Outward: Slate's LGBTQ podcast

This month, hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder discuss Amazon Prime’s adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s best-selling queer rom-com Red, White & Royal Blue. They also speak with intersex activist and educator Pidgeon Pagonis about their memoir Nobody Needs to Know and the campaign to end nonconsensual surgeries on intersex kids. The hosts end the show, as always, with some new additions to the Gay Agenda.Items discussed in the show:Red, White, & Royal Blue, by Casey McQuistonRed, White & Royal Blue on Amazon PrimeOutward’s December 2019 special episode on The InheritanceNobody Needs to Know: A Memoir, by Pidgeon PagonisGirl, Interrupted, by Susanna KaysenInterconnect.support, a support group for intersex peopleGay AgendaChristina: John Early: Now More Than Ever, on MaxJules: “O’Shae Sibley Was Killed While Voguing at a Brooklyn Gas Station. Last Weekend New Yorkers Rallied to Honor His Memory,” in VogueBryan: Miriam and Alan Lost in Scotland on PBS, and “Who’s Afraid of Social Contagion,” by Hugh Ryan, in the Boston ReviewThis podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, taking a cue from the sultry, sensual heat of summer, Outward examines the venerable queer practice of cruising—for sex and sex work—in public space. First, hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder make eyes at Park Cruising, a new essay collection on cruising in parks, which explores the pleasures, politics, and complexities of that gay pastime. Author Marcus McCann joins the hosts to discuss those themes. Then they head down to Christopher Street with the trans women of The Stroll, a new HBO documentary streaming on Max, as they revisit a time when New York’s now-gentrified Meatpacking District was rich with a unique and affirming form of sisterhood. Co-director Kristen Lovell stops by to discuss the making of the film. The hosts end the show, as always, with some new additions to the Gay Agenda.Items discussed in the show:“The Real Story of 303 Creative v. Elenis,” by Mark Joseph Stern in SlateOutward’s Times Square billboardA provocative chant at NYC Drag MarchPark Cruising: What Happens When We Wander Off the Path, by Marcus McCannThe StrollThe Lady and the DaleSylvia’s PlaceSylvia Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson, and STARGay AgendaChristina: Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed from HBOJules: Hari Nef’s interviews about her role in Barbie Bryan: Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music (see also Hugh Ryan on the show’s history)This podcast was edited by Emily Charash and produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the last of our Pride month mini-episodes, host Jules Gill-Peterson is joined by Evan Urquhart, the community manager for Slate's comments section who also covers anti-trans propaganda on assignedmedia.org. They discuss Evan’s piece “Don’t Look Away From Queer Despair,” which was part of Slate’s “Not Quite Pride” package. In a galvanizing conversation, they discuss the need to resist putting on a happy face in these genuinely challenging times; the compulsion to create work that will leave breadcrumbs of hope for the next generation of queer and trans people, and supporting one another.Items discussed in the show:“Don’t Look Away From Queer Despair,” by Evan UrquhartSlate’s “Not Quite Pride” package of storiesAssigned MediaThis podcast was edited by Emily Charash and produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, to celebrate Pride, we’re bringing you some extra episodes of Outward. On Saturdays, we're sharing some great LGBTQ content from around the Slate podcast network.Today, it’s an episode of What Next, Slate’s daily news show. It features a conversation between host Mary Harris and Arkansas pharmacist Gwen Herzig. Gwen is a trans woman who testified before the Arkansas general assembly, sharing her perspective as a medical professional, only to be asked about her genitalia. The What Next team wanted to know what happened after Gwen testified and how the experience felt to her.What Next is produced by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Pride month, many LGBTQ people are grappling with complicated feelings. Anti-gay and anti-trans political attacks are becoming all too common, Pride celebrations are being banned or canceled in some parts of the United States, and many of us are wondering how to put this in perspective. Hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder wrestle with some of that complexity as they work through their feelings about corporate Pride. If rainbow capitalism never mattered in the first place, why does this year’s backtracking feel bad? Then they are joined by writer Delilah Friedler to discuss her piece “Tennessee Belongs to Trans People, Too,” which is part of Slate’s “Not Quite Pride” package. They end the show, as always, with some new additions to the Gay Agenda.Items discussed in the show:J. Harrison Ghee and Alex Newell become the first nonbinary acting award winners at the Tony Awards“The Dirty Secret of Corporate Pride,” by Christina Cauterucci“Tennessee Belongs to Trans People, Too,” by Delilah FriedlerSlate’s “Not Quite Pride” package of storiesGay AgendaBryan: Casa Susana, a documentary airing on PBS’s American Experience Jules: Chasing Chasing Amy, a documentary film by Sav RodgersChristina: Dykette, a novel by Jenny Fran DavisThis podcast was edited by Emily Charash and produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected] Pride Month, make an impact by helping Macy’s and The Trevor Project on their mission to fund life-saving suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, to celebrate Pride, we’re bringing you some extra episodes of Outward. On Saturdays, we'll be sharing some great LGBTQ content from around the Slate podcast network.Today, it’s an interview from The Waves, Slate’s show about feminism and gender. In October 2022, Slate audience engagement editor Sol Werthan spoke with trans rights activist and author Paisley Currah about his book Sex Is as Sex Does, and why the state cares about gender.The Waves episode was produced by Cheyna Roth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In celebration of Pride month, we’re bringing you some extra episodes of the Outward podcast. This week, host Christina Cauterucci talks to two people who recently visited every lesbian bar in the United States: Krista Burton, author of the newly published book Moby Dyke: An Obsessive Quest to Track Down the Last Remaining Lesbian Bars in America, and Naomi Gordon-Loebl, a writer and sommelier. They discuss the purpose of lesbian bars, trends in dyke-bar decor, and whether lesbian bars are still sexy.Items discussed in the show:Moby Dyke: An Obsessive Quest to Track Down the Last Remaining Lesbian Bars in America, by Krista BurtonThe Lesbian Bar Project’s list of U.S. barsGay AgendaKrista: Tom Ford Tuscan LeatherNaomi: Wear something that makes you feel spicy, like perhaps a leather harness or a Father Figure T-shirt by Tanner SheaThis podcast was edited by Emily Charash and produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, to celebrate Pride, we’re bringing you some extra episodes of Outward. You’ll still get the biggie on June 21, with Pride and Provocations, the Gay Agenda, and all the usual fun, but we’re going to provide fresh rainbow goodness every Wednesday.On Saturdays, we'll also be sharing some great LGBTQ content from around the Slate podcast network.Today, it’s an interview from Working, Slate’s show about the creative process. Back in November 2022, June Thomas spoke with Harper Bliss, a prolific author of lesbian romance novels. They talked about the secrets of Bliss' productivity and the joys of writing queer love stories.The Working episode was produced by Cameron Drews. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In celebration of Pride month, we’re bringing you some extra episodes of the Outward podcast. This week, host Bryan Lowder talks to Slate contributor John Culhane about his new book More Than Marriage: Forming Families After Marriage Equality. In the book, Culhane explores legal arrangements other than marriage that could protect people’s relationships and finances. While we might once have decried these options as consolation prizes, contracts such as designated beneficiary agreements offer exciting possibilities for queer and other nontraditional families.We'd love to hear about your Pride plans in this challenging year. Please send a voice memo, along with feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected] discussed in the show:More Than Marriage: Forming Families After Marriage Equality, by John C. CulhaneGay AgendaJohn: Support your local drag performers.This podcast was produced by June Thomas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Outward explores utopian fiction and dystopian reality TV. First, Bryan and Christina are joined by author Theodore McCombs to discuss Uranians, his new collection of speculative stories, which uses queer difference and divestment from the normal as an engine to drive five fascinating tales. Then they’re joined by producer June Thomas to discuss The Ultimatum: Queer Love, Netflix’s latest take on the dating show, which follows a cast of queer women and nonbinary folks as they try to decide who they will marry. Finally, the hosts add some new items to the gay agenda.Items discussed in the show:The CBC report on Patricia Ginn of the WindSistersUranians: Stories, by Theodore McCombsMore on Karl Heinrich Ulrich’s take on the UranianThe Ultimatum: Queer Love on NetflixJune on the queerness of portrait galleriesGay AgendaJune: The Scottish National Portrait Gallery in EdinburghBryan: That! Feels Good!, by Jessie WareChristina: “Radical Desire: Making On Our Backs Magazine,” from Cornell University LibraryThis podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spring is in the air, and the Outward hosts are gay like tulips and queer like allergies! First, they discuss a new animated version of the beloved Frog and Toad series of children’s books, which premieres on Apple TV+ on April 28. Then they welcome Daniel M. Lavery to the pod. Danny was Slate’s own Dear Prudence for many years, and now a Dear Prudence book is here to grace our bookshelves. Danny shares his philosophy of advice-giving, talks about what it was like to transition in the public eye, and offers his take on a reader question current Prudie Jenée Desmond-Harris answered a few weeks ago.Items discussed in the show:Jules and the Framing Agnes team at the GLAAD AwardsOutward’s December 2022 discussion of Framing Agnes with actress Jen RichardsLMN’s scheduleSomerville, Massachusetts, extends protections to polyamorous families“Frog and Toad: An Amphibious Celebration of Same-Sex Love,” by Colin Stokes in the New Yorker“How Frog and Toad Author Arnold Lobel Explored Gay Intimacy in His Work,” by J. Bryan Lowder in Slate“This Is a Terrible Way to Commemorate a Major Civil Rights Victory,” by June Thomas in SlateDear Prudence: Liberating Lessons From Slate.com’s Beloved Advice Column, by Daniel M. LaveryJenée Desmond-Harris answered the question we put to Danny at the end of this Dear Prudence columnThe Big Mood, Little Mood With Daniel M. Lavery podcastThe Dear Prudence podcastGay AgendaChristina: Mae Martin’s new Netflix special, SAPJules: “Conservatives Are Turing to a 150-Year-Old Obscenity Law to Outlaw Abortion,” by Melissa Gira Grant in the New RepublicBryan: Erick Adame’s Daily Weather Report (more background from the New York Times)This podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected] an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder explore two parts of the queer world heavily associated with the 1970s: PFLAG and “The Lesbian.” First, they mark the 50th anniversary of PFLAG with a discussion of how the relationship between parents, parenthood, and queer people has changed over the last five decades, how it hasn’t, and what all that means in this dangerous era of “parental rights.” Then, they’re joined by Mairead Sullivan, a scholar and author of the newish book Lesbian Death, a fascinating analysis of the cultural association between the figure of The Lesbian and, well, death. Why is The Lesbian and her bed, her spaces, her very identity, always dying? Who’s killing her? Sullivan helps the hosts sort it out.Items discussed in the show:Lesbian Death by Mairead SullivanGallup’s latest count of LGBT people in the U.S.Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s 1977 photo in drag.Gay AgendaChristina: The novel Confidence by Rafael FrumkinJGP: Pedro Pascal’s InstagramBL: Nico Lang’s @QueerNewsDaily; Julia Serano on “transgenderism”; and Christina on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ love of high heels.This podcast was produced by Morgan Givens.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected] an impact this Women’s History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund girls in STEM. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Love is in the air this month, so hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder turn their attention to some very queer questions of love. First, they discuss a new Spanish film, Petit Mal, which explores the intimate drama and everyday feelings of three women in a throuple. Then they consider what is arguably the hardest kind of love: loving yourself in the wake of great loss or pain. Recent years have seen a huge growth in the applications of psychedelic drugs as a treatment strategy for PTSD, depression, anxiety, and more. Although psychedelics are becoming more popular with everyone, a lot of queer and trans people have pre-existing relationships with some of these substances, both in recreational and therapeutic contexts. The hosts are joined by Dr. Alex Belser, the leading researcher into queer people’s relationship with psychedelics, to discuss what these drugs might offer—and get back from—queers.Items discussed in the show:“Gay Bars and Hookup Apps”: The February 2021 episode of Outward that focused on Lex and other dating apps for womenThe official trailer for Petit MalQueering Psychedelics: From Oppression to Liberation in Psychedelic Medicine, edited by Alex Belser, Clancy Cavnar, and Beatriz C. Labate“Does the Queer Scene Have a Ketamine Problem?” by Delilah Friedler in Rolling Stone“10 Calls to Action: Toward an LGBTQ-Affirmative Psychedelic Therapy,” by Alex BelserGay AgendaChristina: Aftersun, written and directed by Charlotte WellsBryan: The legacy of Charles Silverstein, who died on Jan. 30, 2023Jules: Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Riotous Black Girls, Troublesome Women, and Queer Radicals, by Saidiya V. HartmanThis podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected] an impact this Black History Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to fund UNCF scholarships for HBCU students. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder take an in-depth look at the latest fixation of the far right: drag, an art form as old as gender itself, which has brought generations of queer people together. In the first segment, the hosts consider why conservatives are now trying to regulate drag shows out of existence and armed hate groups are showing up at drag events to threaten and intimidate performers and audiences. Then they are joined by Lil Miss Hot Mess, who in addition to performing with Drag Story Hour, has taken an academic interest in what children take away from drag events.Items discussed in the show:The beautiful lullaby version of “Titanium” in M3GAN.M.J. Rodriguez’s gorgeous 2023 Golden Globes dressDrag Story HourDiane di Prima’s poem “Rant”Lil Miss Hot Mess’ clap-back video to Marco Rubio’s attack adGay AgendaJules: Any DJ set by Honey Dijon. (Here’s one to start with.)Bryan: Cleanse your social media feeds, and introduce some cozy vibes with Isaac Mizrahi’s Instagram feed.Christina: “The ‘Golden Gays’ Return to the Stage in the Philippines,” by Hannah Reyes Morales in the New York TimesThis podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder reflect on the painful impact of anti-LGBTQ violence and dig into the new possibilities for trans storytelling and filmmaking. First, they talk through their complicated feelings about one of the responses to the shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs last month: Should queer people be organizing in self-defense, or even arming ourselves for protection? Then they are joined by actress Jen Richards who portrays Barbara in Framing Agnes, a new documentary, directed by Chase Joynt, which is centered on six trans people who were interviewed and treated at a UCLA gender clinic in the 1950s. The film combines reenactments of those interviews with contemporary conversations with trans actors reflecting on how the lives of the people they portray resonate with their own lives. Our own Jules Gill-Peterson has a central role in the movie as a historian and narrator.Items discussed in the show:Season 2 of The White LotusChristina’s Slate piece, “I Think I Found Kyrsten Sinema’s Side Hustle”Framing AgnesGay AgendaChristina: shopping gay, including at The Little Gay Shop and Adam’s NestJules: “Not a Transition: On Andrea Pallaoro’s Monica,” by Eva Pensis in the Los Angeles Review of BooksBryan has created a bespoke cocktail for Outward listeners: the Cuddle PuddleThe Cuddle Puddle2 oz rye1 oz ginger liqueur½ oz Fernet Branca or similarDash of orange bittersStir the ingredients for a long time over ice, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with orange peel.This podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was recorded before the Nov. 19 attack on Club Q. Outward stands with our queer family in Colorado Springs.This month, Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder discuss two major trans news stories from recent weeks. First, the New York Times’ latest article about trans kids and gender-affirming care, this time about puberty blockers and bone density, and how it plays into the ongoing, manufactured, and weaponized conservative panic about trans existence. Then they are joined by James Roesener of Concord, New Hampshire, who earlier this month became the first out trans man to be elected to a U.S. state legislature. They talk about why he ran and what he hopes to achieve. Finally, the hosts add some new items to the gay agenda.Items discussed in the show:The American Library Association Rainbow Round TableThe Lilly Pharmaceutical Twitter impersonationAMC’s new version of Interview With the VampireWorld Pride 2025 in D.C. “They Paused Puberty, but Is There a Cost?” by Megan Twohey and Christina Jewett in the New York TimesMichael Hobbes’ Twitter thread responding to the NYT story“The NYT’s Big Piece on Puberty Blockers Mucked Up the Most Important Point About Them,” by Evan Urquhart, in SlateGay AgendaBrian: Queer for Fear on ShudderChristina: The Secret to Superhuman Strength, by Alison BechdelJules: Gossip Girl Fanfic Novella, by Charlie MarkbreiterThis podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bryan Lowder is still out on book leave, but hosts Christina Cauterucci and Jules Gill-Peterson summon him back to discuss Bros, the gay rom-com of the moment. The film lingers on questions of queer history, shows what happens when a nerdy podcast guy dates a beefy gay bro, and is a fascinating meditation on what it means to be a cis gay man in a time of both progress and prosecution. (This segment lasts around 31 minutes if you want to skip ahead to avoid Bros spoilers.) Then they are joined by Meg Metcalf, an LGBTQ collections specialist at the Library of Congress, to discuss how the world’s biggest library is surfacing the plentiful LGBTQ resources that can be found in its building and in cyberspace. Finally, they add some new items to the gay agenda.Items discussed in the show:The Problem With Jon Stewart, “The Problem With Gender” “Why Jon Stewart’s Humiliation of an Anti-Trans Official Is So Important,” by Evan Urquhart in SlateA new report from the Human Rights Campaign and Bowling Green State University“Billy Eichner’s Curious Claims About Bros,” by J. Bryan Lowder in Slate“Was Eleanor Roosevelt a Lesbian?” by Heather Schwedel, in SlateThe Library of Congress’ Collections Policy Statement for LGBTQIA+ studiesIf you have a question for Meg, or other Library of Congress librarians, go to ask.loc.govChronicling America, the Library of Congress’ database of historic newspapers Gay AgendaChristina: The episode of NPR’s Code Switch in which Kumari Devarajan profiled comedian and playwright D’Lo, who has a role in BrosJules: Faltas: Letters to Everyone in My Hometown Who Isn’t My Rapist, by Cecilia Gentili This podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Bryan Lowder is away, so hosts Christina Cauterucci and Jules Gill-Peterson are joined by the podcast’s founding co-host Brandon Tensley to talk about some new representations of LGBTQ people involved in the wide world of sports. First, they debate whether the new Amazon Prime take on A League of Their Own, starring and co-created by Abbi Jacobson, might possibly be too queer. Then they discuss the making of Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story, the new Netflix documentary about a transgender pro skateboarder, with Nicola Marsh, who directed the movie, along with Giovanni Reda, and executive producer Alex Schmider. Finally, they add some new items to the gay agenda.Items discussed in the show:Race Deconstructed, Brandon’s newsletter at CNNA League of Their Own, on Amazon PrimeStay on Board: The Leo Baker Story, on NetflixSlate’s coverage of the Yummers debacleThe 2022 NLGJA Convention in ChicagoThe Transgender Issue, by Shon FayeGay AgendaBrandon: Listen to Rina Sawayama’s new album Hold the GirlJules: Follow actor, writer, model Hari Nef on InstagramChristina: Listen to Lauren Ober’s new podcast The Loudest Girl in the WorldThis podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, host Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder start the show with a Thots & Queries segment in which a listener asks about orgy etiquette. In a completely different party setting, they try to figure out what on earth is going on in the U.S. Congress, where legislators are debating marriage equality in the form of the Respect for Marriage Act. Then Northwestern University professor and journalist Steven Thrasher joins them to discuss his new book The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality and Disease Collide. Finally, they add some new items to the gay agenda.Items discussed in the show:Taylor Blake and her emu friend EmmanuelBeyoncé’s RenaissanceA shocking tweet from the official Log Cabin Republicans accountThe June 29 episode of Outward in which Mark Joseph Stern considered how the Dobbs decision might affect LGBTQ rights“Why Is There More Republican Support for Gay Marriage Than for Abortion Rights?” by Moira Donegan, in the NationThe Viral Underclass,, by Steven ThrasherLet the Record Show, by Sarah Schulman“An Uprising Comes From the Viral Underclass,” by Steven Thrasher in Slate, June 12, 2020 Gay AgendaJules: X, by Davey DavisBryan: The Sandman, on NetflixChristina: “We Failed,” by Eric Neugeboren, in the Texas Tribune This podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder talk about two very different health stories. First, in the Thots & Queries segment, they respond to a listener who has questions about the ethics of moving to another country in an age of Supreme uncertainty. Then they talk with Harun Tulunay, a London-based sexual-health advocate, about his experience with monkeypox. He has been sharing his experiences with the disease, including the challenges of receiving a correct diagnosis. In New York City, the rollout of the monkeypox vaccine program was a disaster. Then they are joined by journalist Io Dodds to discuss her recent piece for the Independent: “ ‘Never Ask Permission’: How Two Trans Women Ran a Legendary Underground Surgical Clinic in a Rural Tractor Barn.” (Note, Jules was interviewed for the piece.)Items discussed in the show:Conjuring Kesha, on Discovery +“ ‘Never Ask Permission’: How Two Trans Women Ran a Legendary Underground Surgical Clinic in a Rural Tractor Barn,” by Io Dodds, in the IndependentGay AgendaBryan: “What Should a Queer Children’s Book Do?” by Jessica Winter in the New YorkerChristina: The Other Two, on HBO MaxJules: P-Valley, on StarzThis podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final Pride month special episode, Bryan and Christina talk with Slate senior writer Mark Joseph Stern. They assess what the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, the case that swept away Roe v. Wade, might mean for LGBTQ rights. Should we be worried about marriage equality? Given Americans’ purported love of privacy, is there any way that the right to same-sex intimacy, protected in Lawrence v. Texas, might now come under attack? Mark helps the hosts find hope, slim though it might be, amid the cruelty of the Dobbs decision.Items discussed in the show:The episode of Amicus in which Dahlia Lithwick and guests discussed Dobbs (and Bruen).Season 7 of Slow Burn, about Roe v. Wade and the history of abortion rights in America.A special post-Dobbs episode of The Waves, with Christina and Cheyna Roth.“The Supreme Court’s Next Target Is Marriage Equality. It Won’t Be the Last,” by Mark Joseph Stern“The Lawlessness of the Dobbs Decision,” by Dahlia Lithwick and Neil S. Siegel.This podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s story time, fam! This month, Bryan, Christina, and Jules talk about whether—and why—we still need Pride. Every Pride is someone’s first, and to get that fresh perspective, the hosts spoke with Sammie Bennett, who just celebrated for the first time in Kalamazoo, Michigan. They then talk about their own memories and feelings about the annual queer gathering.Thanks to Alicia DeMaio for our first "Thots & Queries" segment. Here’s the them.us piece she referenced.Items discussed in the show:“The Battle Over Gender Therapy,” by Emily Bazelon in the New York Times MagazineJules’ Twitter threadJules’ Substack responsePostmates’ “Eat With Pride” ad campaignLeo Herrera’s Instagram story about this campaignChristina’s Slate story about a U-Haul truck full of Nazis who headed to a Pride celebration in Idaho.New York City Drag MarchGay AgendaBryan: Buzzfeed’s roundup of “This Pride Month” memesChristina: KaftkoJules: Read a banned LGBTQ bookThis podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, in honor of Pride, we’re bringing you extra episodes of Outward.This week, hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder dig into the big gay movie of summer 2022: Fire Island. Directed by Andrew Ahn and written by Joel Kim Booster, who also appears in the film, Fire Island explores the magic of queer spaces like the titular enclave—along with the class and race disparities that so often beset them. The film, which also stars Bowen Yang, Margaret Cho, and Conrad Ricamora, is a gay resetting of Pride and Prejudice. Does it succeed? The hosts discuss this, and much more, in spoiler-filled detail.This podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, in honor of Pride, we’re going to be bringing you an Outward episode every week.Today, it’s a segment from a 2021 episode of Working, Slate's podcast about the creative process, in which June Thomas spoke with photographer Joan E. Biren, also known as JEB. In the interview, JEB discusses the creation, funding, and printing of her groundbreaking 1979 photobook Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians, which was reissued by Anthology Editions in 2021. The Working episode was produced by Cameron Drews. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, in honor of Pride, we’re going to be bringing you an Outward episode every week. You’ll still get the biggie on June 22, with Pride and Provocations, the Gay Agenda, and all the usual fun, but we’re also going to supply some shorter snacks of gay goodness every Wednesday.We’ve got some great things lined up--interviews, coverage of the big queer summer movie, and of course reflections on Pride--but we also want to share some great LGBTQ content from around the Slate podcast network.Today, it’s a segment from a recent episode of Mom and Dad Are Fighting, Slate’s parenting podcast. In light of the attacks on trans youth around the country, hosts Jamilah Lemieux, Zak Rosen, and Elizabeth Newcamp invited Outward’s own Jules Gill-Peterson onto the show to provide some historical context and offer advise on what people can do to support trans kids and their parents.The Mom and Dad Are Fighting episode was produced by Rosemary Belson and Jasmine Ellis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month Bryan, Christina, and Jules explore the intersection of queer life and incarceration. How has America’s prison-loving penal system shaped our history and present, and how does that experience get channeled—or not—into the culture we make and consume? The hosts are joined by Hugh Ryan, author of the new book The Women’s House of Detention: A Queer History of a Forgotten Prison, which uses one infamous mid-century institution in New York’s Greenwich Village to return the overlooked lives of incarcerated women and transmasculine folks to our collective story, and to make a stirring case for prison abolition as a queer issue. Then they discuss how prison shows up in pop culture—and whether they’re entirely comfortable with those fantasies.Items discussed in the show:Selling SunsetTwo recent articles on phalloplasty: “How Ben Got His Penis,” by Jamie Lauren Keiles in the New York Times, and “My Penis Myself,” by Gabriel Mac in New YorkOriginal Plumbing“Madison Cawthorn Thrusting His Naked Body on Another Man’s Face Doesn’t Tell Us Much About His ‘Gayness,’ ” by Bryan in SlateNot Gay: Sex Between Straight White Men, by Jane WardThe Women’s House of Detention: A Queer History of a Forgotten Prison, by Hugh RyanWhen Brooklyn Was Queer, by Hugh RyanHuey P. Newton’s 1970 speech on the women’s liberation and gay liberation movementsChained Heat 2Orange Is the New BlackGay AgendaChristina: Great FreedomJules: The Vice series TransnationalBryan: From Gay to Z: A Queer Compendium, by Justin Elizabeth SayresThis podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month Bryan, Christina, and Jules take a break from talking about the hostile legislation queer and trans people are fighting against to talk about what they’re fighting for. Brooklyn kindergarten teacher Eliza Cutler joins the hosts to share what it looks like when teachers are free to speak about LGBTQ lives in the classroom. Then they discuss the queer family drama at the heart of the new genre-bending, multiverse-hopping film Everything Everywhere All at Once. (NOTE: If you don't want to hear spoilers for Everything Everywhere All at Once, you can jump from the 33-minute mark to the 59-minute point, but come back after you've seen the movie. You don't want to miss this conversation.)Items discussed in the show:Robbie Pierce’s Twitter thread about the homophobic harassment his family endured while riding AmtrakQueers responding to homophobic legislation with … merchThe long life and sad demise of Bitch Media.They She He Me: Free to Be, by Maya Christina Gonzalez and Matthew SGMorris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress, by Christine Baldacchino and Isabelle MalenfantJacob’s New Dress, by Sarah and Ian Hoffman and Chris CageIntroducing Teddy, by Jessica Walton and Dougal MacPhersonPugdog, by Andrea U’Ren“Everything Everywhere All at Once Is a Queer Masterpiece of Colossa Sincerity,” by Drew Gregory, in Autostraddle “Everything Everywhere All at Once Is an Emotional Gut Punch About Queer Erasure, Acceptance,” by Patrick Ryan, in USA Today“This One Stale Joke Won’t Let Everything Everywhere All at Once Be Great,” by Kyle Turner, in W“On Being Trans and Watching Everything Everywhere All at Once,” by Linda Codega, in GizmodoGay AgendaChristina: “Sex, Love, and Art in the Suburbs,” by Garth Greenwell, in EsquireBryan: “This Beach in Mexico Is an L.G.B.T.Q. Haven. But Can It Last?” by Oscar Lopez and Lisette Poole, in the New York TimesJules: Manhunt, by Gretchen Felker-MartinThis podcast was produced by June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bryan, Christina, and Jules respond to the anti-trans attacks coming out of state legislatures across the country, particularly in Texas, where the governor and attorney general have tried to make caring for trans kids into a form of child abuse. Jules sketches out what a trans child’s life would look and feel like over the coming years as a result of these draconian bills and administrative attacks. Then they are joined by Michael Waters to discuss his recent piece for Slate about trans pioneer Barbara Ann Richards, who went to court in 1941 to legally change her name—and succeeded.Items discussed in the show:Lauren Groff discusses the writing of her novel Matrix on the podcast Women Who Travel “The GOP’s All-Out Assault on Trans People,” The Waves, March 3, 2022, featuring Jules Gill-Peterson and Evan Urquhart“Barbara Ann Richards Designed—and Then Demanded—the Life She Deserved,” by Michael WatersTrue Sex: The Lives of Trans Men at the Turn of the Twentieth Century, by Emily SkidmoreGay AgendaChristina: Start your own Dyke Night!Bryan: QueerSpace, a podcast from the National Air and Space MuseumJules: The 2022 Lambda Literary Award nominationsThis podcast was produced by Myron. Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected] Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christina, Bryan, and Jules discuss a proposed Florida bill that would ban all discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in the state, and the 4K-restored re-release of John Cameron Mitchell’s senimal 2007 film Shortbus. The Gay Agenda includes an East Williamsburg trans enclave. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christina Cauterucci and Bryan Lowder welcome our new third co-host, Jules Gill-Peterson, and talk to author Dr. Kevin Guyan about his new book Queer Data. The crew then explores the trans storylines and general weirdness of And Just Like That, the “next chapter” in the Sex and the City universe, before adding more items to the Gay Agenda. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christina and Bryan discuss the finer points of new queer Christmas movies—like, how realistic is Netflix’s Single All The Way?—and why that harness joke in Lifetime’s Under The Christmas Tree was so jarring. We’re also joined by some special guests who share Prides and Provocations from the past year and explore Premonitions for 2022. We close the year with bell hooks and trans triumphs in the Gay Agenda. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christina and Bryan welcome guest host Carolyn Bergier, co-host of the podcast Dyking Out. The crew explore the ups and downs of the Amazon lesbian reality TV show Tampa Baes. They then talk about Billy Porter’s fashion beef with Harry Styles, what queer fashion and signifiers actually mean, and whether they matter anymore. And finally, queer burlesque, queer DJ sets, and butch dykes for our Gay Agenda. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christina and Bryan take us into Queer History Month with thoughts on Reba McEntire and queer inclusion in historically misogynistic places. They welcome Adam Zmith, author of Deep Sniff, a book on the queer history of poppers, and writer Jude Doyle, who talks about what we missed in the recent documentary about transmasculine Black feminist icon Pauli Murray. Finally, our guests add supersmart, compelling items to this month’s Gay Agenda. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christina, Bryan, and Slate Senior Managing Producer June Thomas say farewell to outgoing host Rumaan Alam, then welcome journalist Casey Newton to discuss Grindr's data security problem and its inherent potential for ruining self-esteem. They then delve into Todd Stephens' Swan Song, a beautiful new film about an old queen, his cross-town journey to find hair products fit for styling his dead client, and the closure it brings.Items discussed in the show:Swan Song, directed by Todd StephensGay AgendaChristina: Eric Cervini's Queer History 101 June: Olivia on the Record, by Ginny BersonBryan: two-room tents!This podcast was produced by Katya Kumkova.