Share

cover art for Queer in Review 2025

Queer Up with Lily & Melody

Queer in Review 2025

Season 1, Ep. 20
•

It's time for our only-slightly-delayed Queer in Review! As we did last year, we run down some of the queer media we enjoyed and discovered in 2025.


Music by Goshdarn Rabbit: https://goshdarnrabbit.bandcamp.com/


Donate to Melody's bottom surgery fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-robin-get-gender-reassignment-surgery


Theatre:


  • "4000 Days" by Peter Quilter, directed by Charly Sommers
  • "No Apologies" by Emma Frankland


Films:


  • The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
  • Claire of the Moon (1992)
  • The People's Joker (2022)


Books:



Games:



Manga:


  • "Love Thy Neighbour" by Willow
  • "Show Me Your Bust" by Team Gaji
  • "Herb Shop Unnie" by Pobae
  • "With a Letter of Resignation in my Pocket" by Yuni
  • "Asumi-chan is Interested in Lesbian Brothels" by Itsuki Kuro


Music:


  • Blondshell - If You Ask For A Picture
  • Jeangu Macrooy - Young, Awkward, and Lonely
  • Lambrini Girls - Who Let The Dogs Out
  • Die Spitz - Something to Consume
  • Babe Haven - Nuisance
  • Morbid Cunt - Life is Pain
  • Ezra Furman - Goodbye Small Head
  • CMAT - Euro-country
  • Underscores - Wallsocket
  • Aleksiah - Punch Drunk Love
  • Garbage - Self Titled


You can listen to the complete Queer in Review playlist here:

More episodes

View all episodes

  • 22. Little Shop of Horrors (with Hamish Steele)

    01:24:32||Season 1, Ep. 22
    This time around, we're very excited to be joined by Hamish Steele, creator of the comics Deadendia and Go-man!, as well as the Netflix animated series Dead End: Paranormal Park. Hamish has brought us the cult classic comedy horror musical Little Shop of Horrors (1986), a film that's practically oozing with queer and trans vibes. We discuss how the film manages to be both goofy and sincere, Rick Moranis' inherent t-boy swag, and how a mean green mother' from outer space can represent both capitalism and toxic masculinity.CW: Discussions of domestic abuse, transphobia, sadism, misogyny, death, murder, racism, AIDSCheck out Hamish's stuff: https://hamishsteele.co.uk/Music by Goshdarn Rabbit: https://goshdarnrabbit.bandcamp.com/Donate to Melody's bottom surgery fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-robin-get-gender-reassignment-surgeryBuy Melody's poetry collection: https://melodyhaze.itch.io/human-heart-explosionReferences:No One Makes It Out Alive by Casey Plett and Morgan M PageThe Guy Sure Looks Like Plant Food To Me by Santana Knox

  • 21. KPop Demon Hunters (with Holly Amareta)

    02:05:01||Season 1, Ep. 21
    In this episode we do a fit check for our napalm era, as Holly Amareta joins us to discuss the barely-subtextual queerness of KPop Demon Hunters. Is KPop Demon Hunters a trans allegory? Is Jinu transfem or transmasc? Are all trans people demons? And which HUNTR/X members are Lily, Melody, and Holly respectively? It's our longest episode yet, and this is what it sounds like.CW: Discussions of transphobia, gender dysphoria, forced outing, conversion therapy, intolerant parental figures, depression, misogynyFind Holly on Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/onmehols/) and Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/onmehols.bsky.social)Music by Goshdarn Rabbit: https://goshdarnrabbit.bandcamp.com/Donate to Melody's bottom surgery fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-robin-get-gender-reassignment-surgeryBuy Melody's poetry collection: https://melodyhaze.itch.io/human-heart-explosion

