Shows
The Daily BeansCharlotte’s Angels (feat. Charlotte Clymer)Tuesday, July 29th, 2025Today, Senators Durbin and Whitehouse demand tapes of Todd Blanche’s witness tampering meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell; a Texas man sues a California doctor testing a new angle to crack down on abortion pills; another federal judge blocks the Trump administrations attempts to defund Planned Parenthood; Democrat Roy Cooper launches a bid for the North Carolina Senate seat while Republican Mike Collins throws his hat in the ring to challenge Ossoff in Georgi;, Lauren Boebert’s son has been charged with child abuse; Doctor Phil’s anti-woke network files for bankruptcy; in a landmark ruling...
2025-07-2958 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsChat with Allison Gill (MuellerSheWrote) About the New PopeHey folks, this evening, I joined my dear friend Allison Gill (MuellerSheWrote) for a lively discussion about Pope Leo XIV, the new head of the Catholic Church. We discussed his politics and ideology, the shadow of the sex abuse scandals of the Church, and why this new pontiff is a direct opponent of Trump’s worldview.Earlier today, I published this piece about the rightwing outrage directed at the new pope — basically, that these folks are never happy. Check it out.Thank you Reda Rountree (she/her), Kim B., A. Hofferkamp, Joanne, MagnaAnimus, and many others for tuni...
2025-05-1030 min
Broccoli and Ice Cream with Myq KaplanCharlotte Clymer and Good Faith ConversationsCharlotte Clymer! Writer! Activist! Friend! Delight! More! Charlotte is a writer, activist, communications consultant, and military veteran. She writes about politics, religion, and culture in the award-winning Substack newsletter "Charlotte's Web Thoughts," which was recognized in 2024 with Best News/Political Blog by Editor & Publisher Magazine and for Excellence in Blogging by the National Gay & Lesbian Journalists Association. She has been widely published and quoted by numerous national and international outlets on topics ranging from foreign policy to gun reform to trans rights. She serves on several non-profit boards, including Voices for Progress and Victory Fund. In 2023, she...
2025-04-3048 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsMy Convo With Shannon Watts on the Schumer Crisis[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com. And if this is too big of a commitment, I’m always thankful for a simple cup of coffee.]This evening, I sat down with my dear friend, the brilliant Shannon Watts, author of the Playing with Fire Substack (among many other hats), for a live discussion on why we both strongly believe the time has come for Sen. Chuc...
2025-03-2336 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsMy Conversation With Julie Roginsky[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com. And if this is too big of a commitment, I’m always thankful for a simple cup of coffee.]Last night, I spoke with Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky, author of Salty Politics, longtime political commentator, and founder of Lift Our Voices.For ninety minutes, we had a frank discussion on trans rights, the state of the Democratic Part...
2025-03-071h 28
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsMy Live Chat w/ Shannon WattsI had the great pleasure of chatting with my dear friend, the incomparable, brilliant, and wonderful Shannon Watts, about the, um, state of Democratic politics at the moment.And I promise, despite all the things, y’all will feel a bit better after watching.Also: subscribe to Shannon’s blog. She’s a gem.Charlotte's Web Thoughts is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/su...
2025-02-0445 min
Firestarters with Shannon WattsShannon Watts and Charlotte Clymer on the state of activism and politicsToday I spoke with Charlotte Clymer about the state of activism and politics in America, how we got here, why it can change quickly, and ways everyday citizens can force their elected leaders to fight back against fascism … NOW. Mentioned in this conversation is my Substack piece on the ways we can put public pressure on Democrats.And be sure you’re following Charlotte’s Substack, Charlotte’s Web Thoughts, for politics, religion, culture, and humor. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access t...
2025-02-0445 min
Sixth & I LIVEHeather Cox Richardson, historian and author, with Charlotte ClymerOn the occasion of the paperback release of Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America, historian Heather Cox Richardson shares an urgent call to action about the precarious state of American democracy, charting its historical challenges and current threats. In conversation with Charlotte Clymer, a writer, communications consultant, transgender activist, and author of the Charlotte’s Web Thoughts newsletter on Substack. This program was held on October 31, 2024 in partnership with Politics and Prose.
2024-12-061h 11
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsDear Mr. Bezos[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com.]Dear Mr. Bezos: We’ve read the explanation you published this evening for your decision to kill The Washington Post’s presidential endorsement.We don't believe you. At all. We don't think this is about encouraging news neutrality or building trust or fighting disinformation or competing against indie media. You know why?
2024-10-2903 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsThe Show I'll Never Watch Again[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com.]Hurricane Milton is currently poised to slam into the western side of Florida in a matter of hours. It will be one of the strongest hurricanes to ever make landfall in the United States, putting the lives of many millions at risk.President Biden had led an extraordinary operation by the federal government to prepare, as best it...
2024-10-1004 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsI Really Don't Care About Your Marriage[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com. And if this is too big of a commitment, I’m always thankful for a simple cup of coffee.]It always amuses me when some folks who are into hyper-traditional marriages claim that progressives are out to destroy them or that we’re somehow offended by their existence.Folks, I don't know how else to tell you this...
2024-09-0404 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsHow We Revere the Medal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is so revered that it's the only decoration specially emblazoned on headstones in Arlington National Cemetery. The Medal of Honor is so revered that when an Active Duty recipient wears it in uniform, it is customary, though not technically required, for all officers, no matter their seniority, to initiate a salute. If a buck sergeant is in uniform and wearing their Medal of Honor, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will more than likely salute first. The Medal of Honor is so revered that the children of...
2024-08-1702 min
Their Future. Our Pod.Their Future. Our Pod. Episode 07: Charlotte ClymerOn the 7th episode of Their Future. Our Pod., Annie sits down with Charlotte Clymer. Charlotte Clymer is a writer, communications consultant, transgender activist, and military veteran.She writes “Charlotte’s Web Thoughts,” a popular Substack newsletter about politics, religion, and culture. It has been named a finalist for Outstanding Blog at the 2023 and 2024 GLAAD Media Awards, featured at the 2022 SXSW Conference & Festival, and will be anthologized in a forthcoming textbook for young writers by W. W. Norton & CoShe was most recently named to the 13th class of political fellows at the George...
2024-07-3130 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsRemarks to Women for Harris National Organizing Call[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com. And if this is too big of a commitment, I’m always thankful for a simple cup of coffee.]Last night, I was honored and delighted to join a phenomenal group of brilliant leaders and hundreds of thousands of women across the country in support of the Vice President on the first Women for Harris National Organizing Call.Yo...
2024-07-3006 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsI Shouldn't Need to Have Children to Matter[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com. And if this is too big of a commitment, I’m always thankful for a simple cup of coffee.]I’m 37, which means I’m in a period of my life in which many of my friends—if not most of them—either have kids or plan to have kids. And I love it. I love to see the joy...
2024-07-2508 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsPres. Biden Needs to Campaign on Expanding the Supreme Court[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com. And if this is too big of a commitment, I’m always thankful for a simple cup of coffee.]This morning, the extremist conservative majority on the Supreme Court ruled that a former president has absolute immunity for their “core constitutional powers” but not unofficial acts. What is official versus unofficial is murky, and SCOTUS declined to strictly...
2024-07-0107 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsThe Curious Cowardice of Josh Brecheen[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com. And if this is too big of a commitment, I’m always thankful for a simple cup of coffee.]Yesterday, Republican Congressman Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma stood on the floor of the U.S. House in support of his amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which you probably know best as the legislation that funds our Defense Depa...
2024-06-1404 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsMy Remarks at the Texas Democratic Convention[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com. And if this is too big of a commitment, I’m always thankful for a simple cup of coffee.]I spent this weekend in El Paso at the 2024 Texas Democratic Convention, and it was a breath of fresh air just to be around Texas Democrats. The excitement, the passion, the values, the pride, and the unyielding commitment were on full...
2024-06-1002 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsRemarks to Bonneville County Democrats in Idaho[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com. And yes, I am available for Pride Month speaking engagements. And if all this is too big a commitment, I’m always thankful for a simple cup of coffee.]This past weekend, I was invited to deliver the keynote speech at the Bonneville County Democratic Party’s annual Truman Dinner in Idaho Falls, Idaho. It was my first time visiti...
2024-05-2117 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsHighlights and Gratitude from Another Year of Chaos[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com.]Friends, as I write this, the country is savoring every second of these last 72 hours of the traditional holiday break. The next twelve months are widely expected to be history-shaping and globally pivotal on an unprecedented level. How tired have y’all become of hearing that? The same thing, more or less, has been said about each of t...
2023-12-3114 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsOpinions I've Formed This YearTomorrow is my 37th birthday, and oddly enough, it feels like both a decade and a week since my last birthday. I spent my 36th birthday flying cross-country to a conference in San Francisco whilst simultaneously raising money for Running Start’s HBCU Summit, one of my favorite non-profits. Much to my astonishment, by the time I landed in the early evening, y’all had raised more than $20k for young women in politics. (Thank you!) I’ll be doing another fundraiser for them tomorrow.Although I typically use this blog/newsletter to publish essays, I want...
