Hey y’all—it’s me, Peppermint 💅🏽 and welcome back to Queer 101. In this episode, I’m joined by my partner in queer crime, Hugh the Historian, and honey… we are digging deep. Like “Hollywood secrets buried under a studio lot” deep.

We dive into the shadowy, fascinating, and sometimes infuriating hidden histories of queer culture—especially in old Hollywood, where being LGBTQ+ was very much a don’t ask, don’t exist situation. We unpack Michael Kresky’s book Sick and Dirty, which chronicles a time when queer folks were everywhere in the industry… just not allowed to be seen. Closets had closets, okay?

From there, we spill the tea on queer coding in film—how villains, side characters, and “odd” personalities were often the only places queer energy was allowed to live onscreen. Hugh breaks it down historically while I’m sitting there like, “Wait… so that’s why every fabulous villain felt a little too familiar?”

We also get into the real power players—the closeted figures who wielded enormous influence while benefiting from systems that oppressed the very community they were part of. Yes, we’re talking Roy Cohn, Liz Smith, and the complicated, messy reality of survival, power, and exploitation in systems that weren’t built for us.

And listen, this isn’t just a history lesson—it’s about how culture, politics, and power all intertwine, and how queer people have always been navigating that web, whether out loud or in the shadows. We reflect on how oppression works systemically, how visibility can be both dangerous and revolutionary, and why understanding this history matters right now.

So buckle up, grab your popcorn, and get ready to learn, laugh, and maybe side‑eye Hollywood just a little harder.

Timestamps

• 00:00 Welcome to Queer 101
• 01:03 Queer Coding: The Subtext Was Loud
• 05:35 Why So Many Villains Felt… Familiar
• 10:53 Closets, Power, and Complicity
• 15:08 Systems of Oppression & Queer Survival
• 22:17 Final Thoughts, Community Love & Birthday Vibes

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• @peppermint247
• @hughoryan
• @pridehousemedia

Write to us at:

• questions@queer101podcast.com

Hey y’all, it’s me Peppermint 💋 and welcome back to Queer 101! This episode is one of those “once you see it, you can’t unsee it” conversations—because we’re talking all about queer coding in pop culture. And yes… it’s been happening forever.

This week Hugh Ryan, and I break down how queerness has been sneaking into movies, books, and TV for decades—especially back when being openly queer was a hard no thanks to censorship, moral panics, and a whole lot of pearl‑clutching. So what did creators do? Oh, they got creative.

We get into Hollywood history and how queerness was often hidden in plain sight through gestures, voices, fashion, and vibes. Then we jump straight into Disney, because let’s be honest—the villains were serving. From Scar’s theatrical drama in The Lion King to Ursula’s larger‑than‑life fabulousness in The Little Mermaid, we talk about why so many of us clocked those characters immediately—even as kids.

But it’s not just about being queer-coded; we also unpack how queerness and racial coding often overlapped, reinforcing stereotypes and shaping how audiences understood “otherness.” It’s layered, it’s complicated, and yes—it had real cultural consequences.

We also look beyond film into literature, where queerness has long lived between the lines, and we ask the big question: now that we can be more open, why are we still relying on subtext?

By the end, Hugh and I share our hopes for a future where queer characters don’t have to hide in villains, metaphors, or side‑eyes—and where authenticity doesn’t require decoding. And of course, we want to hear from you, so I invite you to share your thoughts, your favorite coded characters, and what you want us to tackle next on Queer 101.

Because if the subtext was loud back then? Baby, the text deserves a microphone now.

Timestamps

• 00:00 Welcome back to Queer 101
• 01:09 How Hollywood Learned to Code Queerness
• 03:38 Disney Villains: The Real Gay Icons
• 07:11 How Queer Coding Shaped Culture
• 10:19 Race, Queerness & “Otherness”
• 17:44 Queer Stories Between the Lines
• 29:06 Imagining a Future Without Coding
• 29:46 Final Thoughts & Call to Action

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• @peppermint247
• @hughoryan
• @pridehousemedia

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• questions@queer101podcast.comScar, Ursula, and the Queer History of Disney, Hollywood & Pop Culture
  
  

Hey y’all, it’s me, Peppermint, and on this episode of Queer 101, Hugh and I are ringing in the New Year the only way we know how: chatty, curious, and a little bit queerly chaotic.

