Shows
Queer LitFestive Special Part 2What is the queerest thing you did this year? Listen to the festive special to find out how queer our guests and listeners made 2025!References:Liz BreslinHow To Read podcasthttps://www.howtoreadpodcast.com/elaine-auyoung-one-sided-relationships/Queer Forms and Pronouns: Gender Nonconformity in Anglophone Literature (OUP, March 2026)https://global.oup.com/academic/product/queer-forms-and-pronouns-9780198974116?q=lena%20mattheis&lang=en&cc=gbSusan StrykerLouise Siddons’ Good Pictures Are A Strong Weaponhttps://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517910730/good-pictures-are-a-strong-weapon/Category is Books (Glasgow)Lighthouse Books (Edinburgh)
2025-12-2330 minQueer Lit“Clever Girl” with Hannah McGregorFierce femme dinosaurs, intersex embodiment, Laura Dern – it’s surprisingly easy to read Jurassic Park as a feminist celebration of monstrous queer bodies, at least when you have the magnificent Hannah McGregor by your side. In Hannah’s ‘bookiest book yet,’ we learn about lesbian dinosaurs, the ignorance of white male adventurers, and how and why they’re erotically eviscerated for their flaws. Not to be missed!If you would like to observe us in the wild, follow us on Instagram: @hkpmcgregor and @queerlitpodcast. References:Jurassic ParkHannah McGregor’s Podcast or Peri...
2024-12-1045 minQueer Lit“Gendered Bodies and Narrative Form” with Chiara PellegriniHow does a queer, trans or intersex body take shape in a narrative? Dr Chiara Pellegrini is here to help us better understand how narrative form, point of view, and embodiment interact in contemporary storytelling – whether that be in novels, short stories or reality TV. We speak about problematic narrative tropes of trans narration, such as the ‘gender reveal’, but also about how some narrative voices protect their characters from voyeuristic intrusions. I’m also absolutely fascinated by Chiara’s take on Barbie.Don’t delay, listen today! To learn more about Chiara’s work, follow her on Twitter @chiar...
2024-04-0245 minQueer Lit“Hijab Butch Blues” with Lamya H.How often do you get to chat with the author of your major literary obsession and learn something about queer storytelling at the same time? I cannot believe I actually got to sit down with @lamyaisangry to talk about their brilliant novel Hijab Butch Blues, their essay writing and the queer future, which, according to Lamya, will be weird AF. Listen now, to hear about queer readings of the Quran, gender expression at the gym, new coming out narratives, and Lamya’s queer writing ancestors. Not to be missed! References:Lamya H. “A Fr...
2024-02-2039 minQueer Lit“Nonbinary History and Queer Kinship” with Mo MoultonThis episode is all about both/and: both trans and queer history, both kinship and relationships, both the past and the present. Mo Moulton, our illustrious guest this fortnight, is an expert in all of them. Mo is a historian of community, who is particularly interested in nonbinary methods to approach gender nonconforming figures of the past. In this episode, Mo talks about a queer and trans desire for kinship with the past, about chosen families, and (my favorite bit) about dogs and the trans experience. If I were you, I would listen right now and follow @queerlitpodcast and @movin...
2024-02-0645 minQueer Lit“The Shape of Sex” with Leah DeVunNonbinary Jesus. Did that get your attention? If so, this episode is for you. Historian extraordinaire Leah DeVun joins me to talk about the pre-modern history of nonbinary gender, about intersex brides, transitioning saints and what terms such as androgyne and hermaphrodite might tell us about conceptions of sex, gender and sexuality. Leah explains how thinking about nonbinary gender was and is a way of interrogating what it means to be human.Join us for this journey into nonbinary history and religion and, if you just can’t get enough, follow @ldevun (IG), @DevunLeah (Twitter) and @queerlitpodcast on In...
2024-01-2341 minQueer Lit“Trans Future Fiction” with Kit SchusterHow can we imagine a trans future? Kit Schuster joins me to talk about how transgression in fiction can help us think new futures. We speak about trans, nonbinary and gendernonconforming characters, norms and settings in science fiction, but Kit also stresses that their definition of trans is not limited to gender. Instead, Kit invites us to have our queer minds blown in all kinds of ways by future fictions but also by Gothic and horror texts. Apologies for the audio quality! Sometimes, a podcaster needs to improvise…If you enjoyed this episode, why not follow @officialkitschuster and @qu...
2024-01-0939 minQueer LitThe queerest thing you did in 2023: Part TwoThe queerest thing you did in 2023: Part TwoAre you ready for 2024? I absolutely am not but to prepare for another queer year, I listen to more of your voice notes and I give you what you probably have not been waiting for: the queerest thing I did this year. References: ListenQueerhttps://listenqueer.wordpress.com/ Kit SchusterJack Jen GiesekingAmerican Studies MeetingLindsey FreemanTrans Community RunMr SamoLondon LGBTQ+ Community CentreClea DuVallTugce Kayaal...
2023-12-2624 minQueer LitYesterqueer's HoligaysWe're revisiting a holigay chat from two years ago, talking to a wonderful friend about how hard the festive season can be for queer and trans people.CW: grief, death, trauma, religion, violence, antiqueerness, antitransness, family trauma
2023-12-1920 minQueer LitThe queerest thing you did in 2023: Part OneIt’s here! It’s here! The Queer Lit end-of-year special has arrived and it comes in two parts. One you’ll get now and the other we’ll save for Christmas Eve. Tune in to hear me gush about all the lovely messages I received and listen to this year’s Queer Lit guests talk about their supergay highlights of 2023. References: Maria SulimmaQueer Perseverance https://www.anglistik.uni-freiburg.de/events/topicweeksQueer Second Cities https://queersecondcities.wordpress.com/Jan WilmThe ArgonautsJoan DidionWhite ElephantHappiest S...
2023-12-1230 minQueer LitQueer Space Special: “Gay’s The Word” with Erica GillinghamThis extraordinary queer space special makes all my dreams come true: I get to hang out with Erica Gillingham in the basement of Gay’s The Word! Sitting between towering stacks of books and boxes of GTW archival material that goes back all the way to the birth of this magnificent LGBTQ+ bookshop in January 1979, Erica shares some highlights of the turbulent and inspiring history of GTW. She also talks about what is happening in queer publishing right now and shares some of her favourite queer YA and romance authors. Hearing Erica speak about the way in which GTW and it...
2023-12-0523 minQueer Lit“Two-Spirit Kinship” with Kai Minosh PyleWhat can you do when the language for who you are doesn’t exist yet? Kai Minosh Pyle’s answer: write gorgeous poetry about it! In this episode, Kai reads one of their multilingual pieces, but they also talk about the benefits of using words that ‘kind of’ fit, and about finding trans*temporal kinship with Two-Spirit ancestors in creative writing and scholarly research. Kai introduces us to some less well-known figures from Indigiqueer history, they talk about the challenges of teaching Two-Spirit writing and they even (possibly) coin a new term right here in this episode!If you are...
