Episode 1: The Science is Behind!
Episode Notes:
Hello friends! Welcome to the gender is a journey podcast. In this episode, I'm introducing myself, Willow Rising, and some of my thoughts as the multi-racial Black Queer Trans Non-Binary person that I am living in this day and age. Let's get it!
Resources mentioned:
Here's a link to Hari Ziyad's book! Hari coined the term “Misafropedia.”
Here's a link to Devon Price's medium page.
Willow Rising:
Hi everyone. Welcome to the Gender is a Journey podcast. My name is Willow Rising and I have worn many hats over the course of my life and career. What I really am at heart is an artist who is following their soul's mission to create. I am currently enthused with graphic design. I think that I always have been fun fact, my grandmother is actually a graphic designer and an artist, and through the course of her life, I got to see how she balanced both. And I think that when I was in high school, I determined that my brain is made for design and I tunnel visioned to focus on a career that would land me in a field where I could do this work. And I really do love this work. And I think that like many people, I was extremely burned out the past few years because of a lot of personal life shit that was going on and I had drastically changed my life.
(01:16)
And it took drastic measures and it was very intense and it was all worth it, even though it was painful, even though it was very scary. And even though there was a lot that I had to learn about myself, about how I interact with people, about how to navigate the world, I really needed to grow up. I really needed to grow up. And I think this idea of growing up is really interesting because a word that I've been obsessed with lately is “Misafropedia.” “Misafropedia” is a word coined by Hari Ziyad (they/them), and this word is representative of the stolen childhood that black children do not get to experience in this country. And I think that as a trans person, something that I've been as a trans person, this feels particularly meaningful. And Hari has said they're also non-binary. I am also non-binary. For me, non-binary is a political stance.
(02:32)
That's something that I first read about in Devon Price's work. You can go back and find a medium post about it. I feel like in therapy I've been resurrecting my masculinity and what feels right for me is that I am gender fluid. I think that a lot of times people suggests that transness has to be a journey from point A to point B and point A being, I guess whatever gender you are assigned at birth to point B, being the opposite one, the quote unquote opposite one. But I think that gender is actually so much more expansive than that, and I personally relate it to being like your soul's essence. What is just the vibe that you feel that you are? I've read some books on gender. I've also watched some YouTube videos. I'm not a scientist. Like I said, I'm an artist and I'm a graphic designer.
(03:43)
Okay, I don't know, but just what sits right with me is that the science is behind. I think the science is behind. I think it's slow. I think it's not quite caught up to where humanity's at. And I think that I am someone who honestly is evidence of that. I believe that there are certain places and spaces where gender or what I mean to say is where the science is up to date. But in my life so far, I've not experienced that. I'm a person. I was born premature, so I came in early and I think that has been the trajectory of my life to be quite honest. A few years back, I knew that I had PCOS. No doctors would give me that diagnosis. I was medically gaslit and I was also told that I needed to lose weight and that message was only reaffirmed in my marriage by my ex-partner.
(04:53)
And that just was evidenced to me that, oh my God, this relationship is not healthy. I need to get the fuck out. And I was in denial of that for a really long time. That really affected my mental health. That also really affected my physical health and my period was speaking to me. My period was really, really speaking to me. It was erratic for so much of my life, for so much of my, not for so much of my life. My period was actually quite regular for a lot of my life, but during the entire course of my marriage, my period was quite erratic. And that I think is very telling to me. I think that that is a signal of stress. I think that that was definitely a sign of PCOS, but what I mean is that I think that the chronic stress I was experiencing was being reflected in my period in the erratic nature of my period and drastically changing.
(06:00)
My life has led to a much more stable flow for me quite literally. And I have seen major health benefits as a result. Now, I think that healthism is really dangerous, and so I am not here to promote this idea that you need to look at your period and it automatically means that you are stressed out if your period is being erratic. I do not think that what I am saying is for me personally, that is the takeaway that I have based on my lived experience and what I believe. I am not a doctor. I am not a scientist, and also I don't know your life. So it would be incredibly irresponsible of me to suggest that you might have PCOS, and that automatically means that you are stressed the fuck out. You know your life, you know what you need, and so you can decide what your truth is and what makes sense to you.
(07:10)
My period as a trans person is something that I've thought a lot about because a lot of it I think was tied to this idea of womanhood, and I've deeply investigated whether or not that was true for me too. I've also really questioned whether or not it was my period that made me feel dysphoric at times. And every time I ask myself these questions and I give myself some space to explore, I end up realizing that no, it's not my body. It's not my body that's wrong, it's not my body that's wrong. That is the resounding takeaway that I have as the non-binary trans person that I am. And I'm also multiracial and I'm also black, and I'm also autistic, and I have clinically diagnosed ADHD, and I also have synesthesia. I am really unique and I am here today to simply share my thoughts, musings, wonderings and lived experience. And I hope that in doing so, it helps you in whatever way that you need. I'm also really committed to my authenticity, which I know can be very polarizing. Also, word to Devon Price. Thank you for sharing that. Also a fellow Aries, and so go with what works for you and take what resonates and leave the rest.
Thanks so much for listening. I can't wait to talk more about this kind of stuff. If you ever have any questions, please leave a comment and let me know. I look forward to hearing back!