Crack This ShXt Open!
9 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 238 ratings‘Crack This ShXt Open’ is a story about coming into who you are while accepting the things you can not change. Shay is a shy introvert who has spent years masking herself to adhere to gender norms. She’s often wished for non-binary-presenting body traits, to not be male or female. On a reflective, emotional journey through her past, Shay seeks answers to tough questions. How to avoid becoming beholden to one box and instead remain fluid while existing in between? Shay investigates experiences long ago stuffed inside the proverbial box. In running from her truth, she loses her anchor and struggles to define who she is. What she is. Her truth is muddled in the cacophony of loud expectations, bullying taunts, societal demands, and traditionalist dogma. To survive, she masters the juggling act of wearing the masks known to the Trinity—her parents, church, and community. Her act to uphold others’ expectations slowly disintegrates. The gig is up. Shay faces a very lonely choice—to stay or walk away. But first, she must become reacquainted with a long-hidden characteristic of herself: Sebastian.
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Episodes
EIGHT | Sebastian Walks (Finale)
November 12, 2020 16:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MBTHIS IS THE FINAL EPISODE OF THE SERIAL PODCAST. In the final episode of ‘Crack this ShXt Open!’ Shay speaks as Sebastian, her male-presenting side. She sets the stage as her childhood church where Sebastian is given the floor and is speaking from the pulpit. Like the men before him, he speaks his truth. Sebastian's monologue captures the soul and reveals the full story. Cast: Shay Potter (as Sebastian) Key Themes: Nature is a flow between polarity and nuance. Disruption breeds destru...
SEVEN | Her, Performance
November 05, 2020 16:00 - 25 minutes - 17.3 MBPLEASE START WITH EPISODE ONE FIRST. THIS IS A SERIAL PODCAST. Shay talks about the public persona she developed to hide her identity and meet the expectations of others — ‘Her.’ She explains her journey through a story about her sorority’s signature scholarship event and the fallout from one last performance. Shay takes us into her mind and dealing with mental anxiety which provokes an uneasiness. She takes the first step toward a glimpse of light -- change is coming. Cast: Shay Potter K...
SIX | Rhythm & Blues Part 3 (Mom)
October 29, 2020 15:00 - 22 minutes - 15.5 MBPLEASE START WITH EPISODE ONE FIRST. THIS IS A SERIAL PODCAST. Shay is interviewed by her mother about coming to terms with ‘the middle’ and what that means for her daily life. It is the third and final chapter of ‘Rhythm & Blues,’ a series with Shay’s family about understanding and acceptance. Cast: Shay Potter, Brenda Potter Key Themes: We live in a binary world. You must decide who you want to be. Biology does not determine your true identity. Labels can be unfair and limiting. An...
FIVE | Rhythm & Blues Part 2 (Dad)
October 22, 2020 04:00 - 19 minutes - 13.8 MBPLEASE START WITH EPISODE ONE FIRST. THIS IS THE FIFTH EPISODE OF THE SERIES AND A CONTINUATION OF THE PREVIOUS EPISODE. Shay interviews her father and recounts the time he came to stay with her in Augusta. It is a continuation of the conversation that began in the fourth episode of Crack this ShXt Open!, ‘Rhythm & Blues, Pt. 1.’ Shay's father visits her home in Georgia. Over the next few weeks, his health declines and he ends up in the hospital. It was a wake-up call for both of them. Wou...
FOUR | Rhythm & Blues Part 1 (Dad)
October 15, 2020 05:00 - 27 minutes - 18.6 MBPLEASE START WITH EPISODE ONE FIRST. THIS IS THE FOURTH EPISODE OF THE SERIES. Shay interviews her father about his childhood and asks difficult questions about his lack of involvement during her early years. For most of her life, Shay wondered if the reason her father was so distant was that she was a girl. Despite the fact that many of their interests where the same, Shay’s father admits that he was disappointed she wasn’t a boy. Still, he asserts that it didn’t change his level of inte...
THREE | Accepting Me, For Me
October 03, 2020 04:00 - 21 minutes - 15.1 MBPLEASE START WITH EPISODE ONE FIRST. THIS IS THE THIRD EPISODE OF THE SERIES. Shay talks about the struggles she’s faced with image as a gender-fluid individual. It is a continuation of the conversation with her friend, Jeremiah, that began in the first episode of Crack this ShXt Open!, ‘In the Box.’ Shay doesn’t always have a way to describe herself and she’s okay with that. As a 19-year veteran of the US Army, Shay has seen it all and knows that education is a choice. She doesn’t believ...
TWO | Downward Spiral
October 02, 2020 04:00 - 35 minutes - 24.2 MBPLEASE START WITH EPISODE ONE. THIS IS THE SECOND EPISODE OF THE SERIES. *****WARNING: SOME DISCUSSION OF DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE IDEATIONS***** Shay tells the story of her downward spiral and how it mirrored the social unrest in Los Angeles following the beating of Rodney King. As a deeply troubled teen, Shay had been experiencing gender dysphoria for some time. At this point, she had not yet embraced her true identity. Simmering racial tensions only sought to fan the flame. Like Rodney ...
ONE | In The Box
October 01, 2020 04:00 - 23 minutes - 16.5 MBTHIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY. START HERE. THE FIRST OF THE SERIES. In this episode, Shay introduces her story by sharing some of the critical moments that helped define her childhood. To give her feelings context, she explains her journey through the concept of boxes. People use these boxes for many reasons. For classification, for protection, even to file things away we don’t understand. Early on, Shay realized that she didn’t fit into the boxes that society put her in. She was dif...
START HERE FIRST: Why I Wrote This Story
September 30, 2020 04:00 - 5 minutes - 3.97 MBFirst, thanks for offering your time and support to listen to this story project. Who Would Enjoy This Story Podcast? Allies, family, and friends of LGBTQ+ children LGBTQ+ kids and young adults who struggle with their gender identity or sexuality Anyone that has struggled with the regular challenges of growing up, and has experienced confusion, depression, disappointment that stem from the way you look and walk in this world, you will also find something in this story. Disclaimer: ...