2023-10-1103 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsHamas Does Not Care About PalestiniansEarly this morning, the terrorist group Hamas launched the broadest attack on Israel in five decades, murdering at least 250 Israeli civilians, wounding thousands, taking many hostage, including children, on a Jewish holiday and on Shabbat, it would seem intentionally so, all of which amounts to what many experts are calling Israel’s 9/11.Today’s coordinated attack on Israeli civilians by Hamas is not about protecting Palestinian civilians. It’s about degrading and dehumanizing Jewish people. Let’s be very clear about that.This is not about keeping Palestinian children safe. This is not about preventing further...
2023-10-0703 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsNancy Pelosi Only Made It Look Easy[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com. And yes, I do speaking engagements.]This afternoon, Kevin McCarthy became the first Speaker of the House to be ousted from that position following a motion to vacate that was filed last night by Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.Gaetz needed only six GOP votes to go against McCarthy, but he got eight, including a somewhat curious vo...
2023-10-0403 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsMy Thoughts on Pat Robertson[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. So, if you like what you read, please consider a paid subscription. And yes, I do speaking engagements. If you need a Pride Month speaker, hit me up.]Pat Robertson passed away this morning.He was a Southern Baptist minister best known for launching the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), founding the Christian Coalition (at a time, one of the most powerful political organizations in the country), running for president in the GOP’s primary in 1988, and hosting The 700 Club...
2023-06-0802 min
On Democracy with FPWellmanCharlotte Clymer Is A Veteran and A Warrior For Her CommunityCharlotte Clymer is a writer, communications consultant, transgender activist, and military veteran. She writes “Charlotte’s Web Thoughts,” a popular Substack newsletter about politics, religion, and culture. She served as the Director of Communications & Strategy at Catholics for Choice, a reproductive rights advocacy organization. Prior to that, she was the Press Secretary for Rapid Response at the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest civil rights organization dedicated to advancing LGBTQ equality. Fred and Charlotte share their thoughts about service this Memorial Day weekend as well as the dangerous moment in our country as culture wars begin to feel like a r...
2023-05-2548 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsFormer President Clinton Indicted: "Great Day for Democracy"[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. So, if you like what you read, please consider a paid subscription.]NEW YORK CITY (AP) — On Tuesday, former president Hillary Clinton turned herself into authorities at the office of the Manhattan district attorney following last week’s grand jury indictment for her role in allegedly falsifying documents. She is the first American president to be indicted.Clinton, who became the first woman elected president in 2016 following a razor-thin victory over Republican nominee Donald Trump, is said to be fac...
2023-04-0403 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsHaven't the Mets Suffered Enough?[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. So, if you like what you read, please consider a paid subscription.]Haven’t the Mets Suffered Enough?by Charlotte ClymerWith the Big One they’ve long seemed not to trifle,Almost 37 years without a World Series title,I was barely born when Queens’ joy last caught an eyeful,Haven’t the Mets suffered enough?That heartbreaking loss in the mid-Aughts NLCS,Beltrán...
2023-04-0201 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsCross Your Fingers[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. So, if you like what you read, please consider a paid subscription.]Today, I purchased a rose gold, carry-on luggage piece at Target, with smooth-gliding wheels that display tasteful, faux-chrome mini-hubcaps and a sensible yet alluring plastic handle deployment apparatus. When extended with intention, the apparatus creates a succession of pleasing "clicks" that are sufficiently muffled by the substance of the polypropylene handle, so as to provide the welcome auditory stimulant one has been conditioned to associate with adventure in ai...
2023-02-1502 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsMy Five Favorite Essays of 2022This is my first full year of earning a living as a writer, thanks to you fine folks. It’s been a damn good year on that front, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to do something I love that pays the bills.I have written more this year than any previous year of my life, and fortunately, some of these pieces make me quite happy. Here are five essays of which I’m particularly proud.For the Love of Henry Greenbaum (January 28, 2022)Following a string of antisemitic incidents at the beginning of the...
2022-12-3105 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsReflections on "Emily in Paris"[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. So, if you like what you read, please consider a paid subscription.]Friends, I have been deeply concerned in recent days by the frequency of people in my life—smart, wonderful, hardworking people—who reveal that they are watching “Emily in Paris”, for the first time, with the wrong expectations.I want to help by setting the record straight: you don’t watch “Emily in Paris” for the writing or character development. That’s not why this show exists.You...
2022-12-2303 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsThey Have Always Been Wrong[Hey there! This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. So, if you like what you read, please consider a paid subscription.]When they said the decriminalization of homosexuality would destroy society, they were wrong.When they said allowing LGBTQ adults to serve as public school teachers would be inappropriate because children would be vulnerable to sexual abuse, they were wrong.When they said permitting gay, lesbian, and bisexual people to serve openly in the military would destroy military readiness and compromise national security, th...
