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Imara is joined by V Spehar of Under the Desk News for a live-to-tape breakdown of the midterm election results. How did voters decide on anti-trans ballot measures across the country? How did trans candidates fare? Which Democratic messaging tactics on trans issues worked—and which didn’t? Imara and V break it all down. 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 the Under the Desk News on social media (@underthedesknews) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imara is joined by V Spehar of Under the Desk News for a live-to-tape breakdown of the midterm election results. How did voters decide on anti-trans ballot measures across the country? How did trans candidates fare? Which Democratic messaging tactics on trans issues worked—and which didn’t? Imara and V break it all down. 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 the Under the Desk News on social media (@underthedesknews)

With hundreds of races being decided in today’s midterm, it can be hard to know what to focus on. That’s why Imara’s sharing what she’ll be watching for as results start to come in. From anti-trans ballot initiatives to races where trans issues played a pivotal role, here’s what to look for. In honor of Election Day, we’re removing the paywall for today’s The Mess. If you love it, please consider becoming a TransLash Fam subscriber. Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook. Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (imara_jones_), Bluesky (imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones) The Mess is produced by TransLash Media.

This year, in its 30th anniversary season, the WNBA became the unlikely target of anti-trans protests—despite the fact that there are no trans women players in the league. How did we get here? On today’s episode, sports journalist Jemele Hill shares why she thinks the anti-trans protesters don’t actually care about women’s sports. Then, we hear from Frankie de la Cretaz, a writer who covers the intersection of sports and gender, about how they think the league should handle the controversy. This week’s Trans Joy spotlights Devin Meyers, founder of the NYC-based trans+ basketball club, Basketdolls. 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 the Jemele Hill on Instagram and X (@jemelehill) Follow Frankie de la Cretaz on Instagram (@thefrankiedlc) and Bluesky (@thefrankiedlc.news) Follow Basketdolls on Instagram (@basketdolls) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recently, Trump’s Department of Education announced changes to Title IX, the law that protects people from sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools. It formally rescinded Biden-era changes that would have protected LGBTQ+ students on the basis of sex. Today, we’re digging into what these changes mean and how they’ll impact trans students across the country. First, we hear from Ria Tabacco Mar, the Director of the Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU, about what this change means on a legal level. Then, Christopher Wiggins, the politics and news editor for The Advocate, Out, and Them, tells us how students have been responding to anti-trans rules and attitudes. This week’s Trans Joy spotlights educator Lizi King. 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 the ACLU on Instagram (@aclu_nationwide), X (@ACLU), and Bluesky (@aclu.org) Follow Christopher Wiggins on Instagram (@thatdcreporter) and Bluesky (@cwnewser.bsky.social) Follow Lizi King on Instagram (@NonBuyDairy_) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show, US Senate candidate James Talarico clarifies his 2021 remark that “God is nonbinary.” Then, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth uses an anti-trans slur. And finally, NYC moves to spend nearly nine million dollars on gender-affirming care for minors. Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook. Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (imara_jones_), Bluesky (imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones) The Mess is produced by TransLash Media.

This November, voters will be faced with anti-trans ballot measures all across the country. What is the purpose of these measures and how are they different from laws introduced in state legislatures? Today, we hear from two people who will help us understand the anti-trans ballot initiatives in two very different states. Michael Woodward is an organizer fighting a draconian measure in Washington State that would mandate sex testing for all girls who wish to participate in school sports. Ann Marie Awad is a reporter who’s been covering the anti-trans measures in Colorado for their podcast Hate State (coming later this month). This week’s Trans Joy features V Fixmer-Oraiz, a County Supervisor in Johnson County, IA. 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 Michael Woodward on social media (@morphingmichael) Follow TRACTION on social media (@tractionpnw) Follow Ann Marie Awad on Bluesky (@anntastic.bsky.social) Follow V Fixmer-Oraiz on Facebook (VFOJoCo) and Instagram (@vfojoco) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show, NYU Langone ends gender-affirming care for trans youth. Then, Democrats flounder on trans messaging ahead of midterms. And finally, a Black trans woman, Erika Hilton, is re-elected to Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies. Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook. Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (imara_jones_), Bluesky (imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones) The Mess is produced by TransLash Media.

