The Post-Election Question: What Comes Next for Trans People?

What if embracing diverse political views could strengthen our community?

Trans Lifeline: US 887-565-8860

Join Shelbe Chang and Thomas Barnes as we navigate the often turbulent waters of post-election sentiments within the trans community. 

Shelbe opens up about her journey as a Trump supporter and the mixed reactions it has sparked. Together, we stress the importance of inclusivity and understanding across divides, advocating for a more united and resilient community. 

We're also thrilled to announce some big plans for our YouTube channel, including an upcoming 24/7 livestream and a search for fresh hosting talent in 2025. This episode is about looking beyond our differences and focusing on a bigger picture of togetherness and individual integration.

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Chapters

• 0:03 Trans Community Post-Election Reflection
• 9:35 Navigating Transgender Health and Mental Wellness
• 24:56 Consequences of Unguided Trans Youth

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

All right, we are live. Hi Thomas, how are you doing?

Speaker 1: 0:10

Hi, shelby, I'm doing good Okay so today, the live episode that we have is called Post-Election Question what comes next for trans people? So we just had an election two weeks ago and the reason I kind of waited for this long is to see, to gather some reaction information and see what, what's really changing or shifting since the result. And there's a lot of still. There's a lot of controversy and there's still a lot of reactions, especially in the trans community. So that's why the reason I want to do this episode. But before we start, I want to also update with our audience. We are going to have a 24-7 live on this YouTube channel starting next month, right after Thanksgiving, and it's going to rerun some highlights of what happened in 2024. The hot topics, the news, the elections, interviews from Jesse McGrath and conversation between Shane Ivernash and Blossom C Brown, and also me and Thomas for a couple episodes. So we're going to do a recap review of 2024.

Speaker 1: 1:42

And also, as we all know, this channel is expanding. We have different hosts and different guests. So I want to open this platform for our community. So if you or anybody you know has the talent to become our next host, you can contact us, email us or DM us on Instagram. So we want to look for a next talent to be our next host. If you ever want to start a podcast but you don't know where to start or you don't have equipment, you don't have the resource, then come to us. We can put you on and, you know, do, maybe do a screening and see, see how things are. So we're looking for our brand new next host for 2025 and thomas gonna be co-host with me here and there, by the way. So okay, so that's that, okay.

Speaker 1: 2:50

So election you know I'm very open for Trump supporters. I don't know if this channel are aware of that, but I did kind of did some interview in the past with Shang and I did kind of, you know, talk about it and I do see a lot of people in our community. It's not, it's not taking this very lightly, you know I, you know I have friends, you know, supposedly friends. I have friends, supposedly friends. I'm friendly on social media because of my posts, because of my political view and I believe, bottom line, we don't want to forget our community, trans community. It's very diverse. It has different walks of life of people with different experience, different background, different race, different ages, right.

Speaker 1: 3:52

So also in this sense of politic view. We should have a diverse point of view, different perspective, different voices right. Different can be also different opinions, if you want to put it that. Voices right. Different can be also different opinions, if you want to put it that way, right. So we shouldn't like attack each other or hate each other, because our the reason why our community, trans community is so unique is because we're diverse. We are, we are inclusive with different people and that's what makes us different, right?

Speaker 2: 4:24

agree, thomas yeah, I totally agree yeah.

Speaker 1: 4:28

So I want to share some some, some uh comment. I'm not trying to uh, uh, expose anybody who's wrong or good. It's just a different opinion, different perspective, right? So this, um, this comment that I received after I post uh, a you know a trump win, and then it shows. It shows like what he's already doing after 24 hours, 20, uh, after 48 hours of his winning, and I get a lot of comments backslash.

Speaker 1: 5:03

Okay, and one of this particular guy I don't think he's a trans person, I think he's one of the members of LGBTQ+ and he is commenting on that post and he's saying he's kind of shocked that I was even posting something like that and I'm a Trump supporter. He's shocked and you know, I basically replied very respectfully. I said, well, the reason is because I look at things a little bit different, I look at a bigger picture, I zoom out my point of view and I want to be. You know, the reason we want to transition is we want to be who we are as an individual, but also blend into the society, right? Does that make sense to you?

