Episode 128: Sean Hannity, Gayborhoods, and Running Tutus

In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki debate the Sean Hannity phenomenon, battles over the “gayborhood,” and the popularity of running tutus.

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Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show:

• Conservative media personality Sean Hannity has attained new fame thanks to his proximity to President Trump. Niki referred to her Washington Post piece arguing Hannity is more a promoter rather than a kingmaker and to Neil’s Huffington Post article arguing that Hannity is not a journalist. Natalia recommended a 2015 Chapo Trap House episode about Hannity’s persona.
• As “gayborhoods” have become bellwethers of gentrification, they have also resulted in turf wars. Niki cited George Chauncey’s classic work Gay New York as well as Margot Canaday’s The Straight State. We all commented on the findings of Adriana Brozyn and Amin Ghaziani’s study on “performative progressiveness” in Chicago gayborhoods.
• Tutus have become a surprisingly common running accessory at amateur road races. Niki referred to Natalia’s Well+Good article on the gendered history of jogging, and Natalia cited “turkey trots” as early examples of casual, and often costumed, road races.

In our regular closing feature, What’s Making History:

• Neil shared Mark Rudd’s New York Times article “The Missing History of the Columbia ’68 Protests.”
• Natalia discussed her recent visit to the Greek island and former leper colony of Spinalonga and recommended Victoria Hislop’s novel The Island set there.
• Niki commented on Sarah Seo’s Washington Post piece “Why Our Response to the Starbucks Arrests Must Go Beyond Race.”