2022-11-2603 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsWhat We Need You to Understand[Hey there! This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. So, if you like what you read, please consider a paid subscription.]The first time I presented publicly out-of-the-closet was at a queer spot in town, here in Washington, D.C.In fact, it was Town itself -- "Town Danceboutique" in its formal name, as it was known to out-of-town newbies. My first night out as my true self was seven months before it closed.That space made it easier for me to...
2022-11-2103 min
Hey MayneCharlotte ClymerPolitical activist and writer Charlotte Clymer joins Kenny. The two discuss the importance of next week's election, the current political media landscape and Charlotte as voice in the Trans and LGBTQ+ community. Plus growing up playing Texas high school football and Charlotte's time in the US army. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2022-11-031h 07
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsYes, It's True, I Cannot Get Pregnant[As always, this little blog/newsletter is how I pay my bills, and I would be so grateful if you support my writing with a paid subscription.]My working theory—and I’m being generous by calling it a mere “working theory”—is that a sizable chunk of cisgender people (that is, people who are not transgender) truly do not understand the controversy over trans-inclusion in pregnancy discussions.Several years ago, pre-pandemic, I gave a talk to a law firm in D.C. about trans visibility, clarifying much of the understandable—but easily preventable—confusion over trans ide...
2022-07-1411 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsMidnight in America, Part 1Charlotte's Web Thoughts is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.For a brief period, early in my childhood, I lived in a tiny apartment with my mother, her second husband, a pair of kids each. This was the early ‘90s, and I vaguely remember being in kindergarten at the time.Our apartment complex was one of those highway-adjacent, stacked situations that most resembles a fleshed out Tetris “L” wrapping around—in retrospect—a surprisingly clean parking lot, complete with a tall and gleami...
2022-07-0613 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsI Think Ted Cruz is Lying About Praying[Hi there! Quick note: my little blog here is my main source of income. This will always be free to read, but I’m thankful for your financial support. Click here to purchase a paid subscription or gift one to someone in your life.]I'm a Christian, and here's the thing that particularly frustrates and annoys me when Bible-thumping, Rapture-weirdo politicians constantly reference prayer as the go-to when a mass shooting happens.Regardless of what you believe prayer does or does not do, it is, at its genuine root, a form of meditation. You are re...
2022-05-2504 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsWhen They Say to Learn a Trade[Quick personal note: my kind and patient speaking agent wants me to remind you that Pride Month is a few weeks away. If you’re looking for a speaker for your company, conference, college or some related Pride event, I’m available. Click here to inquire.]The other day I saw a politician I admire say something on Twitter that’s long been fashionable to say.They said: “We shouldn't have college as the only career path for young people. Trade school is just as important. We need to promote trade school like we do co...
2022-05-1305 min
The Mary Trump ShowAllyship with Charlotte Clymer, Rennae Stubbs & Lisa TurnerMary Trump is joined by LPAC Executive Director Lisa Turner, author and thought leader Charlotte Clymer, and tennis star and activist Rennae Stubbs for a 2022 strategy session to discuss the power of allyship in building coalitions and defending the rights threatened by Republicans. They also highlight the importance of taking back the language of our country’s founding and answering attacks with dignity and ferocity.
‘Ask Mary Anything’
Email: MARY@POLITICON.COM
Get More From This Week’s Guests:
Get More From Lisa Turner:
Twitter | Website | LPAC
Rennae Stubbs:
Twitter | Website | ESPN | WTA Tennis | The Rennae Stubbs Te...
2022-05-111h 04
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsA Son Not So Different From YoursIt was the last day of January in 2011 when a 19 year-old engineering student at the University of Iowa delivered remarks during a public hearing for a state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage that was being considered by the Iowa House Judiciary Committee.Within a few months, Gallup would release their first poll showing majority support for same-sex marriage among Americans at 53 percent, but at the time, the most recent polling stood at 42 percent. Although, for the first time, a 2009 poll commissioned by ABC News and The Washington Post found a plurality of support, there...
2022-05-0909 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsYeah, Matt Gaetz is a Piece of S**t[Pride Month is just weeks away. Looking for a speaker? I’m available. Click here for more details.]I was 30,000 ft. somewhere over Mississippi or Alabama when the news broke, and I wouldn’t know about it for a few hours. I had left my phone charging in my lap, and just as we neared the runway in our descent, it began buzzing uncontrollably: push notifications from NYT and Politico, hundreds of messages across various Signal group chats, and many, many texts from individual friends and colleagues whose own shock I could feel through my scre...
2022-05-0508 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsI'm Not Leaving TwitterBy now, you’ve probably heard that the Board of Directors for Twitter, Inc. have accepted Elon Musk’s offer to buy the company for $44 billion at $54.20 per share.When it was first reported yesterday morning that Twitter’s brass would imminently accept Musk’s offer, there was, as you can imagine, a great deal of concern about the future of the site.Two weeks ago, Musk gave an interview at the TED2022 conference, in which he framed his interest in Twitter around the concept of “free speech”, saying that Twitter was the “de facto town...
2022-04-2611 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsYou Can't Just Do Whatever You Want[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: cmclymer@gmail.com. And yes, I am available for speaking engagements.]In the United States, a person does not have the right to randomly get in a car and do whatever they want in it. For starters, there are a lot of traffic rules no matter where you live. You must obey these. They are seen as common sense.For ex...
2022-04-2106 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsThe Things We Say at the Ballpark[Quick personal note: my kind and patient speaking agent wants me to remind you that Pride Month is coming. If you’re looking for a speaker for your company, conference, college or some related Pride event, I’m available. Do inquire.]It actually hadn’t been that long, but somehow, it felt like a past life. I hadn’t been to a baseball game since October, when my dear friend Ana introduced me, for the first time, to Fenway, the great cathedral of hope that I’m told by many believers is the beating heart of Boston...
2022-04-2009 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsThe Best Kind of Midnight ConversationFriends, with few exceptions, this has been an especially awful month in an especially awful year, particularly for the trans and non-binary community. I will admit to y’all that I have been quite depressed in recent weeks—certainly more anxious than usual—in response to the avalanche of anti-LGBTQ actions we’ve seen across the country, with an emphasis on trans and non-binary children.In times that are particularly difficult and draining, I find it’s helpful to remember those moments when things go right, when understanding is sought and achieved, when there’s an...
2022-04-1712 min
Our America with Julián CastroSuiting Up to Protect LGBTQ Rights (with Charlotte Clymer)Julián and Sawyer talk about a shocking abortion case in Texas that plays into the GOP’s overall goal of ending reproductive rights in America. The two also discuss the empowering news of Amazon employees unionizing for the first time ever and the reverberations that’s caused for workers nationwide. Later they welcome trans activist and speaker Charlotte Clymer to talk about the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ legislation following the passage of Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bil. Follow Charlotte online at @cmclymer. Keep up with Julián on Twitter at @JulianCastro a...
2022-04-1344 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsFinally, Some Good News On Trans RightsGood morning, and Happy Transgender Day of Visibility! Since 2009, March 31st has been a day to celebrate the trans and non-binary community—now celebrated worldwide—and you can thank activist Rachel Crandall for that. Thank you, Rachel!It’s been a really tough few years, and the past year, in particular, has been—well, no one word really captures the feeling. Horrific? Depressing? Demoralizing? That’s why I’m thrilled to share with y’all the following news released by the Biden Administration this morning.A few hours ago, the White House and fede...
2022-03-3109 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsUK Member of Parliament Comes Out As TransThis morning, the world awoke to a stunning coming out statement from MP Jamie Wallis, a Tory politician who has represented the Welsh constituency of Brigend in the United Kingdom’s House of Commons since 2019.Wallis, 37, posted a statement to their Twitter account last night that, among other things, said this: “I’m trans. Or to be more accurate, I want to be. I’ve been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and I’ve felt this way since I was a very young child. I had no intention of ever sharing this with you. I always imagined I would leave politics w...
2022-03-3009 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsLeading in the Nation That Kept Crying WolfAs I write this, in just over a day, Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively ordered an imperialist invasion of sovereign Ukrainian territory after officially recognizing the “people’s republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk as a pretext for sending troops to those areas and probably beyond them. He also reiterated his view that Ukraine is a “made up” country.If you’re confused by all this, you’re not alone. Here’s a great piece from Julie Ioffe of Puck News that contextualizes everything involved here rather elegantly.(Also: for those who use Twitter, I’ve co...
2022-02-2200 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsCatholic Church Discovers Importance of PronounsOn Monday, it was widely reported in mainstream outlets that a Catholic priest in Phoenix, AZ had incorrectly performed thousands of baptisms over 20 years in several congregations whom he served (originally reported by Kevin J. Jones for the Catholic News Agency earlier this month).The priest—whom I will not name here because at this point, in light of his resignation and heartfelt anguish, it feels cruel to do so—had unintentionally substituted a single incorrect word while presiding over these baptisms, stating “we baptize” rather than “I baptize” as so directed by the Vatican.He used...
2022-02-1711 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsWhen We Begin to Hope for AmericaIn the summer of 2008, I was on the second floor of the Barnes & Noble that used to be near Metro Center in D.C. when a strange man approached me. I was near the back right corner wall, where I was browsing books on Christian theology, when he walked up, seemingly out of nowhere, his hand stretched out to take mine.“God-fearing men like you are the future of this country,” he said. “Don’t forget it, young man.”His big, warm grip enveloped my own, swallowing it whole. But before I could ask his na...
2022-02-1007 min
Red Wine & BlueBooks Over Boogeymen (with Charlotte Clymer and Lesléa Newman)On today’s episode, Rachel Vindman, Jasmine Clark, and Amanda Weinstein cover a lot of ground: Alex Vindman’s new lawsuit, updates on Amanda’s mystery protestors, accountability, books, and the importance of representation for LGBTQ kids. They talk about how the right wing’s attacks on the trans and gay community is driven by fear and how so many Americans are one genuine conversation away from understanding and acceptance.Then Jasmine sits down with Lesléa Newman, the author of frequently-challenged books “Heather Has Two Mommies” and “Sparkle Boy.” Lesléa talks about why she writes books and how frus...
2022-02-0951 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsThe Joe Rogan Fiasco is Not About "Free Speech"At this point, I imagine most of you have seen the backlash over Spotify continuing to pay podcast host Joe Rogan a $100m contract despite his persistent COVID disinformation, use of racial slurs, violent misogyny, transphobia, and, well, general lack of accountability over what he says to millions of listeners who loyally tune-in for every episode he produces.Like many others in the past few weeks, I ended my Spotify subscription. It's a bummer, but there are too many other great music streaming apps out there to continue paying for this service without the guilt of where...
2022-02-0705 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsFor the Love of Henry GreenbaumFor about a year and a half, I worked at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum here in D.C. as a visitor services representative. On my first day, I was walking with my supervisor, who nudged me at one point and said: "See that guy? That's Henry. Make sure you talk to him."Henry Greenbaum was born in Poland in 1928. His father passed away early in the war, his mother and two of his sisters were murdered at Treblinka, and three more of his sisters died in a nearby labor camp. Only...
2022-01-2807 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsIntroducing... The GoodsI’ll be completely honest: I’ve been pretty down lately, and I imagine so have many of you. The reasons are obvious, and there’s no need for me to itemize them and bum us out further right now.But this has inspired me to create something that reminds us of joy and hope and humanity in the world. I think we need that. I think we need to be reminded of the things that justify our collective struggle for a better world.With that spirit in my mind, allow me to introduce The Goods, a weekly...
2022-01-1105 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsBetty White Was for the AgesWell, it seems 2021 decided to get in one final gut punch. Betty White’s agent confirmed to People this afternoon that the 99 year-old iconic entertainer died this morning in Los Angeles, although speculation had begun swirling last night when Steve Martin put out a two-tweet loving anecdote on her that was quite sweet but felt vaguely eulogizing.You’re going to hear a lot about Betty White, but I don’t think you’ll hear this nearly enough: young people loved her. However you define the youth in this moment—whether that’s any...
2021-12-3104 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsHistory Out of Tragedy in North CarolinaI believe it’s impossible not to like Nida Allam. In our conversations, the 28 year-old elected official comes across as thoroughly honest, hardworking, and brilliant. Did I mention she’s a genuinely kind person? That, too.Last year, Allam was elected to the Durham County Board of Commissioners in North Carolina, receiving the most votes of any commission candidate (voters could choose five), the first Muslim woman elected to any office in the state AND completing the first all-woman Board of Commissioners in the county’s history. This followed her historic election in 2017 as one of the Vice C...
2021-12-2705 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsWhat Christmas Means to MeI didn’t grow up in the Church. Sometimes, I wish I had. I came to Christianity as a serious commitment during my senior year of high school. The love I felt from God in those first few days of my spiritual journey has not dissipated. It has only grown stronger.I don’t know how exactly to explain it, but for the first time in my life, I felt safety and security. I felt like someone was watching over me, and I still feel that way. It has never gone away, and there are moments when I wonder what...
2021-12-2406 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsI Don't Care What You Call Gingerbread MenLook, do you really think I wanna be talking about this? Deep down, in your heart of hearts, regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum and how misaligned you believe that is with my own worldview, can we at least agree that I would rather not spend my time talking about the gender identity and presumed genitals of anthropomorphized holiday cookies?Sigh. On Thursday, Richard Grenell, Trump’s favorite conservative gay grifter, tweeted out a pic from a café of a gingerbread cookie that had been labeled “Gingerbread Person” in the display.Although I have not yet...
2021-12-2106 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsThe Dualities of December Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-12-1407 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsThe Media Coverage of Kamala Harris and Bluetooth is Ridiculous Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-12-0808 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsHey, I Joined the Board of LPAC! Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-12-0205 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsThe Obituary of Haley Gabriella Feldmannhttps://www.silhafuneralhomes.com/obituaries/Haley-Feldmann/#!/Obituary Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-12-0107 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsSome Great News and a Black Friday Request Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-11-2603 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsA Not-At-All-Stressful Guide to Cranberry Sauce Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-11-2407 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsThe World Must Know I Am Being Silenced Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-11-2206 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsWe Will Never Avoid "Culture Wars". Ever. Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-11-0920 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsLet's All Take a Breath, Please Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-11-0309 min
The FlyCharlotte Clymer: "Individual liberty for all people"This week on the Pod, GU Politics fellow Charlotte Clymer (S’16) shared her extensive experience as a transgender activist and military veteran. In addition to serving as the Press Secretary for Rapid Response at the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest civil rights organization dedicated to LGBTQ equality, Charlotte was a communications and strategy director for Catholics for Choice. Tune in to hear about what it was like shaping messaging in response to the White House, being a transgender activist in both military and political spheres, and the issues she is watching in upcoming elections.
