September 19, 2023 • 43 mins
Today we sit down with Christynne Wood, a national trans and civil rights activist, and 2023 San Diego Champion of Pride winner. Christynne shares her vivid memories of growing up in Springfield, Ohio, dealing with gender dysphoria and the impact a single understanding kindergarten teacher had on her life. Together, we explore the courage and resilience it takes to be true to oneself, amidst the challenges and adversity.
Imagine being in the Navy in 1974, and dealing with your own internal battle of gender identity. That's precisely what Christynne Wood experienced, and she opens up about this journey, from her enlistment to marriage. Her personal testament is a tapestry of dedication, resilience, and love that is sure to inspire many.
But that's not all. Christynne also pulls back the curtain on her world of activism, recounting her encounters with a conservative group called Santee Parents 4 Choice, and a protest outside the YMCA that tested her resolve. She passionately advocates for safe spaces, state law support, and the importance of not facing life's difficult transitions alone.
Join us as Christynne shares her wisdom and experiences, and discover how you can join her fight for transgender rights at the Trans March in Orlando, Florida on October 7, sponsored by lucha.org. It's an episode that promises to leave you inspired to get involved in your local politics, and more understanding of the struggles and triumphs of the transgender community.
*Correction: Around 42 mins Alex said bluechip.org was sponsoring the march in Florida. That was a mistake. Christynne is being sponsored by lucha.org.
Details about the Protect Tans Kids March on Oct 7 in Orlando Florida
- Join, share, or donate to the the march here.
- Traveling from out of town? Request housing assistance here.
- Local and able to offer housing assistance to out of towners? Offer it here.
- More info and social media links here.
- Endorsers include: Women in Struggle - Mujeres en Lucha, Queer Youth Assemble, Teamsters National LGBTQ+ Caucus, Center for Constitutional Rights, PRISM South Florida, Orlando Come Out With Pride, Equality Florida, Pride at Work Eastern Mass., Tampa Bay Community Action Committee, NYC Reclaim Pride Coalition, New Orleans Real Name Campaign, Louisiana Women's Action Committee, Unión del Barrio, United American Indians of New England, MLK Coalition of Greater Los Angeles, Milwaukee (MKE) LGBT Community Center, Baltimore Peoples Power Assembly, Harriet Tubman Center of LA, Umbrella Brigade of Orlando, and many more.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Coach Alex Ray (00:00):
Hello, my unicorns.
Welcome back to anotherexciting guest episode.
Today I have with me ChristynneWood.
Christynne is a local andnational trans and civil rights
activist and she hopes to beinvolved globally soon.
Probably won't be that long inthe future before we start
(00:21):
seeing her all over, and I'mjust really honored to have her
on the podcast with me today.
We met at the HRC dinner acouple weeks ago and you know,
she just stood out as just abright, shining, sparkly unicorn
light and I had to meet her.
We had such a greatconversation and I'm just so
(00:41):
honored that she's joined me onthe podcast today.
Welcome, Christynne.
Christynne Wood (00:46):
And the honor is mine Now.
If the rest of you couldactually see this, what you're
gonna see and what I'm gonna seeis gonna be priceless.
My name is actually pronouncedChris Ten T-Y-N-N-E.
Oh God, no, oh really.
If you saw the look on his faceright now.
Priceless, this loving lovingyoung creature who means nothing
(01:11):
but love in the best, and Ijust let him walk right into
that one.
So you see, you see what apiece of work he brought in
today, and does that not showcourage?
Yes, it does, oh my God.
So Christynne Wood is honoredto be among you, my beloved
rainbow family.
Coach Alex Ray (01:31):
That's what now I promise you Christynne, no
more gotchas, dear child.
Christynne Wood (01:35):
No more gotchas .
Coach Alex Ray (01:38):
Okay, you know what I love you.
Now, that's how we begin Canyou imagine what's gonna follow,
okay.
You just want to swoop in andbe like you know why we're gonna
catch you off guard here Ify'all can see how red I am, oh
my God.
Christynne Wood (01:56):
Well, it's a charming shade of reddish pink.
Coach Alex Ray (02:02):
There you go.
I'm totally posting that photoin Instagram.
Christynne Wood (02:05):
Oh, yeah, you are.
You're sure that was me, yeah,you are Jeez, All right
Christynne.
Now you see why I come with awarning label.
Coach Alex Ray (02:19):
I don't know, I missed the warning label.
I didn't see it.
Well, it's not in English.
Christynne Wood (02:22):
you know, Some of the languages aren't even
spoken on this planet.
Mention my name and see if themen in black don't show up.
Coach Alex Ray (02:29):
Okay, okay.
Christynne Wood (02:31):
All right, it's all yours.
You're the pilot.
Where's the spaceship going?
Coach Alex Ray (02:34):
All right, Christynne, we want to respect
and honor.
Christynne Wood (02:39):
Yes, we do A person who will live in power, a
loving and beloved ally of ours, a mother of nine by the name
of Laura Carlton Please look herup L-A-U-R-A.
He went by the nickname of Lori.
L-a-u-r-i Carlton,c-a-r-l-e-t-o-n.
(03:01):
Same age as me, 66 years of age.
Exactly one week ago today, shewas murdered in Lake Arrowhead,
california, because she wasflying a pride flag in front of
her business.
She bravely came out andconfronted this coward whose
name will not be spoken, and forher efforts of being a lifetime
(03:26):
supporter of us, it cost herher life.
So please, among us those whobelieve in prayer and those who
are non-believers in your ownway, please speak her name in
your hearts and souls andunderstand that for that time,
the rainbow dimmed while we lostthis sister.
(03:48):
So understand this that whichwe do comes with these
challenges and its threats, butwe hold together and together we
stay stronger.
So that's it.
That's what we needed to know.
All right, my brothers andsisters and non-binaries know of
(04:10):
this.
Speak her name in power andsend love to the next dimension.
We'll see her again when we'reout of this bag of plodoprasm we
call a body.
Coach Alex Ray (04:21):
I think it really sheds light on the real
risk that our allies are takingwith us, and for me, it gives me
a lot more gratitude just toremember, hey, our allies are in
this with us.
We can't do this without them.
We all need to be in thistogether, so yeah, yes, we do,
(04:43):
yes, we absolutely positively do.
Why don't you tell us a littlebit more about you, about your
background?
You know you mentioned we wantto talk about how you grew up
and then also your experience inthe military.
Christynne Wood (04:58):
Okay.
Well, we start with how I grewup, and that really becomes
important when you know where Igrew up.
Tell us Okay, I grew up inSpringfield, Ohio.
One of the most generic namesin all of America is Springfield
.
There are 25 Springfields inAmerica.
(05:19):
I didn't know that.
That's a fact.
Half of all the 50 states havea Springfield.
It's one of the reasons why MattGranig rolling, I think it is
of the Simpsons pickedSpringfield because you could
never figure it out, I mean.
Years later he came out andsaid he meant Springfield,
oregon.
Okay, but yes, springfield Ohio.
And yes, I'm a billionaire.
(05:40):
I was born in 1956, just intime to enjoy integrated schools
, as I was born a year afterBrown versus the Board of
Education, wow.
So I got to appreciate schoolsthat were receiving proper
funding and teachers that wantedto teach there.
And the first shot I got atbeing in a good and
(06:02):
well-integrated school was whenI was showing the signs of
gender dysphoria in kindergarten.
My kindergarten teacher and yes, I remember her name to this
day.
I can't tell you what I had forbreakfast yesterday but I
remember her name.
Her name was Mrs Lightner andshe was indeed a light in my
life and turned me on toeducation.
(06:23):
She understood I'd have nothingto do with those boys, the
girls.
That was my tribe.
And when it came time to laydown for a nap, I wouldn't have
it.
The boys would abuse me, they'dkick at me, they'd pinch me and
punch me when she wasn'tlooking and I'd have a fit and
I'm not having it.
You know that's not me, I'm notwith them.
And then, finally, after thefirst week and a half, she said
(06:46):
Chrissy, go lay down with theother girls and they all moved
their mats and said she can comelay down with us.
Coach Alex Ray (06:55):
Okay, pause there for a moment.
In a time when 1961, thank you,okay.
And now in 2023, parents are upin arms about gender and gender
norms for their kids.
What was that actually like fora kindergartener To?
Christynne Wood (07:16):
Incredibly validating and empowering.
Would you like to know how mygreat auntie who the school
called in about it, what she hadto say?
I definitely want to know?
When they brought her in andtold her then, saying that this
child really identifies asfemale, she put her hand up and
said wait, wait, wait, wait,wait, wait, wait, wait.
We already know.
(07:36):
Here's what I'm interested inHow's that child's grades?
And the teacher said prettyclose to the top 1% of the class
.
And she said and that's what Icare about, okay, the social
skills and education, that's onyou.
I just want the education towork out right.
Yeah, by the way, same thinghappened in the eighth grade
(08:01):
when I was hanging out all thetime in the library.
Walking down the hall, theaisle of the library book damn
near hit me in the head and Ipulled it out and it was the
autobiography of ChristineJorgensen.
