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“What qualifies or quantifies, what is a man?” Kwasi Johnson asks that question in this episode of Dem Bois Podcast and it really made me think! Where do we get all these ideas of what a man should and shouldn’t be? Why can’t we define manhood for ourselves? Kwasi is a plant and animal dad, photographer, and Senior IT engineer, and we discuss masculine ideologies, the importance of duality, being a blessing to others, and more!

We talk:
The importance of duality - 8:03
How the name Kwasi chose him - 12:38
Advocating for yourself - 25:02
His transition journey - 31:03
What is a man? - 41:08
Advice for listeners - 55:39

Read more about Kwasi in his bio below:
Peace, love, and light to you. My name is Kwasi-Raheem. I'm a fun, loving, and hilarious plant & animal dad. When I'm not working 1 of my 2 IT related daytime gigs; you can catch me photographing, walking my dogs, and or in your local Home Goods. I also keep a number of reptiles and am a budding "Lego-Brick Architect."

• https://www.instagram.com/kwasi.raheem

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Am I enough? This is a question that many people struggle with, but the answer is always the same. Yes! You are enough! You are exactly who you’re supposed to be, even if the world tells you differently. That is the message in this episode of Dem Bois Podcast. Today I sit down with Human Rights defender, Wegner Wilma, and we discuss the constant struggle between being who you are, losing the acceptance of loved ones, and finding others to replace those lost loved ones. Wegner is also a writer and they are our second guest from Uganda.

We talk:
How Wegner’s name was chosen - 4:31
Struggling with the question: am I enough? - 19:44
The Antihomosexuality Act in Uganda - 35:06
Safety for trans and queer folks in Uganda - 53:59
Wegner’s message to listeners - 1:00:02

Episode References:
Ep. #47 HIV Activism and Trans Advocacy in Uganda with Ruthra Lubega

Read more about Wegner in his bio below:
Wegner is my name. I am a Trans Non binary Ugandan citizen. My pronouns are they/them and a dedicated Human Rights defender, great writer and a champion for the rights of queer individuals living in Uganda. I have actively participated in a number of Digital Safety and Security initiatives under Queer Women Leaders Uganda where I am currently working as a Finance Officer. Considering the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 passing in Uganda, queer advocacy is safest online and I commend QWLU's commitment in fostering secure online spaces for the queer community.

• https://www.twitter.com/Closeted_Africa

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How many black men do you think are in the medical cannabis space? I’ll even take it a step further. How many trans black men do you think are in the medical cannabis space? I’ll wait… It’s unfortunately no surprise that trans black men are lacking in this industry, especially at the executive level. So, in this episode of Dem Bois Podcast, I sit down with pioneer and advocate, Shawn Williams, and we discuss it. We also discuss black culture and differences in experiences between cis men and trans men.

We talk:
How the name Shawn chose him - 4:01
Cis vs trans identity - 16:18
Lack of education on ftm transition - 26:06
Living by morals and values instead of tradition - 35:52
Shawn’s work in the legal cannabis space - 47:20
Advice for those looking to get into the legal cannabis space - 1:01:11

Click here for transcript!

Episode References:
Ep. 30 Creating Your Best Life Holistically with Bobby Walker
Ep. #47 HIV Activism and Trans Advocacy in Uganda with Ruthra Lubega
The Village (movie)
365 Recreational
Burners Block on Instagram
Burners Block website
The Grove (dispensary)
UMD Graduate Studies in Medical Cannabis
Dutchie
Cannabist (formerly Columbia Care)

Read more about Shawn in his bio below:
Born and raised in North Carolina, residing in Maryland. Shawn is a pioneer in the legal cannabis space. Shawn advocates for the rights of Black trans men in cannabis.

• https://www.instagram.com/Dr.biglungs

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People use anything as an excuse to be transphobic. They don’t want Drag Queens reading to children, or trans folks using their preferred bathrooms, or whatever else is the topic of the moment. And it feels like we have to work harder to amplify our voices and our joy, but that is what this episode is all about! Today on Dem Bois Podcast, I sit down with Cuee, recording artist, activist, and influencer, who embodies black trans joy! We discuss his music career, his coming out story, his relationship with his mom, and more.

