Best Renaissance & Sunny Podcasts (2024)

1
can straight people say "queer?" stanning Chappell Roan, criticizing Cowboy Carter 2:05:57

1M ago2:05:57

2:05:57

table of contents: 1. Good Luck Babe! is so fucking goodddddd 2. is Chappell Roan queer? bi? lesbian?! 3. recommendations to get your Gen X mom (who doesn't read books) to care about feminist and lesbian shit 4. hot take: straight people shouldn't be using certain gay terms 5. pre-Sunnaissance Sunnaissance instagram DMs 6. "queer" as identity label…

1
Lesbian books (sorry, F/F romance novels) suck! But "Kissing Jessica Stein" (2001) is brilliant 2:02:43

2M ago2:02:43

2:02:43

Reviewing inane comments under Sunny's video "The Problem With Lesbian Romance" https://youtu.be/AkGbysZRB_w?si=Y9jqARsgJTQp6ZWJ & talking about how Renaissance's interpretation of the 2001 lesbian rom-com Kissing Jessica Stein is the one true understanding of the film. Get bonus episodes & early access on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLa…

1
Ethics of media piracy, gender essentialism & “male feminists,” Big Swiss by Jen Beagin 2:23:59

4M ago2:23:59

2:23:59

Hello listeners! Here is a new episode where we talk about feminism at length… who’s surprised? But before we get into the feminism of it all, we discuss various facets and corners in the world of media piracy and consuming digital content in response to a listener email. We continue to wonder how observations and opinions that lead us to receive s…

1
2023 movies, music, & books in review: our favorites & flops 2:23:38

5M ago2:23:38

2:23:38

It's our year end wrap up episode! Discussing the movies, music, and books consumed in 2023. episode timestamps: Intro 0:00 11:00 movies! Number of films watched compared to previous years, Letterboxd stats/logs, watching each other’s recommendations or watching films together like The Children’s Hour, Duck Butter, Theater Camp, Born in Flames,and …

1
Misogyny on the left, lesbian dating apps, Barbie (2023) thoughts & review 1:33:09

7M ago1:33:09

1:33:09

Post-hiatus episode recorded in the summer for our beloved listeners! In which we discuss a listener-submitted hot-take about misogyny within leftist discourse and the failure of people to effectively address patriarchy or take sexism seriously. Then we hard-shifted to a hot-take about making lesbian friends, trying to date women as a woman using d…

1
Lesbians for a Free Palestine 1:42:11

8M ago1:42:11

1:42:11

Uncut livestream recording where we discuss the genocide against Palestinians we are witnessing right now and countering of Zionist propaganda. From student organizing to the non-existence of American democracy, this moment of mass, unprecedented radicalization regarding settler colonialism and capitalism has been incredible to witness. https://bds…

1
No more male artists!!! 🤬 Who can identify as femme? 🤔 Also contemporary cinema flopping... 🙊 1:53:06

11M ago1:53:06

1:53:06

It's time to revisit Olivia Rodrigo, and the potential beef regarding her and other female artists (that we kind of know nothing about.) What we do know is that we fuck with Vampire! And we do not fuck with Morgan Wallen, because truly, who the fuck is he??? Listener submitted hot-takes for this episode include: Am I the asshole, work friends editi…

1
Speak Now (Gaylor's Version) ranking & review, re-recordings/"Taylor's Version" & building narrative 1:18:18

12M ago1:18:18

1:18:18

Shorter episode for y'all!!! Featuring: boygenius concert etiquette hot-take and trying to beat the annoying teenager allegations, and discussing the relevancy and role of "Taylor's Version" album rereleases. Controversial listener submitted opinion: idgaf. Of course, gaylor content re: The (gay) Way I Loved You, Hayley Kiyoko and Taylor's relation…

1
postmodern gender identities, anti-Zionism/pinkwashing, 90s feminism & 90s girlypop film 1:19:48

