Ep 149 - Lavender Scare + Stonewall Riot Porn w/ John Leavitt
Added 2021-07-09 10:01:02 +0000 UTCIn this belated celebration of gay liberation Andy talks to writer and cartoonist for the New Yorker, Baffler, The Toast, the Nib, etc, and a real life gay communist, John Leavitt about the Lavender Scare--a moral panic and homophobic purge of the State Department after World War II that paralleled and informed the Red Scare. We also discuss purges of homosexuals from Leninist organizations, and whether it is better today that government buildings fly the rainbow flag.
After that some audio riot porn in the form of an excerpt from Martin Duberman's Stonewall, including a background on the raid and vivid details of how the riot began and how it played out.
Show notes:
https://www.them.us/story/the-lavender-scare-exposed-closeted-queers
https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2016/summer/lavender.html
Making Gay History Podcast on the Lavender Scare: https://makinggayhistory.com/podcast/phyllis-lyon-del-martin/
Letter to Stalin: Can a Homosexual be a member of the Communist Party? https://chtodelat.wordpress.com/2013/02/13/can-a-homosexual-be-a-member-of-the-communist-party/ -
Song: Sylvester - You Make me Feel (Mighty Real)
Comments
Interesting. I have yet to read a book called Uses of the Erotic, about gender roles being enforced to serve ends, named after Uses of the Erotic by Audre Lorde.
Audrey Burch
2021-08-02 22:28:13 +0000 UTCthe fans have reached consensus, we want to hear Andy read more.
jcvd
2021-07-28 14:52:13 +0000 UTCi know!
The Antifada
2021-07-17 23:14:29 +0000 UTCI know that this is an incredibly minor takeaway from what this episode is actually about, but I had absolutely no idea Dave Van Ronk was beat up by the cops during Stonewall? Wild.
Matt Pierce
2021-07-17 22:55:13 +0000 UTCMore Gay Communist as guests! I'm delighted.
m
2021-07-14 15:25:34 +0000 UTCSylvester in the intro 👏🏾
Turtle Bugg
2021-07-13 18:57:34 +0000 UTCGreat episode! The letter to Stalin part was very informative.
DARCY ROBINSON
2021-07-11 00:46:54 +0000 UTCI liked the 2nd half, it felt like I was being read a sermon at church… but like cool gay communist church. Please do more queer (or not queer) commie sermons! It’s like we are hearing stories from the past so we can align ourselves within our historical context so we can keep pushing forward in our little struggle. thanks !
Jacob Riley
2021-07-09 15:55:35 +0000 UTC
