Queer identity & liberation, Derry Girls, & universal teenage girlhood experiences in media

Today in episode 3 of season 4, we respond to a listener submitted hot take and talk about class being the primary contradiction and why we are not radical feminists, the usage of the label or word “sapphic,” and the myth of queer solidarity. Then we revisit the lesbophobia vs. biphobia discourse through another hot take submission, and how it involves outing or not outing yourself to coworkers. We reiterate the importance of reading theory, online political engagement and the instagram infographic industrial complex, and the reality of working retail and in the restaurant industry while gay. Then we discuss Derry Girls seasons 1 through 3, full spoilers ahead! We both love how this brilliant and phenomenally funny sitcom portrays realistic teenage dialogue, the very few male characters, the honoring of teenage girlhood (our love lasts so long article https://overland.org.au/2020/08/our-love-lasts-so-long-queer-devotion-in-taylor-swifts-folklore/), and of course, its portrayal of the LGBT teenage experience, Lisa McGee is so smart and talented and is clearly "writing from the soul," as Erin proclaims she does. Both of us love media about female friendship and how well Derry Girls examines the complexities of a violent but beautiful world, and discuss the universality of specificity in media portrayal, a la Sally Rooney. Obviously, we love Irish women writers. (Join our patreon and fund our trip to Ireland! https://www.patreon.com/TheLavenderMenace) Good TV is spoiling us. Sunny recommends music (!??! Whoa!) to Renaissance, specifically Chappell Roan’s https://open.spotify.com/artist/7GlBOeep6PqTfFi59PTUUN?si=u64LwIy1Rri9a2rGyIVDwA most recent singles, because Sunny loves Naked In Manhattan and My Kink Is Karma; Pink Pony Club is her most popular song that Renaissance already likes. Renaissance recommends the Irish singer-songwriter CMAT https://open.spotify.com/artist/3VBNIRx1LxVdRqOiPgkLwv?si=V6dZhvyQSvSb7ZvkGnqB9w, which they read while reading Conversations With Friends. CMAT’s album If My Wife New I’d Be Dead and the single I Wanna Be A Cowboy Baby are very Irish woman writer coded, according to Renaissance. Sunny then recommends the book Siren Queen by Nghi Vo, which feels similar to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in the Hollywood glamor elements, but is much better in the writing style and magical realism. Also, support your local library!Thanks for joining us for this episode, and you can find us on twitter, instagram, Tik Tok, and letterboxd if you want to connect! Send your hot takes to [email protected].