Because the Boss Belongs to Us

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If someone asked you to name a queer icon, who would you say? Cher? Britney? Whitney? Mariah? What about…Bruce Springsteen?

In Because the Boss Belongs to Us, Jesse Lawson and Holly Casio try to get Bruce Springsteen recognised as the queer icon they know that he is. Over 7 episodes, they’ll be addressing important questions, like:

Who wore it best? Bruce Springsteen or K D Lang?
What is the best Bruce song for your sex playlist?
Is Bruce Springsteen… the Ultimate Emo?

And what the hell are they—trans / activist / abolitionist / DIY punk / drag king / working class / weirdos—doing, idolizing a cis, straight, rich, white man?

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Episodes

7. The Verdict

After all of this work, have Jesse and Holly succeeded on their mission? Is Bruce Springsteen a queer icon? In order to know whether The Boss does, truly, belong to us, Jesse and Holly need to persuade a Panel of Queers who are so far unconvinced. Show notes: Read a transcript of today’s episode Our friends have released 6 absolutely STUNNING bruce covers to celebrate the series. Find them all on our Queer Springsteen playlist <3 Buy Jesse’s Gay Bruce Merch and support trans affirming surgeri...

Jul 23, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 7

6. Last Chance

Jesse and Holly just have one checkpoint to go before we can officially crown Bruce Springsteen with queer icon status. Quite simply – is there a vibe? Do other queer people agree that Bruce is a queer icon? This is their last chance to collate their evidence, gather their findings, and prepare their ultimate arguments for the Panel of Queers next week. Show notes: Read a transcript of today’s episode Read Alana Kumbier’s seminal zine Because the Boss Belongs to us Read Holly Casio’s Graphic Mem...

Jul 16, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 6

5: Cry / Dance / F**k

They’re back, baby. Jesse and Holly are donning their lab coats once again to see if Bruce Springsteen ticks off checklist point three: Good Music. Does Bruce Springsteen’s music help queer people access emotions that they have spent years learning to dissociate from? Or, in other works, can you dance to it, can you cry to it, can you f**k to it? Show notes: Read a transcript of today’s episode If this is your first time thinking about The Boss as a queer icon, and you want to explore these new ...

Jul 09, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 5

4: Failure

Off the back of their conversations last episode, Jesse and Holly are really starting to doubt their mission. Sure, a lot of Bruce Springsteen's lyrics make them feel seen, but can they relate to actual Bruce Springsteen? He’s a multi-millionaire! And his fanbase is not representative of their identities and beliefs. Does that even matter? Show notes: Read a transcript of today’s episode If this is your first time thinking about The Boss as a queer icon, and you want to explore these new feeling...

Jul 02, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 4

3: Underdog

It’s time to investigate item two on Jesse and Holly’s airtight queer icon checklist: Underdog Status. They need to find in him experiences of struggle that would make him relatable to queer people, so they can root for him as an underdog. Show notes: Read a transcript of today’s episode Live recording of The River where Bruce talks about his dad If this is your first time thinking about The Boss as a queer icon, and you want to explore these new feelings you’re having, me and Holly have made a ...

Jun 25, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 3

2. Camp

Jesse and Holly have anointed themselves with Queer Scientific Research Status and they’re ready to put The Boss to the test. Can he fulfill the first item on their checklist: CAMP? Show notes: Read a transcript of today’s episode ‘Can a cis guy be butch’ meme If this is your first time thinking about The Boss as a queer icon, and you want to explore these new feelings you’re having, me and Holly have made a playlist: Queer Springsteen . Think of it as a Queer Bruce 101 - it’s a combination of B...

Jun 18, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 2

1. The Mission

Jesse Lawson fell in love with Bruce Sprinsteen when they were 20. They knew who he was before then, but that’s the first time they’d properly heard his music. It went straight into their insides, pulling out feelings that they didn’t even realize they had yet, giving them new words as they were held up to the light. It turns out, they are not alone. And Jesse has questions. What is it about Bruce? Why are queers so obsessed with him? And why don’t people know that Bruce is loved by queer people...

Jun 11, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Introducing: Because the Boss Belongs to Us

You know Bruce Springsteen, but did you know that he is a queer icon? Because The Boss Belongs to Us is a series presented by Jesse Lawson and Holly Casio that uses Bruce Springsteen as a lens through which to explore queer history, identity and politics. Through original reporting, tender personal narratives, and playful, sound-rich surprises, Jesse and Holly go on a journey to not only understand why The Boss low-key resonates with so many queer folks, but also what it even means to idolize a ...

Jun 04, 2024•2 min

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