Author and music analyst, Chris Molanphy, discusses Lil Nas X's song 'Old Town Road' and its impact on pop history. They explore the history and evolution of Billboard charts, the collaboration with Billy Ray Cyrus, the debate about race and genre, and the challenges Lil Nas X may face in maintaining his success. They also discuss his coming out as a gay artist and his knack for creating viral music across genres.

Jacob Bloomfield, author of a groundbreaking study on male drag performance in modern Britain, discusses the history of drag in the late 19th century, its role in popular culture and resistance, the importance of placing drag performances in historical context, the research process, and upcoming project on Little Richard.

Andy Hunter, founder and CEO of Bookshop.org, discusses the creation of an indie alternative to Amazon called bookshop. They explore how bookshop.org helps independent bookstores survive, the challenges faced in launching and maintaining an online bookshop, and their future plans to make systemic changes in the book industry.

Patrick E. Horrigan, author of 'American Scholar,' explores themes of memory, queer love, and the AIDS epidemic. The guest discusses the inspiration behind their novel based on a personal relationship and uncanny parallels with a famous academic. They also delve into the significance of sex scenes, the impact of the AIDS epidemic, and the role of place in the novel. Additionally, Patrick Horrigan shares insights into his upcoming novel about a piano teacher and her student's musical journey in the 1970s.

Isabel Machado, author of 'Carnival in Alabama: Marked Bodies and Invented Traditions in Mobile', discusses the convergence of segregated segments of society in Mobile during the annual Mardi Gras, exploring the experiences of marked bodies outside of organizations and expanding the definition of Carnival tradition. Topics include the erasure of LGBTQI+ history, the revival of a Confederate soldier character, Joe Cane Day, racial segregation, personal views on Maricra, and the transformative Carnival in Alabama festival.

Tingting Hu, author of 'Victims, Perpetrators and Professionals,' discusses the representation of women in Chinese crime films and the emergence of Chinese Boy's Love culture. She explores the societal pressure on women, the portrayal of female victims and professionals in crime films, and the use of violence as an aesthetic strategy. Hu also discusses the application of Western feminist theories to Chinese subjects of study and her current research projects on gender and sexuality.

In A Queer Way of Feeling: Girl Fans and Personal Archives of Early Hollywood (University of California Press, 2023), Diana W. Anselmo queers the earliest development of the "fangirl." Gathering an unexplored archive of fan-made scrapbooks, letters, diaries, and photographs, A Queer Way of Feeling explores how, in the 1910s, girls coming of age in the United States used cinema to forge a foundational language of female nonconformity, intimacy, and kinship. Pasting cross-dressed photos on personal scrapbooks and making love to movie actresses in epistolary writing, adolescent girls from all walks of life stitched together established homoerotic conventions with an emergent syntax of film stardom to make sense of mental states, actions, and proclivities self-described as "queer" or "different from the norm." Material testimonies of a forgotten audience, these autobiographical artifacts show how early movie-loving girls engendered terminologies, communities, and creative practices that would become cornerstones of media fan reception and queer belonging.Links Mentioned in the Episode English and comparative literature professor Saidiya Hartman's website Archivist Dorothy Berry's website Hallel Yadin is an archivist and special projects manager at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/lgbtq-studies

Chris Dietz, a lecturer at the Centre for Law & Social Justice, discusses the complexities of self-declaration in legal gender recognition. They explore Denmark's progressive gender recognition law, the challenges faced by transgender individuals, and the impact of jurisdiction on legal recognition. The podcast also touches on the discriminatory nature of healthcare access, the importance of visibility in trans rights, and the significance of political nuance in relation to human rights.

Kalani Adolpho and other contributors discuss their book 'Trans and Gender Diverse Voices in Libraries,' highlighting the experiences of trans and gender diverse people in the library profession. They address issues such as safety, privacy, collaboration, emotional labor, and the importance of urgent action to address harm in existing systems. They also discuss future projects including transgender inclusion in LIS literature and a new book on trans inclusion in professional specialties.

John Plotz interviews Samuel R. Delany, a living legend of science fiction and fantasy. They discuss the artistic potential of different genres, the classification of writers, the influence of Levi Strauss, the challenges faced within the science fiction community, their admiration for Gertrude Stein, and gratitude for the opportunity to record at Wellesley College.