May 21, 2026 edition
Writer and cultural critic Phoebe Maltz Bovy joins me to discuss her new book, The Last Straight Woman, an exploration of how heterosexual women became suspect — if not pitifully uncool — in progressive culture. We talk about everything from Tumblr-era feminism and the post-#MeToo recalibration of gender politics to the television series Sex and the City and Girls, “photogenic feminism,” bachelorette parties at gay bars, late-in-life lesbians, hookup culture, and why admitting you’re a “boring straight woman” may now qualify as a radical act. We also revisit the “lesbian chic” era of the 1990s (my personal heyday), the discourse around the viral New Yorker short story Cat Person, the appeal (and limits) of sexual fluidity narratives, and the cultural overlap between straight female culture and gay male sensibilities.
Bonus: We also switched gears in the last 15 minutes and did a Deep Dive™ into the subject of buying secondhand clothing from online marketplaces such as Poshmark. This portion is available to paying subscribers. To upgrade your subscription, go here.
Guest Bio
Phoebe Maltz Bovy is a Toronto-based cultural critic and the author. She is co-host, with Kat Rosenfield, of the Feminine Chaos podcast, Opinion Editor at The Canadian Jewish News, and host of the Canadian Jewish News podcast, The Jewish Angle. She contributes regularly to The Globe and Mail and is the author of The Perils of “Privilege” (St. Martins, 2017). She also runs a Substack called Close-Reading the Reruns with Phoebe Maltz Bovy.
Housekeeping
✈️ Our Unspeakeasy coed retreat-a-polooza is open for registration! Sign up now to get our early bird special. Details below. To register, go to the website.
Also . . .
📝 I’m leading a three-night women’s writing retreat in New York’s Catskill Mountains Sept 28-Oct 1. Application deadine is August 13 for the Catskills retreat.
🤣 Don’t miss my special April Fool’s Day episode with “curiosity coach” Amanda Gertz-Hurdy. It just might change your life.
🏍️ I am hosting Zoom hangouts for Founding Members on the last Sunday of every month at 8pm ET. The next meeting is Sunday, May 31. If you’re a Founding Member, you will get an email with the link. If you’re not yet a Founding Member, you can upgrade your subscription here.
🎁 Make a one-time donation to the podcast. Everything helps and is deeply appreciated. 🙏
📺 Visit The Unspeakeasy on YouTube.