Speaker 2: 5:59

Yeah, it makes total sense to me. Yeah, to me. I was under the impression that general consensus you want to be a part of society, not held at arm's length or passed over it seems to have morphed into a more personal aspect of me. Me, me, I get that, but even you know, everyday regular people aren't getting me, me, me, I know you think they are, but they're not.

Speaker 1: 6:36

Yeah, one of my.

Speaker 2: 6:37

The government is to be about society.

Speaker 1: 6:39

Yeah, one of my start off saying that I don't want to victimize myself, because a lot of people in our community I do understand why because I've been there myself, so I know and it's because of fear and because of what people telling us or the media information, you know try to make us afraid and that's why we feel small. But we are not small, you know. If we have the courage to become who we are, we are the most strong person, human being that we can be. So don't let that forget, don't forget about that, because I have to remind myself this all the time, you know, because I have to tell myself I have come this, I have has come to this far. There's nothing, should, you know, scare me or stop me.

Speaker 1: 7:34

Right, and sometimes I forgot about that part myself as well because of the noises, the distractions. So bottom line is what you just said individual I did in my response, I did kind of mention that as well. I say I just look at a bigger picture. I don't just think about just me, me, me. And it's also come down to, if we talk about economy, it's micro versus micro, individual person's idea, decision versus massive governments, systems, matrix. So what do you experience so far after the election in the community.

Speaker 2: 8:29

So far, what I've experienced is a lot of not a lot actually, not a lot of fear really. But I have seen some people are just outright afraid that they're going to be kicked off the curb or shoved in the closet and I'm like, no, I don't see where things are going that way. But I can understand how you feel the fear of that, because it's been. This whole election has just been just fear-mongering, fear-mongering, fear-mongering, non-stop. And um, I just and I that's one of the reasons why I said, uh, harris was, was uh messing up, was because she was digging in to a trench with the hopes and dreams way too much.

Speaker 1: 9:32

Yeah, I believe that. Okay, before we start keep going, I did read somebody like some article, not somebody some article on the internet. I don't know if it's true, and I think it might be. I feel a little exaggeration. They were saying that after the election, there's a lot of increased number of people thinking about suicide, and so we want to put this out on this channel. So if you really feel that way, you feel threatened, you feel you know you're gonna be erased, okay, then please call this number 887-565-8860. This is a trans life Hotline, okay.

Speaker 2: 10:20

We have the page you can share too.

Speaker 1: 10:23

Yeah, this is a dedicated to trans people. You can see on the screen 887-565-8860. Down, depressed emotions, stress, any kind of distractions, discomfort that you feel you're going through. Please call this number, okay? And back to what Thomas said a lot of time it's just fear-based, it's not really, you know. Amen, I will not be true. Right, it's just how we perceive, how we receive the information from the traditional medias and everywhere you know, bombarded by the, like you said, election.

Speaker 1: 11:16

So I want to jump into the healthcare. So, on that response I did mention about the reason I vote for Trump, is one of the reasons the health. But when I say health, I wasn't talking about health care, an American, because, as Thomas probably joined us in a lot of a few episodes with Wendy, which is in my own channel, we talk about a lot of obesity, how you consume food, you know it kind of make you have cancer or some sort of disease. So the health I was talking about is related to general health. You know cancer, you know the cancer is a big deal.

Speaker 1: 12:12

However, if we want to talk about hormone care, the gender affirmation care, I believe okay, I also read an article they are not trying to control adults. Okay, they're saying it might be put the minor into restrictions and we don't know yet. Okay, because there's no policy saying anything yet, it's just rumors. Right, Put it that way. So if anything, I believe it's only applied to minor, and we don't know what's only applied to minor, and we don't know what's the age as well, because in this country you can drink, you cannot drive, you cannot smoke, you cannot use marijuana. Most of us in some states under 18, right and in some job categories too.

Speaker 1: 13:11

So that might be the threshold. Myself I don't have a kid, so I cannot speak about children. Kids, how should they be? Response to if you feel you are a trans person. But, thomas, what you said earlier, off the camera, I agree with you. Want to share a little bit with people.