1y ago1:19:48

1:19:48

In this Sunnaissance IRL (California edition!) episode, we're discussing post-modern gender theory and queer/feminist studies in response to a listener-submitted hot take about the counterrevolutionary nature of contemporary usage of 'nonbinary' identity. We talk about Judith Butler and other feminists theorizing around gendered oppression and its …

1
Politics of media consumption & comparing two queer American literature class syllabuses 2:09:12

1y ago2:09:12

2:09:12

Happy pride month! The hot takes for this episode feature a very belated discussion on the Matty Healy x Taylor Swift controversy, our response to a listener's questioning of their own identity as a lesbian, and offering advice on reading difficult texts— basically how to read theory!!! We also discuss our perspectives as POC on the constant presen…

1
Why you're wrong about gaylor, problems with 'sapphic spaces,' & lesbian feminist legacies 1:33:10

1y ago1:33:10

1:33:10

Hello Beloved listeners (a little nod to the butchfemme zine you should totally check out the first 2 issues + adorable lesbian merch of belovedzine.com)! Here is a special liminal space episode for you (post-break Taylor break up but before this M*tty H**ly mess)! Our hot-takes this episode are all bound by GAYLOR! This episode was recorded pre-Ma…

1
top/bottom roles in lesbian sex?! beauty standards?? ranking SZA's music, CTRL deluxe & SOS! 2:15:50

1y ago2:15:50

2:15:50

Hello listeners! New episode for you! We respond to a hot take about top/bottom distinctions in the lesbian community from an “elder gay” and how it differs from historically rooted high femme/stone butch identities. Ultimately, these labels exist to describe and identify sexual preference and compatibility. Also, disclaimer– although Sunny talks a…

1
comphet & lesbian masterdoc, Poker Face TV review, our flop era (not consuming as much media) 1:26:45

1+ y ago1:26:45

1:26:45

Heyyyyyy and welcome to episode 18 of season 4. A few of you listeners sent in some fun and interesting queer discourse related questions, so we get into the social consequences, ramifications, implications etc. of the lesbian masterdoc and its circulation across the internet, especially towards the beginning of the pandemic. Relatedly, we discuss …

1
Seriously unserious, reviewing 'Sort Of' on HBOmax, & Sunnaissance Nation 2:05:29

1+ y ago2:05:29

2:05:29

Welcome to episode 17 of season 4, in which we answer 3 listener submitted hot takes. The first hot take we talk about #StopCopCity and the frustrations that come from liberal and conservative pro-cop rhetoric, the break neck speed of the attention economy, and the goldfish memory of people who go through the same social justice learning every 2 ye…

1
bad mainstream lesbian representation & bad faith internet discourse 1:27:45

1+ y ago1:27:45

1:27:45

Helloooo lovely listeners of the pod! This is episode 16 of season 4 and even though the episode was recorded over a month ago, like our Marxist foremothers, we are topical as ever. Some shop talk at the top of the episode: 1) RIP to twitter account asunnybooknook (fly high… gone but never forgotten), 2) Renaissance substack essay 3) new butch-femm…

1
De-centering men, distinctly pansexual, Céline Sciamma + mothers' daughters 1:28:47

1+ y ago1:28:47

1:28:47

hello listeners! first i come to you with news of The Lavender Menace match making service currently live on the Patreon! SINGLES/NON-MONOG ONLY!!! also butches please fill out the form... the numbers are in your favor right now. episode 15 of season 4 was filmed in december 2022 and is a part of the collection of Sunnaissance IRL video content. we…

1
online lesbian drama & discourse: wrapping up our 2022's media input & output 1:56:05

1+ y ago1:56:05

1:56:05

Happy new year and welcome to episode 14 of season 4!!! It's the beginning of 2023, which means that it's time to reminisce on all the movies, books, shows, albums, and LGBT internet drama we discussed and reviewed in the previous year. But first, we answer a listener submitted hot-take from Clair, who tells us about their experiences with being ac…

