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Queer Lit

Lena Mattheis

Queer Lit is a podcast about LGBTQIA+* literature and culture. In each episode, literary studies researcher Lena Mattheis talks to an expert in the field of queer studies. Topics include lesbian literature, inclusive pronouns and language, gay history, trans and non-binary novels, intersectionality and favourite queer films, series or poems.

New episode every other week!

Recent transcripts here: https://lenamattheis.wordpress.com/queer-lit-transcripts/

queerlitpodcast@gmail.com
https://lenamattheis.wordpress.com/queerlit
Twitter and Instagram: @queerlitpodcast

Music by geovanebruny from Pixabay

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22 episodes
fortnightly
Avg 43 min
English

Episodes 22

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Monday · 48 min
“Shameless Vampires” with RJ Wade and Sarah Prescott
Welcome, children of the night, to a particularly shameless spooky special all about an eternally queer-coded fan favourite: the vampire. RJ Wade and Sarah Prescott join me to speak about bookish bloodsuckers, raunchy revenants, and sapphic succubi....
October 5 · 47 min
“Against Ageism” with Simon(e) van Saarloos
Have you ever thought about your age as being assigned at birth? In this episode, Simon(e) van Saarloos and I explore how queer thought might allow us to move beyond preconceptions of age, but also about the manifold and intersectional consequences of...
September 21 · 39 min
“Queering Prehistory” with S. K. Marley
We all know that trans people have existed throughout history, but what about before that? S.K. Marley does fascinating research on queerness and transness that predates written history and joins me to speak about what antler headdresses and wooden...
September 7 · 42 min
“Hyperpop and Queer Noise” with C. Jade MacDonald
What does sound have to do with sexuality? C. Jade MacDonald has some fascinating insights on the queerness of noise, on trans voices in hyperpop, and on sound in literature. Learn about the queer kinship created by remixes and covers in contemporary...
August 24 · 43 min
“Lavender Sounds” with Stacey Copeland
Listen, this episode is as delightful as it sounds. Audiophile Stacey Copeland tells me all about feminist soundwork, radical radio, and lesbian podcasts – all of which Stacey writes about in the excellent new book Lavender Sounds. Tune in for the...
August 10 · 39 min
LIVE at Out and Wild with Ayse and Queer Girls Book Club
Meet Ayse, founder of Queer Girls Book Club, defender of the heated debate, and dyke of the people. In this live recording from the amazing Out and Wild festival, Ayse tells me about why running a queer book club is not just about putting LGBTQIA+...
August 3 · 41 min
“Spin Cycle” with Zofia Zerphy and Rhiannon Bell
In the sapphic launderette play Spin Cycle, the washers are loaded and so are the questions. Penned by Zofia Zerphy, Spin Cycle is an absurdist exploration of intense connections, queer memory and lesbian storytelling. In this summer special, I am...
July 20 · 45 min
“Cisgender” with Perry Zurn
Who coined the term cis and why are some people calling it a slur? Amazing return guest Perry Zurn joins me to discuss what the concept of cis does, why it’s helpful to look at its origins and etymology and where it might oversimplify the project of...
July 7 · 43 min
“Queer Wales” with Emily Garside
From popstars to rugby players, this episode has all the Welsh queer icons you could want. Emily Garside teaches me about H from Steps, Russel T. Davies, the Ladies of Llangollen and so many other fascinating LGBTQIA+ people from Wales. We talk about...
June 22 · 43 min
“A Black Queer History” with C. Riley Snorton and Darius Bost
If you have not read A Black Queer History of the United States yet, you are so lucky to have this fantastic book in your future! And lucky for me that this is also an excellent opportunity to speak to two dream guests: C. Riley Snorton and Darius...
June 9 · 46 min
“Rainbow Trap” with Kevin Guyan
Who designs the rules of inclusion? Kevin Guyan has given a lot of thought to this question in his excellent book Rainbow Trap, which thinks through the many categories that fall under the rainbow umbrella and how they might include, exclude, limit,...
May 25 · 45 min
“The Dinner Party” with Cat Fitzpatrick
We’re all still here, still ready to love, and to build community with trans books! In this extremely fun conversation, Cat Fitzpatrick talks about her poetry, her work with Little Puss Press, and a person called Crabstick. If you are wondering how...
May 12 · 47 min
“What A Girl Wants” with Roxy Bourdillon
If you want to know what Roxy wants, this episode is a great place to start. Diva’s fabulous editor in chief joins us for a chat about her lovely memoir What A Girl Wants, which is just as heartwarming, insightful and fun as the author herself. Roxy...
April 28 · 53 min
“Neopronouns and It Pronouns” with Teagan Bradway (Queer Forms and Pronouns Series)
The final episode of the Queer Forms and Pronouns series got a bit more personal than I expected. The incredible Teagan Bradway and I speak about misgendering ourselves, giving the gift of language to our loved ones and why not just the function but...
April 14 · 40 min
“Pronouns in Two-Spirit Literature” with Jas Morgan (Queer Forms and Pronouns Series)
The fantastic Jas Morgan is back for a conversation about pronouns in Two-Spirit literature! We think about how kinship is reflected in language, what role pronouns take on in translation and how they can easily be misunderstood, especially when...
March 31 · 46 min
“Mixing Pronouns” with Sue Lanser (Queer Forms and Pronouns Series)
Come along for a deep dive into mixed pronouns in queer, trans and nonbinary narratives with none other than Sue Lanser, your favourite narratologist’s favourite narratologist. Sue and I talk about why we might need to rethink the concept of gender...
March 17 · 47 min
“Ambiguous Pronouns” with Susan Stryker (Queer Forms and Pronouns Series)
It was an incredible honour to have THE Susan Stryker join me for a chat about ambiguous pronouns, trans literature and linguistic creativity. Susan’s wealth of knowledge on pronouns across languages and literary history was incredibly enriching and...
March 3 · 46 min
“Singular They” with Laura Paterson (Queer Forms and Pronouns Series)
Welcome to a miniseries about gender nonconformity pronouns in literature! In this episode, the amazing linguist Laura Paterson asks me many clever questions about singular they in literature. We talk about the function of pronouns, common...
February 17 · 47 min
“Queer Food” with Alex Ketchum and Megan Elias
What is queer food, you ask? Let’s find out! Alex Ketchum and Megan Elias tell me all about the connections between gender and food, cooking and sexuality, and recipes and community. The amazing book Queers at the Table is a product of the queer food...
February 3 · 37 min
“Lean Cat, Savage Cat” with Lauren J. Joseph
The incredible author Lauren J. Joseph joins me to talk about her new book Lean Cat, Savage Cat – out on 26 February 2026. Lauren talks about the genre-bending ambiguity of the novel, about characters that have followed her from the stage to the page,...

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