The Art of Survival: Iden Crockett on PTSD, Trans Rights, and Living Authentically | Video

What does it cost to keep performing a version of yourself that other people accept?

Iden Crockett joins Jay Hicks to talk about life as a trans woman, her years as a paramedic and firefighter, and the art she began sharing when hiding became harder than being seen. She describes the masks in her artwork, the experiences behind them, and the space poetry and drawing gave her to express what she had struggled to say elsewhere.

They discuss PTSD, the emotional toll of first-response work, and Iden's account of being pushed out of her fire department after coming out. The conversation also follows her decision to put her work into the world, the relationships that grew from it, and the ongoing work of accepting herself.

Content note — Discussion of suicide, self-injury, eating disorders, and discrimination.

What We Explore

• Masking, gender identity, and the pressure to fit in
• The emotional aftermath of emergency response work
• Iden's experience leaving the fire department
• Art as a way to express difficult experiences
• Poetry, insomnia, and Black, White, and Red All Over
• Being visible, building relationships, and accepting your whole history

About Iden Crockett

Iden Crockett is an artist, writer, poet, photographer, musician, and trans woman with a background in firefighting and paramedicine. Her work explores identity, mental health, and lived experience.

Connect with Iden

Website • Instagram • Facebook • Poetry collection

The Tragedy Academy

Candid conversations exploring the human experience through tragedy and triumph.

Hosted by Jay Hicks.

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The Tragedy Academy is a show created to bridge societal divides in a judgment-free zone using candor and humor. 

Be cool. Keep Learning.