Speaker 2: 13:34

Yeah, I didn't spend a lot of time digging into the issue, but I did view a documentary not a documentary, it was a news broadcast article about it and one of the and one of the main, one of the main, one of the main roadblocks to HRT and whatnot for minors is that it's.

Speaker 2: 14:08

To a certain point it becomes irreversible because the body hasn't grown all the way. And when you're inhibiting and blocking, say that individual grows up and they no longer feel that way or they no longer identify that way. They were having issues, but they're not having those issues or beliefs anymore. They can't go back. Do you know what I'm saying? It's not like you can just stop and you know, I understand that this was something that happened in my youth and problems, but I am a man or a woman that can't go back to being that totally. They're going to have you know it's going to have problems and issues for the rest of their lives with that and that's why there is a pathway forward and there's been a pathway forward for over 10 years and it involves a lot of, a lot of psychotherapy and understanding, because the medical society knows if we can do it, it is easy.

Speaker 2: 15:25

We can do it easy, but we do it, we do it and through your journey in life you realize, oh no, that wasn't really. You know, that wasn't really where I should have been, because dealing with the mind is a very difficult.

Speaker 2: 15:45

It's a very difficult path and it takes a long. It's a long journey. You know there's a lot. Everybody's got some something that they need to deal with. Yes, so it's a long journey. It's a very difficult path. That's why you have to go through all the steps and it takes a long time.

Speaker 2: 16:05

And I've talked to girls and women, women and men that have gone through it and they're like, oh, it takes so long. And I say and say, yeah, it takes that long because not a lot of people knew for a fact what they were like you did. You know, and we don't want to guide those people down that path. Now you got a really disgruntled adult because they didn't understand. And you know, having a helpful and supportive parent is great, but having a parent that is going to be proactive and understanding all the risks and holding your hand and walking through you on the whole journey is what you really need, not somebody that's just trying to, you know, give you shoes and makeup or a football. I have kids and should they make that choice or come out, I don't have a problem with it, it doesn't bother me like that. This is my child.

Speaker 2: 17:09

I'm going to love them no matter what. I'm going to love them no matter what, but I'm definitely going to make sure that what they are feeling is not induced by something else in their life, causing confusion and misunderstanding. And I'm not hesitating because I don't want to. I don't want to give people a false impression that, one, I know everything about this one and two, that this is just a simple it's a simple answer to this. It's not. Anything that's in with the mind is never a simple answer to it, and you have to take the time and make that long journey to get through all the hoops and steps so you can come out the other end, your true self.

Speaker 1: 18:03

Yes, and again, we're not giving any medical advice or anything. We just have a discussion with our own experience and stories. So again, if you really feel harm or distress, please call the Trans Life hotline 887-565-8860.

Speaker 2: 18:31

And you can see on here the highlights Okay, highlight, okay. And I wanted to say one thing to go ahead, because it's a known problem in the, in my community, in the black community to my, you know, black brothers and sisters, if you feel, not even if you feel like you're bad, but if you think in any way or you just want somebody to talk, to call the hotline. We have a long, a long history of Black people not seeking mental health care and it's damaging to our community and I want them to understand that it doesn't mean you are less than or unworthy or weak or small-minded, simple, it doesn't mean any of that.

Speaker 2: 19:16

Everybody has issues they need to deal with. Bottling them up isn't the answer.

Speaker 1: 19:21

Yeah, funny, I mean not funny Interesting. You just mentioned that because before we go on this live show, I watched Blair White's new video. And well, blair White live show. I watch, uh, blake white's new video and well, her, her, blake blair white, oh yeah, we. I know she's a trump supporter and you know so, so do I. But but she, she made a video kind of you know, criticize the people on tiktok is like express their emotion. People are crying, screaming, very sad. I can feel those people, why they feel that way. And again I'm taking a different approach. I'm not taking what she is more hardcore, but what you just said is correct. If you really have somebody to listen to, she's more hardcore. But what you just said is correct If you really have somebody to listen to.

Speaker 2: 20:16

if you don't have anybody supporting you, please call the hotline and a lot of those people. They go there because and this is another- thing in America that's a tragedy is we don't teach our.

