Podcast thumbnail for Our Dyke Histories

Our Dyke Histories

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by Jack Gieseking with Sinister Wisdom

5.0(19 reviews)
14 episodes
Updated Daily
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Podcast Overview

<p><strong>Come for the history; stay for the revolution, gossip, and desire that built it. 🤌</strong></p><p><strong>About Us :: Decade by decade</strong>, Our Dyke Histories dives deep into the living, breathing past and present of lesbian, queer, bisexual, trans, &amp; nonbinary communities. Each season traces how we made space for ourselves—sometimes in bars, bookstores, and protests; sometimes in basements, alleyways, and prisons; &amp; always against the odds.</p><p><strong>Host :: </strong>Our Dyke Histories is hosted by historian, geographer, and environmental psychologist <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://queergeographies.com"><strong>Dr. Jack Jen Gieseking</strong></a>, and produced in collaboration with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sinisterwisdom.org/podcast"><strong>Sinister Wisdom</strong></a>, the oldest lesbian multicultural literary and art journal.</p><p><strong>Season One :: </strong>Our first season traces the history of <strong>dyke bars*</strong> - yes, with an asterisk - including <strong>lesbian bars, queer parties, &amp; trans hangouts</strong>. <strong>Before Pride marches and hashtags</strong>, there were bars, parties, and whispered invitations that built whole worlds. Our Dyke Histories uncovers the stories of the women, trans, and nonbinary people who turned repression into resistance and nightlife into liberation.</p><p><strong>Join Our Community :: </strong>Want to be part of our community? We'd love to have you. šŸ˜ Come comment, connect, and get your gayme on!</p><ul><li><strong>Newsletter</strong> to your inbox: Jack's <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://queergeographies.ghost.io/"><strong>Queer Geographies newsletter</strong></a> with detailed takes on each episode, &amp; more about lezbiqueertrans spaces across time</li><li><strong>Instagram</strong> for more dyke visuals and stories <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/ourdykehistories"><strong>@ourdykehistories</strong></a></li><li><strong>Read</strong> and follow our co-producer and collaborator, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sinisterwisdom.org/podcast"><strong>Sinister Wisdom</strong></a></li><li><strong>Email</strong> us at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:ourdykehistories@gmail.com"><strong>ourdykehistories@gmail.com</strong></a></li></ul><p><strong>Donate &lt;3 :: </strong>Subscribe and/or donate to the fabulous, in-print <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sinisterwisdom.org/donate">Sinister Wisdom</a>, a multicultural lesbian literary &amp; art journal founded in 1976. Sinister Wisdom recognizes the power of language and art to create radical, empowering, resilient, and joyous sanctuaries that build and sustain vibrant lesbian futures.</p><p><strong>What Does Our Tarot Reading Say about What's Next? :: </strong>In <strong>future seasons</strong>, we will move decade by decade through other defining places, objects, and ideas in lesbian, bi, queer, and trans history—mapping the worlds we’ve made and the futures we’re still imagining.</p><p><strong>Funny and fierce, sexy and smart, and full of dyke spirit, this podcast isn’t nostalgia—it’s a survival guide disguised as a love letter.</strong></p>

Language

šŸ‡ŗšŸ‡²

Publishing Since

10/23/2025

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Recent Episodes

Episode thumbnail for Sex Work, Bars, and Picnics before Stonewall, 1930s-1970s Detroit with Roey Thorpe

February 9, 2026

Sex Work, Bars, and Picnics before Stonewall, 1930s-1970s Detroit with Roey Thorpe

<p>In this season one finale, Jack talks with historian <strong>Roey Thorpe</strong> about lesbian and queer life in <strong>Detroit</strong> from the <strong>1930s</strong> through the early <strong>1970s</strong>, before and beyond Stonewall. Centering working-class <strong>bars</strong>, <strong>sex work</strong> economies, and informal gathering spaces like <strong>softball</strong> and <strong>picnics</strong>, the episode traces how Black and white queer women—especially those who were <strong>poor</strong>, <strong>working-class</strong>, and <strong>gender nonconforming</strong>—built lives under conditions of <strong>criminalization</strong>, <strong>surveillance</strong>, and <strong>police violence</strong>. </p><p>Thorpe highlights the central role of sex work as <strong>labor</strong>, survival, and community infrastructure, and shows how bars functioned not only as sites of leisure but as workplaces, political hubs, and mutual aid networks. The conversation foregrounds Detroit as a major site of lesbian and queer history, shaped by industrial labor, <strong>racial segregation</strong>, and the <strong>Great Migration</strong>. Together, Jack and Thorpe show that resistance, world-building, and dyke life were already flourishing for decades.</p><p>The season closes with a powerful reminder: dyke history has always been rooted in labor, risk, pleasure, and the ongoing creation of livable worlds.</p><p>**</p><p><strong>Join Our Community</strong></p><p>Want to be part of our community? We'd love to have you. šŸ˜ Come comment, connect, and get your gayme on!</p><ul><li><strong>Newsletter</strong> to your inbox: Jack's <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://queergeographies.ghost.io/"><strong>Queer Geographies newsletter</strong></a> with detailed takes on each episode, &amp; more about lezbiqueertrans spaces across time</li><li><strong>Instagram</strong> for more dyke visuals and stories <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/ourdykehistories"><strong>@ourdykehistories</strong></a></li><li><strong>Read</strong> and follow our co-producer and collaborator, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sinisterwisdom.org/podcast"><strong>Sinister Wisdom</strong></a></li><li><strong>Email</strong> us questions and comments at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:ourdykehistories@gmail.com"><strong>ourdykehistories@gmail.com</strong></a></li></ul><p>**</p><p><strong>Credits</strong></p><p>Producer, Editor, Host, &amp; Creative Director: Jack Gieseking</p><p>Co-Producer: Julie Enszer &amp; Sinister Wisdom</p><p>Co-Producer &amp; Co-Editor: Cade Waldo</p><p>Co-Editor: Becca Moses</p><p>Assistant Editor: Mel Whitesell</p><p>Social Media: Audrey Wilkinson</p><p>Interns: Michaela Hayes and Sophie McClain</p><p>Consulting Producer: Rachel Fagen</p><p>Music: Our theme song: "Like Honey" by Kit Orion <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.kitorion.com/">https://www.kitorion.com/</a></p><p>CC-BY-NC-ND 2025. Write to us at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:ourdykehistories@gmail.com">ourdykehistories@gmail.com</a> for permission to use any of our content.</p>

Episode thumbnail for A House Where Queers Go, 1930s-1970s Detroit with Roey Thorpe

February 2, 2026

A House Where Queers Go, 1930s-1970s Detroit with Roey Thorpe

<p>**</p><p><strong>Join Our Community</strong></p><p>Want to be part of our community? We'd love to have you. šŸ˜ Come comment, connect, and get your gayme on!</p><ul><li><strong>Newsletter</strong> to your inbox: Jack's <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://queergeographies.ghost.io/"><strong>Queer Geographies newsletter</strong></a> with detailed takes on each episode, &amp; more about lezbiqueertrans spaces across time</li><li><strong>Instagram</strong> for more dyke visuals and stories <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/ourdykehistories"><strong>@ourdykehistories</strong></a></li><li><strong>Read</strong> and follow our co-producer and collaborator, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sinisterwisdom.org/podcast"><strong>Sinister Wisdom</strong></a></li><li><strong>Email</strong> us questions and comments at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:ourdykehistories@gmail.com"><strong>ourdykehistories@gmail.com</strong></a></li></ul><p>**</p><p><strong>Credits</strong></p><p>Producer, Editor, Host, &amp; Creative Director: Jack Gieseking</p><p>Co-Producer: Julie Enszer &amp; Sinister Wisdom</p><p>Co-Producer &amp; Co-Editor: Cade Waldo</p><p>Assistant Editor: Mel Whitesell</p><p>Social Media: Audrey Wilkinson</p><p>Interns: Michaela Hayes and Sophie McClain</p><p>Consulting Producer: Rachel Fagen</p><p>Music: Our theme song: "Like Honey" by Kit Orion <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.kitorion.com/">https://www.kitorion.com/</a></p><p>CC-BY-NC-ND 2025. Write to us at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:ourdykehistories@gmail.com">ourdykehistories@gmail.com</a> for permission to use any of our content.</p>

Episode thumbnail for Finding the Movement: Queer Space, Dance, and Survival, 1970s Detroit, Chicago, & Minneapolis with Finn Enke

January 26, 2026

Finding the Movement: Queer Space, Dance, and Survival, 1970s Detroit, Chicago, & Minneapolis with Finn Enke

