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Mama Dragons supports, educates, and empowers mothers of LGBTQ children, but we also celebrate and acknowledge the importance of affirming fathers. In this episode of In the Den, Jen talks with three dads of LGBTQ kids about their experiences and learned wisdom from raising their queer kids. 

Special Guest: Lance Sweeten

Lance Sweeten holds a bachelor's degree in engineering and works as a façade designer in Salt Lake City, UT. He’s a husband and proud father of four children. His oldest daughter is transgender. He serves as a board member and administrator for the FB group "Dragon Dads," an organization dedicated to educating and supporting fathers of queer kids. Lance works with Equality Utah and the ACLU of Utah, where he actively opposes anti-LGBTQ legislation in the state's house and senate. Recognizing the need for parental support, Lance established the FB group "Shades of Love," which empowers parents and caregivers of LGBTQ+ children. 

Special Guest: Pat Wright

Pat has been a part of the Dragon Dads for about five years.  He loves camping, hiking, and adventures all around the world.  He enjoys spending time with all his kids and helping them grow into adults.  He has six kids–four stepkids, two biological kids, one trans son, and one bisexual daughter.  He loves to participate in Pride and volunteer in the community.  Besides volunteering with Project Rainbow and LGBTQ+ group at work he also runs a not-for-profit called Utah Geek Events that puts on events for the tech community in Utah 

Special Guest: Ralf VonSosen

Ralf came to the U.S. from Austria in high school. He made his way to Utah where he earned degrees from BYU and the University of Utah. After marrying his high school sweetheart, they moved to the CA Bay Area where they raised four kids. When their third child came out as gay, it shook their conservative Mormon family narrative and launched them on a new journey that included the welcoming of their transgender daughter. Ralf and his wife Wendy recently moved to Salt Lake City, Utah.

Links from the Show:

• Find Dragon Dads on FB: https://www.facebook.com/DragonDads 
• Join the Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.org 

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“If it’s not fun for everyone, then it’s not actual fun.” When schoolyard banter crosses into harassment and bullying, what can we do to keep our kids safe at school? This week In the Den, Jen and special guest Dr. Roni Jo Draper discuss how to recognize and respond to bullying whether our child is being bullied or has become a bully within the public school system. 

Special Guest: Roni Jo Draper

Roni Jo Draper, Ph.D. (Yurok|she.her) is an educator, storyteller, filmmaker, and activist. Roni began her career as a high school mathematics and science teacher where she worked primarily with children at risk of not completing high school. She is professor emeritus from Brigham Young University where she taught courses in literacy education, multicultural education, and global women’s studies. She is currently on a one-year appointment at Utah Valley University where she teaches courses in multicultural education and classroom management. Her educational scholarship has appeared in several books, educational research journals, and professional journals for teachers. In her recent work she has turned to Indigenous storytelling and other art forms to share stories that center the lives of Indigenous peoples. She produced the film Scenes from the Glittering World, about the in- and out-of-school lives of three Navajo young people attending a remote high school on the Navajo Nation, which is available to view on PBS. Roni Jo is also the writer, producer, and director of the documentary short film Fire Tender, which centers the lives of Yurok fire practitioners as they return cultural fire to heal land. Fire Tender will air on PBS in April in conjunction with their Earth Day celebrations. Additionally, Roni works as an advocate for social justice in her community. She has served as the chair of the board of the ACLU of Utah, a member of the national board of the ACLU, the Vice-President of the board of PFLAG Provo/Utah County, a member of the board of Provo Pride, and as a founding board member of Encircle.

Links from the Show:

• Bullying in school resource: https://law.duke.edu/childedlaw/docs/Bullying_in_School_Fact_Sheet.pdf 
• More resources: https://www.understood.org/articles/bullying-laws 
• Join Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.org 

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This week In the Den, Jen talks with seven moms of queer children about their honest feelings around parenting queer children. Our guests share how they felt when their child came out and how they feel now about having an LGBTQ child. 

Special Guest: Rhonda Hill
Rhonda is a mother of four from Utah who loves to cook, craft, and play the piano.

Special Guest: Lisa Glad

Lisa is a Mormon mama of three (two Queerdos!) and a proud Mama Dragon! 

Special Guest: Erin Lee

Erin is a Canadian mom of two boys, working in education.

Special Guest: Brandi Higgins

Brandi is a wife, mom and fierce advocate in Kansas City, MO.

Special Guest: Pamela Theron 

Pam is a single nomad mom of queer kids living to spread love and peace.

Special Guest: Elizabeth Kingsley

Elizabeth is a life coach getting her masters in management. She’s the mother of four queer kids, with three still at home.

Special Guest: Marcie Schear

Marcie is a spicy disaster who loves to love.

