About Us → News & Events Stigma Warrior: Meet Clare McCarthy

Meet today's Stigma warrior, Clare McCarthy.

• Tell us a little about yourself

After thirty-three years as a Latin teacher, I made the decision to take early retirement and set up Transqat Enterprises, a trans/queer advocacy business. Transqat stands for respectful conversations, for open minds and open hearts, for a better understanding. We stand against bigotry, willful ignorance, and fear-mongering.  

• Why do you think it’s important to stand up to stigma and discrimination?

The recent presidential election offered a clear choice for American voters. One candidate built his appeal on attacking and demeaning marginalized groups. He was lauded for it, and he won decisively.

Yes, inflation and the Middle East played their roles. But it would be wrong to ignore the fact that America is mired in racism, misogyny, homophobia, and xenophobia. When they say, “Take America Back,” they mean they want to put these groups back in their closets, teach them their place and the cost of standing up.

And so we stand.

• How do you fight stigma in your own life?

I am the producer and host of Transqat the Podcast. The show is a series of long-form conversations with a wide variety of queer and trans people. I’ve spoken with legal and political leaders; health care and mental health care professionals; faith leaders; artists, authors, and filmmakers; parents, activists, and Chion Wolf. Along the way, the show also became a venue for queer people to tell their stories.

New episodes arrive three times per month and can be found at the website, the YouTube channel and everywhere podcasts are available.

I also apply my experience as an educator to educational public speaking presentations. We need allies if we’re to stand against the rising tide of transphobia and homophobia. I use lived experience, humor, and honesty to build the bridges we need to potential allies.

• What is your advice to anyone facing stigma and discrimination within their community?

The queer community is famously fractious and has been since the days of homophile societies like the Daughters of Bilitis and the Mattachine Society. The cultural conversation of the moment about gender expansive folx ruffles the feathers of many who feel that LGBTQ+ would be better off if it had stopped at LGB. 

Love is love is easy to understand. So is marriage equality. We need to rethink the way gender is assigned at birth is not. Trans athletes, bathroom access, and gender affirming health care are complex issues. Hence, many outside the community and some within would prefer to stick to simpler topics.

And so we stand.

• What is one word that best describes you when you are living as your true authentic self?

Unafraid