Gender: A Wider Lens

Sasha and Stella welcome Jesper Rasmussen, a Danish filmmaker, teacher, and head of the Rainbow Council, to the show, offering a critical look at pediatric gender medicine and the broader impact of gender ideology in Denmark.

A key moment emerges when Jesper introduces three essential “yes/no” questions that that anyone can use to critically evaluate the issue and guide the debates around gender affirming medical interventions for minors. This episode vital for those attempting conversations about the medical and ethical aspects of pediatric gender transition.

For links and resources relevant to this episode, access the full show notes at https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/episode-177 

Buy Our Book – When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents at https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/   

Join Our Listener Community to Access Exclusive Content at https://www.widerlenspod.com/   

Support the Show at https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/support-the-show   

Join the conversation on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@widerlenspod  

For more information about Sasha’s & Stella’s parent coaching membership groups, visit:

Sasha Ayad: https://sashaayad.com/parenting-coaching   

Stella O’Malley: http://www.stellaomalley.com/parent-coaching  

To learn more about our sponsors, visit:

Therapy First at https://www.therapyfirst.org/  

Genspect at https://genspect.org/  

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

Individuals experiencing estrangement from loved ones face profound challenges and a complex process of rebuilding their lives. The emotional and psychological toll of estrangement is intense, making it vital to move past feelings of unfairness and focus on present management for healing and progress. Despite the isolating nature of coping with estrangement, community support among those facing similar issues is crucial. It provides a unique space of understanding and solidarity, showcasing the power of shared stories in fostering hope and resilience among individuals dealing with similar emotions and adversities.

In this bonus episode for premium subscribers, Lynn Chadwick shares her experience of embracing the practice of radical acceptance, which has helped her come to terms with the estrangement from her children. She describes how this practice involves acknowledging painful realities without resistance, thereby alleviating emotional turmoil and allowing for a clearer path to healing.

Watch our full length free episode with Lynn Chadwick: https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/episode-176

For instructions on setting up a private feed to listen to our premium content in your favorite podcast app, visit https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/how-to-listen-to-our-full-premium.

As the mother of two trans-identified children, Lynn Chadwick has navigated the pain of estrangement and now channels her experiences into her work with Themis Resource Fund, an independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization providing financial resource aimed at connecting detransitioned plaintiffs in the United States with attorneys interested in representing their cases.

Lynn expresses her deep concern about the potential for re-traumatization among detransitioned individuals who engage in legal battles. She emphasizes the harsh and uncertain nature of these legal processes, where plaintiffs often face aggressive questioning and blame. Lynn’s work with Themis advocates for the dignity and justice of these individuals, underscoring the importance of their narratives and the need for respectful treatment. 

For links and resources relevant to this episode, access the full show notes at https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/episode-176 

Buy Our Book – When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents at https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/   

Join Our Listener Community to Access Exclusive Content at https://www.widerlenspod.com/   

Support the Show at https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/support-the-show   

Join the conversation on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@widerlenspod  

For more information about Sasha’s & Stella’s parent coaching membership groups, visit:

Sasha Ayad: https://sashaayad.com/parenting-coaching   

Stella O’Malley: http://www.stellaomalley.com/parent-coaching  

To learn more about our sponsors, visit:

Therapy First at https://www.therapyfirst.org/  

Genspect at https://genspect.org/  

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

In this bonus episode for premium subscribers, Elaine Miller considers the complex and nuanced implications of exogenous testosterone use in females, particularly focusing on those who become pregnant while on the hormone. She also underscores the importance of mother-infant bonding and the potential impacts of cross-sex hormones on that critical relationship, alongside the societal implications of surrogacy and the unique needs of those families.Watch our full length episode with Elaine Miller: https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/episode-175

For instructions on setting up a private feed to listen to our premium content in your favorite podcast app, visit https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/4519588148244-How-do-I-listen-to-episodes-on-my-podcast-app

Looking for support as a parent of a gender-questioning youth or young adult? Attend a Wider Lens Parent Retreat in 2025! Registration is now open. Visit https://widerlens.events/parent-retreat-2025 to learn more and secure your spot.

