45. Hijab Butch Blues

Reflecting on how far books have come in LGBTQ+ representation since they were kids, Ben and Jamie discuss some of the books that made an impact on them in their journeys.Books discussed:Gilda Trillim: Shepherdess of Rats by Steven L. Peck The Bachelor Brothers Bed & Breakfast by Bill Richardson Faking It by Jennifer Crusie Shakesqueer by Madhavi Menon We Burn So Bright by TJ KluneTales of the City by Armistead MaupinThe Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite Angels in America by Tony Kushner The Witches of Thistle Grove by Lana Harper Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

The truly riveting Meg Day joins cohosts Ben and Samantha in this episode as they discuss Day's book, Last Psalm at Sea Level. Meg describes their inspiration for this breathtaking collection of poetry , from Donne and deafness, to simply wanting to be seen for who you are. An hour has never gone by so quickly!If you're interested in reading Last Psalm at Sea Level after listening to this episode, consider borrowing it from your local library or purchasing it from an independent bookstore!

Recorded at the Dauphin County Library System's Rainbow Makers' Fair on 6/20/26, Amber interviews makers and attendees to find out their favorite queer books and tropes!Thank you so much for listening. We're honored to have been a part of your lives!

If you've ever wished for an early 20th century book that combines capitalism with a lavender marriage and a winking narration style, Olivia Wolfgang-Smith's Mutual Interest should be on the top of your TBR pile!Hosts Amber and Jamie discuss the class difference between eccentricity and ending up in an asylum, the joy of found family, and how a walrus exhibition can become a meet cute.

Hosts Benjamin and Amanda discuss Mark Oshiro's Anger Is a Gift. The YA novel focuses on Moss, a Black queer teenager living in Oakland, California, who along with his friends, work to bring their community together to address concerns after a tragic event in their increasingly militarized school. As always, if you're interested by the book following the podcast, consider purchasing it from your local bookstore or borrowing it from your public library!

Right on time for Spooky Season, hosts Em and Ben discuss Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova!This horror story opens with the death of a child and examines how the characters cope with their grief, including removing a portion of the body and growing a new creature from it. A creature that, despite what its mother desperately wishes, is not a clone of her little boy. As always, if you're interested by the book following the podcast, consider purchasing it from your local bookstore or borrowing it from your public library!

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White is a Young Adult novel about a generational blood feud in a fictitious West Virginian town, and the efforts of a young trans man desperate to hold the local ruling family to account for their underhanded deeds.Hosts River and Em also discuss growing up queer in a small town, the beauty and bleakness of Appalachia, and the effect of labor unions on working class families.This is more violent than most of the books we cover for the podcast. Please listen to the content warning given at the beginning to determine if this is an episode you wish to listen to.

Hijab Butch Blues describes Lamya H's coming of age as she explores what it means to be a queer devout Muslim woman. Growing up in an culture where it seemed no one else was like her, Lamya found kinship in an unexpected place: the Quran. Through reading the traditional stories from a queer perspective, Lamya discovers a sense of belonging. Hosts Madysen and Goldie discuss the challenges faced by immigrants, growing up queer in a religious environment, and the similarities between the Bible and the Quran.

Trans high school student Ryo is learning the importance of having people to open up to, and that first perceptions of a person are not always as they seem in the manga Boys Run the Riot by Keito Gaku. Ryo is a boy, but nobody knows that and the only way he gets any relief is by wearing masculine-presenting clothing. Then, one day, he runs into a classmate he didn't expect at a pop-up clothing shop and makes an unlikely friend. Hosts Em and Cas discuss the struggles of being a trans high school student, clothing as armor, and the intricacies of gender exploration in this week's episode. 

Shapeshifting monster Shesheshen is on the run when she meets Homily, a human, who she is instantly drawn to, in the book Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell. Hosts Annika and Goldie explore some of the questions  this story asks, such as:  Is it wrong to tell your girlfriend that you want to eat her mom? What is a monster, and do we all have to see the same things as beautiful? And what does it mean to want to build a life with someone instead of eat them? Other highlights include "monster enthusiasts," mobility assistants (which may or may not be someone else's femur),  stories for those who don't usually get stories, and literal gender fluidity.