Imara sits down with two trans women running for their respective State Houses of Representatives. And, in an interesting coincidence, both these women are spiritual leaders as well as political hopefuls. Joanna Whaley is running to represent Michigan’s 2nd District on a platform of economic fairness. She is a former pastor, a survivor of conversion therapy, and currently works full-time as a hospital chaplain. Jaelynn Scott is the Democratic nominee for Washington State’s District 37. She is a Democratic Socialist and the Executive Director of the Lavender Rights Project, a Black trans feminist organization. This week’s Trans Joy features Ashley Shade, the President of the City Council of North Adams, Massachusetts. 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 Jaelynn Scott on Instagram and Facebook (@votejaelynn) Follow Joanna Whaley on social media (@joannawhaleyofficial) and Bluesky (@joannawhaley4mi) Follow Ashley Shade on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok (@ashade4office) and subscribe to her substack (ashleyshade.substack.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Imara is joined by Lucie Fielding, author of “Trans Sex: Nurturing Trans Erotic Embodiment and Gender-Pleasure.” Lucie is a therapist and sex educator and is here to answer all of your spiciest questions about trans sex. Lucie shares what exactly makes trans sex special, answers sex questions from listeners, and shares an exercise you can try at home to make your sex life better. This week’s Trans Joy spotlights artist and sex worker Carta Monir. 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 Lucie Fielding on Instagram (@sexbeyondbinaries) and BlueSky (@sexbeyondbinaries.bsky.social) Find Carta Monir at allmylinks.com/XXXcartaXXX Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Historian Susan Stryker joins Imara to discuss her new book, “Changing Gender,” which is a history of the concept of gender itself.  What does gender have to do with language? When did “gender ideology” become the boogeyman it is today? And how did transphobe Matt Walsh inspire this book? Listen for answers to all these and more questions.    This week’s Trans Joy spotlights scholar Victor Ultra Omni.  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 Victor Ultra Omni on Instagram (@fathaultraomni) or visit their website, victoromni.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re revisiting Imara’s vulnerable conversation with Minnesota State Representative Leigh Finke, the first trans woman ever elected to the MN House of Representatives. In her time in office, Finke has focused on policies that expand housing and healthcare access and cement civil rights protections, most notably a trans refuge law that includes some of the strongest legal protections for gender-affirming care in the nation. But Rep. Finke’s time in office has been filled with turmoil. In June of last year, her friend and MN House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed in a politically motivated murder. And, more recently, Minneapolis was besieged by ICE, which resulted in the killing of two citizens.  In this episode, Rep. Finke gets real about how hard it is to be a trans legislator in today’s political environment and what motivates her to keep fighting. This week’s Trans Joy spotlights Trina Tate, an educator who develops mindfulness curricula for public school students. 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 Representative Leigh Finke on Instagram (@leighformn) Follow Trina Tate on Instagram (@pillowwizard) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re revisiting Imara’s vulnerable conversation with Minnesota State Representative Leigh Finke, the first trans woman ever elected to the MN House of Representatives. In her time in office, Finke has focused on policies that expand housing and healthcare access and cement civil rights protections, most notably a trans refuge law that includes some of the strongest legal protections for gender-affirming care in the nation. But Rep. Finke’s time in office has been filled with turmoil. In June of last year, her friend and MN House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed in a politically motivated murder. And, more recently, Minneapolis was besieged by ICE, which resulted in the killing of two citizens. In this episode, Rep. Finke gets real about how hard it is to be a trans legislator in today’s political environment and what motivates her to keep fighting. This week’s Trans Joy features Trina Tate, an educator who develops mindfulness curricula for public school students. 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 Representative Leigh Finke on Instagram (@leighformn) Follow Trina Tate on Instagram (@pillowwizard)

As we gear up for November’s midterms, we’re revisiting our 2025 election recap. The 2025 elections were a resounding victory for Democrats and a rare sign of hope for many during a time when authoritarianism is on the rise. In this episode, Imara dives into the big stories from the 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 gubernatorial election in Virginia. Then, journalist Cyril Mychalejko from the Bucks County Beacon unpacks what happened in two politically significant school boards we reported on for The Anti-Trans Hate Machine podcast. This week’s Trans Joy spotlights Downington, PA Mayor Erica Deuso. 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 Charlotte Woods on X (@charlottewords) and Bluesky (@charlottewords.bsky.social) Follow Cyril Mychalejko on Bluesky (@buckscountybeacon.com @cmychalejko.bsky.social) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s so funny about masculinity? This week, we’re revisiting Imara’s conversation with actor, writer, and stand-up comedian River Butcher about the beauty and absurdity of being a man. They discuss being affirmed by butt slaps on the baseball field, the nonlinear nature of liberation, and just how far masculinity has expanded over the last few decades. River also gives an inside peek into his complicated relationship with they/them pronouns in queer spaces and Hollywood audition rooms.  This week’s Trans Joy spotlights founder of T4T Comedy Terrence Dugan. 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 River Butcher on on Instagram and X (@rivbutcher) Follow T4T Comedy on Instagram (@t4tcomedy) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.