We talk:
How the name Cuee chose him - 5:13
His relationship with his mom - 16:42
Becoming aware of himself in the body he was in - 27:44
How Cuee was introduced to music - 42:28
The dream retreat that he is creating - 55:46

Click here for transcript!

Read more about Cuee is his bio below:
Cuee, from Chicago, IL is a Black Trans Recording Artist, Activist and Influencer who embodies Black Trans Joy. His mission is to spread it across the world through his activism and music. His message is spreading across the world with the goal of reaching 100K LGBTQ+ / Allies that he calls, "Cueeties".

• https://www.twitter.com/cueemusic
• https://www.instagram.com/cueemusic

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Are you enjoying the Dem Bois Podcast? Donate today to help support the cost of production and the honorarium we pay our guests for their time. All donations are tax-deductible. Click here!

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What happens when we don’t share our own stories? They get told by non-trans, non-people of color who want to advocate for us, but don’t necessarily understand how to. This is why diversity and inclusion is so important, especially in spaces that can control narratives like media and entertainment. In this episode of Dem Bos Podcast, I continue the conversation with Sydney Baloue and we discuss the importance of storytelling, the fluidity of gender, the truth of “American culture,” and more!

We talk:
The importance of storytelling in the trans community - 3:48
Sydney’s experience challenging the “gender is a fact’ rhetoric - 14:40
How the gender binary shifts with time - 23:50
Sydney’s favorite childhood cartoons - 30:07
Advice from Sydney Baloue - 40:04

Click here for transcript!

References:
Moi Renee
Miss Honey by Moir Renee
Kylian Mbappe
“HIM” from PowerPuff Girls
Dexter’s Laboratory
Sailor Moon
Looney Tunes
From Kalulu the Hare to Bugs Bunny: Trickster Lagomorph Legends
“What’s Opera, Doc”
Little Richard - Documentary
Tina - Documentary
Scooby-Doo

Read more about Sydnes in his bio below:
Sydney Baloue is a TV writer/producer, dancer, archivist and journalist. He is in the House of Xtravaganza and he was Co-Executive Producer on HBOMax’s LEGENDARY Seasons 1 and 2. In 2022, he was the first Black trans man in the Writers Guild of America after working as a staff writer in scripted TV on The Vanishing Half at HBO and Tom Swift at the CW. Sydney is the author of Undeniable: A History of Voguing, Ballroom and How it Changed My Life (And the World). He was the first trans man to solely win Grand Prize for “Old Way” at the Latex Ball in 2019.

• www.sydneybaloue.com
• https://www.instagram.com/sydneybaloue
• https://www.twitter.com/sydneybaloue

Are you enjoying the Dem Bois Podcast? Donate today to help support the cost of production and the honorarium we pay our guests for their time. All donations are tax-deductible. Click here!

Donate to support our 2023 Gender Affirming Surgery Grant Fund here!

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If you’ve ever wondered about Ballroom, then this episode is for you! Today on Dem Bois Podcast, I sit down with my friend, Sydney Baloue, TV writer/producer, dancer, archivist and journalist. Sydney is an expert on Ballroom culture and he breaks down its history and the role it has played in his life. We discuss how we met, his transition journey, his career in TV, and much more!

We talk:
How the name Sydney chose him - 4:37
Going deeper into the Ballroom scene - 16:13
Ballroom culture for those who don’t know it - 27:55
Sydney’s travel and studies abroad - 35:17
His work on HBO’s Legendary - 45:08

Click here for transcript!

References:
Sciences Po
London School of Economics
Edens Garden
CliniQ
Callen-Lorde
Apicha
Los Angeles LGBTQ Center
Tiq Milan
Paris is Burning
Legendary
Sara Ahmed
Making Gay History
Harper Collins

Read more about Sydnes in his bio below:
Sydney Baloue is a TV writer/producer, dancer, archivist and journalist. He is in the House of Xtravaganza and he was Co-Executive Producer on HBOMax’s LEGENDARY Seasons 1 and 2. In 2022, he was the first Black trans man in the Writers Guild of America after working as a staff writer in scripted TV on The Vanishing Half at HBO and Tom Swift at the CW. Sydney is the author of Undeniable: A History of Voguing, Ballroom and How it Changed My Life (And the World). He was the first trans man to solely win Grand Prize for “Old Way” at the Latex Ball in 2019.

• www.sydneybaloue.com
• https://www.instagram.com/sydneybaloue
• https://www.twitter.com/sydneybaloue

Are you enjoying the Dem Bois Podcast? Donate today to help support the cost of production and the honorarium we pay our guests for their time. All donations are tax-deductible. Click here!

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When many people think about creativity, they automatically think arts or tech, but there’s so much more to it. Creativity is about solving a problem; more specifically, how you go about solving a specific problem. As today’s guest says, “Parenting is creative… cooking is creative.” He challenges us to think about how we use creativity in our daily lives. In this episode of Dem Bois Podcast, I sit down with El a.k.a Uppercutt and we discuss the many ways he uses creativity in his life.

We talk:
El’s transition journey - 4:36
How colonization affects “gender” - 11:13
Being born and raised, and returning to Florida - 20:41
An awful high school experience - 32:58
Advice for listeners in Florida who don’t feel safe or have community - 42:07
El’s career as a creator - 54:54
How his road trip to California changed his life - 1:08:01

Click here for transcript!

References:
Trans Florida Resources IG - @transfloridaresources
Trans Empowerment Project
Discord
Signal Messenger (Groups)
PFLAG
Evelyn From the Internets
The Fitzlane Project IG - @thefitzlaneproject
Camp Out Florida
Queer Expressions St. Pete IG - @queerexpressionsstpete
Rose Dynasty Foundation
Found Family Collective IG - @foundfamcollective
Kaon City Medics IG - @kaoncitymedix

Read more about El in his bio below:
El is a born, raised, and returned Floridian currently creating wearable and shareable Queer Anarchist work for his Trans community under the brand Uppercutt. Through his (discontinued yet still available,) Youtube channel All of El, he is well-versed in shamelessly speaking about issues surrounding race, identity, sexuality, gender, social justice, trauma, and silly shenanigans.

He is an arts creator, educator, facilitator, and advocate working at the intersections of mental health, accessibility, and sustainability. When not teaching through local facilities or organizations, he works 1:1 with other creatives to uncover, unpack, discover, and inspire their personal projects through virtual consultations.

• https://www.instagram.com/all.of.el
• https://www.instagram.com/_uppercutt_
• https://eltapiakwan.com/
• 14uppercutts.myshopify.com

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Donate to support our 2023 Gender Affirming Surgery Grant Fund here!

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I had a conversation with a friend recently about raising children. The person I was talking to didn’t think it was possible to raise a child as nonbinary. In fact, they believed that it was impossible to raise a child without gender norms. Well, allow this interview to be an example for anyone out there who shares that belief. In this episode of Dem Bois Podcast, I sit down with Zyon Aijon and he tells us what it was like to be raised without limitations and expectations and encouraged to be exactly who he was. We also discuss his artistic career, his transition journey, and much more!

We talk:
Dealing with discrimination in the south - 5:59
Zyon’s transition journey - 13:31
Being raised without gender norms - 21:34
Zyon’s musical career - 32:15
His other artistic ventures - 41:04
Finding spiritual balance - 52:52

Click here for transcript!

Episode References:
OSCARVILLE & LAKE LANIER

Read more about Zyon in his bio below:
Zyon Lewis is a black trans artist born in Bridgeport, CT and raised between there and the south. He is a Vegan, Artist, Leader, activist and Innovator. He is a music artist, making music under the alias “1000 Percent”. He also produces gaming, lifestyle, creative and motivational content. He has been a digital artist/graphic designer since age 13 and now at 25 he continues to create. Zyon started his medical transition (HRT) August 19th, 2021 and he had top surgery in March of 2022. He continues to live his truth daily, by finding balance and peace in his daily experience.

• Connect with Zyon

Are you enjoying the Dem Bois Podcast? Donate today to help support the cost of production and the honorarium we pay our guests for their time. All donations are tax-deductible. Click here!

Donate to support our 2023 Gender Affirming Surgery Grant Fund here!