At their worst, cis editors and the outlets they work for have perpetuated a slew of transphobic conspiracy theories, mostly depicting trans women as monsters. For trans and nonbinary people working in the British media, writing for trans-run outlets provides an oasis of sweet relief among the swaths of cis editors who are, at best, well-intentioned. Moreover, it isn’t only readers and listeners who benefit from independent trans media. “The tone is furious without leaving listeners in despair,” Talbot explains. The duo deliver serious and often depressing news with an irreverent humor. “We’re not the first to do trans media for trans people,” Snow says, “but in the podcasting space, I couldn’t find anything like that.” With a loyal, devoted audience and more than 20,000 Twitter followers, the podcast is an important source of trans news. decision, Michelle Snow and Ashleigh Talbot started making What The Trans, a “DIY trans news podcast by pissed off trans folks for pissed off trans folks.” “Look at a lot of the events where Posie Parker and her crew turn up, you know? I generally see more people waiting for a bus.”Īround the same time that Clark made her 4 a.m. “The haters don’t have the numbers that the media portrays them to,” she says.
is dire, it is far from the kind of coherent movement that the mainstream press often makes it out to be. Importantly, Clark notes that although antagonism against trans people in the U.K. “But the discussion content is more for the trans community, because we’ll talk about trans-specific topics from a trans point of view.” “It is literally for anyone,” Clark says. It broadcasts 24/7, has ex-club DJs among its presenters, and airs regular ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s music shows. The station, which is entirely self-funded, doesn’t solely cater to a trans audience. We tell it how it is and we’ll give the view of what the majority of trans people think, not what people like Caitlyn Jenner think.” With independent trans media, you’re getting the actual voice from the community. “A lot of the discussions in the media about trans people don’t involve trans people.
“We’re in the eye of the storm at the moment,” she tells Them over the phone. Clark explains that Trans Radio UK does “try to be positive, but we also cover what’s going on.”