2023-11-2839 minQueer Lit“Second Wave Trans Feminism” with Emily CousensYou may think that second wave feminism and trans activism are mutually exclusive but guess what: there is actually a whole lot of diversity in second wave feminist theory, writing, activism and print culture. Emily Cousens has done lots of archival research to highlight trans thinking and the way it has informed and shaped second wave feminism. Listen to our conversation to learn more about the grassroots movements, trans newsletters and gendernonconforming thinkers that make the second wave trans. References:Emily Cousens’ Trans Feminist Epistemologies in the US Second Wave (Palgrave, 2023)
2023-11-1442 minQueer LitHow queer was your year?If you would like to be a part of the Queer Lit winter tradition, let me know about the queerest thing you did this year and/or any queer winter/holiday traditions and reading recommendations by the end of November. Can't wait to hear from you at queerlitpodcast@gmail.com!
2023-11-0901 minQueer LitSpooky Special: "Trans-fixing Media” with Cáel KeeganWe’re so done with scary trans villains and monsters – or are we? Cáel Keegan explains why we might be able to learn lessons about trans liberation from Buffalo Bill and why The Silence of the Lambs, upon its release, was actually protested for homophobia. Cáel speaks about transfixing and spellbinding media, from The Matrix to Buffy to video games. Dark Willow makes an appearance. Not to be missed. References:Keegan, Cáel M. Lana and Lilly Wachowski. University of Illinois Press, 2018.Keegan, Cáel M. "Emptying the future...
2023-10-3144 minQueer LitVINTAGE Fear Lit: “Queerness and Race in Gothic and Horror” with Maisha WesterGet the garlic, sprinkle the holy water, but please, leave the antiqueer racism out of my Gothic romance! Dr Maisha Wester (Sheffield/Indiana University) explains why Horror films are so interesting to study, what Brexit has to do with Zombies, why King Kong film posters reveal blatant racism, and why ghosts are not always gay but most definitely queer. Lusty lesbian vampires, Cat People (are those the same?), spiders, sharks, and Supernatural fan fiction: this episode has everything the tell-tale heart could want.Texts, Films and Stories mentioned:DraculaKing KongLe Fanu’s CarmillaJu...
2023-10-2447 minQueer Lit“Realness, Loss and Underdogs” with Heather LoveIt’s time to be real. In this episode with queer studies luminary Heather Love, it’s all about what you find, what you feel, what you knooooow(-ah) to be real. We talk about feeling and looking backward while shifting paradigms, about the semiprivate space of the queer classrooms, about the entanglements of queer, trans and disability studies and so much more. Tune in now and follow @queerlitpodcast on Instagram for more realness and reading recs. References to Heather’s work:Underdogs: Social Deviance and Queer Theory. Chicago: University of Chicago Press...
2023-10-1746 minQueer Lit“The Coast is Queer” with Sarah Boira and Vedrana VelickovicHave you asked yourself lately: What could I do to make my October really super extra queer? Sarah Boira and Vedrana Velickovic have THE festival for you. Listen to this episode to learn all about The Coast is Queer, the UK’s first LGBTQIA+ literary festival that celebrates all texts queer. Some of the events to get excited about: a panel on queer Ukraine, an event about invisible identities, a zine making workshop with lots of participation and plenty of partying with performance poets and open mic nights! Find out more on Instagram (@coastisqueerfest) or on the festival website. Everything is...
2023-10-0323 minQueer Lit“Black Feminist Lessons” with Alexis Pauline GumbsThis episode takes us deep, deep into the queer ocean. Alexis Pauline Gumbs submerges us in Black feminist thought, takes us on a deep dive into queer creativity, and, most importantly, allows us to rethink our breathing through gills, lungs, mouths, and bills. Listen now to learn about how Audre Lorde, June Jordan and M. Jacqui Alexander have influenced Alexis Pauline’s work and why marine mammals play such a central part in her writing.Follow @alexispauline and @queerlitpodcast on Instagram and a mystical manatee will visit you in a dream. References to Al...
2023-09-1950 minQueer Lit"Queer Ecologies and Mulberries" with Cate SandilandsDid you know that yew trees can (and do) change sex? And that many trees are nonbinary? Genderqueer greenery is only one of the fascinating (tree) topics this conversation branches off into. If you want to em-bark on a journey into queer ecologies, this is the sapisode for you. Cate talks about leafing through the herbal archives at Kew Gardens, the role of storytelling in understanding ecologies, and about discovering female forests. Tune in now and everything will be coming up roses – or mulberries. References:Cate Sandilands’ The Good-Natured FeministCate Sand...
2023-09-0543 minQueer Lit“Queerness in the USSR” with Rustam AlexanderWhat did queer life look like in Soviet Russia? Rustam Alexander has written two whole books about gay oppression in Russian history and is here to share what they learned in the archives, from diaries, and from doctors’ records. From the revolution to the ‘gay propaganda’ law of 2013, Rustam talks about the state and the history of Russian queerness. We discuss gay activism, the medicalisation of queerness and a very curious shift in legislation…CW: homophobia, medicalisation of queerness, conversion therapy, aversion therapy References: Regulating Homosexuality in Soviet Russia...
2023-08-2248 minQueer Lit“Queer Second Cities and Serial Bisexuality” with Maria SulimmaA dog walks into a lesbian bar. I am not sure there is a punchline but there is definitely a podcast episode here. Listen to this chat with my lovely friend and colleague Maria to hear about the conference we will be hosting together, about queerness and/in the city, about seriality and sexuality, and about Maria’s fascinating take on TV and identity.Follow @queerlitpodcast on Instagram and help us answer the question of all questions: Berlin or Cologne? References to Maria’s work:City Scripts: Narratives of Postindustrial Urba...
2023-08-0849 minQueer Lit“The Queer Middle Ages” with Diane WattWe know that queer and trans people have always been around, but how do you go about finding them? Diane Watt is here to show us how it’s done: all you need is lesbian methodology, queer philology, and tiny curtains. Intrigued? Tune in to learn more and to listen to Diane and I discuss shared butch lesbian and transmasculine histories, lesbian nuns, and medieval dildos.If this all sounds too good to be true, you can make sure that Diane is a real (and really awesome) person by checking @Diane_Watt on Twitter or @medievalist.on.the.ru...
2023-07-2535 minQueer Lit“Out and Wild” with Elizabeth ChakrabartyJoin @DrNChakrabarty and I in the magic teapot at @OutandWildlgbtq to talk about reading in queer spaces, writing about race hate crimes, and community at queer events. We also reflect on academic structures and queer encounters, critical race theory and cultural differences in talking about race. It was such a pleasure running into Elizabeth again and if you’re not a fan already, you will be after listening to this!CW: racism, race hate crimes References: Elizabeth Chakrabarty’s Lessons in Love and Other Crimes https://elizabethchakrabarty.com/ https://outandwild.co.u...
2023-07-1115 minQueer LitRevisiting "Lesbian Literature" with Terry CastleIn this trip to the Queer Lit archives, (the) Prof Terry Castle (Stanford University) joins me to discuss a corpus I don’t usually think about: lesbian content produced by cis-male authors. We talk about what’s great and not so great about these texts, which moments in literary history opened new doors for queer representation and why literature is such an apt medium to understand the fluidity of gender and attraction. Of course, we talk about many lesbian-authored texts as well and I am particularly grateful that Terry was open to talk about her own story and coming out.
2023-07-0456 minQueer Lit“The Common Press” with Alfonzo SievekingIf you haven’t been to the Common Press yet, you’re missing out! But not to worry, Alfonzo and I will transport you there. The Common Press is an intersectional bookshop and event space at the end of Brick Lane and I wish I could live there because the curation of events and books is amazing and the chai latte is fabulous and I found all of my favourite new reads there. References:Chris MounseyVariabilitiesAisha Shaibu-LenoirAbove the StagRichmixSara AhmedUK B...
2023-06-2720 minQueer LitRevisiting "Black Trans Narratives" with LaVelle RidleyIn one of the first Queer Lit episodes ever, I got to chat with LaVelle Ridley (University of Michigan) about her doctoral research on black trans life narratives in this one and I must say, she’s a tonic. From important observations on the role of storytelling in political and community activism to the deeply personal process of healing that appropriate representation can initiate, LaVelle covers it all. She’s a scholar, an activist, a pisces (hell, yes!), a creative writer, a mermaid, and an absolute delight to talk to. Don’t miss this one; it’s fun! Texts an...
2023-06-2049 minQueer Lit"Gay Voice Stereotype" with Fabio FasoliDo you think you can tell someone is queer by listening to their voice? Dr Fabio Fasoli is here to tell us all about gay voice stereotypes, auditory gaydar, and voice-based bias. We talk about gay voice acting in 90s sitcoms, learn surprising facts about lesbian voices and employability, and discuss the intersection of foreign accents and gender-nonconforming voices. ReferencesFasoli, F., Dragojevic, M., & Rakic, T. (In press). When voice signals nationality and sexual orientation: Speakers’ self-perceptions and perceived stigmatisation. Psychology of Language and Communication.Fontanele, A. B., de Sousa, L., & Fa...
2023-06-1333 minQueer LitRevisiting "Trans Now" with Susan StrykerHold on to your pussyhats! The incredible Prof Susan Stryker joins me for this whirlwind through trans histories, nows, and futures, in which we talk about the power of narrative and affect in research and media and about what transness might teach us about possible ways of existing in the world. Susan shares rather entertaining insights from her ground-breaking publications and films, as well as the creative projects she is working on right now. We even get to hear about how she teaches a magnificent work of trans* literature we have discussed in Queer Lit episodes past… Don’t wa...
2023-06-061h 03Queer Lit“Queer Lit UK” with Matthew CornfordSeeing double? This here podcast just so happens to share its name with a brilliant LGBTQIA+ bookshop, located in the heart of one of the queer places to be in the UK: Manchester. I met Matthew, the owner, and Jasper, the beagle, in the shop for a chat about their origin story, their book clubs and their exciting next move… Don’t delay, listen (and visit) today! Referenceshttps://www.queerlit.co.uk/Social RefugeFeel Good ClubThe Cockatoo ClubDaniel Harding’s Gay Man TalkingMatt Cain
2023-05-3017 minQueer Lit"Queer Time" with Elizabeth FreemanQueer time flies! Especially when talking to Elizabeth Freeman, who is here, now, to talk about her ground-breaking work on queer temporality, kink, care and kinship. In this momentous episode, Beth minutely lays out her thoughts on temporal drag, deep lez, erotohistoriography and chrononormativity, while also commenting on the relevance of feminist scholarship that is sometimes perceived as dated. Beth’s reading (and watching) recommendations are second to none and I think you will instantly want to dive into all of them. CW: mentions of queerphobia, transphobia, kink, death and illness By Beth:...
2023-05-1648 minQueer Lit"Feminist Killjoys" with Sara AhmedDreams really do come true! In this episode, I get to chat to the legendary originator of the feminist killjoy herself: Sara Ahmed. We talk about who the killjoy is, what she can do for us and why it is important that you can both be her and have her as your companion. Sara talks about the people who inspired her in her work on complaint, happiness, and killjoy feminism: readers, students, poets and fellow theorists like bell hooks, Judith Butler and Audre Lorde. And of course we also talk about killjoy joy.For some extra #killjoysolidarity, follow...
2023-05-0252 minQueer Lit"Trans Materialism" with Kadji Amin‘Cause we are living in a material world, Kadji Amin is here to talk about trans materialism! Kadji’s work is all about exploring what being trans means beyond gender identity. What are material reasons to transition or transgress gender expectations? How did our trancestors live as their chosen gender? And why does the history of trans women look quite different from that of trans men? In this episode, we talk about all of this and about how and why categories such as trans, cis, hetero and homo came to shape our queer lives.CW: homophobia, transphobia, medicalisation of q...
2023-04-1853 minQueer Lit“Queer Spaces and D*ke Bars” with Jack GiesekingA whole entire episode about thriving queer spaces? I know I’ve been waiting for it. Come follow Jack Gieseking and I down the queerness hole, through the d*king glass, right into C+ntoland. The extraordinarily lovely Jack and I chat about transdisciplinarity, queer geographies, Eve Sedgwick, accessibility, hot water bottles and lesbian poetry. Jack explains what queers want from their spaces, why we crave novelty, what constellations are and, most importantly, why d*ke and lesbian bars are neither dead nor dying.Have you come across any poems or zines about d*ke bars? Please let Ja...
2023-04-0444 minQueer Lit"Queer Running" with Lindsey FreemanRun, don’t walk! Lindsey Freeman (Simon Fraser University) joins me for a sprint through their most recent book on running. We talk about running while queer, running while female-bodied, running while gender-nonconforming… and we discuss all the wonderful things that a little jog can do.If you’re in for the long run, follow @lindseyafreeman on Twitter or @atomic_lindsey_freeman on Instagram. Queer Lit is ambling along at @queerlitpodcast.CW: antiqueer and antitrans violence, racism, murder References:Lindsey Freeman. Running. Duke UP, 2023.http://www.li...
2023-03-2141 minQueer Lit“Sex, Gender and Screen Printing” with Kat HubbardWhat do inkblots have to do with activism? And where can I do a Master’s in that? The incredible Katherine Hubbard (University of Surrey) is here to tell you! Kat works in queer history, sociology and psychology and does a lot of brilliant scholarly and activist work about the complicated historical relationship of queers and psychology. She is also one of the people who have created the brand-new Master’s programme in sex, gender and sexuality at the University of Surrey. Kat joins me in the podcasting room to talk about why she loves this new programme and why quee...
2023-03-0728 minQueer Lit“Queer Black Disability Liberation” with D’Arcee Charington NealWho is your favourite queer Black character with a disability? Whether you can think of ten or none, this episode is for you. I had the most fun chatting with D’Arcee Charington Neal (Ohio State University) about all the places we can find queer Black characters with disabilities and the wondrous ways in which they shape narratives. As a researcher and creative writer, D’Arcee is interested in audio rhetoric and audio narratives that go far beyond your average Audible experience. Listen now to find out how the audio experience captures minoritised stories and what André 3000 has to do with...
2023-02-2149 minQueer Lit“Queerness in the Ottoman Empire” with Tuğçe KayaalThis fortnight, we’re going east (and back in history) with fabulous historian Tuğçe Kayaal (Furman University). Tuğçe explains how she queers history and the archives, how she researches homoerotic intimacies in poetry and advice books, and what religion has to do with morals, relationships and friendships. She talks about the most frequently misunderstood aspects of the Ottoman empire and what it’s like teaching homoeroticism in texts from the Middle East.If you want to learn more, why not follow @tkayaal and @queerlitpodcast on Twitter? The podcast also produces mediocre Instagram content for your perusal.
2023-02-0744 minQueer Lit“Queers in Sports” with Gabriel Knott-FayleIn this dynamic discussion, Dr Gabriel Knott-Fayle (University of Calgary) and I talk about cisgenderism, heteronormativity and masculinity in sports and sports media. We discuss how trans* and queer bodies are treated and medicalised in narratives surrounding different sports but also how (amateur) sporting environments can be affirming and create safe spaces. Although as queers so many of us have negative encounters with sports, it can also be a great place to socialise with other members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community and to treat our strong bodies with the love they deserve. Whether you’re a Sporty Queer or not, th...
2023-01-2440 minQueer Lit“Queer Anthropology and History” with Esther NewtonLegend-alarm! We have queer anthropology’s parent on the podcast: Prof Esther Newton joins me to talk about queer spaces, drag shows, lesbian festivals, and about how all the lesbians ended up in Cherry Grove. Esther explains why every queer person should experience being in the majority at least once in their life and how this might allow you to see things you have never quite seen before. She talks about her personal relationship to queer spaces, communities and research and about why everyone’s so into Gentleman Jack.Still looking for the cherry on top of Cherry Grov...
2023-01-1043 minQueer LitPart 2: “How queer was your year?” with Queer Lit 2022Be it about Marmite or podcasts, I’ve always believed that more is more, so here is part two of the end-of-year special, where I ask former Queer Lit guests: What is the queerest thing you did this year? Featuring: Susan Stryker, Nick McGlynn, J.P. Der Boghossian, and Jas Morgan. What a cast!
2022-12-2031 minQueer Lit“How queer was your year?” with Queer Lit 2022Oh, yes, you heard right: It’s a festive end-of-year special! Making resolutions and rules is not very queer, so we are celebrating the year in all its gaiety instead! Tune in to hear about the queerest things my Queer Lit guests did this year.References:Dyking Out“Queer Rural Spaces and Asexualities” with Joe Jukeshttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/48480045 CTSG Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender (University of Brighton)The Radical Faeries of AlbionLesbian Lives“Sappho Fest” with Leah Davidsonhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/51209111 “Activists, A...
2022-12-1336 minQueer Lit“The Queer Land” with Joshua WhiteheadHave you ever thought about how your queer life is connected to the land that you live it on? In this episode, Joshua Whitehead (University of Calgary) will take you on a Two-Spirit Indigiqueer journey from Stonewall in New York to the Forks in Winnipeg. Josh talks about how healing communion with the land is, how the stories of our queer bodies need to be read and told in relation to place, and about how genre can be as violent and racist of a category as gender. Would you like your serving of decolonial queer theory and creativity with a...
2022-12-0650 minQueer Lit“Queer Wizards and Neurodiversity” with Jes BattisLet’s get magical! In this episode, Prof Jes Battis (University of Regina) explains why magic is queer (or why queerness is magical?) and how wizards and witches live out their queerness in medieval texts as well in contemporary retellings. Jes also conjures up wonderful examples of how neurodiversity, queerness and witchcraft are all linked. Side effects of listening to this spellbinding episode may include: a deeper understanding of neuroqueerness, latent transness turning into overt trans joy, an intense desire to read more young adult fiction. Ready to get enchanted? Follow @jesbattis and @queerlitpodcast on Twitter and Instagram fo...
2022-11-2249 minQueer Lit"Older Lesbians" with Jane TraiesSpoiler alert: Jane Traies is the best. And this episode is proof that if you don’t know any older, wiser lesbians already, you’re missing out! Jane talks to me about (in)visibility across queer generations, about queer kinship and (very efficient) lesbian networks, about the stories of LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers and about biphobia and exclusionism. From being friends with your ex to Peg Cruikshank’s favourite flannel shirt, we serve you only the most sapphic topics. Want to be part of Jane’s network now? Follow @JaneTraies and @queerlitpodcast on Twitter. If you want to see what a c...
2022-11-0845 minQueer Lit“Queer Horror” with Lucy HolmesOnce upon a midnight dreary, Queer Lit pondered all things eerie… and believe me, this episode is quaint and curious queer horror galore! Horror writer and researcher Lucy Holmes take us on a trip down vampire lane and chills me to the bone with everything from 1930s gay directors to 1970s lesbian bloodsuckers to nonbinary and trans representation in contemporary horror shows. Lucy also reminds us that horror, just like your queer identity, can mean anything you want it to mean. And yes, of course, we talk Buffy and Alien!If you’re not too spooked out, follow @lulu...
2022-10-2545 minQueer LitThis QUEER LIT Saved My Life! with J.P. Der BoghossianIt’s crossover time! In this week’s episode, Queer Lit enters a unicorn union with This Queer Book Saved My Life!, a brilliant new podcast by J.P. Der Boghossian. Before we get to the books that were our personal saviours, J.P. and I talk about The Queer Armenian Library – a digital resource of queer Armenian texts, shows, films, poetry and so much more. In addition to creating incredibly impactful projects such as these two, J.P. is also extraordinarily lovely to chat to. We laugh, we sigh… an unmissable double feature that will turn you gay on the spot...
2022-10-1153 minQueer Lit“Medieval Disney Queers” with Amy Louise MorganOo-De-Lally! Dr Amy Louise Morgan (she/her, Surrey University) tells me tales of feminist dragons, gender-nonconforming foxes, wild princesses and all kinds of other queer characters from Disney’s medieval(ish) films. We compare favourite VHS tapes, most fantastic princesses, and try to figure out whether we (or was it just me?) wanted to be, or be with, Robin Hood. Amy also tells me all about Disney’s problematic relationship to queerness, why queer fans still relate to it so much, and what positive changes are possibly in store. Golly, what an episode!If this episode awoke the medi...
2022-09-2744 minQueer Lit“Queer Ecologies and Glitter” with Nicole SeymourListen up, glitterati, we have some eco-friendly scholarship coming your way: Prof Nicole Seymour (California State University, Fullerton) shares her thoughts on queer ecologies, trans ecologies, petrol masculinities, trashy environmentalism and, most importantly, glitter. In a sparkling synopsis of all things queer environmentalism, Nicole explains why the doom-and-gloom narrative of climate justice is so passé and encouragement and future-oriented thinking are on the rise. Nicole even shares her favourite ecowarrior drag queens. The future is… still pretty bleak! To make learning about positive change more fun, follow @nseymourPHD and @queerlitpodcast on Twitter. @queerlitpodcast is also on Instagram.
2022-09-2043 minQueer Lit"Lesbos and the Sapphic Festival" with Leah DavidsonJoin us on the Lesbian beach for a sapphic special episode with someone I am very lucky to call a friend: Leah Davidson. Leah is a queer therapist, a hiking dyke, a lesbian mom, an extremely clever reader and an absolute joy. On the beach in Skala Eressos, we talk about the early days of the lesbian* community that travels to Lesvos every summer, in search of connection, queer roots, and poetry. Tune in now to transport yourself to the Sappho Festival and learn about some of Leah’s favourite reads.Find out more about lovely, lovely Leah on...
2022-09-1349 minQueer Lit“Queerness and Race in Comics” with andré carringtonSweet Christmas, darling gays! (It’s a superhero catchphrase. I looked it up.) Prof andré carrington (UCR) brings us truth, justice and a queerer tomorrow in this Queer Lit quest. With great knowledge comes great responsibility and andré is ready to take it: he takes us on a deep dive into queer black comics, fan studies, queer cartoonists, and introduces me to awesome characters from Aqualad to Jughead, from Black Panther to Storm. andré truly is the best at what he does, which is why you should follow @prof_carrington on Twitter and his trusty sidekick @benjaminbannekerphdog on Insta...
2022-08-3059 minQueer Lit"Race and Ace in Victor Hugo" with Nemo MartinOne episode more! In this bonus track, Nemo Martin (Royal Holloway) tells me about their research on race, racism, and racist tropes in Hugo’s classic Les Misérables, but also in the fanfiction based on Hugo. Nemo kindly shares some insights on how these depictions of race are entangled with nonnormative genders and asexuality. What Nemo doesn’t mention in the recording is that they’re also a brilliant writer and podcast creator. Queer Asian pirates is all I’m saying…Find out more about Nemo on Twitter (@zeus_japonicus and @lesmispodcast) and on their website https://www.nemomar...
2022-08-2311 minQueer Lit"Queer Publishing" with Alex DiFrancescoImagine a publishing world in which your editor is a Black trans person, your publicist is a queer person with autism, and your graphic designer is a two spirit queero. And guess what: it’s real and it’s called queer publishing. Alex DiFrancesco is a trans author and editor who has worked with several radical and progressive publishing houses over the years and joins me for a chat about their work, their journey, and why they’re living the gay dream. Don’t be a stranger! Follow @Alex_JKPGender on Twitter and @queerlitpodcast on Twitter and Instagram.
2022-08-1639 minQueer Lit“The Queery” with Stevie-Jo OliverBrighton’s first radical queer bookshop finally opened its doors! The Queery is a very special trans and queer cooperative that is a workshop space, a pay-as-you-can vegan café, a community venue, and (this is where it gets really dreamy) a very gay bookshop and library! The selection is on point, with lots of former Queer Lit guests and their reading recommendations in stock, as well as merch by queer and trans creators. When I went for a spontaneous visit on Pride weekend, the lovely Stevie was kind enough to take a few spontaneous minutes out of a busy day to...
2022-08-0907 minQueer Lit"Queer Indigenous Literature" with Jas M. MorganCome for the indigenous activism, stay for the queer joy – the delightful Dr Jas M. Morgan (Toronto Metropolitan University) is here for both. In this deep dive into queer indigeneity in literature, art and academia, Jas talks about their brilliant writing, their creative communities, their kick-ass students, and how their trans nonbinary perspective shapes their work. Jas also explains why talking about art and literature without all the excessive lingo is awesome and why we seem to be in the middle of quite the moment for queer indigenous writing. Tune in to hear about some of the female*, queer, and tr...
2022-08-0244 minQueer Lit#SaveGentlemanJack with Sarah WingroveIn this special bonus episode, Sarah Wingrove (University of Surrey) is back to tell us more about Anne Lister and Gentleman Jack and about all the impressive efforts the fan community is putting into reviving the HBO/BBC TV series Gentleman Jack after a surprising cancellation. F-Annes around the world are demanding to see more of the 19th century gender nonconforming lesbian, whose detailed diaries form the basis for the series and for Sarah’s exciting research. I’m tipping my imaginary hat to the fan community and to this brilliant Anne Lister expert!Do you need more top...
2022-07-2635 minQueer Lit“Two-Spirit Literature” with Lisa TatonettiEver wondered what the 2S inLGBTQIA2S+* stands for? Then this is the episode for you. Two-Spirit is an umbrella term that some native people in Canada and the US use to describe something that may look like non-binary gender on the outside but, like a rainbow cake of gender expansiveness, is filled with entirely different contexts and rich histories. In this first part of a double feature on queer Indigenous literatures, we hear from Lisa Tatonetti, a settler scholar who has been working on Two-Spirit writing and activism for many years and shares some of her favourite Two-Spirit reads...
2022-07-1942 minQueer Lit"Queering Nothing" Lee EdelmanTHE Prof Lee Edelman (Tufts) joins me to talk about one of my favourite topics: nothing. Lee’s extremely clever (and incredibly influential) work in queer studies has most recently led him to write an entire book about all the things that nothing can mean and what this has to do with queer life, film, and literature. Lee also talks about his previous work on reproductive futurism and No Future, about awesome queer films, about how knowledge as well as poetry come out of ‘nothing’, and about why queer people aren’t always queer people. Confused yet? Awesome! Let’s go on this...
2022-07-0545 minQueer Lit“Black Lesbian Thought” with Briona Simone Jones“When the earth spoke to me, I was moved to compose a collection of love letters between Black women.” -- This is how Dr Briona Simone Jones (University of Connecticut) describes their work in the introduction to their mind-expanding anthology Mouths of Rain. In this episode, Briona tells me how and why they took on the feat of publishing this book while also finishing a PhD on Black lesbian aesthetics in the middle of a pandemic, and how both their mum and Audre Lorde helped them do it. Briona also addresses the impact the constant violence against queer Black women has...
2022-06-2145 minQueer Lit"Black Queer Freedom" with GerShun Avilez“Sometimes a kiss can make you feel free.” This beautiful line by Prof GerShun Avilez (University of Maryland) was one of the many, many reasons I wanted to learn more about his book Black Queer Freedom. In addition to the freeing potential of queer kisses, GerShun talks about how literature can help us better understand the ways in which Black queer bodies are harmed every day. He also explains what memoirs of gender-nonconforming and trans people of colour can teach us about how history is written and how movement through institutions like hospitals or prisons is affected by race and sexu...
2022-06-0745 minQueer Lit"Trans* Now" with Susan StrykerHold on to your pussyhats! The incredible Prof Susan Stryker joins me for this whirlwind through trans histories, nows, and futures, in which we talk about the power of narrative and affect in research and media and about what transness might teach us about possible ways of existing in the world. Susan shares entertaining insights from her ground-breaking publications and films, as well as the creative projects she is working on right now. We even get to hear about how she teaches a magnificent work of trans* literature we have discussed in Queer Lit episodes past…Don’t wait...
2022-05-241h 03Queer Lit“Activists, Artists and Academics” with Katherine O’DonnellIn this special treat of a minisode, you will get to meet one of the amazing architects of Lesbian Lives: Prof Katherine O’Donnell (University College Dublin), who is herself an activist, artist and academic. Katherine tells me about her research, the rich queer history of Cork, about colonialism and queerness in Ireland, and she reveals Fiona Shaw’s real name… If you’re as intrigued by Katherine’s many interests and talents as I am, go and follow @Ka_ODonnel on Twitter and also click on @Lena_Mattheis while you’re there. Prefer Instagram? NO problem, we got you: @qu...
2022-05-1010 minQueer Lit“Butches and Barbers” with Melissa HidalgoDo you know what it feels like for a butch? Join Dr Melissa Hidalgo (California State University) and me for a brief interlude between Lesbian Lives panels to find out. Melissa is interested in barbershops, pubs, sports venues and other typically male connoted spaces. She explores how inclusive they are for female, butch, and brown bodies and shares some of her own experiences of California vs Ireland. Hot tip: If you need better language to tell your barber how you want your hair cut, listen now. Lad it up! Follow @DrBeerButch and @Lena_Mattheis on Twitter, and @lifes...
