"I was just existing." That's how Addison Radcliff describes childhood — before the world started handing her labels she never asked for.

In this episode of Be the Glitter, host Laura Paisley Beck sits down with Addison Radcliff — Dane County realtor, board member for Advocates for Transgender Equality, and a woman who's been navigating the world as her authentic self since third grade.

Addison opens up about realizing her identity before she had the words for it, the complicated relationship with a biological father who responded to her identity with violence, the mom who became her fiercest advocate, and why "if you can't love yourself, you can't love somebody else" isn't just a cliché — it's survival. She also gets into what real allyship looks like (and where it goes wrong), and why trans rights, reproductive rights, and healthcare access are more connected than most people realize.

This conversation moves through hard truths and real joy — because that's what Be the Glitter is all about: tough topics, told with heart, that leave you with something that sticks.

Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro & Meet Addison Radcliff 0:25 – Realtor by day, advocate at heart 1:47 – Coming and going as "Addison" in elementary school 3:44 – Starting hormones at 14 & living out loud in high school 5:02 – Her mom: the ultimate advocate 7:31 – Realizing her identity before she had the words for it 11:40 – The relationship with her biological father 16:20 – Choosing to walk away for her own safety 17:05 – "If you can't love yourself..." — self-love as survival 18:55 – Building her own chosen family 22:26 – Be the Glitter: what it means to Addison 23:49 – When allies get it wrong 26:56 – Trans rights, reproductive rights & why they're connected 30:20 – Advice for anyone finding their authentic self 31:20 – Gratitude & shoutouts 36:20 – Closing thoughts

If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who needs it. Follow and subscribe to help us build a community rooted in compassionate curiosity.

🔗 All the links for Wa'am — https://linktr.ee/waamwrites

🔗 Connect with Addison Radcliff: https://aradcliffe.starkhomes.com/

🔗 Learn more about Advocates for Transgender Equality: https://transequality.org

🎵 Music provided by Chillhop Music https://chillhop.ffm.to/creatorcred

#BeTheGlitter #TransVoices #LGBTQ #Allyship #TransRights #SelfLove #Authenticity #TransgenderJourney

🎙️ Be the Glitter: Kammie Flips the Script and Interviews ME

In this special role-reversal episode, my guest Kamryn Fraser decided she wasn't going to let me get away with just asking the questions this time. She turns the mic around and interviews me — so you get to hear a lot more about my own story than usual, including the dark place that led me to OPEN Foundation, why safe spaces matter so much to me personally, and what it really means to be an ally.

💫 KEY TOPICS:

• Why safe spaces matter — and what it's like living without them
• How community and self-love create a "ripple effect" of confidence and joy
• The Watertown HS Wind Symphony story — standing up when a school board banned a piece honoring Marsha P. Johnson
• How OPEN Foundation's affirming career fairs are changing lives (90% of one event's applicants were trans or non-binary)
• The dark spiral that led me to found my path with OPEN Foundation
• What allyship actually looks like — small, simple, everyday acts
• Kammie's journey navigating identity as a kid of the '70s, and reclaiming her name

🌈 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Omar Thomas — composer of "A Mother of a Revolution," dedicated to Marsha P. Johnson
• Watertown High School Wind Symphony concert (hosted by Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church)
• OPEN Foundation's "Ready, Set, Glow" affirming career fair
• Skipping Stone Foundation (Calgary) — support for trans people
• Sponsor: New Valley Labs — hello@newvalleylabs.com

⏱️ TIME MARKERS: (placeholders — adjust to your final edit) 0:00 – Intro & welcome 1:30 – "If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?" 6:00 – Why safe spaces matter 14:30 – Sponsor message: New Valley Labs 15:30 – Self-love, community & the "ripple effect" of joy 18:00 – The Watertown Wind Symphony story 26:00 – OPEN Foundation's origin story & "Ready, Set, Glow" 33:00 – Subscribe/share reminder 34:00 – Kammie's story: identity, allyship & small acts of kindness 44:00 – Wrap-up & what's next (listener Q&A idea!)

Ready to Be the Glitter? Add some SASS (Share And Subscribe Support) to spread these life-changing conversations. PLEASE BE ADVISED THERE MAY BE SWEARWORDS ON SOME EPISODES.

Music provided by Chillhop Music: https://chillhop.ffm.to/creatorcred 📖 Read my debut novel: https://www.waamwritesllc.com/book-page 💌 Newsletter: https://waamwrites-newsletter.beehiiv.com 🔗 Everything: linktr.ee/waamwrites

#BeTheGlitter #LGBTQPodcast #AuthenticStories #RepresentationMatters #QueerJoy #Allyship #SafeSpaces #TransRights

Would you like to sponsor Be the Glitter? Check out our new sponsor levels and purchase one today! https://www.waamwritesllc.com/podcast

Welcome to Be the Glitter, where we talk about tough topics with giggles and leave inspiration that sticks. In this episode, we talk about one of the sticky subjects that pops up in Pride Month: DEI.

What if the training meant to reduce bias was quietly making it worse?

Dr. William Cox is a social psychologist with a PhD from UW-Madison, founder of the nonprofit Inequity Agents of Change, and author of the new book Overcoming Bias Habits: An Evidence-Based Guide to Creating a Joyfully Inclusive World. He has spent 20 years developing and testing bias reduction methods through more than a dozen randomized controlled studies. In this episode:

✨ Why giving people information is one of the worst ways to change behavior

✨ How some DEI training causes managers to avoid colleagues of color

✨ The zip code story that will make your jaw drop

✨ Equality vs. equity — explained with one perfect example

✨ Why diverse joy is a scientifically proven tool for reducing bias

Resrouces mentioned:

📚 Book: Search "Overcoming Bias Habits" everywhere books are sold

🎙️ Podcast: Diverse Joy (top 5% of all podcasts worldwide) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/diverse-joy/id1692372910

🔗 Free resources + training: www.biashabit.com

Music provided by Chillhop Music Aviino - Hotel Lobby Birthday Party https://chll.to/1ac17f01

A Special Thanks to Be The Glitter's Sponsor, New Valley Labs, Where Founders Bloom! https://www.newvalleylabs.com

Music provided by Chillhop Music Venuz Beats, Bao - Circles https://chll.to/8af1d579

For more from Wa'am: https://linktr.ee/waamwrites

#DEI #BiasTraining #DiverseJoy #OvercomingBias #BeTheGlitter #Inclusion #SocialPsychology #WorkplaceInclusion #LGBTQ #evidencebasedpractice