Links from the Show:

• Join Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.org 

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Episode 56–All Things Gender

In this week’s episode of In the Den, Jen sits down with special guest Erik VonSosen and her mother Wendy to chat about all things gender related. They cover everything from gender performance, gender expression to gender experience, gender transition, and more.

Special Guest: Wendy VonSosen

Wendy joined Mama Dragons in 2016. She's the mother of 4 grown kids, including a transgender daughter. She and her husband recently relocated to Salt Lake City after living in the San Francisco Bay Area for the last 25 years. Their kids are scattered among California, Utah, and Arizona. When she's not on her computer, Wendy can be found walking her two dogs and trying to get her cat to like her.

Special Guest: Erik Charlotte VonSosen

Erik is a 22 year old writer, fashion designer, and recent college graduate living in Los Angeles. She works hard for the money, fueled by a passion for vintage dresses, transgender advocacy, and sour gummy bears. 

Links from the Show:

• Some gender definitions: https://www.hrc.org/resources/sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-terminology-and-definitions 
• More definitions: https://www.talkspace.com/blog/gender-identity-vs-gender-expression/ 
• More on gender: https://www.apa.org/topics/lgbtq/transgender-people-gender-identity-gender-expression 
• Join Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.org 

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Words with Friends 10

Words with Friends episodes are bonus episodes where different members of Mama Dragons provide definitions for LGBTQ related topics. This episode includes the following definitions:

Questioning shared by Maria Fergus in Washington

Butch shared by Kellie in West Texas

Femme shared by Michelle in Boise, Idaho

Androgynous  shared by M’Lisa E. in Idaho

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The power that can come from seeing your own experiences reflected in stories cannot be understated. This week In the Den, Jen chats with New York Times bestselling author Mackenzi Lee about the importance of representation, and queer representation in particular, in literature. Representation matters because what we see in the media doesn't just reflect reality. It has the potential to shape it. Books that depict and normalize queer relationships, queer identities, and queer stories in books help increase understanding in general, and give LGBTQ young people a vision of what their future could be.  

Special Guest: Mackenzi Lee

Mackenzi Lee holds a BA in history and an MFA from Simmons College in writing for children and young adults. She is the author of ten books, including The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, which was a New York Times bestseller, received a 2018 Stonewall Book Award Honor, and won the New England Book Award; and a series of novels for Marvel which tell the origin story of your favorite MCU antiheroes. Her adult debut, LADY LIKE, is forthcoming from Dial Press. In 2020, Forbes Magazine included her on their list of 30 Under 30 in media. She currently lives in Los Angeles with a fridge full of Diet Coke and a dog that weighs more than she does. 

Links from the Show: 

• Mackenzi’s website: https://www.mackenzilee.com/ 
• Mackenzi’s books:  https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=Mackenzi+Lee
• Mackenzi on IG: https://www.instagram.com/themackenzilee/?hl=en 
• Join Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.com 

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EPISODE 54–Just the FAQs–Moms of Trans Minors 

In this episode of In the Den, Jen joins two mothers of young transgender children to answer a handful of frequently asked questions regarding actively parenting an underage trans child in today’s political climate. Because it isn’t currently safe to be a transgender child, and because we don’t wish to put trans children or their families at increased risk, we will be using pseudonyms and changing identifying information for this episode’s guests to protect their anonymity so that we can discuss these important topics without putting a target on families’ backs.

• When did your child first start talking to you about gender and what did that look like?
• How did you respond to those early ideas and conversations?
• Was there a specific point where you knew that this was a real thing?  And what did you do at that point?
• Did your child experience dysphoria and what did that look like from the outside?
• What was the first step of transition for your child?
• What sorts of things came next?
• What transition related things do you see for your child’s future?
• How has this all been socially for your child and your family?
• How are the political conversations and current legislation impacting your family?
• What common myths can you debunk for us?
  
  
  

Links from the show:

Mama Dragons website: www.mamadragons.org 

Mama Dragons on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mamadragons 

Mama Dragons on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themamadragons/ 

The Family Acceptance Project: https://lgbtqfamilyacceptance.org/ 

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In 2023, a record-breaking 586 bills were introduced across the United States that specifically targeted transgender people and their right to exist. From removing trans people's access to healthcare to their access to public bathrooms, sports, books, or simply the use of their names and pronouns, efforts to erase trans people were intense. The 2024 legislative season is around the corner, and there will undoubtedly be another onslaught of anti-LGBTQ bills up for debate.  Neca Allgood returns to the podcast to talk about the upcoming legislative season with Jen. They discuss the general categories of anti-trans legislation that occur, how to combat misinformation, and ways to make a difference politically. They also discuss the importance of resilience, healthy boundaries, and self-care during difficult times. 

Special Guest: Neca Allgood

Neca Allgood is the mother of a transgender son. She is a former President of Mama Dragons, a current Mama Dragons board member, and a former board member of Affirmation: LGBTQ Mormons, Families, and Friends. Neca and her husband own a small engineering consulting company. She has a PhD in Molecular Biology.  And Neca has been a powerful political ally to the LGBTQ community for over a decade now.

