PRX Celebrates Pride
This month, celebrate Pride with your favorite PRX podcasts! PRX’s core values include supporting diverse voices, protecting human rights, building equality and telling thoughtful stories from unique, often neglected perspectives. Our shows have produced an abundance of episodes over the years exploring, celebrating and lamenting LGBTQ issues. We’ve compiled a few of them below. Take a listen and happy Pride!
Out of the Blocks, “200 W Read St, Part I”
The 200 block of W Read Street was Baltimore’s ground zero for hippies, head shops, gay nightlife, and wild fashion. In this episode, explore the past and present of the neighborhood with a vintage clothier, a husband-and-husband duo that runs a hair salon, a father and son who operate a 70-year-old key shop, and a guy who loves to smoke a good cigar.
Conversations with People Who Hate Me, “The Trans Ban”
Tyler Gilmore is a veteran of the Marines who vocally expressed his support for the trans ban. In this episode, host Dylan Marron connects him to Maddie Makara, a veteran who served for 16 years and recently came out as a trans woman. Produced by Night Vale Presents.
Inflection Point with Lauren Schiller, “Is ‘Girl Power’ Creating a Mental Health Crisis?”
Rachel Simmons, author “Enough As She Is” discusses how being a gay woman affected her life choices. Rachel teaches girls and women skills to build their resilience, amplify their voices, and own their courage so that they — and their relationships — live with integrity and health.
On Being with Krista Tippett, “The Future of Marriage”
What would it take to make our national encounter with gay marriage redemptive rather than divisive? David Blankenhorn and Jonathan Rauch came to the gay marriage debate from very different directions — but with a shared concern about the institution of marriage. Now, they’re pursuing a different way for all of us to grapple with the future of marriage, redefined. They model a fresh way forward as the subject of same-sex marriage is before the Supreme Court.
Israel Story, “Coming Out, Getting In”
Payam Feili is a gay Iranian poet. Nadav Schwartz is an Orthodox Israeli Jew. But in ways both astoundingly similar and utterly different, both men have journeyed out of their communities, leaving behind almost everything but their identity. Hear two surprising stories of wanderers searching for a new life.
Pounded in the Butt by My Own Podcast from Chuck Tingle, with guest Dane Terry
Dane Terry, musician and theater artist, performed Bigfoot Pirates Haunt My Balls, the classic tale of a man named Andy who, after a trip to the doctor, discovers his balls are haunted by a notorious bigfoot pirate. Produced by Night Vale Presents.
Inflection Point with Lauren Schiller, “I am powerful by just living”
Host Lauren Schiller talks with Sarah McBride, LGBTQ activist and author of the new book, “Tomorrow Will Be Different”. Sarah was the first trans person to speak at political convention… the DNC for Hillary Clinton’s nomination.
How to Be Amazing with Michael Ian Black, “Dan Savage”
America’s leading sex advice columnist known for his popular Savage Love column and podcast talks to host Michael Ian Black. He describes how growing up a closeted gay person in a religious Catholic family prepared him for the job of letting people know they are normal, no matter what their sexual interests may be.
Reveal, “Russia’s New Scapegoats”
In light of reports about Chechnya’s anti-gay kidnappings, torture and killings, Reveal visits stories that expose what it’s like to be gay in Russia. Right now, hateful rhetoric against the LGBT community appears on a daily basis on Russian TV and in speeches by Russian politicians. Reveal traces the roots of the anti-gay movement.
Alice Isn’t Dead, “Part 1, Chapter 1: Omelet”
Alice Isn’t Dead is the serialized fiction story of a truck driver searching across America for the wife she had long assumed was dead. The show should be listened to from the beginning, so start by listening to episode one. And for more color, read this Advocate interview wher voice actor Jasika Nicole discusses playing a lesbian trucker. Produced by Night Vale Presents.
Sidedoor, “You Do You”
Identity in a complex world: A look at the many roles each person plays in daily life; a group of lesbian feminists create an entirely new culture, religion and society in the 1970s; and Iraqi archaeologists work to preserve their cultural heritage after years of war. From Smithsonian and PRX.
Inflection Point with Lauren Schiller, “Do Haters Deserve Our Compassion?”
Sally Kohn, author of “The Opposite of Hate” discusses being an activist for gay rights and her job at Fox News.
On Being with Krista Tippett, “The World Is Our Field of Practice”
Angel Kyodo williams is an esteemed Zen priest and the second black woman ever recognized as a teacher in the Japanese Zen lineage. She’s one of our wisest voices on social evolution and the spiritual aspect of social healing. To sink into conversation with her is to imagine and nourish a transformative potential of this moment towards human wholeness.
Us & Them, “Sodomy, Stonewall & Pride”
Not that long ago, you could get locked up for being gay. In this episode, a West Virginia man tells host Trey Kay about being sent to a mental institution for violating sodomy laws. And, while standing in front of the historic Stonewall Inn, gay activist Brendan Fay tells Trey how things have changed over the past five decades for LGBT people in America and around the world.
Welcome to Night Vale, “First Date”
Welcome to Night Vale is a fictional podcast presented as a radio show. The episodes are done in the style of community updates from the small desert town of Night Vale. In this episode, announcer Cecil tries to convey the important news of the day, including delivery of some mysterious crates in the desert, a new library expansion, and the annual Bluegrass Festival, but he has a more pressing issue on his mind. Produced by Night Vale Presents.
Us & Them, “Revisiting the Grand Palace”
Trey Kay has observed how things have changed significantly for LGBTQ people where he lives in New York. But he’s not sure if anything’s changed in a more conservative place like West Virginia, where he grew up. A recent Pew survey shows that more than half of West Virginians believe the Bible is the literal word of God. An even higher percentage of Mountain State residents think homosexuality should be discouraged. Trey went back home to visit some old friends, and to see what it’s like to be gay in Appalachia today.
KERA’s Think, “The Purpose of Pride”
The first gay pride parade took place in 1970 in New York City. And this month, cities across the nation will continue the tradition. We talk about how these events have evolved with Vincent E. Slatt of the Rainbow History Project and Jade Salazar, a historian and co-host of the TAGG Nation podcast.
