After an unplanned hiatus, Elle talks about the learned nature of gender, how gender is socialized, and the validity of gender and sex being changed and performed. She talks about the reasons we might choose to do gender in different ways, including safety, joy, and internal personality alignment.

Some of the resources and additional materials referenced and recommended from this episode include:

• Abigail Thorn from Philosophy Tube on Judith Butler's ⁠Philosophy (ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANCE)
• Dylan Mulvaney - Days of Girlhood
• Lizzo - "Like a Girl"
• Judith Butler and Gender Trouble. Another piece by Judy in a recent NYT article.
• Fucking Harrison Butker and his Sexist Speech

Reach out to Elle at twatpodcasting@gmail.com with questions, constructive feedback, and questions.

To learn about what psychotherapy with Elle might look like, please visit her website: https://estherloewen.com/ and click "Therapy".

In this week's installment, Elle talks about a recent tattoo she got commemorating her graduation from therapy school. In addition, she reflects on some of the history and conversation in and around body modifications, including the perjorative accusation of "mutilation". Elle references her tattoo artist, Adrianne Marcella, as well as the work that she got done on her forearm for her transition ceremony in 2022 (read more here).

Please take a minute to send Elle an email at twatpodcasting@gmail.com to ask questions, make constructive suggestions, or name possible guests.

To inquire about psychotherapy with Elle, please fill out a request form on her website at: www.estherloewen.com

On this episode, Elle brings back her book report format, exploring her reactions and thoughts about Taylor Jenkins Reid's masterful novel, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Among the themes included in this monologue are: reflections on allyship, the difficulty of being in the closet, how names and labels for the queer experience have changed over the years, the ways in which the dangers and societal expectations have shifted in even the last 70 years, the importance of feminism, and the fabulous and informative podcast "Bad Gays".

Many thanks for tuning in to the program, for your constructive feedback, and encouragement. Continue to send it to twatpodcasting@gmail.com.

If you'd like to become one of Elle's clients in therapy, and you are in the state of California, please reach out to her on her website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.estherloewen.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ and click on "Therapy".