“Taylor’s Version Pt 2: Showgirls” with Stephanie Burt

Are you ready to become a showgirl? Poet, scholar, and Swifty extraordinaire Stephanie Burt joins me to talk about Taylor Swift’s musical genius, queer fandom and relationship to femininity. There was simply too much to squeeze into one episode, so make sure to listen to part one first and hear all about the Gaylors, before switching to part two, to learn about Taylor's relationship to femininity, class and race. Stephanie will also tell you why she thought the “You Need To Calm Down” video was a big mistake…Follow Stephanie and myself at @notquitehydepark and @queerlitpodcast for even more content!  ReferencesStephanie Burt’s We Are Mermaids (Greywolf Press, 2022)Stephanie Burt’s Super Gay Poems (2025)Stephanie Burt’s Taylor’s Version: The Poetic and Musical Genius of Taylor Swift (Basic Books, 2025)Stephanie Burt’s “Prayer for Werewolves”Poetry UnboundJohn DonneKatherine PhilipsGeoffrey ChaucerWalt WhitmanCharlotte MewSarah RecordsHeavenlyTender TrapBlueboyElla DarlingMotownCarole KingDolly Parton“You Belong With Me”RedReputationMiss Americana (2020)LoverRachel Hartman’s Tess of the RoadGaylorismGaylors and Hetlors“When Emma Falls in Love”“All Too Well”Joe JonasTaylor LautnerJake Gyllenhaal“Back to December”John MayerThe Life of a Show GirlElizabeth TaylorKatharine HepburnOphelia HamletJulia SeranoFrozenMononormativityEvermore“Tis The Damn Season”The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection“Christmases When You Were Mine”CrassGrace PetrieTaylearning podcast“Clara Bow”Britney SpearsMiley Cyrus“You Need to Come Down”Adeem the ArtistJourney to FearlessLara Heimert@notquitehydeparkRachel Gold’s In the SilencesImogen Binnie’s NevadaX-Men Gold 30D.A. PowellTeam Dresch’s Captain My CaptainSlater KinneyHeartbreak HighSex EducationRachel Hartman’s Seraphina  Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:     How does Stephanie speak about the relationship between poetry, lyrics and music? Where does this become relevant in Taylor Swift’s work?     What does the term ‘Gaylor’ refer to and why are there so many of them?     We speak about sapphic forms in this episode. What makes a form sapphic for you?     What is feminophobia and why could being femme be read as giving up power? How does this relate to trans femininity?     What does Stephanie suggest about the representation of class in the “You Need To Calm Down” video?     Why does Stephanie stress that Taylor knows that she is white? How does Stephanie describe Taylor’s engagement with race and the music of Black women?     Does Taylor’s music speak to you? Why or why not?