Hey fam, it's me, Amara Jones.

Welcome to the Translash podcast, a show where we tell trans stories to save trans lives.

Well, we're still in the beginning of 2023, and even though it's a new year, we're already seeing dozens of anti-trans bills introduce across the country.

In addition to that, of course, we also have a new Congress, a new Republican House of Representatives, where members have already threatened to introduce anti-trans bills this year as well.

At the states, among these dozens of bills are, of course, those that would restrict trans health care,

and even the use of pronouns, the most draconian of these in Oklahoma, would ban gender-affirming care up to the age of 26, denying trans

adults equal access to health care. But despite all of this, and as they say in Star Wars,

as the darkness spreads, the light comes up to meet it. We've had a record-breaking number of

trans people run and win last year.

They're being sworn in as we speak. So all this means that politics is just a part of trans life right now.

And that's why we wanted to start off the year by talking to these amazing people who are doing work at the state

and even the granular local level to drive change. First, I'm joined by Zoe Zephyr, the first

trans woman to be elected to the Montana state legislature. You're seeing a flashpoint in the

arc of history where the rainbow touches the ground

for a second. And it's like, okay, this fight has been going for a long time. And this win

means something. And yes, there's a ton more work to do, but look at this win that we've gotten.

Then, for a completely different perspective, I'll speak with Sierra Thomas about her work as co-vice chair of the

Pennsylvania Governor's Commission of LGBT Affairs and also what it's like to be a community

advocate and a conservative part of that state. So something I've also learned is Democrats and

Republicans. They all have their agendas. These thoughtful leaders pushing for change are our trans joy today, so let's just get to these conversations.

I'm so glad to be talking with Montana State Representative Zoe Zephyr.

Zoe was elected to represent District 100 of Montana in November.

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