Romantic Friendship

  Queer country music ---->>> it's a thing, and these two bands are making it happen.   Hear Karen & the Sorrows and My Gay Banjo PLAY LIVE in the studio  . . . and talk about friendship, songwriting, mainstream country music, the TV drama Nashville, gay-identified instruments and morrrrrre.    You will quite literally stomp your feet for an hour.    Also check out --->>> Gay Ole Oprey + Queer Country Monthly               

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Let's listen to some rad female composers who do crazy things with sheet metal, accordion, and their voices. This is going to be fun, I promise. >>>> FEMINIST SOUND ART Yoko Ono, Laurie Anderson, Pauline Oliveros, Hildegard Westerkamp, Louise Lawler, Kristin Oppenheim, Gertrude Stein, Meredith Monk, Maryanne Amacher, Jana Winderen.  

New York City has a new mayor . . . Chirlane McCray! Ok, no. It's Bill de Blasio, and we like him too. But not as much as Chirlane. Today we spend the hour looking at this activist, poet, political leader. There is a lot to say. We speak with Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs on the history and vision of the Combahee River Collective, the influential Black Feminist group that Chirlane was a member of in the 1970s.Then the poet Timothy DuWhite gives a reading of Chirlane's most well-known poems, "I Used to Think." He's joined on the phone by Caitie Moore (more poets!) with some thoughts and responses to the poem. And then - Chirlane now. What are her positions, politics, tweets?  There's a lot to learn from the history, art and experiences of Chirlane McCray  . . . come listen. Photo credit: Tim Schrier. At a rally in support of St. Vincent's Hospital, 2013** Sign refers to "hospitals" not "genitals"! ** Hear Timothy DuWhite read his own work at THIS EVENT ---->>> Thursday, Feb 6 *** Stay to the end to hear Barbara Smith on the politics of everyday life

>>RF TALKwith DJ sashay + DJ c-wag Queer Nightlife - it's spiritual. First  . . . NYC's legendary CLIT CLUB. Don't you want to go to a sexy lesbian night club in the meat packing district filled with all kinds of people dancing and sweating to 90s music? I know you do. Founder Julie Tolentino and filmmaker Felix Endara remember this unique space in NYC queer history. Then . . . our QUEER NIGHTLIFE PANEL. Party-throwers Ivette González-Alé (Azucar!) and Topher Gross (Select All) talk about the politics and logistics of queer party planning. Plus: cultural geographer Jack Gieseking and Meow Mix beckoning our teenage selves

Pleasures was an adult video store in Sarasota Florida. Lusty Lady was a unionized, worker-owned peep show in San Fransisco. What they had in common (in addition to being a place where people made money for taking off their clothes)  . . . was that the dancers ran the place. Today we speak with Annie and Celeste from Pleasures, and Dahlia from Lusty Lady . . . about labor conditions, power, and autonomy in the stripping biz. What's a peep show you ask?------->> This Madonna music video will clarify.

Today Romantic Friendship is going OUT TO SEA. First, artist MARIE LORENZ joins us in the studio to talk about exploring the New York City waterways. Sashay shares an excerpt of EIGHT BELLS, an ode to a forgotten female sailor. Then, what's it like to live on a houseboat in the Gowanus Canal? Megan and Rowen explain. Plus cross dressing sailors, Shirley Temple, and our favorite songs of the sea.

A full hour of Nina: her life, her music, her politics, her tenderness. Your questions about Nina will be answered. Questions such as: what did NINA call her style of music? Why did she go into a self-imposed exile? Why is the upcoming biopic based on falsities? Tune in to listen and learn.    

Romantic Friendship returns for season 3!  Today: remakes. We investigate the idea of remakes -- as a literal remaking of a classic text, and as the redevelopment of a historic space. We speak with the director of the film ZIPPER, Amy Nicholson, about changes in Coney Island, and to media scholar Alfred Martin about the Lifetime remake of the film Steel Magnolias. Plus, some of our current favorite cover songs and their originals.    

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: C-WAG brings you an hour of R&B and hip hop from 90s girl groupsPLUS ++++ AIDS activism and the butch aesthetic of TLC. 

Women have always found ways to control their reproductiion. Laws? Pshh.  Today on RF we look at the past and present of abortion. We look at JANE, the underground abortion service, abortion in film, activists responding to CRAZZZEEEE laws in South Dakota, and a reading from the blog What to Expect When Aborting. History is powerful y'all! 

Geo Wyeth is a New York City based musician and artist. He joins us live in the studio to perform new work and share songs that have influenced him.

Today on RF: WE DON'T BELONG: queer and feminist subtexts of 1960s girl groups. Featuring gay icons Dolly, Cher, Diana Ross, and Dusty Springfield and lesser known gems.Interview with author, Jaqueline Warwick (Girl Groups, Girl Culture) and Alyx Vesey of Feminist Music Geek. p.s. Lesley Gore is gay, and no, you don't own her.

Today on RF we look at some feminist stuff happening out there in the world. There's a lot, so it was hard to choose, but we picked some gems . . .  * Lyn, from the radio show HOMOGROUND, tells us about her Feminist Playing Cards project * Miriam, from FEMINISTING, talks about the world of feminist bloggers * And 3 performers from the UNTITLED FEMINIST SHOW talk about gender, nuditity, collaboration and danccceee.     

It's cool, we are all on OkCupid. I know you are too, because I saw you there. No shame, clearly. ::::::: This week on RF, our panel of experts advise you on how to maximize your OkCupid profile. Also, stories of ONLINE DATING MIRACLES! It's all love and romantical-ness today on Romantic Friendship. 

WHERE DO GENDER LIBERATION AND PRISON ABOLITION MEET?  Eric Stanley (Editor) and Reina July (contributor) discuss their book:  Captive Genders: Trans Embodiment and the Prison Industrial Complex. Also scholar/write Dean Spade on his new book, Normal Life.