The Cost of Resistance–Arrested for Civil Disobedience

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Across some of the most conservative states in the country, we’re witnessing incredible acts of activism and resistance, as people show up, speak out, and fight back against efforts to strip away the rights and dignity of transgender people. However, it’s important to recognize just how difficult it is to do that work when you’re not only fighting against these policies but are also among the very people being targeted by them. What does it take to keep showing up, to put yourself out there, and to continue fighting for your community when your own existence is at the center of the political battle? Today’s guest In the Den is Nikson Matthews, former chair of the Idaho Democratic Queer Caucus and the first transgender person to serve in the Idaho State Senate.  On April 1, 2026, Sara and Nikson were arrested together during a sit-in in the Idaho Governor’s office, and today’s episode is a conversation about what it means to be a trans activist in a state where the political climate is increasingly hostile, where the laws and rhetoric targeting transgender people threaten not only their rights but their very place in public life. They’ll discuss the relationships activism builds, the moments that sustain us, the fear and frustration, the courage it takes to keep going, and what happens when the fight for justice moves from the streets and the Statehouse into the courtroom.

Special Guest: Nikson Matthews

Nikson Mathews is an LGBTQ+ advocate who made history in March 2025 as Idaho’s first openly transgender legislator, serving as a substitute state senator.  A former adjunct professor at Boise State University and policy advocate for Add The Words, Idaho, Mathews previously ran for the Idaho House of Representatives in 2024.

Mathews is a prominent opponent of anti-trans legislation, notably testifying against House Bill 752, which was signed into law in April 2026 criminalizing transgender bathroom use in private businesses.  He has publicly detailed the personal risks of such laws, stating that they force transgender men with masculine appearances to choose between jail time for using the men’s restroom or physical violence for using the women’s restroom. 

Links from the Show:

• Nikson’s Advocate article
• Nikson’s viral testimony
• Nikson’s Idaho Statesman article
• Nikson on IG
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