  • 19. Bonus: The episodes we didn't make

    26:49||Season 1, Ep. 19
    We're back! Kinda! To celebrate that we're once again able to record, we had a quick talk about some episodes we decided not to make, and why. CW: Discussions of transphobia, homophobia, ableism, racismMusic by Goshdarn Rabbit: https://goshdarnrabbit.bandcamp.com/Donate to Melody's bottom surgery fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-robin-get-gender-reassignment-surgery

  • 18. Wings of Desire

    01:07:12||Season 1, Ep. 18
    The heavens over Berlin is beautiful, but they could definitely stand to contain more gays. This time, we discuss Wim Wenders' classic Wings of Desire (as well as its sequel and American remake), why its themes still resonate today, and why it's kinda weird that it's so very straight. It's set in Berlin, for crying out loud! CW: Discussions of suicide, depression, child death, fascism, substance abuse, homophobiaMusic by Goshdarn Rabbit: https://goshdarnrabbit.bandcamp.com/

  • 17. Gattaca

    01:29:45||Season 1, Ep. 17
    In this episode, we discuss the ableist dystopia of Gattaca, where perfection is everything and the scope of what counts as acceptable human variation is narrowing. What place does such a world have for queerness? CW: Discussions of ableism, suicide, homophobia, transphobia, misogynyMusic by Goshdarn Rabbit: https://goshdarnrabbit.bandcamp.com/References:Masculinity, Masquerade, and Genetic Impersonation: Gattaca's Queer Visions by Jacqueline StaceyThe Disablist Nature of Desiring Perfection in Gattaca by Dom EvansThe Adversity in “Gattaca”: Vincent Freeman’s Struggle and Triumph Over Genetic Determinism by John Jimenez

  • 16. Your Name (with Raptor)

    02:02:44||Season 1, Ep. 16
    Your Name is a film about the first ever cis T4T relationship, and we are joined once again by Raptor to talk about it. It's an incredible film that touches on gender, grief, human connections, and the value of fighting for your happiness. We also talk about body swap stories in general and the value of kissing your bros. Oh, and we also have a new theme song!CW: Discussions of death, natural disasters, gender dysphoriaMusic by Goshdarn Rabbit: https://goshdarnrabbit.bandcamp.com/References:5 Centimeters Per Your Name by RaptorTrans Allegories in Film: 'Your Name' (2016) by Atreyo PalitYour Name | Kimi no Na wa: Interpreting Progress in Gender and Rule-breaking by ATMA & FunomenaYour Name And The Message Of Hope It Gives Transgender People by Jade KingI’ll Remember Your Name—Will You? by Tsunderin

  • 15. Ocean's 8/Ocean's Eleven

    01:28:52||Season 1, Ep. 15
    What couple possibly be more gay than to plan and execute a multi-million dollar heist with your homies? And yet, neither of the crews from the all-male or all-female spend literally any time kissing each other. Let's fix that in this episode, where we break down what works and what doesn't about Ocean's Eleven and it's female-centric spin-off, and what kind of queer spin we can give these charming criminals.CW: Discussions of misogyny, prison violence, rape, sexual harassment, homophobia, transphobiaReferences:Ocean's 11 but it's gay! by Gabriel Shane Dunn‘Ocean’s 8’ is Extremely Gay—So Why Isn’t It Gay? by Jill GutowitzOceans 8 Is a Lesbian Movie by E. Alex Jung

  • 14. Aquamarine (The 1 Year Anniversary Episode)

    01:03:22||Season 1, Ep. 14
    Queer Up is a year old and we celebrate by revisiting our underwater roots. After celebrating you, our amazing listeners, we look at the largely forgotten mermaid movie Aquamarine. It's what happens when you attempt to cram a season of a mediocre sitcom into 100 minutes of film, and a good testament to why the gays are better at mermaid stories.CW: Discussions of suicidal ideation, parental trauma, abandonmentReferences:Aquamarine is Less Straight Than You Thought (and I can prove it) by Drawpinion Dump
Copyright Melody Haze
Hosted with ❤️ by Acast