It started with a rusty bike.

I was clearing out the garage and I found my old one that I hadn't ridden for years.

So I searched how to fix up a bike on Tik-Tock.

I found loads of videos on there, like how to fix a chain, change the brakes and mend a puncture.

That led me to a video about local bike routes around Manchester. Turns out there's a nice one that goes past work, so I started cycling in.

Now it's only me that's a bit rusty.

It starts on Tik-Tock. You're going to. We're back with another edition of The Federalist Radio Hour. I'm Emily Jashinsky

Culture Editor here at the Federalist as always always you can email the show at radio at the Federalist.

Follow us on X at fDR LST. Make sure to subscribe wherever you download your

podcast and you can get an ad-free version of our website over at the

premium section of the Federalist.com as well. Today I'm very honored to be joined by Shannon Thrace.

Shannon is the author of a memoir called

18 Months, a memoir of a marriage lost to gender identity. She writes at

Shannon Thrace that's THRACE dot sub-S-S-inating substack over there Shannon. Thank you so much for joining us.

Thank you so much for having me Emily. I listen to a couple of episodes and I think it's a really cool show and I also think you have a really great voice so.

Oh well thank you that's so kind. I want to start actually by reading just for some context.

A your publisher's description of your book because I feel like it covers so much ground and gives a lot of you kind of helpful background that people might want going into this conversation.

It reads, Shannon is no stranger to alternative lifestyles.

Raised by Christian parents in bluegrass country, she fled to the city,

scraped together in education, worked for drag shows,

and befriended poets and anarchists at clothing optional parties.

For the time she settled into her 14-year relationship with Jamie,

...