TransLash Podcast with Imara Jones

It's clear that tech billionaires want AI to be the next tech revolution to change society. How it's being developed and used raises serious questions and concerns around the impact on trans people, especially given the key companies developing these products have very close ties to the Trump administration. First, Imara speaks with Karen Hao, a journalist and bestselling author of Empire of AI, a sweeping investigation into the rise of OpenAI and the global power dynamics of machine intelligence. Then, she chats with Eddie Ungless, a recent Phd graduate in Natural Language Processing, about what it might take to make these technologies safer and more accountable. Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Follow our guest on social media: Eddie Ungless: Bluesky (@mxeddie.bsky.social)Karen Hao: Bluesky (@karenhao.bsky.social)TransLash Podcast is produced by TransLash Media.The Translash team includes Imara Jones, Oliver K., Aubrey C., Rebekah R., Josephine M., Hillary E., and Morgan A. Lucy L. did the sound editing and engineering for this episode.Theme music composed by Ben D. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last month, reports surfaced that the FBI is considering a new domestic terrorism category: “Transgender Ideology-Inspired Violence and Extremism,” or TIVE. In today’s episode, Imara unpacks what that means—and why it’s so dangerous. First, Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss lays out the state of violent extremism across the political spectrum and why the far-right has turned trans people into scapegoats. Then, R.G. Cravens from the Southern Poverty Law Center discusses how a TIVE designation could create permission structures for white supremacist and anti-LGBTQ violence. Despite their dire warnings, both guests also share where they’re finding hope in the fight against domestic violent extremism and disinformation.Check out Season 3 of the Anti-Trans Hate Machine here.Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (imara_jones_), Bluesky (imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)TransLash Podcast is produced by TransLash Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we honor the life and legacy of Miss Major Griffin-Gracy (1940-2025), an incomparable leader in the fight for trans liberation. In remembrance, we revisit Imara’s conversation with Miss Major from 2023, in which she reflects on her more than 50 years of activism. Miss Major speaks candidly about the importance of family, the impact of Stonewall, and what it means to sustain a movement in the face of increasing political hostility. As we mourn her passing, we celebrate her extraordinary impact and the countless lives she transformed simply by refusing to give up hope.Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (imara_jones_), Bluesky (imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)TransLash Podcast is produced by TransLash Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the political landscape becomes increasingly hostile, it’s more important than ever to source hope from within ourselves and our communities. This week, Imara uncovers some never-before-heard gems from the trans joy archives. With a focus on the incredible community builders we’ve interviewed over the years, this special episode celebrates strengthening connections, sharing resources, and creating stronger networks of care and resilience. Hear from a musician, parent, pastor and more about what drives them to build and nourish trans community.Listen to Season 3 of the Anti-Trans Hate Machine here.Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (imara_jones_), Bluesky (imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)TransLash Podcast is produced by TransLash Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some stories of transformation are so powerful they transcend time and place. In this episode, Imara talks with Brazilian actress, writer, and producer Darwin Del Fabro about her career and new solo play Lili/Darwin. The one-woman show intertwines her own journey with that of Lili Elbe, one of the first people to undergo gender confirmation surgery. Darwin reflects on the similarities between Brazil and the U.S. when it comes to trans visibility and violence, why she waited to begin her transition until after establishing her acting career, and the importance of bringing stories like Lili Elbe’s to life on stage. Vote for TransLash in the Signal Awards for best LGBTQ+ show, LGBTQ+ individual episode, LGBTQ limited series, Thought Leadership individual episode and Activism, Public Service & Social Impact limited series.Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Follow our guest on social media: Colby Lamson-Gordon: Instagram (@colbylg)Darwin Del Fabro: Instagram (@darwindelfabro)TransLash Podcast is produced by TransLash Media.The Translash team includes Imara Jones, Oliver-Ash Kleine, Hillary Esquina, and Morgan Astbury. Lucy Little did the sound editing and engineering for this episode.Theme music composed by Ben Draghi. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing The Anti-Trans Hate Machine: The Destruction of Public SchoolsRight wing forces have taken aim at trans kids in schools, relentlessly targeting some of our country’s most vulnerable youth. In this season, journalist and host Imara Jones investigates this movement, uncovering how these attacks are part of a larger plan to dismantle public education and shatter democracy itself. Join her as she travels across the country to expose the inner workings of this powerful effort uniting Christian Nationalists, conspiracy theorists, extremist paramilitary organizations, conservative business groups, and billionaires in an revelatory investigation exposing what’s really behind the onslaught of anti-trans hate in public schools. Season 4 of the Anti-Trans Hate Machine premieres October 14.Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Threads,  X, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on X (@ImaraJones) and Instagram (@Imara_jones_)The Anti-Trans Hate Machine is produced by TransLash Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Queer and trans media publications are fighting to survive, adapt, and carve out new spaces for our stories to be told. In this episode, Imara sits down with Fran Tirado, the new Editor-in-Chief of Them. Fran reflects on her vision for Conde Naste’s LGBTQ+ publication, how queer stories are a guide to getting free, and her affinity for Ugly Betty. Fran also opens up about objectivity, the one and only Anna Wintour, and the importance of telling fun stories about queer life in even the darkest moments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this discussion, legal historian Kate Redburn, a Columbia Law School associate professor, delves into the troubling history of government surveillance on queer communities, highlighting changes since World War II. René Kladzyk, a senior investigator at the Project on Government Oversight, follows up by revealing how recent rollbacks by the Department of Homeland Security are tightening surveillance on LGBTQ+ individuals and immigrants. They both explore the chilling effects of these policies on privacy and community safety.

Music has always carried the stories of trans lives, yet so much of that history is at risk of being lost. In this episode, Imara speaks with the co-founders of the Trans Music Archive, Ariel Loh and Rowan McDonald, about their groundbreaking endeavor to preserve and celebrate music made by trans artists. Ariel and Rowan share the fateful moment that inspired them to launch the project and why they chose to use vinyl pressings to build the archive in an era of digital streaming. They also dig into the complexities of working with major cultural institutions in this political moment and their decision to remain independent. Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Follow our guest on social media: CENSORED Dialogue: Instagram (@censoredialogue)The Trans Music Archive: (@transmusicarchive)TransLash Podcast is produced by TransLash Media.The Translash team includes Imara Jones, Oliver-Ash Kleine, Aubrey Calaway, Hillary Esquina, and Morgan Astbury. Lucy Little did the sound editing and engineering for this episode.Theme music composed by Ben Draghi. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Across the United States, anti-trans laws and rising hostility have forced some families into a heartwrenching decision: leaving their homes behind to keep their children safe. In the newest episode of our ongoing “Families” series, Imara speaks with parents and advocates Lizette and Jose Trujillo about their journey relocating outside the country with their trans son. They share the grief and hope of starting over, the challenges of leaving family and community behind in Arizona, and how they knew when it was time to go.Send your trans joy recommendations to translash_podcast @ translash [dot] org Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Instagram (@Imara_jones_), Threads (@imara_jones_), Bluesky (@imarajones.bsky.social), X (@ImaraJones)Follow our guest on social media: Lizette Trujillo: Instagram (@themamiadvocate)TransLash Podcast is produced by TransLash Media.The Translash team includes Imara Jones, Oliver-Ash Kleine, Aubrey Calaway, Hillary Esquina, and Morgan Astbury. Lucy Little did the sound editing and engineering for this episode.Theme music composed by Ben Draghi. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.