I kept that book out my entireeighth grade year.
The deal is you have to take itout.
(08:22):
You can only keep it off fortwo weeks, then you have to turn
it back in and then, if nobodyelse takes it out, you can sign
it out again.
Well, by the time we're just acouple of weeks from scratch.
We're heading into the ninthgrade.
The librarian talks to theschool counselor who called my
auntie again and brought her inand said this child's got this
(08:44):
particular book.
Now you need to know what thesubject matter of this is.
Am I on to give them the sameanswer?
How's the child's grades?
Clearly top 1% of the class, hesaid.
And once again, that's all Igive a rat's ass about.
Anything else is irrelevant.
Now, while we're tickling theedge of the subject because we
(09:05):
breached it, there probably aretimes when you might need to
bring an apparent and issueconcerns like.
That child of yours sure doesseem to be hanging out with a
lot of kids that are readingbooks about how to make a
fertilizer bomb or somethinglike.
Yeah, really does have aninterest in guns and has said
(09:27):
some pretty hateful shit online.
There are times when, of course, it would be necessary, yeah,
but when you do feel it soterribly necessary and the
school board just did this now,right here in San Diego, pass
the rule saying we'll notify thechildren of somebody showing up
and showing signs that theyidentify as a gender other than
(09:48):
the birth gender, okay, whatthey ought to be telling them is
these are some of your options.
There's a group that I belongto and now I'm becoming a
facilitator for, called PFLAG.
Coach Alex Ray (09:58):
Yes, I know, pflag Thank you?
Christynne Wood (09:59):
well, of course you do.
This is to help the families ofthose that would have a member
of the Rainbow family withinthem and understand this.
That doesn't just deal withchildren After all, I came out
when I was 59 years and sixmonths of age but so I don't
want to get us off track.
Coach Alex Ray (10:17):
You're the pilot .
Christynne Wood (10:17):
I don't tell you where to fly the Starship,
so what?
Coach Alex Ray (10:20):
are we up?
Christynne Wood (10:20):
to next.
Coach Alex Ray (10:21):
Up to next.
We now got to know a bit ofyour upbringing and what I was
like.
Tell us a little bit about yourexperience in the military.
Ah, here you go.
Christynne Wood (10:29):
Okay, during one of any number of attempts of
trying to bury Christynne,which has been there since I was
four years old and aware ofgender identity, I said we got
to give this you are a guy thinga bit more of a try.
So by my senior year of highschool, I had met she who was to
(10:55):
become the first Mrs Wood.
Okay, and, in typical teenagerfashion, during that summer that
I graduated, we had gottentogether, I got my first adult
job, which was cutting grass ina cemetery, and I discovered,
jesus Christ, there's a lot ofgrass in a cemetery.
You know, I shit this.
(11:18):
This guy sucks.
And, of course, in typicalteenager fashion, she'd gotten
pregnant.
So, being raised with certainmores do I say, yeah, you're
gonna do right by this girl,which was intended.
So I said well, what can I do?
I got good grades in highschool, but no college has
(11:40):
beaten down my door trying torecruit me.
But I know that a collegeeducation is probably necessary
or some degree of it, somethingbeyond a high school diploma.
So I thought, well, what thehell?
The military?
The first thought was the Air.
Force because there was a hugeAir Force base I'd worked at
during the summers as a youthand then I kind of decided why
(12:04):
would I join the Air Force?
Just to stay at home?
I'd actually really kind ofwanna see something else.
I sat down with an Armyrecruiter and in less than three
minutes realized and I'm sorryto those of you in the Army,
this doesn't apply to all of youJust that recruiter I was
talking to in the summer of 74.
And I'm saying I need an exitstrategy.
This guy's a psychopath.
(12:25):
I said I'm sorry, honey, what'sa bathroom?
You know what?
I'm going to go right now andyou come back and tell you about
the M16 rifle.
I said, okay, you hold thatthought.
And so I went out and, as I'msneaking down, the door to the
Navy recruiter is open and he'skind of leaning against the door
jam going.
Well, that only took you aboutfour minutes.
You wanna come in and talkabout something else?
(12:46):
So I sat down.
Hey look, samira, what are yougot for me?
This planet is 80% ocean.
So I figured you got everythinggoing on everywhere, don't you?
And so he had me take a testerdoing.
Samira's scores are good.
And I said well, I didn't learnto read and write.
And, like Jethro Baudine said,I know a little bit of ciphering
(13:10):
, and I so forth.
He looks at my name and goeswould Wait a minute.
Are you related to Master ChiefPetty Officer Charles Wood?
I said, yeah, Uncle Chuck, he'smy dad's older brother.
Okay, and he goes Bullshit, youcan always ask him.
So he puts it on speakerphone,calls him and sure as hell,
(13:31):
recently retired Master ChiefPetty Officer Charles Wood goes
wait, wait, wait, wait.
You got my nephew there withyou.
And he goes yeah, you put thatfat punk in the Navy.
And to show you how real thisis, at the time I had to lose 10
pounds just to sign a contractsaying I'd lose 10 more pounds
(13:53):
during boot camp just to get inand I'm going how the hell is
that gonna work?
This girl I'm marrying is amaster cook, so you know what?
happened, don't you?
The fate stepped in.
I got the worst damn case ofthe flu and managed to lose 15
pounds in less than a week.
So I'm standing there in therecruiting office barely able to
hold my head up, sweating likea say just get me to great legs
(14:16):
before I drop dead.
And you know, in the nine and ahalf week I managed to lose
another 40 pounds.
So nobody recognized me as Imarched in review, even though
my mom and younger brother werethere and wife, okay.
So that was the beginning.
Wow.
And I was there to see thefirst woman qualified to fly
(14:38):
Navy technical and attack jets.
Amazing, her name was RosemaryCanitzer.
So there is a bridge that wascrossed in my enlistment from 74
to 78.
Okay, stellar Aviator, because,after all, some of the other
organizations have pilots andI'm sure they're good, but in
the Navy we have aviators,because it takes an aviator to
(15:01):
land on a moving runway.
Yeah, your grandma, I'd be here.
To land a Cessna on a staticrunway, yeah, but when it's
moving, yeah.
So, anyway, that was enlistmentone.
Okay, got out after that, madethe disastrous desire and moved
up to LA.
Big mistake, because the VAscrewed me right and never got
(15:26):
the VA loans I needed.
Then da, da, da, da da da hadto end up going back to Ohio.
Okay, had to move back intogreat auntie's home.
My mama Bobby, you know soended up meeting she who was to
become wife number two.
Okay, when I was an assistantmanager at Domino's and the girl
(15:47):
kept coming in wanting to get ajob working the phone, and so I
made a proposal to her.
I said why don't we go out andsee what's going on and see if
we can click?
Okay, all right.
And then and this wasn't thenicest thing I could have done
(16:07):
but I said, after that firstcouple of dates, I got a
proposal for you.
Uh-huh, you named two miraclesfor me to perform, and if I do
them both, we get married.
All right, I said you choosethem, I don't care, whatever you
want.
And she said the first one wastell the Rams to win the Super
(16:28):
Bowl.
I said, no problem, like Q onStar Trek.
I just snapped my fingers.
Rams won by three points thatyear, oh my God.
So I said now pick another one.
Pick a biggie.
Yeah, a real big one.
So she went to a very religiousmother who said oh, here's
something they can't do.
Tell them to walk on water.
Okay, not a problem.
(16:49):
You sure you don't want to picksomething harder than that for
me?
She said no, smart ass, walk onwater, you do it.
We get married.
We ain't gonna do it up in thebathtub.
I said no, too small, put onyour coat, so we went ahead, got
in the car, drove down toSnyder Park in Springfield, ohio
, went to the first big lagoon Isaw, walked right across the
surface of the water.
Honey, it's February, it's 12degrees, the water's frozen.
(17:12):
So you didn't say it had to bein a liquid state.
You know, there's still water.
I've satisfied the contract.
Coach Alex Ray (17:22):
Where the?
Christynne Wood (17:23):
hell.
We got married.
I joined the Navy later to thatday, flew out to San Diego
knowing that it would never beCareer for me.
Coach Alex Ray (17:33):
Was this your second time in the US?
Second enlistment Okay.
Christynne Wood (17:36):
Second enlistment I did have.
This time you have to go to sea, Okay.
So I got to see Japan.
The Republic of the Philippines, got to ride through a
hurricane to get to Hawaii Allright, Hurricane Iwa IWA and got
the bizarre pleasure ofstanding on the flight deck in
the eye of the hurricane oh,that's wild and saw colors that
(17:59):
I didn't realize were even inMother Nature's crayon box Wow,
and you can just hear the voiceof Helen Mary going is your
mommy good or is she good?
You're good, mommy, You're good.
And the next thing I know, I goback to sleep and we're at the,
we're in Pearl Harbor and I'mstaring at the Arizona Memorial.
Wow.
(18:20):
I'm also staring at palm treesthat have been in the ground
since inception and they'relaying like twigs now because of
the hurricane.
They even had t-shirts thatsome people were lucky enough to
get.
They said show the hurricanesymbol and a bunch of palm trees
and it said hold on to yournuts.
This is no ordinary blow job,you know.
(18:43):
So yeah yeah, I did serve withif you're a political junkie
like me, with, at that time,commander Randy Cunningham, the
Duke, before he becameCongressman Cunningham and then
became federal prisonerCunningham for selling bribes
over the internet oh, look atthat.
(19:05):
Oh yeah, well, he was way aheadof Clarence Thomas in his time.
He just wasn't smart enough tonot write it down on the
internet.
So we got at it, cause, afterall, I just wanted to get back
to San Diego because in my heartof hearts I knew transition
could only happen here, not backin Ohio.
Coach Alex Ray (19:21):
Yeah, I feel like we got to get know a lot
about you and your backgroundhere.
This is fantastic.
I love it.
Let's transition to what.
What sent you into the mediaspotlight locally Very recently?
Tell us a little bit about that.
Christynne Wood (19:39):
Okay.
Okay another sip of root beer.
Mm-hmm, so mm-hmm.
I spent the new years up inPalm Springs With a young woman
I was pursuing a relationshipwith.
As I came back, I got a textfrom a woman I've been doing
(20:00):
water aerobics with foreversince like 2006, no 2007 and the
text was oh, my dear sister,I'm so sorry.
And my answer was I'm sorry,honey, sorry about what?
And she said oh my god, youdon't know.
She posted a Video of a youngwoman that was posted by a group
(20:24):
called Santy parents with anumber four choice.
It was a young woman and Iwon't speak her name because at
the time she was a minor and Idon't like the thought of
putting a minor's name there.
But just go ahead and look upthe video because it's part of
public records.
She was testifying before theSanty City Council, yeah, about
(20:49):
how terrified she was to haveexperienced a naked man in the
locker room.
Her father took the matter tothe sheriff's substation in
Santies and they told thatperson.
No we ran the records, thatperson is not a registered sex
offender.
Therefore there is nothing wecan do about it.
If you own your daughter andcompany, you can shower at home
(21:12):
there you go playing.
Coach Alex Ray (21:13):
I love this response.
So far fantastic, but that'swhat happened.
Christynne Wood (21:18):
So here's how it went from there.
Yeah, cuz this is where this iswhere it's first to hit the fan
real good.
Yeah To and I'm sorry if peoplecan't see this, but to air
quotes in place people Churcheswell, the claim to be churches
and they get tax-free status,for as I'm concerned, they're
(21:39):
just hate groups with pews Wentahead and had a massive protest
outside the Y which shut the Ydown, explaining that the Y was
simply enabling perverts and aperverse philosophy by letting
(22:01):
Men in the women's locker roomand not providing safe spaces
for women.
They probably had a minimum of,I'm gonna say, 400 people there
.
Coach Alex Ray (22:13):
That's a lot of people I am.
Christynne Wood (22:15):
I'm impressed and slightly Sotted by the
quantity now, here's what Iobserved because I was hanging
around Channel 10 news Okay, Iwas up there hugging Kimberly
Hunt, yeah, and talking to theirsecurity guy.
But my point is this the signsthe protesters had and watching
a child, maybe six or sevenyears old, tugging on the sleeve
(22:38):
of their mother.
Well, a guy holds up a signsaying no pricks in the ladies
room and asking mommy, what PR Isee KS means.
Well, really, the only prick isone holding that sign right
there.
Explain it to your child.
Oh, those good Christian valuesare coming through, right.
(22:58):
And somebody came up to me.
You said oh, honey, you're atthe long line that the counter
protest is down there, about 50yards to the west.
So, me and the people with me,by the way, lauren new Brie,
okay, aqua, sister number one,was there with me with her
husband we marched right downthere.
I had my trans pride flag, thefull service, oh, so, size one.
(23:21):
We walked right down there.
We could hear the sound ofmusic over the sound of hatred,
right, and I listened to Joseand a few of the others speak
and when they saw me, I saidcould I see?
See a moment, just for a moment.
I'm the handling the microphoneand said, first of all God
bless you all.
Now let's keep in mind whilewe're really here we're here to
(23:42):
support the Cameron YMCA and thefact that they lovingly and
properly Support state law.
Now, remember what I just saidsupport state law Right by
allowing people access to safespaces, which by no means
Compromises the safety ofanybody else.
Coach Alex Ray (24:06):
No, I said no, that made.
Forcing you to use the men'slocker room would absolutely
compromise your safety and itdid when I was a member of
crunch.
Christynne Wood (24:17):
Okay, and that's why I took him to court
and I Lightened their wallets bya bitch.
Coach Alex Ray (24:24):
Okay, wonderful.
Christynne Wood (24:25):
Oh, yeah, yeah, and I then left there and came
to the Y.
I'm not a woman, which means no,you don't have to see me
through transition.
Oh, that's done at that otherplace.
Right, and had been there ayear before.
This Manufactured shit at thepan.
Yeah.
But after I said we're here tosupport Cameron YMCA and let me
introduce myself.
I am Christynne Lily Renee Wood,a mother, a grandmother and
(24:49):
Navy veteran, mm-hmm, and I'mthat scary transgender woman
that they're down there tellingyou you're supposed to hate and
not Trust.
In the locker room with yourwives, your mother, your
daughters or granddaughters, saynow look at me and listen to
the sound of my voice.
Do I sound like a frighteningthreat to you?
(25:10):
Am I an ogre?
Am I something to be feared?
Or just listen.
Just listen to what's comingfrom down there, where they have
the Klee glides and the stageand when people are screaming
things about.
Just they call something's legal.
Does it mean it's moral?
Well, I guess there's somepoint to that.
The death penalty is legal, buta state sanctioned act of
(25:32):
murder isn't by any means moral.
Now, is it Denying properhealth care to children that
every pediatrician on the planethas said is necessary Shouldn't
be legal?
And sure shit is moral?
Yeah, is it not happening?
Okay, so at that I explained,if you bring your love and your
(25:55):
voices, I'll be standing in thecrucible at the Santi City
Council meeting in Two weeks atthe very same place where these
lies were broadcast.
We're gonna meet them with loveand we're gonna meet them with
the truth and.
I'd love it if you'd please joinus.
So, Lauren Newberry and herhusband, two retired teachers.
(26:16):
She hand-painted 26 signs witha big red heart and the husband,
cap Nandy, printed out signs weand Chrissy and together they
said we love Chrissy.
Wow, we filled those citycouncil chambers and an overflow
room.
Amazing, mayor John Mintohimself sat there and was just
(26:39):
like looking at it going.
Well, holy shit.
Coach Alex Ray (26:43):
I bet they're not packed like that, oh yeah
you crickets in that place,usually right.
Christynne Wood (26:49):
Anyway, as we were there to broadcast the
truth, to read my statement,which received a roster
salvation we had NBC, cbs,telemundo, abc, kpbs I said see
over, know what you see overthere.
That's called journalisticintegrity.
Coach Alex Ray (27:10):
Mm-hmm.
Christynne Wood (27:11):
That's called the people who broadcast the
truth.
Mm-hmm, this is what you'reseeing.
This is the second movement ofcivil rights and you're here to
be a part of it.
Please come down on the rightside of civil rights.
By the way, john Minto, themayor out there, has come down
totally on the side of that.
He truly has.
(27:32):
Now is a good time to switchinto Segue wing about the whole
school board thing.
If Monique Silver is awonderful young woman and mother
of three, her youngest childjust graduated from the Santis
school system and is now afreshman starting at San Diego
State, her youngest daughter isstill in the Santis school
(27:55):
system and the Monique isRunning for a position on the
Santis school board.
Mm-hmm, we and I'm saying webecause it was the efforts of
myself and At least a fewhundred others Actually went
before that school board justtwo months ago and we petitioned
(28:19):
and advocated for them to add aparticular book to the library.
Okay, a book.
There's been peer reviewed and,and the book is I am jazz.
And they agreed.
Coach Alex Ray (28:33):
All right, so tell us a little bit more about
the book.
I am jazz.
Christynne Wood (28:37):
Yes, like I said, it is meant to be read
Children that are basically justdeveloping Literacy skills.
Now that doesn't mean that aparent can't come in and see the
Liberian saying we don't wantthis book going into the hands
of our children.
That's just fine.
You do that.
If you want your child toremain ignorant to certain bits
(29:00):
of subject matter, well that'son you, denying your child that
didn't cost you anything extrain your tax dollars.
Thank you very much.
But you can't say no child cansee it.
Right, that's just on you,mm-hmm.
So that got done.
Coach Alex Ray (29:15):
I love it.
Yeah, thank you very much, andthat was by just you getting
involved in local politics herewith our girl.
Christynne Wood (29:23):
Monique.
Coach Alex Ray (29:24):
Mm-hmm.
Christynne Wood (29:24):
Yes, well, she's running.
And just so you folks know ifyou're hearing the sound of me
and this delicious young personI'm with.
This is why we need you to goto meetings of your local school
board.
You see, they're not used tohaving people show up for these
events, right?
