“Spin Cycle” with Zofia Zerphy and Rhiannon Bell

Meet Ayse, founder of Queer Girls Book Club, defender of the heated debate, and dyke of the people. In this live recording from the amazing Out and Wild festival, Ayse tells me about why running a queer book club is not just about putting LGBTQIA+ titles on your reading list, all the work she is doing to nurture her bookish community, and a why disagreeing is a good skill to have. To quote Joelle Taylor: That’s community, babe!  References Out and Wildhttps://www.outandwild.co.uk/HousmansJoelle Taylor’s The Night AlphabetEmily WithamGrace FlahivePolly ShuteGillian AndersonAlison Bechdel’s Fun Home and SpentGay on WyeCarol Ann Duffy’s Rapture and “Forest”Jackie KayLamya H’s Hijab Butch BluesZoë Berryman  Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:     Why did Ayse start Queer Girls Book Club? Have you ever thought about starting a group? What was/would have been your motivation?     What does Ayse say about contributing to community? How do you feel about this?     We speak about literature as being a protected space to practice debate and disagreement. Have you ever experienced this? Which example does Ayse give?     How does Ayse speak about marginalised voices in the publishing industry? What can we as readers do to promote change?     Are you coming to our next live recording?  

In the sapphic launderette play Spin Cycle, the washers are loaded and so are the questions. Penned by Zofia Zerphy, Spin Cycle is an absurdist exploration of intense connections, queer memory and lesbian storytelling. In this summer special, I am joined by Zofia and Rhiannon Bell, who play the main characters and speak to me about crafting a play in queer community, why queer narratives can operate in different realms of sense and meaning making, and why exploring flawed characters is vital to queer and trans representation.  References:Berserk TheatreThe L WordEternal Sunshine of the Spotless MindMitski’s “Washing Machine Heart”Act On TapBethan RoseEdinburgh Dyke BarRos Watt’s Trans People Are AwfulRadclyffe Hall’s The Well of LonelinessJoe Carstairs  Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:     Zofia and Rhi speak about the different responses queer and non-queer audience members had to the play’s absurdist elements. What do they say about queer narratives making sense and what is your take?     Which trope(s) of sapphic storytelling do we mention in the episode?     We speak about Spin Cycle using memory and forgetting in queer ways. What could queer memory mean? What does it mean to you?     Rhi highlights the importance of showing flawed trans and nonbinary characters on stage. How do you feel about this? Can you think of another example of a flawed LGBTQIA+ character in literature or theatre?     Have you ever seen yourself represented on stage? What was that like?

Who coined the term cis and why are some people calling it a slur? Amazing return guest Perry Zurn joins me to discuss what the concept of cis does, why it’s helpful to look at its origins and etymology and where it might oversimplify the project of gender. Not one to be missed!  References:Perry Zurn’s Cisgender: Disorienting a Category (Duke UP, 2026)Perry Zurn’s How We Make Each Other: Trans Life at the Edge of the University (Duke UP, 2024)John HollisterRiva Lehrer’s Golem GirlMarquis Bey’s Cistem Failure: Essays on Blackness and Cisgender (Duke UP, 2022)Stephanie Clare’s Nonbinary: A Feminist Autotheory (Cambridge UP, 2023)Jonathan Ned Katz’s The Invention of Heterosexuality (1995)  Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:     What does cis mean?     Which term is older: cis or trans? When does the term cis emerge?     Which community coined the term cisgender and why?     What is Perry saying about simplified notions of cis and which example does he give?     How does Perry put disability and race in dialogue with cisness and transness?

From popstars to rugby players, this episode has all the Welsh queer icons you could want. Emily Garside teaches me about H from Steps, Russel T. Davies, the Ladies of Llangollen and so many other fascinating LGBTQIA+ people from Wales. We talk about whether wondering if you’re queer enough is similar to wondering if you’re Welsh enough and how the prejudice against ‘sounding gay’ relates to sounding Welsh.  Books by Emily Garside:Rainbow Wales: Queer Icons Past and Present (Calon, May 2026)Out of the Box: Queer TV through the Decades (Manchester University Press, January 2027)Gay Aliens and Queer Folks: How Russell T Davies Changed TV (Calon, 2023)Seasons of Love: Why Rent Matters (Applause)You Are My Happy Ending: Schitt’s Creek and the Legacy of Queer TV (Applause)Angels in America at the British National Theatre (McFarland)Love that Journey for me: The Queer Revolution of Schitt’s Creek (404 Ink)  Other References:Russel T DaviesLadies of LlangollenEdward II.Piers GavestonStepsIan ‘H’ WatkinsElliot PageLuke EvansEisteddfodCymruMarquess of AngleseyViscount TredegarNorena ShoplandJan Morris’ ConundrumIvor NovelloColin JacksonConnie OrffAlun SaundersNatha WyburnQueer As FolkIt’s A SinLisa PowerSection 28@emigarside (IG)https://thenerdynotebook.substack.com/https://emilygarside.com/Surrey Rainbow Choir https://www.rainbowchoir.co.uk/    Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:     Is there such a thing as a cohesive Welsh queer identity? What are Emily’s thoughts on this and what is her approach?     Emily speaks about parallels between attitudes towards Welsh and queer identities. Which one does she discuss? Is there a facet of your identity that feels similar yet different from your queerness?     What is an eisteddfod? Please look it up if you’re not familiar because we forgot to explain the term in the episode.     Have you ever askes yourself whether you are queer or trans enough? How do we speak about this question in this episode?     Who was your favourite person to learn about in the episode?