We kick things off swapping New Year’s stories — who rested, who partied, who intended to journal but absolutely did not — and then get into the real question: Do queer people even do resolutions the same way? (Spoiler: yes, but gayer.)

From there, we dive headfirst into one of my favorite topics: queer coding in the media — aka all the gay stuff they didn’t teach us in school but definitely snuck into movies anyway. I get especially excited talking about Michael Koresky’s book Sick and Dirty, which peels back the glittery curtain on Hollywood from the 1930s–60s and shows how queer creators and characters survived under censorship by being clever, coded, and just a little scandalous.

Of course, we don’t stay in the past too long. We also discuss modern queer media, from buzzy shows like Heated Rivalry to the current state of queer visibility on TV. What’s working? What feels forced? And what makes us scream “FINALLY!” at our screens?

We also get real for a moment about the political climate and why representation still matters — especially when queer stories are often the first to be questioned, cut, or “rebranded.” But don’t worry, we balance the heaviness with joy, laughter, and personal reflections on the queer-coded characters that helped shape us before we even had the words for ourselves.

Before we wrap, we invite you into the conversation:
💬 What queer-coded characters did you clock way before everyone else?
📚 What should we read or watch next?
📺 What makes queer representation feel authentic to you?

Come for the media analysis, stay for the laughs, and leave knowing you’re part of a long, fabulous lineage of queer storytelling.

New year, fresh vibes, same big conversations — but with hope, glitter, and a little more wiggle room.

Hugh and I chat about power, belonging, and what happens when queer folks stop waiting for a seat at the table and just build a better party.

Yes, we talk history. Yes, we talk growth. But mostly we’re talking about finding your people, making room for each other, and stepping into the new year knowing we’re stronger (and cuter) together.

Rolling into this next chapter with community, curiosity, and a whole lot of optimism.
Cheers to what’s coming. Wishing you all a very happy and healthy new year.

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@peppermint246

@hughoryan

Write to us at:

questions@queer101podcast.com

Hey y’all, grab your cocoa and your cutest fuzzy socks because this episode of Queer 101 is basically a queer holiday special—with me, Peppermint, serving yuletide realness and Hugh the Historian sprinkling in the facts like he’s the Mariah Carey of academia.

We’re talking all things queer holidays: the traditions we made up, the ones we borrowed, and the ones we refuse to participate in (sorry, straight people—your office Secret Santa is chaotic). I share how I make Christmas deliciously queer, fabulously meaningful, and just messy enough to feel authentic.

We also get real about holiday loneliness, chosen family magic, and how to slay gift‑giving without selling your kidneys to afford it. Yes, we answer your listener questions—yes, they are adorable—and yes, I absolutely go on a tangent about Cher and queer holiday culture because… would it even be Queer 101 if I didn’t?

We dream up a Christmas‑themed gay bar (someone please fund this), talk stocking traditions, tea obsessions, the perfect Christmas Eve gifts, and the joy of giving back to LGBTQ+ orgs during the season that’s supposed to be about love, not capitalism.

Think of this episode as your queer holiday survival guide—with jokes, nostalgia, community love, and just enough peppermint spice to keep things interesting.

Your peppermint‑flavored timestamps:

• 00:00 — Welcome to Queer 101: Holiday Edition
• 01:06 — Holiday Reflections & Queer Spaces (bring on the glitter)
• 01:52 — Our Family Traditions & Pep’s Christmas Prep
• 06:30 — Volunteering & Community Love
• 08:51 — Cher: Patron Saint of Queer Christmas
• 15:45 — Navigating Holiday Drama (’tis the season!)
• 19:34 — Non‑Traditional Holiday Movies We Actually Watch
• 20:54 — Peppermint’s Holiday Love Letter
• 22:16 — Sip, Sip, Gay: Supporting the Community with Moody Teas
• 22:34 — Tea Enthusiasm (wild, chaotic, joyful)
• 22:45 — Perfect Christmas Eve Gifts
• 23:09 — Our Dream: A Christmas‑Themed Gay Bar
• 25:28 — Stockings, Traditions & Fabulous Nonsense
• 30:01 — Listener Qs: Queer‑Inclusive Traditions
• 30:54 — Listener Qs: Holiday Loneliness
• 34:07 — Listener Qs: Meaningful Gift‑Giving
• 36:15 — Listener Qs: Supporting LGBTQ+ Organizations
• 37:54 — Wrapping Up the Year with Love & Lip Gloss

Click here and get 10% off Peppemints Trancendence Tea

Click here to pre-order Hugh’s new book “My Bad”

Follow us at:

• @peppermint247
• @hughoryan
• @pridehousemedia

Write to us at:

• questions@queer101podcast.com

This week, Hugh and I dive right into ou chat about one of my absolute favorite topics: how queer folks and other marginalized communities turn exclusion into empowerment. You know me — if society tries to shut a door, I’m already sashaying through a window.

