Nancy

Team Nancy takes a final stroll down memory lane. Check out our open-sourced Queer Podcasts spreadsheet for more queer shows. To get you started, check out Afroqueer, History is Gay, LGBTQ&A, Flyest Fables, Making Gay History, Gender Reveal, and If These Ovaries Could Talk. Music in this episode by Jeremy S. Bloom, Josh Woodward (Once Tomorrow, Border Blaster), and Albert Behar. Theme by Alexander Overington.

This week, we dive into the world of an underground Black lesbian strip club in Los Angeles. — You can watch Shakedown at shakedown.film and The Criterion Channel. — Leilah Weinraub is a filmmaker and artist. Ronnie D. Ron is the founder of Shakedown. Egypt Blaque Knyle is a social worker and renowned burlesque dancer. — Special thanks this week to Tracie Hunte.   Music in this episode by Jeremy S. Bloom. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate.

Imara Jones joins us to talk about creating a truly inclusive Black Lives Matter movement, and getting back to the roots of Pride. — Imara Jones is an award-winning journalist, and the creator of TransLash, a multi-episode series about what it is like to be transgender, especially a trans person of color, at a time of social backlash.   Resources: — Trans Lifeline - Trans Lifeline is a grassroots hotline offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis - for the trans community, by the trans community. — The Okra Project - The Okra Project is a collective that seeks to address the global crisis faced by Black Trans people by bringing home-cooked, healthy, and culturally specific meals and resources to Black Trans People wherever we can reach them. — The Transgender District - The mission of the Transgender District is to create an urban environment that fosters the rich history, culture, legacy, and empowerment of transgender people and its deep roots in the southeastern Tenderloin neighborhood. — Trans Justice Funding Project - The Trans Justice Funding Project is a community-led funding initiative founded in 2012 to support grassroots, trans justice groups run by and for trans people.  Music in this episode by Jeremy S. Bloom and Josh Woodward ("20/20"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate.

It's a book filled episode as Tobin and Kathy chat with authors Samantha Irby and Brandon Taylor. — Samantha Irby is the author of Wow, No Thank You., as well as Meaty, We Are Never Meeting in Real Life., and New Year, Same Trash. — Brandon Taylor is the author of Real Life. — Matt Ortile is the author of The Groom Will Keep His Name. — Rachel Matlow is the author of Dead Mom Walking: A Memoir Of Miracle Cures And Other Disasters. — Meredith Talusan is the author of Fairest. — Alok Vaid-Menon is the author of Beyond the Gender Binary. — Kacen Callender is the author of Felix Ever After, as well as other books.   Music in this episode by Jeremy S. Bloom, Albert Behar, Alexander Overington, & Kevin MacLeod ("Slow Burn"). Theme by Alexander Overington.

Carmen Maria Machado joins us to talk queer horror stories, writing about pandemics, and the conversation we as queer people should be having more often. If you or someone you know is experiencing intimate partner violence, contact The National Domestic Violence Hotline. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence has more info on LGBTQ intimate partner violence statistics here. Music in this episode by Jeremy S. Bloom. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate.

Iced coffee and bi chairs and glory holes, oh my!  Music in this episode by Jeremy S. Bloom, Alexander Overington, and Albert Behar ("Pizzicato Playground"). Theme by Alexander Overington. CORRECTION: A previous version of this episode misidentified Lady Gaga as straight. She is bisexual. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate.

