We were lucky to catch up with Ren Dawe recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ren, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
I’m currently working on a project called The “Here to Pee” tour, This project is a bold and unapologetic journey through the Bible Belt and beyond, using humor to challenge discriminatory laws. The traveling red-state variety show consists of an all-trans performer lineup, using potty humor to center discriminatory legislation that impacts gender diverse people nationally.
But the “Here to Pee” tour is more than a comedy show; it’s a movement to flush away discriminatory laws through bringing the LGBTQ+ community together and celebrating trans joy.
After organizing the Colorado Queer Comedy Festival and getting to tour the country, I met far too many trans artists that were simply afraid to use a venue’s bathroom because of the laws or culture in the state regarding the trans right to occupy public spaces. So this tour is my attempt to do something about it, and to give trans folks the ability to have the last laugh on these hot-=button bathroom bills.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Hi! My name is Ren Q Dawe (he/they). I am a trans activist, stand up comedian, and a writer.
I have performed all over the country, been seen in comedy festivals from Portland to New York to Pensacola to Alaska, made a few appearances on TV, and am on tour with the “Pretty Witty Gay Show” for most of 2024.
Currently, I’m organizing the “Here to Pee” campaign–a comedy tour that specifically goes through every state in the US that has passed anti-trans bathroom legislation. Meant as both a silly statement and one of civil disobedience, my comedic style ranges from clean to crude, and is my favorite activism tool in promoting LGBTQ+ acceptance and protecting trans lives.
In my other work, I serve as the Education Director for the You Can Play Project, creating allyship curricula for most major sports leagues in North America. I also work as a Faculty Relations Manager, ERG Chair, and Project Manager for edX–the largest tech ed company in the world.
I’ve contracted with both for-profit and non-profit organizations including Spaulding Ridge, the NHL, BigPanda, 2U, Out Boulder County / Rocky Mountain Equality, Boulder County School District, and more to bring DEI trainings and LGBTQ-centered education to the forefront of an organization through accessible learning platforms and humor (PowerToFly).
In addition to my professional and advocacy roles, I’m an accomplished poet and writer, contributing to the discourse on trans identities through various published works (The Currere Exchange).
On the side, I’m a yoga teacher, white water raft guide, and pro home cook.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
1. Empower vulnerable voices. Society should create spaces where marginalized and diverse voices can thrive without fear of censorship or exclusion. This means not only ensuring representation but also offering platforms that amplify unique perspectives. Creative ecosystems thrive when there’s room for every story, especially those historically silenced.
2. Give yourself and others the freedom to experiment and fail. A healthy creative ecosystem should celebrate experimentation and allow room for failure. Artists often push boundaries, and their creativity flourishes in environments that aren’t constrained by strict commercial expectations. This means granting artists the time and space to develop their ideas without immediate pressure for market success. In comedy, sometimes the worst things that happen make for the best bits. In life, I think we should be equally as optimistic about our missteps and how they are an essential part of our journey.
3. Celebrate joy as resistance. Comedy, writing, and art in general is an incredible tool of healing and resistance. Silliness, goofiness, light-hearted art should be equally cherished as expressions of pain and suffering. I often only see the work of marginalized communities that emphasizes the struggle of those communities. While certainly important, I think it is sad that the only happy images or stories we get don’t include multiply marginalized groups. Supporting comedians and artists who make people laugh in the face of adversity can uplift communities and encourage resilience, which strengthens the creative ecosystem as a whole. Joy is just as powerful of a creative tool and artistic medium as suffering.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I used to feel pretty uncomfortable in public spaces and was not a fan of being in the spotlight. I recently heard a producer say “YOU BELONG EVERYWHERE YOU GO. Anywhere you go, you belong–never forget it.” and it made a really big impact on me.
As a queer person, we’re often made to feel like we don’t belong. As a trans person, that feeling is exponentially aggravated, as our rights are constantly debated as legitimate or worthy. I am currently unlearning the sense that I don’t belong, and I am trying to replace that ideology with the idea that I DO belong every I go, that we all do, and that it is my right to be here–whether that is to tell jokes, consult on public policy, or simply to use a public restroom.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.renqcomedy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renqcomedy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100078860258492
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ren-dawe/
- Twitter: https://www.threads.net/@renqcomedy?hl=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC4FC8mCDD2jWlU2jdIrHzw
Image Credits
Burbank Comedy Festival