2022-05-0317 minQueer Lit“Dressing Dykes” with Eleanor MedhurstDungarees, monocles, vegan boots and carabiners: lesbian fashion historian Ellie Medhurst (Brighton University) is intimately familiar with all of these staples of sartorial Sapphism. In this minisode, Ellie, aka @dressigndykes, will teach you how you too can look like cool lesbian. Ellie mixes tasty tidbits from queer Japanese fashion history with DIY political t-shirts in an audio(visual) melange of goodness and if you are not following @dressingdykes on Instagram and @elliemedhurst on Twitter and Tiktok, what are you doing with your lesbian life? Texts and people mentioned: www.dressingdykes.com Édouard B...
2022-04-2609 minQueer Lit“Transitions” with Louka Maju GoetzkeDid you know most people start to transition before they decide to transition? Louka Maju Goetzke (Frankfurt Uni) shares research on transition practices, as well as all kinds of fascinating findings on transitioning, forming the desire to transition, and other activities surrounding gender. Louka interrogates the making and crossing of boundaries which produce gender transitions and the distinction which is drawn between gender transitions and other practices of gender. We also briefly touch on cis people’s gender affirming practices, only to arrive at the thought indeed, everyone might be trans. Come and smash the cis/trans binary wi...
2022-04-1907 minQueer Lit“Lesbian Ghosts” with Naoise MurphyWarning! This episode will haunt you. Naoise Murphy (Cambridge University) tells me all about novels inhabited by spectral spinsters and Sapphic spirits and explains what these ghostly queers have to say about the carceral system and the colonial project. I am obsessed with (or possessed by?) Naoise’s brilliance and would recommend a listen, especially if you’re into Irish women writers. There’s something strange in the neighbourhood. Who you gonna follow? @naoisemurphy and @Lena_Mattheis on Twitter and @queerlitpodcast on Instagram! (Doesn’t roll of the tongue though...) Texts and people mentioned: Elizabet...
2022-04-1210 minQueer Lit“Anne Lister Fan Research” with Sarah WingroveDid you know that a lot of the research on Anne Lister’s famously queer diaries was in fact done by fan researchers? Sarah Wingrove (Surrey University) explains why the fan community’s specialist knowledge and meticulous fact-checking should not be underestimated and how she herself got into Anne Lister aka Gentleman Jack. My favourite part: a new euphemism for masturbation, fresh from Miss Lister’s not so secret diaries… Tiny mistake there in the terminology though: post-editing, Sarah informed me that Lister actually ‘incurred’ rather than ‘marked’ the cross, and that she died at 49. Thanks for the fact check, Sara...
2022-04-0508 minQueer Lit“Female Masculinities and the ‘Gender Wars’” with Finn MackayHave you ever thought to yourself: how come radical feminism sounds so good but often tastes so bad? Dr Finn Mackay (UWE Bristol) is here to explain why that is. Come along to our Lesbian Lives chat to learn about female masculinities, tomboys and trans* mascs, and to hear about why Finn wanted to write a book that answers all the introductory questions people who are not queer academics might have about gender and transness. Just can’t get enough of Finn? I can’t either, which is I follow @Finn_Mackay on Twitter and @drfinnmackay on Instagram.
2022-03-2913 minQueer Lit“Lesbian Lives: Solidarity” feat. Val McDermid and FELISPEAKSLive like a lesbian: in solidarity. This little episode gives you a brief and desperately incomplete introduction to the happening that was the 25th Lesbian Lives conference. Under the magnificent motto “Solidarity!” so many wonderful talks, workshops, walks and connections took place, I could not even begin to claim an exhaustive summary. I do, however, have recordings from a keynote by the extremely funny and deeply clever Val McDermid and I get to share with you the visceral energy of wordsmith FELISPEAKS. You will also find out about the line-up of queer scholars whose brief interviews I will share with you...
2022-03-2918 minQueer Lit"Queer Kinship" with Teagan BradwayCall. Me. Mother. But what on earth does that word even mean? Dr Teagan Bradway (SUNY Cortland) takes us down the magnificent and multifaceted rabbit holes of queer kinship to chat about trans* motherhood, kinlessness, polyamory, race and kinship, queer kids, and the deep traumas and shiny possibilities attached to all of these. We discuss whether we really ‘choose’ our chosen families, how institutions intervene in our various relationships, and why the throuple makes for many more narrative possibilities than your average rom-com has to offer. From Netflix algorithms to pregnant butches, we pretty much cover it all.Join...
2022-03-1548 minQueer Lit“Queer Data” with Carl Bonner-Thompson (Meet the CTSG)A PhD on Grindr? Yes, please! Dr Carl Bonner-Thompson (Brighton University) did just that and is an expert, not just on queer data, but also on queer geographies shaped by data and dating apps. Follow us into the gay matrix to learn about the everyday interactions of queer people with data, how data affects physical touch, in which ways tracking apps may reshape cruising spaces, and why Carl and I are into the same random dating dystopia TV series. For more queer data awareness on your feed, follow @cbonnerthompson and @lena_mattheis on Twitter and if you want...
2022-03-0142 minQueer Lit“The East is Queer” with Vedrana Velickovic (Meet the CTSG)How do you decolonise your syllabus and create a queer book fest at the same time? Dr Vedrana Velickovic (Brighton) shares the amazing origin story of the queer literature festival ‘The Coast is Queer’ and tells us about the many authors, activists, students and creatives that shape the programme every year. We talk about our favourite activist bookshops, about exciting queer books from Eastern Europe and about the perception of the East in the West. Vedrana also talks about her ongoing cooperation with Bernardine Evaristo and gives us a sneak peek into her dream festival programme. Jackie Kay? Are you list...
2022-02-2242 minQueer Lit"Bears and Fat GBQ Men" with Nick McGlynn (Meet the CTSG)Can you identify a bear with a fur-tive glance? Will a bearitone voice coax you out of hibernation? Join the cub! In this real-life (!) conversation, Dr Nick McGlynn (Brighton University) tells me all about bears -- generally speaking, a larger, hairier variety of queer men, who you may have seen flying the paw flag at your local pride event. Human geographer by trade, Nick has collected lots of ursome data on bear spaces in the UK and found that what makes them so unique are the geographies of fat bodies. We talk about fat, racialised and stigmatised queer bodies and...
2022-02-1547 minQueer Lit“Non-binary Life” with Meg-John Barker (Meet the CTSG)We love a good ‘both and’: both cake and ice cream, both dogs and cats -- Meg-John Barker, who is both extremely clever and very warm and kind! Meg-John is an activist, writer, scholar, therapist, and expert on everything beyond the binary. In this episode, as well as in their multiple graphic guides, MJ explains how rigid binaries harm our bodies, limit our minds and how many benefits life beyond the binary has to offer, not just for genderqueer people but for everyone. Do you need more mental health input and genderqueer content? Let’s face it; we all do...
2022-02-0846 minQueer Lit“Queer Rural Spaces and Asexualities” with Joe Jukes (Meet the CTSG)How can we queer up the countryside? No need, says Joe Jukes (Brighton University), it’s already gay as folk! In this arcadian episode, Joe teaches me all about the dynamic nature of the countryside, about rural erotics and counter urbanization, and about how all of this relates to asexuality and non-sexualities in their research. If you want to learn about queers in the wild (and if you want to hear what my village-dwelling nan thinks about my urbanite sexual identity), this idyllic little podcast is for you!Do you need more country in your feed? Follow @jsdjukes on...
2022-02-0145 minQueer LitMeet the CTSG: TrailerJust in time for queer history month, the Queer Lit podcast and the CTSG, the Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender (Brighton University), have a special collaboration in store: Every Tuesday, you will get to meet a remarkable member of the CTSG and learn about their research and reading interests right here on the Queer Lit podcast. Our conversations cover topics ranging from the queer countryside and asexualities to bear bodies and nonbinary activism. All recordings were made during my international research fellowship at the University of Brighton, with help and support from a number of great Brightoninans, first and...
2022-01-3101 minQueer Lit"The Butch" with Amy Tooth MurphyDo you know the secret butch nod? In this delightful episode, Dr. Amy Tooth Murphy (Royal Holloway) teaches me about the nod, the queer double take, and all the other sources of queer joy butch lesbians encounter when they brave the streets. Amy lets us enter this magical dyke world via the medium of oral history and explains why queer interactions often remain invisible to straight folk, why it is important to study the butch outside of their natural habitat (the lesbian bar) and why a female flâneur can potentially revamp a problematic masc perspective. People, works a...
2022-01-2545 minQueer Lit"Queer Pets" with Sarah Parker and Hannah RocheGet ready for the ultimutt dream team: Dr Sarah Parker (Loughborough) and Dr Hannah Roche (York) share their clever mewsings on queer pets and their keepurrs in this pawesome episode. Although a cat called Winky, a poodle named Basket and Whym Chow, the chow, are clearly the alphas of this episode, other Modernist animals and their human companions feature as well: from Gertrude Stein to Radclyffe Hall to 'Michael Field', we’ve got the whole pack! We retrieve their literary hisstories to reflect on how ruff the discrepancy between different timelines of human and non-human animal lives can be, but Ha...
2022-01-1147 minQueer Lit"Holigay Special" Part 2This fine boxing day, I’m introducing you to my queer family: My partner Christian graciously agreed to crunch some candy cane with me for part II of the Holigay Special – and of course the reincats make an appearance as well. Together, we listen to messages from @ibiprofane of Drag & Panto episode fame, from listener @willowcabins, who shares her queer Carol-ling tradition, and from author @c.gemsa_author, who brings us a lesbian reading of The Grinch. We also talk about what our favourite queer spaces are up to for the holidays and we even have a mulled wine chat with...
2021-12-2656 minQueer Lit"Holigay Special" Part 1Light the candles, grab the tinsel! Our very first festive special has arrived! In this extravagant episode, I listen to all the fabulours voice notes you have sent in about queer Christmas and reflect on how great it is to be hohohomosexual (or pansexual, or ace or inter or queer in any way -- I'm just doing it for the puns). You will hear familiar voices from past episodes but also meet a lovely listener and a very merry scholar who will be on Queer Lit in 2022. Of course, this episode also includes reading recommendations and a list of (questionable...
2021-12-1444 minQueer Lit“Drag, Panto and Genderfuckery” with Nick CherrymanJoin Nick Cherryman (University of Warwick) and me for a giggle and a bit of jolly gender jamming in this episode about drag, performance and pantomime. Nick (aka Ibi Profane) gives us some highlights of drag history, explains what posthuman drag might be and why even that is still gendered. Non-British listeners (and holiday enthusiasts) also get a brief intro to panto dames, why they can be so much fun, but also why they can potentially reinforce problematic assumptions about trans* people. With sparkling examples from Björk to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and a heartwarming story about a y...
2021-11-3046 minQueer Lit“Tarot, Femmes and Asian Diasporic Literature” with Xine YaoWarm up your tarot deck and trim your undercut: Dr Xine Yao (UCL) is here to tell you all about femme invisibility, politics of unfeeling, queerness and race, occult queer practices, fashion and queer coding, ugly feelings, and so much more. Xine talks about her research on queerness and race in 19th century America, about race and professions in literary history, but also about her experience of working on these subjects in a Canadian versus a British context. If you want to think about queerness and race, or if you would like to learn about the subversive potential of unfeeling...
2021-11-2343 minQueer Lit“Lesbian Literature… by men?” with Terry CastleIn this episode, (the) Prof Terry Castle (Stanford University) joins me to discuss a corpus I don’t usually think about: lesbian content produced by cis-male authors. We talk about what’s great and not so great about these texts, which moments in literary history opened new doors for queer representation and why literature is such an apt medium to understand the fluidity of gender and attraction. Of course, we talk about many lesbian-authored texts as well and I am particularly grateful that Terry was open to talk about her own story and coming out.Works by Terry ment...
2021-11-0957 minQueer Lit“Queerness and Race in Gothic and Horror” with Maisha WesterGet the garlic, sprinkle the holy water, but please, leave the antiqueer racism out of my Gothic romance! Dr Maisha Wester (Sheffield/Indiana University) explains why Horror films are so interesting to study, what Brexit has to do with Zombies, why King Kong film posters reveal blatant racism, and why ghosts are not always gay but most definitely queer. Lusty lesbian vampires, Cat People (are those the same?), spiders, sharks, and Supernatural fan fiction: this episode has everything the tell-tale heart could want.Texts, Films and Stories mentioned:DraculaKing KongLe Fanu’s CarmillaJu...
2021-10-2648 minQueer Lit“Trans Childhood” with Jules Gill-PetersonWarning! This episode will turn you into a Jules Gill-Peterson (University of Pittsburgh) super fan -- if you are not one already. Jules talks about her research on the long and rich history of trans childhood, reflects on the construction of childhood (and its harmful implications) in Western Imperialist contexts and also shares some of her new work on DIY transitions. In addition to talking about some of her favourite children in the trans archives, Jules speaks about her own experience as a researcher and about the production of self-knowledge. Turns out: labels aren’t everything and they surely aren’t ev...
2021-10-1253 minQueer Lit“Queer Cities“ with Davy KnittleStart spreading the news! Dr Davy Knittle joins me for a chat about what queerness has to do with cities, why heteronormative architecture can make life difficult for queer people and queer kinship, how poets desire cityscapes, and what all of this has to do with compulsory able-bodiedness and racism. We also talk about our dogs and why we feel the local park can be a great gay space. My favourite bit? Davy reading from Eileen Myles. I think you should hit play now.Texts and people mentioned: Karen Tongson, Relocations: Queer Suburban Imaginaries (NYU Press, 2011)
2021-09-2844 minQueer Lit"Postcolonial Queerness" with Shamira MeghaniIn this episode, Dr Shamira Meghani (Cambridge University) talks to me about queerness and caste, about how imperialism shapes gender, about why people associate Islam with unfreedom, and about how literature can help us understand more about all of these intersections. They also explain what sexual dissidence means and why a tabloid newspaper suggested that the university that started the first MA programme on sexuality in Britain needed to be ‘disinfected’… Fascinating stuff and lots to think about! Give it a listen! Books, people and terms mentioned:Centre for the Study of Sexual Dissidence (University of Sussex...
