Cruising | Queer History and Culture
Episodes
Checking In (We're Taking a Holiday Break)
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Thanks for listening!! -Reviews help other listeners find Cruising! If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave us a 5-star review! -For m...
Carmen Maria Machado on writing 'In the Dream House,' tops/bottoms, and the forgotten history of queer DV
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Guest Carmen Maria Machado is a writer of queer horror, essays, and short stories. She is most well-known for her memoir, In the Dream House, which ca...
Elaine Stott on trying dr*gs at 5, getting kicked out of school bathrooms, and her journey to Survivor
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Elaine Stott charmed audiences back in 2019 on the 39th season of CBS's Survivor. She was a shining light on her season and proved that a lesbian coul...
Brooke Webster on Meow Mix, Cattyshack, and being featured in Chasing Amy and Go Fish
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Some of the most beloved lesbian bars of the past few decades have been the creations of our guest, Brooke Webster. This week, Brooke shares the stori...
Jess Dobkin and Lisa DeBoer on the "Lesbian Time-Out Kiss-In," Lesbian Avengers, and queer visibility in the WNBA
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 1999, Jess Dobkin and Lisa DeBoer formed the activist group Lesbians for Liberty. Their purpose was to push for visibility in the WNBA and specific...
Oak Chezar on rejecting the patriarchy and more stories from Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Radical lesbian activist Oak Chezar spent three years protesting nuclear war at Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp, and another five living on lesbian...
Ronnie D. Ron on creating Shakedown: LA's legendary Black, lesbian strip club
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ronnie D. Ron (also known as Ronnie-Ron and Sha'ron Harris) came up in the LA Black gay disco scene, and soon went on to found Shakedown in 1996. Shak...
Tricia Cooke on making a lesbian B-movie trilogy, and her polyamorous marriage with Ethan Coen
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sit down with Tricia Cooke — the creative force behind the recent lesbian comedies Drive-Away Dolls and Honey Don’t. Married t...
Lez Hang Out! Ep. 317: God Save the Lesbian Bar w/ Lisa Cannistraci
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Leigh (@lshfoster) and Ellie (@elliebrigida) hang out with Lisa Cannistraci, the owner of Henrietta Hudson, the longest running lesbian bar in the cou...
The Queer Family Podcast, S19 E1: Gays With Kids Founder Brian Rosenberg
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Another feed swap this week - with The Queer Family Podcast with Jaimie Kelton! . . . Jaimie sits down with Brian Rosenberg, longtime advocate, dad ...
Shame Spiral, S1 E32: "You're Not Gonna Call Me Dirty Because You Feel Dirty" w/ Robby Hoffman
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cruising is taking a a short summer hiatus and, in the meantime, sharing episodes from other queer podcasts we love! First up is Shame Spiral with psy...
Michelle Axelson on Womencrafts Provincetown, the "dyke discount," and existing within a spectrum of a community
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Womencrafts is one of only 13 feminist book stores left in the country, and a pillar of Provincetown, MA. This week, we sit down with Michelle Axelson...
Sean Monaghan and Susanna Stein on Stud Country, Big Apple Ranch, and the history of queer country western dancing
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're diving into the rich history and culture of queer country western dancing. First, Sean Monaghan will share the story of Stud Country - how he di...
Heather Purser on passing same sex marriage in her tribe, and meeting the love of her life at 7 years old
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our Guest this week, Heather Purser, made headlines back in 2011 when she single handedly passed same-sex marriage in the Suquamish tribe in Seattle, ...
Holly Near on Women's Music, Jane Fonda's Free The Army Tour, and music as activism
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Holly Near is a world-renowned singer and activist, known for producing music with powerful political messaging - she sings about war, racism, queer l...
Angela Denise Davis on ZAMI NOBLA and moving through the world as a Black, blind, lesbian.
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we sit down with Angela Denise Davis, the creative director and podcast host for ZAMI NOBLA - the National Organization of Black Lesbians o...
I'm Baby and Denise Gaylord on Dyke Drag
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For the first time, we feature two interviews - two dykes, from two different generations - on the same concept: Dyke Drag. First, we'll hear from I'm...
Robin Tyler on the fight for marriage equality, and getting arrested for 'female impersonation'
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Tyler is a history-making activist and stand-up comic, that's been on the scene since moving to New York City in the 1960's. Robin is a treasure...
Activist Sue Say on the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Encampment, organizing in prisons, and annoying the police as best you can
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Greenham Common Women’s Peace Encampment was an anti-nuke encampment outside of a US military base in England, that women (and loads of lesbians...
Valery Hughes on nursing in NYC hospitals during the AIDS epidemic, and falling in love in the on-call room
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Valery Hughes is a retired nurse who spent her career working in HIV/AIDS care and research. She coauthored Nurses On The Inside: Stories Of The HIV/A...
Comedian Kristen Becker on Summer of Sass, touring the Deep South, and getting stabbed in the chest
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kristen Becker is a standup comedian and activist based out of Provincetown, Massachusetts. Becker also has a long history of touring, living, and org...
Journalist Tracy E. Gilchrist on queer media, childhood crushes, and what 'holding space' means to her
04 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You might know this week's guest, Tracy E. Gilchrist, as "the queen of queer media" or simply "the holding space lady." She reached internet fame last...
Barbara Smith on The Combahee River Collective, lesbian identity, and Black feminism
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Barbara Smith is an award winning author, scholar, and activist. She is most well-known for co-authoring the Combahee River Collective Statement with ...
Activist Michelle Crone on a lesbian nation, the Seneca Women's Peace Encampment, and strategies for radical civil disobedience
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For our first episode of season 3, Sarah sits down with long-time activist and radical organizer, Michelle Crone. Now in her 70s, Michelle has spent t...
Introducing Season 3: Beyond the Bars
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cruising: Beyond the Bars will premiere next Tuesday February 4th, but we're doing things a little differently this season! Each episode will be a can...
Cruising the Archives: Lillian Faderman
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lillian Faderman is a world renowned, award winning LGBTQ+ and lesbian historian, scholar, and author. Her books include Surpassing the Love of Men, O...
Cruising the Archives: Ms. Mabel Hampton
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we're sharing the story of Ms. Mabel Hampton, in partnership with The Lesbian Herstory Archives. Ms. Hampton (1902-1989) was an African-Ame...
Cruising the Archives: Pete Smith
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In 1963, white supremacist terrorists bombed the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four young black girls. Despite the...
Cruising the Archives: Patricia McCombs
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Happy Pride Month!! Starting this month, we will be releasing a series of episodes that we’re calling Cruising the Archives. We’re featuring exte...
Redz / Nancy Valverde | Los Angeles, CA
28 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Redz is a little known former lesbian bar in East LA, which opened in the 1950s and catered primarily to Chicana lesbians. This is the story of one wo...
The Bush | Brooklyn, NY
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There's a new dyke bar in Bushwick, and it's called The Bush! These are the stories of humans that run it, and the humans that call it a home. Thank ...
Bonus Content: Summer | Doc Marie's
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our full interview with Summer, security at Doc Marie's. Thank you for listening to Cruising Podcast! -Support Cruising here! Cruising is an indepen...
Hershee Bar | Norfolk, VA
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In 2018, the Hershee Bar community showed up at a series of Norfolk City Council meetings to fight for their bar. This is the story of Hershee Bar, th...
Welcome to Cruising!
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cruising is a documentary podcast about lesbian bars, the humans that run them, and the humans that call them a home. Not sure where to start? You d...
Alice Brady's | New Orleans, LA
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Alice Brady owned and ran various lesbian bars throughout New Orleans between 1952 and 1978. The most notable was called Alice Brady's. Thank you t...
The Ruby Fruit | Los Angeles, CA
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Mara and Emily opened The Ruby Fruit in 2023, Los Angeles hadn't had a lesbian bar since 2017. It is named after Rita Mae Brown's iconic lesbian...