It's our 100th episode! And for this special occasion, Nancy sound designer Jeremy Bloom goes on a quest to find the truth behind a mysterious gay and lesbian island kingdom. — Bruce Hecht is the owner of the Champion Stamp Company in New York City. — Derek Adam Thomas makes videos about micro-nations and the fun things they get up to.  — Dennis Altman an academic and gay rights activist. He is the author of over 20 books including Homosexual Liberation & Oppression and Unrequited Love.  — Nick Henderson is a curator for the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives. — William Jackson Freeman is the former Lord Chancellor of the Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands.  — Dale Parker Anderson I is the former Emperor of the Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands. — Voiceovers by Rosa Gollan. — Episode image courtesy of Glen Stephens. Special thanks this week to the other Dale Parker Anderson, Sabrina Lipovic (Archives researcher for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Oley Media Group, Emperor George Cruckshank II, Viktor Zimmerman (Gay Homeland Foundation), Simon Sellers & George Dunford (Authors of the Lonely Planet Guide to Micronations), Judy Lattas, Jody Shapiro, Glen Stephens, Paul Poet, Bob Jervis, Don Green, James "Jaix" Brooks, the former members of the of the Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands. Music in this episode by Jeremy S. Bloom, Albert Behar, Sergey Cheremisinov (Fog), and Kevin MacLeod (Bridal Chorus & I Knew A Guy). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate.

At the age of 61, Richard was searching for a boyfriend. But finding love was about more than just getting past the trials of dating. There was also Peter. — Other Men Need Help is a bi-weekly podcast about the emblems, habits, and struts in the male performance. You can listen to their original episode featuring Richard's story, "Boy Talk", from their first season. Their staff includes Lead Producer Caitlin Mae Burke, and producers Ben Goldberg and Rebecca Seidel.  — Mark Pagán is the host of Other Men Need Help. He's also an award-winning film and podcast producer, storyteller, writer, educator, and former b-boy. — Richard Cardillo is an educator and storyteller whose work has been featured on The Moth, Story Collider, and RISK!  If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. The Trevor Project also has LGBTQ specific resources. The TrevorLifeline is at 1-866-488-7386. Music in this episode by Jeremy S. Bloom, Kyle Sanna, & Gangi ("Proton Beat"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate.

We understand that this is a really scary time for all of us right now. And in times like these, it's important to check-in on each other. So that's what Team Nancy did. — SAGE is the country's largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT older adults. — Ariana Martinez in an artist and audio producer. — Eric Silverberg and Todd Sowers are the CEO and COO, respectively, of Perry Street Software (makers of SCRUFF and Jack'd). — Sex and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Guide by New York City's Department of Health. — Club Quarantine is on Instagram "every night of the quarantine. 21:00-00:00 ET on zoom app." Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, Nilhore ("Crux"), and Rest You Sleeping Giant ("Light Lab"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate.

A distraction for those of you who need it: We talk to activist and YouTuber Chella Man as well as Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar about what it's like to evolve in the public eye. — Chella Man is an artist, actor, and activist, who can be seen on the DC Universe series Titans. — Rebecca Sugar is the creator of Steven Universe. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom and Boxcat Games ("Mr Fox Shop" & "Inspiration"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate.

Nancy is back! And we're diving into the taffeta-covered world of kids who do drag. — Desmond is Amazing is a 12-year-old drag kid, LGBTQ advocate, and founder of their own drag house: the Haus of Amazing. — Ophelia Peaches is a 15-year-old drag kid, LGBTQ advocate, and emcee. — Jessica L'Whor is a Denver-based drag queen. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, Albert Behar, Alexander Overington, Anamorphic Orchestra ("Creature Comforts"), Broke for Free ("Calm the Fuck Down"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate.

A decade after The L Word ended, The L Word: Generation Q is finally here, so this week we're revisiting the time Kathy watched the original series. — Cameron Esposito is an actor, comedian, and producer. — Sarah Shahi, Erin Daniels, and Mia Kirshner played Carmen, Dana, and Jenny on The L Word. Ilene Chaiken was the show's co-creator and executive producer. — Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig reprised their roles as Alice and Kate in The L Word: Generation Q. Special thanks to Cassie Sercia and Autostraddle's Riese Bernard. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom with additional music by Kai Engel ("Seeker") and Lawrence Grey ("The St Marks Shake"). Theme by Alexander Overington.   Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

Consider this episode a gift to start your 2020 off RIGHT: It’s our conversation with the one-and-only BD Wong. Dreams do come true.  — BD Wong is an actor known for such roles as Dr. George Huang on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Dr. Henry Wu in the Jurassic Park films, and most recently as Whiterose on Mr. Robot. He won a Tony Award for his role in David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly, and has a starring role in the upcoming series, Awkwafina is Nora from Queens. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom. Additional music and theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

