Trans 101: How to Be an Ally Without Making It Weird

Trans 101: How to Be an Ally Without Making It Weird

From Taboo Science by Ashley Hamer Pritchard

March 5, 2026 · 37 min · Season 5 · Episode 10

About this episode

Diversity consultant Davey Shlasko discusses how to be a genuine ally to trans people without making it awkward.

Good intentions, it turns out, are not the same thing as good allyship — and sometimes they can actually make things worse. In this season finale, diversity consultant Davey Shlasko breaks down the unconscious assumptions that make pronouns harder than they should be, why trying harder often backfires, and what being a genuine ally actually looks like in practice. Woven through his advice, you'll hear from the community voices you've met all season talking about what it feels like to be on the receiving end. We cover the science of why you "miscategorize" trans people, how to recover from misgendering without making it about yourself, and how to show up for trans people even when there are no trans people in the room. Plus: a pronoun exercise that is genuinely kind of fun. If you've listened to this whole season, this episode is where it all lands. Resources from Davey Shlasko: Trans Allyship Workbook: https://bookshop.org/p/books/trans-allyship-workbook-building-skills-to-support-trans-people-in-our-lives-davey-shlasko/3f4e67304056522a Think Again Training: https://www.thinkagaintraining.com/ Citations & transcript…

People in this episode

Host: Ashley Hamer Pritchard

Guest: Davey Shlasko

Topics covered

  • allyship
  • trans rights
  • pronouns
  • diversity
  • community support

Keywords

  • allyship
  • transgender
  • pronouns
  • misgendering
  • support

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Trans Allyship Workbook, Think Again Training

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