[00:00:00] Mija: Oh my god, that would be so epic if I reached under my chair and there was like a packet of gender euphoria or just like a big,

[00:00:07] Jasper: you don't know there's not,

[00:00:08] Mija: glittery sign that said gender euphoria. And like you'd called in advanced and got ahold of my lover and said, Could you put this thing under this thing for me cuz I'm doing this thing and it's gonna be epic for future, future interviews that you do.

[00:00:22] Jasper: I'm Jasper Lior and this is Gender Euphoria: the podcast where we break down what gender euphoria is and talk about the beautiful, wonderful, incredible parts of trans identity. Today, I'm with Mija, who you might also know as Dandilion. Mija is a two-spirit educator, organizer, and whore. Thank you so much for joining me today.

[00:00:45] Mija: Thanks for having me here.

[00:00:46] Jasper: I like to start by asking people how they identify and what their pronouns are.

[00:00:50] Mija: Yeah, so I go by they/them or two-Spirit as a pronoun and I have so many old, new budding dying and rebirthing identities. I identify as indigi-queer. I am sexual, Um, I'm kinky and multi amorous. I am a double Aquarian with a Scorpio moon. I'm a disruptor, a warrior. I'm a moody jaguar. I'm a pack mule. I am part unicorn and all fabulous. I am so many ever changing identities.

[00:01:28] Jasper: Well, thank you so much for being here today as you are, and I'm so excited to talk to you. What does gender euphoria mean to you?

[00:01:38] Mija: Um, So gender euphoria I think is super, super traditional to many indigenous cultures. And so to me it means I'm honoring my ancestors by living authentically. Gender euphoria is part of being liberated in my body's needs, desires and physical presence, it means I'm not misgendered or really gendered at all. And it means assumptions about my body and what it is or isn't able or allowed to do, isn't limited by a male female binary. Um, It's getting the gazes that I want and not getting the ones that I don't.

[00:02:14] Jasper: I love that definition of it. How was gender euphoria taught to you? As an indigenous person, You were saying that it's like a tradition.

[00:02:23] Mija: Yeah. I don't think that it was ever taught to me, but when I learned about being two spirit um, I was taught that like who I am is more of a celebration and less of a strange thing or a burden or like something weird or different or alternate. It's like, oh, no, no, no. Like this is like you and who you are and how you are, and you have a place and you know, a role among your community and the world.

[00:02:53] Jasper: Did you feel supported by your community when you were finding this?

[00:02:57] Mija: think no. I think growing up I was very much told to like sit down, shut up, quit being so loud, quit being different and weird, and trying to do things opposite of what like people were telling me. I don't think I was supported at all in those things, but inside I just knew that it was okay and I was all right, and I didn't understand why the adults were telling me to be something I'm not.

[00:03:28] Jasper: Yeah.

[00:03:29] Mija: Especially when they're like, you can be anything you want in the world, you just can't be how you're telling us you are.

[00:03:36] Jasper: Yeah.

[00:03:37] Mija: But you know, like I did have some relatives who did embrace me and support me, but they weren't like the main people in my life all the time. So it's like felt really good to like, have praise in some places. But then like home was not like a place where that person was embraced.

[00:03:57] Jasper: Yeah. What does gender euphoria feel like to you?

[00:04:02] Mija: Gender euphoria for me feels like how I imagine emergence or like entropy feels. It's like a spring popping out of the soil and forming a creek or a river or like a new galaxy exploding into existence. It feels really powerful and affirming. It feels like I'm in the right place. It feels like I fit and I have purpose and it feels like a good stretch in the sunshine. It doesn't come without challenges. And yet with ease of knowing and it's, it's it's like a yes, yes, yes. Like an orgasmic, It's definitely orgasmic like sensation, right? It's just, oh, it's, hits the spot. And I also feel gender euphoria when I witness others gain access to their own gender euphoria. like that feels really. Oh. Uplifting and bright, light, shiny.

[00:04:57] Jasper: Yeah. It's definitely orgasmic. They live in the same world for sure.

[00:05:02] Mija: Yeah they live in the same world with sneezes. Sneezes are like little mini orgasms.

[00:05:08] Jasper: They definitely do.

[00:05:09] Mija: sneezes, orgasms and gender euphoria.

[00:05:12] Jasper: the things we live for

[00:05:14] Mija: Yeah.