Our holiday gift to you: Chani Nicholas and Joel Kim Booster (our conversation with them, that is, not the actual people...though we wish we could)! — Chani Nicholas is an astrologer and the author of the upcoming book, You Were Born For This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance. — Joel Kim Booster is an LA-based comedian and writer, and he is currently starring in Sunnyside. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom. Additional music by Alexander Overington & Broke for Free ("The Great"). Theme by Alex Overington.  Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

For the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, we talk about what actually happened and where we go from here. — Marc Stein is a historian at San Francisco State University. — Karla Jay is an author, activist, and Professor Emeritus at Pace University. — Raquel Willis is the Executive Editor at Out Magazine. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, Mystery Mammal ("Relay"), and Little Glass Men ("Sector Vector"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.    

When Andraya Yearwood runs against her competition, people pay attention — whether she wants them to or not. — Katie Barnes is a reporter for ESPNW and espn.com. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, Benedek ("Cruzin'"), Anamorphic Orchestra ("Signs of Life"), Andy G. Cohen ("A Perceptible Shift"), and Kai Engel ("Headway"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

It’s a moment of reckoning for many members of the United Methodist Church, and after 25 years as a United Methodist pastor, Cynthia Meyer found herself with a decision to make. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, Andy G. Cohen ("Land Legs"), Axletree ("Goodnight Esme Instrumental" and "Dragon Country Apple Clove Instrumental"), Josh Woodward ("Border Blaster Instrumental"), Little Glass Men ("Procreation"), and Kai Engel ("Mare"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

Good sex ed can be life-changing. But getting access to it often entails a fight.   — The “Our Whole Lives” program was created in partnership between the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist Association. — Matt Bloom is a reporter for NPR affiliate station KUNC in Colorado. He's also worked at stations in Los Angeles and Bloomington, Indiana. You can follow his reporting on Twitter @matthew_bloom or find more work at mattbloomwrites.me. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, Marco Trovatello ("Haunty Fourstroke"), Nctrnm ("Tethered"), Meydan ("Elk"), Against Me! (Transgender Dysphoria Blues), Kai Engel ("Cold War Echo"), and Josh Woodward ("Show Me (Instrumental Version)"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

Note: this is a rerun of a previous episode. Traveling to Taiwan with her mom, Kathy imagines the life she might have lived had her family stayed. Kathy's mom previously appeared on Nancy in the episodes "Hello hello" and "Kathy's Mom is Uncomfortable With All This". Kathy Tu, center, in Taiwan with her grandfather, left, and mother, right. (Kathy Tu)  — Guo Mama is a volunteer at the Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association in Taipei. — Li Te-Yun (Nan Gua) is a singer-songwriter in Taiwan. She performed acoustic versions of two songs for Kathy: Heineken Love Song (海尼根情歌) Story of the Stone (石頭記) — Special thanks to Andrew Ryan, a host and producer with Radio Taiwan International. Kathy Tu and Andrew Ryan reporting in Taiwan. (Kathy Tu) Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, Art of Escapism ("Done with Disco"), Uncan ("Unbroken"), and Little Glass Men ("Cloud Launching"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

This week, Nancy is live and talking romcoms, meet-cutes, and weddings...with special guest Daniel K. Isaac! — Daniel K. Isaac stars on Billions as Ben Kim and recently guest starred on The Other Two as Jeremy. — Daniel was also recently on an episode of Death, Sex, and Money. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.    

On a grey, Wisconsin day two years ago, Kristin Russo's life changed forever. — Kristin Russo is a writer, speaker, educator, and consultant with a focus on LGBTQ issues. She is CEO of the website My Kid Is Gay and co-authored This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids. She also co-directs A-Camp, and co-hosts and produces the podcasts Buffering the Vampire Slayer and To L and Back. — You can read Kristin's article on her miscarriage, The Might-Have-Been, on Autostraddle, and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @kristinnoeline. Episode art by Isabella Rotman and courtesy of Autostraddle. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, Lee Rosevere ("I Wanted to Live"), and David Keifer ("Another Mark"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

Piñatas, weird car noises, and succulents, OH MY! It's the Nancy Variety Show! — Chaya Milchtein runs the website Mechanic Shop Femme, where you can find automotive classes and consulting. — Mark Joseph Stern covers law and LGBTQ issues for Slate. Music in this episode by Tobin Low and Jeremy Bloom. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

2018 MacArthur Genius winner Natalie Diaz talks about going from a professional basketball player to a poet, and how her love of language helped her embrace her queerness. — Natalie Diaz is a poet, essayist, and linguist. She teaches at the Arizona State University Creative Writing MFA program. — You can find 10 Things That Scare Me wherever you listen to podcasts. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom and Isaac Jones. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

Desiree Akhavan—filmmaker, creator, and star of The Bisexual—talks about being the rule-breaker of her family, and why she trolled her brother with her armpit hair. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.    

The story of Storme DeLarverie, a true American hero. — Storme DeLarverie’s obituary in The New York Times. — The Nod is hosted by Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings. It's produced by Kate Parkinson-Morgan and James T. Green. Sarah Abdurrahman is their senior producer. This story was edited by Annie-Rose Strasser, Alex Blumberg and Jorge Just. Additional editing help from Sarah Geis and Jordan Barnes. Fact checking by Nicole Pasulka. Engineering from Cedric Wilson and Matthew Boll. Music in this episode by Calid B, Bobby Lord, Haley Shaw, The Five Du-Tones and The Morrie Morrison Orchestra. Nancy theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

Tobin realizes he’s been carrying around an insecurity since he was a teenager. — Dr. Christie Block is a Speech-Language Pathologist based in New York City. — Jacob Tobia is a writer, activist, producer, and author of the book, Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story. You can find them on Twitter and Instagram. — Henry Bae is the Creative Director and co-founder of Syro. Shaobo Han is the Director of Operations and co-founder of Syro. — Syro is a queer POC business that makes heels in all sizes for all genders. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, Anamorphic Orchestra ("Taking Dark Matter Lightly"), Lee Rosevere ("Featherlight"), Axletree ("Goodnight Esme (Instrumental)"), Ultracat ("Disco High"), Juanitos ("En Croisiere"), Daedelus ("Make it Drums"), and Creo ("Place on Fire"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.    

A very Russian love story on the brink of Y2K. — Dan Taberski hosts the show, Surviving Y2K, and previously hosted Missing Richard Simmons. Both shows are part of the Headlong Podcast. The third season of Headlong premieres Tuesday, April 23rd. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, Mark Orton & John Hancock, and Nathaniel Wyvern ("Sanctuary Of The Sky Gods"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

Note: this is a rerun of a previous episode. David and Dominique have something in common. Special thanks to Krishna Stone at Gay Men's Health Crisis, an HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and advocacy organization in New York.  Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom and Alex Overington. Theme by Alexander Overington. Note: A version of this episode first ran on May 7, 2017. Support our work. Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.    

Nino and Drew kept their relationship a secret for more than 40 years. And then, they decided to do something that forced them into the spotlight. — This is Love is a show that explores perseverance, obsession, and what happens when we risk betting it all. Their new season begins on May 1st. Episode scoring by Blue Dot Sessions and Podington Bear. Nancy theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate.

What is retirement like when there's been a lifetime of discrimination and added costs, and what do we do about it? Queer Money Matters is Nancy's series about the straight economy and how queer people navigate it. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom and Tigue. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate. 

Even if you have insurance, being queer can be a barrier to getting the healthcare you need. Queer Money Matters is Nancy's series about the straight economy and how queer people navigate it. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom and Tigue. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate. 

Marriage equality meant more dollars in the bank for lots of queer people. But what if getting married goes against your identity or is simply not possible? Queer Money Matters is Nancy's series about the straight economy and how queer people navigate it. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom and Tigue. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate. 

From discrimination in the hiring process to a wage gap to a patchwork of legal protections, there are road blocks at every stage of our career. Queer Money Matters is Nancy's series about the straight economy and how queer people navigate it. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom and Tigue. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate. 

When you’re queer and you want to add a kid to your family, things get complicated—and expensive—really quickly. Queer Money Matters is Nancy's series about the straight economy and how queer people navigate it. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom and Tigue. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate. 

The economy is built for cisgender, heterosexual people. We're exploring the financial hurdles queer people face and how we navigate them. It's Nancy's "Queer Money Matters." If you want to see the results of "Nancy’s 2019 Money Survey of a Representative Sample of the Queer and Non-Queer US Population," head over to Queer Money Matters. — Lee Badgett is an economist, professor, and LGBT policy expert. She teaches at UMass Amherst. — Special thanks this week to Adam Auriemma, Editor-in-Chief of Money Magazine, Morning Consult, and the WNYC data team. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom and Tigue. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate. 

Strange or obtuse; a stinging homophobic slur; a radical political rejection of normativity; a broad term encompassing every and any variation on sexual orientation and gender identity: the word 'queer' has a multifarious past and complicated present. This is just a fraction of it. — Helen Zaltzman hosts the podcasts, The Allusionist and Answer Me This! Additional show notes can be found on The Allusionist's website. — Eric Marcus hosts the podcast, Making Gay History. — Amy Sueyoshi is a historian and author. — Cameo appearances from Katie Mingle from 99% Invisible, Katie Herzog from The Stranger, and Jonathan Van Ness from Queer Eye. Music in this episode by Martin Austwick. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate. 

Eight years ago, Ben found a pair of cutoff jean shorts mounted in a shadowbox. Now, he's on a search for the truth. — Ben Riskin quit his law firm four years ago and embarked on a career in podcasting. Ben recently joined Endeavor Audio to lead their business development and content acquisition efforts. When he's not working, he's listening to everything and talking to everyone.  — Special thanks this week to Tracey Baim of the Windy City Times, the team at Curious City, Ben Rose and Tracey Panek at Levi’s, St. Sukie de la Croix (author of Chicago Whispers: a History of LGBT Chicago before Stonewall), Gnat Carpenter, the team at Third Coast International Audio Festival, and everyone who shared pictures of the shorts on social media. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, Little Glass Men ("Procreation"), Broke for Free ("Calm the Fuck Down"), and Nctrnm ("Tethered"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate. 

Phillip Picardi joins Nancy to talk about his first job at McDonald's, his recent job as Anna Wintour's protégé, and his new job as editor-in-chief of Out Magazine. — Phillip Picardi is the editor-in-chief at Out Magazine. He previously served as chief content officer at Teen Vogue and them. — Phillip's response to the Women's Wear Daily article can be found on Twitter. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, Alex Overington, BoxCat Game  ("Mt Fox Shop"), and Drake Stafford ("Matte Black"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate.

An elite unit of trolls is engaged in an existential battle against hate speech on the internet. This is their story. This episode originally aired on Endless Thread, a co-production of WBUR and Reddit. It's a show about Reddit (also known as the front page of the internet), hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson, produced by Josh Swartz, and mixed by Paul Vaitkus. Nancy theme by Alexander Overington.  Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate. 

Tobin and Kathy have sweated through a few live shows, and now it's time to share a few of them with the world. — Jes Tom is a weird nonbinary queer Asian-American radical cyborg stand up comic. They will be performing at Caroline's on February 12th. — John Paul Brammer wrote the column "Hola Papi" for Into; he's now a staff writer at Them. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate.

