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If you are an ally, you know it.

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And if you're not an ally, you know,

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it is because 2 people know each other

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and have a connection that my friend who

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has different political values recognize that we all

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have hearts, we all have families. We all

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love and sometimes it's a chosen family.

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Welcome to bouncing Life's issues the podcast. And

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today, we are here to celebrate pride month

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and ask the question why do we celebrate

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pride month?

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Sure we could take 30 days to hang

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a flag and attend a parade, but what

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are we doing in our communities or our

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work environments to create inclusive spaces.

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So that people we know and love don't

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have to live in fear.

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As we sit here today, the Ac is

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tracking 516

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anti

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Lgbtq bills in Us,

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including but not limited to curriculum

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censorship, health care restrictions, facility bans, sports bands,

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and even forced outing in cools.

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The ups and downs are stark.

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Recently for myself, a neighbor approached our home

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taking note of our pride flag and invited

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us to a pride party that they were

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having.

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How cool is that moment for us because

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that's why we fly our flag to help

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inform members of of our community that this

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is a safe place

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However, on that very same day at the

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local brewery, I overheard that a patron had

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point at the American flag saying that was

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the flag that they fought for, then pointed

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at the pride flag saying I didn't fight

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for that 1. Like

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The ups and downs are stark.

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So today, I wanted to bring on B

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senior trainer Laurie Jones, who after becoming a

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veteran

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has had a 30 year career as an

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applied soc,

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working in education and government to talk to

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us about how far we've come since she

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came out in 19 81,

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while recognizing how much farther we have to

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go.

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Welcome to the podcast, Laurie.

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Hi. Exciting to see you Kai. I'm glad

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that we're talking about this today. Feels good.

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It's Pride man.

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Exactly. Yes. And it's it's been wonderful getting...

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To know you, you know, through our pre

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call. I'm finally excited just to rip the

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lid off and just kind of chat. So

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I guess tell our audience about yourself and

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your work with the Lgbtq communities.

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So I've been out for a long time.

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I came out in night. 19 81 when

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Diana Ross released. I'm coming out, So, that

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was a a great s to dance too

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in the early eighties. 19 I have been

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Lesbian since early early eighties, and it's... I'm

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now in my... In my early twenties, I'm

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now on my early sixties.

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I did receive an honorable discharge for our

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homosexuality or buy homosexuality from the United States

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Navy in 19 86,

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at And others did not. Others did not,

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there were witch Hunts and it wasn't

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their choice to leave the... Service.

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I also was in the... So what what

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was the climate of the time of the

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military

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that led to you being discharged? You know,

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it was a good time, and it was

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the best of times in the worst of

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times. When Lesbian would find each other, or

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we would go

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overseas. To the gay bars, and we would,

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you know, have each other's backs, and and

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and we would...

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There were places, mostly

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mostly bars and establishments that encode words that

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we would use to

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identify each other and

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you know, it was also...

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So there there was a lot of fun,

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and there was a lot of

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identification and there were safe spaces. Gotcha.

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Bookstores, women's bookstores were safe spaces.

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Being in the military, being on a ship,

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you knew who and who was and wasn't.

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So

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we would have each other's backs. It was

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before Don't Nasa tell. Yeah. So,

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nobody told.

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And with Don't ask don't tell,

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you know, people would tell and they could

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get, you know, discharged for, you know, the

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intention of Don't ask Tell is to make

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it better for, gays serving in the military,

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and it really didn't because the military wasn't...

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Yeah. It made it worse. Board. So after

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your time in the military where,

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like... What was happening in your life at

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that time and in what direction did that

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take you in? I actually got out of

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the military

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because of my sexual orientation, and I did

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get... Report from some gay rights,

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advocates to actually not get less than an

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honorable because I had not done anything wrong.

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Gotcha.

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What I did was I started going back

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to school. I got a masters and AAAA

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bachelor's and a master's in sociology, and I

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studied.

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You know, queer theory. I was in the

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first ever,

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queer studies course at San diego State University.

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Oh, How cool. And then I worked in

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each Debbie prevention for 25 years. So I've

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got to take my

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interest in sociology to, the work of Debbie

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Hiv prevention, which

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disproportionately

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impacts both

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homosexual and trans and non binary people. Yeah.

