Meet Toniii. The Icon. The Legend.

Transgender School

We’re so excited to have Toniii join us on today's episode. We discuss labels, gender-bending self-expression, drag, media representation, the need for role models in the LGBTQ+ community (especially black and brown queer folks), overcoming difficult circumstances, and improving outcomes for foster youth by providing access to diverse experiences.

Toniii is the host of the Tea Time with Toniii podcast, where he discusses a lively variety of popular and current topics, including reviews of RuPaul's Drag Race. Toniii recently earned his bachelor's degree in Recreation and Tourism Management from California State University, Northridge, which is where he met Bridget when he was a student in her speech class. As you’ll hear, Toniii has dedicated a great deal of time and energy to volunteer work and being of service helping others who also grew up in underserved communities and are members of marginalized groups.

Throughout our conversation, Toniii openly shares his background with us, which includes being born into the foster care system. He also conveys his strong desire to support and be a role model for fellow members of the LGBTQ+ community and foster youth. We talk about how Toniii doesn’t fit neatly into the labels for gender expression and how cisgender people sometimes struggle with understanding the individuality of gender expression.

Toniii tells us about his unique podcast, we establish a clear distinction between being and striving to be an ally, and we highlight the importance of increasing the visibility of role models in the LGBTQ+ community to inspire and guide younger generations.

Some Questions We Ask:

Tell us about you. Who are you, and what do we need to know about you? (4:02)

Could you talk about your experiences as a camp counselor for foster kids? (9:45)

What would you say to people who ask: "What are you? How do you define yourself"? (20:42)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

The importance of solidarity and empathy for other people's needs (7:02)

The importance of role models and inspiring stories for kids in the foster care system (14:15)

Toniii shares his thoughts on labels and talks about his gender-bending dressing style (18:39)

Toniii describes his feelings about the behavioral boxes cisgender people put LGBTQ+ community members into (23:38)

What it means to be an ally (33:27)

Connect with Toniii

Tea Time with Toniii podcast

Instagram

Twitter

Tik Tok

Beacons page

Connect with Jackie and Bridget:

Transgender Support: Becoming a True Ally Video Course on Vimeo

Transgender School Patreon Membership with all exclusive content

Transgender School on Medium

Instagram

Website

---

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.