Episode 169: The Lavender Scare: How Queerness Became a National Security Threat
Before “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and rainbow capitalism, there was the Lavender Scare—a government-backed witch hunt targeting LGBTQ+ federal employees as threats to national security. In this episode, we uncover how Cold War paranoia collided with homophobia, turning queerness into a crime of patriotism. From surveillance and mass firings to one man’s fight that helped spark a movement, we trace the eerie parallels between 1950s propaganda and today’s anti-trans legislation and drag bans. History doesn’t repeat—it legislates.
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Episode 168: The Queen of Resistance: William Dorsey Swann
Before Pride, before Stonewall, before RuPaul’s Drag Race—there was William Dorsey Swann. Born into slavery in 1860, Swann became the first self-proclaimed drag queen in American history and led a radical movement of joy, defiance, and survival in the heart of post-Civil War Washington D.C. In this episode, we dive into the miraculous story of America’s first queer freedom fighter—a man who threw drag balls when the world threw chains. Inspired by Bob the Drag Queen’s Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert, this is a powerful exploration of identity, resistance, and the hidden legacies of Black queer liberation.
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Episode 167: The Yuba County Five: Lost in the Sierra Nevada
On a cold February night in 1978, five men left a basketball game in Chico, California, for what should have been a routine drive home. But instead of heading south, they veered east—deep into the remote and frigid Plumas National Forest—never to be seen alive again. Was it a wrong turn, a sinister encounter, or something far stranger? This is the haunting mystery of the Yuba County Five.
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Episode 166: Fred Hampton’s Assassination: The FBI, the Black Panthers, & the Fight for Revolution
Fred Hampton was 21 years old, electrifying, and uniting the people in a way that terrified the U.S. government. So, in the early hours of December 4, 1969, they did what governments do best: they murdered him in his sleep and called it a "shootout." But this isn’t just the story of an assassination—it’s the story of a movement, the truth behind the Black Panther Party, and how the FBI’s COINTELPRO program waged war against those who dared to demand justice. Grab a seat and maybe a stiff drink—this one's going to piss you off.Join the Discord here.
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Episode 165: Coup d'État or Nah? The CIA’s Greatest Hits
The CIA was officially created to protect American democracy, but its true purpose was shaping global events through covert operations and political manipulation. From overthrowing elected leaders to botched assassinations involving exploding cigars, the agency’s history is filled with deception, brutality, and unchecked power. This episode dives into the CIA’s greatest hits, from Operation Ajax to the blood-soaked horrors of Operation Condor. With a legacy built on coups, cover-ups, and cold-blooded assassinations, the agency has operated as America’s most dangerous weapon since day one.
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