Hey Besties!
First of all, THANK YOU for the awesome response to the Podcast Bestie Playlist thread last week. If you havenโt submitted yet, I encourage you to do so as soon as possible. You have until EOD Tuesday, June 28th, to comment with your Play It Forward links if you want to be included in the playlist. Iโll be sharing the playlist in future editions of this newsletter AND listening to as many as possible on my road trip in July. I hope to discover some new faves!
Also, THANK YOU to the fabulous Besties who helped get the word out about my new podcast, The Bleeders, about book writing and publishing. Iโm looking at you, James Cridland of Podnews, Lauren Passell of Podcast the Newsletter, Keelen Peterson of Mentally? A Magpie, Frank Racioppi of Ear Worthy, Arielle Nissenblatt of Earbuds, and Stephen from Podcast Delivery. Teamwork makes the dream work; Iโm so grateful to you all! ๐
And since itโs the freaking summer and weโre coming up on a holiday weekend, I just wanted to share this PSA for all the producers, editors, and clients in the house.
The always-on, startup mentality is prevalent in podcasting. Iโve been on both sides of this equation, and itโs always good to remember that making podcasts should not be an emergency. (Shoutout to editaudio for setting a stellar example with their weeklong, company-wide break!)
๐ And now for the main event: In honor of Pride Month, I wanted to share some great shows Iโve been loving with an LGBTQIA focus.
Welcome to Provincetown - This gorgeous podcast hosted by award-winning documentarian Mitra Kaboli takes listeners inside a seaside gay mecca that swells from 3,000 to 60,000 for the summer to โunlock the secrets to growing old and gay.โ There are three episodes out, and Iโm loving it so far! The summer vibes are very strong in this podcast.
Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff: Part One: The Public Universal Friend: A Non-binary Icon in Revolutionary-Era Americaย - Learn how Furries paved the way for non-binary personhood, the origins of the singular โtheyโ (which predated the singular โyouโ), and more. This is a fascinating episode with hostย Margaret Killjoyย and guestย Garrison Davis, plus an appearance by my pal, producerย Sophie Lichterman. This mini-series has it all!
Making Gay History: Sylvia Rivera - A never-before-heard conversation with trans icon and self-proclaimed Stonewall veteran Sylvia Rivera. Host Eric Marcus chatted with Sylvia more than a decade before her untimely death in 2002 about the first night of the June 1969 uprising and her struggle for recognition in the LGBTQ rights movement.
Gender Reveal: Torrey Peters - Okay wow,ย Torrey Petersย is brilliant. This interview serves up some interesting backstory on Petersโ novelย Detransition, Babyย and a philosophical conversation about gender and what we can learn from other identities, including how cisgender people are now looking to the trans community for guidance on how to play with gender roles, hosted byย Tuck Woodstock.
Plus, hereโs our Private Parts Unknown playlist of LGBTQ+ episodes.
Are You a Professional Podcaster? - If so, Quill wants to hear from you! Fill out their short 2-minute survey for your chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card.ย
How To Generate Podcast Topic Ideas Your Listeners Will Love - Over on the Waave blog, CEOย Jeff Dolanย wrote a helpful roundup to boost your podcast idea generation if youโre feeling uninspired.
Join a Pro-Abortion Pre-Roll Campaign - In light of the recent Roe v. Wade reversal,ย Arielle Nissenblattย is organizing a pre-roll campaign to support bodily autonomy and the right to choose. This is an excellent opportunity to use your platform to help amplify this vital message. (Cis men, you too.)
Executive Director (full-time) at AIR | Remote
Host and Reporter, Civic (full-time) at San Francisco Public Press | San Francisco, CA
Senior Audio Producer (full-time) at Rebel Girls | Los Angeles, San Francisco, or New York /Hybrid
I had such a fun and informative conversation with Dr. Amir Mirashi about orgasms, misconceptions about the clitoris, lifestyle remedies for endometriosis, sexual health tips for all vagina-havers, his lube recommendation from your kitchen cupboard, and honestly, so much more. This episode is FULL of good stuff.
I was thrilled to interview my writing mentor about her unique journey in the literary scene. Chloe Caldwell gave us the full scoop on how she became an author of four incredible books; we discussed cold queries, agents, small presses, and learning how to trust your vision.
For my first ever โWork In Progressโ episode, I invited writer and kinkster Amanda McNeil to talk about her essay collection, potentially turning it into a memoir, AND she reads an excerpt from one of her essays entitled โButt Stuff.โ I have to say, the lube SFX during her reading is worth the listen alone.
I was a guest onย Billy Procidaโs podcast. We talked about how sex sells โ even when it comes to social justice campaigns โ plus tales of pandemic-fueled exhibitionism and maybe getting engaged soon (only if my bf asks when I look pretty, lol). You better put a ring on this podcast episode!
Soโฆ ROLL CALL! ๐ฃ
If youโve listened to or created a podcast episode that taught you something, provided a unique perspective, or changed your mind about reproductive rights or abortion, please reply or comment with the rec!ย
Follow me @courtneykocak onย Twitterย andย Instagram. For more, check out my websiteย courtneykocak.com.