"I was just existing." That's how Addison Radcliff describes childhood — before the world started handing her labels she never asked for.

In this episode of Be the Glitter, host Laura Paisley Beck sits down with Addison Radcliff — Dane County realtor, board member for Advocates for Transgender Equality, and a woman who's been navigating the world as her authentic self since third grade.

Addison opens up about realizing her identity before she had the words for it, the complicated relationship with a biological father who responded to her identity with violence, the mom who became her fiercest advocate, and why "if you can't love yourself, you can't love somebody else" isn't just a cliché — it's survival. She also gets into what real allyship looks like (and where it goes wrong), and why trans rights, reproductive rights, and healthcare access are more connected than most people realize.

This conversation moves through hard truths and real joy — because that's what Be the Glitter is all about: tough topics, told with heart, that leave you with something that sticks.

Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro & Meet Addison Radcliff 0:25 – Realtor by day, advocate at heart 1:47 – Coming and going as "Addison" in elementary school 3:44 – Starting hormones at 14 & living out loud in high school 5:02 – Her mom: the ultimate advocate 7:31 – Realizing her identity before she had the words for it 11:40 – The relationship with her biological father 16:20 – Choosing to walk away for her own safety 17:05 – "If you can't love yourself..." — self-love as survival 18:55 – Building her own chosen family 22:26 – Be the Glitter: what it means to Addison 23:49 – When allies get it wrong 26:56 – Trans rights, reproductive rights & why they're connected 30:20 – Advice for anyone finding their authentic self 31:20 – Gratitude & shoutouts 36:20 – Closing thoughts

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🔗 All the links for Wa'am — https://linktr.ee/waamwrites

🔗 Connect with Addison Radcliff: https://aradcliffe.starkhomes.com/

🔗 Learn more about Advocates for Transgender Equality: https://transequality.org

🎵 Music provided by Chillhop Music https://chillhop.ffm.to/creatorcred

#BeTheGlitter #TransVoices #LGBTQ #Allyship #TransRights #SelfLove #Authenticity #TransgenderJourney