MSTM Perspectives Podcast

Janelle Marina Mendez, CEO of MSTM delivers a keynote speech titled, "Female Marines, America's Babies Need You!" at the Fight For Our Freedom Campaign Press Conference held in Washington D.C. on Veterans Day.

In this episode of our perspectives podcast, Ellie opens up about navigating the rough terrain of being both a blind woman and a bisexual woman. Her hilarious British humor will make you laugh a lot along the way as she touches some deeply heartfelt topics about her sexuality.

Listen to Janelle Marina Mendez talk about her sexuality, pedoplanet, and more...

A common question coming up in our community is what is the difference between MJIA, IAmVanessaGuillen, and the MIRA Bills? In Today's episode of our Perspectives Podcast, Janelle Marina Mendez, CEO of MSTM goes over the differences between each set of bills and what they set out to accomplish. Janelle goes over why MSTM is lobbying for MIRA and why MIRA addresses the most broad-spectrum issues related to servicemembers and veterans who have experienced MST.  She discusses the need to protect other vulnerable classes of service members that remain at risk for retaliation without the establishment of MIRA.

Royal Parker served in the U.S. Army before his transition. Royal faced a series of hardships based on race, gender identity, and as a survivor or Military Sexual Trauma (MST). Royal's preferred pronouns are he, him, his. Royal details his story of adversity and struggle while serving our nation. Today, Royal is an activist in the Hudson Valley Region of New York helping other transgender veterans.

MSTM's host, Air Force veteran, and MST survivor Izzy Aceves interviews Chad Keck who a male MST survivor and volunteer for MSTM. He is a U.S. Marine Corps. veteran. He received a retaliatory discharge after experiencing Military Sexual Trauma (MST) while serving on active duty. The struggle to attain VA benefits left Chad to struggle with PTSD due to MST without any support. Chad Keck is Vanessa Guillen. #EndMST

American society and especially in the military, there is an idea that being provocative equates to consent. Consent involves a conversation about the past, the present, and the future. All resources are provocative. Money is one of the most provocative and sought after resources in the world. When someone steals cash, we don't place responsibility and accountability on the bank because its contents were provocative. We place accountability on the person who committed the crime. Why do we feel it is okay to place blame on victims of Military Sexual Trauma (MST)? This Perspectives Podcast episode directly challenges the status quo and looks and new and healthier beliefs that can help us #EndMST and hold leaders and the attackers responsible. 

This publication contains a number of stories of survivors who've experienced Military Sexual Trauma (MST), sexual violence, and/or hazing. These stories are graphic in nature due to the topic. Some stories contain graphic details of events, substance abuse, suicidal ideation and/or homicidal ideation, self-harm, sexual and/or physical assault. Other stories contain nudity, sexually suggestive graphics, and tough topics such as sex trafficking, drug trafficking, and/or the adult film industry may be referenced somewhere in this publication.

If you continue past this page, you do so at your own risk. MSTM is not liable for any triggers that may arise as a result of reading this publication. This is the only trigger warning you will receive regarding this publication. At MSTM, we believe in survivors telling their stories in the most authentic and vulnerable way in order to create progress. As a result, these stories can be very difficult to read. We ask that you read this publication with compassion and empathy as these stories told in this publication are the real-life events of the survivors who have decided to come forward and break the silence to #EndMST

We hope that you enjoy our Perspectives Podcast Series