No Self-Sacrifice on the Altar of Identity Politics

After getting strong feedback from guesting on other shows, in interviews, and during highly engaging Q&A sessions after my keynotes, I realized something—I was offering a different perspective, and it resonated. And that word—perspective—is key. 

I have a unique background, and my perspective isn’t one that is commonly heard every day. I break the stereotype of someone who has transitioned. I don’t align with identity politics or subscribe to the politics of division. I worked too hard to become who I am to turn around and lay my individuality at the altar of identity politics. 

But the truth is, I didn’t do this alone. Transition is a selfish act, but it doesn’t happen in isolation. My family, my colleagues, my clients—they were all part of it in some way. They had to process their own grief, their own adjustments, and their own shift in understanding. They didn’t choose this, yet they adapted. Not because they had to, but because I invited them into the process.

That matters.

When people feel invited into change rather than forced into it, they become invested in its success. And that is why I will never reduce my journey to a political talking point or surrender my individuality to a movement that demands I think, act, or identify in a certain way.

That’s exactly why I started The Andrea Leigh Show.

I wanted a space where I could have real conversations—not dictated by identity politics, not manipulated by the media, and not forced into the noise of extremes. A space where perspective—mine and yours—matters. Podcasting allows me to be deliberate, thoughtful, and intentional. Unlike speaking on stage, where audience reactions guide the moment, this format allows me to cut through the noise, share my perspective, and invite real engagement. 

Podcasting is different from speaking on stage. When you’re in front of a live audience, you see reactions in real time. Sometimes, they land exactly where you expect them to. Other times, people react to something you never thought would hit so deeply. That feedback loop is powerful—it lets you adjust and connect in the moment. But in podcasting? There’s no instant feedback.

It’s just me, the microphone, and my thoughts.

I have to be more deliberate, more thoughtful. I’m less nervous, but more intentional. I’m careful with my words because there’s no energy in the room to guide me, no visual cues to tell me if people are nodding along or pulling back. I want to be engaging without overthinking it, and that’s something I know will develop as the audience engagement grows.

I’ve been surprised by how quickly I’ve adjusted to what works and what doesn’t. Camera angles, movement, where I’m looking—all of that mattered more than I expected. But what I didn’t expect? How comfortable I’d feel so quickly. I’ve already found my rhythm, and that’s when the best conversations happen. With the tech available today, it’s easier than ever to deliver a solid video presentation. And it’s only going to get better. I love the camera. I love engaging visually. I want The Andrea Leigh Show to be something people watch to engage with me as much as they listen.

This show is about perspective—mine and yours. I offer a different perspective, and you allow me to learn and engage with yours. A lot of people are tired of the noise from the extremes of the left and right. But most people actually live in the middle, in what I call compassionate indifference.

They don’t spend their days obsessing over identity politics. They have lives to live.

But if you watch the nightly news or listen to the talking head shows, you’d never know that. You’d think we were at war. We aren’t. We’re just seeing the pendulum swing violently from one extreme to the other—far left, far right, back and forth. I want this podcast to offer a different perspective. One that cuts through the noise and focuses on how we’re actually not as divided as we’re being led to believe.

This is just the beginning. As the audience grows, I’ll expand the conversations and bring more direct messaging.

For now, I’d love for you to listen, subscribe, and—most importantly—share this show with people who need to hear it. That’s how this conversation grows. That’s how we push back against the noise and bring real perspective into the world.

 The Andrea Leigh Show is available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Click the link below to subscribe, and if you have thoughts—good, bad, or somewhere in between—drop a comment and let’s have a real conversation.

 Because that’s what this is about. A real conversation, not just a talking point.

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🔹 Share this with someone who needs to hear it.

🔹 Drop a comment & let’s talk.

 Let’s keep this going.