Estradiol Illusions

Another politics episode! Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guest Natalie Holme Elsberg for a wide-ranging discussion on progressive politics in the age of Trump. Natalie is a progressive grassroots activist who was an early supporter of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and a volunteer for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 campaigns. Natalie shares some insight into the rise of AOC and the need for prog...

Grab your gamepad and join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guest Spencer Scott Holmes for a retrospective on the Wii U. Nintendo’s rather unloved child possesses a wonderfully deep roster of games, many of which have since been ported to the Switch. Ian & Spencer talk about the highlights of the system and its library, as well as the reasons why the Wii U never seemed to get the love it deserve...

New recap series here at Estradiol Illusions! Welcome to TTTE & Chill, where we’ll be taking a train ride to the Island of Sodor to cover Thomas the Tank Engine, one VHS tape at a time. Ian & Tara take on the very first release, Thomas Gets Tricked, breaking down each episode faster than the breakdown train! Get down with the chug life and have some fun with us in Henry’s Tunnel! The episodes cove...

Ever wonder why a person decides to become gender critical? The logic behind TERF ideology often boggles the mind, but host Ian Thomas Malone sat down with Mumsnet poster Cosy Snarker for a look at what drives her hate. Ms. Snarker explains how she became involved with the movement to impede LGBTQ rights, putting aside her afternoon television schedule to spend some time swatting away efforts to r...

No more wars! Join host Ian Thomas Malone and Adriel Hampton, senior advisor to the Mike Gravel 2020 campaign for a fascinating discussion of the state of the 2020 race. Senator Gravel's campaign has been lead by teenagers David Oks and Henry Williams, who recently pulled off the very impressive feat of amassing over 65,000 individual donors, one of two thresholds for qualification for the upcomin...

Estradiol Illusions goes international again! Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guest Caitlin Spice for a discussion on the evolution of transgender rights in New Zealand. Caitlin shares her insight as a trans woman, explaining the history of the fight for LGBTQ equality in her country. Topics include healthcare, the legislative process, and the role of "debate" in modern discourse. Caitlin...

Disneyland knows how to give people a good time. You don’t earn the moniker, “the happiest place on earth” without doing at least a few things right. From the parades to the costumed characters to the delectable desserts, there’s so much to do in Disneyland, but one element of the park experience reigns supreme above all others: the rides. There are many great rides at Disneyland. While it’s prett...

Disneyland knows how to give people a good time. You don’t earn the moniker, “the happiest place on earth” without doing at least a few things right. From the parades to the costumed characters to the delectable desserts, there’s so much to do in Disneyland, but one element of the park experience reigns supreme above all others: the rides. There are many great rides at Disneyland. While it’s prett...

Disneyland knows how to give people a good time. You don’t earn the moniker, “the happiest place on earth” without doing at least a few things right. From the parades to the costumed characters to the delectable desserts, there’s so much to do in Disneyland, but one element of the park experience reigns supreme above all others: the rides. There are many great rides at Disneyland. While it’s prett...

First Star Trek episode of the podcast! Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guest Alexandra August for an in-depth look at Threshold, one of the most polarizing episodes of Star Trek: Voyager. Does Threshold deserve the hate, or are the salamanders merely a lightning rod for some of the broader criticism levied at Trek's venture into the Delta Quadrant? Ian & Alexandra break down the episode w...

Ever wonder what HRT feels like? Join host Ian Thomas Malone for a reflection on feelings, both pre-transition and after the needle full of estrogen went inside her tush. We all have feelings but we're not always so great at figuring them out. Ian does her best to work through the complexities of emotion while talking about the ways that transitioning has helped her gain a greater sense of underst...

First Stannis episode of the show! Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guest Jim McGeehin of Wars and Politics of Ice & Fire for an in-depth discussion on the One True King’s adventures in the North. From the moment he rescued the Night’s Watch from certain doom, Stannis plotted a different course in his campaign for the Throne, winning over supporters to his cause through his charming persona...

Grab your controller! Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guest Christian Montalvo for a retrospective on the Nintendo 64. The fifth generation of home consoles revolutionized gaming in so many ways, ushering in the 3D era with colorful graphics and larger than life gameplay. Ian and Christian discuss the ways the system made a lasting impression on them, which continues even to this day. From...

