The Deviant's World

I sat down with the wonderful @brontezpurnell, author of 100 BOYFRIENDS, which is our February book club selection! We chat about cruising, the demise of Tumblr porn, and Space Camp®––so don't miss this one. Support the show

I sat down with Rivers Solomon, author of our October book club selection, AN UNKINDNESS OF GHOSTS. We discuss Rivers’s writing process, geek out over history, and explore their powerful debut novel. AN UNKINDNESS OF GHOSTS tackles issues like race, identity, gender, and poverty. It is a beautiful and haunting, queer sci-fi novel that uses Afro-futurism to convey a journey that's truly out of this world. Shonda Rhimes called it "a difficult work that pays off; the rare kind of book that stays with you for years." It definitely will. Support the show

This week I sat down with celebrity fashion stylist, writer, and speaker Andrew Gelwicks to discuss his new book THE QUEER ADVANTAGE. We talked about the unique expereince of embracing queer identity in the conservative midwest and the importance of finding hope in our community. We also touched on several of the inspiring stories Andrew compiled from interviews with 51 LGBTQ+ leaders ranging from Jonathan Mildenhall to Lee Daniels. Be sure to follow and support Andrew by buying his book! Support the show

I sat down with Professor Timothy Stewart-Winter to talk about the biggest gay scandal in American history, one that occurred only weeks before the presidential election––56 years ago. Support the show

Have you heard about the epidemic plaguing the LGBTQ+ community in America? And no, I’m not talking about HIV/AIDS or COVID-19; I’m talking about the violence faced by Black trans women. A few days ago, I sat down with Eliel Cruz (@theelielcruz), Director of Communications for New York City Anti-Violence Project (@antiviolence), to talk about his life, activism, and how we can use our resources to fight for the most threatened members of our community. Don't forget to support Eliel and @antiviolence by donating to AVP at https://avp.org/donate. Support the show

I sat down with Aria Sa'id (@ariasaid), founder and Executive Director of the Compton’s Transgender Cultural District (@transgenderdistrict), the world’s first transgender district, celebrating the resilience, culture, and presence of transgender people in San Francisco’s famed Tenderloin neighborhood. . Did you learn something from our interview? Consider thanking Aria via Venmo (@ariasaid) and following her on Twitter at @ femmekween. And don't forget to support @transgenderdistrict (link in bio). . For more on the Tenderloin and the 1966 Compton's Riots, check out the documentary SCREAMING QUEENS: The Riot at Compton's Cafeteria, co-directed by Prof. Susan Stryker (free on Prime video!) Support the show

I sat down with Diamond Stylz, Executive Director of Black Trans Women Inc and producer of the podcast Marsha's Plate, to discuss her path to activism and how we can fight the epidemic of violence against Black trans women in America. Did you learn something from this episode? Consider thanking Diamond via Cash App ($diamondstylz) or Venmo (@diamondstylz). And don't forget to support her podcast at Patreon.com/marshasplate and her organization at Blacktranswomen.org/donate. Support the show

This is the most important, urgent interview I have ever conducted: our collective human decency as a country is at risk. Edafe Okporo, Executive Director of RDJ Refugee Shelter, explains that we have ONE (1) week to prevent the current administration from implementing new rules that would bar threatened LGBTQ+ asylum seekers from even having the *chance* to find protection in the United States. By law, the Administration must respond to each and every *unique* public comment on the proposed rule. SO WE ARE GOING TO CLOG THE SYSTEM and flood the Department of Homeland Security with comments, preventing enforcement until a new Administration is in power. Your comments MUST be slightly different from the script, so don't forget to add a few words to make it your own. A template and more information can be found here: http://rdjrefugeeshelter.org/blog Support the show

I sat down with Eric Marcus, author and podcast host of Making Gay History, to discuss Dr. Frank Kameny and other heroes from our movement––on the 50th anniversary of the world's first Pride march. Check out the Making Gay History podcast at https://makinggayhistory.com! Support the show

I’m thrilled to present the introduction and chapter one of my book, is THE DEVIANT'S WAR: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America, narrated by the incredible Vikas Adam. Order the book today: https://ericcervini.com/book Support the show

What is our obligation to other members of the worldwide LGBTQ+ community? I talked to my friend, fellow activist, and writer Adam Eli about his new book: THE NEW QUEER CONSCIENCE, out on June 2, the same day as my own book! #twins Support the show

I sat down with Sarah Prager, an LGBTQ+ history education advocate who wrote the perfect childrens' (or coffee table) companion to the Deviant's War! It's called RAINBOW REVOLUTIONARIES: 50 LGBTQ+ People Who Made History. It comes out Tuesday and is *beautifully* illustrated. Sarah and I chatted about some of our favorite historical deviants and the importance of telling LGBTQ+ stories! Support the show

How did Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the Black Freedom Movement contribute to the fight for LGBTQ+ equality? I spoke with Dr. Peniel E. Joseph about his new book, THE SWORD AND THE SHIELD: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., and how African-American history *is* LGBTQ+ history. Support the show

Eric sits down with Celia Laskey, the author of our April book club selection: UNDER THE RAINBOW. They talk about how she developed her novel, an inspiring book about how LGBTQ+ activists can liberate the most homophobic small town in America. Support the show

Eric sat down with Professor Phillip Ayoub, an award-winning scholar of Diplomacy and World Affairs and the author of WHEN STATES COME OUT: Europe’s Sexual Minorities and the Politics of Visibility. (Available on Amazon and via his Insta bio, at @phillipayoub!)` We talked about his research into how LGBTQ+ activists, like those described in Celia Laskey's UNDER THE RAINBOW, can create change in other cities, states, and countries. He offers us a guidebook for international activism that is, in an increasingly interconnected world, more important than ever before. Support the show

Eric sits down with Jacob Tobia, the author of the bestselling memoir SISSY: A Coming-of-Gender Story, to discuss how we can peel the layers of gender––and have fun, too. Support the show

Yesterday, I sat down with Professor Breanne Fahs, the author of TRANSFORMING CONTAGION and a brand new book, BURN IT DOWN: Feminist Manifestos for the Revolution. We discussed James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and some incredible LGBTQ+ manifestos from the height of the AIDS crisis. Support the show

Eric sits down with Professor Susan Stryker, the award-winning scholar and filmmaker who co-directed Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton's Cafeteria. Support the show

What does the AIDS crisis teach us about the current pandemic? In this episode, I interview Peter Staley, AIDS activist and subject of the documentary How to Survive a Plague. Support the show

Did a gay sex scandal cause the Austro-Hungarian Empire to lose World War I? Support the show