Lost and Found | Chicago, IL
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Established in 1965, Lost and Found was the longest running lesbian bar in Chicago until it was sold in 2008 and became Lizard's Liquid Lounge. Join u...
Dorothy Downstairs | Chicago, IL
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In February of 2020, Chicago's newest lesbian bar, Dorothy Downstairs first opened its doors. A month later, they were forced to close when the city s...
Mona's | San Francisco, CA
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mona Sargent (born Mona Nystrom) is widely credited as the owner of the first lesbian bar in San Francisco, and perhaps the first public lesbian bar i...
Maud's | San Francisco, CA
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rikki Streicher opened Maud's in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco in 1966. The bar would be a fixture of the lesbian community there until...
Bonus Content: Ray | Doc Marie's
02 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our full interview with Ray, bartender at Doc Marie's. Thank you for listening to Cruising Podcast! -Support Cruising here! Cruising is an independen...
Doc Marie's | Portland, OR
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the summer of 2022, the city of Portland excitedly awaited the opening of a new lesbian bar: Doc Marie's. It didn't go as planned. Join us as we un...
Bonus Content: Anjali Kumaran | The Sports Bra
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our full interview with Anjali Kumaran, regular patron at The Sports Bra. Thank you for listening to Cruising Podcast! -Support Cruising here! Crui...
The Sports Bra | Portland, OR
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In April of 2022, Jenny Nguyen opened the first women's sports bar in the entire world: The Sports Bra, in Portland, Oregon. From college basketball t...
Bonus Content: Teryl Lynn Foxx | Les Pierres
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is our full interview with Teryl Lynn Foxx! Teryl is a renowned New Orleans entertainer, who has been winning titles across the country for decad...
Les Pierres | New Orleans, LA
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Juanita Pierre and Leslie Martinez opened New Orlean’s first Black-owned lesbian bar, Les Pierres, on the corner of Pauger St and N. Rampart St. No ...
Femme Bar | Worcester, MA
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When we launched Cruising Podcast back in 2021, we had only twenty-one lesbian bars on our list. Little did we know, we were on the cusp of a lesbian ...
Charlene’s | New Orleans, LA
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In December of 1977, Charlene’s opened on the corner of Elysian Fields and North Rampart Street in New Orleans. It was open for 22 years, until it c...
Introducing Season 2! - Trailer
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know 8 new lesbian bars have opened in the U.S. since we launched Cruising back in 2021?! In Season 2, we’re taking you to each of these new...
Bonus Content: Ruthie Boirie | Ginger's
11 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is our full interview tape Ruthie Boirie. We usually only release full interviews on our Patreon page, but we feel like everyone deserves to hear...
Ginger's | Brooklyn, NY
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Our Webby-honored season 1 finale! When we left on our road trip to visit every lesbian bar in the U.S. last fall, our own neighborhood lesbian bar, G...
An Update From Cruising!
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hi Listeners!A quick update for you all: we know we are overdue for another episode of Cruising and that is because we are working hard on our season ...
Babes of Carytown | Richmond, VA
04 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Babes of Carytown, or Babe's for short, has been around since 1979. These are the stories of the humans that run it and the humans that call it a home...
The Lipstick Lounge | Nashville, TN
20 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Lipstick Lounge is Tennessee's only lesbian bar. It was established in 2002 in Nashville. These are the stories of the humans that run is and the ...
My Sister's Room | Atlanta, GA
06 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
My Sisters Room (MSR) is one of the longest running lesbian bars of the south. These are the stories of the humans that run it and the humans that cal...
Herz | Mobile, AL
23 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Herz was founded in a Mobile, Alabama in October of 2019 and closed in 2023. It was a Black, queer, woman owned space. These are the stories of the hu...
Pearl Bar | Houston, TX
09 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Located in Houston, Pearl Bar is our second stop in Texas. These are the stories of the humans that run it and the humans that call it a home. Julie ...