1
forcing people out of the closet, lesbian loneliness, & Jill Gutowitz's essay collection Girls Can Kiss Now 1:59:41

1+ y ago1:59:41

1:59:41

Catching up on some hot take submissions from the past couple months, we discuss the politics of "coming out," especially within the context of online queer fanbases bullying celebrities out of the closet re: Kit Connor (whom we mistakenly call the name of an American Girl Doll in this episode lol), Becky Albertalli, and the misusage of the term "q…

1
fatphobia, speculating on people's sexualities, & reviewing yet another shitty teen movie 1:45:29

1+ y ago1:45:29

1:45:29

Welcome to season 4, episode 12, in which we discuss a listener-submitted-hot-take regarding the difficulties of fatphobia and butch identity, leading us into a discussion on current standards of beauty and also butch/femme dynamics (DIRE!) in the lesbian dating scene. Also, link to gf's lesbian literature blog: https://bassabibliophile.weebly.com/…

1
Taylor Swift's Midnights review & song ranking & lyric analysis 3:08:46

1+ y ago3:08:46

3:08:46

Welcome to 11 of season 4, in which we discuss all of our gaylor thoughts on TS10!!! This is a special edition extra long episode for y'all, our live reaction the night of release is available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLavenderMenace. Thanks for joining us for this episode, and you can find us on Twitter, Substack, Instagram, Tik Tok, …

1
LAVENDER (haze) SPECIAL EDITION EPISODE: Taylor Swift NOT beating the alleGAYtions 1:36:21

2y ago1:36:21

1:36:21

For episode 10 of season 4 of The LAVENDER Menace, we are bringing to you all our gaylor thoughts and reactions to Lavender Haze Gate. Taylor's Instagram Reel explanation, the gay history of the word "lavender," and the constant battle against hetlors. The video recording of this episode is up on our Patreon for $5 tiers and above: https://www.patr…

1
Midnights announcement & gaylor thoughts, discussing our favorite lesbian period dramas The Handmaiden (2016) & Summerland (2020) 2:39:20

2y ago2:39:20

2:39:20

TS10 was announced at the VMAs, and this episode was recorded soon after the night of the event. (Sorry it took so long to get out, but it was a beast to edit, since the raw footage was over 3 hours long. Our patrons got early + exclusive video access though, if you want to check out our patreon!! https://www.patreon.com/TheLavenderMenace) Like eve…

1
"Non-binary" as a 3rd gender (boo!), butch/femme (yay!), Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) review 2:18:32

2y ago2:18:32

2:18:32

Welcome to episode 8 of season 4! We're discussing hot takes about the political nature of non-binary and non-binary lesbian identity, the disrespect y'all have towards butches, and the historical precedent of butch/femme relationships. Then, we review the new A24 movie featuring our long time favorite Rachel Sennott, Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022), d…

1
celebrity culture, "queer" vs. "lesbian," reviewing + ranking Beyoncé's RENAISSANCE 1:26:24

2y ago1:26:24

1:26:24

Who else is thrilled that our co-host Renaissance has had Beyoncé album named after them??? Welcome to episode 7 of season 4, in which we discuss the Taylor Swift private jet CO2 emission discourse, JoJo Siwa saying she doesn't like the word 'lesbian' in an interview, and the dominance of female singer-songwriters in the contemporary music landscap…

1
Carolina knows what? Sally Rooney-verse, & politics of p0rnography 1:39:27

2y ago1:39:27

1:39:27

Hello The Lavender Menace listeners! Finally, here is the long awaited episode where we discuss the Sally Rooney literary universe, after Renaissance finished reading Beautiful World, Where Are You while in St. Louis. This was a major agenda point in this year’s Sunnissance in St. Louis era, of which many of you– especially our Patrons!!!– have bee…

1
Gaylor evidence, But I'm A Cheerleader (dir. Jamie Babbit, 1999), high femme blondes 1:19:30

2y ago1:19:30

1:19:30

Welcome to episode 5 of season 4! Sunnaissance is still in St. Louis, so catch all our unabridged video content on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/TheLavenderMenace and follow us on social media (@thelavendermenacepodcast basically everywhere) to keep up with our comings and goings. Anyways! On this episode, we bring forth a listener email submitte…

