Side of Effects of Living Out Loud Pt. 1 (with Ts Madison)

Podcast Summary

• Exploring sources of enjoyment and inspiration: Engage with favorite activities and experiences, take advantage of savings or deals, and find joy and connection in everyday life through various sources like media, food, comedy shows, and podcasts.

  There are various sources of enjoyment and inspiration in life, whether it's through listening to favorite media, shopping for delicious food, attending comedy shows, or watching favorite TV shows. It's important to embrace and engage with these experiences, and take advantage of any savings or deals that come with them. For example, Kroger offers a wide range of meal options and everyday low prices, while Amanda Seals' comedy variety show, Smart Bunny and Blaque, celebrates black culture and history. Additionally, Small Doses, a podcast hosted by Amanda Seals, offers entertaining and thought-provoking conversations. Overall, making time for favorite activities and experiences can bring joy and connection to everyday life.

• Living Authentically: The Burden of Attention and Betrayals: Maintain a tight-knit circle and be aware of potential ulterior motives while living authentically to avoid betrayals and complications.

  Living authentically and openly, or "living out loud," as TS Madison puts it, can be a burden due to the attention and potential betrayals it attracts. Madison shares her experiences of friends using her for personal gain, such as club access, and the challenges of maintaining trust and authenticity in relationships. She emphasizes the importance of having a tight-knit circle and being aware of potential ulterior motives. Madison also discusses the unique challenges and scrutiny faced by trans women in the public eye. Despite the challenges, she encourages living authentically and staying true to oneself, even if it means dealing with the potential complications.

• The sensationalization of a trans woman's sexual encounter: Trans women face challenges and harm due to sensationalized reporting of their experiences, highlighting the need to focus on their humanity and individuality

  The sensationalization of a sexual encounter involving a trans woman can lead to negative attention and potential harm to the community. During a conversation, a woman shared her experience of revealing her trans identity during a sexual encounter with rapper Kevin Gates. The context of her story became about her trans status rather than the encounter itself, leading to criticism and scrutiny. This highlights the challenges and dangers faced by trans women, particularly trans women of color, in a world that is not trans-friendly. The conversation also touched upon the validity of trans women's identities and the importance of acknowledging the unique challenges faced by the trans community. Ultimately, it's crucial to focus on the individual experiences and humanity of trans people, rather than sensationalizing or reducing their stories to their trans status.

• Disclosing Trans Identity for Safety: Trans women should consider disclosing their identity for safety reasons, but timing depends on individual comfort levels. Seek knowledge and respectful conversations to support the trans community.

  Trans women should consider disclosing their identity before getting sexually involved with new partners, for safety reasons and to avoid potential discrimination or violence. However, the decision to disclose earlier or later depends on individual comfort levels and identities. It's important to remember that people can be deceptive, and disclosing one's trans status doesn't guarantee a positive response. The conversation around trans issues is ongoing, and it's crucial to ask questions respectfully and seek knowledge to better understand and support the trans community. Ultimately, trans women deserve respect, safety, and authentic relationships, just like anyone else.

• Authenticity, representation, and dealing with realities: Authenticity and representation are essential for building connections and understanding diverse experiences. Embrace living authentically, uplift Black voices, and acknowledge complexities of Black experiences to foster genuine connections and promote understanding.

  Authenticity and representation are crucial in building connections and understanding different experiences. In the discussion, the speaker shares her thoughts on leading with authenticity in relationships and the importance of having spaces where Black voices are uplifted and empowered. She also emphasizes the significance of living out loud and dealing with the realities of the world. Additionally, the speaker touches on the importance of representation in media and politics. She highlights NPR's Black Stories, Black Truths collection as a celebration of Black experiences and perspectives. Furthermore, she emphasizes the need for Black voices to be centered in the telling of America's story and the potential consequences of excluding certain voices from the conversation. Another theme that emerges is the importance of dealing with the realities of the world, especially for marginalized communities. The speaker discusses the challenges faced by trans individuals and the importance of living authentically while also considering safety. She also emphasizes the impact of negative stereotypes and the importance of recognizing the complexities of the Black experience. Overall, the discussion highlights the importance of authenticity, representation, and dealing with the realities of the world in building connections and understanding different experiences.

• The importance of authenticity and speaking up: Being true to yourself and expressing unpopular opinions can lead to criticism and consequences, but it's worth it to bring attention to important issues and make a difference.

  Expressing your truth, even if it's unpopular or controversial, can have a significant impact. The speaker in this conversation emphasizes the importance of being authentic and considering the bigger picture, even when facing criticism. They share their personal experiences of being an outspoken person and the consequences that came with it. They also discuss their belief that certain public figures, like Caitlyn Jenner, may be used to undermine the progress of marginalized communities. Ultimately, the speaker values the importance of speaking up and being heard, even if it means being perceived as harsh or confrontational. They see it as a way to bring attention to important issues and make a difference.

• The importance of addressing underlying emotions: Recognize and address anger and fear in love and care, reject material wealth and fame, and seek authentic connection and self-reflection

  Love and caring are essential, but it's important to recognize and address underlying emotions like anger and fear. The speaker expresses frustration with the lack of self-love and desire for true rights and reparations within the Black community. They also criticize the focus on material wealth and fame, which can lead to exploitation. The speaker calls for authentic connection with audiences and the effort to understand their needs, rather than relying on easy solutions like sensational content or violence. Ultimately, the conversation highlights the importance of self-reflection, genuine care, and the pursuit of authenticity in art and life.

• Excluding LGBTQ studies from African American history: Erasing important figures and contributions from the narrative harms understanding of the African American experience, while centering and amplifying black voices is crucial for accurate representation.

  Excluding certain aspects of the African American community from historical discourse is detrimental to a comprehensive understanding of the African American experience. This was exemplified in the controversy surrounding the inclusion of LGBTQ studies in an African American history AP course. The speaker argued that this exclusion would erase important figures and contributions from the narrative, such as Langston Hughes, Audre Lorde, and various hip hop artists and fashion trends. Furthermore, black media, like NPR's Black Stories, Black Truths, plays a crucial role in centering and amplifying black voices and experiences. Conversely, efforts to suppress or exclude these voices, like those seen in Tennessee, Mississippi, and other states, only serve to undermine the representation and empowerment of the black community. It's essential to acknowledge and include the diverse experiences and perspectives within the black community to gain a more nuanced and accurate understanding of the African American experience.

• Navigating the Complexities of Black Identity: Being loud and visible as a Black person can have its challenges, but acknowledging and uplifting Black voices is crucial for authentic representation. Black identity is multifaceted and complex, and reducing it to stereotypes or cliches does a disservice to individuals and society.

  Being loud and visible as a Black person in America can be both empowering and challenging. On one hand, it's essential to speak out against injustice and raise awareness. On the other hand, it can lead to backlash and misrepresentation. The speaker in this conversation shares her experiences of being targeted and diminished by media outlets, despite her contributions to culture and society. She emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and uplifting Black voices, rather than reducing them to stereotypes or cliches. The speaker also reflects on the hindrances and benefits of living out loud as a Black person and emphasizes the power of reaching and influencing even one person. Overall, the conversation highlights the complexities and nuances of Black identity and the importance of authentic representation.

• Turning challenges into opportunities: Embrace adversity, find flattery in imitation, and focus on impact for resilience and success

  Living authentically and turning challenges into opportunities can lead to positive outcomes, even when credit may not be given. The speaker shares her experiences of dealing with plagiarism and being the first in certain industries, emphasizing the importance of not turning one's back on progress and continuing to push for change. She encourages learning to find flattery in imitation and focusing on the impact of one's influence rather than seeking validation from external sources. Ultimately, the speaker's message is about resilience, creativity, and the power of turning adversity into success.

• Experience of exclusion within community: Treat everyone with respect and dignity, address biases, and promote inclusion to create a welcoming world

  Experiences of exclusion and discrimination, especially when they come from within one's own community, can be deeply hurtful and demoralizing. During an encounter at the GLAAD awards, a black, LGBTQ+ journalist felt disrespected and overlooked by a fellow black journalist during red carpet interviews. The incident was particularly painful because it came from someone who was supposed to be an ally. This experience highlights the importance of treating everyone with respect and dignity, regardless of their background or identity. It also underscores the need for ongoing dialogue and education to address biases and promote inclusion. Ultimately, the incident serves as a reminder that we all have a role to play in creating a more welcoming and inclusive world for everyone.

• Feeling Unacknowledged and Diminished: Media outlets should acknowledge and prioritize the voices and experiences of diverse communities, including the LGBTQIA community, to promote representation and inclusion.

  The speaker experienced a lack of representation and acknowledgement in certain media outlets, leading to feelings of anger and frustration. She felt that her presence as a successful, outspoken, and openly trans black woman was diminished due to her background and past experiences. Despite this, she emphasized the importance of representation and inclusion for all marginalized communities, including the LGBTQIA community, and encouraged people to recognize and celebrate individual achievements and identities. The speaker also highlighted the need for media outlets to acknowledge and prioritize the voices and experiences of diverse communities, rather than relegating them to the sidelines.

• Embracing authenticity and empowerment: Be true to yourself, rise above criticism, advocate for representation, and heal from toxic relationships.

  Living authentically and unapologetically, as oneself, is a powerful form of empowerment. This was emphasized in the conversation as the speaker shared her experiences of rising above criticism and adversity. She highlighted the importance of being true to oneself, even when faced with challenges and opposition. Furthermore, she emphasized the significance of representation and uplifting black voices in media, as seen in NPR's "Black Stories, Black Truths" collection. The speaker also shared a personal story of self-discovery and healing from a toxic relationship. Overall, the conversation underscored the importance of staying true to oneself and advocating for representation and empowerment in all aspects of life.

• Handling negative attention and filling out FAFSA: Public figures face negative attention, it's natural and important to keep moving forward. FAFSA is a simple process to help families pay for college education.

  Dealing with public criticism and negative attention is a challenging part of being in the public eye, even for those who appear confident and strong. It's important to remember that putting on a smile for the public doesn't mean everything is okay behind the scenes. In fact, it can be a difficult and introspective process to come to terms with negative experiences and question how they happened. However, it's crucial to remember that these experiences are a natural part of the job and to keep moving forward. Additionally, the speaker shifted gears to discuss the importance of filling out the FAFSA for college financial aid. This is a valuable resource for families, regardless of their child's academic or athletic abilities, and can provide significant financial assistance. The process is relatively simple, with only 36 questions to complete, and can help set the foundation for a child's future education. Therefore, the takeaway is twofold: first, that dealing with negative attention and criticism is a common experience for public figures, but it's important to remember that it's a natural part of the job and to keep moving forward. Second, that the FAFSA is a valuable resource for families looking to help pay for their child's college education, and the process is simpler than many may think.