Getting Curious With Jonathan Van Ness

July Fourth got us thinking: what does “independence” look like for American-controlled territories? To explore that question, we’re re-running an episode from the archives with Professor Kaysha Corinealdi, where she and Jonathan discuss the political history and legacy of the US-controlled Panama Canal Zone. And all week on our @CuriouswithJVN social media pages, we’ll be highlighting episodes from our archives that interrogate the idea of “freedom” in the US and abroad. Kaysha Corinealdi is an interdisciplinary historian of modern empires, migration, gender, and activism in the Americas. Her forthcoming book Panama in Black, available for preorder now, centers the activism of Afro-Caribbean migrants and their descendants as they navigated practices and policies of anti-Blackness, xenophobia, denationalization, and white supremacy in Panama and the United States.   Her research can also be found in Black Perspectives (September 14, 2021), Caribbean Review of Gender Studies (Issue 12, 2018), the Internatio

When we first met Lee Hennessy, he introduced himself as “a farmer, doing farmer things, living the farmer life, who happens to be trans.” To round out our “Pride In Nature” series, we’re learning all about Lee’s life running Moxie Ridge Farm & Creamery, what it was like to come out after opening the farm, and what farming has taught him about sex and gender. A note to listeners: Lee’s work as a livestock farmer involves creating and selling animal products, including things like cheese, wool, and meat. If this topic is challenging or uncomfortable, we encourage listeners to approach the episode if/when they're ready and to visit Moxie Ridge's values to understand Lee's approach to making animal products. Lee Hennessy is the founder, farmer, and cheesemaker of Moxie Ridge Farm. Lee is a first-generation farmer and a transgender man with a surprising background in both wine and Hollywood. He lives and works in Argyle, NY and in his spare time he enjoys spending time with his goats, reading long fantasy serie

Well, f*ck. In light of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, we on team Getting Curious wanted to check in with our listeners.  We are devastated by this news. We also know that in difficult moments, it’s important to be in community and conversation with each other. We have an episode in the works all about the history of reproductive care in the United States. It’s not slated for release until July— But today, we’re bringing you a preview.  Here is an excerpt from our upcoming conversation with Professor Jacki Antonovich that explores the history of abortion care in the US, and why today’s decision is so egregious. Jacqueline Antonovich is an Assistant Professor of History at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. She is the author of the article, “White Coats, White Hoods: The Medical Politics of the KuKlux Klan in 1920s America,” and she is currently working on a book on the history of women physicians and medical imperialism in the American West. Jacqueline is the creator and co-founder

We love a “both and” moment, and this week’s guest is giving us just that: Munroe Bergdorf is both a stunning model and an incredible LGBTQIA+ role model. She and Jonathan celebrate this month’s “Pride In Nature” series with a conversation about her early love for the outdoors, the importance of trans inclusion in sports, and her hopes for representation in the fashion industry and beyond. Munroe Bergdorf is a writer, model, and activist. She has spoken on international panels from Oxford to Princeton and contributed to publications such as the Guardian, Grazia, i-D, Teen Vogue, ELLE and Paper. In 2019, she was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Brighton for her contribution to campaigning for transgender issues.  Can't get enough of Munroe and Jonathan? Check out their episode together on Munroe's podcast The Way We Are. You can keep up with Munroe on Instagram @munroebergdorf. Looking to support LGBTQIA+ rights? Munroe recommends following our friends at Mermaids in the UK and the ACLU &

You’re planning an afternoon with friends, just east of Atlanta, Georgia. A picnic, maybe a scenic walk, some fireworks as the sun goes down. You find a park that seems to have it all: Stone Mountain. Then you do some research on it—and learn that it holds significance for the Confederacy AND the modern Ku Klux Klan. WTF?! In the lead-up to Juneteenth, Dr. Elizabeth Alexander joins Jonathan to explore the history and contemporary significance of America’s monuments—who’s represented, in what ways, and what it’ll take to change these narratives.   Elizabeth Alexander – decorated poet, educator, memoirist, scholar, and cultural advocate – is president of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.  She has held distinguished professorships at Smith College, Columbia University, and Yale University, is Chancellor Emeritus of the Academy of American Poets, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and serves on the Pulitzer Prize Board.   Dr. Alexander composed and delivered “Praise Song for the Day” for th