In this episode, Sasha & Stella welcome Elaine Miller, a physiotherapist specializing in pelvic health and award-winning comedian to join them for a riveting conversation unpacking the cascading effects of testosterone on the female body, with particular attention to the pelvic area. This conversation uncovers shocking insights about incontinence and other physiological changes as the result of putting a female system on disproportionately high levels of testosterone. A must-listen for therapists, parents, individuals considering testosterone therapy, and healthcare professionals who want to understand the real, often overlooked, consequences of cross-sex hormones on female bodies.

For links and resources relevant to this episode, access the full show notes at https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/episode-175 

Buy Our Book – When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents at https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/   

Join Our Listener Community to Access Exclusive Content at https://www.widerlenspod.com/

Support the Show at https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/support-the-show   

Join the conversation on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@widerlenspod  

For more information about Sasha’s & Stella’s parent coaching membership groups, visit:

Sasha Ayad: https://sashaayad.com/parenting-coaching   

Stella O’Malley: http://www.stellaomalley.com/parent-coaching  

To learn more about our sponsors, visit:

Therapy First at https://www.therapyfirst.org/  

Genspect at https://genspect.org/  

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

Looking for support as a parent of a gender-questioning youth or young adult? Attend a Wider Lens Parent Retreat in 2025! Registration is now open. Visit https://widerlens.events/parent-retreat-2025 to learn more and secure your spot.

Sasha and Stella sit down with Forrest, a young man whose journey through gender identity, pornography, and societal expectations lends a profound and complex quest for self-acceptance. A compelling conversation about Forrest's journey through transition and detransition, revealing how an innocent curiosity for cartoons spiraled into a full-scale porn addiction, leading to unhealthy behaviors and regrettable surgeries. Explore Forrest’s experiences with intense shame, his complicated relationship with sexual drives, and his time living with the ‘radical fairies’ in a trans commune.

For links and resources relevant to this episode, access the full show notes at https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/episode-174 

------

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM OUR SPONSOR: Therapy First is hosting a webinar July 29th at 12pm EDT. “The Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation of Minors with Gender Dysphoria: Key Concepts” with Dr. Stephen B. Levine. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. *Therapy First has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider,ACEP No. 7505. This webinar provides 1.5 hours of CE credits.

------

A few programming notes: As the result of some unexpected technical issues, Stella’s audio quality is poor and her video feed is limited, despite our best efforts in post production to rectify the issue.

In an effort to honor and respect Forrest’s story, we opted not to interrupt or steer the conversation into another direction for the sake of capturing premium content. We are releasing the full conversation as a special extended episode in lie of offering a bonus episode this week.

------

Buy Our Book – When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents at https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/   

Join Our Listener Community to Access Exclusive Content at https://www.widerlenspod.com/   

Support the Show at https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/support-the-show   

Join the conversation on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@widerlenspod  

For more information about Sasha’s & Stella’s parent coaching membership groups, visit:

Sasha Ayad: https://sashaayad.com/parenting-coaching   

Stella O’Malley: http://www.stellaomalley.com/parent-coaching  

To learn more about our sponsors, visit:

Therapy First at https://www.therapyfirst.org/  

Genspect at https://genspect.org/  

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

The promotion of practices like breast binding as empowering or liberating is problematic, as it glosses over the underlying issues of body image and the societal pressure that drive individuals to modify their bodies. These practices, intended to manipulate the physical form to achieve a desired aesthetic (or an “authentic-self”), often lead to both physical and psychological harm. Although marketed as self-love and self-care within queer circles, the desire for body modification frequently reflects feelings rooted in self-hatred or societal expectations (“norms”) dictating how bodies “should” appear and/or align with a particular “gendered-expression”, rather than genuine self-acceptance.

