Bisexual Killjoy

S3E8: Liminality as Labor: Class and Bi+ Survival with Alicia Ortiz


Listen Later

Welcome back to Bisexual Killjoy! What does it mean to survive as a bi+ person in a world structured by class? In one of our most expansive and layered conversations to date, Bailey and Jace are joined by educator, activist, and musician Alicia Ortiz to unpack the taboo of talking about class, especially in queer spaces. Together, we explore how class functions as a sticky object in our lives, how bi+ people uniquely navigate systems of poverty and power, and why the myth of meritocracy doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.

From identity politics and the legacy of the Combahee River Collective to Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò’s Elite Capture, we examine how movements are co-opted, how queerness is commodified, and how bi+ people are often excluded from both straight and gay narratives of respectability. We also dig into how upward mobility—whether through the military, education, or sex work—is often pathologized, and why coalition-building is essential for a liberated future.

Hosted by bi+ academics, writers, and advocates Bailey Merlin and Jace Rios Rivera, Bisexual Killjoy talks all things bisexual (pansexual, omnisexual, plurisexual, and overall bi+ness) because bisexuality isn’t a phase; it’s a phenomenon. Get even more Bisexual Killjoy content by subscribing to our Substack, joining our Patreon, and following us on Instagram. 

Were you a Bisexual Killjoy this week? We want to hear from you! Send us a message, chat with us on our Discord server, or email us at [email protected]  

Buy us a Coffee or leave us a tip here.

Resources

  • Dalke, Anne. “Classism and the Queer Community.” Serendip Studio, 2013. https://serendipstudio.org/exchange/critical-feminist-studies-2013/ep/web-event-2-classism-and-queer-community 
  • Gaskins, TY. “Black Dandyism Explained—From Its 18th-Century Roots to Modern-Day Expressions.” Vogue. 8 May 2025.  https://www.vogue.com/article/what-is-black-dandyism 
  • Stop Soldier Suicide. “Veteran Suicide Stats.” https://stopsoldiersuicide.org/vet-stats 
  • Táíwò, Olúfẹ́mi O. Elite Capture: How the Powerful Took Over Identity Politics (And Everything Else). Chicago: Haymarket Books. 2022.
  • Where to find Alicia Ortiz

    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alicia.vida.ortiz 
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alicia_vida_ortiz/
    • Classes: https://impactboston.org/in-person-classes/
    • ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      Bisexual KilljoyBy bisexualkilljoy

      • 5
      • 5
      • 5
      • 5
      • 5

      5

      50 ratings


      More shows like Bisexual Killjoy

      View all
      Multiamory: Rethinking Modern Relationships by Multiamory | Pleasure Podcasts

      Multiamory: Rethinking Modern Relationships

      916 Listeners

      Sexology by Dr. Nazanin Moali, Ph.D, Psychology of Sex | Couple Therapy | Sex Education

      Sexology

      418 Listeners

      Gender Reveal by Tuck Woodstock

      Gender Reveal

      1,258 Listeners

      Bad Gays by Huw Lemmey & Ben Miller

      Bad Gays

      497 Listeners

      Two Bi Guys by Robert Cohen

      Two Bi Guys

      188 Listeners

      Queer Collective Podcast by Queer Collective

      Queer Collective Podcast

      127 Listeners

      Maintenance Phase by Aubrey Gordon & Michael Hobbes

      Maintenance Phase

      16,943 Listeners

      The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

      The Ezra Klein Show

      16,538 Listeners

      Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society by History Hit

      Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

      1,405 Listeners

      If Books Could Kill by Michael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri

      If Books Could Kill

      9,435 Listeners

      In Bed With The Right by Adrian Daub and Moira Donegan

      In Bed With The Right

      573 Listeners

      A Bit Fruity with Matt Bernstein by Matt Bernstein

      A Bit Fruity with Matt Bernstein

      2,597 Listeners

      Can't Host: Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Men’s Sex and Relationships by George Lizos

      Can't Host: Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Men’s Sex and Relationships

      33 Listeners

      Give It To Me Bi by Chad Barnier, Steve Spencer

      Give It To Me Bi

      11 Listeners

      Big Bi+ Questions by JOY 94.9 - Queer Podcasts for all our Rainbow Communities: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Bi+, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, Questioning, Asexual, Ally, LGBT, GLBT, LGBT+, LGBTQ, LGBTI, LGBTIQA+, LGBTQIA+

      Big Bi+ Questions

      4 Listeners