Jonathan long saw mushrooms as an ingredient to avoid on a menu—until they learned that mushrooms, and fungi more generally, have a lot to do with queerness. In this week’s “Pride In Nature” episode, Dr. Patty Kaishian joins Jonathan to discuss fungi behavior and reproduction, her groundbreaking work on queer mycology, and how changing our relationships with fungi can change the world. Dr. Patty Kaishian is a mycologist and Visiting Professor at Bard College. Her research focuses on fungal taxonomy, diversity, evolution, symbiosis, and ecology, particularly of the less studied fungal groups, such as the insect-associated Laboulbeniales. Dr. Kaishian also studies philosophy of science and feminist bioscience, exploring how mycology and other scientific disciplines are situated in and informed by our sociopolitical landscape. Loved learning about the fabulous world of fungi? Follow Dr. Kaishian on Instagram and Twitter @queendom_fungi!   For more information about the International Congress of Armenian Myc

Were there same-sex couples on Noah’s Ark? Was Glee right that dolphins are just gay sharks? What’s a bonobo handshake?! Eliot Schrefer and Jonathan kick off our “Pride In Nature” series, running through June, with a conversation all about queer behaviors observed in animals. It’s “gay stuff” meets “why we need to ‘say gay’” stuff.   You can follow Eliot on Twitter @eliotschrefer and on Instagram @schrefer. Visit him online at www.eliotschrefer.com, and make sure to check out his new book Queer Ducks (and Other Animals), out now!   Eliot Schrefer is a New York Times bestselling author, and has twice been a finalist for the National Book Award in Young People’s Literature. His non-fiction has appeared in the New York Times and Discover magazine, and his novels include The Darkness Outside Us, Endangered, and the Lost Rainforest series. He is on the faculty of the Hamline University and Fairleigh Dickinson University MFA programs in creative writing, is getting a MA in Animal Studies at NYU, and reviews b

*A note from the Getting Curious team: We delivered this episode just as news broke about the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Elementary schools are supposed to be spaces for learning, growth, and creativity. No child or adult should ever have to worry about gun violence when they step into a classroom. You can follow our @CuriouswithJVN social media pages for resources and developments.* Jonathan has spent a decade preparing for this week’s episode: they’ve pored over countless hours of footage, consulted with historians, even married a Brit. Today, that research pays off, as Jonathan interviews Allen Leech and Laura Carmichael aka Tom Branson and Lady Edith of Downton FUCKING Abbey. Listen in as they discuss behind-the-scenes stories, the work that goes into creating a historical drama, and the new film Downton Abbey: A New Era. A note to Downton fans! This episode contains spoilers, notably around 21 minutes, 32 minutes, and 51 minutes in. Downton Abbey: A New Era is playing in theaters now. You can f

What do Enlightenment-era paintings, 19th-century American fashion magazines, and Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back” have in common? They’re all strong examples of what fatphobia has to do with race, class, and gender discrimination. This week, learn all about the origins of anti-fat bias, and how it persists today, with Professor Sabrina Strings.  Sabrina Strings, Ph.D. is a Chancellor's Fellow and Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Irvine. Sabrina has been featured in dozens of venues, including BBC News, NPR, Huffington Post, Vox, Los Angeles Times, Essence, Vogue, and goop. Her writing has appeared in diverse venues including, The New York Times, Scientific American, Ethnic and Racial Studies, and Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society. Her book, Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia (2019), was awarded the 2020 Best Publication Prize by the Body & Embodiment Section of the American Sociological Association. You can follow Dr. Strings on Twitter @Sa

This fall, pro-union sentiment in the US rose to 68 percent—the highest it’s been since 1965. We’re living through a major moment for labor organizing, and we have so many questions! How did we get here? Who got us here? And what’s at stake for workers across the country today? Kim Kelly joins Jonathan to discuss the power of collective bargaining, worker solidarity, and her new book FIGHT LIKE HELL, an intersectional history of labor movements in the US. Kim Kelly is an independent journalist, author of FIGHT LIKE HELL: The Untold History of American Labor. She has been a regular labor columnist for Teen Vogue since 2018, and her writing on labor, class, politics, and culture has appeared in The New Republic, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Baffler, The Nation, and many others. Previously, she was the heavy metal editor at “Noisey,” VICE’s music vertical, and was an original member of the VICE Union. A third-generation union member, she was born in the heart of the South Jersey Pine Barrens, an

*A note from Jonathan and the Getting Curious team: We are covering the latest SCOTUS developments on Instagram and Twitter @CuriouswithJVN. Head there for insights from past guests, resources, and relevant episodes from our archive. We invite you to listen to this episode whenever feels right for you, and we hope that you’ll find comfort and energy from it.*   The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and we have a spring in our step because Professor Beronda Montgomery is back on Getting Curious, for an episode all about trees! How do trees know when to unfurl their leaves in the spring? Do they have growth spurts? What’s bud grafting all about? Learn all that and more—plus, catch up on the latest from Jonathan and Mark’s garden.      Beronda Montgomery is a writer, science communicator, and currently a Michigan State University Foundation Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics. Beronda will soon be Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean at

What was it like to trans gender if you were living in 18th or 19th century England or America? This week, Professor Jen Manion joins Jonathan to explore the world of “female husbands,” people who were raised as girls but lived as men. Listen in to learn about these resilient individuals’ lives; how they were treated by their partners and the press; and how they paved the way for queer and trans communities today.  Jen Manion is a writer, historian, and advocate whose work examines the role of gender and sexuality in American life. Jen was the first in their family to graduate from college and is now a Professor at Amherst College.  You can follow Professor Manion on Twitter @activisthistory, on Instagram @manionjen, and at www.jenmanion.com. And make sure to grab a copy of Female Husbands, published by Cambridge University Press. Want to learn more? Here are some resources referenced in the episode: Digital Transgender Archive Library of Congress Digital Archives Some additions to your watch (and readi

Sometimes, when we get real excited about an episode, we stick our hands under our armpits and SNIFF ’EM! And this week, we’re real excited, because we have none other than THE superstar Molly Shannon on the show. Listen in as she and Jonathan discuss her comedy career, her new book Hello, Molly!, and how they crossed paths long before Jonathan was cast on Queer Eye. Molly Shannon is an Emmy-nominated and Independent Spirit Award-winning actress and comedian. You know her from her Saturday Night Live, Other People, The Other Two, The White Lotus, and so many other incredible film and television projects. She’s in the upcoming Showtime series I Love That For You, and her new memoir Hello, Molly! is out now. Make sure to follow Molly on Instagram @theofficialsuperstar.  Join the conversation, and find out what former guests are up to, by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN.  Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Love listening to Getting Curious? Now, you c

Coral are teeny tiny animals just two layers thick, and yet they create the biggest structures made by any biological creatures on the planet—like, the size of Italy big. Literally HOW! This week, Dr. Juli Berwald and Jonathan dive deep on all things coral, from their mating behaviors to their “badass merger” with algae to coral reefs’ critical importance to life in the ocean and on land. Juli Berwald received her PhD in ocean science from the University of Southern California. She’s the author of Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone and a contributor to The New York Times, Nature, National Geographic, and Slate. Her new book Life on the Rocks: Building a Future for Coral Reefs is out now. You can follow Dr. Berwald on Twitter and Instagram @juliberwald. Her website is www.juliberwald.com.  Interested in learning more about coral reefs and sunscreen? Discover more here! Join the conversation, and find out what former guests are up to, by following us on Instagram and Twitt

This one’s for everyone who watched Bridgerton and wondered: could I get it in Georgian England?! Dr. Sally Holloway joins Jonathan to discuss the ins and outs of love and courtship in this era, including gifts and letters people would exchange, 18th century contraception, and the historical equivalents of ghosting and catfishing.   Dr. Sally Holloway is a historian of gender, emotions, and visual and material culture over the long 18th and nineteenth centuries, and is a Vice Chancellor’s Research Fellow at Oxford Brookes University. She is the author of The Game of Love in Georgian England: Courtship, Emotions, and Material Culture (Oxford, 2019), which will be published in paperback in June.   You can follow Dr. Holloway on Twitter @sally_holloway.   Here are some visual resources to pair with the episode:   “The Unwilling Bridegroom, or Forc’d Meat Will Never Digest”   “Sympathetic Lovers”   Eye Miniature   18th c. Sheep's Gut Condoms   The love letter from William Martin to Hannah Smith

