Strange Fruit #253: Honestly We'd Be Eating Chocolate Anyway

$Strange Fruit #62: Trans* Students in Louisville; Historical Context for the "Black Woman Chair": This week, we're joined by WFPL's [Devin Katayama](http://wfpl.org/people/devin-katayama). Devin covers the education beat for the station, and he sat down with us to talk about his newest project, learning about trans\* high school students in Louisville. He also filled us in on his recent trip to Kenya over the holidays, and sat in on our Juicy Fruit segment, where we laid out some historical context for the horrific "[black woman chair](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/20/dasha-zhukova-black-woman-chair-buro-247-editorial_n_4633544.html)" photo that's been making the rounds online this week. We also talked about the Arizona fraternity who held an MLK Day party where attendees [dressed up as black stereotypes](http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/01/asu_expels_fraternity_over_mlk_day_black_party.html), and we pondered how to call out friends and acquaintances when they say s$

Strange Fruit #47: Meet Gert McMullen, Original Seamstress of the AIDS Memorial Quilt: To speak to Gert McMullen about the origins of [the AIDS Memorial Quilt](http://www.aidsquilt.org/) is to go back to a scary, sad time in LGBTQ history: San Francisco in the early 1980s. "People were terrified," she explains, "because they didn't know what was happening. People were just dying. They were trying to figure out, why were these gay men dying?" Gert lost many of her friends in the early days of the AIDS epidemic, and thanks to the fear and stigma surrounding the disease, she was often their only visitor. "You would go into the hospitals and there was nobody there and the nurses would put you in a moon suit, basically, to walk in there, because they didn't know what was going to happen," she recalls. No one understood how the disease was transmitted, so many people were afraid to come into close contact with their afflicted loved ones - even during their final days. "I remember a friend of by Strange Fruit

25 min listen

Strange Fruit #76: Who is an American? Jose Antonio Vargas on the Undocumented Experience: On this week's show, we talked to journalist and filmmaker Jose Antonio Vargas about his latest film, [Documented](http://documentedthefilm.com/), his organization, [Define American](http://www.defineamerican.com/), and his experience as an undocumented person living in the United States. Vargas described how his intersecting identities have required him to come out of two closets - one of which was easier than the other: "For me, being vocal and open about being gay, knowing where I grew up in California, was much easier than outing myself as undocumented." We also explored the idea that our equality is tied to everyone else's equality - and that we have a long way to go. " This country invented white like it invented black. And now you have all these Latinos and Asian people - everybody's just confused," he explained. "I actually think that's why we're at this very seminal moment in american hi by Strange Fruit

29 min listen

Strange Fruit #48: A Conversation with Trans Activist Janet Mock: Writer and activist [Janet Mock](http://janetmock.com) was living a successful life, working as a journalist, outside the spotlight, until a friend recommended her for a [profile in Marie Claire magazine](http://www.marieclaire.com/sex-love/relationship-issues/born-male). The article's publication had consequences that changed the course of her work, and life. "I didn't plan the role model part of it or the advocate part of it," she explains. "I think that all just kind of started. I realized after the piece came out that there was such a hunger to hear more about young trans women of color experiences. I think my writing just kind of went there because I think there was a need to hear more about that and I think there was also a need within myself to share more about parts of myself that I'd kept silent for so long." Janet's still a writer, but now she's also an activist - and one of the most recognizable faces in trans by Strange Fruit

26 min listen

Keith Brooks Describes Being the Target of Anti-Gay Attack in Norway: Keith Brooks was waiting for a bus while on traveling in Oslo, Norway, when he was approached by two men who asked if he is gay. When he said yes, the men began to beat him, and a third man hit him with a bottle, cutting his face and head. Keith is a friend to the show, and our colleague at the Fairness Campaign. He joined us to describe what happened, and the aftermath—both legal and emotional. You can keep up with Keith and this story (and his many other travel adventures) on twitter at @keithbrooks. [Note: This interview is via Skype from Stockholm, Sweden, so please pardon our occasional audio glitches!] Coverage of the incident on Towleroad (warning: there's a photo of Keith's injury at the link): http://www.towleroad.com/2014/07/gay-man-attacked-with-glass-bottle-in-oslo-after-being-asked-if-he-is-gay.html by Strange Fruit

