Podcasts to Remind You That Resistance is Patriotic

Happy Fourth of July! On this Independence Day, while we we eat hot dogs and tote around flags, let us not forget that resistance is patriotism, and that there is plenty to resist against right now. Here are my favorite podcasts that serve as reminders of why resistance is, now and always, imperative.

1. Code Switch

The best podcast to remind you that the U.S. is not a post-racial society, that race is still a major source of discrimination prevalent in so many different ways, and that conversations about race can and often should be difficult

Code Switch is NPR’s podcast on race in the United States. Each episode is on a different subject, ranging from the intricate issues around Birth of a Nation to the necessity of explain who Tupac was. Code Switch is an imperative listen for anyone in the States, especially in a time where so often we hear things like, “Why does everything have to be a race issue?”

2. Nancy

The best podcast to remind you that existing as an LGBT+ person, and especially celebrating your queerness, is inherently an act of resistance; or, if you’re not LGBT+, a reminder that LGBT+ people are human beings deserving of basic human rights including the pursuit of happiness

Nancy is a beautifully jubilant, sweet, fun podcast about existing as a queer person in today’s America. The show is often heart-wrenching, but more importantly, it’s also often fun and celebratory. Instead of just focusing on the hardships of being LGBT+, Nancy reminds its listeners of the joy and solidarity the community can bring.

3. The Bright Sessions

The best podcast to remind you that veterans have the highest rate of suicide across any demographic after returning from the war due to their lack of support from the armed forces, specifically in treating veterans’ PTSD

The Bright Sessions is a fiction podcast (or audio drama) in which a therapist treats patients who have superhuman abilities. Early on, this podcast is a great way to remind the listener that radical empathy is in itself an act of resistance, but the best moment of patriotism comes in season 3, with the introduction of Frank–a veteran with PTSD who is now homeless. Frank is an accurate depiction of how veterans are treated when they return from war, and the way he acquired his powers don’t really seem so far-fetched.

4. Public Enemy

The best podcast to remind you that Islamaphobia is pervasive in western countries, especially after 9/11 and the mass amounts of anti-Islam rhetoric within U.S. politics

Public Enemy is a mini-series by Mohamed Hassan that discusses Islamaphobia in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. The show features personal experiences that relate to topics that are often discussed by politicians in the media, but almost never seen from an actual Muslim’s perspective in the media. The show is only 4 episodes long, which means there is no excuse not to listen to this beautiful and extremely important series.

5. Limetown

The best podcast to remind you of the horrors of late-stage capitalism, especially as it intersects with with weaponized scientific advances, and especially when it drives not only the economy but every aspect of society

Limetown is an fiction podcast/audio drama about a town where all of the citizens–who were also all scientists–went missing 10 years ago. The show starts about what happens when scientific advances are in the wrong hands, but eventually reveals that the science is only as evil as the people who plan to sell it. Limetown is riveting and beautifully produced, but to call it sci-fi would be a misnomer; Limetown is 100% speculative fiction that’s worlds more realistic than fantasy.

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What are your favorite podcasts to remind you that resistance is patriotism? Does Wolf 359 remind you of how abusive the prison system is? Does The Penumbra Podcast make you feel seen as a queer person like no mainstream, clearly-written-by-only-straight-people does? Does hearing Sally Grisson talk about how hard it is to be a female scientist in ars PARADOXICA remind you that current gender politics are only minimally better than they were half a century ago? Does hearing the portrayal of a trans character in The Adventure Zone make you weep with joy? Let me know in the comments–as long as you keep it good and civil.