Interviews
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Boys and Oil: Taylor Brorby on Making Space for Queer Stories on the Great Plains
I developed two books. One I called “The Gay Book,” and one I called “The North Dakota Book.” Well, those are the same book, as you can imagine.
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Threats of Violence: Discussing Pain, Form, and Cinema du Corps with Author Stephanie LaCava
There is a hyper self-awareness in all my work that acknowledges—teases itself, maybe—what it is addressing and from what entry point. I once modeled in a campaign for socks I designed for a skate label and on the box there…
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Embracing the Half-Wild Creature: A Conversation with Sara Moore Wagner
That giant “unknown” that we’re hurtling towards is so vast. One day we’ll be torn apart by it.
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I want their view of the world altered for the better: A conversation with Zein El-Amine
I believe that we wield whimsy to gain the malleability to adjust to the harshness of the human condition, and this is especially true when you live in war torn countries.
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I’m a Firm Believer in Timing: An Interview with Rubén Degollado
For me, it is actually harder to write a book that is grounded in realism, as that is not how I see the world or how my family sees the world.
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Finding Conviction in Chaos: Talking with Prince Shakur
When we act and what language we use to defend ourselves matters; on a craft level, this is useful to know because this very logic reveals character. What do you care about? And how does that show up in your…
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Centering, Appropriation, and Satire: A conversation with Chinelo Okparanta
. . . for me, a true ally makes me feel safe by actually hearing me out, by not dismissing my experiences or immediately jumping to the defense of the other party. Such an ally admits their limitations while also…
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But tonight, a little more: A Conversation with J. Hope Stein
What’s the difference between sports bras and regular bras?— What’s the difference between Jesus and God?
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Nothing and Everything: An Interview with Dr. Jenny Heijun Wills on the Fragmentation of Adoption
Family relies on the antics of nationalism: who belongs, who doesn’t, to whom are we loyal, to whom are we not . . . I suppose “family” is another F-word that can be something that brings pleasure, or that might…
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Stories help us be able to be brave: Adoption and Belonging with Mariama J. Lockington
It is okay to feel more than one thing.
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The Rumpus Talks with Michael Pedersen About the Beauty of Male Friendship
An acclaimed Scottish writer and performer, Michael Pedersen is the author of two poetry collections, Play with Me and Oyster, and most recently a memoir titled Boy Friends, which celebrates the beauty and essentialness of male friendships. The central relationship…
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Tasting Our Own Wildness: Talking with Talia Lakshmi Kolluri
. . . perhaps humanity is not the pinnacle of what a living thing can be . . .