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And so you were you were on the

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ground working during, like, the Hiv crisis and

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Yeah. In the eighties. It started... I started

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in the early nineties and once medications came

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out to make,

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Hiv

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treat as a chronic illness, you know, things

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changed. But

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the early days were very terrifying. And the

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Lesbian in the community

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were there for the gay, and we lost

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many, You know, We went to many funerals

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and Today's young men in Hiv

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prevention. Don't really know. They have social amnesia.

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They don't really understand where we've come from

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from you know, the beginning. Right.

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Remove Yeah. Remove from that time. Yeah. Yeah.

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It's like it's, like, something off and I'll

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I'll reflect on is you know, through these

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kinds of interviews like, something like the civil

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rights movement

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was not long ago. Right? Or or, you

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know, women being able to get a credit

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card for the first time was

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not that long ago. So it's like, it's

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interesting that these, you pockets of people

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have are gaining or still trying to gain,

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like

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true full rights, and and, like, in truly

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inclusive

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places of of work, like, for example, And

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so

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I I guess when it comes to that,

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it all feels so polarizing right now, and

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that's, you know, it's really unfortunate that it

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does. So, like, I guess as you look

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at pride month?

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Like, what comes to mind?

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And

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I, yeah. What does it mean to you?

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You know, I've I feel sincerely proud. I

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feel sincerely proud. Proud to say I'm a

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Lesbian, proud to say I'm out.

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Proud that my niece who's in her thirties

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has come out as queer and is, I,

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in a relationship with a non binary aid

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identified individual proud to be supportive of her

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when there isn't always support even in the

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Lgbtq I a plus community,

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you know, sometimes the Lg

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doesn't wrap its brain well around concepts like

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non binary or people choosing queer? Right. Do

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you mean Lesbian gay

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wrapping around how the acronym has grown.

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I mean, I can give you an example.

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I work in Hiv prevention with a lot

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of old bike game in. And I love

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them. I've worked with a lot of... Yeah

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trans women,

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and

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I understand and know those groups because I've

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worked with them for decades.

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And on the horizon

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comes this idea of non binary. And

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I've seen people say, you know, in Hiv

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prevention and and in in any any government

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work, they want you to put people on

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boxes, and now we have another box. Right?

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Another box for non binary. But...

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I have met and worked with people who

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have chosen to transition. They've transitioned successfully.

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I've known people that have

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started to transition and decided not to. Mh.

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It's not uncommon in my over 40 years

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being in out, Lesbian

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over the years to have had friends that

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were in relationships where,

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a woman identified, a trans person,

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changes their gender and then is now in

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a relationship with the woman, so, you know,

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they are not typically

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He sexual, but, you know, you've got a

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man identified with a woman identified

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relationships. So there are so many possibilities over

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the years of doing the work in Hiv.

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You've tech prevention really

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understanding. You know, the younger

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generations really get it about... They don't really

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wanna have to be put in a box.

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They wanna be able to express themselves and,

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you know, both masculine and feminine sides. So

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I see that and I understand that but.

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A lot of people in my age group

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may not. I've I've seen and watch people

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say you decide. Are you gonna be gay

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straight? Just make... Mom. Yeah. You do hear

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that. Sometimes in my family, I've seen that

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happen. Yeah. So Sure. Yeah. The fight the

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family dynamics are are a huge part of

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this. Right? And your like, a lot of

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what you're... I'm hearing is just like this

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generational difference

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in in, like, sexuality and how we define

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ourselves. So I guess, what's your advice to

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someone in your age group

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around that discussion? And then what would be

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your advice

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for someone in younger generation on how...

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How even the community itself can can better

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understand and a align. You know, ignorance and

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hate still exist. And... Yeah. Well it was

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a radical movement when, you know, Stonewall occurred

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when great gay pride began has become a

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liberal movement. Where we wanna change the system

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within the system rather than just, you know,

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obliterate the system. And my advice to people

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that are in my age group is to

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have an open mind in an open heart.

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You know, You've gone to gay pride festivals,

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I... Took my nieces and nephews when they

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were in their teens, and they made a

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sign for me that says I love my

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rainbow

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ant, they used a little ant to like,

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a little aunt on the... And they carried

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the. Flag

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my nephew who was only 13 years old

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said he was very offended. By many of

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the men

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because sure. Way of presenting, and I think...

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U. You know, to just be and live

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in the openness, of what it is to

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be who you are fully, and to know

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that you're lovable,

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you know, for my... For the younger generations

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00:10:13,499 --> 00:10:16,297
for my niece and those coming after her

269
00:10:16,297 --> 00:10:19,001
for the, you know, really young adolescents that

270
00:10:19,001 --> 00:10:21,044
are are trans, and there are now getting

271
00:10:21,164 --> 00:10:24,437
services to support their transition, You know, that

272
00:10:24,437 --> 00:10:26,352
that lovely campaign, you know,

273
00:10:27,071 --> 00:10:29,407
it gets better. U. You know, the messaging

274
00:10:29,545 --> 00:10:31,464
that You know, we all have a right

275
00:10:31,464 --> 00:10:33,287
to love who we wanna love and to

276
00:10:33,287 --> 00:10:34,817
experience our bodies and our

277
00:10:35,188 --> 00:10:38,298
identification in ways that are... Are right for

278
00:10:38,298 --> 00:10:39,196
us. So

279
00:10:40,128 --> 00:10:43,468
because Yeah. I studied being a soc, it

280
00:10:43,468 --> 00:10:45,316
was never diff... Quote for me. And in

281
00:10:45,316 --> 00:10:47,948
my family, my family accepted me. I was

282
00:10:47,948 --> 00:10:49,724
very lucky that I come from

283
00:10:50,421 --> 00:10:52,574
people that. That seems like it's not the

284
00:10:52,574 --> 00:10:55,543
the norm. Right? In terms of acceptance at

285
00:10:55,543 --> 00:10:57,701
that time with your family? No. I mean,

286
00:10:57,861 --> 00:10:59,299
I know a lot of people that have

287
00:10:59,299 --> 00:11:00,738
experienced a lot of hate cr. The other

288
00:11:00,738 --> 00:11:02,816
thing about me is that I passed. I

289
00:11:02,816 --> 00:11:04,588
passed. Wait, if I... Unless I come out,

290
00:11:04,748 --> 00:11:06,343
People don't think that I'm a Lesbian.

291
00:11:06,821 --> 00:11:09,214
I pass this heterosexual, but I've always come

292
00:11:09,214 --> 00:11:10,969
out. I'm gonna gonna come out frequently and

293
00:11:10,969 --> 00:11:13,362
always you know, can occasionally in my trainings,

294
00:11:13,601 --> 00:11:15,846
I'll come out just because I think it

295
00:11:15,846 --> 00:11:17,756
if it's helpful to people to understand and

296
00:11:17,756 --> 00:11:19,587
know and they see and I identify with

297
00:11:19,587 --> 00:11:21,338
someone and there is a person, you know,

298
00:11:21,417 --> 00:11:22,468
that is that's...

299
00:11:23,345 --> 00:11:25,337
You know, I am who I am. And

300
00:11:26,055 --> 00:11:28,286
so I believe that I need to be

301
00:11:28,286 --> 00:11:31,565
proud all year round, And this month, there

302
00:11:31,565 --> 00:11:33,870
is an elevated sense of hope for me.

303
00:11:34,108 --> 00:11:36,175
Yes. There's hate crime. Yes There's backlash.

304
00:11:36,890 --> 00:11:38,718
I was talking to my sister and she

305
00:11:38,718 --> 00:11:40,901
said, know, I'm really concerned

306
00:11:41,432 --> 00:11:42,250
about how

307
00:11:42,623 --> 00:11:44,924
this negative thing you talked about with regard

308
00:11:44,924 --> 00:11:47,067
to the flag, that how that that...

309
00:11:47,860 --> 00:11:50,754
You know messaging is out there. It is...

310
00:11:52,995 --> 00:11:55,850
It's disturbing. I mean, it's disturbing and it's

311
00:11:56,048 --> 00:11:56,865
get d,

312
00:11:57,317 --> 00:11:58,055
and it's

313
00:11:58,983 --> 00:12:00,594
sometimes very destabilizing.

