I have been listening to so many podcasts lately, because I found some that are really specific to topics I love, so I almost always enjoy listening to them.
I don’t have enough spoons for a long essay today, so I’ve decided to give you a list of five of my favorite podcasts. Most of the time, I’ve linked the podcast name to its show page on Spotify, and links to specific episodes are also from Spotify, but I’m pretty sure that most of these are available in all the podcast places: Google Podcasts, iTunes, Stitcher, and so on.
1. Queery, with Cameron Esposito
I love this podcast so much. The description reads (I will admit ahead of time to adding some Oxford commas):
QUEERY explores individual stories of identity, personality, and the shifting cultural matrix around gender, sexuality, and civil rights.
description on the podcast page
One of my favorite episodes thus far — because there’s a big backlog and I only started listening a few months ago — is the interview with Rebecca Sugar, a brilliant, humble, creative person who talks quite frankly with Cameron about the experience of coming out as nonbinary and the kind of thoughts and wonderings as a result of that experience.
Rebecca Sugar is the creator of Steven Universe, and was a writer and storyboard creator for the show Adventure Time (which I absolutely love, it is so bonkers and adorable). Rebecca has a Twitter and an Instagram.
2. Northern Myths Podcast
I am still in the very beginning of this podcast, and according to my podcast app there are 46 episodes as of right now. It’s a fascinating treatment of the writing, translations, and commentary of Northern European culture, history, and mythology.
Discussing and dissecting these writings from an academic, anthropological, religious studies perspective is much more enjoyable than I would have imagined ahead of time.
The respect and curiosity intrinsic to this podcast appeals to my scholarly self and is refreshingly free of patriarchal and Christian-centered opinions, which is kind of surprising. I’m sure it could get there, but so far it has not.
Because I’m not that far into it, my favorite episode right now is the very first one: 1, The Voluspa Part 1 – Stanzas 1-26 – The Creation of the World from the Poetic Edda of Norse Mythology
3. Sinisterhood, with comedians Christie Wallace and Heather McKinney
This is an awesome true crime, cult, and creepy podcast. They research the hell out of every story they cover, and they often disagree about how to interpret what they find — but they respect one another and obviously have a good friendship apart from the podcast itself.
Also, next time I am in Dallas, I hope I can go to a show of theirs, whether it’s stand-up or a live podcast show. They are hilarious and approachable, and their opinions and attitudes about civil rights, racism, misogyny, and LGBTQ+ issues match my own.
The funniest episode of theirs is one I’ve actually played more than once because it is SO hilarious the way they tell it, is Episode 22, The Legend of the Goatman (a live show).
4. Kitchen Table Cult
This one is hitting really close to home; the experiences, perspectives, and stories the co-hosts have had in their lives — being raised in a fundie household where they were homeschooled, traumatized, abused, and kept away from nearly every pop culture thing, while simultaneously being trained up to take over the government — are approached with so much rawness and truth.
This podcast makes me feel seen and understood in ways I didn’t realize that I needed to be seen and understood. The hosts are Kieryn and Eve, and their show is partly sustained through their Patreon supporters.
My favorite episode, thus far — because it is the one I should send to everyone that knows me and wants to understand my deeply dysfunctional background — is Episode 3, Diligently Taught.
5. NB, a production of BBC Radio
Here’s what the description says:
You might have heard the term non-binary. This is how it feels.
description on the podcast page
So far, it has been fascinating and heartfelt conversations with co-hosts (and good friends) Caitlin Benedict and Amrou Al-Kadhi and other people they know who are in, around, and connected to the non-binary experience. When I listen to this podcast, I feel like I’ve entered a world where my own non-binary life fits in even when, or maybe because, it isn’t the same as anyone else’s.
I don’t have a favorite episode yet because all of them are my favorite. I hope you also enjoy it.
Fin.
There you go — happy listening, if you happen to enjoy podcasts. And if not, maybe my next list of things to consume should be five of my favorite books. I would love to hear about your favorite podcasts and whether you have an episode you always want to share with your friends.
