![E112: [FREE EPISODE] Radical Reads - Be Gay Do Crime](https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/1bbcf88487e072140bcea0c375192bf0.jpg)
Episode Description
Radical Reads is one of our Patreon-only exclusive series, where we discuss texts – both old and new – that have either influenced the WCH project, or texts that we generally think that people involved in radical and working-class movements should be engaging with, discussing, and using to inform their activism.
Our podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes without ads, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Supporters also get access to two exclusive podcast series: Radical Reads and Fireside Chats. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistory
As attacks on queer and trans people around the globe escalate, we felt it was more important than ever to highlight stories of LGBT+ resistance throughout history. Be Gay, Do Crime: Everyday Acts of Queer Resistance and Rebellion is your ultimate guide to LGBTQ+ resilience and revolt. Packed with hundreds of snapshots of radical queer history for every day of the year, this book celebrates the bold, the brave, and the beautifully defiant moments that have shaped the fight for justice. In this episode, we discuss the book, our current moment, the connections between LGBT+ movements and other aspects like race, class, gender and disability. We look at historical repression of queer identities, colonialism, and talk about what stories from the past can point to away towards a better future.Hope you enjoy this episode, and make sure to get hold of a copy of the book, available in our online store with global shipping.
- Listen without ads here on Patreon
- Buy the book here
- Full show notes here on our website
- Y’all Means All: The Emerging Voices Queering Appalachia – Z. Zane McNeill – Zane’s previous book with PM Press, in our online store.
- Deviant Hollers: Queering Appalachian Ecologies for a Sustainable Future – Zane McNeill and Rebecca Scott – a collection of texts using the lens of queer ecologies to explore environmental destruction in Appalachia while mapping out alternative futures
- Follow Riley on Bluesky
- Thanks to our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands.
- The episode graphic is of LGBT Pride in São Paulo, 2014, taken by Ben Tavener, bentavener.com, CCA 2.0.
- Edited by Jesse French
- Our theme tune is Montaigne’s version of the classic labour movement anthem, ‘Bread and Roses’, performed by Montaigne and Nick Harriott, and mixed by Wave Racer.
Locations (20)
People (10)
Timeline
Arrest and public exposure of Mary Jones in New York
One of the earliest documented Black trans figures in the US; highlights criminalization and early trans visibility.
Nazi book burnings targeting Institute of Sex Research
Destruction of queer/trans knowledge; early fascist attack on gender/sexual diversity.
Kiyoshi Kuromiya’s anti-napalm demonstration
Strategic protest reframing empathy and violence; links animal cruelty revulsion to mass wartime atrocities.
Roe v. Wade decision
Established federal abortion rights in the US, later overturned; central to bodily autonomy debates linked to queer/trans rights.
Lavender Panthers highlighted
Queer armed self-defense against homophobic violence; challenges nonviolence/violence binary in care.
Sacramento Pride shutdown
Black and Brown queer organizers protested police presence in Pride; reclaiming Pride as protest.
Dobbs v. Jackson overturns Roe v. Wade
Rolls back abortion rights in the US; part of broader assault on bodily autonomy impacting queer/trans people.
Escalation of anti-trans legislation in US and UK
Bans on youth care, passport/gender recognition, and restrictive rulings; example of coordinated far-right backlash and liberal complicity.
Key Moments
Existing Is The Shade
Blue reframes the politics of queer life with Juliana Huxtable’s line that the nastiest shade is simply existing—shifting the focus from survival as outcome to living and relating as resistance.
The New Deal’s Quiet Queer Engine
Zane shares a surprising link between Eleanor Roosevelt’s lesbian network and the success of New Deal labor efforts, reframing queer influence in US labor history.
The Dog That Saved Vietnam (Protest Genius)
Blue spotlights Kiyoshi Kuromiya’s 1968 anti-napalm stunt—announcing a dog burning to draw a crowd, then flipping it to indict mass violence in Vietnam—exposing how we normalize some harms over others.
When Queer History Scheduling Gets Real
Editors joke about cramming June with entries while February is sparse, revealing the messy, very human craftwork behind a daily-history book.
Hungary As A Warning Beacon
Zane explains how Hungary’s anti-gender playbook—court-packing, media control, gender studies bans—prefigured US/UK policies, urging organizers to learn directly from activists there.
Why ‘Protecting Women’ Is A Patriarchal Trap
Blue unpacks how ‘protect women’ rhetoric historically legitimizes violence against others and re-centers the state’s control over gender, linking anti-trans politics to fascist and liberal logics of exclusion.
We Keep Us Safe: Lavender Panthers to Today
Blue connects queer self-defense history (Lavender Panthers) to contemporary antifascist deplatforming and community safety as care, not a violence/nonviolence binary.
Students Lead With Walkouts
Riley highlights youth-led walkouts against ‘Don’t Say Gay’ and anti-trans school policies—kids asserting safety and solidarity despite limited formal power.
References (9)
Book
5 references
Be Gay Do Crime: Everyday Acts of Queer Resistance and Rebellion
Core subject of the episode; a daily-reader of global LGBTQ history edited by Zayne McNeil, Riley Claire Valentine, and Blue Buchanan.
"“Today’s book is Be Gay Do Crime, Everyday Acts of Queer Resistance and Rebellion…”"
Working Class History: Everyday Acts of Resistance and Rebellion
Predecessor volume inspiring the Everyday Acts series approach.
"“…following our kind of first book, Working Class History, Every Day Act of Resistance and Rebellion…”"
Some of Us Did Not Die
June Jordan’s essays inspiring a framing beyond trauma narratives.
"“June Jordan has a great collection of essays called Some of Us Did Not Die.”"
Transgender Marxism
Recommended for materialist analysis of trans life and reproduction/social reproduction.
"“A book recommendation in addition to ours is called Transgender Marxism.”"
Yalmi Azal: The Emerging Voices Queering Appalachia
Zane’s prior PM Press collection on Queer Appalachia (title as spoken in episode).
"“…a collection around Queer Appalachia called Yalmi Azal, The Emerging Voices Queering Appalachia.”"
Article
1 reference
Activist History Review
Platform where Zane and Blue previously collaborated on activist history topics.
"“…we had worked together on stuff for the Activist History Review.”"
Other
3 references
Institute of Sex Research
Hirschfeld’s Berlin institute destroyed by Nazis; emblematic of attacks on queer/trans knowledge.
"“…more about… Hirschfeld and the Institute of Sex Research and what happened with the Nazis in the book.”"
Lavender Panthers
1970s queer armed self-defense group in San Francisco; model of community safety-as-care.
"“…Raymond Brochiers, who helped found the Lavender Panthers.”"
Bread and Roses (song)
Episode’s theme tune and movement anthem cited in credits; proceeds to Medical Aid for Palestinians.
"“Our theme tune is Montaigne’s version of… Bread and Roses… with all proceeds going to Medical Aid for Palestinians.”"
Notes
Notes are stored locally in your browser
Your notes won't sync across devices. Use export to back them up.
No notes yet
Create your first note to remember important details!
Is this your podcast?
Turn every episode into an Augmented Pod
Join the growing list of podcasts using Augmented Pods