42 min
Season 2, Episode 4, P2: Growing Up In the Trans Spotlight: Transcending Expectations with Ryan Cassata The Intersection: Diverse Folx Converse
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- Society & Culture
In this special episode, I sat down with Ryan Cassata to talk about what it means to be so publicly visible while feeling like you have to hide parts of who you are. Season 2, Episode 4, “Growing Up In the Trans Spotlight: Transcending Expectations with Ryan Cassata” is specifically Ryan’s story but it is also many of ours too. Of taking on the pressure of what society has put on us for far too long, confronting that, and making our lives unapologetically our own. Both our public and personal lives.
Ryan Cassata came into the trans spotlight at 15 when he was interviewed on Larry King and since then has made his dreams come true with multiple acclaimed albums, as a leading actor in independent film, and as an award-winning LGBTQ activist, speaker, and writer. This first part of his podcast, he discusses more what it’s been like to be seen and expected to present himself as if he were perpetually that same 15-year old when he’s been an adult legally for the last 10 years.
As a 28 year old trans celebrity 28, Ryan speaks freely about what his life is like now. And his departure from his older image. He explains the kink and BDSM culture in his recently-released music video “Coffin.” And we both talk about how other celebrities who have a primarily youthful fan base such as Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X have dealt with their own fame and their responsibility to their fans. In this section “Kink / BDSM Culture” we discuss body positivity and staying grounded and feeling safe and healthy in a queer / trans body, sex positivity, and the historical lineage and importance of kink and BDSM in LGBTQ culture.
The second section of Part 1 “Creating Alternatives to Transnormativity and Transmedicalism” describes how heteronormativity, homonormativity has effected the trans community and trans youth by confronting transnormativity and the harmful beliefs of transmedicalists. Ryan offers healthy alternatives to this perspective for trans and gender non-conforming youth which is loving yourself and being around people whom you trust. As well as being unapologetically yourself in whatever gender identity and expression and orientation feels right to you!
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Ryan Cassata is an Accomplished Singer-Songwriter, Award-Winning LGBTQ Activist, Speaker, Writer, and Actor. You can find info on Ryan’s music, events, and appearances here: https://ryancassata.com
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Dr. Shannon Wong Lerner is the host of The Intersection: Diverse Folx Converse, programming made by and for QPoC and GNC people. She is also a Communication Coach & Consultant, Thought Leader, Keynote Speaker, DEI & Communication Skills Trainer.
See Dr. Shannon's website here: https://drshannonwl.com
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OUR MISSION: The Intersection is a not-for-profit project that tells the stories of QPoC and GNC people.
SUBSCRIBE and PARTICIPATE: please subscribe to our YouTube and Apple Podcast or Spotify channels.
*******
MAKING a DONATION (can be small, $1, $5, $10) to our GoFundMe page HERE 💰👩🏼🎤👨🏽🎤🦄 we have $870 left to go for our quarterly goals! These are for production costs ONLY.
https://gofund.me/05aa6a24
Love, Dr. Shannon 👩🏼🎤🎙and the Intersection Community 👨🏻🎤🦄🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
In this special episode, I sat down with Ryan Cassata to talk about what it means to be so publicly visible while feeling like you have to hide parts of who you are. Season 2, Episode 4, “Growing Up In the Trans Spotlight: Transcending Expectations with Ryan Cassata” is specifically Ryan’s story but it is also many of ours too. Of taking on the pressure of what society has put on us for far too long, confronting that, and making our lives unapologetically our own. Both our public and personal lives.
Ryan Cassata came into the trans spotlight at 15 when he was interviewed on Larry King and since then has made his dreams come true with multiple acclaimed albums, as a leading actor in independent film, and as an award-winning LGBTQ activist, speaker, and writer. This first part of his podcast, he discusses more what it’s been like to be seen and expected to present himself as if he were perpetually that same 15-year old when he’s been an adult legally for the last 10 years.
As a 28 year old trans celebrity 28, Ryan speaks freely about what his life is like now. And his departure from his older image. He explains the kink and BDSM culture in his recently-released music video “Coffin.” And we both talk about how other celebrities who have a primarily youthful fan base such as Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X have dealt with their own fame and their responsibility to their fans. In this section “Kink / BDSM Culture” we discuss body positivity and staying grounded and feeling safe and healthy in a queer / trans body, sex positivity, and the historical lineage and importance of kink and BDSM in LGBTQ culture.
The second section of Part 1 “Creating Alternatives to Transnormativity and Transmedicalism” describes how heteronormativity, homonormativity has effected the trans community and trans youth by confronting transnormativity and the harmful beliefs of transmedicalists. Ryan offers healthy alternatives to this perspective for trans and gender non-conforming youth which is loving yourself and being around people whom you trust. As well as being unapologetically yourself in whatever gender identity and expression and orientation feels right to you!
*******
Ryan Cassata is an Accomplished Singer-Songwriter, Award-Winning LGBTQ Activist, Speaker, Writer, and Actor. You can find info on Ryan’s music, events, and appearances here: https://ryancassata.com
*******
Dr. Shannon Wong Lerner is the host of The Intersection: Diverse Folx Converse, programming made by and for QPoC and GNC people. She is also a Communication Coach & Consultant, Thought Leader, Keynote Speaker, DEI & Communication Skills Trainer.
See Dr. Shannon's website here: https://drshannonwl.com
*******
OUR MISSION: The Intersection is a not-for-profit project that tells the stories of QPoC and GNC people.
SUBSCRIBE and PARTICIPATE: please subscribe to our YouTube and Apple Podcast or Spotify channels.
*******
MAKING a DONATION (can be small, $1, $5, $10) to our GoFundMe page HERE 💰👩🏼🎤👨🏽🎤🦄 we have $870 left to go for our quarterly goals! These are for production costs ONLY.
https://gofund.me/05aa6a24
Love, Dr. Shannon 👩🏼🎤🎙and the Intersection Community 👨🏻🎤🦄🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
42 min