131 - Facing Futility: You Can’t Actually Change Sex, with Corinna Cohn

Fellow podcaster, Corinna Cohn, joins Sasha and Stella for an incredibly deep and meaningful discussion. Demonstrating no shortage of her charming sarcastic banter, Corinna offers an endearing balance of humor and thoughtful introspection as well as informative insights based on her lived experience as a transexual, writer, and activist. The conversation covers a wide array of topics including Corinna’s early experiences with gender identity exploration, transition and the changing landscape of gender, as well as her reevaluation of her own perceptions of gender and self-acceptance.

Corinna Cohn is a writer, podcaster, and activist from Indiana. Corinna was diagnosed with gender identity disorder at age 15 and underwent surgical transition at age 19. In 2019, she became involved in patient advocacy, and in 2022 began organizing to support legislation that regulates gender medicalization of minors. Corinna has met with legislators and given testimony in Indiana, Texas, and Ohio.

In this episode, you’ll hear Corinna share her reflections that the acknowledgment of futility is a crucial step in one’s personal growth and acceptance, particularly in challenging situations. Together, Sasha, Stella and Corinna get into finding meaning in navigating ambivalence, self-reflection and accountability. Their discussion also highlights Corinna’s activism in the context of the evolution of transgender activism, the complexity of legislative politics in the United States and the projected future of gender identity politics as a movement.

Links:

Corinna’s Substack

https://substack.com/@corinnacohn

Heterodorx Podcast (with co-host Nina Paley):

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heterodorx/id1602842758

Corinna’s Washington Post Article:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/04/11/i-was-too-young-to-decide-about-transgender-surgery-at-nineteen/

Corinna’s Article about Texas HB3502

https://corinnacohn.substack.com/p/texas-bill-to-protect-detransitioners

Democrat Rep. Shawn Thierry’s Address to Texas Legislative Body

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKp1IGds6RQ

Corinna’s Indiana testimony (regarding sports):