Outward

Dolls and Democrats

Do the candidates know how to talk to LGBTQ people?

View Transcript
Illustration depicting a female with a microphone

Listen longer

Slate Plus members get ad-free versions of all Slate podcasts, plus extra segments, bonus episodes, and more. Try it free today.

Join Slate Plus

Episode Notes

This month, Christina and Bryan are joined by writer and drag performer Pretty Rik E. After talking about Ellen and Big Mouth during Pride and Provocations, they jump into CNN’s LGBTQ town hall, where nine candidates discussed the queer aspects of their platforms. Then they unwrap some toys, giving Mattel’s new Creatable World dolls a spin to see what it’s like to play with a gender-neutral doll, and how it fits into a child’s gender-learning experience.

Items discussed on the show:

• Big Mouth
• “Joe Biden Playacted Like He Was Gay at CNN’s LGBTQ Town Hall,” by Christina Cauterucci in Slate
• Mattel’s Creatable World dolls

Gay Agenda

Bryan: Michael’s Outpost in Houston
Rik E: Black Lightning and Batwoman on the CW
Christina: “On Heteropessimism,” by Indiana Seresin in the New Inquiry

This podcast was produced by Daniel Schroeder.

Please send feedback, topic ideas, and advice questions to outwardpodcast@slate.com.

About the Show

Outward, Slate’s queer podcast, is a whip-smart monthly salon in which hosts and guests deepen the audience’s understanding of queer culture and politics, delight them with unexpected perspectives, and invite listeners into a colorful conversation about the issues animating LGBTQ communities.

All episodes

Hosts

  • Pretty Rik E is co-producer of an award-winning Washington-based drag king troupe, host, and speaker on QPOC issues.

  • J. Bryan Lowder is a Slate associate editor and the editor of Outward. He covers life, culture, and LGBTQ issues.

  • Christina Cauterucci is a Slate staff writer.