A Life Lived Trans

In this episode of "A Life Lived Trans," hosts MahD and Lenny Z celebrate a historic moment as Qween Jean becomes the first trans woman to win a Tony Award for costume design. The episode is filled with discussions on Pride Month, the importance of trans visibility, and the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ rights. The hosts share personal stories, including Mardi's last Pride Parade experience and the impact of trans activists like Sylvia ...

Most people believe Pride is just a celebration, but for many, and Today more than ever, it’s a Protest! A powerful act of resistance and affirmation—especially in places where being queer or trans still faces fierce opposition. 

In this heartfelt episode our hosts Mardi and Lenny share raw, inspiring stories from their journeys—navigating love, politics, and community acceptance in a world still fighting for...

Mardi and Lenny, two trans elders carrying over a century of lived experience, open their hearts about the realities facing the trans community today.

The episode centers on the devastating violence claiming trans lives. Trans women of color face the most brutal violence, often from intimate partners. They honor Erica Caldwell, Aliana Royal Bechdel, Devonta Curtis, and Shael Diamond Sanchez McCrae—women whose stories deserve ...

Join trans elders Mardi P. and Lenny Z. as they bring nearly 100 years of collective lived experience to the table in this deeply personal episode. Recording from their favourite spot – the elder folx house.

This week, they're getting real about aging parents, health challenges, and the importance of self-care and boundaries. They dive into Canadian citizenship fast-tracking options for trans Americans seeking safety, celebra...

On this episode of A Life Lived Trans, Alexandra Billings drops by in all her hilarious glory and discusses together with Mardi P. and Lenny Z., the need for connection and understanding between trans generations and the significance of sharing experiences of acceptance and resilience. 

Show notes:

• Russo, Why We Fight (1988): https://youtu.be/C0Q8p0HCQEs?si=s4jJCAQbHyXcXYSO

• The AIDS Monument: https://aidsmonument.org/

...

Season three, episode 12 of A Life Lived Trans opens with hosts Mardi P. and Lenny Z. checking in personally before diving into a packed agenda. Lenny shares that he's navigating some difficult family struggles, which leads to a warm exchange about the complexity of family relationships for trans people — estrangement, boundaries, and the particular pain of having unsupportive family members, including conservative relatives....

Mardi and Lenny open the episode with their signature irreverent energy, welcoming new Patreon supporters and giving a shoutout to their editor "Sparkly Fairy" for elevating the show's production quality. 

They reflect on why they started the podcast — to counter the false narrative that trans people are a recent phenomenon — sharing how both men and women transitioned in the 1970s and have watched representation s...

In this deeply moving episode, hosts MahD and Lenny Z sit down with guest Justin A. for an intimate and wide-ranging conversation about life, identity, and resilience. Justin opens up about his personal journey of self-discovery and acceptance — a path marked by courage, reflection, and an unwavering sense of self.

The conversation takes an honest look at the realities many trans individuals face in today's political landscap...

Honey, pull up a chair — this one has got everything: psychiatry, policy and community celebration.

Between them, Mardi and Lenny carry nearly a hundred years of a life lived trans – through the decades when there were no words for it and no roadmaps. Just persistence, instinct and an absolute refusal to disappear.

This episode opens with a listener message from a mother navigating her four-year-old's emerging gender id...

In this provocative episode, Mardi and Lenny peel back the layers of the current political landscape, from Minnesota’s legal battles to global efforts to erase trans identities.  They share candid stories from recent activist efforts in Kelowna and reflect on their decades of experience living through transformative times in the trans community.  Discover how undercover agendas, media manipulation, and political t...

In this episode of A Life Lived Trans, hosts Mardi P. and Lenny Z. welcome internet sensations Shay and Amanda Scott — a couple whose love story began in a tight-knit Mormon community, wound through decades of friendship and faith, and ultimately blossomed into something beautifully unexpected. Shay came out to Amanda as transgender about seven years ago, and the two navigated that journey together with remarkabl...

In this episode we dive into the complexities of gender identity and the freedom that comes with embracing fluidity over binary thinking. Drawing on candid personal stories and sharp cultural commentary, we explore how fear of losing privilege drives societal backlash against inclusion — and why the push for acceptance is inseparable from the pursuit of authenticity. We talk about the recent groundbreaking runway show of fash...

In this episode Mardi and Lenny explore the trans experience from a parental perspective with Joy and Diana from the Transparently Speaking podcast. These parents stories are filled with strength, unconditional love and the lengths we have to go through in today’s America. This generational discussion of trans childhood history is a required listen.

Links:

Transparently Speaking podcast: https://transparentlyspeakingpodcast.b...

In this episode Mardi P. and Lenny Z. begin with a guided breathing before diving into current events affecting the trans community. They recommend alternative news sources in light of mainstream media's decline, call out widespread shadow-banning of queer content on social media, and revisit the Kansas driver's license law. They also call out Lyft's "trans joy" discount as performative rainbow capitalism.

They reflect on their own...

In Episode 3 of Season 3 of A Life Live Trans, we kick things off with Wizard of Oz banter before diving into the big topics of the day. Our main focus is the alarming (but potentially overhyped) news about Kansas attempting to invalidate transgender people's IDs and driver's licenses. Drawing on a community contact in Texas, we find out Kansas has tried and failed to enforce similar legislation before, and question th...

In this lively episode of A Life Lived Trans, Mardi and Lenny—self-declared trans elders with nearly a century of combined wisdom—tackle the “trans tropes” that make their eyeballs roll clear out of their heads. With sharp wit and plenty of sidebars, they call out myths like “trans people are mentally unstable,” the backhanded compliment of “I never would have known,” and the rigid ge...

Mardi and Lenny open up about their journeys through aging, health scares, and the ongoing fight for visibility, sharing stories that will inspire you to stand tall despite the chaos.

Unlock the surprising truth behind how resilience, humor, and authenticity can transform the challenges of the trans community into powerful stories of hope. When facing societal intolerance, personal health crises, and political turmoil, this episode...

Staying centered isn’t about escaping life—it’s about knowing what to do when one of your wheels comes flying off at 60 miles an hour. It’s about meeting life exactly where you are, breath by breath. This short pre-break episode is a grounded, heartfelt exploration of mindfulness and meditation as lived practices. We try to use humor, honesty, and hard-earned insight as trans elders to demonstrate how return...

From 70s transitions to "yoga granny tata’s ," trans elders Mardi P. and Lenny Z. have seen it all—and their eyeballs actually ache from the view. This week, the duo tackles "political pick-me's," the anatomy of Quebec’s prison laws, and why you should never get breast implants. It’s raw, it’s radical, and it’s served with a side of Annie Sprinkle-inspired glitter. If you think the world is goin...