[00:05:15] Jasper: am just like, in my own journey, starting to, come into my sexual being in this new identity that I have as like a gender queer person, and I am so excited to have trans sex and like, you know, be gender queer and gender euphoric in my sexual life and like kind of find this new kind of sex for myself that I haven't experienced before because I haven't had the circumstances or like been in the place in my own life to even know that that's a thing that I wanted or could have. So I'm curious if you have thoughts about that

[00:05:49] Mija: Well, I've been having strange sex and touch for like my whole life, I've been a very sexual person, so I don't feel like that's new for me. I've always been really experimental and multifaceted in avenues for sex and sexuality since I've been really young. I think the only difference is like, instead of it kind of being like a secret, you know for a while, like now I'm just like really out and proud and like we'll say the thing, you know, and like people's jaws will just like drop and I'm like, It's okay I can talk about that. You know, like that's does not have to be a secret. So I think that that's what's changed for me is just it going from being secret and hidden or taboo to like, this is me and a part of me and something that I do and you know, somebody asked me the other day about like what my morning routine is, you know, And I was like, Yeah, I like to like wake up and maybe I'll masturbate and go back to bed, or, or maybe I'll masturbate and it really just gets me going so I pop right out of bed and I'm ready for the day, You know. and they were just like uh, thank you for sharing that. I didn't expect that to be said as a part of a morning routine. I'm like, well, so is it ever a part of your morning routine? And they're like, Yeah, but I just like leave that part out. And I'm like, Why? Like, like, shouldn't people know that you're like taking care of yourself and like experiencing pleasure and like, you know?

[00:07:14] Jasper: Yeah they

[00:07:15] Mija: like you asked, like you

[00:07:17] Jasper: You did ask

[00:07:18] Mija: You didn't say, Tell me about your morning routine, but leave out any of the bits that might be, you know, unfamiliar to me

[00:07:25] Jasper: that I perceive as shameful onto you,

[00:07:27] Mija: Yes, yes, yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. .

[00:07:29] Jasper: yeah, I was listening to Laverne Cox's podcast great podcast. Really recommend it. and she was talking to Alok, another people

[00:07:39] Mija: yeah.

[00:07:39] Jasper: really recommend. Maybe this wasn't the Alok episode, but that one was very good too. But one of those two people in some podcast form said like, one way to heal shame is like, to speak shameful things out loud and have them met with empathy and that is like what, that's like the kick that I've been on since I've heard that and I am like, yeah, I'm excited to like, reclaim my kink and like my sexual side and just like talking to you, you know?

[00:08:09] Mija: Yeah.

[00:08:09] Jasper: It's not shameful. you

[00:08:11] Mija: No. It only is when we like hide those things, you know?

[00:08:14] Jasper: Yeah.

[00:08:15] Mija: Yeah. I think part of my own personal integrity, which is one of my three core values is that I trust myself a lot and like I don't do things that I would be embarrassed to talk about. You know? I mean, sometimes not say I don't get embarrassed cuz I do embarrassing shit all the time, but like I don't keep secrets from myself like that you know? Like I don't do things that are going to internalize shame for me which leaves things pretty open,

[00:08:48] Jasper: But like, you know, I feel like if you asked anybody to just like think about how they wanted to be as a human, they would want to be like an unapologetic, not shameful, authentic version of themselves and and like you are a great example of how you can be that in this world of shame and apology and like inauthenticity,

[00:09:09] Mija: Now I'm thinking about all the embarrassing things I've done.

[00:09:14] Jasper: what is a moment of gender euphoria that stands out in your life?

[00:09:19] Mija: Well, I think that I was born with gender euphoria and I think that we all are. Um, I think it's been tried to be shut down and my intuition has been challenged. But when friends or lovers use two-Spirit as my pronoun, that feels really outstanding. Um, Feeling truly recognized and honored for who I am personally and culturally. Uh, I think that like when I have, sex or having sex with myself, I feel very in my power and in my gender euphoria. When I have sex with other two-spirit people that like, feels like the most intense, powerful sex to me. Like, it just feels like key has been put in and is unlocking this other dimension. You know, it's just really I can't, It's euphoric, right? It's gender euphoric. It's a otherworldly experience. It's like feeling the universe in, in like our bodies and our minds and our lungs and our blood.

[00:10:26] Jasper: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, everybody like talks about T4T.