314
00:12:01,919 --> 00:12:03,664
And we need to get forward We can't

315
00:12:03,664 --> 00:12:05,586
sugar coat it. Bike, It is happening. We

316
00:12:05,586 --> 00:12:07,572
need to go forward together. We need to

317
00:12:07,572 --> 00:12:09,105
go forward in our families,

318
00:12:09,479 --> 00:12:12,736
in our work, in our play, being who

319
00:12:12,736 --> 00:12:12,895
we are.

320
00:12:13,788 --> 00:12:15,466
You know, finding safe spaces,

321
00:12:16,026 --> 00:12:18,283
and I think the consciousness

322
00:12:18,742 --> 00:12:19,641
of the younger

323
00:12:20,020 --> 00:12:22,991
generation you know, even the fact that I

324
00:12:22,991 --> 00:12:26,048
do trainings for employee assistance programs, and

325
00:12:26,426 --> 00:12:28,937
employee assistance programs, can offer

326
00:12:29,471 --> 00:12:32,815
support and assistance to family members of people

327
00:12:32,815 --> 00:12:34,747
that are employed that are going through gender

328
00:12:35,202 --> 00:12:35,702
identification

329
00:12:36,412 --> 00:12:39,918
challenges or, you know, choices about orientation. They're

330
00:12:39,918 --> 00:12:40,396
very different,

331
00:12:41,113 --> 00:12:43,159
orientation and gender are different, but we can

332
00:12:43,358 --> 00:12:45,505
celebrate all of it with the Lgbt lgbtq

333
00:12:45,664 --> 00:12:47,914
Right? And, you know, on that topic of

334
00:12:47,971 --> 00:12:51,095
employee assistance programs because that's, you know, B

335
00:12:51,152 --> 00:12:51,311
exists.

336
00:12:52,042 --> 00:12:54,510
To help create inclusive work environments. Right? We're

337
00:12:54,510 --> 00:12:55,328
at 1 where

338
00:12:55,704 --> 00:12:57,376
anybody can show up to work, not having

339
00:12:57,376 --> 00:12:58,013
to live in fear,

340
00:12:58,809 --> 00:12:59,740
not having to

341
00:13:00,415 --> 00:13:02,563
compartment their home life and then their work

342
00:13:02,563 --> 00:13:02,801
life.

343
00:13:03,914 --> 00:13:05,744
So I guess what for you and your

344
00:13:05,744 --> 00:13:07,970
experience with all these trainings you've done, like,

345
00:13:08,383 --> 00:13:10,052
what are some of the biggest mistakes you've

346
00:13:10,052 --> 00:13:10,552
seen

347
00:13:10,926 --> 00:13:13,390
companies make as they, you know,

348
00:13:14,662 --> 00:13:15,536
apply inclusive,

349
00:13:15,948 --> 00:13:16,980
policies call it.

350
00:13:18,091 --> 00:13:19,520
And and what are some things that you've

351
00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,299
seen gone really well. So I can give

352
00:13:22,299 --> 00:13:24,619
an example of a miss... Steak. And,

353
00:13:25,256 --> 00:13:27,564
on an example of what really works. So

354
00:13:27,564 --> 00:13:30,906
the slogan in Hiv prevention is nothing about

355
00:13:30,906 --> 00:13:33,785
us with about us. And, where I worked

356
00:13:33,785 --> 00:13:35,932
at, for a government agency, we did a

357
00:13:35,932 --> 00:13:36,432
campaign

358
00:13:36,886 --> 00:13:37,363
that was,

359
00:13:38,158 --> 00:13:40,959
focusing on rather than targeting. It's our language

360
00:13:40,959 --> 00:13:43,371
that matters. We're focusing on a

361
00:13:43,747 --> 00:13:45,044
population and

362
00:13:47,028 --> 00:13:49,179
they didn't have anybody from the population involved

363
00:13:49,179 --> 00:13:51,010
in development of the campaign. They put up

364
00:13:51,010 --> 00:13:53,957
a billboard in a part of town with

365
00:13:54,355 --> 00:13:55,391
not the ethnicity.