We love a reason to be extra, and Jonathan’s new book Love That Story: Observations from a Gorgeously Queer Life goes on sale next week, so we’re dropping an extra episode to celebrate! Listen in to hear Jonathan read a chapter from the Love That Story audiobook, all about overcoming body issues and learning to love themselves.     Before you dive in, please note that in this chapter, Jonathan discusses their experiences with binge eating and food restriction. So take this episode at your own pace, or revisit it when and if it feels right for you to do so.   If you’re listening before April 11, there’s still time to pre-order Love That Story–and if you do, you can download a bonus chapter of the audiobook! Visit any local independent bookseller to order the hardcover, and then go to libro.fm/lovethatstory to get the instant download.    Want to support a queer-owned bookstore with your purchase? Here are some of our faves:   Women and Children First   Astoria Bookshop   A Room of One’s Own   Also—Jonathan’s g

As we count down to this year’s Trans Day of Visibility, there’s a lot to be thankful for: trans creativity, resilience, community. There’s also a lot on the line for trans people and those who love them. Adri Pèrez and Chase Strangio of the ACLU join Jonathan to discuss the importance of protecting trans rights, what attacks on the trans community say about state power, and what a coordinated resistance could look like. Adri Pèrez is the policy & advocacy strategist for the ACLU of Texas, where they lead LGBTQIA+ advocacy on the Sexuality & Gender Equality team. You can follow Adri on Instagram @adriperextx and on Twitter @AdriPerezTX. Chase Strangio is Deputy Director for Transgender Justice with the ACLU’s LGBT & HIV Project and a nationally recognized expert on transgender rights. You can follow Chase on Instagram and Twitter @chasestrangio. Join the conversation, and find out what former guests are up to, by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN.  Transcripts for each episode are avai

What comes to mind when you think of the Himalaya? For Jonathan, it’s a whole lot of questions! This week’s guest Dr. Mona Chettri gives us a glimpse at life in the eastern Himalaya, including how political borders have shaped the region; what’s changing amidst rapid development; and what the future might hold for young residents.   Mona Chettri is a Post-Doctoral Research fellow at the Australia-India Institute, University of Western Australia. She has worked extensively on urbanisation, ethnicity, environmental politics and development in the eastern Himalayan borderlands of Sikkim, Darjeeling and east Nepal.  She is the author of Constructing Democracy: Ethnicity and Democracy in the eastern Himalaya (Amsterdam University Press, 2017) and co-editor of Development Zones in Asian Borderlands (Amsterdam University Press, 2021). Her current research focuses on the intersections between gender, labour, urbanisation and infrastructure in the Sikkim-Darjeeling Himalaya, India and Himalayan immigrant labour in

“Blah,” said Toad. “I feel down in the dumps.”    “Why?” asked Frog.    “I’m thinking about how there’s never been an episode of Getting Curious about us.”   Frog opened up his podcast feed.   Toad peered over his shoulder.   “Toad, there it is! An episode of Getting Curious with herpetologist Kelly Zamudio! All about where we live, how we interact, and why we’re so important to biodiversity.”   They pressed play—and now, they invite you to do the same.   Kelly Zamudio is an evolutionary biologist and her research focuses on the origin and maintenance of diversification in vertebrates (especially reptiles and amphibians). Her lab integrates field research in population biology, demography, and landscape/habitat change with lab research on the genetic underpinnings of population diversification, speciation, and conservation genetics. Kelly has a particular fondness for frogs and their reproductive modes. You can follow her on Twitter at @KZ_UTAustin. Her lab website is zamudiolab.org.   Keep up

Old MacDonald had a farm—and on that farm he had rich terrain for an episode of Getting Curious. Join Professor Gabe Rosenberg and Jonathan as they explore what agricultural history has to do with our modern understandings of sex, gender, and sexuality. They cover the concept of “animal husbandry,” 4-H clubs, the story of a pig looking for love, and so much more.   Gabriel N. Rosenberg is Associate Professor of Gender, Sexuality and Feminist Studies and History at Duke University, where he studies how gender, race, and sexuality have shaped the history of the modern food system.    His first book, The 4-H Harvest: Sexuality and the State in Rural America, was a gendered history of the iconic rural youth organization, and he is currently writing a book about the interconnections between livestock breeding and the emergence of the human eugenics movement. He writes frequently for The New Republic and has held research fellowships at the National Humanities Center, Yale University, the Max Planck Institute