Sue Ellen's | Dallas, TX
25 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sue Ellen's is one of two lesbian bars in the state of Texas. It's located in Oaklawn, Dallas's gayborhood. These are the stories of the humans that r...
YBR Pub | Tulsa, OK
11 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
YBR is the third of Oklahoma's three lesbian bars. Its full name is "Yellow Brick Road Pub" but everyone calls it YBR. These are the stories of the hu...
Frankie's | Oklahoma City, OK
28 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Frankie's is the second of Oklahoma's three lesbian bars welcoming the local queer and trans community. We visited Frankie's on a Tuesday, which happe...
Alibi's | Oklahoma City, OK
14 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Oklahoma is the state with the highest number of known lesbian bars per capita, and is tied with only New York for the state with the highest number o...
Boycott Bar | Phoenix, AZ
28 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What started as a bi-weekly pop-up party ultimately became a permanent fixture of the Phoenix LGBTQ+ nightlife scene: Boycott Bar. These are the sto...
Gossip Grill | San Diego, CA
14 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Established in 2009, Gossip Grill is located in San Diego's "gayborhood" Hillcrest. These are the stories of the humans that run it and the humans th...
Wild Side West | San Francisco, CA
31 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Wild Side West, now located in San Francisco's Bernal Heights neighborhood, has been around for nearly 50 years. These are the stories of the humans t...
Wildrose | Seattle, WA
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Wildrose, located in Seattle, WA, has been around since its opening night party on New Year's Eve ringing in 1985. These are the stories of the humans...
Bonus Content: Shirley J | Nobody's Darling
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is our full interview with Shirley J. Ever since visiting Nobody's Darling in Chicago, it was clear we had to get an interview with Shirley. Not ...
Walker's Pint | Milwaukee, WI
03 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Walker's Pint, located in the Walker's Point neighborhood of Milwaukee, WI, is a lesbian bar with the motto "Be nice or leave." These are the stories ...
A Message from Cruising
27 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hi Listeners! Here's a quick message from the Cruising Podcast team. We hope you are staying safe and healthy as we wrap out 2021. We're off this week...
Nobody's Darling | Chicago, IL
20 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Nobody's Darling, in Chicago, IL, is a Black-owned, women-owned, and LGBT-owned craft cocktail bar. These are the stories of the humans that run it an...
Bonus Content: Lisa Cannistraci | Henrietta Hudson
13 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This is our full interview with Lisa Cannistraci, the owner of Henrietta Hudson in New York City. Henrietta's is located in a space that used to be an...
The Back Door | Bloomington, IN
06 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Back Door is the only queer space within a 50-mile radius of Bloomington, IN. These are the stories of the humans that run The Back Door and the h...
Bonus Content: Lillian Faderman | LGBTQ+ Scholar
29 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We interviewed Lillian Faderman at the very beginning of this process, before covering any of the bars. Lillian is a longtime scholar of lesbian and L...
Slammers | Columbus, OH
22 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Slammers is a lesbian bar in Columbus, OH known for their pizza and their motto, "all walks, one groove." These are the stories of the humans that run...
Bonus Content: Deb Greenberg | Cubbyhole
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We have so many queer stories that don't make it into the main episodes. So, on our off weeks, we're going to start releasing some of our full intervi...
A League of Her Own | Washington, DC
08 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A League of Her Own, or ALOHO for short, was founded in 2018. And yes, it's named after the 1992 film, A League of Their Own! These are the stories o...
Henrietta Hudson | New York, NY
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Henrietta Hudson is a “queer human bar built by lesbians.” These are the stories of the humans that run Henrietta Hudson and call Henrietta Hudson...
Cubbyhole | New York, NY
25 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Cubbyhole, Manhattan’s appropriately named hole-in-the-wall lesbian bar, has been around since 1993. These are the stories of the humans that run Cu...
Introducing Cruising - Trailer
13 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Introducing Cruising Podcast! .Cruising follows creators Sarah Gabrielli, Rachel Karp, and Jen McGinity on a cross-country road trip to visit the last...