Links from the Show:

• ACLU Legislation Tracking: https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights
• Trans Equality 2023 Legislation Tracking by State: https://transequality.org/state-action-center 
• Track Trans Legislation: https://www.tracktranslegislation.com/  
• Southern Poverty Law Center Hate Map: https://www.splcenter.org/hate-map 
• PFLAG newsletters: https://pflag.org/newsletters/ 
• Truth Sandwiches: https://www.pbs.org/standards/blogs/standards-articles/what-is-a-truth-sandwich/ 
• National Center for Lesbian Rights: https://www.nclrights.org/ 
• Sue Robbins website: https://sueinut.com/ 
• GLSEN: https://www.glsen.org/ 
• Equality Federation: https://www.equalityfederation.org/ 
• Join Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.org 

In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you.

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In the Den is one year old! To celebrate a full year of episodes, we’re turning the spotlight back onto our intrepid host Jen Blair.  Mama Dragons Executive Director Celeste Carolin guest hosts and asks Jen about her experiences of having a child come out as gay and finding Mama Dragons in its earliest years of existence. We hope you enjoy this chance to get to know Jen better and to glimpse the source of her endless passion for creating a better world for parents of LGBTQ children. 

Special Guest: Jen Blair

Jen has been a member of Mama Dragons since January 2014. She has a husband, four amazing kids, and one pet--a plastic skeleton dog that sits on her porch during the month of October. Originally from Utah, Jen currently lives in Idaho. When not practicing yoga or reading, she's often having lively conversations with strangers on the internet. 

Special Guest Host: Celeste Carolin 

Celeste Carolin studied business at Harvard Extension School and is currently earning a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from NCU. As a queer (lesbian) cisgender woman, she has worked with LGBTQ youth and non-profits for the past 10 years. Celeste has served in Mama Dragons leadership since 2016 and currently serves as the Mama Dragons Executive Director. She lives just outside Seattle with her lovely partner Jamie, extended family, grand kiddos, and their pup Jackson Blue. Both Celeste and her partner come from non accepting religious roots, which fuels Celeste's passion for understanding and serving the intersectionality of faith and parenting LGBTQ children. 

Links from the Show:

• Join Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.org 

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Content Warning: Frank discussion of death by suicide

In this week’s episode of In the Den, Jen sits down with fellow Mama Dragons Julie Turnbull and Alyson Paul Deussen to talk about their lived experiences as mothers surviving the loss of their sons to suicide. In this vulnerable discussion, they honestly share the difficult moments of parenting a suicidal child and the journey of grief that their lives took when their child died by suicide. We hope their insights help other parents who are facing the same unthinkable parenthood journey of loss. 

Special Guest: Julie Turnbull

 Julie Turnbull has been involved in LGBTQ ally spaces since 2014 when she joined the Mama Dragons FB group. In January 2015, her gay son Tyso, died by suicide, and Mama Dragons became the space for her to find support in her grief. She was also motivated to turn her grief into action, so she became more involved in Mama Dragons. In 2017, she was elected as the 2nd president of Mama Dragons. In 2018, she served as Mama Dragons President. Under her leadership, Mama Dragons received non-profit status and formed a 501c3. Currently she is serving as the podcast guest coordinator for In the Den with Mama Dragons podcast. Julie is self-employed and manages her own rental properties. She lives in Snohomish, Washington with her partner. She is the mother of 6 (5 living) and the grandmother of 4.

Special Guest: Alyson Paul Deussen

Alyson began her journey with the LGBT community in 2012 with her then newly out son, Stockton. Tragedy stuck in 2016 when Alyson lost Stockton to suicide. Since then, she has continued to share their story in an effort to bring awareness (#standingforstockton #ichooselove). She has been involved with Utah’s LGBTQ Suicide Prevention Workgroup, I’ll Walk With You, Affirmation, and Mama Dragons. Presently, Alyson is working with the Love Loud organization, Flourish Therapy, and has helped create sexual health training for parents.  Alyson and her husband George are board members with the UofU Caring Connections: A Hope of Comfort in Grief Programs.  The mission is to provide evidence based bereavement care for grieving persons. Alyson and her husband George have three kids, three grandkids, and currently live in North Salt Lake, UT. They enjoy doing humanitarian work, snow skiing, water skiing, soccer, and traveling.

Links from the Show: 

• Resources for Survivors of Suicide Loss: https://sprc.org/tools/resources-survivors-suicide-loss/
• Alyson and Stockton Al Jazeera America interview: http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/6/30/mama-dragons-make-life-easier-for-gay-mormon-children.html#:~:text=The%20Mama%20Dragons%20offer%20one,families%20and%20are%20sometimes%20suicidal.
• Standing for Stockton website:

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