The Anti-Trans Hate Machine: A Plot Against Equality

Amid a record-setting year of anti-transgender legislation, TransLash Media presents our new limited-series podcast, The Anti-Trans Hate Machine. This four-part program takes us behind the curtain of the dark money, right wing organizations, radical figures and extreme ideology driving the anti-trans backlash across the country. We expose a highly-organized political apparatus, which makes the future potentially darker for everyone. To do so, we center the voices and stories of trans people, as well as their families, who are victimized by this hostile movement with our award-winning journalist Imara Jones guiding us along the way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day by day, the attacks on trans kids grow louder, and more anti-trans bills keep moving through state legislatures. In this season of The Anti-Trans Hate Machine, Imara Jones illuminates how the right wing has fueled these bills by generating a breathtaking and wide-ranging disinformation campaign. Christian Nationalists are manufacturing pseudoscientific theories and using the entire anti-trans hate machine to pipe them out into the mainstream to create a rationale for these bills. And it’s catching on. We will show you how their anti-trans propaganda is working and ultimately being laundered by some of the most powerful newsrooms in the world. Season 2 of The Anti-Trans Hate Machine premiers March 31st.. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the opening episode for TransLash Media’s riveting new mini-series, our trusted award-winning journalist Imara Jones introduces us to a key component of the anti-trans hate machine through a historic case: Hecox v. Little. She walks us through the introduction to HB 500, the law that made Idaho the first state to ban transgender athletes participating in sports, and the investigation that quickly followed suit. We hear from aspiring college athlete Lindsay Hecox, as well as Ritchie Eppink, the Legal Director of the ACLU of Idaho, and Chase Strangio, Deputy Director for Transgender Justice, who aided her through her case. And Imara receives an unexpected surprise when Idaho Representative Barbara Ehardt, the sponsor of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act (HB 500), takes her call. In the end we learn about the organization behind these bills, a far-right group called Alliance Defending Freedom.You can connect with us on social media!Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Twitter (@imarajones) and Instagram (@imara_jones_)Follow our guests on social media: Ritchie Eppink: @eppink (Twitter)Chase Strangio: @chasestrangio (Instagram) @chasestrangio (Twitter)Podcast Credits: Executive Producer and host, Imara Jones; Oliver-Ash Kleine is Senior Producer. Tiler Wilson, Annie Ning and Ruby Fludzinski are our Associate Producers. Sydney Bauer is our Researcher. Audrey Quinn edited this series. Sound design and mixing by Alexander Charles Adams. Montana Thomas is our production coordinator. Audio engineering and production from Jaye McAuliffe. Sound editing and production from Callie Wright. Gillian Branstetter handles PR with additional support from Elle Communications. Digital strategy by Daniela Capistrano of DCAP MEDIA. Social media & production assistance by Yannick Eike Mirko. Justin Kloczko is our fact-checker. And our intern is Jordan Mirana.The music you heard was composed by Ben Draghi and also courtesy ZZK Records Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 2 of 4 of The Anti-Trans Hate Machine mini-series, we investigate and uncover the forces and organizations responsible for the reinforcement of bills meant to ban trans youth from access to life-saving and equal healthcare - starting specifically with Alabama’s SB 219 (2020) - Prohibits Gender Affirming Care Bill. We hear from some of the youth and parents affected by these bills, and learn about their choices to fight back, despite the hardships it brings to do so. You can connect with us on social media!Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Twitter (@imarajones) and Instagram (@imara_jones_)Follow our guests on social media: Anne Nelson: @anelsona (Twitter)Dr. Shauna Lawlis: @smlawlis (Instagram)Garry Smith: @garryrsmith (Instagram) @garryrsmith (Twitter)Margaret Huang: @margaret.huang.usa (Instagram) @margaretlhuang (Twitter)Phineas Fleming-Smith: @sarcastic_entity (Instagram)Rep. Jacob Rosecrants: @reprosecrants (Instagram) @jacobrosecrants (Twitter)Tony Perkins: @tperkins (Twitter)Organizations mentioned in this episode: Family Research Council: @frcdc (Instagram) @frcdc (Twitter)Family Policy Alliance: @family_policy (Instagram) @family_policy (Twitter) Focus on the Family: @focusonthefamliy (Instagram) @focusfamily (Twitter)Southern Poverty Law Center:@splcenter (Instagram) @splcenter (Twitter)The Trevor Project: @trevorproject (Instagram) @trevorproject (Twitter)Podcast Credits: Executive Producer and host, Imara Jones; Oliver-Ash Kleine... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the third episode of the TransLash Media’s mini-series The Anti-Trans Hate Machine, Imara investigates the influence the Heritage Foundation had in infusing anti-trans ideology into the government during Trump’s presidency—a legacy the Biden administration is still trying to unravel. Through that investigation, Imara shares what she’s learned about one man who orchestrated many of those attacks on trans rights. Plus, we hear the stories of two brave women fighting against one of the most vicious attacks and suing the government to make sure trans people have equal access to healthcare. You can connect with us on social media!Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Twitter (@imarajones) and Instagram (@imara_jones_)Follow our guests on social media:Cecilia Gentili: @ceciliagentili72 (Instagram) @CeciliaGentili (Twitter)Jason Starr: @jasonestarr (Instagram) @jasonestarr (Twitter)Sharita Gruberg: @SharitaGruberg (Twitter)Tanya Asapansa Johnson-Walker:  @tanyaasapansa (Instagram) @tanyaasapansa63 (Twitter)Organizations mentioned in this episode:Heritage Foundation: @heritagefoundation (Instagram) @heritage (Twitter)Podcast Credits: Executive Producer and host, Imara Jones; Oliver-Ash Kleine is Senior Producer.Tiler Wilson, Annie Ning and Ruby Fludzinski are our Associate Producers. Sydney Bauer is our Researcher. Audrey Quinn edited this series. Sound design and mixing by Alexander Charles Adams. Montana Thomas is our production coordinator. Audio engineering and production from Jaye McAuliffe. Sound editing and production from Callie Wright. Gillian Branstetter handles PR with additional support from Elle Communications. Digital strategy by Daniela Capistrano of DCAP MEDIA. Social media & production assistance by Yannick Eike Mirko. Justin Kloczko is our fact-checker. And our intern is Jordan Mirana.The music you heard was composed by Ben Draghi and also courtesy ZZK Records Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past three episodes of our first ever mini-series, Imara has detailed the institutions that are the major components of the anti-trans hate machine. But in this episode we dive into the people funding this machine and why. We enter into the shadows of the anti-trans movement and unpack how their hate intersects with a larger, even darker agenda. You can connect with us on social media!Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on Twitter (@imarajones) and Instagram (@imara_jones_)Follow our guests on social media:Andy Kroll: @andykroll (Twitter)Anne Nelson: @anelsona (Instagram) @anelsona (Twitter)Frederick Clarkson: @FredClarkson (Twitter)Heron Greenesmith: @herongio (Instagram) @herongio (Twitter)Organizations mentioned in this episode:Council For National PolicyNational Christian FoundationThe Dick and Betsy DeVos Family FoundationThe Prince FoundationThe Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation Podcast Credits: Executive Producer and host, Imara Jones; Oliver-Ash Kleine is Senior Producer.Tiler Wilson, Annie Ning and Ruby Fludzinski are our Associate Producers. Sydney Bauer is our Researcher. Audrey Quinn edited this series. Sound design and mixing by Alexander Charles Adams. Montana Thomas is our production coordinator. Audio engineering and production from Jaye McAuliffe. Sound editing and production from Callie Wright. Gillian Branstetter handles PR with additional support from Elle Communications. Digital strategy by Daniela Capistrano of DCAP MEDIA. Social media & production assistance by Yannick Eike Mirko. Justin Kloczko is our fact-checker. And our intern is Jordan Mirana.The music you heard was composed by Ben Draghi and also courtesy ZZK Records Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every day, attacks on trans kids grow louder, and more anti-trans bills keep moving through state legislatures. How did this happen?  In this episode we tell you how lessons learned by Christian Nationalists twenty years ago, in the fight to undermine gay rights by preserving conversion therapy, set the stage for today. Join us as we show how the ability to manufacture pseudoscientific theories and push them out in the  mainstream across three decades led to today’s crisis.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Disinformation campaigns need archetypes to advance their propaganda. In this episode we see how Christian Nationalists have teamed up with TERFs, and even Dianic Witches, to find people who are “ex-trans” in a hopeless attempt to show that transgender people aren’t real. Join us as we follow Ky Schevers and her journey into the depths of the detransition movement. We will learn how her story was seized upon by pseudo-scientific groups and the harm it caused both to Ky and the community she loves. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Disinformation must spread in ways that are imperceptible and seemingly organic. Join us for a deep dive into the massive influence of the fringe blog 4th Wave Now, where parents who are hostile to their trans kids gather to spread conspiracy theories about the origins of gender identity. It has influenced liberal parents like Jeanne Ogden, who used ideas in the blog to help justify blocking her daughter Cam from receiving the care she needs. Learn how Jeanne and Cam are working to pick up the pieces, after being manipulated by this disinformation. And how, despite the harm, journalists like Jesse Singal grabbed the idea of trans social contagion and ran with it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Various parts of the right wing disinformation machine effectively work in tandem to elevate junk science and platform people spreading anti-trans hate. In this episode, Imara takes a deep dive into the inner workings of this world by following the rise of Abigail Shrier, a woman who rose quickly from obscurity to become a so-called expert spreading the myth of social contagion. We'll explore how she packaged these concepts in ways that was ready made for Christian Nationalist media, especially Fox News. And how they were accompanied by a mainstream appeal that’s had a devastating impact on parents and kids. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Disinformers ultimately want their narratives to filter into trusted sources where they can almost imperceptibly begin to shift public opinion. In this episode, Imara dives into how Christian Nationalists have successfully made The New York Times—arguably the world’s most powerful news organization—into an agent of their views. The fact that they have done so is a degree of success beyond what they could have hoped. And the way that anti-trans ideas have embedded themselves at the paper has wide ranging impacts on trans people as well American democracy overall. Join us as we learned how this happened through the voices and stories of former and current New York Times staff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing The Anti-Trans Hate Machine: Paramilitary Groups Stoke Political ViolenceIn this gripping season of the Anti-Trans Hate Machine, host Imara Jones examines the disturbing links between the rise of political violence in America, far-right paramilitary groups, and anti-trans hate. Join us as we show how far-right militias, by redirecting their focus after the January 6 insurrection to attacking drag shows and LGBTQ events, are seeking to destabilize communities from the ground up. We’ll uncover how these extremist groups, in tandem with Republican politicians at all levels, are leveraging anti-trans ideology to advance their broader agenda of political upheaval. In each episode, we'll shed light on the dangerous rise in targeted attacks, from Idaho's militia battlegrounds to neo-Nazi rallies in Idaho, and analyze the systemic failures enabling this surge. Importantly we will also unpack what must be done to combat this rising threat and preserve democracy. Season 3 of the Anti-Trans Hate Machine launches October 8. Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Threads,  X, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on X (@ImaraJones) and Instagram (@Imara_jones_)The Anti-Trans Hate Machine is produced by TransLash Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 1 of a new season of the Anti Trans Hate Machine, discover how far-right militias have shifted their focus from assaulting the U.S. Capitol to targeting drag shows and LGBTQ events. As host Imara Jones examines this troubling pivot, find out how right-wing paramilitary groups like the Proud Boys are intertwined with Republican politicians and how anti-trans hate serves as a powerful tool for their broader agenda of organized political violence and upheaval. Join us as we uncover the unsettling connections and what they mean for the 2024 election and beyond.To learn more, visit translash.org/ATHM.  Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Threads,  X, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on X (@ImaraJones) and Instagram (@Imara_jones_)The Anti Trans Hate Machine is produced by TransLash Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 2 of the Anti-Trans Hate Machine, Imara Jones explores how paramilitary groups like Patriot Front are modernizing and intensifying their anti-LGBTQ tactics. Working in tandem with local politicians, right-wing think tanks, and influential online actors like Libs of Tik-Tok, these groups are radicalizing American politics from the ground up, weaponizing transphobia to destabilize local communities. In this episode we’ll show how these dangerous synergies are spreading and learn about how Idaho is the testing ground for this new wave of far-right extremism, raising urgent questions about the future of democracy in America.To learn more, visit translash.org/ATHM.  Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Threads,  X, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on X (@ImaraJones) and Instagram (@Imara_jones_).-The Anti Trans Hate Machine is produced by TransLash Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Anti-Trans Hate Machine, Imara Jones looks at the various responses and solutions to terrorist violence fueled by anti-trans hate. By zooming in on a drag story time event in Wadsworth, Ohio, we examine why Nazi-inspired, extremist organizations like Blood Tribe feel emboldened—and learn about the organization Parasol Patrol who works to block them. We also explore the lack of a coordinated response from the government to this rise in domestic terrorism. The series concludes with a discussion about the broad array of solutions to paramilitary violence at our fingertips and ways to implement them. To learn more, visit translash.org/ATHM.  Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Threads,  X, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on X (@ImaraJones) and Instagram (@Imara_jones_)The Anti Trans Hate Machine is produced by TransLash Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Right wing forces have taken aim at trans kids in schools, relentlessly targeting some of our country’s most vulnerable youth. In this season, journalist and host Imara Jones investigates this movement, uncovering how these attacks are part of a larger plan to dismantle public education and shatter democracy itself. Join her as she travels across the country to expose the inner workings of this powerful effort uniting Christian Nationalists, conspiracy theorists, extremist paramilitary organizations, conservative business groups, and billionaires in an revelatory investigation exposing what’s really behind the onslaught of anti-trans hate in public schools. Season 4 of the Anti-Trans Hate Machine premieres October 14.Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Threads,  X, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on X (@ImaraJones) and Instagram (@Imara_jones_)The Anti-Trans Hate Machine is produced by TransLash Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The flood of anti-trans attacks in education isn’t a grassroots phenomenon, it’s part of a calculated attack on democracy. In the first episode of this series, journalist Imara Jones investigates right-wing efforts to take over school boards and throw communities into chaos. Join her as she travels to Pennsylvania to learn how these attacks are playing out in a vital swing district, shedding light on the powerful network behind them and how communities can fight back. To learn more, visit translash.org/antitranshatemachine.Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Threads,  X, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on X (@ImaraJones) and Instagram (@Imara_jones_)The Anti Trans Hate Machine is produced by TransLash Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Florida is ground zero for the modern anti-trans movement in schools. Join journalist Imara Jones as she travels to the belly of the beast, exploring the origin and spread of Moms for Liberty, a so-called parental rights group weaponizing anti-trans hate. In this episode, she uncovers how the anti-trans movement in schools is directly tied to the January 6 insurrection, revealing a fringe conspiracy theory fueling these efforts by casting trans people as an existential threat to America.To learn more, visit translash.org/antitranshatemachine.Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Threads,  X, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on X (@ImaraJones) and Instagram (@Imara_jones_)The Anti Trans Hate Machine is produced by TransLash Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this final episode of our season, journalist Imara Jones and her team investigate how the anti-trans attacks on schools are part of a larger strategy to dismantle public education, and it’s being driven by the most powerful coalition on the right. Join her as she learns how the plan to privatize education is flourishing in Arizona and starting to gain momentum across the country. The ultimate goal: use vouchers to destroy public schools — a major pillar of democracy. But the outcome of these efforts is far from a foregone conclusion. The interviews with Tami Staas and Marisol Garcia in this episode were conducted before the assassination of Charlie Kirk. To learn more, visit translash.org/antitranshatemachine.Follow TransLash Media @translashmedia on Instagram, Threads,  X, and Facebook.Follow Imara Jones on X (@ImaraJones) and Instagram (@Imara_jones_)The Anti Trans Hate Machine is produced by TransLash Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.