Nipple suits forever! Join host Ian Thomas Malone and very special guest Tara Hattendorf for a Pride-themed episode celebrating the first gay superhero movie. Joel Schumacher's Batman & Robin may be regarded as one of the worst movies ever made, but there's so much to love in its absurd narrative. From the codpiece to the terrible Mr. Freeze puns intertwined with constant lovers' quarrels, Batman...

Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guest Katelyn Burns for a wide ranging conversation on LGBTQ issues. Katelyn is the first openly transgender Capitol Hill reporter, covering the extensive scope of federal policy. Topics discussed include transgender representation in the media, the challenges of covering Congress, and the video game that’s currently got Katelyn’s attention.  You can follow...

Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guest Doug Esper for a conversation about the iconic Faith No More frontman Chuck Mosley. Doug has been Chuck’s bandmate, manager, and friend for over twenty years, spending much of 2016 & 2017 on the road as part of their “Reintroduce Yourself” tour. Topics include a retrospective of Chuck’s career, highlights from their time on tour, and the projects Doug...

First solo show since the beginning! Host Ian Thomas Malone brings her recurring column “Transgender Storytime” to the show, talking about her experiences with alcohol after transitioning. With booze interfering with HRT, the days of Cheers-level familiarity at the local watering holes have come to an end. Join Ian as she processes the ramifications on her social life with only Mary Jane as a cons...

The sexuality of Albus Dumbledore has been a subject of great speculation in the Harry Potter fandom since 2007. J.K. Rowling revealed that Hogwarts’ headmaster was gay after the publication of the final book, though the character seems to have been whisked back into the closet in his next canonical appearance in last year’s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald. What to make of this “not exp...

And now our watch has ended. Join host Ian Thomas Malone and Clint of Laws of Ice and Fire for a wrap up of Game of Thrones’ final season. We discuss our MVPs for the season, reflect on the journey that the series has taken us on, and surprisingly make no jokes about Ser Jorah. Thank you so much for following along with us this season. It’s been a blast. You can find Clint at  @clintw ,  @Westeros...

The game might be over, but our analysis is just getting started. Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guests Alexandra August, Michelle Jaworski, and Clint of Laws of Ice and Fire as we break down the very last episode of Game of Thrones. Sweetrobin is back and it looks like all of Lysa's overparenting has paid off. Will Sam face retribution for breaking his vows to the Night's Watch? Is there...

The bells are ringing on a toasty day in King's Landing! Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guests Sam Adolfo, Thomas Hankins, and Clint of Laws of Ice and Fire as we break down all the special (and sad) moments of episode five. Varys learns a powerful lesson about passing notes in class and Daenerys brings the heat in a delightful episode full of beautiful cinematography and a smiling Euron....

Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guest Dr. Adrian Harrop for a fascinating discussion on the state of transgender rights in the U.K. In this conversation covering a wide range of issues, Dr. Harrop shares his perspectives both as a medical doctor and as an ally to the transgender community. Topics in this discussion include the roadblocks presented to transgender people in access to health...

Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guest Rachel Presser as we do a deep dive into one of the more obscure entries in the world of retro gaming consoles, The Panasonic 3DO. Hailed at the time for its state of the art graphics, even earning Time Magazine's "Product of the Year" award in 1993, the system struggled to compete in the crowded gaming market at the time. A hefty $700 price tag, along...

Dracarys! Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guests Alexandra August, Thomas Hankins, and Clint of Laws of Ice and Fire as we break down all the events of episode four. With only two episodes left of Game of Thrones, will Jon have time to travel north to give Ghost his well-deserved pat? Will Bran forgive Daenerys for ordering Starbucks instead of supporting a local Winterfell coffee shop? Al...

The Battle of Winterfell is finally here! Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guests D.F. Lovett, Johnny Kolasinski, and Zoey aka girl_hag as we dissect all the moments of “The Long Night.” Was the night dark and full of terrors or simply dark and full of hard to see battle sequences? Did Bran successfully pre-order Radiohead tickets while Theon held off the Night King? All those answers and s...