Jesse Lawson fell in love with Bruce Sprinsteen when they were 20. They knew who he was before then, but that’s the first time they’d properly heard his music. It went straight into their insides, pulling out feelings that they didn’t even realize they had yet, giving them new words as they were held up to the light.

It turns out, they are not alone. And Jesse has questions. What is it about Bruce? Why are queers so obsessed with him? And why don’t people know that Bruce is loved by queer people?

Show notes:

Read a transcript of today’s episode

Find more Butch Springsteen here. 

If this is your first time thinking about The Boss as a queer icon, and you want to explore these new feelings you’re having, me and Holly have made a playlist:  Queer Springsteen. Think of it as a Queer Bruce 101 - it’s a combination of Bruce songs that we think are queer anthems, and then covers of Bruce songs by legendary queer artists. Some of them are their friends, who made the covers to celebrate the release of the show!

Buy Jesse’s Gay Bruce Merch and support trans affirming surgeries and families evacuating Gaza xoxo

Credits:

Because the Boss Belongs to Us is a production of Molten Heart and iHeartPodcasts

Creator: Jesse Lawson

Hosts and Executive Producers: Jesse Lawson and Holly Casio

This episode features: Tom Rasmussen

Producer + Sound Designer: Jesse Lawson

Production Assistant: Tess Hazel

Mix Engineer: Michelle Macklem

Original music and theme: Talk Bazaar

Show Art: Holly Casio

Fact Checking: Serena Solin

Legal: Rowan Maron and Feil

Molten Heart Executive Producer: Jazmine (JT) Green

iHeartPodcasts Executive Producer: Lindsey Hoffman

Jesse Lawson fell in love with Bruce Sprinsteen when they were 20. They knew who he was before then, but that’s the first time they’d properly heard his music. It went straight into their insides, pulling out feelings that they didn’t even realize they had yet, giving them new words as they were held up to the light.
It turns out, they are not alone. And Jesse has questions. What is it about Bruce? Why are queers so obsessed with him? And why don’t people know that Bruce is loved by queer people?
Show notes: 
<a href="https://www.wearemolten.com/s/BecauseTheBossBelongsToUs_E1_Script_TheMission.pdf">Read a transcript of today’s episode</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/butchspringsteen_drag/">Find more Butch Springsteen here</a>. 
If this is your first time thinking about The Boss as a queer icon, and you want to explore these new feelings you’re having, me and Holly have made a playlist:  <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/43rL4JzfUeZUsRNCtzHBLF?si=36c464f28adf4d6c">Queer Springsteen</a>. Think of it as a Queer Bruce 101 - it’s a combination of Bruce songs that we think are queer anthems, and then covers of Bruce songs by legendary queer artists. Some of them are their friends, who made the covers to celebrate the release of the show!
<a href="https://jesselawson.me/fundraising/">Buy Jesse’s Gay Bruce Merch and support trans affirming surgeries and families evacuating Gaza xoxo</a>
Credits:
Because the Boss Belongs to Us is a production of <a href="https://www.wearemolten.com/">Molten Heart</a> and <a href="https://podcasters.iheart.com/">iHeartPodcasts</a> 
Creator: <a href="https://jesselawson.me/">Jesse Lawson</a>
Hosts and Executive Producers: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jesseloulawson/">Jesse Lawson</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hollycasio/">Holly Casio</a>
This episode features: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tomrasmussen/?hl=en">Tom Rasmussen</a> 
Producer + Sound Designer: Jesse Lawson
Production Assistant: Tess Hazel
Mix Engineer: <a href="https://michellemacklem.io/">Michelle Macklem</a>
Original music and theme: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/talkbazaar">Talk Bazaar</a>
Show Art: <a href="https://coolschmool.com/">Holly Casio</a>
Fact Checking: Serena Solin
Legal: Rowan Maron and Feil
Molten Heart Executive Producer: <a href="https://www.jtgreen.me/">Jazmine (JT) Green</a>
iHeartPodcasts Executive Producer: Lindsey Hoffman

If someone asked you to name a queer icon, who would you say? Cher? Britney? Whitney? Mariah? What about…Bruce Springsteen?

In Because the Boss Belongs to Us, Jesse Lawson and Holly Casio try to get Bruce Springsteen recognised as the queer icon they know that he is. Over 7 episodes, they’ll be addressing important questions, like: 

Who wore it best? Bruce Springsteen or K D Lang?
What is the best Bruce song for your sex playlist? 
Is Bruce Springsteen… the Ultimate Emo?

And what the hell are they—trans / activist / abolitionist / DIY punk / drag king / working class / weirdos—doing, idolizing a cis, straight, rich, white man?

If someone asked you to name a queer icon, who would you say? Cher? Britney? Whitney? Mariah? What about…Bruce Springsteen?
In Because the Boss Belongs to Us, Jesse Lawson and Holly Casio try to get Bruce Springsteen recognised as the queer icon they know that he is. Over 7 episodes, they’ll be addressing important questions, like: 
Who wore it best? Bruce Springsteen or K D Lang? What is the best Bruce song for your sex playlist?  Is Bruce Springsteen… the Ultimate Emo?
And what the hell are they—trans / activist / abolitionist / DIY punk / drag king / working class / weirdos—doing, idolizing a cis, straight, rich, white man?

Because the Boss Belongs to Us

1. The Mission

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4673cf2c-5505-45ad-b747-b18b017a1b04/transcript