If you have not read A Black Queer History of the United States yet, you are so lucky to have this fantastic book in your future! And lucky for me that this is also an excellent opportunity to speak to two dream guests: C. Riley Snorton and Darius Bost speak about gender trouble in the Black queer archives, how Black and queer histories need to be thought together and why grounding oneself in community is part of what it means to survive.  References:C. Riley Snorton and Darius Bost’s A Black Queer History of the United States (2026)C. Riley Snorton’s Nobody is Supposed to Know: Black Sexuality on the Down Low (U of Minnesota Press, 2014)C. Riley Snorton’s Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity (U of Minnesota Press, 2017)Darius Bost’s Evidence of Being: The Black Gay Cultural Renaissance and the Politics of Violence (U of Chicago Press, 2019)Cathy J. Cohen “Deviance as Resistance: A New Research Agenda for the Study of Black Politics” (2014)William Cathay/Cathay WilliamsPhil BlackThe Funmakers BallCheryl Dunye’s The Watermelon WomanErica R. EdwardsMarsha P. JohnsonStreet Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR)Combahee River CollectiveNational Black Justice Coalition“Black Lesbian Thought” with Briona Simone [email protected]@uic.edu@windycitybqSaul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman’s Neptune FrostJellicle BallEssex Hemphill’s Ceremonies: Prose and Poetry      Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:     Why do Black and queer history need to be thought of together? How are they sometimes separated?     Darius speaks about the book having two parts. What is each about?     Riley speaks about gender and sexual deviance as forms of survival or escape. What does this mean? Can you name an example?     What does Darius say about the relationship between civil rights ideology and non-normative gender?     Why is it important to speak about collectives as well as individuals when engaging with Black queer history?

Who designs the rules of inclusion? Kevin Guyan has given a lot of thought to this question in his excellent book Rainbow Trap, which thinks through the many categories that fall under the rainbow umbrella and how they might include, exclude, limit, and even harm the people they are supposed to benefit. Listen now to learn more about why our future might hold fewer boxes to tick and how we can break boundaries to get there.  References: Kevin Guyan’s Rainbow Trap: Queer Lives, Classifications and the Dangers of Inclusion (2025)Kevin Guyan’s Queer Data: Using Gender, Sex and Sexuality Data for Action (2022)https://kevinguyan.com/ @kevin.guyan on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kevin.guyan/)kguyan on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kguyan/)Gender Recognition Reform BillGender Recognition ActKit HeyamGeoffrey Bowker and Susan Leigh Star – in particular, Sorting Things Out: Classification and Its Consequences (1999)Ian HackingLooping effectSara Ahmed – in particular, On Being Included: Racism and Diversity in Institutional Life (2012)A Black Queer History of the United States (2026, C. Riley Snorton and Darius Bost)Gender and Sexuality Data Lab (https://gensexdatalab.com/)Queer Data ShowcaseMystika GlamoorDean Spade’s Normal Life: Administrative Violence, Critical Trans Politics, and the Limits of Law (2011)  Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:     What is a rainbow trap? Have you ever been trapped in one?     Kevin speaks about ‘the dark sides of being included’. What does this mean? Have you experienced this form of categorisation?     What does Kevin think about in the chapter on health and fitness?     How are labels multidirectional? What are ‘looping effects’ in this context?     What is a box breaker? Are you one?

We’re all still here, still ready to love, and to build community with trans books! In this extremely fun conversation, Cat Fitzpatrick talks about her poetry, her work with Little Puss Press, and a person called Crabstick. If you are wondering how all these things can go together and if you want to hear a fantastic poet speak about her favourite lyric forms as well as her favourite forms of activism, this episode is for you.  References:Cat Fitzpatrick’s The Dinner Party (Seven Stories Press, 2026)Little Puss PressCat Fitzpatrick’s The Call-OutCat Fitzpatrick’s GlamourpussMeanwhile, Elsewhere (edited by Cat Fitzpatrick and Casey Plett) https://www.catfitzpatrick.net/@intermittentcatChiara PellegriniThe Earl of Rochester“A Letter from Artemesia in the Town to Chloe in the Country”Richard BarnfieldUxoriousVirgilAphra BehnGwen Aube’s Missed Connections with Tall GirlsViolet Allen’s Plastic, Prism, VoidSybil Lamb’s I’ve Got a Time BombJeanne Thornton’s A/S/LShola von Reinhold’s LoteImogen Binnie’s NevadaSophia Dahlin’s Glove MoneyFuturepoemsJoss Barton's Goodbye to a Dream Believed   Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:     Cat and I speak about several poetic forms in this episode. What is Cat’s take on poetic form and the patriarchy? What is yours?     Which kinds of love do we speak about in the episode?     Cat describes part of her writing process as “I hold on to my feelings until I can make use of them.” Can you relate to this?     What does Cat mean when she talks about books as time capsules?     How can literature help us build community and engage with trans rights?

