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Editorial DisclaimerThe views and personal accounts expressed by Tracy Shannon in this interview are her own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts, Cowtown Caller, or The Paradox Press.In the interview, Tracy shares her experiences and perspectives regarding her former husband, his partner, and the impact on their family and children. These are her recollections and opinions, presented as her personal account. We invited responses from the other individuals discussed and welcome any response from them or anyone else named or referenced.Episode SummaryIn this installment of our pre-midterm interview series, we sit down with Tracy Shannon, a Texas activist and one of the most recognizable voices among women who call themselves “trans widows.” Tracy shares the story of her marriage, her family, and what happened when her husband began identifying as transgender. She discusses what she believes the public still misses about the human cost of the transgender movement.This conversation is part of a series covering the issues most relevant to Americans ahead of the midterm elections next week.Who Is Tracy Shannon?Tracy Shannon is a Texas-based advocate and the former Texas director of MassResistance. She has testified before the Texas Legislature in support of Senate Bill 14, the 2023 law prohibiting gender-transition procedures and treatments for minors, and in support of related legislation. She is also a former wife whose marriage ended in divorce after her husband began identifying as transgender.What Is a “Trans Widow”?Tracy uses the term “trans widow” to describe a spouse whose marriage and family are upended when a partner comes out as transgender. In her telling, the man she married no longer exists. She describes the loss as a kind of bereavement: she lost the husband she knew to his transgender identity, and the marriage ended in divorce. Not everyone accepts the term, and we invite listeners to hear her explain what it means to her in her own words.What We Discussed- The impact on her family. How the transition of a spouse and parent reshaped her household and her children’s lives.- The legal system. Her experiences navigating the courts during her divorce and custody proceedings.- The marriage itself. Her account of what happened inside the relationship.- A story that began before the national debate. Tracy’s experience took place in the 1990s and 2000s, long before transgenderism became a mainstream political and cultural topic, which meant she had little language, support, or public understanding to lean on.- The psychological world and her community. Her interactions with mental health professionals and with the people around her, and how she felt they responded.Why This Conversation Matters Right NowOur interview comes immediately after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office announced the opening of the nation’s first detransition clinic at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston on October 27, 2026. According to the Attorney General’s office, the clinic opened as a requirement of a landmark settlement Paxton secured with the hospital in May 2026. That settlement includes a $10 million payment to resolve claims brought under the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act for billing Texas Medicaid for unallowable and illegal “gender-transition” interventions, including by using false diagnosis codes. Paxton’s office opened its investigation into the hospital in 2023. The clinic is multidisciplinary and offers detransition-related medical care to patients through age 21, along with detransition-related obstetric and gynecologic care to patients older than 21. For the first five years, services are funded by the hospital and free of charge to patients.That investigation and the settlement followed Senate Bill 14, which took effect on September 1, 2023, and bars physicians and other providers in Texas from providing puberty blockers, hormones, and surgeries for gender transition to minors. Tracy testified before the Texas Senate in support of SB 14. We did not discuss the clinic with her during this interview, but we want to credit her role in the policy fight that led to this moment: her advocacy helped build the public record behind the law that underpins the state’s enforcement actions.Follow Tracy Shannon- X: https://x.com/AskATranswidow- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askatranswidow/- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadMommaBearInTexas / https://www.facebook.com/tracy.shannon.929- Website: https://madmommabear.com / https://www.femaleonlyspaces.com- Support: https://buymeacoffee.com/tracyshannonAbout the SeriesCowtown Caller and The Paradox Press are independent new-media outlets. This interview is part of a series of conversations on the issues most relevant to Americans ahead of the midterm elections.     Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

In this episode, I talked with Evan Barker. She is the author of a new book called Nothing Left: Confessions of a Democratic Operative. In our conversation, we discussed her initiation into the Democratic Party, her ability to fund raise massive amounts of money, the distinction between elitist politicians on the Coasts and middle Americans, and much more. I hope you enjoy. SPONSOR: Head over to westernrazor.com and use code ORTHODOXYPOD at checkout for 10% off your first order: https://www.westernrazor.com/orthodoxypod Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

Andy and Kellen talked about the three biggest stories of the week and then had a conversation with Dr. Mary Talley Bowden about Calley Means, the Open Letter to Kennedy, and who to vote for in the midterms. Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

In this episode we looked at four stories that cut to the heart of what is happening to American workers, American energy, and the integrity of our political debate heading into the midterms. First, the collapse of a viral claim about Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico and an Ohio psychiatric facility—claims built on a short, selective recording that the facility and the candidate have both rejected. Second, the Labor Department’s decision to freeze green-card sponsorship at Microsoft and major IT firms that have long used H-1B visas while American tech workers face layoffs. Third, vulnerable Republicans in Iowa and Michigan who are now publicly calling for an end to the open-ended war with Iran as early voting begins and fuel prices crush farmers and truckers. And fourth, the Trump-Putin diesel arrangement that temporarily opens the door for Russian fuel in an effort to give relief to American families at the pump. These are not abstract policy debates. They are about who gets to work, who pays at the pump, and whether voters are getting the straight facts before they cast their ballots.    Then we had a discussion with Evan Barker. Evan Barker is a former Democratic campaign operative and fundraiser who helped raise tens of millions of dollars for progressive candidates before publicly breaking with the party in 2024. She grew up in a blue-collar union family in the Kansas City area and was born with primary ciliary dyskinesia, a rare genetic lung disease. She says The Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, allowed her to get insurance and become a first-generation college graduate from the University of Kansas. After interning for Obama in 2008 and organizing for Clinton in 2016, she moved into progressive fundraising at firms like Left Rising, working with candidates aligned with Bernie Sanders, AOC, and the Squad. In August 2024 she walked out of the Democratic National Convention during Oprah Winfrey’s speech, posted a viral TikTok explaining her disillusionment, and later voted for Donald Trump, although she does not call herself a Republican. Her book, Nothing Left: Confessions of a Democratic Operative, published by Threshold Editions in July 2026, became an instant New York Times bestseller. It details how, in her view, the party shifted from championing the working class to being dominated by activists, coastal elites, and identity-focused infrastructure. SPONSOR: Head over to https://www.westernrazor.com/orthodoxypod and use code ORTHODOXYPOD at checkout for 10% off your first order. Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

