The Trans Narrative Podcast · Trans Narrative Pod

Monica Helms: The Colors That Carried Us | Pride, Resilience, & the Importance of Trans Solidarity

·1 hr 22 min·3 clips

The Trans Flag image came to me in a dream—simple, iconic, and I never imagined it would become a global symbol.

This episode of The Trans Narrative Podcast features a conversation with Monica Helms, the creator of the Transgender Pride Flag and a pioneering Navy veteran and activist. Host Caroline is joined by guest co-hosts Jordan, Kaz, and Tessa for a wide-ranging discussion with Helms about her life and legacy. The dialogue explores her personal journey, the creation of an iconic symbol, and the current political climate for transgender people. Monica Helms recounts being misgendered at birth in Sumter, South Carolina, and praying to become a girl at age five. She describes her childhood as a self-described "tomboy," which included launching model rockets and living in Germany during the Cold War due to her father's Air Force service. Helms joined the Navy to avoid the Vietnam draft and served on the ballistic missile submarine USS Francis Scott Key, undergoing nuclear power training. She explains that her realization about needing to transition came in 1987 after conversations within a cross-dressing support group, though she did not begin until 1997 due to family circumstances. The creation of the Trans Flag occurred in 1999 after a conversation with Michael Page, creator of the Bisexual Pride Flag, who suggested the trans community needed its own symbol. Helms designed the flag to be simple for manufacturing, with the final image coming to her in a moment of inspiration upon waking. She initially made the flag for herself and was surprised to see it spread across the United States by the 2000s and internationally by 2013. Helms also co-founded the Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA) in 2003 to fight for equal healthcare access at VA facilities, a battle that took over eight years to result in a supportive VA directive. A surprising insight is that Helms's independent thinking was forged by the demanding, self-reliant culture of submarine service. She reveals a survey indicating transgender people join the military at twice the rate of the general U.S. population, making it historically a major employer for the community. Helms notes she has seen the Trans Flag on every continent except Antarctica and expresses a desire to see it on the International Space Station. She shares the poignant memory of trans youth at pride events turning the flag into a cape, symbolizing its personal meaning. The conversation addresses political hostility, with Helms noting 51 documented killings of trans people in the U.S. since the last Transgender Day of Remembrance. She argues that politicians like Nick Fuentes attack trans people primarily to gain favor with the Trump administration rather than from genuine belief. Helms finds resilience in widespread support from celebrities, athletes, and even some unexpected allies, recalling that the NRA once opposed disarming trans people. She defiantly states, "It'll be a cold day in hell when we disappear because we ain't going anywhere." The tone is conversational, candid, and deeply personal, blending storytelling with advocacy and moments of humor and warmth. The style is interview-based, with multiple hosts asking questions that span historical narrative, current events, and personal reflection. This episode is ideal for listeners interested in LGBTQ+ history, veteran affairs, and the personal stories behind cultural symbols. Those seeking a purely political debate or a lighthearted discussion might find the content too focused on personal narrative and historical advocacy.

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