Swerve South

Join us for the latest installment of Swerve South's Student Popup series, where Sophia Purvis delves into the iconic New York saga of friendship, fashion, and finding oneself in "Sex and the City" and its modern-day continuation, "And Just Like That...". In this episode, Sophia, under the guidance of Dr. Jaime Harker’s English 384: The Queer ’90s course, explores the intricate relationship these series have with the queer community, highlighting both their contributions and missteps over the years.

In the inaugural “Swerve South Student Popup,” Jaleah Walker takes us on a captivating journey through the evolution of roller skating. Crafted as a project for Dr. Theresa Starkey’s Gender Studies 201 course, this episode delves into how roller skating has historically provided an avenue for women to challenge and transcend societal norms. From its inception in the 19th century to the adrenaline-packed realm of roller derby, Walker illuminates the role of roller skating in empowering women. Moreover, she examines the critical intersections of race and gender within this vibrant culture. The episode highlights how skate rink segregation gave rise to a unique African American skating subculture, showcasing Black skaters as pioneers of innovative styles. It also emphasizes how skate nights became a platform for Black women to showcase their individuality and resilience in the face of systemic sexism and racism. Join us for a profound exploration of how roller skating has shaped and been shaped by the struggles and triumphs of gender and race.

Theresa gives an introduction to the 2024 Isom Student Gender Conference with the theme Intersections of Inequality. Mississippi’s longest continuously running student conference, it will take place March 20-22 on campus, featuring the work of undergraduate and graduate students and offering opportunities to engage and converse.Jaime announces the Conference’s keynote speaker, Dr. Alex Ketchum, who will present on how gender and sexuality research circulates in public forums on Thursday, March 21 at 4 PM. Visit Dr. Ketchum’s website to read her full bio!Our hosts preview two of the student podcasts soon to appear in the Swerve South feed! Get ready for Sophia Purvis’s exploration of 90s gender and sexuality through a podcast episode on Sex and the City, and an episode on the culture surrounding roller skating by Jaleah Walker.

Welcome to another engaging episode of Swerve South! Today, Jaime Harker is in conversation with Julie Enszer, discussing the indomitable spirit and legacy of the late poet Minnie Bruce Pratt. Journey through their personal experiences with Pratt's poetic world and reflect upon her pivotal role within feminist communities.For full details, visit: https://sarahisomcenter.org/swerve-south/2023/10/26/season-7-episode-3-remembering-minnie-bruce-pratt

Welcome to this episode of Swerve South! Join Jaime and Theresa on a nostalgic journey as they discuss the recent documentary, "Judy Blume Forever." This documentary delves deep into Blume's life and the indelible mark her books left on countless young readers.Our hosts reminisce about the pivotal role Blume's books played during their adolescence, especially growing up in conservative Christian households. The tales offered a rare understanding of their own bodies amidst an environment where such topics were often treated as taboos. Jaime and Theresa also shine a light on a key aspect of the documentary: the diverse range of writers and readers who share their experiences with Blume’s work. It's a reflection on Blume’s universal reach, transcending the narrow societal confines her books often depicted.Though they couldn't always relate to Blume's characters, Jaime and Theresa deeply admire the documentary's insight into Blume's life. They are left pondering whether Judy Blume might ever tackle the topic of menopause—a theme still seeking its literary moment.For full details, visit: https://sarahisomcenter.org/swerve-south/2023/10/4/season-7-episode-2-judy-blume-forever

Welcome to Season Seven of Swerve South Podcast! In this inaugural episode, Jaime Harker and Theresa Starkey unravel a captivating discussion about the revolutionary impact of online communities on the publishing industry. They also touch upon the crucial topic of bypassing traditional gatekeepers and its implications on the literary ecosystem. But the conversation doesn't end there; listen as Jaime and Theresa delve into the Sarah Isom Center's initiatives, highlighting the challenges in addressing inequality from diverse perspectives.For full details, visit: https://sarahisomcenter.org/swerve-south/2023/9/21/season-7-episode-1-sabbatical-scrolls-and-intersections-of-inequality

From early women’s liberation’s goal in the “Declaration of Sentiments” of rethinking the role of the body to the western philosophy of the mind/body split, the body has been theorized, politicized, and policed. Despite this history of oppression, the body has also been a site of resistance and power. Our hosts discuss various myths, like that of the vaginal orgasm, about the body and landmark texts that have shaped our thinking about embodiment. While the title and inspiration for this episode is taken from the 1970 book Our Bodies, Ourselves by the Boston Women’s Health Collective, this episode expands the conversation about embodiment to touch upon trauma studies and trans experience.For full notes, visit: http://www.sarahisomcenter.org/swerve-south/our-bodies-ourselves

For further reading, see http://www.sarahisomcenter.org/swerve-south/queering-oxford.Code: PinkOxford PrideSmall Town Gay BarEric GoDiva HollidayMatt Kessler

torrin a. greathouse Jericho Brown Beth Ann's website Kate Leland's website 

 Dr. Julie Enszer's publications can be found here here: https://julierenszer.com/ Sinister WisdomThe Lesbian South: Southern Feminists, the Women in Print Movement and the Queer Literary Canon  

Associate Professor of English and African- American studiesSenior Fellow Luckyday Residential CollegeChair of African- American StudiesInterim Dean of Sally Barksdale Honors CollegePastor -  Alvis Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Oakland                   First United Baptist, Batesville

Click here to read more, visit http://www.sarahisomcenter.org/swerve-south/2022/2/10/season-5-episode-1     

Listen as Gillespie shares his journey from being a professional writer to discovering an unexpected love for teaching writing to first-year students and the possibility of exposing students to their own unexpected love of writing. Gillespie speaks about his fondness for teaching in the FASTrack program, which focuses on first-generation college students, who often have difficulty otherwise acculturating to campus. He also discusses how his involvement with the UM Pride Network helped him connect with other queer faculty on campus and led to the development of Missy, a literary magazine dedicated to LGBTQ+ issues. https://issuu.com/missy_magazine/docs/missy_issue_1. Current and former University students, faculty, or staff, LGBTQ or allies are welcome to submit their work for consideration at missysubmissions@gmail.com. Gillespie’s most recent publication is The Thing about Florida: Exploring a Misunderstood State, a collection of essays that looks below the surface level of headlines about what is often called “the weirdest state in the country.” His current research deals with how writing and other rhetorical practices helped shape LGBTQ+ communities in Florida. 

