Episode 236: Black Queer History

Explicit content warning

02/15/23 • 55 min

In honor of Black History Month, we're doing a special episode covering a selection of Black queer trailblazers who are especially meaningful to us! We've put our focus on activists and artists who fly a little bit below the radar, so chances are you won't know most of these folks, but you absolutely should. Lauren finally talks about a singer/songwriter who ISN'T Joni Mitchell! Nicole shares the work of a spoken-word poet who made her heart go pitter patter as a teen! We also recommend present-day accounts to follow, and discuss some of the uprisings helmed by queer people of color that pre-date Stonewall. Happy Black History Month!
Discussed in this episode:
Bayard Rustin
Antoinette Scully (@AntoinetteForLA on Twitter and Insta)
Staceyann Chin (@staceyannchin on Twitter and Insta)
Joan Armatrading (@ArmatradingJoan on Twitter; @joan_armatrading on Insta)
Cheryl Dunye (@cheryldunye on Insta; @cdunye on Twitter)
Gladys Bentley
Stormé DeLarverie
The Cooper Do-nuts and Compton's Cafeteria riots
Janaya Future Khan (@janayathefuture on Insta; @janaya_khan on Twitter)
@BlackQueerJoy on Insta
Raquel Willis (@raquel_willis on Insta; @RaquelWillis_ on Twitter)
Octavia's Chariot (@octavias_chariot on Insta; virtual Speed Friending event on Feb. 24th!)

Previous Episode

Episode 235: Amir Levi

We have a fashion-forward conversation with the OUTRAGEOUSLY stylish Amir Levi! Amir is a non-binary performer who uses the pronouns he, she, and they ("I like it when they get turns, so that none of them feel left out"), and their story has alllll the hallmarks of the late '90s: Coming out to your friend after seeing Scream 2! Guys from chat rooms calling your family's fax machine! Problematic senior yearbook quotes! Your dad offering to buy you porn! Amir explains how two acting roles they were playing simultaneously finally unlocked their understanding of their own gender, and the brilliant plan they concocted to explore their feminine side! Plus, Nicole shares a fascinating story about Leif that proves just how deeply heteronormativity runs in our culture...
Follow Amir on Instagram at @theamirlevi, and check out theamirlevi.com!

Next Episode

Episode 237: Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week feat. Stella!

It's Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week, and our guest (and current med student) Stella is LEARNING US UP on this oft-misunderstood identity! In addition to being aromantic, Stella also identifies as asexual and queer, but it's the first of these labels that most strongly shapes and affects how she experiences the world. Stella discusses how, to her, being aromantic feels like existing on "a different plane entirely," and not at all like "operating from a deficit" - an incredibly important distinction that alloromantic folks often don't understand. Stella also explains how health providers tend to pathologize asexuality and aromanticism, treating these identities as a problem to be solved rather than trusting their patients' lived experience. It's a fascinating episode that sheds a lot of light on not just aromanticism, but relationships in general. Happy Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week, y'all!
Since this episode first aired, Stella has changed her handle: you can now follow her advocacy page on Instagram at @aspec_meducation! Also, check out The Aspec Affirming Practitioner Directory at https://aspecaffirmingdire.wixsite.com/aspec-affirming-prac!