239. The Cost of Being Trans with Ash Perez

Financial Feminist

Her First $100K

Self-improvement, Education, How To, Business

4.7 • 6.2K Ratings

🗓️ 16 June 2025

⏱️ 85 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Register for our FREE workshop, Stock Market Secrets: Debunking Common Myths for Successful Investing: herfirst100k.com/secrets-pod You might think you know the financial cost of transitioning—but what you’ll hear in this episode will completely reframe how you think about money, identity, and survival. In this episode, I spoke with Ash Perez –– Cuban-Korean-Filipino writer, director, producer, and openly trans man who’s sharing what it really takes to live authentically in a world that often doesn’t make room for that authenticity. From top surgery and hormone therapy to lost job opportunities and acne treatments during a second puberty, Ash gets incredibly honest about the hidden, ongoing expenses of transitioning—and why we need to start thinking about them as necessary, not excessive. This is one of the most candid and enlightening conversations we’ve ever had on the show. Ash walks us through not only his journey through gender discovery, divorce, grief, and systemic hoops—but also what cisgender allies often get wrong when trying to support trans folks. If you care about queer communities, want to be a better ally, or are just ready to expand your perspective on what financial security and self-acceptance really look like, tune in. Ash’s links: Website: https://www.2ndtry.tv/ Substack: https://substack.com/@itsashlyperez Read transcripts, learn more about our guests and sponsors, and get more resources at https://herfirst100k.com/financial-feminist-show-notes/cost-of-being-transgender-ash-perez/ Looking for accountability, live coaching, and deeper financial education? Check out our exclusive community! Join the $100K Club: https://herfirst100k.com/100k-pod Our favorite travel and cash-back credit cards, plus other financial resources: https://herfirst100k.com/tools Not sure where to start on your financial journey? Take our FREE money personality quiz! https://herfirst100k.com/quiz Special thanks to our sponsors: Squarespace Go to www.squarespace.com/FFPOD to save 10% off your first website or domain purchase. Rocket Money Stop wasting money on things you don’t use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/FFPOD. Quince For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to Quince.com/FFPOD for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Netsuite If your revenues are at least in the seven figures, download the free e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at NetSuite.com/FFPOD. Masterclass Get at least 15% off any annual membership at Masterclass.com/FFPOD. Indeed Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com/FFPOD. ResortPass Visit Resortpass.com and use code FFPOD to get $20 off your first ResortPass experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You would not believe how much this trans filmmaker spent on gender affirming care.
0:05.0	And some of what he spent the money on will shock you.
0:07.7	This is a conversation about being transgender that you've never heard before.
0:11.8	And what you're getting wrong as a queer ally.
0:14.3	Let's get into it.
0:15.3	As Perez is a writer, director, author, and producer.
0:18.1	The truth is, does it make you happy to do this?
0:21.8	Even if it's outside of what you've traditionally been told that men or women or non-binary
0:26.1	people are supposed to do or look like, then do that.
0:28.8	And like, eventually you land where you're supposed to be.
0:32.3	A queer first generation, Cuban, Korean, and Filipino American himself,
0:36.1	Ash is focused on telling underrepresented stories
0:38.3	in every genre. He has written for ABC's Home Economics and Free Forms Good Trouble, and most
0:43.6	recently he created New Guy Tri's for Second Try TV, which follows his exploration of manhood
0:48.9	as a newly transitioned man. We know how hard it is to even be where we are. And so I don't know any marginalized person
0:57.2	who doesn't turn around and give back. And yet, how many billionaires don't give any money,
1:03.1	donate any money, don't give a shit? We're talking with Ash today about the cost of being trans.
1:08.0	From his health care to surprising costs he never expected, both financially
1:12.0	and otherwise. We talked about Ash's life before and after transition, and it's one of the most
1:16.2	honest, vulnerable accounts of being transgender and gay awakening that I've ever encountered.
1:22.8	I think I grew up with a lot of judgment because of how I was raised too for women who got surgery
1:28.5	or women who wanted to wear more makeup because, you know, we also, we just make things
	...

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