McKee shares how the interdisciplinary work of the Center has created space for different ways to imagine The South, and Thomas discusses how her theatre background enables her to envision programs that also foster those world-making possibilities. The host and guests also share suggestions for bringing those interdisciplinary world-making ideas into the classroom, including using a former CSSC student and musician’s original song about The Outsiders, entitled “Do it for Johnny,” to broaden student’s understanding of the novel and the film.

The ghoulish trio explains how the film fits into a larger canon of horror films from the 1970s that expose cultural anxieties around displaced manhood, the dread of second wave feminism, and monstrous wives/children run amok. Drawing upon Linda Williams’s theoretical framework about body genres in film—such as horror, pornography, and melodrama—our guests discuss The Brood’s fun combination of reproductive horror and domestic melodrama that explores masculine anxiety, feminine monstrosity, and the return of the abject. This conversation delves into other horrifying historical depictions of women’s mental health, as observations on mise-en-scéne find connections with Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Our host and guests dream up merchandise items inspired by the film, like a Brood fashion line and microbrew. They also share their favorite horror films to watch in preparation for Halloween. Don’t miss this spooktacular episode! Read more about The Brood here:“The Brood: Separation Trials” by Carrie Rickey“The Brood: David Cronenberg's Divorce Angst Self-therapy” by Douglas Buck“Children of Rage: David Cronenberg’s The Brood Turns 40!” by Meagan Navarro

This conversation looks at both Theresa’s experience in ready-made queer spaces in Atlanta in the late 80s and early 90s and Jaime’s experience in the early 90s with queer world-building in the suburban town of Provo, Utah, while attending graduate school at Bringham Young University.Find out about the DIY ethos that Theresa found alluring in those spaces and how those punk and queer and alternative ideas impacted the programming, like Sarahfest, that the Isom Center offers. And learn how Jaime and fellow graduate students created their own queer world-building with an event called Feminist Home Evening, a play on the Mormon tradition of Family Home Evening, where Mormon families, led by the father, gather every Monday evening to learn more about the Mormon faith in a Sunday-school style gathering, as a response to BYU’s refusal to allow the English department to offer a feminist theory course.

In this week’s edition of Swerve South, Jaime is joined by special guests Hilary Coulson and La Shonda Mims to discuss the complicated women featured in season 4 of The Crown. We talk about how the latest season grapples with the complexities of gender presentation and thorny female relationships. This conversation unpacks the divisive legacy of Margaret Thatcher, the brilliance of Gillian Anderson’s performance (and hair), the spell of Princess Diana, and how the show falls short of capturing her remarkable charisma. The episode fleshes out the season’s political backdrop, from the effects of Thatcherism on the working class to the anti-apartheid movement of the 1980s. Our host and guests also share their own adolescent impressions of the royal family and contemplate why royal drama continues to keep us so enthralled. For show notes & extras, visit: https://sarahisomcenter.org/swerve-south/2021/4/7/the-crowns-complicated-women-season-3-episode-5

In this edition of Swerve South, Jaime and Theresa discuss the campy delight of Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, Will Ferrell’s spoof/celebration of the international song competition Eurovision. Our hosts share some of their favorite moments from the film: cameos from former Eurovision winners like Conchita Wurst, outrageous costumes and performances, and the surprisingly moving ending. The episode explores Eurovision’s odd combination of artificial, schlocky camp and absolute sincerity and contemplates why the international pop culture phenomenon has yet to land with American audiences. Whether you’re a longtime fan of Eurovision or a newcomer, this episode is a great introduction to both the movie and the contest’s over-the-top charms.Check out our show notes and extras.

In this final installment of our “decades” series, Theresa, Jaime, and special guest Kevin Cozart dive into the 1990s, an era that saw LGBTQ culture burst out of the closet and into the mainstream. We reflect on the many milestones in queer literature, music, television, and film achieved in the ‘90s—from Angels in America winning the Pulitzer Prize to Ellen DeGeneres coming out on national television. Our hosts discuss how these pop culture moments shaped their own relationships to queerness and how the ‘90s have influenced contemporary LGBTQ culture. Show notes & extras: sarahisomcenter.org/swerve-south/2021/3/9/the-gay-90s

On this episode of Swerve South, Jaime and Theresa follow up the last episode’s discussion of proto-feminist 1970s television with a conversation about the surprising outpouring of queer representation in 1980s pop culture. While the ’80s—a decade defined by the conservatism of the Reagan administration and the devastation of the AIDS crisis—is typically viewed as a low point for LGBTQ acceptance, this episode celebrates the many expressions of queerness in 1980s music, film, television, sports, and more. From mainstream offerings like Personal Best (1982) and Culture Club to more underground, alternative fare like Atlanta’s public access variety show The American Music Show and the cult films of John Waters, this episode chips away at the conservative veneer of the ’80s and anticipates the explosion of queer culture to come in the 1990s.Show notes and extras: https://sarahisomcenter.org/swerve-south/2021/2/1/the-queer-80s-season-3-episode-2