Screen Door Queers: Appalachian Storytelling

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August Bass discusses growing up around old-time music and finding a sense of belonging as a queer musician within a traditionally older, predominantly straight, and male musical community.

Bass grew up playing and listening to old-time music because their father is a fiddle player. They attended festivals and square dances from a young age and eventually became involved in The Swannanoa Sweethearts, an all-queer old-time band. Being surrounded by other queer musicians allows Bass to feel more comfortable and less concerned about having to explain or defend their identity. That comfort, in turn, gives them more freedom to experiment creatively with music.

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In this episode, Filmmaker Andie Morgenlander talks about creating queer stories rooted in Appalachia and the South. Andie reflects on their journey to independent filmmaking, the importance of authentic representation, and their debut feature film Whistle Down Wind. They also discuss their work with Southern Equality Studios, which supports queer and trans creatives. Together, the conversation explores why telling stories from Appalachia matters and how film can become a resource for belonging and strength.

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In this episode of Screen Door Queers, we sit down with BK, a longtime activist and community organizer whose decades of advocacy have helped shape Western North Carolina's LGBTQ+ landscape. From arriving in Asheville at the turn of the millennium to organizing mutual aid after Hurricane Helene, BK reflects on the challenges of finding queer community, the power of protest, and the importance of bringing generations together.

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In this episode of Screen Door Queers, we sit down with Asheville musician, songwriter, drag artist, and spiritual storyteller Flamy Grant. It explores Flamy’s journey from a conservative evangelical upbringing in Western North Carolina to becoming a nationally recognized drag performer and recording artist. 

The conversation touches on music as a tool for self-discovery and the role of drag in exploring gender identity and so much more.

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In this episode of Screen Door Queers, Writer Willie Edward Taylor Carver Jr. speaks of the importance of visibly queer teachers, storytelling as survival, growing up queer in Appalachia, and so much more. 

The episode is the third in a three-part story focused on queer life in Eastern Kentucky. The series is produced by students in a Media and Communications course at Warren Wilson College. 

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In this episode of Screen Door Queers, the crew visits a metaphysical shop in Pikeville, Kentucky, to talk with Tanya Jone, a local business owner, foster parent, and longtime queer community organizer. Tonya shares how she helped start Pikeville Pride and why creating safe, welcoming spaces for LGBTQ people matters so much.

The episode is the second in a three-part story focused on queer life in Eastern Kentucky. The series is produced by students in a Media and Communications course at Warren Wilson College. 

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Centered on Appalshop filmmaker Nik Lee, the first episode of Screen Door Queers highlights the importance of storytelling by and for Appalachian people. Through conversations about filmmaking, personal identity, and recovery from climate disasters, the episode emphasizes community, representation, and the power of local media to challenge stereotypes and preserve cultural memory.

This episode is the first in a three-part story focused on queer life in Eastern Kentucky. The series is produced by students in a Media and Communications course at Warren Wilson College.