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For far too many LGBTQ+ people, the idea of changing who they are has been forced upon them—through family pressure, faith communities, or the dangerous practice of conversion therapy. These programs, often cloaked in the language of care or religious devotion, have left deep wounds on survivors—shame, trauma, and fractured relationships with themselves and others. Today In the Den, Sara visits with Dr. Lucas Wilson, editor of Shame-Sex Attraction: Survivors’ Stories of Conversion Therapy, a powerful collection of 17 survivor accounts—including his own—shedding light on the emotional and psychological fallout of conversion practices. Together they explore what conversion therapy looks like in practice, how survivors navigate the lasting impacts, and why storytelling is such a powerful tool for healing and change.

Special Guest: Lucas Wilson

Lucas Wilson is a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Toronto Mississauga and was formerly the Justice, Equity, and Transformation Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Calgary. He is the editor of Shame-Sex Attraction: Survivors’ Stories of Conversion Therapy, as well as the author of At Home with the Holocaust: Postmemory, Domestic Space, and Second-Generation Holocaust Narratives, which received the Jordan Schnitzer First Book Publication Award. He is currently working on a new literary anthology about queer experiences in Christian higher education, tentatively entitled Don’t Ask, Tell All: Stories of Christian Colleges’ Anti-Queer Regimes.

Links from the Show:

• Find Shame-Sex Attraction here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/shame-sex-attraction-survivors-stories-of-conversion-therapy-lucas-wilson/21360797?ean=9781805011323&next=t
• Find At Home with the Holocaust here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/at-home-with-the-holocaust-postmemory-domestic-space-and-second-generation-holocaust-narratives-lucas-f-w-wilson/21705604?ean=9781978839816&next=t
• Find Lucas on IG/Threads/TikTok: @lukeslamdunkwilson
• Lucas on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lukeslamdunkwilson.bsky.social
• Lucas on FB: www.facebook.com/luke.wilson.96
• Lucas on Twitter/X: https://x.com/wilson_fw
• Lucas at LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-wilson-2a0753b1/
• Join Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.org

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After the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in the US vs. Skrmetti case, trans youth and their families have been reeling. The decision upheld state bans on healthcare for trans youth, further stripping away life-saving care and deepening the fear and uncertainty so many of us and our kids already live with. Through it all, Mama Dragons has been here–holding families, offering comfort, and standing as a community of fierce love and unwavering support as this case has unfolded. Today In the Den, Sara sits down with special guests Sam Feder and Erin Reed to go behind the headlines and to explore the longer, more human story–one of courage, resistance, and the fight for dignity, a story that is powerfully told in the new documentary Heightened Scrutiny. This incredible film follows fearless civil rights lawyer Chase Strangio as he battles at the Supreme Court for transgender adolescents’ access to gender-affirming healthcare, confronting not only the legal system but also a media landscape that distorts public perception and threatens the struggle for trans rights.

Special Guest: Sam Feder

Sam Feder is a Peabody Award-nominated film director and writer. Sam’s films explore the intersection of visibility and politics along the lines of race, class, and gender. Sam directed the award-winning Netflix Original documentary DISCLOSURE (2020) and the widely acclaimed documentary Kate Bornstein Is a Queer & Pleasant Danger. Sam was recently invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Documentary Branch and is an on-going Project& Fellow.

Special Guest: Erin Reed

Erin Reed, known to her readers by her newsletter, Erin in the Morning, is a transgender journalist based in Washington, D.C. tracking LGBTQ+ legislation around the United States. Her work has been cited by the AP, Reuters, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and many more major media outlets.

Links from the Show:

• Project&: https://projectand.org/
• Find a Heightened Security screening near you: https://www.heightenedscrutinydoc.com/
• Watch a trailer for Heightened Scrutiny here: https://www.heightenedscrutinydoc.com/#trailer
• Find Erin in the Morning’s substack here: https://www.erininthemorning.com/
• Find Erin on Blue Sky at: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:m65ifh7vn5zdgs7izcmht4gy
• Join Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.org

In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.

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In the Den this week is the incredible Brian Selznick—yep, the genius behind The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which became the beloved movie Hugo, directed by Martin Scorsese. He also wrote Wonderstruck, The Marvels, and so many other beautiful, genre-blending books that mix stunning illustrations with powerful storytelling. Brian isn’t just a wildly talented author and artist—he’s also part of the LGBTQ+ community, and he brings that perspective into his work in such thoughtful and creative ways. His stories often center around characters who are finding their place in the world, discovering who they are, and learning how to be fully themselves—all themes that really resonate with our mission here at Mama Dragons.

Special Guest: Brian Selznick

Brian Selznick is an award-winning author and illustrator, whose groundbreaking books have sold millions of copies and been translated into over 35 languages. He revolutionized storytelling with The Invention of Hugo Cabret, a #1 New York Times bestseller, which won the Caldecott Medal and was adapted into Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning film Hugo. His bestsellers Wonderstruck and The Marvels further cemented his reputation as one of publishing’s most imaginative storytellers. Selznick also illustrated the 20th anniversary covers of the Harry Potter series and collaborated with Steven Spielberg and Chris Meledandri on Big Tree. He lives in Brooklyn and La Jolla with his husband, Dr. David Serlin.

Links from the Show:

• Brian’s website: https://brianselznick.com/
• Find Brian’s book here: https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=brian+selznick
• Join Mama Dragons here: www.mamadragons.org

In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.

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In our Mama Dragons community, we know how transformative it is to witness the joy and authenticity of LGBTQ+ young people, and today In the Den we get to introduce you to two people who are helping make that visibility possible on a national scale. Sara visits with Jen Grosshandler, founder of the groundbreaking organization GenderCool, and her incredible daughter Chazzie. GenderCool is a youth-led movement replacing misinformed opinions with powerful, positive experiences by elevating the voices of transgender and nonbinary young people who are thriving, talented, and simply being themselves.

Special Guest: Jen Grosshandler

Jen and her husband John are the parents of four kids: three sons and their youngest transgender daughter Chazzie, who is 19 and thriving. Born and raised in Georgia, Jen’s focused the last decade on having reasonable, calm conversations with friends and family who may not understand what it means to raise a transgender daughter. This work led Jen to help create The GenderCool Project, a national nonprofit helping folks evolve their opinions by simply meeting transgender kids and their

families. Jen has been featured in national media, including TODAY, Good Morning America, USA Today, Associated Press, New York Times and Forbes.

Special Guest: Chazzie Grosshandler

Chazzie Grosshandler is a 19 year old young woman singularly focused on living her life with purpose. She is the inspiration behind a global movement called The Gendercool Project, a non-profit organization helping to replace misinformed opinions with positive experiences meeting transgender & nonbinary young people who are thriving. Chazzie realizes that by telling her powerful, positive story, she helps people understand that transgender and nonbinary kids are just like all other kids.

At 11 years old, she shared her story nationally on TODAY and helped launch GenderCool to a global audience. She has spoken at corporations, conferences, black-tie galas, houses of worship and schools across the country and has been featured in national media including The New York Times, USA Today, ABC News, Hulu, NBC News, Adweek, and Teen Vogue among other outlets. She is a GLAAD 20 under 20, and has had the great honor of speaking at the White House and collaborating with the Biden administration around progressing equality for transgender and nonbinary young people.

Links from the Show:

• Find the GenderCool website here: https://gendercool.org/
• Join Mama Dragons here: www.mamadragons.org

In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.

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As a lesbian, raised by a lesbian, and now the mother of a lesbian daughter, Angela Harvey brings a unique and deeply personal multigenerational perspective to the journey of LGBTQ+ identity and parenting. Her lived experience of navigating queerness within three generations of women has brought both the wisdom and compassion to speak to the challenges and joys of raising—and being—an LGBTQ+ child. Today In the Den, Sara talks with Angela about creating transformative spaces centered on healing, identity, and empowerment

Special Guest: Angela Harvey

Angela Harvey is a multifaceted speaker, author, poet, filmmaker, and advocate whose work centers on the intersections of personal growth, mental health, and LGBTQ+ empowerment. With over 25 years of experience, Angela's background as a social worker and facilitator informs her impactful approach to storytelling, which she weaves into everything from her debut poetry self-help book Poetic Alchemy to her award-winning documentary Black Rainbow Love. As the Director of Black Rainbow Love and the founder of Let’s TALK University, Angela is deeply committed to creating spaces that elevate the voices and experiences of marginalized communities, particularly the Black LGBTQ+ population. Through her writing, films, and workshops, Angela Harvey continues to transform narratives, empower others, and advocate for emotional healing, resilience, and authentic self-expression.

Links from the Show:

• Black Rainbow Love: https://filmfreeway.com/BlackRainbowLove500
• Find Angela’s books here: https://sites.google.com/view/poeticalchemy/home/?trk=public_post-text
• An article about Angela: https://www.voyageraleigh.com/interview/conversations-with-angela-harvey/
• Join Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.org

In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.

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Mama Dragons is a global community with members and groups in many countries around the world. We're proud to have a dedicated Puerto Rico regional group where their Mama Dragons are making meaningful connections and amplifying voices across the island. Today In the Den, Sara talks with Miguel Vasquez, executive director of The True Self Foundation, an LGBTQ+ organization that is a beacon of hope and authenticity for queer folks in Puerto Rico. In this episode, Miguel shares the origins of True Self Foundation, how it grew into what it is today, and the ways they’re shaping a more inclusive and affirming society—from grassroots support to island-wide outreach.

Special Guest: Miguel Vasquez

Dr. Miguel Vázquez-Rivera holds a Master's Degree in Research in Clinical Psychology (Autonomous University of Barcelona) and a Master's and a Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology (Carlos Albizu University). He has researched topics such as sexual and gender diversity and problematic substance use. He has presented his research in Puerto Rico, the United States, Mexico, Spain, The Bahamas, Colombia, South Africa and Peru. He has published social responsibility articles on various topics in psychology and is editor of Problematic Drug Use: Foundations, Intervention, Diversity, is the lead editor of the book Trans, Queer and Non-Binary Communities: Presence and Resistance, a textbook co-written with the community, and lead editor in LGBT 101: An introductory look at the community, first textbook for LGBT communities in Puerto Rico. Also, he is the author of the therapeutic manual Salud LGBT+: A therapeutic manual for working with communities. He is the co-founder of Psicoalternativas, is co-founder and Executive Director of True Self Foundation and co-founder of Mente Serena, a digital platform to make mental health services more accessible. Throughout his career he has received awards such as: Graduate of the Year 2015 from Carlos Albizu University and Psychologist of the Year 2015 and Outstanding Professional in Public Policy and Public Service 2020, from the Puerto Rico Association of Psychology.

Links from the Show:

• Find the True Self Foundation’s website here: https://www.trueselffoundation.org/
• Shop for True Self Foundation gear: https://true-self-foundation-store.printify.me/
• Donate to the True Self Foundation here: https://www.trueselffoundation.org/donar/
• Join Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.org

In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.

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In a time when stories are under siege, especially those that center queer characters and themes, we’re seeing a rise in book bans and legislative efforts aimed at erasing LGBTQ+ experiences from classrooms and libraries. Just last month, The U.S. Supreme Court handed a victory to Montgomery County parents who object, for religious reasons, to the school system’s use of LGBTQ+ themed books in classrooms, saying parents should be allowed to opt their children out of such classes. Today In the Den, Sara is joined by Lee Wind, advocate, educator, and author whose work helps fill the shelves with stories LGBTQ+ youth so deeply need.

