ODS S1:E7 Monica Helms
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Monica Helms
Creator of the Trans Pride Flag & Co-Founder of Transgender Americans Veterans Association (TAVA)
This episode features Monica Helms is a transgender activist, veteran, and creator of the trans pride flag. Monica served as a nuclear submarine Machinist Mate in the U.S. Navy, and later helped found the Transgender Americans Veterans Association (TAVA). In 2004, she was selected as Georgia’s first transgender delegate to the Democratic National Convention. Monica created the trans flag in 1999. Her simple, powerful design has become a worldwide symbol of belonging for millions of trans people. The original flag is in the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum.
Out Down South is brought to you by the Atlanta LGBTQ+ History Project and is part of the WUSSY Podcast Network.
Hosted by Rachel Garbus (@goodgraciousrachel) and Sam Landis (@iam_samlandis).
Produced by Sam Landis, Rachel Garbus, & Jon Dean (@jondeanphoto), .
Episode 7 was edited by Jonathan Thomas Maiocco (@jonathanthomasmaiocco)
Podcast graphics and branding created by Sam Landis
Photographer: Robin Rayne (@robin.rayne).
Monica Helms is pictured in her home workshop in Marietta.
Project interns - Alyssa Zhang, Alex Campo, Hunter Buchheit, Kaleb Branch, and Oli Turner.
Our Original Podcast Theme Music was created by our sound designer, Jonathan Thomas Maiocco (@jonathanthomasmaiocco)
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About the Project:
The Atlanta LGBTQ+ History Project is a multimedia initiative to gather, share, and preserve the history and life stories of LGBTQ+ communities in Georgia and across the Southeast. Through oral history, photography, and archival materials, we bring the voices and stories of LGBTQ+ Atlantans to life.
Explore the project through museum exhibitions, the Out Down South podcast, live and virtual panel series, and online materials. All project materials are archived at Georgia State University Library’s Special Collection & Archives. Find out more at
Learn more by visiting: atlantalgbtqhistoryproject.org
We are grateful for the partners of the podcast and project: WussyMag, The LGBTQ Institute at The National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and the special collections and archives at Georgia State University Library where all of the oral histories from this project will be archived.
Want to record your own oral history, or interview a friend or family member?
StoryCorps is an organization that provides people across the country with the opportunity to record and preserve the stories of their lives. You can record an interview with a friend or family member at their Atlanta recording booth, or remotely through the StoryCorps app. Find out more here: storycorps.org/atlanta/
You can also reach out to us at hello@atlantalgbtqhistoryproject.org to nominate others you think we should include in the
Partner recognition:
We are grateful for the partners of the podcast and project: WussyMag, Out Front Theatre Company, and the special collections and archives at Georgia State University Library where all of the oral histories from this project will be archived.
A full episode transcript to be uploaded at a later date.