366
00:13:55,884 --> 00:13:57,798
Of the folks that lived in that area

367
00:13:57,798 --> 00:13:59,792
of town, and there were complaints about it,

368
00:13:59,952 --> 00:14:02,185
and they didn't take it down, and I

369
00:14:02,185 --> 00:14:04,897
like the idea of what works is when

370
00:14:04,897 --> 00:14:05,636
you have

371
00:14:06,265 --> 00:14:09,047
the people involved in the marketing campaigns or

372
00:14:09,047 --> 00:14:10,898
the people involved in the messaging,

373
00:14:11,828 --> 00:14:14,147
give you the messages, and give you ideas

374
00:14:14,147 --> 00:14:16,927
for what to call things and and teach

375
00:14:16,927 --> 00:14:19,150
you. Yeah. The things we do right are

376
00:14:19,389 --> 00:14:20,603
Mh. Understanding

377
00:14:21,295 --> 00:14:22,049
and the

378
00:14:22,983 --> 00:14:25,953
multiple layers of a of oppression and and

379
00:14:26,249 --> 00:14:28,695
discrimination and things that trans folks experience and

380
00:14:30,723 --> 00:14:31,996
really bring to it

381
00:14:32,712 --> 00:14:35,496
a human, a sense of heart and understanding

382
00:14:35,496 --> 00:14:37,023
that You know, I have a friend who

383
00:14:37,023 --> 00:14:39,989
has a different political orientation than me, and

384
00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:44,120
maybe orientation is the wrong word, but he

385
00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:44,279
is,

386
00:14:45,393 --> 00:14:48,417
I've educated him a lot. And he's educated

387
00:14:48,417 --> 00:14:50,326
me too because he's gonna vote Howard he

388
00:14:50,326 --> 00:14:51,383
votes, and

389
00:14:51,759 --> 00:14:52,497
he has

390
00:14:52,888 --> 00:14:55,672
a daughter that wants to transition to be

391
00:14:55,672 --> 00:14:57,103
in a male, and he that can't wrap

392
00:14:57,103 --> 00:14:59,513
his brain around it to save his life

393
00:14:59,983 --> 00:15:01,279
and it is

394
00:15:01,735 --> 00:15:02,235
this

395
00:15:02,770 --> 00:15:03,748
tension of

396
00:15:04,124 --> 00:15:05,478
how do you love someone the way they

397
00:15:05,478 --> 00:15:07,389
are when you're afraid that they're gonna make

398
00:15:07,389 --> 00:15:08,186
their life hard.

399
00:15:08,759 --> 00:15:10,440
My mother was afraid when I came out

400
00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:12,039
to her when I was 21 that my

401
00:15:12,039 --> 00:15:13,720
life was gonna be harder. She was afraid

402
00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:15,959
for me. I watched my sister do that

403
00:15:15,959 --> 00:15:18,469
just... Some degree with her daughter regarding

404
00:15:19,645 --> 00:15:22,915
just this choice and why, you know, this

405
00:15:22,915 --> 00:15:24,929
has her choice. So So I think I

406
00:15:24,929 --> 00:15:26,289
guess what I heard in in some of

407
00:15:26,289 --> 00:15:27,029
that was

408
00:15:28,370 --> 00:15:31,409
if you are a company, and you believe...

409
00:15:31,902 --> 00:15:34,759
Like, inclusive work environments you need to be

410
00:15:34,759 --> 00:15:36,743
better about that. And you look around your

411
00:15:36,743 --> 00:15:39,703
upper management and maybe everybody's white or maybe

412
00:15:40,648 --> 00:15:42,881
Everybody's... You know, maybe there's no female representation.

413
00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:43,620
So

414
00:15:44,555 --> 00:15:45,055
outsource

415
00:15:45,990 --> 00:15:49,100
that, you know, perspective because you need that.

416
00:15:49,513 --> 00:15:51,021
In order to make effective policies that are

417
00:15:51,021 --> 00:15:52,688
gonna work for you. And I think on

418
00:15:52,688 --> 00:15:54,197
the other side of that I heard is

419
00:15:54,197 --> 00:15:56,840
just be ready to listen, and

420
00:15:57,708 --> 00:15:59,702
a affirm as opposed to try to understand.

421
00:15:59,942 --> 00:16:02,255
Is that sound right? Yeah. I mean, there's

422
00:16:02,255 --> 00:16:04,090
a a lot of things companies can do.

423
00:16:04,170 --> 00:16:06,656
They can provide trainings. Super important.

424
00:16:07,134 --> 00:16:09,764
They can support and celebrate diversity, inclusion and

425
00:16:09,764 --> 00:16:10,481
equity initiatives,

426
00:16:11,119 --> 00:16:13,947
employee resource groups I was on the employee

427
00:16:14,006 --> 00:16:14,884
resource group for the

428
00:16:15,682 --> 00:16:16,480
Lgbtq and allies.

429
00:16:17,038 --> 00:16:20,151
They can really enlist people in this idea

430
00:16:20,151 --> 00:16:21,941
of being an Ally because

431
00:16:22,715 --> 00:16:23,591
we need everybody.

432
00:16:25,024 --> 00:16:27,253
We we do things that where the government

433
00:16:27,253 --> 00:16:28,686
that I work for where they light up

434
00:16:28,686 --> 00:16:31,475
the The county administration building with the pride

435
00:16:31,475 --> 00:16:34,511
lights and have events where people can celebrate.

436
00:16:35,278 --> 00:16:35,595
And,

437
00:16:36,404 --> 00:16:37,840
I think Mh. That's what we wanna do.

438
00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:39,915
I mean, for me, pride is celebrating. I

439
00:16:39,915 --> 00:16:41,989
mean, I could just... I could tear... Yeah.

440
00:16:42,229 --> 00:16:44,238
Absolutely. I could tear up about, you know,

441
00:16:44,397 --> 00:16:45,908
all the pride events I've been to. Right

442
00:16:45,908 --> 00:16:48,533
now, at San Diego County is 5 hours

443
00:16:48,533 --> 00:16:48,851
long.

444
00:16:49,488 --> 00:16:50,703
It is painful.

445
00:16:51,332 --> 00:16:53,641
Because you have to, like, I mean, everybody

446
00:16:53,641 --> 00:16:56,666
all the churches, all the point politicians, all

447
00:16:56,666 --> 00:16:59,465
that... I mean, and it is a... It

448
00:16:59,465 --> 00:17:01,765
everybody. And and it's been c opted. You

449
00:17:01,765 --> 00:17:03,432
know, by where a market, So people wanna

450
00:17:03,432 --> 00:17:05,098
make money off. So you go to get

451
00:17:05,098 --> 00:17:06,288
pride. You pay a lot of money. You

452
00:17:06,288 --> 00:17:08,846
go to police But the spirit of it

453
00:17:08,846 --> 00:17:11,631
is, you know, the the those women, those

454
00:17:11,631 --> 00:17:12,528
trans women

455
00:17:12,983 --> 00:17:15,781
that, were in Stonewall. That wanted into fight

456
00:17:15,781 --> 00:17:17,846
for their brothers and sisters that, you know,

457
00:17:18,004 --> 00:17:20,228
we continue to open our mind about what

458
00:17:20,228 --> 00:17:23,246
is the fight and in the workplace. Right.

459
00:17:23,643 --> 00:17:24,143
No

460
00:17:24,692 --> 00:17:27,157
diversity and inclusion is about letting people bring

461
00:17:27,157 --> 00:17:29,066
all of themselves to work so that they

462
00:17:29,066 --> 00:17:30,259
feel safe and they can do who they

463
00:17:30,259 --> 00:17:32,486
are and they contribute perspectives. I would say

464
00:17:32,486 --> 00:17:34,329
we need a hire. We need to hire,

465
00:17:34,567 --> 00:17:36,871
not just bring in someone is a representative

466
00:17:36,871 --> 00:17:39,944
and as a volunteer and Hiv prevention, a

467
00:17:40,064 --> 00:17:42,365
It's it's a it's about getting the people,

468
00:17:42,761 --> 00:17:45,618
you know, some acknowledgement of their expertise and

469
00:17:45,618 --> 00:17:48,656
their knowledge and their experience. By hiring. So

470
00:17:48,815 --> 00:17:50,650
I guess, last question, wrap it up, and

471
00:17:50,650 --> 00:17:51,608
thank you so much for your time.

472
00:17:52,964 --> 00:17:54,422
I guess so it's this idea of

473
00:17:55,131 --> 00:17:58,144
how how can someone be the best Ally

474
00:17:58,144 --> 00:18:00,602
possible, that's not just lip service. As I

475
00:18:00,602 --> 00:18:02,426
guess as you were pointing out.

476
00:18:03,077 --> 00:18:04,351
Boy that. I mean, it's a good question.

477
00:18:04,590 --> 00:18:05,784
If you are an ally, you know it.

478
00:18:06,023 --> 00:18:08,889
I have many, many, many, Yeah. Many friends

479
00:18:08,889 --> 00:18:10,720
are allies. And if you're not an ally,

480
00:18:11,212 --> 00:18:13,678
you know, it is because 2 people know

481
00:18:13,678 --> 00:18:15,667
each other and have a connection that my

482
00:18:15,667 --> 00:18:17,497
friend who has different political values.

483
00:18:17,989 --> 00:18:19,659
I know he has a heart, and he

484
00:18:19,659 --> 00:18:21,090
has a family and he loves.

485
00:18:21,806 --> 00:18:24,351
So if we all, you know, recognize that

486
00:18:24,351 --> 00:18:26,100
we all have hearts, we all have family...

487
00:18:26,274 --> 00:18:28,423
Families, we all love, and sometimes it's a

488
00:18:28,423 --> 00:18:31,049
chosen family. Yeah. You know, sometimes the family

489
00:18:31,049 --> 00:18:33,777
that we're connecting to is our community and

490
00:18:33,834 --> 00:18:35,916
activities and things we're doing and families Some

491
00:18:35,916 --> 00:18:37,662
people have to leave their families. They have

492
00:18:37,662 --> 00:18:39,565
to leave, you know, parts of the United

493
00:18:39,803 --> 00:18:42,183
States and go live in some place really

494
00:18:42,183 --> 00:18:43,238
liberal like California.

495
00:18:43,944 --> 00:18:44,263
And,

496
00:18:44,900 --> 00:18:46,733
all the support that we can do along

497
00:18:46,733 --> 00:18:49,125
the way, you know, for the ally is

498
00:18:49,125 --> 00:18:50,719
to, you know, be

499
00:18:53,277 --> 00:18:55,736
be a human. You know, be kind.

500
00:18:56,371 --> 00:18:59,163
Be, you know, clear and kind. Yeah. That

501
00:18:59,163 --> 00:19:00,596
that's a beautiful way to put it. Be

502
00:19:00,596 --> 00:19:02,290
human be kind. So

503
00:19:02,665 --> 00:19:05,531
Laurie, thank you so much for your your

504
00:19:05,531 --> 00:19:06,859
message of love and hope, that

505
00:19:07,774 --> 00:19:09,524
and, you know, thank you for your your...

506
00:19:10,161 --> 00:19:12,149
All the effort that you've put into the

507
00:19:12,149 --> 00:19:13,342
community and

508
00:19:13,994 --> 00:19:16,297
Yeah. I look forward to many conversations down

509
00:19:16,297 --> 00:19:17,512
the road. So

510
00:19:17,886 --> 00:19:20,269
thanks again for your time. Super proud, super

511
00:19:20,269 --> 00:19:22,588
proud. Good to meet Kai. Good job. Then

512
00:19:22,747 --> 00:19:24,731
I look forward to another conversation in the

513
00:19:24,731 --> 00:19:24,890
future.

514
00:19:28,701 --> 00:19:31,242
But Lori wasn't the only B trainer eager.

515
00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:34,297
And share a message about pride month. Greetings

516
00:19:34,511 --> 00:19:37,289
and happy fried. My name is Ra Colon,

517
00:19:37,765 --> 00:19:38,741
Bae she pronouns.

518
00:19:39,288 --> 00:19:41,835
I'm an emotional intelligence consultant and a proud

519
00:19:41,835 --> 00:19:43,507
trainer for balancing life's issues.

