When musician and educator Nick Lawrence shared his story with me, I understood “transgender” like never before. His album “I Am a Man” is about his personal journey.

In original songs and in our intimate conversation, he dives deep into emotional, physical and medical details, demystifying the transition process with passion, grace and and a healthy dose of humor. Nick includes tips for people considering transition and for parents who may be wondering about their kids.

We also hear three songs from I Am A Man on this extended Out in the Bay, including “I’m Still Your Mother,” an emotional, soulful ballad about being estranged from his daughter because of his transition, and “Before (I Became a Man),” an upbeat celebratory number.

Nick was a college and foster-parent educator on LGBTQ topics for many years and is now a singer-songwriter and family coach. You can find Nick’s music on most streaming platforms by searching for “Nick Lawrence FTM.” He also has a children’s book – for parents too – called “I Am A Boy.” Find info on his website: https://nicklawrenceftm.com

(Note: Our discussion is quite frank and includes some graphic surgical details.)

Please help us keep bringing LGBTQ news, voices and stories to the world by making a tax-deductible donation.* Out in the Bay Queer Radio + Podcast is an independent production. We receive no funds from podcast platforms, NPR, nor radio stations that air Out in the Bay weekly. We rely on listener support.*

Sound design and editing for this edition of Out in the Bay by David Kwan and Lusen Mendel. This NPR-compliant version of our feature on Nick Lawrence was produced in March 2023. We present it to you again now as KALW and KSFP-LP in San Francisco rebroadcast similar versions this month (June, 2024).

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