Hey fam, it's me, Amara. Welcome to the TransLash podcast, a show where we tell

trans stories to save trans lives. This week we're bringing you a conversation on identity

politics. It's an important topic that's been on my mind this year

because we've seen it come up time and time again

as the Democratic Party decides how it needs to act

in an age of increasing authoritarianism.

Now, there are many at the highest levels of the party

who have been saying since the loss of former Vice President Kamala Harris last year,

that the way for Democrats to win in the upcoming elections is to ignore attacks on marginalized

communities, including trans people. But this seems to be at odds with recent Democratic wins

in the gubernatorial races of Virginia and New Jersey and the mayor's race in New York City.

Moreover, we know that even if Democrats are silent on the issues of human rights and dignity

of trans people in 2026, that the Republican Party won't be.

So there's a lot to unpack here.

That's why I'm thrilled to be joined by perhaps the most

pivotal voice inside the Democratic Party, James Carvel. He played a big role in creating the

momentum for Joe Biden to exit the 2024 presidential race. He shapes what and how Democratic

leaders think and recently penned a major piece about woke politics in the party.

And the only way that you can deal with is win elections. So therefore, you should only do

things that are going to help you win an election. And you only get a chance to talk about a few

things in election. And you've got to pick and choose. But before we get into it, let's start

out as always with some trans joy.

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