Laughter is key to survival. This week, Imara talks to two of the funniest trans people out there about the power of comedy in good times and bad. First, she sits down with comedy writer Ally Beardsley about transitioning in the public eye, Dungeons and Dragons, and learning when to get serious. The two also laugh about the absurdity of Republican politics and Ally’s own conservative background. Next, Imara’s joined by comedian Robin Tran who talks about the relationship between comedy and depression and making jokes about being trans. 

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Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook.

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Follow our guests on social media!

Mx. Dahlia Belle: Instagram (@mx.dahliabelle)

Ally Beardsley: Instagram (@allybeardsley @genderspiral)

Robin Tran: Instagram (@robintran04)

TransLash Podcast is produced by Translash Media.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Democratic party decides what strategy to take in an era of increasing authoritarianism, many have advocated for turning away from identity politics and defending trans people in an effort to win elections. This week, Imara dives into this conversation with James Carville, a political legend and arguably the most influential voice in the democratic party. 

Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org 

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Check out our guest on social media: 

https://www.instagram.com/politicon 

https://bsky.app/profile/politicon.com

https://www.threads.com/@politicon

https://www.facebook.com/Politicon

https://www.youtube.com/politicon

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The holiday season is upon us and we wanted to take a moment to highlight trans owned small businesses that you can check out for your last minute holiday shopping. First, Auston Bjorkman, founder and creative director behind Transguy Supply shares that there's no single path to starting a business and having community can help get dreams started off the ground. Then, Imara speaks with the founder of Ms. Tea, Laurel Birch, an herbalist who crafts elixirs, tisanes, and a variety of other botanical products.

Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org 

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.

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Follow our guest on social media: 

@transguysupply

@msteabotanica

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Trans people are more likely to experience homelessness than others. Which means trans folks are impacted at a higher rate by new federal policies that target people living in precarious housing situations. In this episode, Imara speaks with Dr. Dilara Yarbrough, an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Studies at San Francisco State University, who helps unpack Trump’s recent crackdown on homeless encampments in D.C. and the larger systems at play. Then, Atlanta organizer Jamie Roberts shares how her group works to address the needs of trans people in the South and what has to happen to end homelessness overall. 

Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org 

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Follow Jamie Roberts on social media: 

Bluesky: @clairejune.bsky.social

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Happy Thanksgiving from TransLash. We’re grateful for all the trailblazers who continue to break ground in every field all across the country. In today's episode, Imara speaks to one of those stars, Breanna Sinclairé, a professional opera singer and soprano, about her journey into the opera world. She has performed around the world and she was even the first trans woman to sing the US national anthem for a national sporting event. Imara and Breanna discuss the highs and lows of being trans within the world of classical music and opera.

Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org 

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.

Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)

Follow our guest on social media: 

Instagram @breannaelycesinclaire   

X @breasinclaire 

Facebook- Breanna Elyce Sinclaire   

TikTOK: @breannaelycesinclaire

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Trans Day of Remembrance, we honor the trans people who have had their lives cut short by violence. Imara speaks with notable changemaker in the trans rights movement Kylar Broadus. Kylar was the first out transgender American to testify before the United States Senate and has been honored for his legal work by the City of New York and the LGBT Bar Association of Los Angeles, among others. Together, they process what it means to commemorate this day during an era of heightened anti-trans rhetoric, attacks on healthcare and all out political assault. Kylar shares how he came to practice law while advocating for civil rights and reflects on the importance of multigenerational community.

For Trans Awareness week, TransLash Media is celebrating trans brilliance across generations with a new zine: Transcestors & Trailblazers: 30 Lives, 30 Legacies. You can find it at translash.org/zines 

Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org 

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.

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Follow our guest on social media: 

X - @KylarBroadus; Facebook - Kylar Broadus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month’s elections were a resounding victory for Democrats and a rare sign of hope for many during a dark time where authoritarianism is on the rise. In this episode, Imara dives into the big stories from the recent 2025 election and what they mean for the trans community. First, Charlotte Rene Woods, a politics, health, & housing reporter for The Virginia Mercury helps us understand how anti-trans rhetoric became a losing strategy in the recent gubernatorial elections in Virginia. Then, journalist Cyril Mychalejko from the Bucks County Beacon unpacks what happened in two politically significant school boards we reported on in this year’s investigation on The Anti-Trans Hate Machine podcast.

Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org

You can listen to The Anti-Trans Hate Machine Podcast here. 

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.

Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)

Follow our guest on social media: 

Charlotte Woods:

Twitter/X: @charlottewords

Bluesky: @charlottewords.bsky.social

Cyril Mychalejko 

Follow on Bluesky @buckscountybeacon.com @cmychalejko.bsky.social

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This week on the TransLash Podcast, Imara shares the latest season of The Anti-Trans Hate Machine, TransLash Media’s investigative series. In this final episode, she and her team investigate how the anti-trans attacks on schools are part of a larger strategy to dismantle public education, and they’re being driven by the most powerful coalition on the right. Join Imara as she learns how the plan to privatize education is flourishing in Arizona and starting to gain momentum across the country. The ultimate goal: use vouchers to destroy public schools — a major pillar of democracy. But the outcome of these efforts is far from a foregone conclusion. 

The interviews with Tami Staas and Marisol Garcia in this episode were conducted before the assassination of Charlie Kirk. 

To learn more, visit translash.org/antitranshatemachine.

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Threads,  X, and Facebook.

Follow Imara Jones on X (@ImaraJones) and Instagram (@Imara_jones_)

The Anti Trans Hate Machine is produced by TransLash Media.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the TransLash Podcast, Imara shares Season 4 of The Anti-Trans Hate Machine, TransLash Media’s investigative series about the surge of anti-trans attacks in education and how it’s part of a strategy to upend democracy. In this second episode, Imara travels to Florida, ground zero for the modern anti-trans movement in schools. Join her as she travels to the belly of the beast, exploring the origin and spread of Moms for Liberty, a so-called parental rights group weaponizing anti-trans hate. In this episode, Imara uncovers how the anti-trans movement in schools is directly tied to the January 6 insurrection, revealing a fringe conspiracy theory fueling these efforts by casting trans people as an existential threat to America.

To learn more, visit translash.org/antitranshatemachine.

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Threads,  X, and Facebook.

Follow Imara Jones on X (@ImaraJones) and Instagram (@Imara_jones_)

The Anti Trans Hate Machine is produced by TransLash Media.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the TransLash Podcast, Imara shares Season 4 of The Anti-Trans Hate Machine, TransLash Media’s investigative series about the surge of anti-trans attacks in education. Join her as she discovers these right-wing attacks are part of a larger strategy to destroy democracy by dismantling public education. She’ll expose the inner workings of this movement and take you into communities fighting back to preserve this critical pillar of democracy. In this first episode, Imara investigates a right-wing effort to take over two school boards in Pennsylvania, throwing a vital swing district into chaos. 

To learn more, visit translash.org/antitranshatemachine.

Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Threads,  X, and Facebook.

Follow Imara Jones on X (@ImaraJones) and Instagram (@Imara_jones_)

The Anti Trans Hate Machine is produced by TransLash Media.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.