An Interview with Meredith Talusan

A new conversation on self-care, the state of women’s rights and trans activism, and, of course, chocolate.

Meredith and I recording our conversation for the audiobook of Era of Ignition: Coming of Age in a Time of Rage and Revolution, 2019

On Tuesday, we shared an excerpt from Meredith Talusan’s important essay, “There Are No Angels,” about what it is to be a woman, specifically a trans woman, living in the United States at a time when an unprecedented amount of anti-trans legislation is being introduced and passed. In light of this awful and harmful moment in our nation’s history, I reached out to Meredith to reflect on writing her powerful essay, the state of trans and women’s rights and bodily autonomy in a post-Roe world, and how each of us can do our part to show up and fight for ourselves and each other.

Amber Tamblyn: Meredith, tell us what it was like to share this story for the first time, writing it out on paper, about your experience with an ex who had taken advantage of you.

Meredith Talusan: Gut-wrenching, and it took a lot of chocolate ha ha. I began drafting it in 2017 but realized I couldn't finish it. It was too emotional for me, so I shelved it. It wasn’t until we talked about me contributing to your book, Listening in the Dark, that it felt right to finish, mostly because I knew I could trust you with it and that your perspective, not just as an editor but as a woman and advocate, would illuminate my own.