The only reason they're evenbeing held and they have to buy
(29:45):
law by law, let you know acouple weeks in advance what's
on the agenda, mm-hmm, what willbe discussed where they're
located at.
After all, these people areserving there and being paid
from the tax base.
Therefore, you get a say inwhat swing said.
(30:06):
And at the last meeting I askeda question, I said no, please,
and school board members, pleasejoin in on this question, just
for my own edification.
Everybody in this room, please,if you are an educator or
teacher, either pastor present,please raise your hand.
And of the five members of theboard, three people raise their
hands, meaning that two of themaren't even teachers or
(30:27):
educators.
They're just people in thecommunity.
He ran for the board, right?
So when you've got nonEducators, I get it.
I get it.
You're saying you have flesh inthe game too.
You have a child or agrandchild is in there, and one
of the men mentioned there.
Well, some of the things mychild grandchild talks about are
just inappropriate for a 10year old to even be discussing.
Coach Alex Ray (30:50):
Oh, yeah, in your opinion.
Christynne Wood (30:54):
But I do remember hearing certain
grandparents say cuz remembernow?
I started in school just afterintegration became the law of
the land.
Oh, I've heard this argumentbefore yes except then it had a
lot to deal with.
Why are all these colored kids?
You've simply changed it.
(31:15):
Now it's not just colors, it'sthe rainbow colors now, right,
yeah, and you're not embarrassedto say these parts out loud,
are you?
Coach Alex Ray (31:26):
You know, one of the things that I'm hearing
consistently with you and ourconversation today, particularly
around political involvement,is it's really easy to have an
opinion and to feel under attackand, oh, I wish things would
change.
And oftentimes a lot of us arenot really doing the things that
(31:47):
we can do to get involved andmake a difference in our
community.
And it's not that hard to.
I'll speak from my perspective.
I often look at things like, oh, going to a school board,
meaning it's like, oh God, thisis going to be such a big
commitment.
I don't have to run for theschool board, but I could at
least show up to the meeting andhave an impact, and that could
(32:08):
be a couple hours once a month.
It's not a daily thing that Ihave to be involved in, and so I
think there are a lot of waysthat each of us can kind of look
to our life, our local politics, to have the impact that we can
, instead of just kind ofcomplaining about oh, I hope
someone else will make adifference.
Christynne Wood (32:30):
Yeah, thank you .
God bless you.
That's what I'm saying.
Politicians count numbers withtheir eyes.
They're used to, like I said itbeing crickets inside these
chambers, empty seats.
As we had to ask them at the 70school board meeting with the
books we were turning in to keepbringing out extra chairs and
(32:52):
they actually said damn, we'venever had to do that before.
We've learned like in Star Trek.
Can you tell them a fan?
Coach Alex Ray (32:59):
I see, yeah, my Starfleet Delta ring yeah.
Christynne Wood (33:04):
My second faith behind my Catholicism.
Coach Alex Ray (33:07):
I know, yeah, Star Trek.
Christynne Wood (33:08):
Because in that world the thought of
transphobia and hobophobia islike unheard of.
Yeah, you know what I mean,because we've gone beyond that
and we're going to go beyondthis too.
Coach Alex Ray (33:20):
I absolutely agree and see that's just what
you said.
Christynne Wood (33:22):
See, when you go to that school board meeting
and even if you don't know whereit is, ask me, I'll tell you.
You know what I mean.
I'm accepting Facebook friendrequests.
Tell them you heard about me onthis beautiful young person's
podcast.
Just look it up on Facebook.
It's Christynne T-Y-N-N-E WoodW-O-O-D.
(33:42):
Tell them you heard about methrough this and I am honored to
have you join us, Because thisisn't just a quest for the
rights and the safety of ourrainbow family, but we're all
the same family, but we're thefamily that's under such a
vicious attack right now.
Coach Alex Ray (34:03):
All right, I want to ask you one more
personal question before we wrapup.
You socially transitioned inyour late 50s 59 years, six
months of age.
Ok, all right, you've alwaysbeen a woman, but you started
sharing who you are with peopleat that age right, sharing the
(34:24):
truth.
What way do you tell someoneelse who is in a similar
position, like what advice wouldyou have for them how they can
navigate that?
Christynne Wood (34:35):
Oh honey, the resources are there.
They're there.
They're there through PFLAG,they're there through the LGBTQ
centers, especially here locally.
Oh my god.
They can get you hooked up withresources in regard to things
like a legal change of name andgender.
(34:56):
They can get you hooked up withcounseling Through PFLAG.
We can tell you how to possiblybreach the gap of coming out to
your family.
We can give you resources inregard to how to bridge that gap
.
Sure, not alone.
Please reach out to us.
(35:17):
We're eager to help you.
And one last quick thing aboutthe march coming up.
Coach Alex Ray (35:25):
Yeah.
Well, before we do that, I wantto just remind the main message
I'm hearing and what you'resaying is you don't have to do
it alone.
No, not alone and I thinkthat's probably a big barrier
for a lot of people is feelinglike, oh shit, I have to go
through this really difficult,uncomfortable, scary process in
(35:45):
life.
I'm doing it alone, and notonly am I kind of alone, but I
also I don't know how my friends, my family, all the
relationships that matter to me,are going to change because of
this, and I'm hearing from youjust this inviting and of like
you are going to have someinstant community right away.
Reach out, there are others whoare further on their journey
(36:07):
that want to be there for you,so don't negate that.
You really don't have tonavigate this alone.
Christynne Wood (36:13):
You will not be navigating this alone and you
need to understand something.
It's like I lost half of mysocial group as a consequence of
transition, but the other halfgot ten times stronger.
Yeah, so the others.
I said I'm sorry that what I'mgoing through causes you
(36:37):
feelings of betrayal.
I'm sorry that what I'm goingthrough has frightened you, but
I can't go on living a lie foryour comfort.
Coach Alex Ray (36:50):
Absolutely.
Christynne Wood (36:52):
There you go.
Coach Alex Ray (36:52):
Yeah, and we've talked about this on the podcast
a little bit before that howeveryone has a version of you, a
mental version, built up intheir head.
So there you know thousands ofdifferent versions of you that
exist in the world and whatpeople are so hurt by or
confused by or frustrated withwhen you come out to them in any
(37:14):
way, tell them more about whoyou are authentically.
It's just challenging the kindof filters that they've put you
through, the labels that they'veput this mental version of you
through, and it's challenging totheir brain to be like, oh wait
, now I have to, like, changethat.
And that's some.
(37:34):
For some people it's not worthit to them, or the fear
outweighs the love that theyhave for you.
They're unwilling to reconsider.
Christynne Wood (37:44):
So, yeah, Well, take this message with you.
When you're able to see howloving your life has become,
maybe they can realize it.
You know, I still got that lovefor you.
Exactly Maybe once you developit again, you'll have that love
for me again, and when you do,I'm still here.
Coach Alex Ray (38:01):
Yeah.
Christynne Wood (38:01):
Just a way happier and more truthful
version of me is here.
Coach Alex Ray (38:06):
Yes, I also think that there's so much more
love out there than we hearabout.
I truly think that for mostpeople and most situations, they
will find the support theyreceive after coming out,
(38:27):
whether in quantity or quality,far outweighs any of the hatred
or bigotry that they receive inthe process.
So there we go.
Let's share with them what'shappening on October 7th because
people local can get involved.
People could fly over there,get involved or just share it on
(38:49):
your social media.
Christynne Wood (38:51):
Thank you, please do, and please, honey,
for those of you who do believe,say your prayers for us.
Please, I beg of you, becausethis is every bit as dangerous
as the freedom riders of the1964-63 era that used to go down
to Mississippi and sit at lunchcounters at Woolworths and do
voter registration there too.
(39:12):
Just as dangerous.
A group called luchaorg issponsoring myself and another
woman from here in San Diego,and indeed people from LA and
from all over the country, to goto Orlando, florida.
There'll be a major pressconference that'll be held on
(39:33):
the 5th of October.
There will be people there fromthe ACLU.
There'll be people there fromthe Human Rights Campaign.
There may even be a few localbrave politicians who show up.
We're there in support oftransgender youth and
(39:54):
transgender rights.
We will then have a majorparade and speeches on the 6th.
Now understand this.
This is Florida, florida whereI is.
A transgender woman of colorsimply needs to look at somebody
and they can pull out a gun andshoot me and say they felt
(40:16):
threatened because I'm in anopen carry and stand your ground
state.
But the fact is, I'm not worththe awards I received if I don't
have the courage to do this andgo out and stand up for the
downtrodden who really justdon't have the ability to pack
up and leave whenever they wantto, because now they realize
(40:39):
adults fight back.
So what are they doing?
They're attacking children.
So please tell your people inFlorida whether you are a member
directly of the rainbow familyor an ally Join us.
There'll be members of the Pulsenightclub survivors that'll be
joining us too, okay, so keep aneye on us, yeah, and we send
(41:03):
all the love in the world to youand you thank this young person
I'm with, because that smiling,beautiful young person has just
gotten this word out to all ofus.
So you give our Alex yourthanks and, by the way, he's a
coach that will help you withthe confidence skills and let
you know that you're far morethan you're aware of.
(41:24):
Thank you so much.
Coach Alex Ray (41:26):
How about that?
I so appreciate you.
Christynne Wood (41:29):
Yeah, here we go.
Coach Alex Ray (41:30):
All right.
Well, we I will link that downin the show notes for you all
blue chiporg and then sponsoringa Trans March in Orlando,
florida, on October 7.
So if you can't be there inperson, share it online, share
it on your social media, send itto friends that are local, or
get a fucking plane ticket andjoin.
(41:50):
We'd love to see you there.
All right, awesome, well,Christynne.
Thank you for joining me on thepodcast today.
It was an honor.
Thank you for being here.
Thanks for sharing your joy andyour experience with us.
(42:14):
I'm so thankful to have youhere.
Until I get to share this spacewith you, damn right.
All right?
Well, let's say goodbye toeveryone and I'll see y'all on
the next episode.
Christynne Wood (42:28):
Yep.
Coach Alex Ray (42:29):
Here from.
Christynne Wood (42:29):
Rainbow's End in San Diego, to all our family,
love, to all Smooches and bye,bye.
Coach Alex Ray (42:37):
Bye.
Hello, my unicorns.
Welcome back to anotherexciting guest episode.
Today I have with me ChristynneWood.
Christynne is a local andnational trans and civil rights
activist and she hopes to beinvolved globally soon.
Probably won't be that long inthe future before we start
(00:21):
seeing her all over, and I'mjust really honored to have her
on the podcast with me today.
We met at the HRC dinner acouple weeks ago and you know,
she just stood out as just abright, shining, sparkly unicorn
light and I had to meet her.
We had such a greatconversation and I'm just so
(00:41):
honored that she's joined me onthe podcast today.
Welcome, Christynne.
Christynne Wood (00:46):
And the honor is mine Now.
If the rest of you couldactually see this, what you're
gonna see and what I'm gonna seeis gonna be priceless.
My name is actually pronouncedChris Ten T-Y-N-N-E.
Oh God, no, oh really.
If you saw the look on his faceright now.
Priceless, this loving lovingyoung creature who means nothing
(01:11):
but love in the best, and Ijust let him walk right into
that one.
So you see, you see what apiece of work he brought in
today, and does that not showcourage?
Yes, it does, oh my God.
So Christynne Wood is honoredto be among you, my beloved
rainbow family.
Coach Alex Ray (01:31):
That's what now I promise you Christynne, no
more gotchas, dear child.
Christynne Wood (01:35):
No more gotchas .
Coach Alex Ray (01:38):
Okay, you know what I love you.
Now, that's how we begin Canyou imagine what's gonna follow,
okay.
You just want to swoop in andbe like you know why we're gonna
catch you off guard here Ify'all can see how red I am, oh
my God.
Christynne Wood (01:56):
Well, it's a charming shade of reddish pink.
Coach Alex Ray (02:02):
There you go.
I'm totally posting that photoin Instagram.
Christynne Wood (02:05):
Oh, yeah, you are.
You're sure that was me, yeah,you are Jeez, All right
Christynne.
Now you see why I come with awarning label.
Coach Alex Ray (02:19):
I don't know, I missed the warning label.
I didn't see it.
Well, it's not in English.
Christynne Wood (02:22):
you know, Some of the languages aren't even
spoken on this planet.
Mention my name and see if themen in black don't show up.
Coach Alex Ray (02:29):
Okay, okay.
Christynne Wood (02:31):
All right, it's all yours.
You're the pilot.
Where's the spaceship going?
Coach Alex Ray (02:34):
All right, Christynne, we want to respect
and honor.
Christynne Wood (02:39):
Yes, we do A person who will live in power, a
loving and beloved ally of ours, a mother of nine by the name
of Laura Carlton Please look herup L-A-U-R-A.
He went by the nickname of Lori.
L-a-u-r-i Carlton,c-a-r-l-e-t-o-n.
(03:01):
Same age as me, 66 years of age.
Exactly one week ago today, shewas murdered in Lake Arrowhead,
california, because she wasflying a pride flag in front of
her business.
She bravely came out andconfronted this coward whose
name will not be spoken, and forher efforts of being a lifetime
(03:26):
supporter of us, it cost herher life.
So please, among us those whobelieve in prayer and those who
are non-believers in your ownway, please speak her name in
your hearts and souls andunderstand that for that time,
the rainbow dimmed while we lostthis sister.
(03:48):
So understand this that whichwe do comes with these
challenges and its threats, butwe hold together and together we
stay stronger.
So that's it.
That's what we needed to know.
All right, my brothers andsisters and non-binaries know of
(04:10):
this.
Speak her name in power andsend love to the next dimension.
We'll see her again when we'reout of this bag of plodoprasm we
call a body.
Coach Alex Ray (04:21):
I think it really sheds light on the real
risk that our allies are takingwith us, and for me, it gives me
a lot more gratitude just toremember, hey, our allies are in
this with us.
We can't do this without them.
We all need to be in thistogether, so yeah, yes, we do,
(04:43):
yes, we absolutely positively do.
Why don't you tell us a littlebit more about you, about your
background?
You know you mentioned we wantto talk about how you grew up
and then also your experience inthe military.
Christynne Wood (04:58):
Okay.
Well, we start with how I grewup, and that really becomes
important when you know where Igrew up.
Tell us Okay, I grew up inSpringfield, Ohio.
One of the most generic namesin all of America is Springfield
.
There are 25 Springfields inAmerica.
(05:19):
I didn't know that.
That's a fact.
Half of all the 50 states havea Springfield.
It's one of the reasons why MattGranig rolling, I think it is
of the Simpsons pickedSpringfield because you could
never figure it out, I mean.
Years later he came out andsaid he meant Springfield,
oregon.
Okay, but yes, springfield Ohio.
And yes, I'm a billionaire.
(05:40):
I was born in 1956, just intime to enjoy integrated schools
, as I was born a year afterBrown versus the Board of
Education, wow.
So I got to appreciate schoolsthat were receiving proper
funding and teachers that wantedto teach there.
And the first shot I got atbeing in a good and
(06:02):
well-integrated school was whenI was showing the signs of
gender dysphoria in kindergarten.
My kindergarten teacher and yes, I remember her name to this
day.
I can't tell you what I had forbreakfast yesterday but I
remember her name.
Her name was Mrs Lightner andshe was indeed a light in my
life and turned me on toeducation.
(06:23):
She understood I'd have nothingto do with those boys, the
girls.
That was my tribe.
And when it came time to laydown for a nap, I wouldn't have
it.
The boys would abuse me, they'dkick at me, they'd pinch me and
punch me when she wasn'tlooking and I'd have a fit and
I'm not having it.
You know that's not me, I'm notwith them.
And then, finally, after thefirst week and a half, she said
(06:46):
Chrissy, go lay down with theother girls and they all moved
their mats and said she can comelay down with us.
Coach Alex Ray (06:55):
Okay, pause there for a moment.
In a time when 1961, thank you,okay.
And now in 2023, parents are upin arms about gender and gender
norms for their kids.
What was that actually like fora kindergartener To?
Christynne Wood (07:16):
Incredibly validating and empowering.
Would you like to know how mygreat auntie who the school
called in about it, what she hadto say?
I definitely want to know?
When they brought her in andtold her then, saying that this
child really identifies asfemale, she put her hand up and
said wait, wait, wait, wait,wait, wait, wait, wait.
We already know.
(07:36):
Here's what I'm interested inHow's that child's grades?
And the teacher said prettyclose to the top 1% of the class
.
And she said and that's what Icare about, okay, the social
skills and education, that's onyou.
I just want the education towork out right.
Yeah, by the way, same thinghappened in the eighth grade
(08:01):
when I was hanging out all thetime in the library.
Walking down the hall, theaisle of the library book damn
near hit me in the head and Ipulled it out and it was the
autobiography of ChristineJorgensen.
I kept that book out my entireeighth grade year.
The deal is you have to take itout.
(08:22):
You can only keep it off fortwo weeks, then you have to turn
it back in and then, if nobodyelse takes it out, you can sign
it out again.
Well, by the time we're just acouple of weeks from scratch.
We're heading into the ninthgrade.
The librarian talks to theschool counselor who called my
auntie again and brought her inand said this child's got this
(08:44):
particular book.
Now you need to know what thesubject matter of this is.
Am I on to give them the sameanswer?
How's the child's grades?
Clearly top 1% of the class, hesaid.
And once again, that's all Igive a rat's ass about.
Anything else is irrelevant.
Now, while we're tickling theedge of the subject because we
(09:05):
breached it, there probably aretimes when you might need to
bring an apparent and issueconcerns like.
That child of yours sure doesseem to be hanging out with a
lot of kids that are readingbooks about how to make a
fertilizer bomb or somethinglike.
Yeah, really does have aninterest in guns and has said
(09:27):
some pretty hateful shit online.
There are times when, of course, it would be necessary, yeah,
but when you do feel it soterribly necessary and the
school board just did this now,right here in San Diego, pass
the rule saying we'll notify thechildren of somebody showing up
and showing signs that theyidentify as a gender other than
(09:48):
the birth gender, okay, whatthey ought to be telling them is
these are some of your options.
There's a group that I belongto and now I'm becoming a
facilitator for, called PFLAG.
Coach Alex Ray (09:58):
Yes, I know, pflag Thank you?
Christynne Wood (09:59):
well, of course you do.
This is to help the families ofthose that would have a member
of the Rainbow family withinthem and understand this.
That doesn't just deal withchildren After all, I came out
when I was 59 years and sixmonths of age but so I don't
want to get us off track.
Coach Alex Ray (10:17):
You're the pilot .
Christynne Wood (10:17):
I don't tell you where to fly the Starship,
so what?
Coach Alex Ray (10:20):
are we up?
Christynne Wood (10:20):
to next.
Coach Alex Ray (10:21):
Up to next.
We now got to know a bit ofyour upbringing and what I was
like.
Tell us a little bit about yourexperience in the military.
Ah, here you go.
Christynne Wood (10:29):
Okay, during one of any number of attempts of
trying to bury Christynne,which has been there since I was
four years old and aware ofgender identity, I said we got
to give this you are a guy thinga bit more of a try.
So by my senior year of highschool, I had met she who was to
(10:55):
become the first Mrs Wood.
Okay, and, in typical teenagerfashion, during that summer that
I graduated, we had gottentogether, I got my first adult
job, which was cutting grass ina cemetery, and I discovered,
jesus Christ, there's a lot ofgrass in a cemetery.
You know, I shit this.
(11:18):
This guy sucks.
And, of course, in typicalteenager fashion, she'd gotten
pregnant.
So, being raised with certainmores do I say, yeah, you're
gonna do right by this girl,which was intended.
So I said well, what can I do?
I got good grades in highschool, but no college has
(11:40):
beaten down my door trying torecruit me.
But I know that a collegeeducation is probably necessary
or some degree of it, somethingbeyond a high school diploma.
So I thought, well, what thehell?
The military?
The first thought was the Air.
Force because there was a hugeAir Force base I'd worked at
during the summers as a youthand then I kind of decided why
(12:04):
would I join the Air Force?
Just to stay at home?
I'd actually really kind ofwanna see something else.
I sat down with an Armyrecruiter and in less than three
minutes realized and I'm sorryto those of you in the Army,
this doesn't apply to all of youJust that recruiter I was
talking to in the summer of 74.
And I'm saying I need an exitstrategy.
This guy's a psychopath.
(12:25):
I said I'm sorry, honey, what'sa bathroom?
You know what?
I'm going to go right now andyou come back and tell you about
the M16 rifle.
I said, okay, you hold thatthought.
And so I went out and, as I'msneaking down, the door to the
Navy recruiter is open and he'skind of leaning against the door
jam going.
Well, that only took you aboutfour minutes.
You wanna come in and talkabout something else?
(12:46):
So I sat down.
Hey look, samira, what are yougot for me?
This planet is 80% ocean.
So I figured you got everythinggoing on everywhere, don't you?
And so he had me take a testerdoing.
Samira's scores are good.
And I said well, I didn't learnto read and write.
And, like Jethro Baudine said,I know a little bit of ciphering
(13:10):
, and I so forth.
He looks at my name and goeswould Wait a minute.
Are you related to Master ChiefPetty Officer Charles Wood?
I said, yeah, Uncle Chuck, he'smy dad's older brother.
Okay, and he goes Bullshit, youcan always ask him.
So he puts it on speakerphone,calls him and sure as hell,
(13:31):
recently retired Master ChiefPetty Officer Charles Wood goes
wait, wait, wait, wait.
You got my nephew there withyou.
And he goes yeah, you put thatfat punk in the Navy.
And to show you how real thisis, at the time I had to lose 10
pounds just to sign a contractsaying I'd lose 10 more pounds
(13:53):
during boot camp just to get inand I'm going how the hell is
that gonna work?
This girl I'm marrying is amaster cook, so you know what?
happened, don't you?
The fate stepped in.
I got the worst damn case ofthe flu and managed to lose 15
pounds in less than a week.
So I'm standing there in therecruiting office barely able to
hold my head up, sweating likea say just get me to great legs
(14:16):
before I drop dead.
And you know, in the nine and ahalf week I managed to lose
another 40 pounds.
So nobody recognized me as Imarched in review, even though
my mom and younger brother werethere and wife, okay.
So that was the beginning.
Wow.
And I was there to see thefirst woman qualified to fly
(14:38):
Navy technical and attack jets.
Amazing, her name was RosemaryCanitzer.
So there is a bridge that wascrossed in my enlistment from 74
to 78.
Okay, stellar Aviator, because,after all, some of the other
organizations have pilots andI'm sure they're good, but in
the Navy we have aviators,because it takes an aviator to
(15:01):
land on a moving runway.
Yeah, your grandma, I'd be here.
To land a Cessna on a staticrunway, yeah, but when it's
moving, yeah.
So, anyway, that was enlistmentone.
Okay, got out after that, madethe disastrous desire and moved
up to LA.
Big mistake, because the VAscrewed me right and never got
(15:26):
the VA loans I needed.
Then da, da, da, da da da hadto end up going back to Ohio.
Okay, had to move back intogreat auntie's home.
My mama Bobby, you know soended up meeting she who was to
become wife number two.
Okay, when I was an assistantmanager at Domino's and the girl
(15:47):
kept coming in wanting to get ajob working the phone, and so I
made a proposal to her.
I said why don't we go out andsee what's going on and see if
we can click?
Okay, all right.
And then and this wasn't thenicest thing I could have done
(16:07):
but I said, after that firstcouple of dates, I got a
proposal for you.
Uh-huh, you named two miraclesfor me to perform, and if I do
them both, we get married.
All right, I said you choosethem, I don't care, whatever you
want.
And she said the first one wastell the Rams to win the Super
(16:28):
Bowl.
I said, no problem, like Q onStar Trek.
I just snapped my fingers.
Rams won by three points thatyear, oh my God.
So I said now pick another one.
Pick a biggie.
Yeah, a real big one.
So she went to a very religiousmother who said oh, here's
something they can't do.
Tell them to walk on water.
Okay, not a problem.
(16:49):
You sure you don't want to picksomething harder than that for
me?
She said no, smart ass, walk onwater, you do it.
We get married.
We ain't gonna do it up in thebathtub.
I said no, too small, put onyour coat, so we went ahead, got
in the car, drove down toSnyder Park in Springfield, ohio
, went to the first big lagoon Isaw, walked right across the
surface of the water.
Honey, it's February, it's 12degrees, the water's frozen.
(17:12):
So you didn't say it had to bein a liquid state.
You know, there's still water.
I've satisfied the contract.
Coach Alex Ray (17:22):
Where the?
Christynne Wood (17:23):
hell.
We got married.
I joined the Navy later to thatday, flew out to San Diego
knowing that it would never beCareer for me.
Coach Alex Ray (17:33):
Was this your second time in the US?
Second enlistment Okay.
Christynne Wood (17:36):
Second enlistment I did have.
This time you have to go to sea, Okay.
So I got to see Japan.
The Republic of the Philippines, got to ride through a
hurricane to get to Hawaii Allright, Hurricane Iwa IWA and got
the bizarre pleasure ofstanding on the flight deck in
the eye of the hurricane oh,that's wild and saw colors that
(17:59):
I didn't realize were even inMother Nature's crayon box Wow,
and you can just hear the voiceof Helen Mary going is your
mommy good or is she good?
You're good, mommy, You're good.
And the next thing I know, I goback to sleep and we're at the,
we're in Pearl Harbor and I'mstaring at the Arizona Memorial.
Wow.
(18:20):
I'm also staring at palm treesthat have been in the ground
since inception and they'relaying like twigs now because of
the hurricane.
They even had t-shirts thatsome people were lucky enough to
get.
They said show the hurricanesymbol and a bunch of palm trees
and it said hold on to yournuts.
This is no ordinary blow job,you know.
(18:43):
So yeah yeah, I did serve withif you're a political junkie
like me, with, at that time,commander Randy Cunningham, the
Duke, before he becameCongressman Cunningham and then
became federal prisonerCunningham for selling bribes
over the internet oh, look atthat.
(19:05):
Oh yeah, well, he was way aheadof Clarence Thomas in his time.
He just wasn't smart enough tonot write it down on the
internet.
So we got at it, cause, afterall, I just wanted to get back
to San Diego because in my heartof hearts I knew transition
could only happen here, not backin Ohio.
Coach Alex Ray (19:21):
Yeah, I feel like we got to get know a lot
about you and your backgroundhere.
This is fantastic.
I love it.
Let's transition to what.
What sent you into the mediaspotlight locally Very recently?
Tell us a little bit about that.
Christynne Wood (19:39):
Okay.
Okay another sip of root beer.
Mm-hmm, so mm-hmm.
I spent the new years up inPalm Springs With a young woman
I was pursuing a relationshipwith.
