Published in 1989, Francesca Lia Block’s Weetzie Bat is the story of an LA native named Weetzie Bat who finds and creates family on her own terms, alongside her best friend Dirk and their partners Duck and Secret Agent Lover Man (these names!). The book explores themes of identity, sexuality, addiction, and suicide, and is ultimately a celebration of transcendent love, acceptance, and inclusivity. On this episode, we discuss the book’s queer themes, the beauty of found family, the problems with “cancel culture,” and the lessons that Weetzie Bat can teach all of us about how to be a good friend and ally. And don’t even get us started on how beautiful the writing is!

Thanks so much to author and illustrator Maia Kobabe for guesting on Episode 49! Maia identifies as nonbinary and queer, and eir first full-length book Gender Queer: A Memoir is now available from Lion Forge. Follow Maia on Instagram (@redgoldsparks) and Tumblr (@redgoldsparks), and learn more about eir work on Patreon.

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