Myosha Smith stopped speaking to her brother Joseph Wilson after he handled her coming out poorly. Realizing his mistake, Joe decided to try to win his sister back with a song. Joseph Wilson performs his song ‘Gnarly Knees’ with members of the Musical Connections Resident Ensemble at Sing Sing Correctional Facility (Stephanie Berger)  — Daniel A. Gross is a writer, reporter, and radio producer based in Brooklyn. — Myosha Smith is a social worker and songwriter based in Brooklyn. — Musical Connections is a program run by Carnegie Hall that teaches inmates at Sing Sing Correctional Facility to create and perform music. — You can listen to live performances of Gnarly Knees and Bright Dark, a song Joe co-wrote with Myosha, from inside Sing Sing Correctional Facility. — Special thanks to John J. Lennon, a journalist in Sing Sing Correctional Institution who helped Nancy find this story. John wrote about the Carnegie Hall Musical Connections program for Pacific Standard. Also thanks to our friends at WQXR: Christine Herskovits, Aaron Dalton, Eileen Delahunty, and Matt Abramovitz. Music in this episode by Kyle Sanna. Nancy theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate. 

Every year, contestants spend months working on their charisma, memorizing speeches, and getting their show-stopping outfits ready to win the sash. No, this is not Miss America...this is Mr. Los Angeles Leather. — James Kim makes podcasts at KPCC. — Pup Yoshi can be found @toddster213 on Twitter. — You can listen to both seasons of  The Competition at competitionpodcast.com. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, the team at The Competition, and Broke For Free ("Calm the Fuck Down"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate.

Note: this is a rerun of a previous episode.   Nancy staged a friend-tervention for Joe Rodriguez. Will finding your gaggle be your resolution for the new year? And if you want to broaden your friendship horizons this year, join our How to Get a Gaggle project! Special thanks to Fran Tirado of the podcast Food 4 Thot, Eric Sosa at C'mon Everybody, and Bill Clark and Libby Willis at MeMe's Diner. Our friendship project is coordinated by Charlotte Cooper with help from Ashley Lusk, Caroline English, Sahar Baharloo, Sarah Sandbach, Fiona Carswell, and many more of our colleagues at WNYC Studios. Original music by Jeremy Bloom with additional music by Mystery Mammal ("You're Up There"), Podington Bear ("Gizmo"), and Creo ("Memory"). Theme by Alex Overington. We need your help! Are you thinking about money as this new year begins? So are we. It seems like so much of the economy and the milestones of financial planning are geared towards cishet people -- the tax incentives to get married, the costs associated with starting a family. And healthcare. Like, all of healthcare.  So here at Nancy, we’re taking a look at how queer people navigate the financial system. Has there been a time when you’ve noticed you’ve had a harder time sorting out money issues than your friends who aren’t queer? Or is there a way you’ve sort of hacked the system -- to get what you need but on your own terms? We want to hear about your experience. Record a voice memo telling us about your queer money moments and send it to nancy@wnyc.org.  Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate. 

Growing up, Phoebe was a Jesus kid. In college, after Tinder-swiping her way to gayness, she comes out to Christians and hopes that they’ll accept her. And now, Phoebe goes on a mission to find out whether people with fundamentally different beliefs can have meaningful relationships. — Phoebe Wang is a multidisciplinary artist based between Brooklyn, NY and Toronto, ON. You can find her on Twitter @feebswang. — "God + The Gays" won the 2018 Third Coast/Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Competition Best New Artist Award and Phoebe gave an acceptance speech that resulted in a 45-second standing ovation. Music in this episode by Joni Void. The song “Let Your Little Light Shine” is by Pamela Warrick-Smith and was performed by Community Chorus, a resistance-themed choir led by Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs in LA. Nancy theme by Alexander Overington. We need your help! Are you thinking about money as this new year begins? So are we. It seems like so much of the economy and the milestones of financial planning are geared towards cishet people -- the tax incentives to get married, the costs associated with starting a family. And healthcare. Like, all of healthcare.  So here at Nancy, we’re taking a look at how queer people navigate the financial system. Has there been a time when you’ve noticed you’ve had a harder time sorting out money issues than your friends who aren’t queer? Or is there a way you’ve sort of hacked the system -- to get what you need but on your own terms? We want to hear about your experience. Record a voice memo telling us about your queer money moments and send it to nancy@wnyc.org.   Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

