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PODCAST

Take the Last Bite

Take the Last Bite is a direct counter to the Midwest Nice mentality— highlighting advocacy & activism by queer/trans communities in the Midwest region. Each episode unearths the often disregarded and unacknowledged contributions of queer & trans folks to social change through interviews, casual conversations and reflections on Midwest queer time, space, and place. For questions, comments and feedback: takethelastbite@gmail.com Host: R.B. Brooks, they/them Cover Art: Adrienne McCormick

society & culture

All Episodes

70:51

You Are Not a (Student) Loan

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/12/27

We take a bite out of student loan debt cancellation with Juan Ramiro Sarmiento (he/him), press secretary of Young Invincibles. We examine the history of higher education becoming less affordable, the emergence of student loan debt cancellation as a political platform, and upcoming legal battle over federal loan forgiveness. Additional Resources & ReferencesGetting Through the Holidays: Suggestions for LGBTQ+ Folks – a list compiled by the Midwest Institute for Sexuality & Gender

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29:35

Tracking Patterns that Produced the Club Q Attack

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/11/29

We take a slow, careful bite out of processing the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs. Host R.B. Brooks (they/them) pieces together what we’ve learned in the aftermath of the shooting, tracks the circumstances and context that produced the tragic incident, and grapples with key questions about how we move forward.Additional Resources & References MSNBC’s The ReidOut broadcast featuring Pulse survivor and Equality Florida Press Secretary Brandon Wolf“The Deadly Consequences of Hate”

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63:53

Riding a Trans-Inclusive Tidal Wave with Schuyler Bailar

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/11/15

We take a bite out of trans inclusion and participation in sports with Schuyler Bailar, also known as PinkMantaray on social media. Schuyler was one of the keynote speakers at MBLGTACC 2022 and during our candid conversation he shared incredible wisdom about tackling anti-trans aggressors as well as sharing his story as a young swimmer coming into transness in college. Additional Resources & References Alicia Kozlowski, an Ojibwe and Mexican-American nonbinary person, is one of many

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66:47

Cheers to 30 Years of Midwest Queers

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/11/01

We're back for another serving of the 30th annual Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Asexual College Conference. This week, members of the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Diversity team come together exactly 24 hours after the closing remarks to honor the 30-year legacy of MBLGTACC, reminisce on the successes and learning curves of this year’s gathering, and think about what will manifest in the next 30 years.For questions, comments or feedback about this episode:

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98:26

Building the Next Genderation [redux]

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/10/18

We revisit our 2022 Transgender Justice Teach-In where panelists Merrique Jenson, Codi Charles, Romeo Jackson and Bishop Howard discuss building liberated futures with queer and trans youth. In a moment where we’ve experienced an endless barrage of anti-trans attacks that deeply affect young trans people, the key messages from this conversation are just as true today as they were a year ago. What do we mean by “youth” and who is afforded the space to be young? What rights do children have

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60:43

Our Post-Roe Reality

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/10/04

We take a bite out of reproductive health, rights, and justice with two stellar advocates from Gender Justice and UnRestrict MN. Erin Maye Quade and Abena Abraham share their firsthand experiences on how the landscape has shifted since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and what cumulative actions we can all take to embrace this new, post-Roe terrain.Additional Resources & References:Facebook Gave Police Data to Prosecute a Nebraska TeenagerLaw Professor Interrupts senator

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40:33

Big Gay Group Project

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/09/20

We take a bite out of student conference planning with Lulu, Daleelah and Abby, three student leaders from Ohio who’ve dedicated ample time to planning the 30th annual Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Asexual College Conference.We kick off season three talking about the process of coordinating the largest and oldest continuously-held conference for queer and trans+ college students and young adults, what attendees can expect at MBLGTACC 2022, and what the students have learned about

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48:38

Right On, Cuee

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/06/21

We take a bite out of hip-hop and music making with Cuee, a Black trans artist based in Lawrence, Kansas. We chat about his shift from higher education into a full-time music career, how creating music can be a tool for exploring identity, and the invaluable role community plays in establishing art. To check out Cuee’s work, head to cueemusic.com. You can also follow him on Instagram and TikTok or stream his content on Spotify and Apple Music. Find out more about the Haus Of McCoy in

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70:47

I Guess I'll Vote *shrug*

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/06/07

We take a bite out of progressive voter guides with Stephanie Skora, author of the "Girl, I Guess Progressive Voter Guide" that provides public education to voters in Illinois’s Cook County. We chat about the hesitancy of leftists/progressives/radicals to participate in electoral politics, how voter guides can be used as an accountability tool for politicians, and how voting is one tool of many in our social change toolbox.Some additional resources from this episode: One LGBTQ+ Indigenous

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62:20

Why Are We Talking about Sports? [redux]