2021-10-2546 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsGiving Thanks for Breaking the Cycle Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-10-1311 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsAn Expert and Caustic Guide to PB&Js Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-10-1105 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsI Don't Know How Else to Say This Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-10-0904 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsWomen, Pregnant People, and Fragility Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-10-0112 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsWhen Bronze Yields to Water and Salt Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-09-2106 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsAgeism and the Fallacy of Stale Dreams Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-09-0105 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsIf I Had My Own Summer Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-08-3005 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsSEEKING: Bigot-sitter for Iconic Trivia Game Show Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-08-2804 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsWhat LeVar Burton Means to Me Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-08-2508 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsAmerica: A Land Without Mirrors Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-08-1609 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsBlame George Washington for Vaccines in the Military Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-08-1006 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsTrans Panic and the Courage of Laurel Hubbard Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-08-0708 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsThe Expectations of Matt Damon Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-08-0309 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsI never learned how to suspend gravity. Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-07-3115 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsThe Miracle & Audacity of Ted Lasso Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-07-2608 min
Charlotte's Web ThoughtsThey called me a girl before anyone else did. Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-07-2210 min
Charlotte's Web Thoughts7/2/21 -- Reintroducing... Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe
2021-07-0205 min
Just Something About Her with Jennifer Palmieri#TBT with Trans Writer and Activist Charlotte ClymerThis week, we're taking you back to our very first episode of "Just Something About Her" with guest Charlotte Clymer, a writer, veteran, and activist. In this episode, she shares her journey coming out as a trans woman and some of the confusion and dark periods that led her there, including her time in the military. She sheds light on some of the discrimination and misconceptions she's faced since coming out, like being asked to show her ID before entering the bathroom in a D.C. bar.But most importantly, Charlotte shares the freedom, joy, and pride...
2021-06-2444 min
Ladies RoomThe one with Charlotte ClymerAmidst a rash of transphobic legislation targeting trans kids, writer and activist Charlotte Clymer joins Julie and Jane to talk about how we can push back against bigoted legislation.
2021-03-3053 min
Independent Americans with Paul RieckhoffCharlotte Clymer Returns. Understanding the End of Trump’s Transgender Military Ban. Vetting Denis McDonough For VA Secretary. Biden’s Busy First Week. The Next Domestic Terrorism Threat.Maybe you’ve slept better recently knowing that Trump no longer has access to our military. And to our nukes. But stakes are still high. As high as ever. And we’re gonna continue to break it down. This is not the time to rest---or even celebrate. That time is over. This is the time to stay focused and to stay vigilant. In this fiery episode, our host Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) is again joined by dynamic transgender activist, writer and Army veteran, Charlotte Clymer (@CMClymer). They break down Biden’s repeal of Trump’s military transgender ban, the confi...
2021-01-281h 09
Just Something About Her with Jennifer PalmieriCharlotte ClymerIn the first episode of “Just Something About Her,” our host Jennifer Palmieri speaks to writer and activist Charlotte Clymer about navigating her past and present as a trans woman who grew up in Texas, joined the military, and eventually went on to be a widely published writer with a controversial Twitter presence.Jennifer Palmieri is the former Communications Director for the Obama White House and Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. She uses her communications expertise to illuminate underlying messages – and often unconscious biases – in the way women are spoken about, treated, and often view themselves.Charlott...
2020-09-2445 min
Ask a Matchmaker#14 - That Episode Where They Talk Politics and Dating with Charlotte Clymer This week’s guest is truly a wordsmith. Not only does her articles resonate and make you think, her tweets go viral all the time. Just recently, Hillary Clinton even retweeted her!!! What can we learn about the power of our words to build relationships with others, even getting that first date? Charlotte Clymer is a writer and LGBTQ advocate. She recently finished a tour as the press secretary for rapid response at the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBTQ civil rights organization. Currently, she is working on her first book, so...
2020-09-2347 min
The Adam Sank ShowEp. 145: Charlotte Clymer Takes Us to CourtAfter the Supreme Court hands down a landmark LGBTQ anti-discrimination ruling – just in time for Pride! – activist Charlotte Clymer breaks it down for us. But first, an openly gay Nebraska Senate candidate jokes about gangbanging a staffer (which is not the smartest political move), and Lea Michelle is still canceled. Oh, Rachel. Get your official Adam Sank Show merch at www.adamsank.com.