Speaker 2: 20:34

The parents don't know, the grandparents don't know. So how do we expect the youth is you know? We don't teach our. The parents don't know, the grandparents don't know. So how do we expect the youths to know how to regulate their own emotions? Because that's your responsibility, not mine, yours or anybody else's. It's your responsibility to regulate your own emotions. It's your responsibility to regulate your own emotions. True, it's your responsibility to understand your own emotions, not anybody else's. And when people that don't understand that they don't know how to deal with their emotions, they don't know how to deal with what they're feeling and what they're going through, or what they understand, get, call, call somebody that knows how to deal with that stuff and walk you through and help you out. And you need to understand it ain't going to be a pop-a-pill fix.

Speaker 2: 21:22

Yeah, don't take pills, all those emotions and explore that, All that stuff you don't like. You're going to have to go through it and explore it.

Speaker 1: 22:00

Yes, and again, don't let fear get you thinking one way, because we don't know yet. Right To be honest with you, yeah, we don't know.

Speaker 1: 22:14

Everything before the election. It just kind of like debates and try to get your vote. People's vote. So whatever they say on the debate or on the news, it just try to get your vote. People's vote. So whatever they say on the debate or on the news, it's just try to get the vote. When it comes to the real policy, we don't know yet, so don't put that in your mind and thinking that it's going to happen and you're going to scare yourself and stress out yourself.

Speaker 2: 22:39

Yeah, you're right, and it's actually harder than you think to change a viable medical practice and procedure and just outlaw it because you feel like it. No, no, it's way harder to do that than you think. This is an established thing. This is not new. It wasn't come up yesterday.

Speaker 1: 23:01

It's an established thing, new it wasn't come up yesterday, it's an established thing and if President Trump happened to see this, please watch our videos to understand what real trans people is about, because a lot I kind of feel they are misunderstood in a way as well in the general public, because this is, like you said, it's way back. You know, before our time we trans people already exists, not just right now, it's not, it's not a trend, you know yeah, and in every culture.

Speaker 1: 23:36

Yes, and and if you're looking is I just noticed these, this ancient, ancient structures like, let's say, egypt, and looking, I just noticed these ancient structures like, let's say, egypt in the Hindus, their statue or Buddha or Anunnaki, their facial is very, very androgynous, if you notice that, you know. So that means people who maybe non-binary or some sort of unisex gender. Androgynous is way back in the history, thousands of years ago. You know they probably don't have any, you know, male or female, they're just all people. Yeah, yeah, I don't have any male or female, it's just all people. Okay, so the next one I want to talk about is Do you think trans people should be like the kids should let their parents know their feelings?

Speaker 2: 24:49

Because in California.

Speaker 1: 24:51

I mean in California. We discussed this before. In California. Gavin Newsom is saying that the kids can skip. The parents Go right through.

Speaker 2: 25:05

Well, I know what Gavin's trying to do. He's trying to be nice and I get it, but all he's done is kick over a powder keg. Kick over a powder keg. It's like it's already a difficult subject to broach and discuss. When you're just gay, bi, lesbian, now you're trans, it doesn't matter Either one of those. It's going to be a difficult subject to broach.

Speaker 2: 25:37

I'm not saying, oh yeah, you should just be able to walk up to him and tell him no really dangerous situation where you know like, oh, kids can just do it and leave without their parents. Well, okay, I get what you're saying. And he's trying to help those who've been kicked out of their homes or run away so that they can have the ability to seek assistance and help on their own. I get it. You should have been more specific, because when you say all, you open up a window that's already difficult for teenagers and preteens, because they're dealing with a lot of emotions, they're dealing with balance and a lot of emotions, and society at the same time is dealing with all their peers and trying to have to work out how do you fit into society and how do you work with society to throw that on them too. Now you're just opening doors like, okay, I get what you're saying. Yeah, and I hate to bring this up, but who's going to pay for this Text?

Speaker 1: 27:10

dollar it's going to come from text dollar again.

Speaker 2: 27:14

I know where it's going to come from, but I'm saying yeah. You just allow all these kids to come from text dollar again. Well, I know where it's going to come from, but I'm saying, yeah, you know, you're just going to allow all these kids to just what, just wander off on their own down this path, with no oversight from anybody that actually gives a fuck about them.