In this bonus episode for premium subscribers, N3VLYNN critiques the representation of gender ideology in high profile artists and cultural influences, highlighting its contradictions to advocacy for self-love and self-care. The conversation emphasizes how across all cultures, there needs to be space for masculine-presenting women to exist comfortably as themselves, without the pressure or implication that their presentation means they are anything other than the woman that they are.

Referenced in this conversation:

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Janelle Monae's "Nonbinary Freedom" & Self-Love Journey 

Watch our full length episode with N3VLYNN: https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/episode-173

For instructions on setting up a private feed to listen to our premium content in your favorite podcast app, visit https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/4519588148244-How-do-I-listen-to-episodes-on-my-podcast-app

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM OUR SPONSOR: Therapy First is hosting a webinar July 29th at 12pm EDT. “The Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation of Minors with Gender Dysphoria: Key Concepts” with Dr. Stephen B. Levine. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. *Therapy First has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider,ACEP No. 7505. This webinar provides 1.5 hours of CE credits.

------

Sasha & Stella sit down with the creatively multifaceted and dynamically articulate artist N3VLYNNN, exploring the intersections of identity, creativity, expression and activism. Nevline's nuanced perspective on the trans movement's impact on black lesbians and the women's movement highlights the often overlooked and broader implications for identity and representation within the movement, and how these dynamics have evolved over time.

For links and resources relevant to this episode, access the full show notes at https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/episode-173 

Buy Our Book – When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents at https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/   

Join Our Listener Community to Access Exclusive Content at https://www.widerlenspod.com/   

Support the Show at https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/support-the-show   

Join the conversation on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@widerlenspod  

For more information about Sasha’s & Stella’s parent coaching membership groups, visit:

Sasha Ayad: https://sashaayad.com/parenting-coaching   

Stella O’Malley: http://www.stellaomalley.com/parent-coaching  

To learn more about our sponsors, visit:

Therapy First at https://www.therapyfirst.org/  

Genspect at https://genspect.org/  

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

The trend of transitioning among gender-nonconforming individuals, particularly those who may have previously identified as lesbians, has been detrimental to the cohesion and stability of the lesbian community. Lesbians are faced with pressure to conform to certain expectations and navigate the complexities of identity politics within the LGBTQ+ community. This challenging position requires balancing their own identity, preferences, and sense of camaraderie with the broader push for inclusivity and acceptance of trans individuals.

In this bonus episode for premium subscribers, Arielle Isaac Norman reflects about the evolving dynamics within the lesbian community, especially in relation to the inclusion of trans individuals and the shifting definitions of gender and sexual orientation.

Watch our full length episode with Arielle Isaac Norman: https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/episode-172

For instructions on setting up a private feed to listen to our premium content in your favorite podcast app, visit https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/4519588148244-How-do-I-listen-to-episodes-on-my-podcast-app

Sasha and Stella welcome comedian Arielle Isaac Norman to the show for a refreshing critique of identity, comedy, and societal norms. They talk pronouns, reality, the impact of Trump's win in 2016, and what it means to be politically non-binary.

The discussion emphasizes Arielle's skill in using humor to address evolving dynamics within the queer community, particularly in response to today's political landscape, delivering profound insights with a comedic twist. Arielle brings an informed critique that resonates across the political spectrum, ensuring that her audience finds both laughter and moments of introspection. 

Sasha affectionally describes Arielle as an “equal opportunity offender”, promising that this episode delivers a mix of both humor and discomfort certain to spark both conversation and reflection.

For links and resources relevant to this episode, access the full show notes at https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/episode-172  

Buy Our Book – When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents at https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/   

Join Our Listener Community to Access Exclusive Content at https://www.widerlenspod.com/   

Support the Show at https://www.widerlenspod.com/p/support-the-show   

Join the conversation on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@widerlenspod  

For more information about Sasha’s & Stella’s parent coaching membership groups, visit:

Sasha Ayad: https://sashaayad.com/parenting-coaching   

Stella O’Malley: http://www.stellaomalley.com/parent-coaching  

To learn more about our sponsors, visit:

Therapy First at https://www.therapyfirst.org/  

Genspect at https://genspect.org/  

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