2020-07-0458 min
Independent Americans with Paul RieckhoffCharlotte Clymer. Pride Special. From Army Infantry to the Front Lines of Trans Rights. Being Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable. Veterans Affairs Dept Coronavirus Cases Double. NY Was Right. Florida Was Wrong. Rieckhoff’s Zach Galifianakis Story.Charlotte Clymer (@CMClymer) is a fighter. [1:23:12] An Army veteran and one of the most influential trans activists in the world, she’s gone from from a trailer park in Texas, to Army Infantry Basic Training at Fort Benning, to advocating for transgender people worldwide. Charlotte fights for herself and for others. Tough, patriotic and sharp, she burst onto the political scene in 2018 after being denied access to a Washington, DC restaurant bathroom. A dynamic powerhouse on Twitter, the former Press Secretary at the largest and most powerful LGBTQ organization in the country (HRC--Human Rights Campaign), Charlotte has written for Gl...
2020-06-262h 37
SpiritedFighting For Justice with Charlotte ClymerCharlotte Clymer is a writer, Twitter savant, and one of the most prominent transgender activists in the country. In this episode, she talks about her personal experience with poverty, faith, the US military, and her ongoing fight for trans rights. Charlotte is currently the press secretary for rapid response at the Human Rights Campaign.
2019-12-0400 min
TimmyboyHeart surgery performed from a 20 mile distance, unexpected AI, awesome shows, a shout-out to Charlotte Clymer, and this episode is shut down by Jolynn's dying batteryHeart surgery performed from a 20 mile distance, robot strippers, awesome shows, a shout-out to Charlotte Clymer, and this episode is shut down by Jolynn's dying battery
2019-09-1023 min
Alyssa Milano: Sorry Not SorryTrans Rights are Human Rights: Charlotte ClymerCharlotte Clymer is a transgender woman, army veteran, and activist who came out publicly on Twitter in 2017. She shares her story and weighs in on what’s happening to LGBTQ people in our country under the current administration and what we can do to help fight for change.
2019-05-271h 08
Sip on This with Ashley Nicole BlackCharlotte Clymer on Owning Trolls, Managing Anger, and Fighting the Good Fight for EqualityActivist and journalist Charlotte Clymer joins Ashley to answer questions about dealing with everything from anger to oppressive gender norms and how parents can push against them. Episode sponsors: Stitch Fix - visit stitchfix.com/siponthis to sign up and save 25% off when you keep your whole box. Ritual vitamins - visit ritual.com/siponthis to start your ritual today!
2018-12-0747 min
Says Who?HOLDING DOWN THE MANAFORT with CHARLOTTE CLYMERWell, shucks! We've crossed the Rubicon from Thanksgiving into the holiday period. Did everyone have a good Thanksgiving? The President did! He had a totally normal time with checks notes a salad bar and "barbed wire plus."
Dan and Maureen have scoured the news this week, looking for clues in the perpetual case of What The Hell Is Happening Now. And it seems like something? May? Be? Happening? It is hard to say. But it looks like Paula Manafort might have been doing some lying? You are shocked, we know. "Not MY Paul Manafort," you said, aghast.
2018-11-281h 03
The Adam Sank ShowEp. 69: Charlotte Clymer Talks PoliticsTrans activist Charlotte Clymer of the HRC talks politics and progress in the age of Trump. Visit www.adamsank.com
2018-10-281h 00
Talking LGBT Rights & The Midterms W/ Special Guest Charlotte ClymerCharlotte Clymer, a military veteran based in Washington DC, has come out as trans in a lengthy series of tweets.
We’re reprinting the text from the tweets below so you can read her entire story. She also has advice for others on a similar journey, or those who want to know more about trans issues.
https://twitter.com/cmclymer/status/936075166072950784
‘Well, I’m not sure there’s a “right” time to announce something like this, but I’ve reached a point in my life where I finally feel comfortable, for various reasons, to be my true self, and were the world to e...
2018-09-141h 49
Past Due with Ana Marie Cox and Open Mike Eagle"Hurting Unit Cohesion with Charlotte Clymer"This week, Ana (@anamariecox) sat down with Charlotte Clymer (@cmclymer), the Press Secretary for Rapid Response at the Human Rights Campaign. They started their conversation by talking about the Trump Administration’s decision to ban transgender people from serving in the military, which Charlotte, as a transgender woman and a veteran, is uniquely able to analyze. Charlotte then shared the story of her own transition, and talked about what it means to see transgender people actually be represented.
She and Ana then talked about one of the most important aspects to being an ally with a platform: li...
2018-06-151h 01