THE EQUALITY ISSUE
Transcend TELL ME ABOUT YOUR TRANSITION. Well, I’ve been on hormone replacement therapy for fourand-a-half years. I feel like it was missing from my body. My brain needed it, my body needed it. I was constantly hearing things like ‘you’re weird’ and ‘guys don’t do that.’ That’s what I’ve heard a lot, but I wasn’t a guy, although they thought I was. I tried to believe I was a guy because I was told I was, and I lived as one but I believed there was a Santa Claus, too, until I learned that he doesn’t exist. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON EQUALITY IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I don’t know a single
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owner that is LGBTQIA. I have heard a statistic that 30% of Cannabis users are LGBT, but I don’t know of any owners. People love to stereotype, stoners included, but I try to prove that wrong. Yes, I can!
EFFIE LOU WARREN
IS THIS THE RIGHT COMMUNITY FOR YOU RIGHT NOW? Well, it’s the only place I want
STICKY BUDZ REGIONAL SALES MANAGER
to be. And to be honest, I don’t think there is another industry that would accept me this well for who I am. I’m proud of MLM, the parent company for Sticky Budz. When I took many interviews before them, I always thought I was going to get a call back, but it never came. It was Tiffany Louie who gave me my shot. If it were not for her, I would not be in this business and now I’ve been a part of the organization for over two years - enjoying a lot of success.
aklEAF.COM
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’VE BEEN JUDGED AT ALL BY THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? I know there
are a certain amount of shops I shouldn’t go to. They won’t welcome me to have lunch with them, they won’t allow me to do a vendor day with them. And I have to keep my mouth shut so I don’t lose those accounts. Yet, I still have to win these shops over. I’m gonna get in your shop, Dude! You know why? Because I’m gonna have product you need. And you know what I’m gonna do when that happens? I’m gonna walk my flamingo ass in there so perched up and you’re not going to be able to say anything, because I’m making you money. I’m fucking gangster! Otherwise, I know who my people are and I’m really proud of the shops who aren’t run by bigots.
@EFFIE_MLM
“I KNOW WHO MY PEOPLE ARE AND I’M REALLY PROUD OF THE SHOPS WHO AREN’T RUN BY BIGOTS.”
RIGHT ON. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING FOR YOU, EFFIE. Actually, I’m not just gangster,
but I’m gay and I’m proud - I’m a trans woman who deserves to exist just like any woman or man.
AUG, 2020
INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS
