Midwife, parent, nurse, educator, and proud Palestinian Ash joins Jaimie for a powerful, expansive conversation that connects queer birth work, liberation, bodily autonomy, and the politics of modern healthcare. From becoming a parent before coming into their trans identity, to the crisis inside U.S. obstetrics, to creating community-centered birth education for queer & trans families, Ash brings depth, clarity, and truth. The episode also touches on Ash’s ties to Palestine, why so many people are re-examining the narrative they were taught, and how to learn, help, and show up with intention.🏳️‍🌈 Key TakeawaysBirth is not inherently dangerous — but our systems are flawed.Rising U.S. gestational mortality rates are tied to financial incentives, outdated policies, and cultural fear.Where you feel safest is where you birth best.Stress pathways interrupt labor; safety & comfort matter more than location.Queer & trans people need trauma-informed preparation.Education + community before labor creates resilience when navigating misgendering or assumptions in hospitals.Intentional parenting is a queer superpower.Living outside the norms forces us to question, rebuild, and parent with intention.Liberation is interconnected.Ash links birth work to Palestinian liberation, colonial separation, and reclaiming humanity.Learning about Palestine doesn’t have to be overwhelming.Start with Palestinian voices. Complexity is often used to keep people disengaged.🏳️‍🌈 About the Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈Ash (they/them) is a Trans Palestinian educator, speaker & midwife whose work centers birth justice and community care. They teach accessible, queer- and trans-inclusive childbirth classes through Embodied Birth Class and speak widely about physiologic birth, medical racism, and creating safer, more liberated birth experiences for all families.🏳️‍🌈 Thanks to our sponsors!• California Cryobank If you’re listening to this show, there’s a good chance you’re building your family the queer way — and might need a little help in the sperm department. 🩵 Use code QUEERFAM25 at cryobank.com for a FREE Level 2 subscription to their donor catalog!•Be Parent Surrogacy Be Parent oversees the creation of family through surrogacy and IVF, from the very beginning, extending support even well after birth. Mention The Queer Family Podcast to receive $2000 of your treatment!🏳️‍🌈 Book with GWK's Spring Break Cruise Vacation! Join Jaimie and her family (and other LGBTQIA+ families) on a 3 night cruise in the Bahamas. Be sure to mention that you heard about it here! Click that link ➡️ https://travelbrilliant.net/mbg/gwk-spring-break-2026/🏳️‍🌈 Resources MentionedAsh’s Website: www.embodiedbirthclass.com • Join their mailing list for upcoming classes and events.Ash’s Instagram • @embodied.birth • @queertabletopsThe Hundred Years’ War on Palestine — Rashid KhalidiPalestine: A Four Thousand Year History — Nur MasalhaWorks by historian Ilan Pappé