520
00:19:44,143 --> 00:19:46,690
I host trainings pertaining to emotional health.

521
00:19:47,660 --> 00:19:50,284
Relationships and mental health. And for us over

522
00:19:50,284 --> 00:19:52,989
here, the best way to celebrate pride is

523
00:19:52,989 --> 00:19:56,426
to be radically honest with yourself, and step

524
00:19:56,426 --> 00:19:58,440
into your authenticity una.

525
00:19:59,375 --> 00:20:00,331
Bon Lad,

526
00:20:01,606 --> 00:20:03,121
communications trainer and consultant.

527
00:20:04,093 --> 00:20:06,645
Some of the areas of my expertise are

528
00:20:06,645 --> 00:20:07,145
nonverbal

529
00:20:07,682 --> 00:20:10,234
communication, managing and developing teams,

530
00:20:11,031 --> 00:20:12,706
how to make effective decisions.

531
00:20:13,518 --> 00:20:16,066
How to make the most of feedback, critical

532
00:20:16,066 --> 00:20:16,464
thinking,

533
00:20:17,738 --> 00:20:18,476
overcoming negativity

534
00:20:18,932 --> 00:20:19,671
and nonverbal

535
00:20:20,205 --> 00:20:20,365
communication.

536
00:20:21,971 --> 00:20:23,163
My message for pride.

537
00:20:24,117 --> 00:20:24,935
They're celebrating,

538
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educating,

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00:20:27,296 --> 00:20:28,591
advocating, marching,

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00:20:29,459 --> 00:20:30,439
But my

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00:20:30,977 --> 00:20:31,477
main

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thought for us today is

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00:20:35,053 --> 00:20:35,553
to

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00:20:36,491 --> 00:20:36,731
authenticate,

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00:20:37,850 --> 00:20:38,170
authenticating,

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Be yourself.

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00:20:40,422 --> 00:20:41,301
Find your voice.

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00:20:42,180 --> 00:20:42,980
Be yourself.

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00:20:43,619 --> 00:20:45,936
Hello. My name is John Eb. I am

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00:20:45,936 --> 00:20:49,064
a mastermind mindset life coach. And certified behavioral

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00:20:49,064 --> 00:20:51,295
consultant. Trainings you can expect to hear from

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00:20:51,295 --> 00:20:52,511
me with B,

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00:20:53,445 --> 00:20:53,945
compassionate

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00:20:54,322 --> 00:20:54,822
leadership

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00:20:55,134 --> 00:20:56,753
building a culture of kindness

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00:20:57,132 --> 00:20:59,609
and mental health concerns in the workplace just

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00:20:59,609 --> 00:21:02,087
to name a few. And what's my message

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00:21:02,087 --> 00:21:03,845
on celebrating pride month this year,

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00:21:04,815 --> 00:21:05,053
connect.

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00:21:05,846 --> 00:21:08,779
Connect, connect, connect, get out into the community.

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00:21:09,255 --> 00:21:11,102
Take note of all of the amazing

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00:21:11,554 --> 00:21:14,934
organizations. In your your local community that celebrate

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00:21:15,310 --> 00:21:18,279
the diversity of thought, the diversity of life

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00:21:18,496 --> 00:21:20,032
and build strong

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00:21:20,647 --> 00:21:22,900
relationships Have fun, be safe,

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00:21:23,460 --> 00:21:24,180
happy pride.

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00:21:28,100 --> 00:21:30,340
This has been a production of balancing life's

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00:21:30,340 --> 00:21:32,588
issue. With your host, Kai Sore, and Wendy

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00:21:32,748 --> 00:21:36,337
Warner. Produced by me. Kai. Rate, leave review

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00:21:36,337 --> 00:21:38,411
and subscribe to the podcast podcasts wherever you

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00:21:38,411 --> 00:21:40,460
listen. So you can get brand new episodes

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00:21:40,658 --> 00:21:42,484
they drop. Got an idea for the show?

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00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:45,977
Email me KAI at balancing life's issues dot

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00:21:45,977 --> 00:21:47,565
com. Anything to add miles?

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00:21:49,470 --> 00:21:49,605
As