1
IRL era! Solidarity vs. privilege, Nordic model vs. communism, Heartstopper vs. First Kill (battle of the Netflix LGBTQ teen adaptations) 1:34:31

2y ago1:34:31

1:34:31

Join our Patreon to access exclusive videos & bonus content, especially since we are in the same city right now (for a limited time only, sadly...): https://www.patreon.com/TheLavenderMenace It's finally time for episode 4 of season 4, in which both Renaissance and Sunny are in St. Louis!!! How exciting! In other exciting news, we have heard you al…

1
Queer identity & liberation, Derry Girls, & universal teenage girlhood experiences in media 1:43:32

2y ago1:43:32

1:43:32

Today in episode 3 of season 4, we respond to a listener submitted hot take and talk about class being the primary contradiction and why we are not radical feminists, the usage of the label or word “sapphic,” and the myth of queer solidarity. Then we revisit the lesbophobia vs. biphobia discourse through another hot take submission, and how it invo…

1
defending Amber Heard against the insane Johnny Depp fans, shit talking CRUSH (2022), hating & complaining 1:45:02

2y ago1:45:02

1:45:02

Get access to 2 bonus mini-episodes a month on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLavenderMenace For episode 2 of season 4, we discuss the much publicized Heard/Depp case that many of you have asked us to talk about! But before that conversation, we get to a listener submitted hot take about how Better Than Revenge by Taylor Swift is about Eve…

1
Lesbians against Harry Styles, Russian Doll Season 2 review, & matriarchies 2:23:44

2y ago2:23:44

2:23:44

Welcome to the season 4 premiere of The Lavender Menace Podcast! It's been a month since our last season, but if you want 2 bonus mini-episodes every month, early access to episodes, and exclusive video content, check out our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/TheLavenderMenace! In this episode, we respond to listener submitted hot takes regarding Har…

1
introductory communist theory recommendations, more online LGBTQ discourse, & Gaylor Easter eggs: 1 year anniversary & season 3 finale 2:05:39

2y ago2:05:39

2:05:39

Happy 1 year anniversary of The Lavender Menace Podcast! We are dedicating our anniversary, season 3 finale, and 2022 Easter episode to answering three listener submitted hot takes, going over all of Taylor Swift’s Easter eggs pointing to her being gay, and reflecting on the media recommendations we’ve given each other in the past year. In discussi…

1
movie adaptation controversies (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Where The Crawdads Sing, & Taylor Swift) + a new favorite movie (Everything Everywhere All At Once) 1:45:51

2+ y ago1:45:51

1:45:51

Welcome to episode 12 of our 3rd season, in which we we discuss Taylor Swift related movie adaptation controversies (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo + Where The Crawdads Sing) & how much we love the new Asian led, A24 sci-fi/action film Everything Everywhere All At Once! Which is Chris Fleming-pilled re: Sick Jan. Responding to email submitted ho…

1
gaylor swifties of color thoughts on race, gender, & Charli XCX's album CRASH 💥⚡️ 1:20:13

2+ y ago1:20:13

1:20:13

episode 11 of season 3: an 80 minute episode from us???? crazy! in responding to a listener submitted hot take from Adin, we discuss our experiences with and how we engage with race/gender/perception and community as gaylor swifties of color, when a lot of the gaylor community seems to be white. Sunny mentions @sillygoofygirlseekinggf on Tik Tok, a…

1
Lesbophobia online? Can men direct movies about women? Why is Russian Doll so good? 1:34:47

2+ y ago1:34:47

1:34:47

Get 2 bonus episodes a month, early access, exclusive merch & more by supporting us on patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLavenderMenace Welcome to episode 10 of season 3! Thank you to the listeners who emailed us their hot take submissions, as it allowed us to shit talk that awful Tik Tok song (“hey mom… I like boys too… I’m not a full on raging …