A nun leaves her small town home in Illinois and comes to the West Village of ‘80s New York...so she can learn how to care for patients dying of HIV/AIDS.  — Michael J. O'Loughlin is a Chicago-based religion journalist and author of The Tweetable Pope: A Spiritual Revolution in 140 Characters. — Bethany Place is a non-profit AIDS Service Organization in the St. Louis Metro East area. — Brian Dolphin contributed original music to this episode. Visit him at briandolphin.com to receive his free monthly songs or to join a community sing near you. (Courtesy: Carol Baltosiewich) Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, Brian Dolphin ("Cow Trough Song"), Marco Trovatello ("Haunty Fourstroke"), and UltraCat ("Disco High"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

Bowen Yang drops by the studio to talk to Tobin and Kathy about Sandra Oh, Saturday Night Live, and bad representation. — Bowen Yang is a comedian, producer, and formerly mediocre chemistry major based in Brooklyn, NY. He co-hosts the podcast, Las Culturistas, and you can find him on Twitter @bowenyang. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom. Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

When he was a young teenager, Luke realized he had to speak up—about who he was and what had happened to him. [Warning: this episode discusses childhood sexual assault]. — Radio Rookies is a New York Public Radio initiative that provides teenagers with the tools and training to create radio stories about themselves, their communities, and their world. — The Ali Forney Center is a community center assisting LGBT homeless youth in New York City. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom and PC III ("Blue Hope"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

This week, Nancy is featuring an episode of Radiolab Presents: Gonads. A lot of us understand biological sex with a pretty fateful underpinning: if you’re born with XX chromosomes, you’re female; if you’re born with XY chromosomes, you’re male. But it turns out, our relationship to the opposite sex is more complicated than we think. This episode was reported by Molly Webster, and produced by Matt Kielty. With scoring, original composition and mixing by Matt Kielty and Alex Overington. Additional production by Rachael Cusick, and editing by Pat Walters. The “Ballad of Daniel Webster” and “Gonads” was written, performed and produced by Majel Connery and Alex Overington. Special thanks to Erica Todd, Andrew Sinclair, Robin Lovell-Badge, and Sarah S. Richardson. Plus, a big thank you to the musicians who gave us permission to use their work in this episode—composer Erik Friedlander, for "Frail as a Breeze, Part II," and musician Sam Prekop, whose work "A Geometric," from his album The Republic, is out on Thrill Jockey. Radiolab is supported in part by Science Sandbox, a Simons Foundation initiative dedicated to engaging everyone with the process of science. And the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, enhancing public understanding of science and technology in the modern world. More information about Sloan at www.sloan.org. Nancy theme by Alex Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at nancypodcast.org/donate. 

We asked you to share with us the things you've been meaning to tell someone. This is what happened next. To see some of the tips and advice from the episode, or if you want to join our "I've Been Meaning To Tell You..." project, head to nancypodcast.org/tell. — The article that led us to Michael Kerr can be found at The New York Times. — Dylan Marron is a digital creator in New York.  — Glenn Marron is a psychologist in Manhattan and the Hudson Valley. Music in this episode by James Pants ("Cha Cha Demo"), Little Glass Men ("Cloud Launching"), and Benedek ("Cruzin"). Theme by Alexander Overington. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

Alexandra Billings, who plays Davina on Transparent, says she believes Jeffrey Tambor's accusers — and feels complicit for not speaking up earlier. — Alexandra Billings is an actor and singer. She recently appeared on Broadway in the comedy The Nap. (Alexandra Billings) Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom. Theme by Alexander Overington. If you want to read more about our "I've Been Meaning To Tell You..." project, go to nancypodcast.org/tell. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.

Transparent creator Jill Soloway on the allegations against Jeffrey Tambor and what's next for the groundbreaking Amazon series. — Jill Soloway is the creator and executive producer of Transparent. Their new book is called She Wants It: Desire, Power, and Toppling the Patriarchy. Music in this episode by Jeremy Bloom, with additional music by Creo ("Memory") and Broke for Free ("The Great"). Theme by Alexander Overington. If you want to join our "I've Been Meaning To Tell You..." Project, head to nancypodcast.org/tell. Support our work! Become a Nancy member today at Nancypodcast.org/donate.