As I came back, I got a textfrom a woman I've been doing
(20:00):
water aerobics with foreversince like 2006, no 2007 and the
text was oh, my dear sister,I'm so sorry.
And my answer was I'm sorry,honey, sorry about what?
And she said oh my god, youdon't know.
She posted a Video of a youngwoman that was posted by a group
(20:24):
called Santy parents with anumber four choice.
It was a young woman and Iwon't speak her name because at
the time she was a minor and Idon't like the thought of
putting a minor's name there.
But just go ahead and look upthe video because it's part of
public records.
She was testifying before theSanty City Council, yeah, about
(20:49):
how terrified she was to haveexperienced a naked man in the
locker room.
Her father took the matter tothe sheriff's substation in
Santies and they told thatperson.
No we ran the records, thatperson is not a registered sex
offender.
Therefore there is nothing wecan do about it.
If you own your daughter andcompany, you can shower at home
(21:12):
there you go playing.
Coach Alex Ray (21:13):
I love this response.
So far fantastic, but that'swhat happened.
Christynne Wood (21:18):
So here's how it went from there.
Yeah, cuz this is where this iswhere it's first to hit the fan
real good.
Yeah To and I'm sorry if peoplecan't see this, but to air
quotes in place people Churcheswell, the claim to be churches
and they get tax-free status,for as I'm concerned, they're
(21:39):
just hate groups with pews Wentahead and had a massive protest
outside the Y which shut the Ydown, explaining that the Y was
simply enabling perverts and aperverse philosophy by letting
(22:01):
Men in the women's locker roomand not providing safe spaces
for women.
They probably had a minimum of,I'm gonna say, 400 people there
.
Coach Alex Ray (22:13):
That's a lot of people I am.
Christynne Wood (22:15):
I'm impressed and slightly Sotted by the
quantity now, here's what Iobserved because I was hanging
around Channel 10 news Okay, Iwas up there hugging Kimberly
Hunt, yeah, and talking to theirsecurity guy.
But my point is this the signsthe protesters had and watching
a child, maybe six or sevenyears old, tugging on the sleeve
(22:38):
of their mother.
Well, a guy holds up a signsaying no pricks in the ladies
room and asking mommy, what PR Isee KS means.
Well, really, the only prick isone holding that sign right
there.
Explain it to your child.
Oh, those good Christian valuesare coming through, right.
(22:58):
And somebody came up to me.
You said oh, honey, you're atthe long line that the counter
protest is down there, about 50yards to the west.
So, me and the people with me,by the way, lauren new Brie,
okay, aqua, sister number one,was there with me with her
husband we marched right downthere.
I had my trans pride flag, thefull service, oh, so, size one.
(23:21):
We walked right down there.
We could hear the sound ofmusic over the sound of hatred,
right, and I listened to Joseand a few of the others speak
and when they saw me, I saidcould I see?
See a moment, just for a moment.
I'm the handling the microphoneand said, first of all God
bless you all.
Now let's keep in mind whilewe're really here we're here to
(23:42):
support the Cameron YMCA and thefact that they lovingly and
properly Support state law.
Now, remember what I just saidsupport state law Right by
allowing people access to safespaces, which by no means
Compromises the safety ofanybody else.
Coach Alex Ray (24:06):
No, I said no, that made.
Forcing you to use the men'slocker room would absolutely
compromise your safety and itdid when I was a member of
crunch.
Christynne Wood (24:17):
Okay, and that's why I took him to court
and I Lightened their wallets bya bitch.
Coach Alex Ray (24:24):
Okay, wonderful.
Christynne Wood (24:25):
Oh, yeah, yeah, and I then left there and came
to the Y.
I'm not a woman, which means no,you don't have to see me
through transition.
Oh, that's done at that otherplace.
Right, and had been there ayear before.
This Manufactured shit at thepan.
Yeah.
But after I said we're here tosupport Cameron YMCA and let me
introduce myself.
I am Christynne Lily Renee Wood,a mother, a grandmother and
(24:49):
Navy veteran, mm-hmm, and I'mthat scary transgender woman
that they're down there tellingyou you're supposed to hate and
not Trust.
In the locker room with yourwives, your mother, your
daughters or granddaughters, saynow look at me and listen to
the sound of my voice.
Do I sound like a frighteningthreat to you?
(25:10):
Am I an ogre?
Am I something to be feared?
Or just listen.
Just listen to what's comingfrom down there, where they have
the Klee glides and the stageand when people are screaming
things about.
Just they call something's legal.
Does it mean it's moral?
Well, I guess there's somepoint to that.
The death penalty is legal, buta state sanctioned act of
(25:32):
murder isn't by any means moral.
Now, is it Denying properhealth care to children that
every pediatrician on the planethas said is necessary Shouldn't
be legal?
And sure shit is moral?
Yeah, is it not happening?
Okay, so at that I explained,if you bring your love and your
(25:55):
voices, I'll be standing in thecrucible at the Santi City
Council meeting in Two weeks atthe very same place where these
lies were broadcast.
We're gonna meet them with loveand we're gonna meet them with
the truth and.
I'd love it if you'd please joinus.
So, Lauren Newberry and herhusband, two retired teachers.
(26:16):
She hand-painted 26 signs witha big red heart and the husband,
cap Nandy, printed out signs weand Chrissy and together they
said we love Chrissy.
Wow, we filled those citycouncil chambers and an overflow
room.
Amazing, mayor John Mintohimself sat there and was just
(26:39):
like looking at it going.
Well, holy shit.
Coach Alex Ray (26:43):
I bet they're not packed like that, oh yeah
you crickets in that place,usually right.
Christynne Wood (26:49):
Anyway, as we were there to broadcast the
truth, to read my statement,which received a roster
salvation we had NBC, cbs,telemundo, abc, kpbs I said see
over, know what you see overthere.
That's called journalisticintegrity.
Coach Alex Ray (27:10):
Mm-hmm.
Christynne Wood (27:11):
That's called the people who broadcast the
truth.
Mm-hmm, this is what you'reseeing.
This is the second movement ofcivil rights and you're here to
be a part of it.
Please come down on the rightside of civil rights.
By the way, john Minto, themayor out there, has come down
totally on the side of that.
He truly has.
(27:32):
Now is a good time to switchinto Segue wing about the whole
school board thing.
If Monique Silver is awonderful young woman and mother
of three, her youngest childjust graduated from the Santis
school system and is now afreshman starting at San Diego
State, her youngest daughter isstill in the Santis school
(27:55):
system and the Monique isRunning for a position on the
Santis school board.
Mm-hmm, we and I'm saying webecause it was the efforts of
myself and At least a fewhundred others Actually went
before that school board justtwo months ago and we petitioned
(28:19):
and advocated for them to add aparticular book to the library.
Okay, a book.
There's been peer reviewed and,and the book is I am jazz.
And they agreed.
Coach Alex Ray (28:33):
All right, so tell us a little bit more about
the book.
I am jazz.
Christynne Wood (28:37):
Yes, like I said, it is meant to be read
Children that are basically justdeveloping Literacy skills.
Now that doesn't mean that aparent can't come in and see the
Liberian saying we don't wantthis book going into the hands
of our children.
That's just fine.
You do that.
If you want your child toremain ignorant to certain bits
(29:00):
of subject matter, well that'son you, denying your child that
didn't cost you anything extrain your tax dollars.
Thank you very much.
But you can't say no child cansee it.
Right, that's just on you,mm-hmm.
So that got done.
Coach Alex Ray (29:15):
I love it.
Yeah, thank you very much, andthat was by just you getting
involved in local politics herewith our girl.
Christynne Wood (29:23):
Monique.
Coach Alex Ray (29:24):
Mm-hmm.
Christynne Wood (29:24):
Yes, well, she's running.
And just so you folks know ifyou're hearing the sound of me
and this delicious young personI'm with.
This is why we need you to goto meetings of your local school
board.
You see, they're not used tohaving people show up for these
events, right?
The only reason they're evenbeing held and they have to buy
(29:45):
law by law, let you know acouple weeks in advance what's
on the agenda, mm-hmm, what willbe discussed where they're
located at.
After all, these people areserving there and being paid
from the tax base.
Therefore, you get a say inwhat swing said.
(30:06):
And at the last meeting I askeda question, I said no, please,
and school board members, pleasejoin in on this question, just
for my own edification.
Everybody in this room, please,if you are an educator or
teacher, either pastor present,please raise your hand.
And of the five members of theboard, three people raise their
hands, meaning that two of themaren't even teachers or
(30:27):
educators.
They're just people in thecommunity.
He ran for the board, right?
So when you've got nonEducators, I get it.
I get it.
You're saying you have flesh inthe game too.
You have a child or agrandchild is in there, and one
of the men mentioned there.
Well, some of the things mychild grandchild talks about are
just inappropriate for a 10year old to even be discussing.
Coach Alex Ray (30:50):
Oh, yeah, in your opinion.
Christynne Wood (30:54):
But I do remember hearing certain
grandparents say cuz remembernow?
I started in school just afterintegration became the law of
the land.
Oh, I've heard this argumentbefore yes except then it had a
lot to deal with.
Why are all these colored kids?
