Lesbians in Paris … and in Period Dramas

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 Variety

Daniel 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 Souhami

Saturday Night Live’s take on lesbian period dramas

Ammonite

Carol

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (and Slate Spoiler Special episode)

The World to Come

Gay Agenda

Bryan: The Lady and the Dale on HBOMax

Rumaan: Julie Mehretu’s exhibit at the Whitney Museum, and the New York Times T Magazine conversation between Mehretu and her former partner Jessica Rankin

June: The audiobook Hoosier Daddy, by Ann McMan and Salem West, and Not the Real Jupiter, by Barbara Wilson

Christina: Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians, by JEB, and June’s interview with JEB on Slate’s Working podcast about the making of the book

This podcast was produced by Margaret Kelley.

Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to outwardpodcast@slate.com.

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