• Why he chose the deliberately provocative title Cis, White, Gay — and what reactions revealed about current identity politics.
• How queer "community" has become increasingly moralized, hierarchical, and policed — and what gets lost when dissent is framed as betrayal.
• The difference between taste and taboo — and how aesthetic preferences are now treated as political statements.
• Why "representation" has replaced excellence as the highest cultural virtue.
• How literary gatekeeping operates today — from publishers and prize committees to informal online watchdogs.
• The loneliness of ideological nonconformity in queer and creative circles.
• The professional and social costs of questioning orthodoxy — including lost friendships, lost opportunities, and subtle blacklisting.
Guest Bio:
Ben Appel is a writer and commentator whose memoir, Cis White Gay, traces his path from a strict Christian sect to progressive activism—and his break with movement orthodoxy; he's written for outlets like Newsweek, UnHerd, and more, and publishes on Substack.