Trans Joy // RE-RUN: Geena Rocero's Memoir "Horse Barbie"

How can you reclaim your truth and your power?We’re diving into Horse Barbie, Geena Rocero’s radiant and illuminating memoir that shows her journey from a one-room home in Manila, Philippians, to trans pageants, from the perfume counter at Macy’s to New York fashion sets, and from private, suffocating, fear to a TED Talk that reframed transness as power. Along the way, we discuss her father’s complicated love, her mother’s unwavering belief and reflect on what can spark when the people who matter most tell you there’s nothing wrong with you. Geena’s story and memoir widens from personal to political: pre-colonial history without gendered pronouns, the costs of documentation that doesn’t match your face, and the power of her viral TED Talk to turn shame into strength. We sit with the big questions: Why is femininity seen as a threat? How do entertainment and policy diverge? What changes when a community moves from visibility to rights? By the end, Horse Barbie reads like a manual for courage. It shows how story becomes strategy and how one woman’s voice can help many step out of the shadows.If you care about trans rights, immigration, pageant culture, modeling, or the way love can change a life, this conversation brings nuance, warmth, and a clear takeaway: policy matters, family matters, and stories move hearts faster than arguments ever will. If the conversation resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs a hopeful, human lens on trans life and advocacy.For the extended discussion of this episode (an additional 24 min), subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Patreon.Support the show:Buy us a bookBuy cute merchBuy Horse BarbieOther Links:Evan Hurst substackThis episode is produced, recorded, and its content edited by me.Special thanks to my dear friend, Jaime! Xx, AlexConnect with us and suggest a great memoir!Follow us on instagram! @babesinbooklandpod Timestamps!00:21: Intro Buy Geena Rocero's Memoir Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.