In this compelling interview, Dr. Alex Iantaffi interviews transgender pioneer and Minnesota State Representative Leigh Finke. They discuss cross-movement solidarity, the recent militarized occupation of Minnesota by ICE during Operation Metro Surge, the impact of the current political violence on trans communities, especially trans women, and on Leigh herself, and the importance of community organizing and political engagement in the fight for all our civil rights.

Leigh Finke is honored to serve as State Representative for District 66A. Prior to holding office she worked as a journalist, media creator, and documentary filmmaker. In 2022, she became the first out trans woman elected to the Minnesota Legislature. During her first two terms in office, Leigh has advocated for 2SLGBTQIA+ equality, abortion rights, prison justice, and environmental equity. She chairs the House Reproductive Freedom Caucus and serves as Co-Vice Chair of the Judiciary Committee. In her personal time, Leigh enjoys writing, painting, traveling, skateboarding, and organizing community events, and exploring Minnesota’s parks with her kids.

A few invitations and takeaways from the episode:

• Cross-movement solidarity is essential because our liberation is tied to one another.
• Trans, Two-Spirit, nonbinary, and/or gender expansive people are part of and belong in all communities.
• Engage in local and state elections to support 2SLGBTQ+ rights.
• Build community networks for mutual support and safety.
• Advocate for policies that protect civil rights and gender-affirming care, especially for minors.
• Educate yourselves and others about the systemic nature of injustice and resistance.

Find out more about Leigh Finke at the following links:

https://www.leighformn.com/about

https://linktr.ee/leighformn24

https://www.instagram.com/leighformn/

Instagram: GenderStories
Hosted by Alex Iantaffi
Music by Maxwell von Raven
Gender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Dr. Alex Iantaffi geeks out about Shakespeare, gender, and the power of theatre with Beks Roen, founder of Roguish Goblin Stories, an online queer art library where enbies and aspecs are the main characters. Alex and Beks discuss the joy of Shakespeare in the park, the power of exploring gender through acting, and the importance of queer representation.

Beks Roen (they/he) helps trans/aspec folks and allies who feel isolated and powerless to find chosen family through queer fantasy and Shakespeare. They run Roguish Goblin Stories (RGS), an independent, community-supported online queer art library. Roen’s goal for RGS is to grow it into a streaming platform that supports multiple queer artists full-time, freeing them to focus on the art they were born to share. RGS just launched their first Investor opportunity so, if you're passionate about supporting trans artists, and want a deep, personal connection to the positive impact you're making, you can join them here at this link.

RGS is about to release new episodes for their podcast "Our Lives Aren't That Interesting!" You can check it out here on YouTube. They're also looking for aspec guests for their podcast, "An Aspec Guide to Shakespeare." If you know someone who's an aspec Shakespeare artist or scholar, they’d love to interview them! Email them directly at beks [at] beksroen [dot] org

Find out more about Roguish Goblin Stories and Beks Roen at the following links:

Website: beksroen.org/rgs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roguishgoblinstories/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFQcPRsnqPpUuo79L7tOQQA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584362608360
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@roguishgoblinstories
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/roguishgoblinstory.bsky.social

Instagram: GenderStories
Hosted by Alex Iantaffi
Music by Maxwell von Raven
Gender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub

Dr Alex Iantaffi interviews Eun Bee Yes, the fabulous founder, show director, and producer for Transcendence Cabaret, a trans, genderqueer, two-spirit, and gender expansive drag troupe that centers BI&POC artists in the Twin Cities. They discuss the importance of representation and mentorship in the drag scene, the evolving nature of drag as a form of artistic expression, and safety concerns in the current socio-political climate. Listen for an uplifting conversation on the nourishing aspects of trans community, queer art, and the transformative power of drag in the face of oppression.

Transcendence Cabaret is an amazing troupe with some of the best well-known and up and coming artists in the Twin Cities. They are transgender, genderqueer, gender non-conforming, two spirit and truly all along the spectrum of gender and sexuality. Transcendence Cabaret’s artists are primarily BI&POC and they are one of a handful of transgender troupes who center artists of color on Turtle Island, in the so-called United States. They offer an up and close personal experience and a spotlight on often overlooked talent within the unique drag, music, and art community. Their aim is not only to entertain their audiences, but to push themselves as artists, in a rare opportunity to challenge the perceptions of our communities, and to make art from their heart and soul. You haven’t seen anything yet until you’ve spent an evening with them! Transcendence Cabaret invites you to join them each month in a constantly evolving show. Ready to go above and beyond the binary? Allow them to be your guide! All shows are hybrid and can be enjoyed from anywhere in the world, if you’re not a local.

Find out more about Transcendence Cabaret, including upcoming shows, at the following links:

www.transcendencecabaret.com

Facebook- Transcendence Cabaret

Instagram- Transcendence Cabaret

Instagram: GenderStories
Hosted by Alex Iantaffi
Music by Maxwell von Raven
Gender Stories logo by Lior Effinger-Weintraub