<p>**</p><p><strong>Join Our Community</strong></p><p>Want to be part of our community? We'd love to have you. šŸ˜ Come comment, connect, and get your gayme on!</p><ul><li><strong>Newsletter</strong> to your inbox: Jack's <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://queergeographies.ghost.io/"><strong>Queer Geographies newsletter</strong></a> with detailed takes on each episode, &amp; more about lezbiqueertrans spaces across time</li><li><strong>Instagram</strong> for more dyke visuals and stories <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/ourdykehistories"><strong>@ourdykehistories</strong></a></li><li><strong>Read</strong> and follow our co-producer and collaborator, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sinisterwisdom.org/podcast"><strong>Sinister Wisdom</strong></a></li><li><strong>Email</strong> us questions and comments at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:ourdykehistories@gmail.com"><strong>ourdykehistories@gmail.com</strong></a></li></ul><p>**</p><p><strong>Credits</strong></p><p>Producer, Editor, Host, &amp; Creative Director: Jack Gieseking</p><p>Co-Producer: Julie Enszer &amp; Sinister Wisdom</p><p>Co-Producer &amp; Co-Editor: Cade Waldo</p><p>Assistant Editor: Mel Whitesell</p><p>Social Media: Audrey Wilkinson</p><p>Interns: Michaela Hayes and Sophie McClain</p><p>Consulting Producer: Rachel Fagen</p><p>Music: Our theme song: "Like Honey" by Kit Orion <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.kitorion.com/">https://www.kitorion.com/</a></p><p>CC-BY-NC-ND 2025. Write to us at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:ourdykehistories@gmail.com">ourdykehistories@gmail.com</a> for permission to use any of our content.</p>

14 total episodes available

Deep-dive analytics for Our Dyke Histories

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What is Our Dyke Histories?
<p><strong>Come for the history; stay for the revolution, gossip, and desire that built it. 🤌</strong></p><p><strong>About Us :: Decade by decade</strong>, Our Dyke Histories dives deep into the living, breathing past and present of lesbian, queer, bisexual, trans, &amp; nonbinary communities. Each season traces how we made space for ourselves—sometimes in bars, bookstores, and protests; sometimes in basements, alleyways, and prisons; &amp; always against the odds.</p><p><strong>Host :: </strong>Our Dyke Histories is hosted by historian, geographer, and environmental psychologist <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://queergeographies.com"><strong>Dr. Jack Jen Gieseking</strong></a>, and produced in collaboration with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sinisterwisdom.org/podcast"><strong>Sinister Wisdom</strong></a>, the oldest lesbian multicultural literary and art journal.</p><p><strong>Season One :: </strong>Our first season traces the history of <strong>dyke bars*</strong> - yes, with an asterisk - including <strong>lesbian bars, queer parties, &amp; trans hangouts</strong>. <strong>Before Pride marches and hashtags</strong>, there were bars, parties, and whispered invitations that built whole worlds. Our Dyke Histories uncovers the stories of the women, trans, and nonbinary people who turned repression into resistance and nightlife into liberation.</p><p><strong>Join Our Community :: </strong>Want to be part of our community? We'd love to have you. šŸ˜ Come comment, connect, and get your gayme on!</p><ul><li><strong>Newsletter</strong> to your inbox: Jack's <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://queergeographies.ghost.io/"><strong>Queer Geographies newsletter</strong></a> with detailed takes on each episode, &amp; more about lezbiqueertrans spaces across time</li><li><strong>Instagram</strong> for more dyke visuals and stories <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/ourdykehistories"><strong>@ourdykehistories</strong></a></li><li><strong>Read</strong> and follow our co-producer and collaborator, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sinisterwisdom.org/podcast"><strong>Sinister Wisdom</strong></a></li><li><strong>Email</strong> us at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:ourdykehistories@gmail.com"><strong>ourdykehistories@gmail.com</strong></a></li></ul><p><strong>Donate &lt;3 :: </strong>Subscribe and/or donate to the fabulous, in-print <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sinisterwisdom.org/donate">Sinister Wisdom</a>, a multicultural lesbian literary &amp; art journal founded in 1976. Sinister Wisdom recognizes the power of language and art to create radical, empowering, resilient, and joyous sanctuaries that build and sustain vibrant lesbian futures.</p><p><strong>What Does Our Tarot Reading Say about What's Next? :: </strong>In <strong>future seasons</strong>, we will move decade by decade through other defining places, objects, and ideas in lesbian, bi, queer, and trans history—mapping the worlds we’ve made and the futures we’re still imagining.</p><p><strong>Funny and fierce, sexy and smart, and full of dyke spirit, this podcast isn’t nostalgia—it’s a survival guide disguised as a love letter.</strong></p>
How often does this podcast release new episodes?

This podcast updates daily.

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This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.

Does this podcast accept guests?

Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

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