Special Guest: Lee Wind

Lee Wind’s superpower is stories – true and fictional – that center marginalized kids and teens and celebrate their power to change the world. Closeted until his 20s, Lee writes the books that would have changed his life as a young gay kid. His Masters Degree from Harvard didn’t include blueprints for a time machine to go back and tell these stories to himself, so Lee pays it forward with a popular blog with over 3 million page views (I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?) and books for kids and teens.

His latest book is Red and Green and Blue and White, a picture book illustrated by Caldecott-winning illustrator Paul O. Zelinsky (Levine Querido.) It has received five starred trade reviews and the New York Times called it “beautiful.” Lee’s middle grade nonfiction No Way, They Were Gay? Hidden Lives and Secret Loves (Lerner Publishing Group/Zest Books), was honored as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection and was selected for the Chicago Public Library’s 2021 Best of the Best Books list. He is also the author of the crowd-funded YA novel Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill, featured as a Publishers Weekly Indie Success Story, and one of Publishers Weekly’s Top Five Independently Published Middle Grade and Young Adult Books of 2018.

With day jobs for the Independent Book Publishers Association (as their director of education and programs) and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (as their official blogger), Lee’s superhero job is storytelling to empower readers to shine with their own light.

Links from the Show:

• Lee’s website: https://www.leewind.org/
• Lee’s books: https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=lee+wind
• Subscribe to Lee’s newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/fc7b55fc0636/leewindsignup
• Join Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.org

In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org

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For queer youth, belonging isn’t a luxury, it’s a lifeline. In a world that too often tells them they don’t fit, affirming spaces can be the difference between surviving and thriving. The power of belonging becomes both healing and revolutionary. Today In the Den,we’re diving into this topic, exploring the life-saving power of queer-led youth spaces that help foster that sense of belonging. Sara talks with two incredible guests who are working to create just such a space, the Rev. Dr. John Leedy, the Executive Director of Kindom Community, and Andy Hackett, Program Director.

Special Guest: Rev. Dr. John Leedy

John Leedy (he/him) is a Presbyterian pastor and has a bi-vocational calling, serving as both the Executive Director of kin•dom community and the Associate Pastor of Hope Church in Austin, TX. He holds a B.A. in Youth & Family Ministry from Abilene Christian University, an MDiv. from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry degree in Christian Formation and Liturgical Theology also from APTS. He is a Benedictine Oblate of St. Meinrad Archabbey, has a long history of camp & conference work, and lives in Austin with his wife and pastoral colleague, Rev. Dr. Krystal Leedy, along with their two daughters. John came on staff as a camp counselor at the first ever kin•dom camp in Texas and knew immediately that this work would not only change his life, but would change the lives of countless other LGBTQIA+ young people who are in need of brave spaces marked by love, inclusion, care, and celebration.

Special Guest: Andy Hackett

Andy Hackett (he/him) holds a BS in Child Development with a minor in Political Science from Texas Woman’s University. He is also certified Lifeguard/First Aid/CPR instructor and Level 1 challenge course practitioner. He lives and works full time at a Camp and Conference Center in East Texas with his dog, Baxter. Andy grew up attending a specialty camp for children with celiac disease, and after coming out as transgender, he thought "We need a camp like this for LGBTQ+ kids"- and kin•dom camp was born! He develops programs and activities that happen at camp, helps us find and train the amazing individuals that join our summer staff, and is the face behind emails reminding you to register for camp!

Links from the Show:

• Kindom Camp: https://kindomcommunity.org/camp
• Queer Camp Directory: https://directory.queercampfair.com/
• Gluten-Free Cookbook: https://theloopywhisk.com/
• Join Mama Dragons today: www.mamadragons.com

In the Den is made possible by generous donors like you. Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today at www.mamadragons.org.

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