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected] Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s August, and Outward is leaning into the heat. First, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan gab about the beach. Why, exactly, are queer beaches so delightful? Is there a secret geography of finding the gay beach? They then talk to GirlFlexx, a female dom stripper who performs largely for straight women in a traditionally male style -- and kills it in adoration and tips.Items discussed on the show:An ice cream cake you can make "in the back of your car."The upcoming Chromatica remix album, confirmed by Lady Gaga.Outsports.com's coverage of the Olympics.Provincetown's citizen scientist effort to contact trace a Delta variant outbreak.A lawyer who fought for marriage equality helped disgraced Governor Andrew Cuomo discredit abuse victims.A primer on lesbian dom strippers.Gay AgendaBryan: Lindsay Morris and Ruth Padawar's photo essay about Camp I Am.Rumaan: Colm Toibin's The Master.Christina: The L Word: Generation Q.This podcast was produced by Katya Kumkova.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A year-and-a-half into the pandemic, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan look back at all the times we did not get to share our milestones -- good, bad, or just big -- with other queers. If a queer comes out in the forest where no one can hear them are they still queer? Yes, but perhaps less joyfully than if they had been in community. The hosts then speak with Lucia Lucas, the first female baritone to perform a principal opera role on the American stage as Don Giovanni.Items discussed on the show:A recent assault at Nellie's gay bar in DC draws protests.Richard Branson wore a rainbow ribbon during his space flight.Breakthrough COVID infections strike Provincetown.The Sound of Identity, a documentary about Lucia Lucas's appearance as Don Giovanni.Gay AgendaBryan: director's cut of Studio 54Christina: How Twitter Can Ruin a Life by Emily VanDerWerffRumaan: two wistful and sexy short stories read by author Douglas Stuart on The Writer's Voice podcast.This podcast was produced by Katya Kumkova.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s Pride month, which means Outward is feeling particularly festive! Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan are joined by musician Julien Baker to discuss her feelings about Pride, queerness, fluidity, and ways of interpreting queer art. Then Jillian Hanlon, a trans cop in upstate New York, joins to offer her take on the recent debate over cops at Pride.Items discussed on the show:Skittles go gray for Pride month.A Twitter thread about kink at Pride.Out in the Country: Youth, Media, and Queer Visibility in Rural America, by Mary GrayJulien Baker interview on WorkingJulien Baker on the Queerology podcastThe October 2018 Outward episode that includes interviews with members of No Justice No Pride and Reclaim Pride“A Mistep by the Organizers of Pride,” by the New York Times’ Editorial Board“The New York Times Doesn’t Know What Pride Is For,” by J. Bryan Lowder, in SlateGay AgendaChristina: Drew Gregory’s interview with Daniela Sea in AutostraddleBryan: Hola Papi, by John Paul BrammerRumaan: You are enough, queer comrades! This podcast was produced by Margaret Kelley and June Thomas.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected] Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/outwardplus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Waves is back, and we thought Outward listeners might enjoy this week's episode about Season 3 of Master of None, which focuses on a Black lesbian relationship. But is it worth watching? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan are joined by Sarah Schulman, whose new book Let the Record Show sets out to correct inaccurate representations of ACT UP New York, its tactics, and its philosophy of direct action in response to the AIDS epidemic. Then they discuss three collections of photographs of LGBTQ people. Who are they for, and will they be seen by the people who need them most?Items discussed on the show: "How to Be a Queer Person in the World Post-Quarantine," by Naveen KumarThe section of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass that begins, "I have perceived that to be with those I like is enough.”Let The Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-93, by Sarah Schulman Sarah’s appearance on the June 10, 2020, episode of Outward, “ACT UP and Larry Kramer's Legacy”The ACT UP Oral History ProjectSelf Evident Truths: 10,000 Portraits of Queer America, by IO Tillett WrightQueer Love in Color, by Jamal Jordan Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians, by JEB (Joan E. Biren)Gay AgendaBryan: Taylor Mac’s "Whitman in the Woods" Christina: Call My Agent Rumaan: HalstonThis podcast was produced by Margaret Kelley.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected] Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan are first joined by Diana Souhami, whose new book, No Modernism Without Lesbians, tells the story of Sylvia Beach, Bryher, Natalie Barney, Gertrude Stein, and the artistic community they built in Paris between the wars. Then June Thomas joins them for a discussion of the recent spate of period dramas featuring women in love. Why can’t the women in these films get a little electricity or running water?Items discussed on the show: Dan D’Addario on Colton Underwood’s coming out, in VarietyDaniel Schroeder on what Underwood’s coming out revealed about the Bachelor franchise, in Slate“Transgender Childhood Is Not a ‘Trend’,“ by Jules Gill-Peterson in the New York Times No Modernism Without Lesbians, by Diana SouhamiSaturday Night Live’s take on lesbian period dramasAmmoniteCarolPortrait of a Lady on Fire (and Slate Spoiler Special episode)The World to ComeGay AgendaBryan: The Lady and the Dale on HBOMaxRumaan: Julie Mehretu’s exhibit at the Whitney Museum, and the New York Times T Magazine conversation between Mehretu and her former partner Jessica RankinJune: The audiobook Hoosier Daddy, by Ann McMan and Salem West, and Not the Real Jupiter, by Barbara WilsonChristina: Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians, by JEB, and June’s interview with JEB on Slate’s Working podcast about the making of the bookThis podcast was produced by Margaret Kelley.Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to [email protected] Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan discuss a New York magazine piece about fashion designer Alexander Wang, the dynamics of power and consent, and the swiftly changing norms of gay spaces. Then they’re joined by science writer Riley Black to discuss her recent Slate piece about how science might not be the best tool to argue with those who oppose trans rights.This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan are first joined by June Thomas to discuss Jeremy Atherton Lin’s new book Gay Bar, their own personal histories with gay bars, and if such queer spaces have a future. Then they’re joined by Autostraddle’s Shelli Nicole to talk about the Lex app, a text-based dating app aimed at queer, trans, and gender-nonconforming people. They discuss how the app got its start, the ways it’s changed in just one year, and if queer women will ever have an app that’s just for sex. This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan discuss the New Year’s drama in Puerta Vallarta, the Instagram account that popped up to shame gay people for traveling during COVID, and if shaming ever works as a health and safety tactic. Then they interview Torrey Peters about her new book Detransition, Baby. They talk with her about writing for a trans audience and expecting cisgender readers to keep up, why so much adult queer fiction resembles YA, and how elephants fit into it all.This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan speak with Ruth Coker Burks, author of the new book All the Young Men: A Memoir of Love, AIDS, and Chosen Family in the American South, about her work in the 1980s, helping Arkansans with AIDS. Then they discuss three of 2020’s bumper selection of LGBTQ holiday movies: The Christmas Setup, Happiest Season, and A New York Christmas Wedding. Should we be grateful for the gift of representation, or should we be searching for the receipt?Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan speak with Ria Tabacco Mar, the ACLU’s director of the Women’s Rights Project, about what the future for LGBTQ people looks like with president-elect Biden and an even more conservative Supreme Court. Then they discuss Uncle Frank, a film from Alan Ball about a gay man and his partner on a road trip with his niece from Manhattan to South Carolina in the 1970’s. They talk about how this differs from last month’s Boys In the Band, and the importance of remembering past queer struggles.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. (edited) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan look at fact and fiction in gay history. First, they examine Netflix’s recent version of The Boys in the Band in the context of the original, and how it captures a specific moment of gay life. Then they discuss the new HBO series EQUAL, which seeks to tell the stories of important figures from the history of the LGBTQ movement. They discuss how the utter modernity of interpretation and style leave the series lacking, but how useful it could be as a teaching tool and reminder of pre-Stonewall activism. Producer Daniel pops in for a short segment about the Ryan Murphy of it all.This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan interview journalist Angela Chen about her new book, Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex. They talk about asexuality’s rise in visibility, where ace people fit in the queer community, and how asexuality can lead us to question so many of our assumptions about social constructions that depend on who your sexual partners are. Then they unpack the story of gay politician Alex Morse, whose recent congressional campaign was plagued with accusations of sexual impropriety, and what a politician’s queer sex life is allowed to look like.This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan talk to Slate sex-advice columnist Rich Juzwiak about the state of sex six months into the COVID-19 crisis. They discuss the sorts of questions he’s fielding, the limits of sexual creativity, and navigating casual sex during this time. Then the team digs into Ellen DeGeneres, how she fits into the history and modern landscape of queer media, and why she seems so disappointing.This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan interview journalist David France about his new documentary Welcome to Chechnya on the atrocities happening there and the work being done by activists to liberate queer Chechens. Then they discuss the new audio documentary by Evan Roberts, “Caring for Lesbian Icon Phyllis Lyon, With Love and Deceit.” June shares how important Naya Rivera and her Glee character, Santana Lopez, were to the queer community and changing American attitudes on gay marriage. Then we close it out with the gay agenda.This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, Christina, Bryan, and Rumaan spoke with Mark Joseph Stern about the fifth anniversary of marriage equality, the future of LGBTQ rights in the United States, and the recent Supreme Court decision about employment discrimination. Then we’ve got our live show from June 3, when Bob the Drag Queen joined the crew to discuss the Black Lives Matter movement, police violence, and the healing power of the new HBO series We’re Here.This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder and Melissa Kaplan.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.