[00:10:30] Mija: Yeah.

[00:10:31] Jasper: like definitely

[00:10:32] Mija: Two for two.

[00:10:33] Jasper: Two for two Yeah,

[00:10:35] Mija: Oh my God. I so have to make that sticker and take those to a gathering

[00:10:38] Jasper: you got it. Back to euphoria, well, this is actually a good segue into that. What is really seeing your gender these days?

[00:10:48] Mija: Okay, so I'm reluctant about being seen. I like to be like a seed like I'm there, but not everyone understands like how I'm doing. But creator recognizes me and creator knows why I am. I feel felt by the creator. Or by creator, not the creator, by creator, by creation.

[00:11:09] Mija: Um, I feel representation in the words and fashion of Alok Vaid-Menon and witnessing the gender liberation of singer Sam Smith. Reading about another black or indigenous non-binary person out there in the world doing their thing as they want to be. Ty Defoe who has done so much check him out. Uen, a two-spirit friend of mine, made me a beaded medallion patch, which is like essentially a fancy necklace and it has they them pronouns on it and they made it because they were frustrated in hearing me get misgendered in two-spirit spaces. And I felt really warm and noticed with that gesture for sure. Um, When I see the color yellow, I'm inclined to reflect about myself and like, not like how not everyone can see yellow and I feel seen in that color and it makes so much sense that I would be something that not everybody can see, such as my life.

[00:12:04] Jasper: Great answer also makes sense why you are Dandilion.

[00:12:08] Mija: Totally. And everybody thinks it's weed, but I'm really good for ya.

[00:12:13] Jasper: Yeah,

[00:12:14] Mija: Good for your digestion you know, a little bit of a filter. I handle all the nasties

[00:12:19] Jasper: very important in this ecosystem.

[00:12:23] Mija: Right? And dandelions, you blow one and we're everywhere.

[00:12:27] Jasper: Yes. I love that. I like naming myself after an element as well. I was needing a lot of grounding in the time of picking my name, so.

[00:12:36] Mija: Mm-hmm. ,

[00:12:36] Jasper: I feel like we got there. do you love about being two-spirit, indigiqueer, trans, non-binary, not cis?

[00:12:45] Mija: Yeah. I love options. I love to be, I love being able to be fluid in a moment in what I can do. I love that I can have so many looks and express myself with what I wear. I love that I'm an example for others to explore and embody their own liberation. I love being able to be myself. I love carrying tradition and honoring my ancestors by reminding folks that I belong, that we all belong. Just love it.

[00:13:15] Jasper: would you say you love love?

[00:13:17] Mija: I would say I love love

[00:13:19] Jasper: I love love too. I'm on a big joy kick these days.

[00:13:23] Mija: Oh, that's also one of my core values. integrity, joy and stewardship are my three core values.

[00:13:29] Jasper: Great core values.

[00:13:31] Mija: Thank you. I think so. Yeah.

[00:13:33] Jasper: I feel like we're kind of in a push or like what I'm seeing in the circles that I'm in is like we are using joy to like reclaim a lot of nastiness and hatred and trauma that has just been like put upon us throughout these generations and like I am so excited for this like, burst of joy that's coming out of the world right now and I hope to be a part of that and I am, and like, you know, more, always more. There's never enough.

[00:14:01] Mija: That's right. Things are super shitty, but that doesn't mean I can't like have something to be happy about, even if it's like just myself in some sweet ass outfit.

[00:14:12] Jasper: And that is like not even a just thing that's like, hell yeah, that's something that'll be ecstatic about.

[00:14:19] Mija: I'm not even that flashy a dresser, but like I feel, you know, like whatever. Still, I'm still empowered by putting on what I do.

[00:14:26] Jasper: Yeah. I feel the same way. I have a capsule wardrobe, so, which I love that, like I love to have minimal clothing in my life and I love that everything goes with everything else.

[00:14:40] Mija: Yes.

[00:14:41] Jasper: Yeah.

[00:14:42] Jasper: How you think you have, like, I guess you trust your intuition, I was gonna ask like, how do you think you have so much awareness about yourself?

[00:14:49] Mija: don't know. I talk to other people about things sometimes and they're like wow, they're like, you're really like in tune with your body and like, know, I don't know. It's like, I don't know. I think it's a gift. I don't know where it comes from. It's pretty badass though. It's pretty awesome. I saw a thing on Netflix about pleasure the other day. It was pretty good. It's cute. And they talked about, I forget the word, they use like a scientific-ey word about like being aware of like your body and like its functions. I'm like, oh my God, that's me. I do that. You know, like I'm, I'm that type of person. And I guess there's like different like spectrums of awareness you can have in that, but

[00:15:31] Jasper: we're so fucking magic

[00:15:32] Mija: yeah. So magic and people are scared by that shit though, you know? And I don't know. I, it's very helpful.

[00:15:40] Jasper: Yeah, people are scared by that. I think that probably like innately, we all have some amount of that magic within us and like, It's very intentionally suppressed and that we are intentionally taught to not look for it and not get in tune with it.

[00:15:57] Mija: Mm-hmm.

[00:15:58] Jasper: and like the people who do get in tune it, go on to do amazing things. And I'm grateful.

[00:16:05] Mija: Yeah. That's why I see, say that like gender euphoria is like being liberated in my body's needs and desires and physical presence, you know, like that not knowing this about myself is in itself euphoria and it like doesn't all have to be like so like orgasmic or like even necessarily pleasurable like gender euphoria is functional, right? Like gender euphoria informs my body about what it needs or what it doesn't need anymore of, or, you know. I think that we don't always, I feel like people have been taught in like how to, how we're supposed to experience what euphoria, our pleasure, these things are, but we lose sight or feeling of other ways to experience those things and like other ways they show up cuz it's not all like always about happiness or pleasure, right? Like I can still have gender euphoria and be feeling some hard shit. And that gets to be okay too.

[00:17:09] Jasper: Yeah. Yeah. That's a whole nother thing. Like to think about, talk about, I feel like I'm, so, I'm like definitely at the, the beginning stages of my journey in this and like, I'm just, I'm so excited. I have such amazing role models and people to look up to and like, you know, there's so much, It's so expansive, can't wait.

[00:17:33] Mija: Hm mm-hmm. I'm in it to win it. You know I'm go. I'm here to do do it.

[00:17:38] Jasper: You're doing it

[00:17:39] Mija: Present.

[00:17:40] Jasper: and accounted for

[00:17:41] Mija: Yes.

[00:17:42] Jasper: Well that's, I mean, I was gonna, I'll plug you on the internet at the end, but like, is there more you wanna say anything else?

[00:17:50] Mija: Yeah. Well, I don't friend people I don't know on Facebook, but I'm there and accessible if you wanna look and share thing or see things that I share. I'm on Insta as the Loving Warrior or Dandelion Cloverdale. I'm on an episode of Sexplanations on YouTube about being Two-Spirit. There's also a Sexplanations podcast with a similar episode that I'm on about doing sacred sexuality. There's definitely some videos out there if you do some sleuthing. And let folks know that you can email me to book workshops on identity, sexuality, colonization, and gender or mostly whatever at thelovingwarrior@gmail.com.

[00:18:31] Jasper: Hell yeah. Is Sexplanations they're Missoula person?

[00:18:35] Mija: Yeah. Lindsay Doe she doesn't live in Missoula anymore. I think she lives in Baja now. But uh, Lindsay and I met a long time ago when I was working for Missoula AIDS Council. Yeah. Good friend. We don't, we don't talk enough, but good friend.

[00:18:54] Jasper: That's okay. I'm sure you have a lot of good friends and lovers all over the world that, you know

[00:18:59] Mija: not enough time. time.

[00:19:01] Jasper: your, your seeds spread far and wide.

[00:19:04] Mija: That's right, that's right. I don't even think dandelions were originally from this continent. So, it's been a long journey

[00:19:13] Jasper: Well, I'm so happy that your journey brought you here today. Thanks so much for chatting with me for coming on today.

[00:19:20] Mija: It's an honor.

[00:19:21] Jasper: Same. Same here.

[00:19:23] Mija: Same, there.

[00:19:24] Jasper: Same. here, same there. Same everywhere, same underwear.

[00:19:29] Mija: Oh yeah. Euphoria for everyone. You get gender euphoria, you get gender euphoria, you get gender of euphoria.

[00:19:39] Jasper: And actually, if you look under your chair right now,

[00:19:42] Mija: right now?

[00:19:43] Jasper: Our producers planted seeds of gender euphoria. Yeah but seriously, thank you.

[00:19:49] Jasper: