Ash Davidson was diagnosed with breast cancer at 42 that was discovered during during gender affirming surgery. In this episode Ash reads his essay “Longing to Belong” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “Queer” issue. Ash’s story is about the unique challenges in a medical landscape that often fails to acknowledge the diverse narratives within the cancer community. April and Ash will talk about what it’s been like sharing his story multiple times, finding and making queer support in cancer, and the desire to advocate in the cancer community, and feelings about scars. They will also discuss feeling unsafe in your body and intimacy after breast cancer.

More about Ash:https://www.instagram.com/transashtoning/

Purchase the “Queer” issue of Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/queerincancerland24

Listen to more episodes from the “Queer” issue:

Slowing Down to Write One Moment with Dawn Amodeo https://player.captivate.fm/episode/a082c76d-bd6e-4345-adc5-2b3ac29af98f/

Stay Visible with Stephanie Millett

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/bf5a9ce5-4858-43b1-88ff-d4b00cb8623c/

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Queering Cancer https://queeringcancer.ca/

National LGBT Cancer Network https://cancer-network.org/

Rethink Breast Cancer https://rethinkbreastcancer.com/

Young Survival Coalition https://youngsurvival.org/

Buy the Wildfire book Igniting the Fire Within: Stories of Healing, Hope & Humor, Inside Today’s Young Breast Cancer Community: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJVJ629F?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860

Get the free Wildfire “Hot Flashes” email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/newsletter?rq=newsletter

Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops

Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop

*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free

More about Wildfire Magazine:

https://www.wildfirecommunity.org

https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/

https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity

Information on submitting your story for consideration to be published in Wildfire Magazine: