Demystifying the Transgender Journey

Lynn W. Murphy
  • 4.3 (7)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

This podcast features a diverse array of voices of people who were born transgender, their families, friends, coworkers, and healthcare professionals. Your cohosts, Lynn W. Murphy, a cisgender woman, and Wendy Cole, a transgender woman, created a unique partnership to interview a wide array of transgender individuals and allies. Their goal is to combat misinformation and disinformation by educating people and facilitating compelling conversations. For more information go to In this episode of 'Demystifying the Transgender Journey,' hosts Lynn Murphy and Wendy Cole engage in a candid conversation with Dr. Diana Sorrentino, a leading expert on gender diversity and transgender identity. Dr. Sorrentino shares her extensive research and personal experience to help parents understand and support their transgender children. Topics include the impact of social acceptance, the biological and psychological aspects of gender identity, and practical steps parents can take to provide affirmative support. This episode offers valuable insights for families, medical professionals, and anyone eager to learn more about the transgender experience. Dr. Sorrentino is a member of: World Professional Association for Transgender Health – WPATH Gay Lesbian Medical Association – GLMA Outcare – LGBTQ+ Healthcare Author of Transgender Families: Helping Parents and Families Understand Gender Diversity and Being Transgender Because No One Transitions Alone. https://www.amazon.com/Transgender-Families-Dr-Diana-Sorrentino/dp/B0DLQHVX8Y Host of Paradoxes of Gender Podcasts – academically focused on CE requirements for medical and behavioral healthcare professionals working with gender diverse and transgender individuals, families, and allies. https://paradoxesofgender.com/ paradoxesofgender@earthlink.net LinkedIn:  Dr. Diana Sorrentino, Ph.D. Podcast: https://paradoxesofgender.com/podcasts-1 For More Information: https://www.thetransgenderjourney.com

  1. APR 17

    Ep 38: Intersex Insights: John Schindler Confronts the 4 S's of Intergender Living

    Intersex, Identity & the “Four S’s”: John Schindler on Surgery, Secrecy, Shame, and Silence In this episode of Demystifying the Transgender Journey, Lynn Murphy and Wendy Cole interview intersex advocate John Schindler, who explains what intersex means, how variations can involve hormones, chromosomes, and gonads/g******s, and why non-consensual infant surgeries remain a civil rights issue. John shares their personal medical history, including early surgeries, a missing or atrophied pituitary, participation in an NIH human growth hormone program, and delayed puberty until testosterone treatment at 20, which shifted their identity from asexual to gay. John discusses frequent misgendering, coming to identify as intergender and non-binary, and the “four S’s” of the intersex experience: Surgery, Secrecy, Shame, and Silence. John also describes how speaking publicly supports families and students, references research on intersex biology and cancer resistance, and highlights resources including Intersex Friends and Families and Organization Intersex International. For More Information about John Schindler and organizations mentioned in this episode: Email John: jpjscogar@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/747602648624184/ https://oiiusa.org/ https://genderequalityny.org/ https://www.seaofvisibility.com/

    1h 10m
  2. Ep 37: From Challenges to Celebrations: Danielle's Joyful Journey

    APR 10

    Ep 37: From Challenges to Celebrations: Danielle's Joyful Journey

    Danielle Miller: Transitioning Later in Life, Single Parenthood, and Living Authentically | Demystifying the Transgender Journey In this episode of Demystifying the Transgender Journey, hosts Lynn Murphy and Wendy Cole interview Danielle Miller, a transgender woman who shares her lifelong awareness of feeling female, a dysfunctional childhood, and the secrecy and fear that shaped her early years, including being threatened and later locked in a psych unit misdiagnosed with multiple personality disorder. Danielle describes marrying twice while trying to suppress her identity, raising her son largely alone after divorce, and building a successful HVAC business in Yuma, Arizona. She explains discovering transgender resources later in life, beginning HRT, changing documents, transitioning gradually at work despite family hostility, and celebrating milestones including bottom surgery and upcoming rhinoplasty. Danielle discusses support from friends and employers, her close bond with her son and grandchildren (who call her “Papa-rina”), dating after surgery, safety concerns, and her wish that people stop labeling transgender identity as mental illness. For more information about this project: https://www.thetransgenderjourney.com  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/demystifying-the-transgender-journey/id1799458202  https://www.facebook.com/thetransgenderjourney  https://womenwhopushthelimits.com    To contact Wendy: https://www.MeetWendyCole.com   https://www.facebook.com/wendycolegtm  https://www.youtube.com/@wendycole8326  https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-cole-gtm