2021-09-1453 minQueer Lit“Wildness, Masculinity and Swimming Pools” with Jack HalberstamHow do you get from wild theory all the way to wild swimming? By taking a deep dive with Prof Jack Halberstam (Columbia University) of course! Jack takes us where the wild things crawl and on the way, we discuss masculinities, the creative powers of failure, our difficult relationships to non-human animals, nudity and queer bodies, queerness, colonialism and capitalism, and, naturally, our favourite swimming pools. We also dip into some great queer texts, including but by no means limited to: gay falconry novels, animation films, eco-critical writing and non-binary theory.Works by Jack mentioned:The Wild...
2021-08-3156 minQueer Lit"Disability and Queerness" with Chris MounseyIn this episode, Prof Chris Mounsey (University of Winchester) takes us on a wild ride: from meeting French philosophers as an undergrad, to the other day when construction workers gave him admiring verbal feedback for his (awesome) tattoos. And guess what, both of these encounters have to do with queerness and disability, or variability – the term Chris prefers. We talk about everything from passing as able-bodied or straight to why sexually explicit novels are so important. Although in the episode, I was rudely unable to remember his name, we also talk about Ryan O’Connell and his Netflix series Special. Chri...
2021-08-1749 minQueer Lit"Bisexuality, Identity and Queer Families" with Lizzie ReedDr Elizabeth Reed (University of Southampton) is a cultural sociologist doing exciting research on bi-erasure, media representation and queer life-building. In this episode, Lizzie explains why bi relationships can be so difficult to describe, where we might need new language and where we might not, what and who queer families identify with and (most importantly) what soup dragons have to do with all of this. If that gets you curious, or if you’ve ever defined your identity using a wine metaphor, this one is for you.Texts, Series and People mentioned:Modern FamilyThe Fosters
2021-08-0348 minQueer Lit“Sappho, Cats and Pubic Hair” with Mara GoldA delightful episode with Mara Gold (St Hilda’s College, Oxford), aka the Sapphic Scholar, who talks to me about Sappho (duh…), homosociality, queer college life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, lesbian love letters and surprise pubic hair in the queer archives. Mara is a historian, knows her way around Ancient Greece and Egypt, she works on and in museums, and get this: she has even worked as an archaeologist in the field. Best of all, Mara brings a refreshing and entertaining Sapphic perspective to everything she does – including this here podcast. Please note that the sound qualit...
2021-07-2051 minQueer Lit"The Internet and Queer Literature" with Daniella GátiIn this episode, Dr Daniella Gáti (Brandeis University) explains why the internet is queer, how gaming and the form of the vignette relate to queerness and why we should (or should not) watch Queer Eye. If you're intrigued by the notion of queerness as a a 'blob', give this a listen.Scholars mentioned in this episode:Whitney Pow Bo RubergLee EdelmanJack HalberstamSara Ahmed (“What’s the Use”, Feminist Killjoy Blog, @SaraNAhmed)Jen Jack Gieseking (“A Queer New York”, “The Gender, Sexuality, & Space Reading List”, http://jgieseking.org/)Judith Butler
2021-07-0646 minQueer Lit"Queer Narratives" with Sue LanserProf Susan Lanser (Brandeis University) joins me for this one – what an honour! Sue is one of the architects of narratology and has conducted groundbreaking research on queer women, lesbians and the Sapphic (among 500 other things and while being completely humble, charming and wonderful). In this episode, she provides insights on queerness in history, literature, culture and narrative form. She also talks about her research on Israeli-Palestinian narratives and, of course, about her brilliant book “The Sexuality of History”.Texts, films and authors mentioned:Gérard GenetteValerie TraubShlomith Rimmon-KenanThe Living Handbook of Narr...
2021-06-2243 minQueer Lit"Queer Screens" with Olu JenzenDr Olu Jenzen (University of Brighton) joins me for this episode on queer screens: from the silver screen, to the small screen to the smartphone screen. We talk about queer film and series, visual activism, digital queer spaces and, guess what, we even talk about queer teeth. Olu does incredible work for and with young trans people, researches their use of social media and also shares her insights on lesbian doppelgangers and queer sensibility in contemporary film and series. Since I am not quite as eloquent as Olu, I mention “technomachismo” when we talk about gendered and racial data bias. As y...
2021-06-0850 minQueer Lit"Black Trans Narratives" with LaVelle RidleyI get to chat with LaVelle Ridley (University of Michigan) about her doctoral research on black trans life narratives in this one and I must say, she’s a tonic. From important observations on the role of storytelling in political and community activism to the deeply personal process of healing that appropriate representation can initiate, LaVelle covers it all. She’s a scholar, an activist, a pisces (hell, yes!), a creative writer, a mermaid, and an absolute delight to talk to. Don’t miss this one; it’s fun!Texts and people mentioned:Paradise on the Margins: Lessons...
2021-05-2549 minQueer Lit"Queer Muslims" with Alberto Fernández CarbajalDr Alberto Fernández Carbajal (University of Roehampton) tells me all about their insightful book Queer Muslim Diasporas in Contemporary Literature and Film (2019) in this episode. We cover their favourite reads and learn what a Muslim perspective can teach us about queerness. This kind of research is all about changing perspectives and fostering understanding, so I do hope you will be understanding when it comes to the sound of Alberto’s beautiful scarf that I was unable to remove from the audio entirely…Check out Alberto's book here:https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526128102/Scholars and concepts menti...
2021-05-1846 minQueer Lit"Lesbian* Modernists" with Diana SouhamiIn this episode, Diana Souhami explains how Modernism was fundamentally shaped by lesbians* and queer people. We talk about how Sylvia Beach published Joyce’s "Ulysses" when no publisher would touch it, how Bryher financed penniless artists who then became the crème de la crème of Modernism, how H.D. arguably wrote better imagist poetry than Pound, and which lesbian love affairs resulted in the most enticing scandals. Diana, who I may or may not have heard being referred to as Lesbian Royalty, has written an entire book about this: "No Modernism without Lesbians" (2020). From Paris salons of the...
2021-05-0443 minQueer Lit"Pronouns" with Ashley ThorntonIn this episode, I am talking to Ashley Thornton (Brighton University) about epicene pronouns and gender-inclusive language. Ashley is a corpus linguist working on singular they in English, Spanish and Russian and has some insights on the history of gender-neutral pronouns as well. The scholars (and Twitter accounts) referenced in this episode are:Olu Jenzen @DrOluJenzenCharlotte StormbomLaura Hekanaho @LHekanahoJoshua Paiz (their account's private) @JMPaiz_PhD Kris Knisley @kriskniselyKirby Conrod @kirbyconrodDennis Baron @DrGrammarUte Gabriel and Pascal Gygax And while you're at it, follow Ashley...
2021-04-0839 minQueer Lit"Queer Kings and Trans Histories" with Kit HeyamIn this episode, Dr Kit Heyam (Northumbria University) shares wonderful tidbits from trans and non-binary histories, talks about their book on queer king Edward II and is generally delightful and clever. Kit also talks about how they approach queering history, the intersections of literary studies and historical research and their favourite contemporary queer reads, such as "The Lauras" by Sara Taylor, "My Autobiography of Carson McCullers" by Jenn Shapland or "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin.Other texts we talk about: "Edward II" by Christopher Marlowe"The Reputation of Edward II, 1305-1697...
2021-04-0752 min2021-04-0100 min