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/05/24

We take (another) bite out of the trans policy issues surrounding anti-trans legislation targeting participation in sports. We’ve pulled the audio from our queer policy event from July 2021 for this special episode as we continue to monitor the impact of these policies in current time. This discussion between Katie Barnes, espn feature writer; Chris Mosier, Olympic Trials athlete and founder of TransAthlete.com; and Naomi Goldberg, deputy director and LGBTQ program director at the Movement

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63:46

Taking Care of the Electrified Meat We Inhabit

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/05/10

We take a bite out of queer and trans affirming healthcare with Asher Wickell (they/he) a family & marriage therapist based in Wichita, KS. We get philosophical in our exploration of what healing looks like in the face of perpetual harm, how the pandemic has unearthed realizations about the flaws in our healthcare systems, and what a future of affirming care could look like when the current system becomes obsolete. Additional resources & references from this episode: The Care We

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71:52

Making the Personal Political, Locally

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/04/26

We take a bite out of local politics with Oprah Jrenal and Azrin Awal, who both ran for city council positions in their respective municipalities in Fall 2021. We chat about their motivations to run, how community played a huge role in their campaigns, and how the complexity of local politics plays into creating lasting change. ★ Support this podcast ★

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80:35

Binders, Bridesmaid Dresses, and Burritos

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/04/12

We take a bite out of ALL things gender in this roundtable discussion with four members of the Midwest Institute for Sexuality & Gender Diversity team. We share our earliest memories of questioning gender, overcoming feeling like trans imposters, and what our hopes are for upcoming generations of trans, nonbinary and intersex youth. Resources mentioned in this episode’s intro: National Center for Trans Equality’s blog post about federal administration policy changes supporting trans

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48:49

Trans Joy, in a Meadow, with Daffodils and a Ribeye

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/03/29

What does justice smell like? What does a liberated future taste like? Black trans queer artist, scholar, educator, and dreamer TK Morton (ze/zir) has a vision all mapped out and at the center of it all is joy. We chat about seeking daily joy, the importance of seeing trans folks with different body types, and visualizing trans joy using all the senses.To learn more about TK’s work around trans joy, check out https://www.tkmorton.com/ or find zir on TikTok and InstagramContent creators

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69:25

Let’s Get Down to (Queer) Business

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/03/15

Our guest’s work is centered around getting people to change their mind. Coach Bastian is a writer, speaker, and personal development coach supporting queer and trans entrepreneurs on well-being and mindset. We chat about building queer capital, embracing failure as a learning opportunity, and how to stay true to your vision without worrying about pleasing everybody else. To learn more about Coach Bastian’s personal development coaching, check out https://www.coachbastian.co/ or follow him

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68:52

You're Allowed to Fire Your Therapist

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/03/01

We take a bite of queer-affirming therapy with Colton Schoenike (they/them,), M.S., MFT-IT, a training marriage and family therapist based in Menominee, Wisconsin. We talk about protips for queer and trans folks seeking affirming therapists, the continued gatekeeping of trans folks seeking biomedical transitions, and what to do when you just don't vibe with your therapist and how amazing it is when you do. More resources related to queer affirming therapy are available on our website.If you

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6:53

That's a wrap on season 1

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/01/20

TA-DA! We're putting a bow on our first season as host R.B. Brooks (they/them) reflects on the conversations from this season. We welcome your feedback and ideas for season two at lastbite@sgdinstitute.org.

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60:55

Small bites: Ferrets, farming, and fat kid food

Take the Last Bite ·

2022/01/04

In 2021, what has brought you the most joy or taught you the greatest lessons? In part two of this "small bites" series, we reflect on these questions and more as we discuss ferrets (1:27), farming (20:13), and fat kid food (40:46). Enjoy these bite sized bits of pet shaming, futurity planning, and recipe recommendations. ★ Support this podcast ★

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65:04

Small bites: Animation, grief, and the gay outdoors

Take the Last Bite ·

2021/12/21

In 2021, what has brought you the most joy or taught you the greatest lessons? In part one of this "small bites" series, we reflect on these questions and more as we discuss quirky, queer animated characters (2:46), collective grief and learning through loss (23:08), and building a relationship with wilderness in the gay outdoors (47:18). Be sure to come back for another serving of small bites on January 4. ★ Support this podcast ★

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99:15

Just(ice) joking with Hayden Kristal

Take the Last Bite ·

2021/12/07

Prepare your diaphragm for some deep belly laughs! Comedian and intersectional accessibility educator Hayden Kristal talks about the craft of writing a good joke, the need for comedy to "punch up" to prevent harm against marginalized communities, and how social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have become key tools for content creators to reach wider audiences during the pandemic. ★ Support this podcast ★

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