You've simply changed it.
(31:15):
Now it's not just colors, it'sthe rainbow colors now, right,
yeah, and you're not embarrassedto say these parts out loud,
are you?
Coach Alex Ray (31:26):
You know, one of the things that I'm hearing
consistently with you and ourconversation today, particularly
around political involvement,is it's really easy to have an
opinion and to feel under attackand, oh, I wish things would
change.
And oftentimes a lot of us arenot really doing the things that
(31:47):
we can do to get involved andmake a difference in our
community.
And it's not that hard to.
I'll speak from my perspective.
I often look at things like, oh, going to a school board,
meaning it's like, oh God, thisis going to be such a big
commitment.
I don't have to run for theschool board, but I could at
least show up to the meeting andhave an impact, and that could
(32:08):
be a couple hours once a month.
It's not a daily thing that Ihave to be involved in, and so I
think there are a lot of waysthat each of us can kind of look
to our life, our local politics, to have the impact that we can
, instead of just kind ofcomplaining about oh, I hope
someone else will make adifference.
Christynne Wood (32:30):
Yeah, thank you .
God bless you.
That's what I'm saying.
Politicians count numbers withtheir eyes.
They're used to, like I said itbeing crickets inside these
chambers, empty seats.
As we had to ask them at the 70school board meeting with the
books we were turning in to keepbringing out extra chairs and
(32:52):
they actually said damn, we'venever had to do that before.
We've learned like in Star Trek.
Can you tell them a fan?
Coach Alex Ray (32:59):
I see, yeah, my Starfleet Delta ring yeah.
Christynne Wood (33:04):
My second faith behind my Catholicism.
Coach Alex Ray (33:07):
I know, yeah, Star Trek.
Christynne Wood (33:08):
Because in that world the thought of
transphobia and hobophobia islike unheard of.
Yeah, you know what I mean,because we've gone beyond that
and we're going to go beyondthis too.
Coach Alex Ray (33:20):
I absolutely agree and see that's just what
you said.
Christynne Wood (33:22):
See, when you go to that school board meeting
and even if you don't know whereit is, ask me, I'll tell you.
You know what I mean.
I'm accepting Facebook friendrequests.
Tell them you heard about me onthis beautiful young person's
podcast.
Just look it up on Facebook.
It's Christynne T-Y-N-N-E WoodW-O-O-D.
(33:42):
Tell them you heard about methrough this and I am honored to
have you join us, Because thisisn't just a quest for the
rights and the safety of ourrainbow family, but we're all
the same family, but we're thefamily that's under such a
vicious attack right now.
Coach Alex Ray (34:03):
All right, I want to ask you one more
personal question before we wrapup.
You socially transitioned inyour late 50s 59 years, six
months of age.
Ok, all right, you've alwaysbeen a woman, but you started
sharing who you are with peopleat that age right, sharing the
(34:24):
truth.
What way do you tell someoneelse who is in a similar
position, like what advice wouldyou have for them how they can
navigate that?
Christynne Wood (34:35):
Oh honey, the resources are there.
They're there.
They're there through PFLAG,they're there through the LGBTQ
centers, especially here locally.
Oh my god.
They can get you hooked up withresources in regard to things
like a legal change of name andgender.
(34:56):
They can get you hooked up withcounseling Through PFLAG.
We can tell you how to possiblybreach the gap of coming out to
your family.
We can give you resources inregard to how to bridge that gap
.
Sure, not alone.
Please reach out to us.
(35:17):
We're eager to help you.
And one last quick thing aboutthe march coming up.
Coach Alex Ray (35:25):
Yeah.
Well, before we do that, I wantto just remind the main message
I'm hearing and what you'resaying is you don't have to do
it alone.
No, not alone and I thinkthat's probably a big barrier
for a lot of people is feelinglike, oh shit, I have to go
through this really difficult,uncomfortable, scary process in
(35:45):
life.
I'm doing it alone, and notonly am I kind of alone, but I
also I don't know how my friends, my family, all the
relationships that matter to me,are going to change because of
this, and I'm hearing from youjust this inviting and of like
you are going to have someinstant community right away.
Reach out, there are others whoare further on their journey
(36:07):
that want to be there for you,so don't negate that.
You really don't have tonavigate this alone.
Christynne Wood (36:13):
You will not be navigating this alone and you
need to understand something.
It's like I lost half of mysocial group as a consequence of
transition, but the other halfgot ten times stronger.
Yeah, so the others.
I said I'm sorry that what I'mgoing through causes you
(36:37):
feelings of betrayal.
I'm sorry that what I'm goingthrough has frightened you, but
I can't go on living a lie foryour comfort.
Coach Alex Ray (36:50):
Absolutely.
Christynne Wood (36:52):
There you go.
Coach Alex Ray (36:52):
Yeah, and we've talked about this on the podcast
a little bit before that howeveryone has a version of you, a
mental version, built up intheir head.
So there you know thousands ofdifferent versions of you that
exist in the world and whatpeople are so hurt by or
confused by or frustrated withwhen you come out to them in any
(37:14):
way, tell them more about whoyou are authentically.
It's just challenging the kindof filters that they've put you
through, the labels that they'veput this mental version of you
through, and it's challenging totheir brain to be like, oh wait
, now I have to, like, changethat.
And that's some.
(37:34):
For some people it's not worthit to them, or the fear
outweighs the love that theyhave for you.
They're unwilling to reconsider.
Christynne Wood (37:44):
So, yeah, Well, take this message with you.
When you're able to see howloving your life has become,
maybe they can realize it.
You know, I still got that lovefor you.
Exactly Maybe once you developit again, you'll have that love
for me again, and when you do,I'm still here.
Coach Alex Ray (38:01):
Yeah.
Christynne Wood (38:01):
Just a way happier and more truthful
version of me is here.
Coach Alex Ray (38:06):
Yes, I also think that there's so much more
love out there than we hearabout.
I truly think that for mostpeople and most situations, they
will find the support theyreceive after coming out,
(38:27):
whether in quantity or quality,far outweighs any of the hatred
or bigotry that they receive inthe process.
So there we go.
Let's share with them what'shappening on October 7th because
people local can get involved.
People could fly over there,get involved or just share it on
(38:49):
your social media.
Christynne Wood (38:51):
Thank you, please do, and please, honey,
for those of you who do believe,say your prayers for us.
Please, I beg of you, becausethis is every bit as dangerous
as the freedom riders of the1964-63 era that used to go down
to Mississippi and sit at lunchcounters at Woolworths and do
voter registration there too.
(39:12):
Just as dangerous.
A group called luchaorg issponsoring myself and another
woman from here in San Diego,and indeed people from LA and
from all over the country, to goto Orlando, florida.
There'll be a major pressconference that'll be held on
(39:33):
the 5th of October.
There will be people there fromthe ACLU.
There'll be people there fromthe Human Rights Campaign.
There may even be a few localbrave politicians who show up.
We're there in support oftransgender youth and
(39:54):
transgender rights.
We will then have a majorparade and speeches on the 6th.
Now understand this.
This is Florida, florida whereI is.
A transgender woman of colorsimply needs to look at somebody
and they can pull out a gun andshoot me and say they felt
(40:16):
threatened because I'm in anopen carry and stand your ground
state.
But the fact is, I'm not worththe awards I received if I don't
have the courage to do this andgo out and stand up for the
downtrodden who really justdon't have the ability to pack
up and leave whenever they wantto, because now they realize
(40:39):
adults fight back.
So what are they doing?
They're attacking children.
So please tell your people inFlorida whether you are a member
directly of the rainbow familyor an ally Join us.
There'll be members of the Pulsenightclub survivors that'll be
joining us too, okay, so keep aneye on us, yeah, and we send
(41:03):
all the love in the world to youand you thank this young person
I'm with, because that smiling,beautiful young person has just
gotten this word out to all ofus.
So you give our Alex yourthanks and, by the way, he's a
coach that will help you withthe confidence skills and let
you know that you're far morethan you're aware of.
(41:24):
Thank you so much.
Coach Alex Ray (41:26):
How about that?
I so appreciate you.
Christynne Wood (41:29):
Yeah, here we go.
Coach Alex Ray (41:30):
All right.
Well, we I will link that downin the show notes for you all
blue chiporg and then sponsoringa Trans March in Orlando,
florida, on October 7.
So if you can't be there inperson, share it online, share
it on your social media, send itto friends that are local, or
get a fucking plane ticket andjoin.
(41:50):
We'd love to see you there.
All right, awesome, well,Christynne.
Thank you for joining me on thepodcast today.
It was an honor.
Thank you for being here.
Thanks for sharing your joy andyour experience with us.
(42:14):
I'm so thankful to have youhere.
Until I get to share this spacewith you, damn right.
All right?
Well, let's say goodbye toeveryone and I'll see y'all on
the next episode.
Christynne Wood (42:28):
Yep.
Coach Alex Ray (42:29):
Here from.
Christynne Wood (42:29):
Rainbow's End in San Diego, to all our family,
love, to all Smooches and bye,bye.
Coach Alex Ray (42:37):
Bye.
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