend exploring Peter's YouTube channel where he posts his street epistemologies. His work, as seen in his book "How to Have Impossible Conversations," has been featured in respected publications like Scientific American, Time Magazine, and National Review.

Don't miss this enlightening episode where Peter Boghossian shares his expertise in navigating difficult conversations and sheds light on the importance of approaching the topic of gender exploration with intention, understanding and empathy. Peter's extensive experience and wisdom provide a fresh perspective on an issue many listeners grapple with.

Join us for this remarkable conversation that may change the way you engage in impossible conversations.

Order Our Book – When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents

https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/ 

Support Our Show by Subscribing to Our Listener Community

https://www.patreon.com/WiderLensPod

Links:

Find Peter Boghossian

Linktr.ee - https://linktr.ee/peterboghossian 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@drpeterboghossian 

Substack - https://boghossian.substack.com/ 

Buy Peter’s Book

https://www.amazon.com/How-Have-Impossible-Conversations-Practical/dp/0738285323 

Confrontation at Portland State University: https://youtu.be/zxvyeZa1YSI?si=13rStQrj4yl962jB 

If you liked this episode, more episodes you might find interesting:

Episode 7 - Collective Collusion

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com

Sasha and Stella continue the conversation with Corinna Cohn talking about Corinna’s writing, political advocacy, pronouns, free speech, female spaces and lots of other things.

Fellow podcaster, Corinna Cohn, joins Sasha and Stella for an incredibly deep and meaningful discussion. Demonstrating no shortage of her charming sarcastic banter, Corinna offers an endearing balance of humor and thoughtful introspection as well as informative insights based on her lived experience as a transexual, writer, and activist. The conversation covers a wide array of topics including Corinna’s early experiences with gender identity exploration, transition and the changing landscape of gender, as well as her reevaluation of her own perceptions of gender and self-acceptance. 

Corinna Cohn is a writer, podcaster, and activist from Indiana. Corinna was diagnosed with gender identity disorder at age 15 and underwent surgical transition at age 19. In 2019, she became involved in patient advocacy, and in 2022 began organizing to support legislation that regulates gender medicalization of minors. Corinna has met with legislators and given testimony in Indiana, Texas, and Ohio.

In this episode, you’ll hear Corinna share her reflections that the acknowledgment of futility is a crucial step in one’s personal growth and acceptance, particularly in challenging situations. Together, Sasha, Stella and Corinna get into finding meaning in navigating ambivalence, self-reflection and accountability. Their discussion also highlights Corinna’s activism in the context of the evolution of transgender activism, the complexity of legislative politics in the United States and the projected future of gender identity politics as a movement.

Links:

Corinna’s Substack

https://substack.com/@corinnacohn 

Heterodorx Podcast (with co-host Nina Paley):

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heterodorx/id1602842758 

Corinna’s Washington Post Article: 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/04/11/i-was-too-young-to-decide-about-transgender-surgery-at-nineteen/ 

Corinna’s Article about Texas HB3502

https://corinnacohn.substack.com/p/texas-bill-to-protect-detransitioners 

Democrat Rep. Shawn Thierry’s Address to Texas Legislative Body

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKp1IGds6RQ 

Corinna’s Indiana testimony (regarding sports):

https://youtu.be/G8lgScZ0YzY 

Corinna’s Indiana testimony (regarding medical interventions on minors): 

https://youtu.be/wYhMejWA_zg

Corinna’s Ohio testimony (regarding medical interventions on minors):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJkSZlVLwBk 

Pre-Order When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents

https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/ 

Join Our Listener...

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com

Sasha and Stella continue the conversation with Katie Herzog by asking “how do you talk about gender issues in real life?” Katie’s core advice is “read the room” but she has a lot of other insights and experiences to share, from her own life, as well!

In this episode, Sasha and Stella eagerly welcome journalist Katie Herzog, who is also co-host with Jesse Singal on the popular podcast Blocked & Reported (aka BARPod). This dynamic discussion covers a wide range of topics, including Katie’s experiences and observations over the past two decades as a lesbian in the queer / LGBTQ+ community, especially pertaining to trans identities. They also explore Katie’s reflections from her influential 2017 article on detransitioners, The Detransitioners: They Were Transgender, Until They Weren't,  and how her perspective on gender has evolved in the aftermath of its publication. The conversation even delves into repressed memories, different approaches to psychotherapy, nonbinary identities, and the particularly interesting, important and controversial topic - preferred pronouns. Katie, known well for both her wit and thoughtfulness, brought a unique perspective to these discussions, much like she lends to her own work and content.

Links:

Blocked and Reported (Katie’s Podcast with Jesse Singal)

https://www.blockedandreported.org/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profile 

The Detransitioners: They Were Transgender, Until They Weren't

https://www.thestranger.com/features/2017/06/28/25252342/the-detransitioners-they-were-transgender-until-they-werent 

A Response to the Uproar Over My Piece, "The Detransitioners"

https://www.thestranger.com/lgbtqitslfa/2017/07/03/25262759/a-response-to-the-uproar-over-my-piece-the-detransitioners 

Katie’s Work with The Stranger (including articles linked above)

https://www.thestranger.com/authors/24847206/katie-herzog 

A Segment from Katie’s Appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher

https://youtu.be/H5tZZvUUvXA?feature=shared 

Please visit www.widerlenspod.com to explore more content, access additional resources, or to join our listener community.

Watch us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@widerlenspod

Pre-Order When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents

https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/ 

Attend Our Live Event – When Kids Say They’re Trans: Weekend of Workshops | September 21-24, 2023

https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/weekend-of-workshops

If you liked this episode, more episodes you might find interesting:

Episode 1 - Trans: Identity vs Dysphoria

https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/trans-identity-vs-dysphoria 

Episode 8 - TransGenerational Wisdom: A conversation with Buck Angel

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com