17 min listen

Strange Fruit #55: Legendary Ballroom Photographer Gerard H. Gaskin: _"My images try to show a more personal and intimate beauty, pride, dignity, courage, and grace that have been painfully challenged by mainstream society."_Photographer [Gerard H. Gaskin](http://gerardhgaskin.com/) has been documenting house ball life for twenty years. His latest book, "[Legendary: Inside the House Ball Scene](https://www.dukeupress.edu/Legendary/)" is a vivid and beautiful look at a subculture we usually only get to see when a mainstream entertainer co-opts it. We spoke with Gerard this week about the book, and about what the house ball scene means to him. In our Juicy Fruit segment, we talked about [George Zimmerman's latest arrest](http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-11-18/news/os-george-zimmerman-arrested-20131118_1_george-zimmerman-murdering-17-year-old-trayvon-martin-deputies), this time for domestic violence. We also talked about the Colorado father who [shot his toddler daughter and himse by Strange Fruit

29 min listen

Strange Fruit #65: KY's Landmark Same-Sex Marriage Ruling; Essay Explores James Baldwin's Paris: As we were going into the studio to record this week's episode, news came down that [a court ruling had been announced](http://wfpl.org/post/kentucky-must-recognize-out-state-same-sex-marriages-federal-judge-rules), possibly shaping the future of same-gender marriage in Kentucky: District Judge John G. Heyburn wrote that refusing to recognize same-sex marriages from outside the state violates the U.S. constitution's equal protection clause. WFPL Political Editor Phillip M. Bailey joined us to talk about what exactly the ruling said, and what it could mean for marriage equality going forward. In our feature interview this week, we spoke to author and professor Ellery Washington, who recently wrote [an essay for the New York Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/19/travel/james-baldwins-paris.html?_r=0) about his experience retracing the steps of James Baldwin in Paris. We spoke with Ellery a by Strange Fruit

40 min listen

Strange Fruit #77: Rob Smith on Being Gay & Black in the Army During Don't Ask Don't Tell: Our feature interview this week was with [Rob Smith](http://www.robsmithonline.com/), whose new book, [Closets, Combat, and Coming Out](http://www.amazon.com/Closets-Combat-Coming-Out-Dont-ebook/dp/B00HRK20IQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389299566&sr=8-1&keywords=closets%2C+combat+and+coming+out) looks at life as a gay man in the military during the Don't Ask Don't Tell years. In November, 2011, Rob was part of a group of LGBTQ vets who chained themselves to the White House fence to protest DADT (people of color were [disproportionately affected](http://www.wnyc.org/story/102488-sexist-and-racist-lurk-dont-ask-dont-tell-enforcement/) by the policy; in 2008, people of color made up 29 percent of the total military population, but constituted 45 percent of DADT discharges). In Juicy Fruit this week we addressed [Elevator-Gate](http://www.npr.org/2014/05/14/312470817/beyonce-jay-z-and-solange by Strange Fruit

37 min listen

Strange Fruit #45: Why Would Straight Men Sleep With Men? Plus, Fairness in Frankfort!: This week, Frankfort became the fifth Kentucky city to [pass a fairness ordinance](http://wfpl.org/post/frankfort-becomes-fifth-kentucky-city-pass-fairness-ordinance), protecting LGBTQ folks from discrimination! We talk about it in our Juicy Fruit segment, along with the strange case of Tyler Perry [laying hands](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/03/tyler-perry-lays-hands-on-bishop-td-jakes-donates-1-million-youth-center_n_3860420.html) on T.D. Jakes, and what #[DonLemonLooksLike](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23donlemonlookslike&src=typd) with his new haircut. In our feature interview this week, we spoke with sex therapist [Dr. Joe Kort](http://www.straightguise.com/default.asp?id=1274), who got our attention with his recent article, [Why Some Straight Men Are Romantically or Sexually Attracted to Other Men](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-kort-phd/why-some-straight-men-are-romantically-o by Strange Fruit

