The remains of Nikki Kunhausen, a 17 year old transgender teenager, were found on December 7th near Larch Mountain outside of Portland. Kunhausen, a resident of Vancouver was last seen in June when she went missing. Vancouver police arrested David Bodganov in December and charged him with the murder of Nikki Kunhausen. We will discuss her murder and ongoing developments in the case as well as its implications for the trans and non-binary communities in Metro Portland.
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During the second part of the show we will talk to Shannon Batts, MS, LMFT (CA) and LPC (OR) who creates professional resources supporting transgender transitions in marriage through her Relationship Gardening office currently in NW Portland, Oregon. Since mid 2016, Shannon runs a weekly support group for cisgender spouses (gay, lesbian, straight and bi) supportive of their partners who are coming out transgender or nonbinary, or who already transitioned gender. Now in the 4th year, Spouses Group has seen over 40 spouses, many who are thriving and considered "graduates," and has grown to include a Couples Group, Couples Conflict fishbowl style live processing demos, and launching soon- an Advanced Couples Group, and Retreat. Many couples also consult with Shannon to navigate initial coming out concerns and fears, and find their way forward together. Shannon has been a resource for gardening relationships for LGBTQi? and straight clients for over 22 years as a licensed marriage therapist.
Shannon is a cis, het married (since 1995), marriage specialist trained in Gottman methods that bring well researched understandings and tools to relationship building and repair. Although Shannon already had many close friends of the family who are transgender kids and adults in her life, she attributes her professional focus on the transgender community to that first spouse in 2016 who asked for a support group of supportive spouses and inspired Spouses Group to be born.
Other important aspects of Shannon's life include her homeschooled creative powerhouse teenage daughter, her husband surviving cancer, her organic edible and medicinal labyrinth garden, and anti-racism work including facilitating compassionate conversations with the public on race at monthly Race Talks, currently at McMenamin's Kennedy School.
Transpositive is a monthly program in Portland exploring themes important to those who identify as Transgender, Gender Non Binary and Gender Non-Conforming. Transpositive tries to connect listeners with the ongoing activist, arts, culture, and dialogue happening in Portland and beyond.Make your voice heard!Transpositive PDX is open to new and experienced programmers, guests and events you want our community to know about. We are an open collective. Anyone identify as trans, gender non-binary, gender fluid is welcome to be part of our collective after completing some basic free radio training. For more information contact Emma at transpositivepdx@gmail.com
Read more about Shannon Batts, and relationship tips at relationshipgardening.weebly.com, email couplescoach@gmail.com.
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