Our Story

In 2022, Daphne started HRT and began her transition. In January of 2023, she came out publicly and experienced a series of fallout, loss, and discouragement. Having been raised Mormon and already in the process of leaving that church, podcasts had played a huge role in helping her deconstruct previously held beliefs and better understand herself.

But when it came to transitioning — especially living in Idaho at the time — resources felt incredibly limited. Finding honest, approachable conversations about the transgender experience was difficult. And trust us, she looked.

Fast-forward to mid-2024. After moving to Portland, Daphne wandered down the street to a local dive bar for karaoke night. After singing a song, Bear walked over and introduced himself. The two immediately clicked and quickly became close friends. That very first night, Bear casually mentioned that one of his lifelong goals was to start a podcast.

At the time, Daphne was already building out a broadcasting setup, though the idea of doing long-form conversations had mostly been shelved. Instead, she had become the broadcaster for a local women’s professional football team and brought Bear on as a technical assistant. During the season, Daphne developed her broadcasting skills while Bear helped behind the scenes as a technical assistant, giving the two hands-on experience running live productions together,  unknowingly building the foundation for what would later become Transplaining . 

Then things took a turn.

After the football season ended, Daphne experienced a devastating mental health downturn that resulted in a hospital stay. While there, she listened to an episode of the The Mel Robbins Podcast featuring Dr. Martha Beck called “How to Find Your Purpose & Design the Life You Want.” That conversation would end up changing everything.

She left the hospital with one clear decision:
She was going to start a podcast.

Not just any podcast, either. The goal was to create the kind of resource she desperately needed when she first came out — honest conversations, accessible information, personal stories, difficult topics, and a space where people could feel less alone. Inspired by the podcasts that once helped her navigate faith deconstruction and self-discovery, she began outlining ideas for what this could become.

Within an hour, she had filled an entire notebook.

The first thing Daphne said when she saw Bear again was:
“Bear, we’re going to start a podcast.”

Once the shock wore off, Bear was all in.

Because they already had much of the equipment and production experience, everything moved quickly. Just two weeks later, they recorded their very first episode, and Trans-plaining officially began.

Since then, the growth of the project — and the response from listeners — has been more meaningful than either of them ever expected. Along the way, they’ve continued learning alongside their audience, expanding their understanding of the trans community, healthcare, identity, and the importance of open conversation.

What started as two friends with microphones has grown into something much larger: a growing platform focused on education, understanding, support, and community. Their goal remains simple — to bring people together, challenge misinformation, create space for honest dialogue, and allow transgender people to tell their own stories in their own words.

We hope these conversations help others the same way similar conversations once helped Daphne.

And as always,
Welcome to the Family.