In this episode, I talked with Kellen Jones from the Cowtown Caller about the major news stories of the past week. We discussed the Cornell 7, H-1b visas, a court case between Boulder and ExxonMobil, and the death of a pioneer televangelist. I hope you enjoy.   Go to withsteward.com and use code PARADOX10 for 10 percent off. Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

In this episode, Kellen Jones and I continued our series of podcasts leading up to the midterm elections. In this episode, we talked with Joe Maxwell. Joe Maxwell is a fourth-generation Missouri farmer, former Missouri Lieutenant Governor (Democrat, 2001-2005), and president of Farm Action Fund, a national advocacy group for independent farmers and ranchers. He is also a driving force behind the Rural Independence Initiative, launched in September 2026, which released a "Bill of Rights" calling for bipartisan action against corporate consolidation in agriculture. We hope you enjoy! Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

In this episode, I talked with Kellen Jones from the Cowtown Caller. He is a reporter and has spent much of his career focusing on immigration. We discussed how Trump has done on immigration in the first two years of his Presidency, how it will effect midterms, and if the death penalty is ethical. Cowtown Caller: https://cowtowncaller.substack.com/ Head over to westernrazor.com and use code ORTHODOXYPOD at checkout for 10% off your first order.   Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

In this episode, I talked with the editor in chief at The Blaze. We discussed his piece in Frontier Magazine about the return of Richard Nixon and why young people are interested in Richard Nixon and his presidency. We discussed Nixon's upbringing, his political philosophy, and how Nixon will influence the future of Conservative politics in America. Read the piece here: https://www.theblaze.com/frontier/the-once-future-nixon Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

In this episode I talked with Dr. Mary Talley Bowden from Americans for Health Freedom. We discussed letter than Mary and and I worked on that was sent to President Trump and Secretary Kennedy asking for the COVID-19 Vaccines to be taken off the market. This letter was signed by over 150 doctors, media personalities, and politicians including Tucker Carlson, Thomas Massie, Dr. Peter McCullough, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Dr. Robert Malone, and Bret Weinstein. Read the letter here: https://www.theparadoxpress.com/open-letter-to-secretary-kennedy-and-president-trump/ Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

In this episode I talked with Dr. Philip Bunn. Dr. Bunn and I continue and conclude our discussion about the great American novel, East of Eden. You can listen to part one of this discussion here: https://youtu.be/60z3ssrtBEc?si=ud4VtSAVUHU1scxF Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

In this podcast I interviewed Carrie Gress. She is the author of The End of Women and Something Wicked. She has spoken and written extensively on feminism and its impact on modern society. In our discussion we talked about the occult origins of feminism, the effects feminism has had on modern women, and why our society is deliberating over the Lindsay Clancy case. Sign up for  The Thursday Club: https://www.theparadoxpress.com/founders-discount  Read Carrie's Substack here: https://theologyofhome.substack.com/ Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

In this episode I talked with Dr. Mary Talley Bowden and Emily Kopp (Senior Investigative Reporter for the Daily Caller). We discussed the recent measles hysteria in Pennsylvania - how Josh Shapiro lied and deceived people about the details to the case and how Trump and RFK responded. We also discussed the newly found CIA ties to the NIH and Anthony Fouci.  SIGN UP FOR THE THURSDAY CLUB: https://www.theparadoxpress.com/found...  Read Mary Talley Bowden's Article: https://www.theparadoxpress.com/measl...  Read Emily Kopp's Articles:  https://dailycaller.com/2026/08/28/ex... https:// dailycaller.com/2026/08/28/ex...  https://dailycaller.com/2026/09/02/sc... Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

In this interview I talked with Rebeka Zeljko. She is the National Correspondent for the Daily Caller. We discussed the massive increase in Flock Cameras across the country, the new kill switch being implemented into cars in 2027, why data centers are ruining humanity, and how to escape the ever-increasing technological oligarchy. Read her article here: https://dailycaller.com/2026/08/17/trump-weighs-in-on-flock-cameras-you-have-pros-and-cons/?_gl=1*1a7pyzz*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTY5NzUyNjU0NS4xNzg3NjY2NDU4*_ga_B906X4P4C5*czE3ODc2NjY0NTgkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODc2NjY1NjYkajQwJGwwJGgw Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

In this episode I talked with Dr. Dale Ahlquist. Dr. Ahlquist is the foremost leader in Chestertonian studies in the world. He is President of the Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton. He is the creator and host of the EWTN television series, “The Apostle of Common Sense.” He is the author of eight books, the editor of sixteen more books, and Publisher of Gilbert magazine. He is the co-founder of the first Chesterton Academy, a classical Catholic high school in Hopkins, Minnesota, which gave birth to the growing Chesterton Schools Network that now includes over 70 schools in the U.S. and nine other countries. In our interview, we discussed G.K. Chesterton's economic theory called localism. Dr. Ahlquist explains what localism is, why it's fundamentally different from Communism and Socialism, and why it's the most Christian of all economic theories. We also discuss aspects of Dr. Ahlquist's essay on localism written for The Paradox Press – if you haven't already, we encourage you to read that here. Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

In this podcast I talk with Dr. Heidi Klessig about the brain death fallacy.    https://www.respectforhumanlife.com/ Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now! Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99