Podcasts We Love: Nancy
Nancy is hosted by Kathy Tu and Tobin Low, as part of WNYC Studios, and focuses of stories of queer people across the LGBTQIA spectrum. It offers an interesting, immersive and frankly brilliant kind of storytelling, covering the range of expected queer topics like coming out and representation in media, while taking unique looks at topics important to modern queer people.
As a listener supported show, Nancy is thrives by being in touch with it’s listeners and engaging in the stories they want to hear about. In turn, we can support Nancy with donations. If you can I want you to become a listener, and support Nancy, and this is why I think you should.
Everyone has a story, one you haven’t heard before
What captivated me most about Nancy when I listened to that first episode was the hosts. Kathy and Tobin have that dynamic and nudge nudge friendship that makes you feel include in the laughter. This, of course, is key to being good podcast hosts, you have to have a presence that listeners can engage with. You also need a great support team of producers and editors, who, if you get the newsletters, you can get to know a little better.
What I think they realised, more than some other queer podcasters, was that if you want people, particularly queer people, to know you then you need to let them into your story first, then share other people’s stories. One of the first episodes centres of hearing about Kathy’s coming out, titled ‘Hello, Hello’. Kathy has to come out again and again to her mother, for various reasons but particularly because she doesn’t feel like she is being heard by her mother. Coming out can feel scary and the determination you might have when you are finally ready to share who you are can be stifled if you don’t think you are being heard. Leaning into this personal narrative makes the show feel impactful and authentic.
Another of the episodes that has resonated with a lot of queer listeners is ‘A Gaggle for Me’; and I definitely count myself among this number. In this one, they dive into the idea that when you come out you (somehow , magically?) get your own group of likeminded queers to call your own, your gaggle. People you bond with completely, the much romanticised “chosen family”. Those who identify outside of the gay and lesbian labels, like bi, pan and aro/ace people, as well as many other queer people, may have found that there invitation to their gaggle seems to have gotten lost in the mail, along with their letter to Hogwarts. Luckily, as a project and with the help of the hosts, Nancy tries to support a hopeful listener by trying to enable them to find their own gaggle. It’s a sweet hopeful story and the email tasks you can sign up for a good prompts for anyone who wants to join in. This focus on storytelling with engagement really makes Nancy feel like a community.
Diversity and intersectionality aren’t treated as afterthoughts
No one podcast can be everything to everyone, but Nancy, like another podcast we love called Queery, does it’s best to tell diverse and inclusive stories. Part of this comes from the hosts Kathy and Tobin who by virtue of being asian themselves are already showing us a marginalised group. Bisexuality and pansexuality get brought up from time to time, with stories and discussions flowing across identity and experience, but also within the intersectionality of race, gender identity, disability and more.
Discussions around bisexuaity are always interesting when there are those who don’t know if they can use the identifier, and when those people choose to use gay or lesbian because it is simpler. Similarly, asexuality and aromanticism haven’t yet been given the spotlight in the series, perhaps because there is less of a community understanding and awareness of these romantic and sexual identities. No time like the present Nancy!
Topics range for Ursula and Coming to America to Being a Good Son and Punks
Nancy tackles it all, from the cultural touchstones like The Little Mermaids villain (or perhaps real hero) Ursula, through to the shows that first represented queer people on TV like Will & Grace and The L Word, examining if these are good representations and why. Tobin and Kathy dive into being out at work, out to your family, being a representative of the community in local organisations and in government, as well as what it means to be ‘Perfect Son’, a good partner and friend. There is lots to love in Nancy.
Finally, as I mentioned at the top of this, Nancy is listener supported and they want to create episodes every week for listener, throughout the year. You can help with a donation or subscription, whether you are in the US or outside. You can this through the Donate to Nancy page or by going to their website. Now go download and listen to some episodes!
