Podcasts

Linda Thomas-Fowler has taken on the task of highlighting the issues and showing the facts to help us all understand the affects the policies will have on the LGBTQ+ communities.

Shenandoah County VA, where PFLAG Woodstock VA  is located is highlighted in this podcast by Linda Thomas-Fowler. The gender identity policy in Shenandoah County will harm students and put them at risk of harming themselves.

Linda Thomas-Fowler helps us to understand the Executive Order that Trump has signed against Transgender individuals.

Linda Thomas-Fowler addresses Trump’s EO concerning transgender individuals in the military

There are reports in The Advocate and LGBTQ Nation that a post on social media falsely accused Virginia Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer Jo Ellis of piloting the Black Hawk helicopter that crashed into the American Eagle airplane near National Airport. These reports are false

A judge has blocked the housing of transgender female inmates with the male prison population. It’s a small step but it’s good news!

This episode is about Trump’s fourth executive order targeting transgender people. This time it’s through education. The order attacks diversity in education in broad scope but some of the order is specifically targeting the accommodation of transgender students in schools.

This video updates you on the vote taken on the proposed policy changes that were presented by Gloria Carlineo.

In this episode we talk to a local man who is able to share his journey  to becoming an ally to the LGBTQ community and what that looks like. Jason Ritenour is our treasurer at PFLAG Woodstock and he hopes that his ability to share his journey will spur others to come forward and inspire them to help speak out about the discrimination that we are seeing in both local and national policies. We are grateful so for Jason!!!!!!!

This episode takes the commonly used bible verses that people use to form opinions about transgender people and uses logic to discuss them along with the implications that it has on trans lives.

In this episode, we talk with Annalise, who explains asexuality and the broad spectrum of ways this can apply to people.

Many states and Donald Trump’s first executive order seem to ban transgender people from the appropriate bathroom. In this video we explore the consequences of these bills and how they affect all people, not just transgender ones.

Although this episode is about what is happening in the Shenandoah County, Virginia public school system, these same issues are happening all over the country. We must expose the bias at the heart of these issues to protect our transgender friends and family.

If you live in or have family going to school in Shenandoah County or you have information about how policies like this have hurt people where you live, please write to them to let them now how harmful these policies are.

You can find their contact info here:

https://www.shenandoah.k12.va.us/en-u…

Here are links to the three proposed changes to policy INB they considered:

Draft 1: https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/shenand…

Draft 2: https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/shenand…

Draft 3: https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/shenand…

Ultimately, draft 2, was voted in as the new policy. While this is a slight improvement over the existing policy, it still has an unjustified ban.

This ban needs to be repealed.

Get your tissue box….

Welcome to Episode 19 of The Spectrum! In this special Pride Month episode, recorded on June 6, 2025, we dive into the powerful origins and ongoing importance of LGBT+ Pride. Join us as we explore:

• What Pride truly means: It’s not about arrogance, but about honesty and the unwavering refusal to be ashamed of who you are. We discuss why this concept of pride differs from negative interpretations often heard.
• The historical roots of Pride: Discover the early 20th-century organizations like the Society for Human Rights, the Mattachine Society, and the Daughters of Bilitis that paved the way for LGBT+ rights.
• The catalyst: The Stonewall Uprising: We break down the events of June 28, 1969, in Greenwich Village, New York City, and how a police raid on the Stonewall Inn sparked a new era of gay liberation. Learn about the dangerous context for LGBT+ individuals in the 1960s and the bravery that led to the riots.
• From riots to celebration: How the “Christopher Street Liberation Day” and subsequent marches transformed into the vibrant Pride celebrations we know today, expanding globally.
• The enduring fight for visibility: While significant progress has been made, we discuss the current challenges, particularly for transgender people, and why continued visibility and allyship are crucial.
• Why your support matters: For straight, cisgender allies, learn how you can stand in solidarity with the LGBT+ community and why your voice is more important than ever.

If you want to learn more about the history of Pride, check out these resources: https://www.history.com/articles/prid… https://www.loc.gov/ghe/cascade/index… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewa… https://www.nyclgbtsites.org/site/sto…

https://youtu.be/jskvJzy1b6c?si=YWf2CuDRLXJCI_bH

The Spectrum Website