Speaker 1: 27:28

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 27:29

You know, and just so you can be nice.

Speaker 1: 27:34

Yeah, I mean, I personally, we all know, all know, you know, if you come, I came, come out, came out not just trans people, uh, gay or lesbian, if you don't have family support, it's very difficult, it's very. Yeah, so that's why I I kind of feel I know what you mean when he said he's just trying to be political correct or nice, but since he is not a person in this community or this identity, sexuality, then he doesn't know. Like, if you come out without any support or family, it's very hard, it's very heartbroken as well. You know, right, very hard, it's very heartbroken as well, you know. So that's why he Gavin Newsom make this law is not helping.

Speaker 2: 28:28

It creates a situation for the kids where they should be, where most kids are concentrating on literally when you start your preteens, junior high and high school, you're concentrating on literally. When you start your preteens, junior high and high school, you're concentrating on your entry into society and adulthood, because you're set up so that, once you're done in high school, you're an adult. The only thing you can't do is drink, which I still think is stupid, because there's no difference 18 and 21. There's no difference 18 and 21. There's no damn difference. If it had been 18 and 31, I could understand you know the level of responsibility and difference, but 18 and 21, there's no goddamn difference, you know.

Speaker 1: 29:12

I even forgot to mention about gambling. You know the age you can gamble at 18.

Speaker 2: 29:20

And it depends on the state. Because some states are different. They wanted to yes. A lot of states said, oh, we'll put that at 21,. Just like you know drinking, and for that I get that too. Because you know what, boy, you can go broke in a casino faster than you think too. Because you know what, you can go broke in a casino faster than you think. And a lot of people get hooked on it because it's the anticipation of a big win.

Speaker 1: 29:45

I'm going to win big.

Speaker 2: 29:46

No, you want to gamble. Keep it your $5 a week on the lottery.

Speaker 1: 29:52

Lottery is a gamble too.

Speaker 2: 29:54

Yeah, it is, it's legalized, it's just if you just got to.

Speaker 1: 29:57

It's legalized. It's legalized that's all.

Speaker 2: 30:00

Yeah, it's legalized gambling, but if you just gotta gamble on something, that's the safest thing you can do. You can only buy so many tickets, you know. But yeah, I knew a guy spent a couple spent his whole paycheck on lottery tickets one time.

Speaker 1: 30:14

That's crazy, alright so again, you know, I just want to keep bringing that Trans Life hotline 887-565-8860. So, in case you feel distressed because of all this commotion, elections, post-election, all those bombarded from the traditional media, you know. So, again, before we close out, I want to thank you everybody for supporting us in 2024. 24-7 live shows to rewind the hot topics, the news, the elections from 2024. And, last but not least, we are looking for the next host for 2025. If you think or if you know somebody who's interested to become a podcast host, but they don't have the resource or they don't have the equipment, please let us know. You can send us an email or DM us on Instagram and Thomas Thomas here, thomas here, thomas here will be also joining me, maybe in studio In 2025 To do interview together.

Speaker 2: 31:45

Okay, yeah, yeah. And another thing is we all know the holidays coming up. Wish everyone Happy Thanksgiving. Are we having a Thanksgiving Show? Everyone Happy Thanksgiving. This is are we having a Thanksgiving show? We having a Thanksgiving show?

Speaker 1: 32:03

Not a.

Speaker 2: 32:04

Thanksgiving date yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 32:09

We probably won't have any new shows next week, but we will set up ready for that 24-7 live.

Speaker 2: 32:20

Oh yeah, yeah, man Get ready for that yeah yeah, so I'm going to say Happy Thanksgiving and just in case Mrs MC gets us right after that, you know, Merry Christmas to you. I feel you'll see us soon.

Speaker 1: 32:38

Yeah, we will. We will do at least one or two before Christmas, yes, okay, so don't forget to subscribe and like and share this live video and, if you're interested, join our membership to get exclusive content. We're going to have more exclusive content next year, 2025. And also oh, I forgot about that Merch. You know T-shirts, sweater this one is blank. We're going to put transparency on here, okay, all righty, thank you for watching or listening. We'll see you after Thanksgiving. Bye-bye.

Speaker 2: 33:21

Bye-bye everybody.