We kick things off by talking about what happens when marginalized people — especially queer and trans folks — get pushed out of mainstream spaces. Spoiler: we don’t just survive, we build our own dazzling little universes. From the chosen‑family magic of queer nightlife to mutual‑aid networks that pop up like wildflowers in a sidewalk crack, we find ways to lift each other up when the world tries to push us down.

Hugh and I also get into the history of drawing lines from the so‑called “witches” of old Europe to modern‑day queer youth. And let me tell you, once you start tracing these threads, you see how often people on the margins develop perspectives, creativity, and resilience that the rest of the world could really stand to learn from.

I want to invite everyone listening to take a moment — yes, even you multitasking on the subway — to think about how we move forward together in these wild times. Because even when things feel heavy, our communities have always had the power to transform struggle into something fierce, loving, and revolutionary.

And if you want the play‑by‑play…

00:00 — I introduce the episode and warm up the mic
00:58 — We jump into queer spaces, exclusion, and finding home
02:03 — A whirlwind tour through historical and current marginalization
03:24 — How oppression sparks resistance and reinvention
08:23 — Community, chosen family, and mutual aid
11:44 — Celebrating the power and wisdom of marginalized voices
23:01 — Ad break: Transcendence Tea (darling, the blend is divine)
24:44 — Dreaming bigger: future paradigms and closing thoughts
30:00 — Outro, credits, kisses, and a wink

Click here and get 10% off Peppemints Trancendence Tea

Click here to pre-order Hugh’s new book “My Bad”

Follow us at:

• @peppermint247
• @hughoryan
• @pridehousemedia

Write to us at:

• questions@queer101podcast.com

In this week’s episode, Peppermint and Hugh Ryan explore the vibrant intersection of queer identity and spirituality—a part of queer history that’s often overlooked or misunderstood. They celebrate queerness as an essential thread in the fabric of human culture, diving into everything from holiday‑season consumerism to the deep historical roots of gender variance across the world.

Together, they unpack how spirituality has always played a role in queer life, highlighting traditions and practices that honor and uplift queer and trans people, reflecting on the importance of language, culture, and community.

Ultimately, this episode is a reminder of the power of self‑creation, the resilience of queer existence, and the long, rich history that proves queerness isn’t going anywhere—because it’s always been here.

Click here for more information or to purchase Peppemints Trancendence Tea

Click here to pre-order Hugh’s new book “My Bad”

Follow us at:

• @peppermint247
• @hughoryan
• @pridehousemedia

Write to us at:

• questions@queer101podcast.com

In this episode of Queer 101, Peppermint and Hugh are spilling all the Thanksgiving tea—yes, the gravy‑soaked, chosen‑family, pass‑me-a-biscuit kind. They share their own little holiday traditions, the ones that make Thanksgiving feel fabulously queer and beautifully communal. They also dive into the messy, complicated history of the holiday, because honey, you can’t serve a feast without serving some truth.

Peppermint chats about my plans with her family (both the born and the chosen), my ride‑or‑die favorite Thanksgiving dishes, and the gratitude I’m feeling for our fierce, resilient queer community—especially with everything going on in the world. We’re celebrating queer resistance, queer joy, and the communities that keep us going.

And of course, they share a bit about their latest projects—Hugh’s new book My Bad: A Personal History of the Queer Nineties and Peppermint’s very own Transcendence tea blend. Trust me, they both pair perfectly with a cozy holiday vibe.

(both linked below.)

00:00 Introduction to Queer 101

00:49 Holiday Season and Thanksgiving Plans

01:39 Thanksgiving Traditions and Reflections

08:47 Games and New Traditions

11:35 Expressions of Gratitude

18:24 Closing Remarks and Announcements

Click here for more information or to purchase Peppemints Trancendence Tea

Click here to pre-order Hugh’s new book “My Bad”

Follow us at:

• @peppermint247
• @hughoryan
• @pridehousemedia

Write to us at:

• questions@queer101podcast.com