36 min listen

Strange Fruit #60: Keith McGill Directs Comedy on Sex in Middle Age; Trans Leaders on Katie Couric: Louisville comedian Keith McGill has been one of our favorite people since he was first on the show last year to talk about his work in a local production of TopDog/Underdog. That play explored themes of black masculinity through the fractured relationship of two brothers struggling with instability and poverty. Now McGill is working on another local production, this time as the director, vastly different in tone.[Sex Again](http://wfpl.org/post/louisville-writers-new-play-debunks-myths-about-womens-sexuality) is a comedy by Louisville playwright Heidi Saunders that looks at sexuality during middle age. We spoke to Keith this week, in part, because we wondered how a gay black man approaches work about the waning marriages of straight white folks, and what made him want to direct the piece. "I really think it has a lot to say to _everyone_," he explains. "There's a lot of truth in the pla by Strange Fruit

29 min listen

$Strange Fruit #60: Keith McGill Directs Comedy on Sex in Middle Age; Trans Leaders on Katie Couric: Louisville comedian Keith McGill has been one of our favorite people since he was first on the show last year to talk about his work in a local production of TopDog/Underdog. That play explored themes of black masculinity through the fractured relationship of two brothers struggling with instability and poverty. Now McGill is working on another local production, this time as the director, vastly different in tone.[Sex Again](http://wfpl.org/post/louisville-writers-new-play-debunks-myths-about-womens-sexuality) is a comedy by Louisville playwright Heidi Saunders that looks at sexuality during middle age. We spoke to Keith this week, in part, because we wondered how a gay black man approaches work about the waning marriages of straight white folks, and what made him want to direct the piece. "I really think it has a lot to say to _everyone_," he explains. "There's a lot of truth in the pla$

Strange Fruit #42: Playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney: Playwright [Tarell Alvin McCraney](http://www.steppenwolf.org/ensemble/members/details.aspx?id=54) has been called the next August Wilson. Maybe that can be partially attributed to the fact that there are so few prominent African American playwrights, but there's still no doubt he is carrying an important mantle. At age 33, he's already had plays debut at the Royal Court London, New York's Vineyard Theatre, the Young Vic, and Steppenwolf Theatre, where he is an artist in residence. In March, he received the Windham-Campbell Literature Prize. We spoke to McCraney this week about his career, and how and why he writes about black gay life. He told us the real-life roots of some of his most famous works, and about working as August Wilson's assistant at Yale (including an unforgettable story about buying Wilson an iPod). In our Juicy Fruit segment this week, we had lots of news to cover: The #[solidarityisforwhitewomen](http://thehai by Strange Fruit

50 min listen

Strange Fruit #49: "The Book of Matt" author Stephen Jimenez: Stephen Jimenez went to Laramie, Wyoming in 2000, to write a screenplay about the murder of Matthew Shepard. He expected to be researching fairly open-and-shut case which had almost immediately become the national symbol for anti-gay hate crime. What he found, tucked away among the files, was an anonymous letter that would change the course of his work completely. "I was shocked to hear that Aaron McKinney's attorneys claimed gay panic in their defense," the letter began. "Aaron and Russ were quite familiar with gay guys and had frequented gay bars. They became aware of the fact that they had a valuable asset in their pants, and that gay guys would give them shelter, food, and money in return for a few minutes pleasure." The letter also named some mutual acquaintances of Matthew and Aaron, suggesting the two had known each other before the night of the crime, and casting doubt on the pickup-gone-wrong narrative that had been by Strange Fruit

59 min listen

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Strange Fruit #253: Honestly We'd Be Eating Chocolate Anyway

Strange Fruit #253: Honestly We'd Be Eating Chocolate Anyway

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