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Still Processing

We’re Queer - and Apparently So Is Everybody Else

Still Processing

The New York Times

News Commentary, Society & Culture, News, Arts

4.89.2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 May 2018

⏱️ 51 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

With Rita Ora, Janelle Monáe, Kehlani – and even fictional characters like Lando Calrissian – embracing bisexuality, pansexuality, queerness, and more, we wonder: what does it mean to publicly declare your sexual identity as something outside the gay/straight binary in 2018? And what did these declarations look like in the 80s and 90s, when we were growing up? We compare the sincere loneliness of R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" to the frustrating inauthenticity of Rita Ora's "Girls," and celebrate the thoughtful portrayal of the queer relationship featured in the new film, Disobedience. Plus, we break down what's wrong with sex scenes between women – with the hope that directors and cinematographers take note – because depictions of non-binary sexualities should reflect the humanity of the people who occupy them. Discussed this week:"The Hand That Robs the Cradle" (Ellen; Season 1, Episode 6; 1994) "Girls" (Rita Ora feat. Cardi B, Bebe Rexha, and Charlie XCX, 2018)"PYNK" (Janelle Monáe, 2018)"Curious" (Hayley Kiyoko, 2018)Kehlani's Tweets about her sexuality (2018)Kristen Stewart's SNL monologue (NBC, 2017)Disobedience (dir: Sebastián Lelio, Braven Films, 2017)"Losing My Religion" (R.E.M., 1991)Cruel Intentions (dir: Roger Kumble, Columbia Pictures, 1999)Blue is the Warmest Color (dir: Abdellatif Kechiche, Quat'sous Films, 2013)

Transcript

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0:00.0

Jenna, it's June of 2021.

0:06.2

Why are we talking about this episode from 2018?

0:09.3

I'm just gonna invoke Gia from Real Housewives of New Jersey,

0:15.2

circa 2011 that I've been waking up in the morning,

0:20.0

thinking about so many things.

0:21.4

That's a really specific TikTok reference,

0:23.0

but those who know, no.

0:25.0

You know, this episode has haunted me

0:28.9

for the last three years.

0:31.2

Oh my God, really?

0:33.2

Yeah, and you know, that sounds stressful,

0:35.8

but I also think it's one of the perks of our job,

0:38.1

you know, in some ways, which is that the things we make

0:40.5

and the things we write really stick with people,

0:43.0

and they bring up the things they loved,

0:46.2

and they also bring up the things they didn't love, you know?

0:48.4

Oh, they do, they do.

0:49.9

And I spent a lot of time thinking about

0:51.9

some of the things we talked about in this episode,

0:53.8

and one of the reasons we wanted to make this episode

0:58.1

way back in May of 2018 is because we were noticing

1:02.3

a ton of famous people, musicians, actors, all kinds of celebrities

...

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