If you want to know what Roxy wants, this episode is a great place to start. Diva’s fabulous editor in chief joins us for a chat about her lovely memoir What A Girl Wants, which is just as heartwarming, insightful and fun as the author herself. Roxy and I speak about femme invisibility, queer timelines, body image and lesbian breakups. Not one to be missed.  References:DIVAOut and WildZoe BerrymanCaitlin MoranDolly AldertonAnn Bannon’s I Am A Woman (1959)The Beebo Brinker ChroniclesCarolCate BlanchettPatricia Highsmith’s The Price of Salt  Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:     Roxy’s book regularly employs direct address of the reader. What does Roxy say about this? Why was this formal feature important for writing this book?     Roxy and I speak about queered timelines. What do we suggest and what do you think about this topic?     How does Roxy speak about approaching chronology and structure in memoir?  

The final episode of the Queer Forms and Pronouns series got a bit more personal than I expected. The incredible Teagan Bradway and I speak about misgendering ourselves, giving the gift of language to our loved ones and why not just the function but also the beauty of gender-nonconformity pronouns is politically and personally significant. We speak about my anxieties about it pronouns and how this plays out in different genres from speculative fiction to memoir. Teagan’s insights into narrative agency and pronominal shifts are incredibly helpful in taking one last deep dive into the world of pronouns.This conversation is part of a miniseries that accompanies my book Queer Forms and Pronouns: Gender Nonconformity in Anglophone Literature (Oxford University Press, 2026). I hope you like hearing more from your host, but not to worry: we will be back to our usual format after this one.   References:Bradway, Teagan. "Queer Narrative Theory and the Relationality of Form." PMLA 136.5 (2021): 711-727.Bradway, Teagan, and Elizabeth Freeman, eds. Queer Kinship: Race, Sex, Belonging, Form. Duke University Press, 2022.Bradway, Teagan. "Introduction: Queer Metarelationality." differences 35.3 (2024): 1-13.Bradway, Teagan. "Queer Formalism." The Palgrave Handbook of Feminist, Queer and Trans* Narrative Studies. Palgrave, 2025. 95-109.https://teaganbradway.com/Les FeinbergTorrey Peters’ Stag DanceBecky Chambers’ Monk and RobotOctavia Butler’s Lilith’s BroodMaia Kobabe’s Gender QueerDiane WattJack HalberstamDana LucianoMel Y. ChenSpivak pronouns (E/em/eir)Isaac FellmanAndrea GibsonHekanaho, Laura. "A thematic analysis of attitudes towards English nonbinary pronouns." Journal of Language and Sexuality 11.2 (2022): 190-216.Mattheis, Lena. "Nonbinary Narration." The Palgrave Handbook of Feminist, Queer and Trans* Narrative Studies. Palgrave, 2025. 25-39.Vera NuenningCorinna Assmann    Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:     What does narrative agency have to do with pronouns? How might narrative point of view affect pronouns?     Why do we discuss genre? What could the implications of discussing pronouns in speculative fiction be?     How can ‘it’ pronouns allow us to think about gender, personhood and humanness?     What are Spivak pronouns? You may want to look this up as we only mention them very briefly.     What do Lena and Teagan think about mispronouning?     Why do we speak about pronouns as a gift that is not always easy to give? How do you feel about sharing your pronouns or learning someone else’s?  

The fantastic Jas Morgan is back for a conversation about pronouns in Two-Spirit literature! We think about how kinship is reflected in language, what role pronouns take on in translation and how they can easily be misunderstood, especially when working across cultures and languages. Our conversation is based on a dialogic chapter of Queer Forms and Pronouns, which I co-wrote with Kai Minosh Pyle.This conversation is part of a miniseries that accompanies my book Queer Forms and Pronouns: Gender Nonconformity in Anglophone Literature (Oxford University Press, 2026). I hope you like hearing more from your host, but not to worry: we will be back to our usual format in just a few weeks.References:Kai Minosh PyleJas Morgan’s “My Pronouns are Kiy/Kin”https://web.archive.org/web/20210416065231/https://aabitagiizhig.com/2016/05/13/red-rising-my-pronouns-are-kiy-kin/Jas Morgan’s nîtisânakRiot GrrrlRobin Wall KimmererWahkohtowinJoshua Whitehead’s “A Queer Geography of Woundings”Billy-Ray BelcourtLambda Literary AwardsKin (web series)Justin DucharmeAalaynaTa’Kaiya Blaneyhttps://jasmorgan.com/2020/10/25/sewing-circle-kin-web-series/@notvanishing (IG)  Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:     Why might pronouns work differently in Two-Spirit literature?     What do pronouns have to do with kinship?     How are pronouns connected to animacy?     We speak about pronouns in translation between languages that attach gendered notions to them or not. How might this affect communication? Are pronouns gendered in your favourite language?     What does Jas mean by ‘I am not a metaphor’?