Transformation Thursday

In this episode, Penny talks seriously about how again our lives have changed, and now as we fight a global pandemic we also have protests and violence in our country as a result of the murders of black people in our country at the hands of the police. What seems like a whole another world ago Penny and Amy interviewed Democratic candidate for the US House of Representatives in New York's 25th Congressional District, Robin Wilt.

In this episode Amy and Penny have a fascinating conversation with Carta Monir on how she uses selfies to reclaim the narrative of her body from people who have preconcevied notions of who she is as a disabled woman who happens to be transgender. Penny gets emotional and shares how she holds her disability close to her, doesn't talk about it much, and how she is aware of it when she's in public. Amy, recollects a recent conversation with a friend about the essence of femininity and how women who happen to be transgender have it, and the insecurities these three share are similar ones as to what many woman who happens to be cis have too.

In this episode Amy and Penny chat with Rochester activist and overall good guy Chris Thompson. Hint, it deals with being active online, voting, and eating at local hamburger joints specifically named Zoc's.

This week Amy and Penny chat with Joy Denebein who at the time of recording the interview was preparing for her gender confirmation surgery. While both Amy and Penny have had surgeries delayed a year in Amy's case, and indefinitely in Penny's, Joy was able to get a May date for her surgery in Phoenix, Arizona. The girls discuss with Joy her transgender story, what the surgery means, and the plans Joy has after she fully recovers from her surgery.

This week on Transformation Thursday Podcast, Amy Stephens and Penny Sterling had a great talk with Kent Gustavson about creative choices, the power of stories, and why it's cooler to have TWO TEDx Talks than it is one. Well, actually, Penny talks about that.

Kent's Website: https://drkent.co/

Kent's TedX Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzDndJtQrjw

In this episode of the Transformation Thursday podcast Amy and Penny interview Mike Robbins. Mike is the author of five books with his latest book being aptly titled "We're All in This Together." Mike weaves into the interview his perspectives on privilege coming from a single parent household in Oakland, California growing-up in the 1980's, and how that shaped his outlook on life. 

To order Mike's book and get the freebies he mentions at the end of the podcast, CLICK HERE.

In this episode Amy and Penny and chat with Nicolas Shannon Savard who is working on their PhD at The Ohio State University. Nicolas is researching representations of transgender and other gender non-conforming people in the performance arts, by looking at what projects are available for GNC persons, how many times trans/GNC people have to write and perform their own material creating their own opportunities to perform, and how cisgender people are playing trans characters and the problems this creates. Additionally, the three discuss the reactions Nicolas, Amy, and Penny get from audiences to their work as an actor, comedienne, and storyteller.

In this episode Amy and Penny chat with Marriage & Family Therapist Kimberly Anderson from her undisclosed location in Sacramento, California. Kimberly discusses how transgender and other gender expansive people can stay safe and express themselves in environments that may not be safe. We also discuss how parents can work on accepting their trans and gender non-conforming children through this time with online resources and love. Finally Kimberly spends the last part of the podcast discussing her transition from a person presenting male teaching at Brigham Young University two days a week, teaching at Snow College two days a week as Kimberly, and how that lead to the unraveling of her marriage. It's a touching episode that is a must listen for any trans/GNC youth, their parents and loved ones, and for trans/GNC adults trying to figure out their gender identity in these trying times.

In this week's episode of the podcast Amy and Penny talk with Bible scholar and performer Peterson Toscano who discusses his  coming out process that included conversion therapy on three continents, and how he was inspired to look at gender in the Bible. Peterson provides insight and alternative views of scripture that shows how the story of Joseph from Genesis could be viewed as a story of gender non-conformity, how eunuchs were a third gender during Biblical times, and how there even examples of trans-masculine role models in scripture.

Link to Peterson's Website