Mia Wong

Now, I think that actually opens up a weakness because with the, you know, revelation of the horrific levels of serial child abuse within the Catholic Church, with the, you know, atrocities on massive scales involving indigenous genocide, with the attacks in the 80s and 90s and 2000s about their homophobia and their role in the age genocides as well, like,

there was actually starting to be this giant institution, despite how hierarchical and unaccountable it is, was starting to be on the back foot.

And, you know, in some places like Ireland, this has led to its power numbers being like, taking a massive hit.

So there was a shift, like any institution, to give a kinder face.

And the depressing thing is that among a lot of people who should know better, it's largely work.

Yeah.

And I really wish people would be less taken in by symbolism.

Yep.

It's also like de facto a theocracy.

Because one of the people we talked to, Allison, tried to get testosterone right off the bishop's band.

They're not Catholic.

Their doctor isn't Catholic.

Their pharmacy is not Catholic.

So you think, OK, well, you should be able to.

No, no, no.

The insurance that their spouse had was technically provided through a Catholic health care network.

So it took them months before they finally got the testosterone.

And so now they have to pay out of pocket for it.

They can for the time being.

But for working class trans people, that's one more cost on top of everything else.