    53 min
  3. Episode 36: Raising 3 Gender-Expansive Kids with Love: Kali Robinson's Story

    MAR 27

    Episode 36: Raising 3 Gender-Expansive Kids with Love: Kali Robinson's Story

    Raising Gender-Expansive Kids with Love & Autonomy | Kali Robinson (Mother of a Trans/Nonbinary Child)   Hosts Lynn Murphy and Wendy Cole interview Portland writer and mother Kali Robinson about raising three gender-expansive children, including oldest, who came out in kindergarten after a peer said only girls wear dresses, prompting a supportive teacher to teach pronouns and helping classmates adjust quickly. Kali describes treating gender like left-handedness, giving kids autonomy over clothes and pronouns, and doing regular check-ins while letting them lead. She discusses supportive school structures such as gender-neutral bathrooms and a trans affinity group, her own early grief and anger about trans safety in the U.S., and how she learned through community, books, and firsthand narratives. Kali shares strategies for building confidence, kindness, and safety skills, thoughts on puberty and blockers, and advice for parents and communities to normalize gender diversity through love, curiosity, and conversation.   For more information about this project: https://www.thetransgenderjourney.com  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/demystifying-the-transgender-journey/id1799458202  https://www.facebook.com/thetransgenderjourney  https://womenwhopushthelimits.com    To contact Wendy: https://www.MeetWendyCole.com   https://www.facebook.com/wendycolegtm  https://www.youtube.com/@wendycole8326  https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-cole-gtm

    1h 6m
  4. Episode 35: Love at the Core: Renee Thibeau Embraces Supportive Parenting and the Transgender Journey

    MAR 20

    Episode 35: Love at the Core: Renee Thibeau Embraces Supportive Parenting and the Transgender Journey

    In this episode of "Demystifying the Transgender Journey,  hosts Lynn Murphy and Wendy Cole interview Renee Thibeau, the mother of three whose transgender daughter, Elle, first expressed at age seven that she was “supposed to wake up a girl,” then at age 10 sent a message that confirmed every parent’s worst fear. Renee describes choosing to embrace her daughter, seeking family therapy and medical support, and helping Elle socially transition with clothes and affirming steps, while noting Elle’s twin brother with autism immediately used her name and pronouns correctly. Renee discusses bullying, school changes, puberty blockers and estrogen, misconceptions about youth medical care and surgeries, and how policy changes delayed Elle’s planned surgery, leading to a gap year. She emphasizes education, biology, and unconditional love as essential to supporting transgender kids.   For more episodes about the biological process of being born transgender: https://demystifyingthetransgenderjourney.podbean.com/e/episode-25-transgender-youth-dr-diana-sorrentinos-crucial-insights-for-parents-and-families/ https://demystifyingthetransgenderjourney.podbean.com/e/episode-020-dispelling-myths-dr-diana-sorrentino-on-transgender-truth/   https://demystifyingthetransgenderjourney.podbean.com/e/episode29_no_one_transitions_alone_dr_diana_sorrentinos_advice_for_parents_and_partners/   For additional episodes about families supporting transgender loved ones:  https://demystifyingthetransgenderjourney.podbean.com/e/episode-013-david-blackers-gift-using-therapy-to-support-lgbtq-families/   https://demystifyingthetransgenderjourney.podbean.com/e/staci_brathwaite_embracing_her_daughters_journey/    For more about Renee Thibeau: https://www.tiktok.com/@neebeaux https://www.youtube.com/@Reneethibeau-3cgm https://www.facebook.com/renee.newcombe.7   For more information about this project: https://www.thetransgenderjourney.com  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/demystifying-the-transgender-journey/id1799458202  https://www.facebook.com/thetransgenderjourney  https://womenwhopushthelimits.com    To contact Wendy: https://www.MeetWendyCole.com   https://www.facebook.com/wendycolegtm  https://www.youtube.com/@wendycole8326  https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-cole-gtm

    54 min
  5. Episode 34: Leading with Purpose: Juli Grey-Owens- Community Champion for Gender Equality in New York

    MAR 6

    Episode 34: Leading with Purpose: Juli Grey-Owens- Community Champion for Gender Equality in New York

    Juli Grey-Owens on Transition, Advocacy and GENY: Demystifying the Transgender Journey   Hosts Lynn Murphy and Wendy Cole interview New York transgender advocate Juli Grey-Owens, founder and executive director of Gender Equality New York (GENY), who helped pass the Gender Equality Non-Discrimination Act signed in 2019 and provides training for agencies, police recruits, and healthcare workers. Juli recounts early childhood experiences of gender identity, years of privately presenting as a woman, and how dysphoria intensified with age while she built a manufacturing career, marriage, and family. After being outed and fired following public advocacy in 2015, she pursued a legal settlement, began living full-time as Juli at 62, and expanded statewide activism, including town halls that led to GENY’s incorporation and 501(c)(3) status. She describes transition as a personal journey with different “stops,” discusses safety and allyship, and urges understanding that transgender people seek peaceful lives, not harm.   For more information about Juli: https://genderequalityny.org/  https://www.facebook.com/GenderEqualityNY/ https://www.instagram.com/genderequalityny   For more information about this project: https://www.thetransgenderjourney.com https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/demystifying-the-transgender-journey/id1799458202 https://www.facebook.com/thetransgenderjourney https://womenwhopushthelimits.com   To contact Wendy: MeetWendyCole.com. https://www.facebook.com/wendycolegtm https://www.youtube.com/@wendycole8326 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-cole-gtm

    1h 12m
  6. Episode 33: Curiosity in Practice: How Wolfie Connects Personal and Professional Experience as an LGBTQ+ Therapist

    FEB 27

    Episode 33: Curiosity in Practice: How Wolfie Connects Personal and Professional Experience as an LGBTQ+ Therapist

    Demystifying the Transgender Journey: Wolfie Lopez on Being Non-Binary, Gender Exploration, and Finding Joy   Hosts Lynn Murphy and Wendy Cole interview therapist and social worker Wolfie Lopez, a non-binary, queer clinician with an MSW from the University of Michigan and over a decade of crisis-intervention experience. Wolfie shares their personal journey from feeling different in childhood and discovering LGBTQ vocabulary online to exploring identity in college, considering transitioning, and ultimately identifying as non-binary without pursuing HRT or surgery. They define non-binary as existing outside the male/female binary while emphasizing that gender is a spectrum and definitions vary by person. The conversation covers puberty and body dysphoria, body acceptance, representation in media, how to approach learning with curiosity and respect, the importance of pronouns (especially in families), therapist competence, suicide prevention basics like Mental Health First Aid, and the need to seek joy and gender euphoria amid a reactionary political climate.   For more information about this project: https://www.thetransgenderjourney.com https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/demystifying-the-transgender-journey/id1799458202 https://www.facebook.com/thetransgenderjourney https://womenwhopushthelimits.com   To contact Wendy: MeetWendyCole.com. https://www.facebook.com/wendycolegtm https://www.youtube.com/@wendycole8326 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-cole-gtm

    1h 9m
  7. Episode 32: Teaching By Example: Tommy's Story of Expression and Visibility

    FEB 20

    Episode 32: Teaching By Example: Tommy's Story of Expression and Visibility

    Tommy’s Transgender Journey: From History Teacher to DC Activist | Demystifying the Transgender Journey In this episode of "Demystifying the Transgender Journey," hosts Lynn Murphy and Wendy Cole interview Tommy, a semi-retired high school history teacher, musician, and trans visibility advocate. Tommy shares growing up in a wealthy, conservative family, first experimenting with women’s clothing around age 10–11, and not finding accurate representation until adulthood, when media portrayals often linked trans people to violence. She recounts early experiences seeking gender-affirming items in New York City, joining the Tiffany Club/Trans Community of New England in the early 1990s, and how support groups and the First Event conference provided safety and community. Tommy discusses marriage, parenting, secrecy and compartmentalization, accidental outings to her wife and later her children, and the strain that hiding placed on family life. After her marriage ended in 2015, she came out at work, planned her transition around a sabbatical, and began living full-time as a woman in 2018, returning to teach in 2019 and noting changes in student relationships and a small number of transphobic complaints. She describes later being blackballed from further school jobs by a transphobic administrator and moving to Maryland to be near family, where she supports trans and non-binary people, engages in Maryland advocacy, and promotes visibility in Washington, DC, including visits to congressional offices. Tommy reflects on the realities of womanhood, the importance of representation, current anti-trans rhetoric and policy fears, and her hope that trans progress will endure despite backlash. Music remains a lifeline throughout her story, from punk bands to her country singer alter ego Alison Young, including albums that reference the trans experience.   For more information about Tommy: https://www.alisonyoungcountrymusic.com    For more information about this project: https://www.thetransgenderjourney.com https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/demystifying-the-transgender-journey/id1799458202 https://www.facebook.com/thetransgenderjourney https://womenwhopushthelimits.com   To contact Wendy: MeetWendyCole.com. https://www.facebook.com/wendycolegtm https://www.youtube.com/@wendycole8326 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-cole-gtm

    1h 26m
  8. Episode 31: Karen Kendra Holmes: Advocacy, Service, and the Journey to Authenticity

    FEB 13

    Episode 31: Karen Kendra Holmes: Advocacy, Service, and the Journey to Authenticity

    Demystifying the Transgender Journey: Karen Kendra Holmes Shares Her Inspiring Story Join hosts Lynn Murphy and Wendy Cole on another enlightening episode of Demystifying the Transgender Journey as they welcome Karen Kendra Holmes. Karen discusses her personal journey of transitioning, starting her journey in 2010 at the age of 53. She shares the challenges she faced in her professional life as a federal employee and volunteer, and how she became a respected advocate and trainer for the transgender community. Karen emphasizes the importance of education and understanding, and how her work with law enforcement and various organizations aims to bridge the gap between communities. This heartfelt conversation highlights the importance of authenticity, service, and grace in fostering a more compassionate world. Don't miss this empowering episode, and be sure to like, share, and subscribe!   For more information about Karen Kendra Holmes: https://www.kkholmes.com/ https://www.pgcmls.info/butterflyproject   For more information about this project: https://www.thetransgenderjourney.com https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/demystifying-the-transgender-journey/id1799458202 https://www.facebook.com/thetransgenderjourney https://womenwhopushthelimits.com   To contact Wendy: MeetWendyCole.com. https://www.facebook.com/wendycolegtm https://www.youtube.com/@wendycole8326 https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-cole-gtm

    1h 8m
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Ratings & Reviews

4.3
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

This podcast features a diverse array of voices of people who were born transgender, their families, friends, coworkers, and healthcare professionals. Your cohosts, Lynn W. Murphy, a cisgender woman, and Wendy Cole, a transgender woman, created a unique partnership to interview a wide array of transgender individuals and allies. Their goal is to combat misinformation and disinformation by educating people and facilitating compelling conversations. For more information go to In this episode of 'Demystifying the Transgender Journey,' hosts Lynn Murphy and Wendy Cole engage in a candid conversation with Dr. Diana Sorrentino, a leading expert on gender diversity and transgender identity. Dr. Sorrentino shares her extensive research and personal experience to help parents understand and support their transgender children. Topics include the impact of social acceptance, the biological and psychological aspects of gender identity, and practical steps parents can take to provide affirmative support. This episode offers valuable insights for families, medical professionals, and anyone eager to learn more about the transgender experience. Dr. Sorrentino is a member of: World Professional Association for Transgender Health – WPATH Gay Lesbian Medical Association – GLMA Outcare – LGBTQ+ Healthcare Author of Transgender Families: Helping Parents and Families Understand Gender Diversity and Being Transgender Because No One Transitions Alone. https://www.amazon.com/Transgender-Families-Dr-Diana-Sorrentino/dp/B0DLQHVX8Y Host of Paradoxes of Gender Podcasts – academically focused on CE requirements for medical and behavioral healthcare professionals working with gender diverse and transgender individuals, families, and allies. https://paradoxesofgender.com/ paradoxesofgender@earthlink.net LinkedIn:  Dr. Diana Sorrentino, Ph.D. Podcast: https://paradoxesofgender.com/podcasts-1 For More Information: https://www.thetransgenderjourney.com

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