1
Ranking our top 10 favorite Taylor Swift songs, rehashing Tik Tok drama, & battling Hetlors with The Archers podcast cohosts Madyson & Katie!!! 2:01:20

2+ y ago2:01:20

2:01:20

Katie and Madyson of The Archers podcast join us to discuss the lovely emails we get from our listeners and talk about the Gaylor internet! Then, we go through our top ten Taylor Swift songs of all time (not set in stone, of course) and all of our queer, personal, literary interpretations of them. Songs off of evermore, folklore, reputation, Lover,…

1
Hating on validity politics, corny lesbian short films, & podcast updates! 1:25:51

2+ y ago1:25:51

1:25:51

BONUS EPISODE ON HBO EUPHORIA'S SEASON 2 FINALE UP ON PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/join/TheLavenderMenace Welcome to episode 8 of season 3! Here is a comma separated, hopefully exhaustive list of things we discuss: "tankies," the misuse of the word "nuance," debunking the idea of “state capitalism,” (books referenced- How Europe Underdeveloped …

1
discussing misandry, white women, & Chinese lesbian representation in "Saving Face" (2004) dir. Alice Wu 1:56:57

2+ y ago1:56:57

1:56:57

The opening question for Season 3 Episode 7: do you say "Sunny and Renaissance" or "Renaissance and Sunny"??? Following our typical three part structure, we discuss a listener submitted hot take, a movie we watched together, and recommend each other media. Our lovely patron Elle (we appreciate our patrons so much!! https://www.patreon.com/TheLavend…

1
Marxist feminists vs. internet discourse on sex, Fleabag, & lamenting abysmal media literacy/comprehension levels 2:31:52

2+ y ago2:31:52

2:31:52

Episode 6 of our 3rd season- in which we discuss hot takes about reading theory, fanfiction, the split attraction model, sex work, and tumblr queers. Sunny reads some excerpts from Caliban and the Witch by Sylvia Federici to make some points about Marxist feminism. Renaissance has finally effectively forced Sunny into watching Phoebe Waller Bridge'…

1
our advice to LGBTQ high schoolers & very belated review of Adele's latest album, 30 1:40:15

2+ y ago1:40:15

1:40:15

Disclaimer: this episode was recorded back in November of 2021, but we said what we said! We respond to a listener's negative experiences with male entitlement (trigger warning for sexual harassment) as well as their hot take on the Madonna/Whore dynamic in relationship to lesbianism. This listener's message was a delight to go through, and Renaiss…

1
Shawn Mendes is gay, look back on 2021's trials & tribulations, slays & cancellations 2:38:24

2+ y ago2:38:24

2:38:24

Welcome to episode 4 of season 3 of The Lavender Menace podcast! Today we will be recapping our past year of podcasting- the journey we've been on from starting season 1 in April to being in the midst of season 3 now, in January of 2022. But first, we respond to some of our listener submitted hot takes. (You can email your hot takes to us for us to…

1
blondie's 32nd birthday! album rankings & what was Taylor Swift's best era? 52:06

2+ y ago52:06

52:06

It's Taylor Swift's birthday, and as leaders in the gaylor swiftie community, it is our public duty to bring to you a SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE!!! who cheered who clapped who screamed? Thanks so much to Tayo (@starshineclay on twitter) for bullying us into recording this last minute. We ranked every Taylor Swift album, gave our percentage of songs we l…

1
fake gays, is Reputation overrated? & Passing (2021) dir. Rebecca Hall 2:27:16

2+ y ago2:27:16

2:27:16

Some scintillating takes for listeners on season 3's episode 3 of The Lavender Menace! Including but not limited to: are "fake bisexuals" real/bad/an issue? (Short answer is no. The issue is always heterosexism.) Is Taylor Swift a good person? Are Letterboxd reviewers the worst? Renaissance and Sunny fervently defend Taylor Swift's album 'Reputatio…

