Hosts & Guests
Rory
(they/them) is a plant scientist, folk musician, Tolkien nerd, and ethnobotanist (of both real and fantasy plants). Chronically curious and constantly tangential by nature!
Stuart
(they/them). A lifelong Tolkien and other fantasy literature fan living, wild swimming, singing, and drinking excessive amounts of tea in southwest England.
Alicia
(she/they) A queer Tolkien scholar and Zelda nerd interested in adaptation, audience reception, and biography.
Grace
(she/her) An acquirer of books, a queer-rights activist, serves as as the Subscriptions Steward of the Mythopoeic Society, and is a Professional Nerd (okay, technically it’s an unpaid internship).
Leah
(she/her) Just another weird Tolkien geek living in the Grey Havens (also known as Seattle WA) with two rabbits and far too few books.
About This Episode
Rory and Stuart from The Alliance of Arda join us to discuss Aromantic/Asexual (Aro/Ace) readings of Tolkien. Bagginses! Aldarion! Istari! Sauron!? Listen in as we fill in some of the gaps (and some deep, problematic holes) with Queer Readings that put the ‘A’ in LGBTQIA+!
Content Warning: Transphobia, Acephobia
Related Episodes
Episode 30 – Acespec JTR Issue with Editors Clare & Rory
Episode 27 Acespec JTR Issue with Editors Clare & Rory Hosts & GuestsClare Moore is a PhD student at the University Glasgow researching disability in Tolkien’s fiction. (they/them) is a plant scientist, folk musician, Tolkien nerd, and ethnobotanist (of both...
Episode 29 – The Carpenter Biography: A Response
Episode 29 The Carpenter Biography: A Response Hosts & Guests(she/they) A queer Tolkien scholar and Zelda nerd interested in adaptation, audience reception, and biography. (she/her) An acquirer of books, a queer-rights activist, serves as as the Subscriptions...
Episode 28 – Writing a Book Chapter! (or “Why We Didn’t Record Much in 2025”)
Learn more about the process of academic publishing as Leah and Grace recount their first times writing for academic publishing, guided by Alicia’s experience. Thank you for sticking with us! We have so much more in store for you.