End of the Road

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Dawn and Karleigh recorded the final episode of Before The War while also taping the first episode of RiseUP With Dawn Ennis featuring a transgender guest: Karleigh Webb!

Starting this week, Dawn and Karleigh are launching a new podcast on the Outsports platform called The Trans Sporter Room. Details after the SoundCloud link to this 30th and last Before The War podcast.

Read Karleigh’s interview with trans wrestler Mack Beggs by clicking here.

Read about the Connecticut trans teen athletes Karleigh advises in an article by Dawn: CT Voice Magazine: A Question of Fairness

Get Advice on Changing Legal Documents for Trans Americans: Lambda Legal

Find out about Pose and watch episodes of Pose via FX

Learn more about Dawn’s YouTube and WHCi talk show RiseUP With Dawn Ennis by clicking here.

Read about The Trans Sporter Room and other new podcasts from Outsports by clicking here! 

And listen to us starting Friday, October 18th on Outsports and Apple Podcasts!

Thanks for listening!

 

Dawn

Rape Study, Ryan Russell, Angelica Ross, Cokie Roberts and A Room Full of Lesbians

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Roxane Gay, left, and Debbie Millman, at the Lesbians Who Tech Summit in NYC on Thursday, Sept, 12, 2019. Photo by Melody Maia Monet

This, our 29th episode, is the next to last edition of “Before The War” before we mothball the franchise and move our podcast to the Outsports SB Nation platform in October!

The topics Karleigh and Dawn discuss this week include the new study on how many women’s first sexual experience is with a rapist, the return of Brett Kavanaugh to the news cycle, Ryan Russell’s inability to make the cut as an NFL free agent since coming out, Angelica Ross’s role in an LGBTQ presidential politics forum, Cokie Roberts’ passing and Dawn’s coverage of the Lesbians Who Tech Summit in New York City. Plus, find out about the new podcast coming to the SB Nation platform in conjunction with Outsports: The Trans Sporter Room!

You’ll find links to all the stories mentioned below the podcast link!

 

One in 16 women say their first sexual partner was a man who raped them. Stunning details here.

It’s a month since Ryan Russell came out as bisexual and still no takers in the NFL.

SB Nation has a roundup of injured quarterbacks. Colin Kaepernick would like that job very much, thank you.  

Angelica Ross will host the next presidential forum, a discussion of LGBTQ issues. She’s the first transgender woman to do so. Details here, from Out Magazine.

Karleigh will have a story about trans wrestler Mack Beggs on Outsports this week. Until then, read all about him and other transgender athletes in this story she co-wrote with Outsports co-founder Cyd Zeigler.

Dawn’s coverage of the Lesbians Who Tech Summit in New York City for Forbes.com is here.

And here’s a look back at the life and career of Cokie Roberts. Rest in Peace, Cokie!

When we transition to our new podcast The Trans Sporter Room next month, you’ll hear more coverage of trans issues, sports and science fiction. This week and last, moviegoers were treated to the original theatrical release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture from 1979, in advance of its 40th anniversary. Read all about it here. 

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Bolton, Brexit, Black Girls Rock and Battling Loneliness

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This week, Karleigh and Dawn tackle the B side of the news: Bolton, Brexit, BET’s BlackGirlsRock controversy and battling loneliness.

John Bolton resigned Tuesday as President Trump’s National Security Advisor. Britain’s parliament was suspended Tuesday as the Brexit whirlwind spins the U.K. and the European Union into a frenzy, and actress and advocate Angelica Ross of FX’s “Pose” called out BET for excluding trans women of color from its Black Girls Rock program.

All those topics plus Dawn and Karleigh’s tips on how to combat loneliness, in this week’s podcast.

We talked so much about sports last week, we focused our entire episode on other things! Like… President Trump fired John Bolton on Tuesday. Read all about it here.

The latest on the Brexit controversy, as reported by CNN, can be found here.

Read about Angelica Ross’s protest by clicking here. Find out about her amazing show, “Pose” on FX by clicking here.

And if you really want to know more about my mental health crisis, I blogged about it in 2015. That link is here.

If you are a trans or gender-nonconforming person considering suicide, Trans Lifeline can be reached at 877-565-8860. LGBT youth (ages 24 and younger) can reach the Trevor Project Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386. Adults can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 24 hours a day, and it’s available to people of all ages and identities.

We look forward to next week, our next to last episodes on this platform before we move to Outsports!

Are You Ready For Some Football?

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This week, Dawn and Karleigh explore the NFL, Gaelic football, Althea Gibson, U.S. Open Tennis, transgender lives, fighting hurricanes with nuclear weapons, and Karleigh’s trophy-winning softball team!

Links below.

Read all about Karleigh’s softball team here.

Dawn’s Andrew Luck op-ed in Outsports is here.

Karleigh’s report on Althea Gibson in Outsports is here. 

Read about President Trump’s “thoughts” to stop hurricanes by clicking here.

Dawn’s report in Outsports on Gaelic soccer and homophobia — and how two gay women players found acceptance — is here.

We’re still seeking suggestions for our new podcast on the Outsports platform that’s just weeks away! Add your ideas in the comments, tweet at us @TweetBTWP or visit our Facebook page! 

See you next time!

 

 

Politics, Sports, and Out Trans Athletes

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Karleigh and Dawn are back with another podcast episode, number 26, and this week they’re talking presidential politics, sports and out transgender athletes.

Links to the topics we discussed are below after the link to SoundCloud. And if you have ideas on where we should take our podcast next, when we move to the Outsports platform this fall, let us know!

Here’s the Washington Post op-ed that revealed that the Log Cabin Republicans are endorsing President Donald Trump for re-election. And here’s a follow-up story about Jennifer Horn, a woman who quit the LCR over that endorsement.

Here’s how Dawn‘s friends at The Advocate and The Daily Beast covered the endorsement. And as they mentioned, here’s the Washington Examiner‘s… um, “different” take.

As for the Democrats running for office, former Vice President Joe Biden opened up a double-digit lead over his leading opponents. Read all about it here from CNN. 

The story Dawn wrote about a transgender high school volleyball player in Maui can be read here. And when Karleigh writes her story about the British trans cricketer, we’ll share that link with you here.

Introduce yourself to newly out trans sportswriter Nicky Bandini by clicking here. And to read about other transgender journalists and the challenges they face, we recommend Lewis Raven Wallace‘s fine piece in Nieman Reports, which you’ll find here.

If you have suggestions on how Dawn and Karleigh should remold their podcast when it moves to the Outsports platform this fall, drop us a line in the comments, or send us a tweet or comment on our Facebook page, about that or anything! See y’all next time.

 

 

We’re movin’ on up!

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Karleigh and Dawn are back! And they need YOUR help to rebrand! They’re moving to new platforms as one part of a new series of podcasts from Outsports in the coming months. Tell them what you think should be the new theme, the new name and what topics you’d like to hear them explore when Before The War ends, and a new chapter begins!

This episode, their 25th, explores what they’ve been up to over the summer, as well as court battles for transgender equality and government clashes over trans health care, the Equinox boycott, Brittney Griner‘s suspension, and Dawn‘s historic Pride Flight aboard Virgin Atlantic.

Kareligh has completed her legal name change and all of her documentation now reflects her authentic gender identity and legal name! She joined the team at Outsports earlier this summer as a contributor, and Dawn — who is the team’s managing editor — has also been busy writing for Forbes, Seasons Magazine, Connecticut Voice Magazine, The Daily Beast and The Advocate.

Scroll down for links to the topics Dawn and Karleigh discussed on this week’s episode of Before The War!

Dawn‘s story for The Advocate about the Pride Flight is here. 

Read about Aimee Stephens‘ fight as her lawyers prepare to challenge her former employer at the U.S. Supreme Court in October by clicking here. Dawn was the first journalist to interview Aimee in 2016.

For updates on her case, follow Chase Strangio of the ACLU on Twitter. 

Dawn‘s report on the Trump Administration’s efforts to rollback transgender healthcare protections is here.

Karleigh’s collaboration with Outsports cofounder Cyd Zeigler on the documentary film starring transgender teen athletes is here, as is her story about support for the two young trans women of color in Connecticut whose rights to compete may be in jeopardy.

Dawn covered the court victory for trans man Gavin Grimm for Forbes.com

Here’s a report on the Equinox Boycott which could spell disaster for the gym chain as well as Soul Cycle. 

Why did Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury WNBA team get ejected along with 5 other players? Read about that here in Outsports, and read Daniel Villarreal‘s followup about the suspensions that followed, by clicking here.

Dawn and Karleigh would love to meet you at one of the Pride marches scheduled to take place in Connecticut in the weeks to come, or perhaps in Washington, D.C. at the Transgender March for Visibility. Details on that can be found by clicking here. 

And add your ideas for what kind of podcast we should do next, by sending us a tweet, write to us on Facebook or add your ideas in the comments here! Thanks for listening, and we’ll be back next week!

They’re Changing The Game

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From left to right: Terry Miller, Andraya Yearwood and our own Chardonnay Merlot

Welcome to your guide to podcast Episode 21, which Dawn Ennis and Chardonnay Merlot recorded on Saturday, April 27, as they returned to Connecticut from Lower Manhattan.

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They had just attended a question and answer panel moderated by espnW award-winning journalist, Katie Barnes.

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The Q&A featured Sarah Rose Huckman

 

 

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Terry Miller

 

 

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Andraya Yearwood

 

 

 

And Mack Beggs, who is the primary focus of “Changing The Game,” a new documentary also featuring Yearwood and Huckman.

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From left to right: espnW’s Katie Barnes, Sarah Rose Huckman, Andraya Yearwood, Terry Miller, and Mack Beggs

These four engaging young people have something obvious in common: they were until recently all teenagers (Mack turned 20 on April 6).

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From left to right: Sarah Rose Huckman, Andraya Yearwood, Terry Miller and Mack Beggs

And they’re all athletes.

And they were accompanied by moms and grandmas and other supportive people in the audience along with the amazing folks from GLSEN, who hosted the Q&A.

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Oh! We almost forgot. And they’re all transgender!

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From left to right: Mack Beggs, Andraya Yearwood, Sarah Rose Huckman and Terry Miller

That is something the teens stressed over and over: being trans is not what they want to be known for. They want to be known for what they do, not how they identify or dress or style their hair. Being trans is just one facet of who these people are.

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Terry Miller (left) and Dawn Ennis
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Mack Beggs and Chardonnay Merlot

Chardonnay Merlot and Dawn Ennis — who we think you know, are themselves transgender women — had a front row seat for the Q&A. And following questions from Barnes, they were among the journalists — and one of the teens’ moms — who peppered the athletes with questions.

Below the link to our 21st podcast episode, you’ll find more photos and videos of the Q&A, as well as helpful links to things we discussed!

Thanks as always for listening! Scroll down for info on how to connect with us on social media.

We have much more to share with you!

Below, here’s most of the Q&A Chardonnay and Dawn attended, in four parts.

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We’re thrilled to tell you that Andraya Yearwood will be speaking at Outsports Pride in Los Angeles as part of a panel featuring two other transgender athletes, moderated by Dawn.  Also appearing: Athena Del Rosario and Chloe Psyche Anderson.  More info at outsportspride.com

You can read more about Mack Beggs at Outsports.com 

Click here to watch the trailer for the documentary “Changing the Game.”

The movie made its debut at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival, and was directed by filmmaker Michael Barnett, produced by Clare Tucker and Alex Schmider. Alex is also the executive producer.

 

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Clare Tucker, Michael Barnett, Andraya Yearwood, Terri Miller, Sarah Rose Huckman, Alex Schmider and Mack Beggs

The screenplay was written by Barnett and Michael Mahaffie. Barnett and Turner Jumonville shared credit for cinematography. Chris Mosier, Jeffrey Pechter, Jeffrey Ellermeyer, Carlos Cusco, Emerson Machtus, Andrew Davies Gans, Allen Orr are also executive producers, and Russell Sanzgiri is a co-executive producer. The film was edited by the team of Michael Mahaffie and Amanda Griffin. Composer is Tyler Strickland and the associate producers are Jenn Roman and Jess Berry. 

The film’s Facebook page is here. 

GLAAD teamed up with GLSEN for another interview with the athletes, recorded the day before the Q&A with Chardonnay and Dawn. You can watch it below:

IMG_6519Learn more about the Connecticut TransAdvocacy Coalition and its annual Transgender Lives “Intersection of Health and Law Conference “ held annually at UConn in Farmington, Connecticut, by clicking here. 

Rev. Aaron Miller’s church in Hartford, the Metropolitan Community Church, can be found here. 

Connecticut Voice Magazine is a new publication dedicated to and written by and for Connecticut’s LGBTQ community, the first of its kind in the Nutmeg State. Click here to learn more and subscribe! 

 

On a personal note: Sorry it’s taken so long to bring you this, and that we’ve been away. Life is what happens when you make other plans!

We’ll be back soon with a new podcast. Tweet us at @TweetBTWP,  as always, you can leave a comment here on our blog. Thanks!

The [REDACTED] Mueller Report

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Chardonnay Merlot and Dawn Ennis return with a special Redacted Mueller Report edition recorded at Bruegger’s Bagels on South Main Street in West Hartford, Conn.

We discuss what we’ve learned in the early hours since the release of the redacted version of the Mueller Report, plus we discuss the existence of LGBTQ Republicans and conservatives, an anti-Chick-fil-A protest, and the emerging big issues of the 2020 campaign.

Read the full report yourself by clicking this link. 

Later this afternoon we’ll share more links and other information below the link to our SoundCloud podcast. 

If you’d like to read my story about the Cincinnati Chick-fil-A protest, click here.

How many out LGBTQ Republicans won their races in the last election cycle? Three. Read my story for Into by clicking here.

Read about the difficulties faced by LGBTQ conservatives in this story from The New York Times. 

And if you’re an LGBTQ Republican, you will find likeminded people in a group that calls itself the Log Cabin Republicans. You can read about them at their website, and we recommend you get another perspective of them, with which we happen to agree, by clicking here. 

We’ll see you next week!

Trans Ban, Chelsea Manning, 2020 and Supermarket Strike

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This week in Episode 19: Chardonnay Merlot and Dawn Ennis discuss the transgender military ban going into effect, the arrest of Julian Assange sheds new light on the imprisonment of Chelsea Manning, the 19 Democrats and 2 Republicans running for president and a strike impacting 30-thousand union workers at supermarkets throughout New England.

For more information on the transgender military ban, check out these reports from NBC News, Axios and The Advocate. 

To read about Chelsea Manning’s connection to the Julian Assange arrest, click here.

Here are all the candidates currently running for president in 2020. When you go to the Ballotpedia link, click on any name to learn about that candidate.

And here are reports by the Hartford Courant and the Connecticut Post about the ongoing Stop & Shop Strike. Before the War supports the workers and click here to read how you can support striking workers.

We’ll be back Tuesday with another episode: our 20th!