1
Compulsory heterosexuality, Red (Taylor's Version) ranking + review, defending Taylor Swift against the haters 2:46:06

2+ y ago2:46:06

2:46:06

Happy Red (Taylor's Version) release everyone! We are so excited to share our thoughts on the All Too Well (1o minute version) short film and our ranking of the album in episode 2 season 3 of The Lavender Menace podcast. But before Sunny and Renaissance get into all that, we discuss three (3!) of y'all's hot takes that answer the following question…

1
addressing the biphobia discourse, battling internet ignorance, & our Fearless (Taylor's Version) x reputation era 1:39:47

2+ y ago1:39:47

1:39:47

Welcome to season 3 of The Lavender Menace! Today we are forgoing our typical three part structure to complain about recent allegations, internet happenings, online battles... Sunny is in their reputation era again, thanks to overly online bisexuals accusing Sunny of being overly online while flooding them with violent online harassment. As Sunny's…

1
Season 2 finale: the media that shaped us & our childhood queerness, unique relationships to fandom 2:17:57

2+ y ago2:17:57

2:17:57

We have arrived at the end of season 2, and it's time for us to talk about the media that made us the crazy bitches/mean lesbians/critical media consumers we are. But first, we respond to your lovely emails (thank you to everyone reaching out to us! Please continue to do this! Email us with your hot takes and atthelavendermenacepodcast@gmail.com) a…

1
Back from the hiatus, your nice emails (August throwback), Hannah Wilke at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation 57:59

3y ago57:59

57:59

Hey everyone! Sorry for our unintended and unannounced one month break, but the podcast is back on!!! Here is episode 9 of season 2 that we recorded back in August when Renaissance and Sunny were both in St. Louis and saw the Hannah Wilke exhibition at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation (more info here: https://pulitzerarts.org/art/hannah-wilke/) togethe…

1
Did we like Solar Power ?! + thoughts on Hasan's $2.4 million house & 'Assassination Nation' (2018) 1:14:41

3y ago1:14:41

1:14:41

Welcome to episode 8 of season 2 of The Lavender Menace, where your cohosts Sunny and Renaissance are finally in the same city, house, room! Our sunnaissance in St. Louis era has been documented extensively on @thelavenderpod on Twitter, our personal Twitters (@asunnybooknook & @rxnaissance), and Renaissance's Instagram @renaissancemarie, if you wa…

1
Gaylor blind items, the intimacy of female friendship & the queerness of girlhood, are you a Renaissance or a Sunny? 1:20:53

3y ago1:20:53

1:20:53

Hello swifties/gaylors/our fellow mentally ill sapphics obsessed with a 5'10 blonde Sagittarius, Today we are blind reacting (kinda) to a listener submitted gaylor blind item blog post (link here: https://girlsandgaylors.tumblr.com/post/187281985680/gaylor-blind-items-2014-now) from @ariesgodmother on instagram for our hot take portion of the podca…

1
Abolish the olympics & the brilliance of Miranda July's 'Kajillionaire' (2020) 1:42:37

3y ago1:42:37

1:42:37

On this week's installment of Sunny and Renaissance's regularly scheduled three part podcast of a submitted hot take, joint media consumption, and personalized recommendations for each other, your favorite lesbian communists exhibit their bimboism in regards to professional sports but ultimately comes to the conclusion that like capitalism, they mu…

1
Fluidity of sexuality vs. lesbianism & thoughts on queer(bait-y) British comedy show This Way Up ft. guest! Palestinian lesbian stan twitter bae @abitallie 1:33:43

3y ago1:33:43

1:33:43

Welcome to episode 5 of season 2 of The Lavender Menace podcast, where we, smart lesbian communists of color, discuss hot takes about communism lesbianism and everything fun sexy and cool, consume and discuss queer media, and recommend books movies and TV shows to each other. Today we are joined by the lovely Nour, whom you might recognize from les…

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