Mckenzee Griffler! Fast & Furious & Trans! The New York Times strikes again!

Hey friends,

Hope you’re all hanging in there. I frankly am currently NOT hanging in there but it’s fine, I’m fine! I just tried to record the tracking for next week’s episode and I did a Bad Job and had to Give Up so now I’m writing a newsletter??? Why did I think this would be easier.

Speaking of which, next week is the release of our Feb 1st live show. Here’s how we’re rolling it out:

• In the main podcast episode: interview with AC; advice with Mattie and Io
• in this month's bonus podcast: Duck Duck Gay game with Sabrina
• lost to the sands of time: Tuck’s unexpected foray into standup comedy

Meanwhile, THIS week’s episode was our long-promised gender check-in with BFF of the show Mckenzee Griffler. It was such a treat to speak with Mckenzee about minimal depth vaginoplasty, estrogen-based HRT, trans vocal training, therapy, podcast gender, potato-based breakfast sandwiches, and also the cogiati at the very end there. 

Photo: Mckenzee holding a canned cold brew and sticking her tongue out inside Orchard Grocer

Mckenzee and I have both received really nice messages about this episode, and we both appreciate them/you so much! Thank you as always for your sweet support. :)

In other news, I have announced another project that is not strictly Gender Reveal business but exists in the same extended universe…

Photo: A graphic announcing a call for submissions for a DIY all-trans anthology about the Fast & Furious franchise. The graphic has a pink and purple background and a shitty graphic of a blue car parked in front of a huge trans flag. 

In order to distract myself from *waves hands vaguely* and ensure that I never once take a single moment’s break, I’m putting together some kind of zine/anthology/book/thing that consists entirely of Fast & Furious-related content made by trans people. Gretchen is writing fanfic! Mattie’s drawing a cover! My friends Gus & Alyssa are making a comic together! Niko is co-editing! My friend Sally is making a one-page RPG?!?! 

Don’t ask me why this is happening because I don’t have an explanation; it just felt like the right thing to do, lol. But it’s going to be frankly iconic, and YOU can join the fun. Submissions are open for the next few weeks; details are all at genderpodcast.com/fast-zine. (Pre-orders don’t exist yet, but I’ll let you know when they do!)

In less fun news, the New York Times is at it again. SO much has happened, and if you want to catch up on everything that’s gone down so far, here are the documents to read in order:

1. NYTletter.com open letter
2. GLAAD open letter 
3. NYT public response (from this guy)
4. This morning’s op-ed
5. Internal memo 

More coming soon, for better or for worse! But in the meantime, I highly recommend you to join 1000 NYT contributors and 25000 supporters and sign the NYT open letter at nytletter.com.

OK, time for Links & Stuff:

• Luke O’Neil interviewed Mattie about their new book!
• Colin Meloy recorded a chatbot-written Decemberists song
• Friend of the show Jerika asked the Bing chatbot about me and it… knew about me??? I hate it here.
• Another request that everyone please stop talking about Latinx thanks
• They’re in love.

That’s it for this week. My brain is leaking out of my ears. Here’s your weekly Rhubarb.

Photo: Ruby sleeping on her heating pad in a sunbeam.

Xo,
Yr resident gender detective