266: In Support of Transgender Lives with Schuyler Bailar
Release Date: 02/25/2025
23: 7 Years, One Big Rebrand, and Everything We Know Now: An Honest Anniversary Conversation
What Do You Mean By That?
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22: Where Do You Belong? Multi-Ethnic Identity and Citizenship with Megumi Nishikura
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21: Fixing Fairness: The Future of DEI, Workplace Equity, and Organizational Change, with Lily Zheng
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20: Where the Girls Were, with Kate Schatz
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19: The Conversations We All Need to Have About Black History Month
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18: What to do about (Secret Pol)ICE In Our Communities
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17: New Year of Actions + Why Getting Names Right Matters
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If you’re a repeat listener to the podcast over the last almost SEVEN years, you know that sometimes, we’ve done seasonal arcs in which we focus on a topic or theme for the season. (And if you’ve just found us - hello!) This year, we’re doing something different: a year-long focus on action, which is the third pillar of our listen, learn, and act framework. It moves us from “what can I do?” to “here’s how I show up.” We’ll take the things that you’ve been curious about (but didn’t want to ask about, maybe), break down the history behind them, and walk...
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16: Leaving 2025 Behind: What We’re Letting Go Of and What We’re Taking Into 2026
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15: Raising Boys in an Age of Backlash: Soraya Chemaly on Power, Gender, and What Comes Next
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In today’s episode, we sit down with feminist author and activist Soraya Chemaly for a conversation that feels both urgent and deeply grounding. Soraya’s new book, All We Want Is Everything, traces how male supremacy shows up everywhere—our politics, our homes, our faith spaces, our workplaces, and especially in the lives of our children. Together, we talk about the rising backlash against women and queer people, the ways boys are being pulled into misogynistic online spaces, and why so many young men are drifting toward anti-democratic movements without even realizing they’re...
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14: Becoming Smarter News Consumers, with the founder of Ad Fontes Media, Home of the Media Bias Chart
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In an age where AI can fake a video, social platforms reward outrage, and even the word ‘misinformation’ means different things to different people, one question rises above the noise: how do we know what to trust? Today, we’re joined by Vanessa Otero, the lawyer-turned-media-analyst behind Ad Fontes Media and its well-known Media Bias Chart, to explore exactly that. Vanessa takes us inside the mechanics of bias, the structures driving extreme content, and the habits that actually make us smarter news consumers. This episode is your practical guide to staying informed...
info_outlineIn the United States, there are an estimated 1.6 million people who identify as transgender, which is about 0.6% of the population ages 13 and older. It’s about the equivalent of the population of Phoenix, Arizona; it’s just about how many people said on the US Census in 2021 that they are Japanese. Of course this population matters – AND, it’s not a large percentage of our American population.
Yet the inordinate number of laws that have already been passed or changed since #47 was re-inaugurated, ones that harm the transgender community and the individuals and families in it, is astounding. In other words, although this group doesn’t comprise a large percentage of our American population, it is being disproportionately targeted by this administration.
The cruelty is the point, sure. But what can we do about it? How can we be an ally?
Let’s start with organizations to support. If you have the ability to donate or volunteer, here are a few that we like: the Transgender Law Center, Advocates for Trans Equality, The Trevor Project, The Trans Lifeline, and GLAAD. Also, you’ll want to make sure to check what organizations are available locally as well, as it will be your local communities where you can have the most impact.
Next, listen to this episode - or re-listen, if you heard it come out before. Buy Schuyler’s book. Tell all your friends. We have to talk about what it means to be transgender, and how the transgender lived experience differs from ours, if we want to truly be allies and not just performatively say we are. This is where we say, and mean it: all of us, or none of us. We hope you listen, and take action.
What to listen for:
Intersectionality, and Schuyler’s own experience growing up biracial
The importance of exploring why you are who you are, for ALL of us, when it comes to gender
The quick take-down of the arguments from people working to push trans women out of women’s sports
A bullet pointed list of what NOT to say to transgender folks [TIMESTAMP PLEASE]
How to remind yourself of joy and a sense of thriving in the world, when it gets rough
What Schuyler wants cisgender, heterosexual women to do differently, once you listen to the episode
About Schuyler:
Schuyler Bailar (he/him) is an educator, advocate, and bestselling author who made history as the first transgender athlete to compete in any sport on an NCAA Division 1 men’s team. Originally recruited to swim for the Harvard women’s team, Schuyler made the difficult choice to transition while potentially giving up the prospect of being a women’s NCAA Champion. His story has appeared everywhere from 60 Minutes to The Washington Post and the Ellen Show. Schuyler’s tireless advocacy has earned him numerous honors, including Forbes 30 Under 30
and the Out 100. In 2023, Schuyler’s critically acclaimed nonfiction bestseller became the preeminent resource on trans inclusion, He/She/They: How We Talk About Gender and Why It Matters. Schuyler’s works include his middle-grade novel Obie Is Man Enough, his online gender literacy training LaneChanger.com, and his hit podcast Dear Schuyler, including exclusive interviews with trans icons and allies like Lia Thomos, Dylan Mulvaney, Rafael de la Fuente, and many more.
Resources
Follow Schuyler on Instagram @pinkmantaray
Consider donating to Schuyler’s non-profit, which is underwriting a retreat for transgender athletes in May 2025 (and if you want more information, send us an email): https://www.paypal.com/donate?
How else can you support transgender lives? https://www.them.us/story/orgs-fighting-back-anti-trans-legislation