Hello and welcome to this super special episode of our DUNE Deep Dive, where my dear friend and collaborator Nick Kepley joined me to talk all things DUNE and GENDER!
Nick Kepley (they/he) is a white, queer, non-binary Tarot reader who believes in the power of words and their complete inability to describe reality. Since 2011, Nick has been working as a Tarot facilitator, utilizing the cards as a reflective tool and witnessing the conversations that take place between clients and their deeper-knowing. Nick is also the creator and co-host of the In Search of Tarot podcast. You can learn more about them by visiting manofthecards.com or by following them on Instagram @insearchoftarot
In this episode, we chat about:
Nick’s recent love of science fiction + their top recommendations for anyone looking to read further
How DUNE succeeds or fails at being a feminist text
Second-wave feminism and American gender politics of the 1960s
The Bene Gesserits and stereotypes about “masculine” vs “feminine”
How DUNE is trapped in many binaries
The Kwisatz Haderach as the “fulcrum” between male & female, and how Paul could have been more effective as a non-binary character
Villainous queer-coding in DUNE and who Nick sees themself as in the story
How Nick ships Feyd-Rautha & Paul and Rule 34: If you’ve thought about it, there’s internet porn about it
Ursula K Le Guin’s Left Hand of Darkness, another science fiction classic that tackles gender of the future
MUCH, MUCH MORE!
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